Hivelings [3.5 Tryor Race (6/15 Sub-Races!)]

[Admiral Squish]

The Fleshforge Legacy

Hivelings
Hivelings are an extremely social race from the black sands of Ferrara. Responsible for most of the civilization in the desert, the hivelings are extremely close-knit. However, hivelings come in many shapes and sizes, each caste with their own roles and responsibilities to the hive. Hivelings are born into their castes as workers. These worker forms are small, and physically weak, but hard-working and industrious. However, when exposed to royal jelly, each undergoes an impressive transformation that transforms them physically and mentally. Most hivelings live their entire lives as workers, but in times of war, the royals pass out royal jelly, instantly transforming their peaceful workers into powerful, deadly warrior forms.

Personality: Hivelings vary in their outlooks and personalities, but they generally share a few common traits. All hivelings are somewhat stiff and logical, to varying degrees, depending on their specific caste. While only Royal and Queen hivelings have genders, other hivelings are known to form non-sexual life-bonds among multiple hivelings. These bonds generally form among close friends and allies. Most often all members are of the same caste, though inter-caste life bonds are not unheard of.

Physical Description: Hivelings come in many shapes and sizes. The worker forms are relatively similar to one-another, and thus share a number of traits, but the warrior forms vary widely from one to another. Most worker forms stand about 3 feet tall. They are all essentially humanoid in appearance, though a bit thin. Chitinous skin provides hivelings with some protection against injury and the elements. Hivelings are covered head to toe in plates of chitin, which vary in thickness depending on where they are on the body. They are generally thickest on the back, the head, and the outside of their forearms.
A hiveling worker’s eyes are striking—sparkling, almost luminescent orbs, subdivided into hundreds of tiny cells. Two small antennae sprout from their head; they move in accordance with the creature’s actions or moods. Hivelings rarely wear much clothing, rarely more than a harness of some sort to carry gear. Overall, hiveling have relatively short lifespans, rarely living past 40 if they spend their whole lives as workers. Once metamorphosed, hivelings have their metabolism drastically stepped up. Most warrior forms live a year , maybe two after the transformation.

Relations: Hivelings are the main civilization of Ferrara. Very few of the other denizens of the desert can muster forces strong enough to seriously threaten a hive. They trade amicably with the dragons and their kobold servitors, and in the overthrow of the mind flayers, they even cooperated briefly. Many reptilians, however, see the hivelings as threats, and regularly launch raids on hiveling farms, mines, and other soft targets. The hivelings believe strongly that the desert needs no help from the softskins of the north, and are rather isolationist in their politics.

Alignment: Almost all hivelings are lawful. Their extremely regimented society leaves little room for individualism. Those few chaotic hivelings find themselves struggling, trapped in the system. These hivelings almost always leave the hive, some willingly, others exiled. Most hivelings are neutral, keeping to themselves and remaining focused on their tasks, too deeply involved to think of the morality of their actions, though there is a slight tendency for good among them.

Hiveling Lands: Hivelings control the majority of Ferrara. There are pockets here and there where the reptilians or the dragons hold power, but between their towering black hives and their walking fortresses, there is very little outside their control. Most hivelings dwell in huge, black hives formed from a mix of black sand and the saliva of the stone caste. Below these structures lay massive networks of tunnels and caverns, dug out of the sand and lined with the stone caste’s cement. Sometimes, older, larger hives are somewhat raised, due to the sand eroding out from under them, leaving the hive supported solely by it’s tunnels.

Language: Hivelings speak a language of clicks and chirps. However, even if one could produce the appropriate sounds and learn their meaning, the language would still be impossible for anyone without scent to properly understand, and even then, impossible to speak. The hivelings supplement their audible language with chemicals and scents. These can either be broadcast, to communicate with multiple nearby hivelings, or whispered by rubbing antenna. Most hivelings speak their language exclusively, and those that do learn other languages often find them hard to speak, even if they understand them perfectly.

Names: Hiveling names are in reverse of most races. They use their hive name first, then their caste, then their personal name. Personal names tend to be long and complicated, with many clicks and chittering noises, which leads many non-hivelings to refer to them either as simply ‘bugs’ or to give individual hivelings nicknames. Hivelings in a life-bond may use their bond-name as a sort of middle name between their caste and their personal name.

Adventurers: Hiveling adventurers are usually exiles or runaways, which means a significantly higher portion of them are chaotic than average. Sometimes, hives will send powerful representatives to perform important tasks or negotiations. These exceptional individuals are often adventurers of one kind or another. Many warrior forms pick up a level or two in fighter, ranger, or barbarian during their brief but bloody careers.

Flame Caste:

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Flame Caste
The flame caste hivelings are a dangerous bunch. Even their worker forms are capable of dealing and taking damage. In peace, the flame caste serve the hive as guards. The flame caste are an important line of defense. Their service permits suitable time for a proper force to be raised in response to a threat.

Personality: Flame caste are steadfast and honorable, though they can often show a bit too much… passion for battle. They are always ready for a fight, and never shy from blood. They are among the most emotional hivelings, and similarly show the greatest tendency for individuality. They generally favor action over words, but they’re also extremely loyal. Flame caste hivelings are willing to die for their hive or their friends.

Physical Description: Flame-caste hivelings are known for their reddish chininous plating. Slightly larger than other worker hivelings, flame castes stand between 3’ and 3’6”, and weigh between 60 and 80 pounds. Flame castes have thicker plating than most worker forms, with large hands ending in chitinous claws. Flame caste antenna sweep back over the head and drape down behind them, though they can be swung forward when they need to examine something.

Relations: Flame caste are proud, and generally tend to stay amongst themselves. They are friendly and open among the company of their own, but they straighten up when members of other castes are about, which tends to give them a reputation as stiff among the other castes. They respect, perhaps even idolize blood castes, and all flame castes hope to someday taste the jelly and become blood castes.

Alignment: Flame castes have more chaotic hivelings among their number than most castes, though they’re good at putting on a lawful front among other hivelings. They show little preference for good or evil, as a slight sadistic streak is encouraged among warriors, which counters the general dispensation of the hivelings for good.

Flame Caste Lands: Flame castes live, work, and train together in barracks, which are usually close to the outer walls of the hive and close to the entrances, which allows them to rush out to meet any threat to the hive with greater speed.

Language: Flame castes are louder than other castes, with more emphasis on the spoken portion of hiveling. This is because spoken commands travel further and faster on the field than scent-based ones.

Adventurers: Flame castes are quite possibly the caste most likely to take class levels.

FLAME CASTE RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 dexterity, -2 wisdom. Flame castes are quick and surprisingly strong for their size, but they are more emotional than logical, and often their judgment suffers.
• Monstrous Humanoid: Hivelings are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
• Small: As a Small creature, a hiveling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but it uses smaller weapons than humans use, and its lifting and carrying limits are three quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Flame caste base land speed is 30 feet.
• Chitin: Flame caste hivelings gain a +3 natural armor bonus to AC
• Scent: Hivelings gain the scent special ability.
• Compound Eyes: A hiveling’s multifaceted eyes grant it a +2 bonus to spot checks.
• Natural Weapons: Two claws (1d3)
• Metamorphosis: When a flame caste hiveling consumes royal jelly, he may enter a state of metamorphosis by creating a chrysalis. This chrysalis takes three days to complete. The chrysalis for a flame caste’s metamorphosis is medium sized, with 100 HP and hardness 8. It resembles a full sleeping bag and is a dark red color, shot through with black veins. Upon completion of the chrysalis, the hiveling must climb inside it, seal it, and remain within it for a week. If the chrysalis is broken during this time, the hiveling inside dies, but may be resurrected as normal. At the end of the week, the hiveling emerges, transformed into a blood caste. The hiveling loses a level at this time, as though it had been raised from the dead. The level loss cannot be negated by any means, even by wish or miracle.
• Automatic Languages: Hiveling. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Reptilian, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Warblade. A multiclass flame caste hiveling’s warblade levels don’t count when determining whether he takes an experience penalty for multiclassing.

Blood Caste:

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The blood caste are the shock troopers of the hiveling armies. They are swift, agile combatants, bristling with natural weaponry and willing to lay down their brief lives for the good of the hive.

Personality: Blood caste are warriors first and foremost. They long for combat. Their lives are painfully short, and all of them would rather die on the battlefield in service of the hive than to fall to sickness or old age. Blood caste have a tendency to act first and ask questions later, and can often jump the gun on important issues. Sometimes, outsiders see this behavior as the blood caste having a death wish, which is not quite true. The blood caste know their death is coming, and if it come a little earlier, so be it.

Physical Description: Blood caste warriors resemble bipedal praying mantis. Its body’s exoskeleton is dark crimson in color. Of the body’s six limbs, the lower two are used for walking, and the upper four end in three-fingered, clawlike hands. Blood caste have large mandibles and compound eyes. Two small antennae sprout from the tops of their heads. They wear little clothing beyond simple harnesses for carrying weapons and equipment. Blood caste have an extremely short lifespan, even short by the standards of warriors. The blood caste rarely live a full year after their metamorphosis.

Relations: Blood caste are warriors, and as such have the respect of the entire hive. The flame caste particularly idolizes them, seeing the potential for themselves to become like them. Outsiders rightfully fear them as the whirling engines of death they become on the battlefield. Amongst themselves, the blood caste are much the same as they were as flame castes. However, the metamorphosis rewires their brains, making them somewhat less intelligent interfering with their speech.

Alignment: Blood caste share much the same outlook as their flame caste origins, meaning the majority are lawful neutral, but many show certain chaotic tendancies.

Blood Caste Lands: Blood caste warriors dwell with other warrior castes, just below the royal chambers, though some of them reside in special rooms in the flame caste barracks. At the barracks, the blood caste serve as practical trainers, teaching the flame caste preparing to metamorphose how to adapt to their new minds and bodies.

Language: Blood castes speak much the same as flame castes, though there larger size and lungs makes them significantly louder.

Adventurers: Most blood caste earn a level or two in martial classes before they fall.

BLOOD CASTE RACIAL TRAITS
The traits replace the racial traits of the flame caste when their metamorphosis is complete.

• +2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence, -4 Charisma. Blood caste warriors are exceptionally quick and strong, but their minds have been rewired to focus on reflexes rather than intelligence and language skills.
• Monstrous Humanoid: Hivelings are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
• Medium: As Medium creatures, blood caste have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Blood caste base land speed is 40 feet.
• Chitin: Blood caste hivelings gain a +3 natural armor bonus to AC
• Multiple Limbs: Blood caste hivelings have four arms, and thus can take the Multiweapon Fighting feat instead of the Two-Weapon Fighting feat. Blood caste can also take the Multiattack feat. (These are not bonus feats.)
• Natural Weapons: Four claws (1d4) and bite (1d4)
• Scent: Hivelings gain the scent special ability.
• Compound Eyes: A hiveling’s multifaceted eyes grant it a +2 bonus to spot checks.
• Leap: Blood caste pounce into combat, leaping great distances on powerful, spring like legs. Blood caste gain a +20 racial bonus to jump checks.
• Automatic Languages: Hiveling. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Reptilian
• Favored Class: Warblade. A multiclass blood caste hiveling’s warblade levels don’t count when determining whether he takes an experience penalty for multiclassing.
• +1 LA

Spark Caste

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The spark caste are intelligent, intuitive hivelings. They are given the responsibility of researching psionic and arcane power, as well as developing new applications for these within the hive. Their unique creative status grants them a degree of individuality somewhat uncommon among the hivelings.

Personality: Spark caste hivelings are usually very intelligent and logical, with reasonable social skills. However, their logical minds have a tendancy to go off the rails, making logical leaps that most races simply don’t have the mental wiring for. They have a tendency to get caught up in their work, becoming more and more manic and excited as the work continues. These fits of creative mania are common among the spark caste, and give them their reputation as flighty and possibly even unstable. Spark castes are deeply interested is psionics and arcane magic, and any large-scale application of these powers is often fascinating to them.

Physical Description: Spark caste hivelings have pale blue chitin all over their bodies. This coloration is extremely visible in the black sands, and along with their frail constitutions, this makes them easy pickings for the harsh land outside the hive. As such, spark castes only rarely, if ever, leave the hive. However, where there bodies are weak, their minds are strong. Spark caste hivelings have larger heads than most hivelings. Spark caste are considered thin, even by the standards of other hivelings. Somewhere between 2’6” and 3’, they would be shorter in not for their large skulls. Spark caste hivelings weigh between 30 and 50 pounds.

Relations: Spark caste hivelings are afforded respect among the other hivelings, though not as much as warriors, and definitely not as much as royals. Even by hiveling standards, however, they tend to stay within their caste, finding that other hivelings are simply less accepting of their eccentric behaviors and similarly, often find it hard to understand the advanced concepts they work on. Spark castes almost never see outsiders, as they almost never leave the hive.

Alignment: Spark caste are usually Lawful Neutral, with chaotic tendencies. The tend towards good more than evil, but neither extreme is particularly common.

Spark Caste Lands: Spark caste dwell deep inside the hive’s main body, usually just a level or two below the warrior castes. This provides them with a degree of protection from invaders, and keeps the secrets of their research well-guarded. Spark caste laboratories are some of the few places within the hive that are kept constantly lit.

Language: Spark caste have to be careful when the speak to one another, favoring whispered communications of rubbing antenna. The reason for this is to ensure their olfactory message-scents don’t interfere with the chemicals they work with.

Adventurers: Spark caste adventurers are usually psions, wizards, or artificers. Only rarely do they actually become adventurers in the proper sense of the word. Those that do are usually those that show signs throughout their lives, those that are curious about the outside world, and eventually go exploring to satiate their curiosity.

SPARK CASTE RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution. Spark caste hivelings are intelligent but frail, with weak bodies.
• Monstrous Humanoid: Hivelings are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
• Small: As a Small creature, a hiveling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but it uses smaller weapons than humans use, and its lifting and carrying limits are three quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Spark caste base land speed is 20 feet.
• Chitin: Spark caste hivelings gain a +1 natural armor bonus to AC
• Scent: Hivelings gain the scent special ability.
• Compound Eyes: A hiveling’s multifaceted eyes grant it a +2 bonus to spot checks.
• Naturally Psionic: Spark caste hivelings gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
• Psi-Like Abilities: Energy Ray. A spark caste may use this ability a number of times per day equal to it’s int modifier. A spark caste’s manifester level for this power is equal to 1/2 their HD.
• Metamorphosis: When a spark caste hiveling consumes royal jelly, he may enter a state of metamorphosis by creating a chrysalis. This chrysalis takes three days to complete. The chrysalis for a spark caste’s metamorphosis is small sized, with 100 HP and hardness 8. It resembles a deep blue orb encased in a meandering, cage-like structure of yellowish resin. Upon completion of the chrysalis, the hiveling must climb inside it, seal it, and remain within it for a week. If the chrysalis is broken during this time, the hiveling inside dies, but may be resurrected as normal. At the end of the week, the hiveling emerges, transformed into a thunder caste. The hiveling loses a level at this time, as though it had been raised from the dead. The level loss cannot be negated by any means, even by wish or miracle.
• Automatic Languages: Hiveling. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Reptilian, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Psion. A multiclass spark caste hiveling’s psion levels don’t count when determining whether he takes an experience penalty for multiclassing.

Thunder Caste

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The thunder caste are small, flying hivelings designed to control a battlefield from the air. Intelligent and quick, they dart though the air raining energetic death onto their foes.

Personality: The thunder caste are constantly moving. The manic, inventive state they were known for as spark castes becomes permanent post-transformation, kicking their reflexes into high gear and leaving them constantly active. They retain the intellect of their former selves, but the constant mania makes it difficult for them to concentrate on one task for any length of time.

Physical Description: The thunder caste are small, with spindly, frail limbs and long fingers. Their backs bear four gossamer wings that glitter with a rainbow of colors as they beat the air with an audible hum. Thunder caste chitin is sky blue, to make them more difficult to pick out against the sky.

Relations: The thunder caste are the only flying warrior caste, which gives them a specific status. They’re also the smallest, which makes them more likely to be bullied by the bigger warriors. Still, most warriors can respect the kind of destruction that a thunder caste can deliver to a battlefield. Since they’re constantly energetic, much of their making time is spent patrolling the air above the hive, keeping a sharp eye out for threats.

Alignment: The thunder caste tend to be lawful in opinion and deed, though their extreme mania often gives them a more chaotic personality. The thunder caste tend toward the good alignments, moreso than many other castes.

Thunder Caste Lands: The thunder caste live in the outer rim of the warrior levels, where they can take off flying and pour out the windows at a moment’s notice.

Language: Thunder caste rarely talk much in battle, where it is too easy for the wind to take away their scent markers, and the buzz of their wings often drones over any conversations. If speech is necessary, they often use magic or psionics to transmit their messages, many often linking up with the mindlink power before they fly out to battle.

Adventurers: Thunder caste adventurers are relatively rare, though they are a step more common than those of the spark caste. Most thunder caste posses a few levels of psion or wizard, giving them a solid grasp of destructive magic.

[RACE] RACIAL TRAITS

• +4 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength, -4 Constitution. Thunder caste hivelings are extremely quick and agile, and retain most of their powerful intellect, however, their bodies become much weaker and their lightweight forms are not capable of taking much punishment.
• Monstrous Humanoid: Hivelings are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
• Small: As a Small creature, a hiveling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but it uses smaller weapons than humans use, and its lifting and carrying limits are three quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Thunder caste base land speed is 15 feet.
• Thunder caste have a fly speed of 30 feet with good maneuverability.
• Chitin: Thunder caste hivelings gain a +1 natural armor bonus to AC
• Scent: Hivelings gain the scent special ability.
• Compound Eyes: A hiveling’s multifaceted eyes grant it a +2 bonus to spot checks.
• Naturally Psionic: Thunder caste hivelings gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
• Psi-Like Abilities: Energy Ray. A thunder caste may use this ability a number of times per day equal to it’s int modifier. A thunder caste’s manifester level for this power is equal to their HD.
• Automatic Languages: Hiveling. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Reptilian, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Psion. A multiclass thunder caste hiveling’s psion levels don’t count when determining whether he takes an experience penalty for multiclassing.
• +1 LA

Earth Caste

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The earth caste hivelings are builders. They craft tools, bore tunnels, and, above all else, build the multitudes of structures within the hive. With broad chests and strong backs, they are practical, down-to earth hivelings.

Personality: Earth caste hivelings are practical and approach everything from a logical standpoint. All problems have solutions, you just have to be able to see them. They rarely make jokes. The earth caste is often seen as the most ‘typical’ of the hiveling castes, exemplifying all the traits the hivelings are known for.

Physical Description: Earth caste are stout of build, with black chitin all over their bodies and large hands, clearly designed for digging and labor. One of their most unique traits is their saliva. When mixed with the black sand of ferrara, the resultant paste can be shaped and formed, but quickly hardens into a black, glossy substance nearly as strong as steel. This blackstone is used for almost all hiveling constructions. It is used to line and support hiveling tunnels, to build their titanic hives, and even to create tools, armor, and weapons, though it does require some special treatments to work properly for these purposes.

Relations: Earth caste spend very little time among the other hivelings. Their duty is to dig, build, and design, and they obey their queen zealously. Most of their waking hours are spend on the job, in huge forges underground crafting weapons and armor for warriors as well as tools and glassware for the other castes. When not at this task, they are digging, constantly tunneling to create new fungus farms and gather more sand to be used for crafting and the further expansion of the hive.

Alignment: The earth caste are extremely lawful, most at ease when at work for the glory of the hive. Many are good, eager to serve for the greater good, but many are neutral, simply satisfied to do their given tasks.

Earth Caste Lands: The earth caste take their meals in a large central chamber just below the main body of the hive. However, each earth caste is required to dig their own room. It is these rooms that allow a earth caste to express themselves individually. Some are large, with furniture sculpted of blackstone, while others are small, barely large enough to fit themselves into.

Language: Earth caste tunnels are long and winding, making it too difficult to carry sound through and too distant for scent. So earth caste have actually developed a language of their own, a language of beats that is tapped into the blackstone for all those nearby to ‘hear’. Hard pounds can be felt for a surprising distance, carried through the stone.

Adventurers: Earth caste adventurers are extremely rare. Some may take a level or two of artificer or the like if they have the gift, but this is rare. Those who train themselves to become guardian caste may earn levels of crusader.

EARTH CASTE RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 con, -2 Dexterity. Surprisingly, for their small size, the earth caste are clumsy and somewhat slow, but their bodies are hardy, and they show surprising strength for their size.
• Monstrous Humanoid: Hivelings are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
• Small: As a Small creature, a hiveling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but it uses smaller weapons than humans use, and its lifting and carrying limits are three quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Earth caste base land speed is 30 feet.
• Chitin: Earth caste hivelings gain a +3 natural armor bonus to AC
• Scent: Hivelings gain the scent special ability.
• Compound Eyes: A hiveling’s multifaceted eyes grant it a +2 bonus to spot checks.
• Tremorsense 60. A earth caste hiveling can use this ability to hear and understand earth caste silent within 200 feet. Earth cast silent cannot be heard by creatures without tremorsense.
• Tunneling: An earth caste can bore through sand at a speed of 20 feet. This does not leave a usable tunnel behind. To leave a usable tunnel 3 feet in diameter, the hiveling must dig at half this speed. For a 5-foot diameter tunnel, the hiveling can only dig at a speed of 5 feet. These tunnels are not permanent, and collapse within 1d4 minutes unless the hiveling takes a move action to coat the walls with their saliva.
• Blackstone: This unique substance is created by a earth caste hiveling mixing saliva with black sand. It takes one minute to produces one pound of soft blackstone. The earth caste may make a craft (sculpting) check within that time to shape the blackstone into any shape it desires. When hardened, blackstone has hardness 8 and 10 HP/inch of thickness. It requires a craft (weaponsmithing) or craft (armorsmithing) to turn the rough blackstone shape into a proper weapon. Any weapon created of blackstone that hasn’t been treated with a craft (weaponsmithing) check deals damage as though it were one size smaller, and imposes a -2 penalty to attack rolls made with it. Armor or shields created from backstone that hasn’t been treated with a craft (Armorsmithing) check have their armor check penalty increased by 2 and their armor bonus reduced by 1. An earth caste gains a +2 racial bonus to all craft checks made in regards to blackstone.
• Metamorphosis: When an earth caste hiveling consumes royal jelly, he may enter a state of metamorphosis by creating a chrysalis. This chrysalis takes three days to complete. The chrysalis for an earth caste’s metamorphosis is medium sized, with 100 HP and hardness 8. It resembles a lumpy black sphere, like a small boulder. Upon completion of the chrysalis, the hiveling must climb inside it, seal it, and remain within it for a week. If the chrysalis is broken during this time, the hiveling inside dies, but may be resurrected as normal. At the end of the week, the hiveling emerges, transformed into a guardian caste. The hiveling loses a level at this time, as though it had been raised from the dead. The level loss cannot be negated by any means, even by wish or miracle.
• Natural Weapons: Slam (1d3)
• Automatic Languages: Hiveling. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Earth Caste Silent, Giant, Reptilian, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Crusader. A multiclass Earth caste hiveling’s crusader levels don’t count when determining whether he takes an experience penalty for multiclassing.

Guardian Caste

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These broad, low-set warriors are slow but powerful. Mostly, this caste is used in defensive situations, standing guard around the entrances to the hives, mines, and even staffing the mobile fortresses.

Personality: Guardian caste warriors are realists, and very practical, if rather businesslike. They rarely speak more than a few words at a time, and despite being rather polite, tend to come off as brusque. They have a strong sense of honor and are extremely loyal to the queen and the hive.

Physical Description: Guardians are large, beetle-like hivelings with large, heavily armored arms ending in club-like hands. A second set of arms, much smaller and more dexterous than the first set, protrudes from the side of their powerful, barrel-like chests. The guardian caste usually wear armor made of blackstone, wielding huge blades and massive shields of it as well. Guardian caste hivelings are plated head to toe with thick chitin armor. Guardian castes live a surprisingly long time for warriors, sometimes as long as three years.

Relations: Guardian caste serve an important role among the hivelings, and as such are well-respected, among the most respected of the warriors. They serve as both guardians and exemplars, role models for all hivelings. The guardian caste, naturally, has a great deal of pride.

Alignment: Guardian caste are strictly lawful, their resolve to be the best hivelings is only strengthened by their transformations. Also, the portion of good guardian caste has increased from their earth caste days, as the guardians have a strict moral code, and many earth caste see the transformation as a chance for a more mental transformation as well.

Guardian Caste Lands: Guardian caste are stationed in teams of four at each entrance and exit of the hive. In addition, the queen’s honor guard is composed of guardian caste warriors, and the guardians patrol the hallways of the hive, wherever they can fit, that is.

Language: Guardian caste speak hiveling, much like any other hiveling, though they may sometimes still stomp the earth to pass messages to their earth caste brethren in earth caste silent.

Adventurers: Guardian caste adventurers are rather rare, their loyalty to the hive being so unflinching. Most guardian caste pick levels of crusader.

GUARDIAN CASTE RACIAL TRAITS

• +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, -4 Dexterity. Guardian caste are incredibly strong and durable, but slow-moving and unreactive.
• Monstrous Humanoid: Hivelings are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
• Medium: As a medium creature, a guardian caste hiveling gains no special bonuses or penalties based on it’s size.
• Guardian caste base land speed is 20 feet.
• Chitin: Earth caste hivelings gain a +6 natural armor bonus to AC
• Scent: Hivelings gain the scent special ability.
• Compound Eyes: A hiveling’s multifaceted eyes grant it a +2 bonus to spot checks.
• Tremorsense 60. A earth caste hiveling can use this ability to hear and understand earth caste silent within 200 feet. Earth cast silent cannot be heard by creatures without tremorsense.
• Extra Arms: A guardian caste hiveling bears a second set of arms just under the first, though they're extremely small and relatively weak. Their weaker limbs are poorly suited to carrying weapons or shields, and do not gain natural weapons (even if the guardian is under a spell or other effect that grants hand-based natural weapons), but they do an excellent job of providing stability and support to the upper limbs.
  These extra limbs allow the guardian to use weapons one size category larger than normal without penalty. The guardian's secondary arms must be free for it to gain this benefit. This benefit does not extend to larger weapons. For example, a guardian can wield a Large longsword with a single primary arm without penalty by steadying the blade's pommel with its lower limb.
  A guardian can wield a pair of two-handed weapons by using all four of its limbs. The guardian gains the full benefits of wielding a two-handed weapon, such as 1-1/2 times its Strength bonus on damage rolls. The guardian suffers the standard penalty for fighting with two weapons and carrying a non-light weapon in its off hand.
  If a guardian carries a weapon or shield in its secondary arms while one or more of its primary arms also carry an item, it suffers a number of penalties. When using a shield, the guardian takes the shield's armor check penalty on its attack rolls and skill checks even if it has proficiency with the shield. When using a weapon, the guardian gains only half its Strength bonus on damage rolls. It takes a -4 penalty on all attacks for each light weapon used in this manner. This penalty increases to -8 for one-handed weapons. The guardian cannot carry a two-handed weapon with just its secondary arms.
  A guardian with at least one empty hand can cast spells with a somatic component.
• Natural Weapons: Two slams (1d4)
• Automatic Languages: Hiveling. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Earth Caste Silent, Giant, Reptilian, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Crusader. A multiclass Earth caste hiveling’s crusader levels don’t count when determining whether he takes an experience penalty for multiclassing.
• LA +1

Frost Caste

Juggernaut Caste

Dark Caste

Death Caste

Light Caste

Life Caste

Song Caste

Royal Caste

Queen Caste

[Admiral Squish]

These are the hivelings for my new campaign setting. In an effort to save post-space and encourage review, I'm going to be posting each of the races as a separate thread and linking them to the main thread. Hopefully, the playground will find the task of review a little less intimidating this way.

I was really debating how I was going to handle the hivelings in terms of posting them. On one hand, it might not be entirely kosher to post each of them separately, considering just how many of them there are. But on the other hand, the fact that there are so many would likely scare of potential reviews. So, in the end, here we are. This thread is mainly supposed to give you perspective on hivelings as a whole, so I don't have to go into extreme detail with each hiveling entry. Plus, it serves nicely as an organizer, and I'm not honestly sure that a single post can hold all the characters needed for these.

[LOTRfan]

I have to agree with Gnorman, here. This'll take up half the first page.

Are these you're updated Dromites? They look pretty cool so far.

[Gnorman]

On one hand, it might not be entirely kosher to post each of them separately, considering just how many of them there are. But on the other hand, the fact that there are so many would likely scare of potential reviews.

Honestly, it doesn't encourage review to have each of them in a separate thread - if you're worried about one thread being daunting, why would fourteen be better? Speaking from a personal level, I find it extremely annoying and it usually ends up being that I want to read the work significantly less.

There are other projects on the board, y'know. Taking up the entire first page with a multitude of threads that could be easily pared down to one or two does a disservice to other homebrewers.

[Admiral Squish]

I have to agree with Gnorman, here. This'll take up half the first page.

Are these you're updated Dromites? They look pretty cool so far.

Dromites, thri-keen... Pretty much all the insectoid races, plus a few of my own design.

Well, I suppose if public opinion demands it, I can give consolidation a shot. Actually, gnorman, if you could delete your first post, I could expand into my second post should it become necessary.

[Gnorman]

Done.

Now, on a mechanical level, the burning question: with fourteen castes, how in the heck are you going to keep each one unique?

[Admiral Squish]

Honestly, it doesn't encourage review to have each of them in a separate thread - if you're worried about one thread being daunting, why would fourteen be better?. Speaking from a personal level, I find it extremely annoying and it usually ends up being that I want to read the work significantly less.

There are other projects on the board, y'know. Taking up the entire first page with a multitude of threads that could be easily pared down to one or two does a disservice to other homebrewers.

Actually, I find the evidence is against you on this one. It clearly DOES get more reviews. I got like two real reviews on the origin thread when they were all consolidated. The main reason is because yes, it is intimidating to look at a giant wall of information. Nobody wants to read a full campaign setting in one sitting. By breaking the thread up, I find it's much easier for people to comment on smaller, bite-sized chunks of setting. Plus, it adds publicity and the chances are, if somebody stops to read one, they are more likely to go back to the root and read the whole thing.

I do admit, I feel a bit guilty for spamming out these threads. But so far, it's the only tactic that DOESNT require me to ambush my friends and make them read.

Done.

Now, on a mechanical level, the burning question: with fourteen castes, how in the heck are you going to keep each one unique?

That, my friend, is the fun part. Each one will have their own nitche. Yes, there will be some similarities. They are, after all, the same race. But I hope that I can provide enough difference between each caste to inspire people to play each.

[Mayhem]

I like it, having a hive subraces is good for an insectoid race.

You could make a series of links to each one, with bried summary under the contents or even next to the link.

[Admiral Squish]

I like it, having a hive subraces is good for an insectoid race.

You could make a series of links to each one, with bried summary under the contents or even next to the link.

That actually was the original idea. See those two (please delete) threads? Those were the original homes of the flame and blood castes. However, I was talked out of it by Gnorman and LOTRfan out of consideration for the neatness of the boards in general.

[Admiral Squish]

Alright, added in Spark Caste.

Spoiler

Show

The spark caste are intelligent, intuitive hivelings. They are given the responsibility of researching psionic and arcane power, as well as developing new applications for these within the hive. Their unique creative status grants them a degree of individuality somewhat uncommon among the hivelings.

Personality: Spark caste hivelings are usually very intelligent and logical, with reasonable social skills. However, their logical minds have a tendancy to go off the rails, making logical leaps that most races simply don’t have the mental wiring for. They have a tendency to get caught up in their work, becoming more and more manic and excited as the work continues. These fits of creative mania are common among the spark caste, and give them their reputation as flighty and possibly even unstable. Spark castes are deeply interested is psionics and arcane magic, and any large-scale application of these powers is often fascinating to them.

Physical Description: Spark caste hivelings have pale blue chitin all over their bodies. This coloration is extremely visible in the black sands, and along with their frail constitutions, this makes them easy pickings for the harsh land outside the hive. As such, spark castes only rarely, if ever, leave the hive. However, where there bodies are weak, their minds are strong. Spark caste hivelings have larger heads than most hivelings. Spark caste are considered thin, even by the standards of other hivelings. Somewhere between 2’6” and 3’, they would be shorter in not for their large skulls. Spark caste hivelings weigh between 30 and 50 pounds.

Relations: Spark caste hivelings are afforded respect among the other hivelings, though not as much as warriors, and definitely not as much as royals. Even by hiveling standards, however, they tend to stay within their caste, finding that other hivelings are simply less accepting of their eccentric behaviors and similarly, often find it hard to understand the advanced concepts they work on. Spark castes almost never see outsiders, as they almost never leave the hive.

Alignment: Spark caste are usually Lawful Neutral, with chaotic tendencies. The tend towards good more than evil, but neither extreme is particularly common.

Spark Caste Lands: Spark caste dwell deep inside the hive’s main body, usually just a level or two below the warrior castes. This provides them with a degree of protection from invaders, and keeps the secrets of their research well-guarded. Spark caste laboratories are some of the few places within the hive that are kept constantly lit.

Language: Spark caste have to be careful when the speak to one another, favoring whispered communications of rubbing antenna. The reason for this is to ensure their olfactory message-scents don’t interfere with the chemicals they work with.

Adventurers: Spark caste adventurers are usually psions, wizards, or artificers. Only rarely do they actually become adventurers in the proper sense of the word. Those that do are usually those that show signs throughout their lives, those that are curious about the outside world, and eventually go exploring to satiate their curiosity.

[RACE] RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution. Spark caste hivelings are intelligent but frail, with weak bodies.
• Monstrous Humanoid: Hivelings are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
• Small: As a Small creature, a hiveling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but it uses smaller weapons than humans use, and its lifting and carrying limits are three quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Spark caste base land speed is 20 feet.
• Chitin: Spark caste hivelings gain a +1 natural armor bonus to AC
• Scent: Hivelings gain the scent special ability.
• Compound Eyes: A hiveling’s multifaceted eyes grant it a +2 bonus to spot checks.
• Naturally Psionic: Spark caste hivelings gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
• Psi-Like Abilities: Mindlink and Energy Ray. A spark caste may use it’s psi-like abilities a number of times per day equal to it’s int modifier. A spark caste’s manifester level for these effects is equal to their HD.
• Metamorphosis: When a spark caste hiveling consumes royal jelly, he may enter a state of metamorphosis by creating a chrysalis. This chrysalis takes three days to complete. The chrysalis for a spark caste’s metamorphosis is small sized, with 100 HP and hardness 8. It resembles a deep blue orb encased in a meandering, cage-like structure of yellowish resin. Upon completion of the chrysalis, the hiveling must climb inside it, seal it, and remain within it for a week. If the chrysalis is broken during this time, the hiveling inside dies, but may be resurrected as normal. At the end of the week, the hiveling emerges, transformed into a thunder caste. The hiveling loses a level at this time, as though it had been raised from the dead. The level loss cannot be negated by any means, even by wish or miracle.
• Automatic Languages: Hiveling. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Reptilian, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Psion. A multiclass spark caste hiveling’s psion levels don’t count when determining whether he takes an experience penalty for multiclassing.

Would somebody be so kind as to tell me about what they think of the hiveling metamorphosis ability? I'm concerned about how it's being handled.

Are the hivelings thus far balanced for their LA/Lack of LA?

[LOTRfan]

I think it is good, as long as all subraces are LA +1 or lower. By morphing into a caste with +1 LA, you already basically retroactively paid the LA by losing a level you had before. It's a cool idea, similar to the Necropolitan.

[Lord_Gareth]

Given how they produce their warriors, is the Hiveling battlecry the following: "PEANUT BUTTAH JELLAH TIME!"

[Admiral Squish]

I think it is good, as long as all subraces are LA +1 or lower. By morphing into a caste with +1 LA, you already basically retroactively paid the LA by losing a level you had before. It's a cool idea, similar to the Necropolitan.

I certainly liked it. They should all be about +1 LA, though the queen caste actually takes two steps, so it'll be +2.

Given how they produce their warriors, is the Hiveling battlecry the following: "PEANUT BUTTAH JELLAH TIME!"

*facepalm*

I have no words...

[Lord_Gareth]

I say these things so that your players won't :P

[Admiral Squish]

I say these things so that your players won't :P

For some reason, I doubt your motives are so... philanthropic.

But, moving on, does anyone have comments on the castes themselves? Are flame casts balanced LA 0? Are spark caste? Did I knock down the thri-keen enough to make them LA +1, rather than LA +1/2RHD?

[BladeofOblivion]

Alright, added in Spark Caste.

Spoiler

Show

The spark caste are intelligent, intuitive hivelings. They are given the responsibility of researching psionic and arcane power, as well as developing new applications for these within the hive. Their unique creative status grants them a degree of individuality somewhat uncommon among the hivelings.

Personality: Spark caste hivelings are usually very intelligent and logical, with reasonable social skills. However, their logical minds have a tendancy to go off the rails, making logical leaps that most races simply don’t have the mental wiring for. They have a tendency to get caught up in their work, becoming more and more manic and excited as the work continues. These fits of creative mania are common among the spark caste, and give them their reputation as flighty and possibly even unstable. Spark castes are deeply interested is psionics and arcane magic, and any large-scale application of these powers is often fascinating to them.

Physical Description: Spark caste hivelings have pale blue chitin all over their bodies. This coloration is extremely visible in the black sands, and along with their frail constitutions, this makes them easy pickings for the harsh land outside the hive. As such, spark castes only rarely, if ever, leave the hive. However, where there bodies are weak, their minds are strong. Spark caste hivelings have larger heads than most hivelings. Spark caste are considered thin, even by the standards of other hivelings. Somewhere between 2’6” and 3’, they would be shorter in not for their large skulls. Spark caste hivelings weigh between 30 and 50 pounds.

Relations: Spark caste hivelings are afforded respect among the other hivelings, though not as much as warriors, and definitely not as much as royals. Even by hiveling standards, however, they tend to stay within their caste, finding that other hivelings are simply less accepting of their eccentric behaviors and similarly, often find it hard to understand the advanced concepts they work on. Spark castes almost never see outsiders, as they almost never leave the hive.

Alignment: Spark caste are usually Lawful Neutral, with chaotic tendencies. The tend towards good more than evil, but neither extreme is particularly common.

Spark Caste Lands: Spark caste dwell deep inside the hive’s main body, usually just a level or two below the warrior castes. This provides them with a degree of protection from invaders, and keeps the secrets of their research well-guarded. Spark caste laboratories are some of the few places within the hive that are kept constantly lit.

Language: Spark caste have to be careful when the speak to one another, favoring whispered communications of rubbing antenna. The reason for this is to ensure their olfactory message-scents don’t interfere with the chemicals they work with.

Adventurers: Spark caste adventurers are usually psions, wizards, or artificers. Only rarely do they actually become adventurers in the proper sense of the word. Those that do are usually those that show signs throughout their lives, those that are curious about the outside world, and eventually go exploring to satiate their curiosity.

[RACE] RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 Intelligence, -2 Constitution. Spark caste hivelings are intelligent but frail, with weak bodies.
• Monstrous Humanoid: Hivelings are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
• Small: As a Small creature, a hiveling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but it uses smaller weapons than humans use, and its lifting and carrying limits are three quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Spark caste base land speed is 20 feet.
• Chitin: Spark caste hivelings gain a +1 natural armor bonus to AC
• Scent: Hivelings gain the scent special ability.
• Compound Eyes: A hiveling’s multifaceted eyes grant it a +2 bonus to spot checks.
• Naturally Psionic: Spark caste hivelings gain 2 bonus power points at 1st level. This benefit does not grant them the ability to manifest powers unless they gain that ability through another source, such as levels in a psionic class.
• Psi-Like Abilities: Mindlink and Energy Ray. A spark caste may use it’s psi-like abilities a number of times per day equal to it’s int modifier. A spark caste’s manifester level for these effects is equal to their HD.
• Metamorphosis: When a spark caste hiveling consumes royal jelly, he may enter a state of metamorphosis by creating a chrysalis. This chrysalis takes three days to complete. The chrysalis for a spark caste’s metamorphosis is small sized, with 100 HP and hardness 8. It resembles a deep blue orb encased in a meandering, cage-like structure of yellowish resin. Upon completion of the chrysalis, the hiveling must climb inside it, seal it, and remain within it for a week. If the chrysalis is broken during this time, the hiveling inside dies, but may be resurrected as normal. At the end of the week, the hiveling emerges, transformed into a thunder caste. The hiveling loses a level at this time, as though it had been raised from the dead. The level loss cannot be negated by any means, even by wish or miracle.
• Automatic Languages: Hiveling. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Giant, Reptilian, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Psion. A multiclass spark caste hiveling’s psion levels don’t count when determining whether he takes an experience penalty for multiclassing.

Would somebody be so kind as to tell me about what they think of the hiveling metamorphosis ability? I'm concerned about how it's being handled.

Are the hivelings thus far balanced for their LA/Lack of LA?

This one is interesting, though it is notable in that it is almost Strictly Superior to the vanilla Grey Elf. The only meaningful advantage the elf has is move speed. It'd make a better Wizard OR Psion than a Grey Elf, though that perhaps is a good thing.

[Gnorman]

This one is interesting, though it is notable in that it is almost Strictly Superior to the vanilla Grey Elf. The only meaningful advantage the elf has is move speed. It'd make a better Wizard OR Psion than a Grey Elf, though that perhaps is a good thing.

Weird bug wizards are always cooler than stupid old elves.

[Admiral Squish]

This one is interesting, though it is notable in that it is almost Strictly Superior to the vanilla Grey Elf. The only meaningful advantage the elf has is move speed. It'd make a better Wizard OR Psion than a Grey Elf, though that perhaps is a good thing.

Hmmm, well they don't get the... well, if you look at it this way... uh... Okay, yeah, you've got a pretty solid point there. This is worrisome. Do you have any suggestions for fixing it? Maybe an extra hit to strength?

Weird bug wizards are always cooler than stupid old elves.

Words to live by, if ever I've heard them.

[Lord_Gareth]

Hivelings get no Elven Generalist, if that helps.

[Admiral Squish]

Well, I killed the spark caste's psi-like mindlink and bumped down their CL for the energy ray to 1/2. I also posted the thunder caste, which I'm REALLY worried about, since they have a high bonus to dex a fly speed in addition to all the spark caste stuff.

[EdroGrimshell]

I also posted the thunder caste, which I'm REALLY worried about, since they have a high bonus to dex a fly speed in addition to all the spark caste stuff.

I like it. The Con hit makes up for the bonuses, bugbig time (that was completely unintentional when i wrote it.)

Though i'd have to say the first thought that went through my head was "what would happen if, say, a fire caste and spark caste intent on experimenting switched chrysilis?"

[Admiral Squish]

I like it. The Con hit makes up for the bonuses, bugbig time (that was completely unintentional when i wrote it.)

Though i'd have to say the first thought that went through my head was "what would happen if, say, a fire caste and spark caste intent on experimenting switched chrysilis?"

...You know, I never even considered that option! I'm slightly ashamed of myself. I honestly don't know what would happen. It might simply not work.

[EdroGrimshell]

...You know, I never even considered that option! I'm slightly ashamed of myself. I honestly don't know what would happen. It might simply not work.

I think it would be interesting if they could mix and match. Though that'd be a lot of work on your part if you did do so (that's a lot of possible combinations).

Maybe a "mutant hiveling" caste that occurs, likely something that allows a "pick and choose thing" but also has major penalties to offset it. Could be interesting if you want to try it, otherwise i may do so myself.

[Admiral Squish]

I think it would be interesting if they could mix and match. Though that'd be a lot of work on your part if you did do so (that's a lot of possible combinations).

Maybe a "mutant hiveling" caste that occurs, likely something that allows a "pick and choose thing" but also has major penalties to offset it. Could be interesting if you want to try it, otherwise i may do so myself.

Hmm... Well, to be honest, I have quite a bit on my plate, what with another 11 hiveling races to go, plus the details on all 8 outer gods, all six elemental gods, and all the multitude of inner gods. If you were to draw up some kinda mutant hiveling caste for me, I'd be exceptionally appreciative. Perhaps a list of traits based on which caste goes into what chrysalis? Say, flame goes into spark chrysalis, and comes out with claws and wings.

[EdroGrimshell]

Hmm... Well, to be honest, I have quite a bit on my plate, what with another 11 hiveling races to go, plus the details on all 8 outer gods, all six elemental gods, and all the multitude of inner gods. If you were to draw up some kinda mutant hiveling caste for me, I'd be exceptionally appreciative. Perhaps a list of traits based on which caste goes into what chrysalis? Say, flame goes into spark chrysalis, and comes out with claws and wings.

Expect it by the end of the week

[Admiral Squish]

Expect it by the end of the week

Well, I dunno if I'll have all the castes up by then...

[EdroGrimshell]

Well, I dunno if I'll have all the castes up by then...

The basics, that's all. Fluff and some general traits.

[Admiral Squish]

The basics, that's all. Fluff and some general traits.

Alright, then. I look forward to it!

Earth Caste posted!

Spoiler

Show

The earth caste hivelings are builders. They craft tools, bore tunnels, and, above all else, build the multitudes of structures within the hive. With broad chests and strong backs, they are practical, down-to earth hivelings.

Personality: Earth caste hivelings are practical and approach everything from a logical standpoint. All problems have solutions, you just have to be able to see them. They rarely make jokes. The earth caste is often seen as the most ‘typical’ of the hiveling castes, exemplifying all the traits the hivelings are known for.

Physical Description: Earth caste are stout of build, with black chitin all over their bodies and large hands, clearly designed for digging and labor. One of their most unique traits is their saliva. When mixed with the black sand of ferrara, the resultant paste can be shaped and formed, but quickly hardens into a black, glossy substance nearly as strong as steel. This blackstone is used for almost all hiveling constructions. It is used to line and support hiveling tunnels, to build their titanic hives, and even to create tools, armor, and weapons, though it does require some special treatments to work properly for these purposes.

Relations: Earth caste spend very little time among the other hivelings. Their duty is to dig, build, and design, and they obey their queen zealously. Most of their waking hours are spend on the job, in huge forges underground crafting weapons and armor for warriors as well as tools and glassware for the other castes. When not at this task, they are digging, constantly tunneling to create new fungus farms and gather more sand to be used for crafting and the further expansion of the hive.

Alignment: The earth caste are extremely lawful, most at ease when at work for the glory of the hive. Many are good, eager to serve for the greater good, but many are neutral, simply satisfied to do their given tasks.

Earth Caste Lands: The earth caste take their meals in a large central chamber just below the main body of the hive. However, each earth caste is required to dig their own room. It is these rooms that allow a earth caste to express themselves individually. Some are large, with furniture sculpted of blackstone, while others are small, barely large enough to fit themselves into.

Language: Earth caste tunnels are long and winding, making it too difficult to carry sound through and too distant for scent. So earth caste have actually developed a language of their own, a language of beats that is tapped into the blackstone for all those nearby to ‘hear’. Hard pounds can be felt for a surprising distance, carried through the stone.

Adventurers: Earth caste adventurers are extremely rare. Some may take a level or two of artificer or the like if they have the gift, but this is rare. Those who train themselves to become guardian caste may earn levels of crusader.

[RACE] RACIAL TRAITS

• +2 con, -2 Dexterity. Surprisingly, for their small size, the earth caste are clumsy and somewhat slow, but their bodies are hardy, and they show surprising strength for their size.
• Monstrous Humanoid: Hivelings are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
• Small: As a Small creature, a hiveling gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but it uses smaller weapons than humans use, and its lifting and carrying limits are three quarters of those of a Medium character.
• Earth caste base land speed is 30 feet.
• Chitin: Earth caste hivelings gain a +3 natural armor bonus to AC
• Scent: Hivelings gain the scent special ability.
• Compound Eyes: A hiveling’s multifaceted eyes grant it a +2 bonus to spot checks.
• Tremorsense 60. A earth caste hiveling can use this ability to hear and understand earth caste silent within 200 feet. Earth cast silent cannot be heard by creatures without tremorsense.
• Tunneling: An earth caste can bore through sand at a speed of 20 feet. This does not leave a usable tunnel behind. To leave a usable tunnel 3 feet in diameter, the hiveling must dig at half this speed. For a 5-foot diameter tunnel, the hiveling can only dig at a speed of 5 feet. These tunnels are not permanent, and collapse within 1d4 minutes unless the hiveling takes a move action to coat the walls with their saliva.
• Blackstone: This unique substance is created by a earth caste hiveling mixing saliva with black sand. It takes one minute to produces one pound of soft blackstone. The earth caste may make a craft (sculpting) check within that time to shape the blackstone into any shape it desires. When hardened, blackstone has hardness 8 and 10 HP/inch of thickness. It requires a craft (weaponsmithing) or craft (armorsmithing) to turn the rough blackstone shape into a proper weapon. Any weapon created of blackstone that hasn’t been treated with a craft (weaponsmithing) check deals damage as though it were one size smaller, and imposes a -2 penalty to attack rolls made with it. Armor or shields created from backstone that hasn’t been treated with a craft (Armorsmithing) check have their armor check penalty increased by 2 and their armor bonus reduced by 1.
• Metamorphosis: When an earth caste hiveling consumes royal jelly, he may enter a state of metamorphosis by creating a chrysalis. This chrysalis takes three days to complete. The chrysalis for an earth caste’s metamorphosis is medium sized, with 100 HP and hardness 8. It resembles a lumpy black sphere, like a small boulder. Upon completion of the chrysalis, the hiveling must climb inside it, seal it, and remain within it for a week. If the chrysalis is broken during this time, the hiveling inside dies, but may be resurrected as normal. At the end of the week, the hiveling emerges, transformed into a guardian caste. The hiveling loses a level at this time, as though it had been raised from the dead. The level loss cannot be negated by any means, even by wish or miracle.
• Automatic Languages: Hiveling. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Earth Caste Silent, Giant, Reptilian, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Warblade. A multiclass flame caste hiveling’s warblade levels don’t count when determining whether he takes an experience penalty for multiclassing.

[EdroGrimshell]

Oh i like these ones, though maybe a bonus on craft checks involving blackstone is in order. Something you may also want to consider is give them a natural slam attack (only 1d3 but still). It makes sense, mostly because I see them as being beetle-like and larger than other hivelings while still being classified as "small".

I created a similar race actually that secreted an alchemical enzyme/resin that they used to craft everything, probably why i like this.

[Admiral Squish]

Oh i like these ones, though maybe a bonus on craft checks involving blackstone is in order. Something you may also want to consider is give them a natural slam attack (only 1d3 but still). It makes sense, mostly because I see them as being beetle-like and larger than other hivelings while still being classified as "small".

I created a similar race actually that secreted an alchemical enzyme/resin that they used to craft everything, probably why i like this.

I figured the ability to make tools and weapons out of essentially nothing would be plenty useful. Though, it DOES become useless outside of ferrara... Sure, I could throw in a racial +2 to all craft checks made in regards to blackstone.

I could give them a slam attack, which would fit since I gave the guardian caste 2.

By the way: Guardian caste up:

Spoiler

Show

These broad, low-set warriors are slow but powerful. Mostly, this caste is used in defensive situations, standing guard around the entrances to the hives, mines, and even staffing the mobile fortresses.

Personality: Guardian caste warriors are realists, and very practical, if rather businesslike. They rarely speak more than a few words at a time, and despite being rather polite, tend to come off as brusque. They have a strong sense of honor and are extremely loyal to the queen and the hive.

Physical Description: Guardians are large, beetle-like hivelings with large, heavily armored arms ending in club-like hands. A second set of arms, much smaller and more dexterous than the first set, protrudes from the side of their powerful, barrel-like chests. The guardian caste usually wear armor made of blackstone, wielding huge blades and massive shields of it as well. Guardian caste hivelings are plated head to toe with thick chitin armor. Guardian castes live a surprisingly long time for warriors, sometimes as long as three years.

Relations: Guardian caste serve an important role among the hivelings, and as such are well-respected, among the most respected of the warriors. They serve as both guardians and exemplars, role models for all hivelings. The guardian caste, naturally, has a great deal of pride.

Alignment: Guardian caste are strictly lawful, their resolve to be the best hivelings is only strengthened by their transformations. Also, the portion of good guardian caste has increased from their earth caste days, as the guardians have a strict moral code, and many earth caste see the transformation as a chance for a more mental transformation as well.

Guardian Caste Lands: Guardian caste are stationed in teams of four at each entrance and exit of the hive. In addition, the queen’s honor guard is composed of guardian caste warriors, and the guardians patrol the hallways of the hive, wherever they can fit, that is.

Language: Guardian caste speak hiveling, much like any other hiveling, though they may sometimes still stomp the earth to pass messages to their earth caste brethren in earth caste silent.

Adventurers: Guardian caste adventurers are rather rare, their loyalty to the hive being so unflinching. Most guardian caste pick levels of crusader.

[RACE] RACIAL TRAITS

• +4 Strength, +4 Constitution, -4 Dexterity. Guardian caste are incredibly strong and durable, but slow-moving and unreactive.
• Monstrous Humanoid: Hivelings are not subject to spells or effects that affect humanoids only, such as charm person or dominate person.
• Medium: As a medium creature, a guardian caste hiveling gains no special bonuses or penalties based on it’s size.
• Guardian caste base land speed is 20 feet.
• Chitin: Earth caste hivelings gain a +6 natural armor bonus to AC
• Scent: Hivelings gain the scent special ability.
• Compound Eyes: A hiveling’s multifaceted eyes grant it a +2 bonus to spot checks.
• Tremorsense 60. A earth caste hiveling can use this ability to hear and understand earth caste silent within 200 feet. Earth cast silent cannot be heard by creatures without tremorsense.
• Extra Arms: A guardian caste hiveling bears a second set of arms just under the first, though they're extremely small and relatively weak. Their weaker limbs are poorly suited to carrying weapons or shields, and do not gain natural weapons (even if the guardian is under a spell or other effect that grants hand-based natural weapons), but they do an excellent job of providing stability and support to the upper limbs.
  These extra limbs allow the guardian to use weapons one size category larger than normal without penalty. The guardian's secondary arms must be free for it to gain this benefit. This benefit does not extend to larger weapons. For example, a guardian can wield a Large longsword with a single primary arm without penalty by steadying the blade's pommel with its lower limb.
  A guardian can wield a pair of two-handed weapons by using all four of its limbs. The guardian gains the full benefits of wielding a two-handed weapon, such as 1-1/2 times its Strength bonus on damage rolls. The guardian suffers the standard penalty for fighting with two weapons and carrying a non-light weapon in its off hand.
  If a guardian carries a weapon or shield in its secondary arms while one or more of its primary arms also carry an item, it suffers a number of penalties. When using a shield, the guardian takes the shield's armor check penalty on its attack rolls and skill checks even if it has proficiency with the shield. When using a weapon, the guardian gains only half its Strength bonus on damage rolls. It takes a -4 penalty on all attacks for each light weapon used in this manner. This penalty increases to -8 for one-handed weapons. The guardian cannot carry a two-handed weapon with just its secondary arms.
  A guardian with at least one empty hand can cast spells with a somatic component.
• Natural Weapons: Two slams (1d6)
• Automatic Languages: Hiveling. Bonus Languages: Common, Draconic, Earth Caste Silent, Giant, Reptilian, Undercommon
• Favored Class: Crusader. A multiclass Earth caste hiveling’s crusader levels don’t count when determining whether he takes an experience penalty for multiclassing.
• LA +1