The Shatter Design

Visual Design

The Shatter are vastly numerous, composed of trillions of tiny, iridescent mineral-like bodies that shimmer and refract light. They have a crystalline anatomy, which allows them to change their overall shape at will, adapting to different environments or assuming specific forms for various purposes. They form intricate patterns while swarming together into individual constructs. They range in color depending on their type but are always beautiful and entrancing.

Goals

The Shatter's seek to explore, learn, and adapt to new environments so they can proliferate. They transform by mimicking the world around them and altering their form to suit it exactly or entirely differently. Created as a tool, their motive is inherently based on what their creators deem. Their sole desire alone: become.

Biology

The Shatter is a bio-synthetic species composed of trillions of tiny, iridescent mineral-like bodies that form together to create shapes and structures as a hive-mind intelligence. Their crystalline anatomy defies gravity, allowing them to move quickly and become new forms. Destroying one part of a shatter creature often results in its rapid reconstruction.

Queen Spawn are the primary source of Shatter reproduction. They procreate by splitting their cells at an alarming rate, replicating into vast numbers of new crystals.

Psychology

As a legion hive mind, the Shatter operates as a single unit with individual members behaving as nodes in a vast network of interconnected consciousness. They have remarkable coordination and decision-making abilities, responding with incredible speed and efficiency to various situations.

However, they do not respond to reason, intimidation, or fear. Their purpose is to reproduce and build at the whims of their own and their masters, the Lyraani.

Language

The Shatter communicate internally through a form of telepathy, sharing information between themselves to coordinate their actions.The longer the Shatter interacts with other species however, the more sentience it gains. It has started to form humanoid figures and even begun attempting to initiate communication.

Architecture

The Shatter constructs barriers, structures, and hives to house a Queen Spawn that reproduces further Shatter. The structures they create range from simple and straightforward to intricate and complex. Regardless of the form, they are always beautiful and shining.

Technology

The Shatter themselves are highly powerful and have no use for tools themselves. They are highly advanced and capable of manipulating their bodies and surroundings to achieve various tasks.

Hierarchy

The Shatter operates with a decentralized hierarchy, where each individual is capable of autonomous decision-making while remaining part of a greater collective. Queen Spawns are valuable, however they hold no more influence within the hive mind than any other. Theirs is a fluid and dynamic structure.

Social Structure

The Shatter operates as a unified intelligence with most deemed to be a part of the whole. Queen Spawns are particularly valuable to the species and heavily defended.

Command Structure

The Shatter's decisions are made collectively, responding seamlessly and efficiently as a group.

Weaponry

The Shatter can generate projectiles and may form into creature-like forms for offensive purposes. Additionally, some of their individual varieties are volatile and inherently dangerous. Their bodies can also be razor sharp.

Vehicles

The Shatter does not rely on conventional vehicles as they can move quickly on their own volition.