Biomatter Swarms

For the Legacy version, see: Biomatter Hordes.

The Biomatter are an aggressive bio-mechanical species of unknown origin. Comprised of a substance known as biomass which resides in vast, living communities known as 'hives', the Biomatter travel from planet to planet like an organic tsunami, establishing planet-wide colonies that assimilate all organic matter in their wake so as to grow and evolve. Though seemingly incapable of creating conventional technology, the hives make use of bioengineering to produce various organic tools and weapons, and can integrate machinery into themselves, allowing the Biomatter to make use of starships, their primary form of transportation between planets, as well as vehicles, weapons, and other forms of technology. Incapable or unwilling to reason, the Biomatter are hostile to all non-Biomatter life and attack anything and everything indiscriminantly, making them a threat to all life in the known galaxy.

The Biomatter were first identified several decades before the start of the Great War when a spore of Hive Fafnir crashed upon and swiftly overwhelmed a small research colony. In the years that would follow, several hives, including Apophis, Piru, Cronen, and Tiamat, would be identified in various locations across the region. Due to their slow and gradual advance, the Biomatter were considered a minor threat by most of the major powers that would eventually become the Peacekeeper's and Warlords. This changed with the Infestation of Rotunin, in which a major urban trading center was destroyed, resulting in billions of casualties. In the aftermath, several dedicated task-forces would be created to combat the threat, most notably the Anti-Biomatter Task Force, which to this day continues the fight against the swarms even as the Great War intensifies.

History
The origins of the Biomatter are a matter of intense debate among scientist and historians across the interstellar community; multiple theories have been proposed over the years in an effort to explain where and how they came to be, but without any conclusive evidence, they have proven impossible to confirm with any certainty. The popular theory is that the swarms were created artificially by an alien race and were either set loose on purpose or breached containment and escaped. Many modern empires have been accused of creating the hives as superweapons, though these accusations have been rejected in all cases. Others believe that the Biomatter evolved under very specific circumstances, but as no taxonomical equivalent has been discovered, this is rejected by many xenobiologists. Extragalactic origins have also been proposed, as has the Void.

Certain groups have taken a more superstitious view of the Biomatter, believing them to be demons or evil spirits that have materialized in the material realm. Some Repzork hold to the belief that the Biomatter are connected to the Nygalara, an ancient monster of the Oltavaran Faith that is said to be working with Syleris to undo creation. The Virisus of the Cult of Legion are a notable exception, claiming instead that the Biomatter are benevolent beings that seek to unite and uplift the galaxy as one harmonious consciousness in service to their god, Legion. This cult would play an instrumental role during the Necraal Schism and continues to operate from the shadows, spreading the Biomatter and spreading chaos wherever they roam. Whether Legion was a figment of Hor'or's imagination, a leader of one of the hives, or even a supreme organism that controls the hives, remains unknown. Other cults have emerged elsewhere in the fringe regions of interstellar space, some going as far as to propagate infestations and sacrificing individuals to their gods.

Pre-Great War
Encounter Codename: Outbreak

The earliest recorded Biomatter outbreak occurred decades before the start of the Great War when a spore of Hive Fafnir crashed upon Mitacen, a colony of the Mardle Empire. While the spore was still dormant, Research Base 738 sent out a team of scientists to gather samples of the then-unknown organisms for study. Shortly after the samples were brought back to the facility, the Biomatter, including the samples, became active, leading to the deaths of much of the facility's staff. Biomatter from the spore soon attacked and overwhelmed the facility, as well as a nearby settlement, killing all but a handful of colonist who managed to escape on a cargo ship. The Mardle initially attempted to cover up the incident, but subsequent attacks by Fafnir on nearby colonies made concealment impossible, and other empires soon began efforts to study the new alien threat.

Encounter Codename: Gauntlet

A spore landed near the capitol of the Flewrit colony of Qualiot, prompting the colonist to send a mercenary to investigate the crash site. By the time the mercenary arrived, the swarm had already produced a sizeable colony with numerous maturing birthers. Dozens of warriors emerged to attack the mercenary, who narrowly escaped in time to warn the Flewrits. Hours away from reinforcements and lacking the manpower necessary to eliminate the hive, the Flewrits evacuated the planet. Much of the populace managed to escape, though Qualiot itself was deemed a total loss.

Encounter Codename: Laboratory

Three weeks after the fall of Qualiot, the Salatrans began studying the Biomatter in the hopes of uncovering a weakness. They recovered samples various colonies and brought them to a facility on Phytaurs. Not long after they were brought to the facility, several mutariors escaped and infected both researchers and other creatures being held within the facility, leading to an outbreak. Before the creatures could escape the facility, a lockdown was initiated, though at the cost of most of the facility's staff. Instead of immediately destroying the facility, the Salatrans decided to observe the Biomatter through what remained of the installation's camera systems while maintaining a strict perimeter around the base. The information gathered from these observations would later be provided to the fledgling Peacekeeper Alliance, which was established less than two weeks later. After a month of observation, the installation, and all Biomatter within, were terminated.

Encounter Codename: Blight



A derelict frigate seeded with a spore from the Tiamat hive crashed on the Repzork frontier colony of Nalg-11. Repzork forces were caught completely by surprise by the infestation, leading to the fall of two nearby outposts. A distress signal was sent out while the defenders held their ground for as long as possible. Fortunately for the Repzork, the freezing conditions and limited biomass in the area hindered Tiamat's efforts to grow, and the hive was soon unable to replenish its losses. Repzork forces then rallied and pushed the Biomatter back to their landing site, quickly destroying the hive with whatever weapons they had available. Reinforcements arrived roughly an hour later and promptly quarantined the planet and all personnel as they began investigating the swarms.

In the months that followed, more planets fell under attack by Tiamat, prompting Imperial Command to assign the 500th 'Purity of Flames' armada with the task of purging the infestation. Sector 05-4, also known as Quarantine Zone Black, the sector containing all planets known to have been attacked by the Biomatter, was established thereafter, and all civilians were evacuated as the 500th went on the offensive.

Year 2
Encounter Codename: Assault

What would become the first major engagement between Peacekeeper forces and the Biomatter occurred two years after the start of the Great War on the sparsely-populated world of Ozelion, which was held by the Minomits. A cruiser with a spore from Fafnir crashed in a lush jungle near the planet's environment. The nearby biomass allowed for a large colony to develop at an unprecedented pace. The colony was evacuated by a nearby WBI fleet that beamed down all of its forces for a last-ditch effort to save the planet. After a lenghty engagement that saw the destruction of most of the defenders, air support arrived, enabling the Minomits to establish a perimeter around the hive, which was then destroyed by an orbital strike, ending the infestation and marking the first known victory against the swarms.

Encounter Codename: World Eater

As the First Battle of Aserai was underway, the Dragoneteran colony of Dralix ceased communications. Believing the blackout to have been caused by the Zaretians, the Dragoneterans sent a small force to the planet once Aserai had been secured, they instead discovered that the planet had been overwhelmed by the Biomatter. Several teams were sent down to search for survivors. All of the ships soon vanished, but were later spotted attempting to leave, only to be shot down when they did not respond to communication requests. One of the teams soon reestablished contact, stating that they had been pulled down by a tendril and needed extraction. A team was sent down and successfully recovered the team. The planet was subsequently quarantined, but rather than bombing it, the king decided to keep the colony for study.

Encounter Codename: Ractia Infestation

Several Biomatter spores landed on the Kastalian colony of Ractia in quick secession, sparking a widespread infestation. A distress signal was sent out and was soon answered by a mercenary who agreed to provide assistance to the Kastalians. Despite the defenders having vastly superior armor and weapons, the Biomatter were simply far too numerous for them to contain. After defending themselves against countless waves of warriors, reinforcements arrived and evacuated the surviving Kastalians.

Year 3
Encounter Codename: A Need for a Virus

During the Dragoneteran-Tegotian War, the Dragoneterans discovered that the Tegotians were establishing a base within Monarchy territory. With most of their troops already on the front lines or defending the core worlds, the Monarchy looked into weaponizing the Biomatter. Using samples gathered from Dralix, Feverclan, and other infected planets, they developed an airborne virus that could mutate organic matter into Biomatter organisms. A spy successfully infiltrated the Tegotian compound and deployed the virus, which created a much larger infestation than was initially intended. Several spores escaped, infecting other Tegotian-occupied colonies, delaying Tegotian forces for several weeks.

The incident remains the first and so far only time that a Peacekeeper has weaponized the Biomatter. The Dragoneterans initially attempted to hide their involvement, but were soon found out and condemned by the Peacekeepers. The monarchy destroyed the remaining virus samples and all research pertaining to the project. The use of the Biomatter as a weapon was thereafter banned. In the weeks that followed, it was noted that certain Hives, notably Apophis and Fafnir, were using a virus similar in nature to the Dragoneteran weapon, leading many to believe that the hives had successfully integrated the virus into their biology.

Year 4
Encounter Codename: Turn on You

A Cronen spore landed near the Skrey outpost of Heatwave, which was located on one of the Skrey's arid colonies. Not knowing what the Biomatter were at the time, the Skrey sent out a scouting team to investigate. The scouts were promptly attacked, though some managed to escape back to the outpost. The Skey attempted to hold back against the swarm, but were quickly outnumbered and overwhelmed, the survivors escaping on a Behemoth transport. Though the planet was lost, the primitive nature of most Skrey vessels made it difficult for Cronen to spread, preventing a full-scale infestation within Skrey territory.

Encounter Codename: Contract

Amid an ongoing skirmish between the Skrey and Cronen on the planet of Eghan, a Repzork fleet, which had been secretly monitoring the Skrey since their attack on a WBI colony several months prior, stepped in to assist the Skrey. Though unwilling to receive their help, the Skrey begrudgingly accepted their offer. The two forces successfully eliminated the hive shortly thereafter. The Repzork used the opportunity to get in touch with the leaders of Tazorag, the ruling Skrey clan, and after lengthy negotiations, inducted the Skrey into the Warlord Pact.

Encounter Codename: Survival

A major turning point in the growing fight against the Biomatter occurred at Rotunin, a wealthy corporate colony that was located in neutral space. Though its dealings with both Peacekeeper and Warlord officials made an invasion by either side unlikely, the planet still maintained formidable defenses, including a private army and anti-orbital batteries, which led officials to believe that the planet was immune to all but a large-scale invasion. Their sense of security was shattered when a carrier containing a massive spore of Tiamat began approaching the planet. Though orbital defenses had managed to break the ship apart, this only resulted in a shotgun-like effect that spread Biomatter across a much wider area than it would have otherwise. The densely-packed ecumenopolis provided more than enough biomass for Piru to establish a sizeable colony. Panic swept across the planet as civilians attempting to flee, clogging the streets and making colonists easy prey for the swarms. Unable to stem the tide, the defenders abandoned the planet, which was bombarded a few days later.

News of Rotunin's destruction swept through both Peacekeeper and Warlord channels. It was at the time the largest and bloodiest infestation to date, with many estimating that billions had died over the course of the attack. It shattered the notion that the Biomatter were only a threat to lightly-defended colonies, prompting civilians and public officials across the region to push for their nations to devote more resources to combating the swarms. Within the Peacekeeper Alliance, the destruction of the Biomatter became a part of their mission to protect the weak, and deliberations began as to how to best handle the crisis.

After several days of deliberations, the Peacekeepers founded the Anti-Biomatter Task Force, or ABTF, with the goal of protecting Peacekeeper and neutral colonies from the swarms. Drawing troops and equipment from most of the Alliance's members, the ABTF's diverse arsenal allows it to combat the Biomatter no matter the circumstances. Since its inception, the ABTF has proven instrumental in curtailing the swarm's spread, with many planets having been saved by their efforts.

The creation of the ABTF has since led to many copy-cat groups forming. These are generally located in neutral space and accept members from both Peacekeeper and Warlord powers. With less funding and equipment, many such groups have collapsed shortly after their creation; however, a few have survived and have risen into prominence, though they still cannot compare to the ABTF.



Year 8
Encounter Codename: Judgement Day

Tthe ABTF's mettle was tested when a spore from Fafnir landed on a colony deep within Diab territory. With most of the ABTF's forces elsewhere, it was up to a local Diab contingent to contain the infestation, which had already established a foothold on the planet. Within the contingent was a small group of Diab bio-troopers, namely Specialist Heimdall, widely considered to be one of the best specialist the empire has to offer. After fighting through the colony, Heimdall successfully infiltrated the hive and planted a bomb inside the hive, destroying the hive and ending the infestation.

Encounter Codename: Orbital

The Zaretian colony of Hilshir was attacked by a never-before-seen 'organic battleship' from which hundreds of organisms emerged. The Zaretian defenders fought back, but quickly discovered that many of the vessels systems, including the shields and some of the gun batteries, remained operational. The combined assault of the vessel and the growing swarm of Bioamtter overwhelmed the unprepared defenders, who were forced to cede the planet.

Year 10


'''Encounter Codename: The Horror

Taldrin was a small Acropolan colony located on the fringes of their empire. Far from the Great War and the Conkirites, the planet was lightly-defended and was considered to be of little priority. This would ultimately prove to be its downfall when Apophis attacked the colony. Unable to repel the invaders, the colony was soon overran, leading to the deaths of most of the planet's population.

Year 11
Encounter Codename: Sentience

A Fafnir spore landed on the Flytal colony of Yintil. The governor sent a distress signal and received a swift response from the ABTF, who arrived in time to prevent the swarm from overwhelming the colony. A pitched battle ensued, with the Biomatter slowly being pushed back until the sudden arrival of infected Necraal. The Necraal, who had somehow retained their sanity despite their condition, outmaneuvered and routed the panicked task-force, who suffered heavy casualties as they were repelled from the planet.

The attack caused media hysteria and baffled Peacekeepers and Warlords alike. Similar attacks soon took place elsewhere, casting suspicions upon the Necraal, who denied any involvement. Their suspicions were confirmed with Necraal scientists defected and revealed that King Hor'or had begun worshiping an entity known as Legion and had been splicing Biomatter and Necraal DNA to create hybrid soldiers. These revelations led Crown Prince Bael'thir Anduish'ent'mar to instigate a coup against his father with the aid of the Pact.

The ensuing civil war would see the majority of the ABTF deployed to Necraal space to assist in containment efforts as Hor'or began to use the Biomatter against invading Warlord and Peacekeeper armies. This culminated in the Battle of Ivn, where Hor'or deployed dozens of spores across the Necraal homeworld, producing the largest infestation in known history. Though the ABTF evacuated thousands of Necraal, they and the Warlords were unable to save the planet, which had to be bombarded into a lifeless husk.

The ABTF suffered heavy casualties over the course of the campaign, putting much of the task force out of commission for months as they rebuilt their strength. Those who were still at operational strength would begin efforts to hunt down the newly-formed Virisus and monitor planets surrounding Necraal space for any signs of infestation. Observers would soon note that some Biomatter organisms had seemingly begun developing psychic powers similar to those of the Necraal.

Encounter Codename: Crystalline Horror

A Delani expeditionary fleet came across a massive deposit of valuable resources on an unnamed planet in the far reaches of their territory. Four fire teams were sent down to the planet's surface. Unbeknownst to them, a Biomatter colony laid dormant beneath the surface, and awoke upon sensing the intruders. Three of the four terms were overhelmed, with the final group narrowly evacuating the planet.

Year 12
Encounter Codename: Hunted

A spore of Piru landed on a sizeable Nepharian colony. Initially, the Nepharians appeared victorious; the spore was quickly contained and destroyed. In truth, some of the Biomatter had survived by burying themselves deep underground. As the hive festered, mutariors moved to the surface and infected several individuals, but did so in a way that showed no outward symptoms. This allowed the host to gather near strategic locations undetected. It was then that the hive launched a second attack, emerging directly into the colony's capital. With the aid of their infected hosts, the Biomatter were able to subdue the city's defenders, and eventually, the planet.

Encounter Codename: The Biological Assault

An Aeverian colony fell under attack by the swarms of Apophis.the ABTF soon arrived to combat the threat, and after suffering considerable losses while evacuating the colonist, bombarded the swarms from orbit. Once the hive had been sufficiently suppressed, ground forces were deployed to eliminate stragglers. After over three weeks of continued engagements with surviving elements of the hive, the planet was deemed safe for recolonization.

Biology
All Biomatter are comprised of billions of microscopic organisms collectively referred to as biomass. Under normal circumstances, biomass is inert, typically appearing as a black, semi-solid substance with no defined shape. When exposed to organic matter, the biomass becomes active, and exhibits behavior similar to that of terran slime molds; individual cells will join together to form a single, conscious organism. Each biomass cell contains the genomes of tens of thousands of species whose genetic material has been assimilated in the swarm and modified to suit the swarm's needs, sometimes to the point that the progenitor is impossible to identify. This extreme degree of genetic diversity allows biomass to form into one of many hundreds of different Biomatter varieties and further modify them to suit specific situations. Biomatter can range in size from a balled fist to skyscrapers and take both animalistic and humanoid forms.

As well as various 'natural' adaptations such as extra appendages, wings, claws, or a carapace, biomass is capable of creating biological replicas of various tools and weapons used by sapient races. These adaptations can range from razor-sharp bone swords to 'bioguns' which propel acid or spikes towards their target. Additionally, the Biomatter are capable of interfacing with and integrating technology into themselves via electrical impulses that specialized biomass send into the equipment. This allows the Biomatter to make use of guns and vehicles, up to and including starships, which act as their primary form of transportation between planets, though they are seemingly incapable of producing said equipment themselves. Most researchers believe that the Biomatter learned how to produce organic tools by constantly integrating their mechanical counterparts, and it remains uncertain to what extent the Biomatter can replicate sentient technology.

Biomatter colonies revolve around 'birthers', large structures from which emerge the various organisms that protect and feed the birthers. Individual birthers are connected to one another by tendrils, forming vast 'cities' that can encompass an immense area. Birthers also produce roots that dig deep into the earth to siphon water and minerals to help sustain the hive. Colonies require a steady supply of biomass in order to expand their reach and create more organisms. To meet this need, the Biomatter have created numerous 'feeder' creatures which travel behind warriors and consume the dead, including deceased Biomatter, and any other organic matter they come across. These materials are converted into biomass which is then regurgitated back into the colony. Though most feeders are not designed for combat, some are, and often make use of powerful spiked appendages to pull prey into their maws.

The Biomatter can mutate living organisms into infected hosts through a variety of methods. Foremost among them is the Mutarior, a small, worm-like creature that digs into a target and hijacks its nervous system while pumping the host body with mutagenic cells. Infected hosts generally support the warrior organisms and often have unique mutations derived from their biology. A variant mutarior can also be shot out of a biogun. Birthers and certain organisms can also produce an airborne virus similar to the one utilized by the Dragoneterans against the Tegotians, though it is easily scrubbed by air filters.

The intelligence of the Biomatter has proven impossible to determine. While basic organisms generally express little to no tactical thinking and have no regard for their own well-being, more advanced specimens can perform more complex maneuvers. Biomass can reliably use integrated technology and, most notably, can utilize the faster-than-light engines of a starship and seemingly use its navigation data to pinpoint planets ripe for colonization. At the same time, the Biomatter have never been shown to communicate with outsiders and have no culture to speak of. Their behavior has often been compared to that of insects such as ants or basic A.Is that can perform only a set number of tasks, giving credence to the theory that the swarms are an artificial creation in the minds of some.

Though every Biomatter organism is by and large expendable, many are more resilient than is perceived. Due to their cellular makeup, organisms can lose a large percentage of body mass and survive so long as they retain their cranium and are capable of even limited locomotion. Additionally, many organisms boast bullet-resistant hides and/or biological armor and possess limited regenerative abilities, especially when near birthers. The most effective weapons against the swarms are those that prevent regeneration and destroy large portions of the creatures' body at once, such as explosive ammunition, plasma, acid, and fire. Biological weapons have proven almost entirely ineffective in the long-term as the creatures rapidly adapt to viruses and bacteria.

Biomatter have thus far shown aggression to all non-Biomatter lifeforms with the sole exception of the Virisus, Necraal whose DNA was spliced with that of Biomass. Based on documents leaked by Necraal who had defected from the hybridization program as well as field reports from various ABTF operatives, the Biomatter show no deliberate aggression towards the Virisus, instead treating them as they would any other Biomatter organism. Necraal documents claim that many Virisus would feel homicidal urges or a desire to consume non-Virisus and felt as though they were being watched at all times. Due to the difficulty retrieving live Virisus for study, research into this phenomenon was limited until the return of Crown Prince Bael'thir and the subsequent schism within the Virisus' ranks.

Planetary Assimilation
The process of 'colonizing' a planet begins when a spore -a starship loaded with a large amount of biomass- crashes upon the planet's surface. The once-dormant biomass then activates and begins producing birthers and Biomatter. The Biomatter travel around the crash site to eliminate any resistance and gather material for the fledgling hive. This state is where the Biomatter are at their most vulnerable, as depending on the colony and the size of the spore, they are unlikely to have the numbers sufficient to overwhelm the inhabitants.

Once the Biomatter have established a sizeable colony, the next phase begins. The birthers begin pouring out hordes of warriors and feeders to spread across the region.As the warriors fight the planet's inhabitants, birthers gather more organic material and begin establishing new colonies of birthers. The colonies begin reaching into the earth and absorbing materials as specialized organisms begin carving out a network of tunnels. Some of these tunnels are dug beneath enemy positions to assist the warriors. All the while, the birthers emit a toxic smog that gradually sweeps across the land and chokes out the air.

If allowed to expand, the swarms will render the planet uninhabitable for non-Biomatter life, by which point most if not all resistance has been eliminated. Most of the planet's surface will be covered in biomass and birthers, each connected to one another in a titanic web of tendrils and tunnels. If starships were abandoned or captured, the Biomatter will seed the ships with new spores and send them to new worlds to spread the infection. Meanwhile, once the hive is free of threats, the colony will begin to enter into a dormant state. The production of new organisms will cease, and the remaining warriors and feeders will return to the birthers to be converted back into biomass. They are replaced by durable 'guards' which will patrol the colony and release pheromones to help wake the colony when they detect a threat. Over a period of several months, much of the colony will begin to move into the underground tunnels. In their place, plant-like organisms will dot the surface to absorb solar radiation. Once this process is complete, the hive will enter into stasis, and is effectively harmless to the outside world unless it is provoked.

Hives
The Biomatter, unlike the sentient races of the galaxy, do not have a single, unified leadership. Likewise, they are also not centered in one vast region of territory. Instead, individual hives of Biomatter exist in different regions of the galaxy, each under the control of a different hive mind. No hive is exactly like the other, each has different mutations, unique breeds, and particular physical traits, all derived from the biomass they have absorbed or evolved to defeat their foes.

The inner workings of the hives and the hive minds are a topic of constant debate, theories, and conjecture. It is known that once a swarm of Biomatter have left the influence of one hive, that they will then attempt to form a new hive and hive mind. While it is obvious how the hive is formed, the process of creating the leader of the hive is unknown, and the few attempts to learn how have been unsuccessful. Likewise, how the hive mind is able to project its influence across light years of space is also unknown. Given that a live hive mind has never been captured, it is unlikely that these questions will have answers anytime soon.

There are currently five known active hives: Fafnir, Piru, Apophis, Tiamat, and Cronen.

Fafnir
The most infamous of the hives, Fafnir has been active in the region for at least a century and has been involved in the Great War for as long as it has been going. They played a role in some of the largest battles against the Biomatter, such as the 'sentience' incident. They are believed to be the largest hive, with a few hundred worlds having been infected over their history. Currently, Fafnir is attacking the Diabloians, IAE, and Karahotdoum, with occasional incursions into nearby races.

The most notable physical characteristic of Fafnir Biomatter is their large, muscular forms. Each organism, from the smallest to the largest, is notably bigger and stronger than those of other hives. This is believed to be an adaptation developed to combat Diabloians and IAE Genen Infantry such as the Doomtrooper. Their sheer weight and strength allows larger organisms to overpower most any foe, though this comes at the cost of mobility. Fafnir is notably slower than other hives, moving more as a slow wall rather than a tsunami of flesh.

Unlike the other Biomatter hives where one can find out the 'genetic heritage' of the hive with relative ease, it is incredibly difficult to do the same with Fafnir. Fafnir has consumed so much genetic material from so many different sources that it is nearly impossible to pin-point exactly where a trait is derived from. Much of the genetic material has also been broken up and re-arranged as the hive consumes more. It may never be known just how much Fafnir will have consumed in its lifetime.

Fafnir is notably aggressive towards other hives. Whereas most hives seem content with guarding their own territory and typically run into each other by chance, Fafnir seems to sometimes deliberately attack other hives. Reports of Fafnir invading a planet owned by another hive are not unheard of, and they will always go after another hive if they both land on the same planet. The reason why the hive is so aggressive is not entirely clear, though most have come to the conclusion that the hive likely integrated an inferior version of the Diabloian's frenzy into the brood and utilize a special pheromone to prevent friendly fire while making them instantly hostile to everything else.

The battle between Fafnir and the races of the Great War is as old as the Great War itself. Numerous efforts have been made to eradicate Fafnir, but for one reason or another, they have been unsuccessful in completely eradicating it. For every planet cleansed, another will inevitably fall. The fact that the IAE utilizes the hive as a biological weapon only complicates the matter. Some believe that the hive will only be completely destroyed once the Great War concludes.

Charotid
The Charotid is essentially an overgrown and highly aggressive feeder. These creatures resemble a gigantic mouth lined with spiked teeth and possessing four legs for walking around. Jutting out of its sides are a number of spiked tentacles that it uses to impale prey and drag them into its maw where they are converted into biomass. Once unable to eat anymore, the Charotid makes a beeline for the nearest birther, depositing its catch before heading back to collect more. Even if its spiked tentacles are removed, the creature is still capable of charging towards prey and biting them with gruesome results. The best way to dispatch a Charotid is to shoot directly into its maw.

Apophis
Hive Apophis is the second largest hive and is active in the territories of the Aeveria Confederation, Zaretian Monarchy, and formerly the Luminarian Rebels. They were first documented by Aeverian researchers near the fringes of Aeverian space. For the first few years of the war, Apophis was harassing all nearby factions with equal frequency. However, as the war progressed and the Zaretians began loosing to the combined Aeverian-Luminarian front, the hive began to attack the vulnerable Zaretian colonies much more frequently than before. The actions of Apophis have been insurmountable in helping to understand the Biomatter's behavior.

Apophis is the only hive known to have reverted some of its adaptations. Some mutations present during the early half of the war have been phased out in favor of specialization towards the Zaretians. At this time, they have a carapace to give them limited protection from projectiles. They also have a long, whip-like arm that has either a spike or a razor sharp claw at the end for dispatching enemies from a fair distance. Not many other notable mutations seem present, likely due to Apophis' preference towards weakened territories that can't defend very well regardless.

Much like its adaptations, Apophis' genetic code has gone under numerous changes over the course of the war. Near the beginning, it was a mix of its numerous prey, much like any other hive. Now that the hive focuses primarily on Zaretian targets, material derived from Aeverian or Luminarian sources are less apparent. The most notable result of the integration of Zaretian genetic material is an enhanced regenerative ability, as well as a layer of soft scales covering the majority of the brood.

With the Luminarians dealing with personal business and the Zaretians too busy fighting the Aeverians, Apophis has been largely put in the back of many people's minds. The Aeverians have little to worry about, their most important worlds behind a blockade no infected vessel has the hope of getting through. The Zaretians would love to get rid of the pest, but can't dedicate too many resources to fighting them, and have as a result adopted a defensive strategy. Unless the situation changes, Apophis will keep rampaging through the system.

Piru
Appearing on records a little over twenty years ago, Piru is a large hive that has become a menace to many of the neutral nations. Mainly the Holy Nepharian Empire, Transmetallic Confederation, and to a lesser extent, the Gronian Imperium. Reports of engagements with the Wingle have also come to light, but this is believed to be due to the Phyla Kran conflict rather than an incursion into Wingle territory. Relatively little information exist on the Gronian's encounters with Piru due to their isolationist nature, but it is assumed that the Gronians do not consider them anything more than a nuisance. The Biomatter, having no way of hiding their vessels, are more likely than not caught by the Gronian's extensive sensor relay and destroyed long before they hit an inhabited world.

Piru's adaptations are largely a response to the Nepharians and the TmC. Much of its brood wield incredibly sharp claws that, while ineffective against armor, are perfect for slicing through rank-and-file Nepharian infantry. They may also wield large spikes capable of piercing the thicker armor present on TmC infantry. The most notable mutation of Piru is the number of arms each creature possesses. Likely due to fighting TmC melee infantry, most of Piru's brood have at least four arms on average, if not more. Piru has developed no notable defensive mutations, likely due to the energy weapons that are so prevalent in the region. Flesh or carapace, it does not matter; plasma will melt it.

When observing its genetic code, Piru seems to show a preference towards using material derived from TmC sources over others. Many traits from Chromium, Aumpnuuk, and others have been found in increasing number whereas hardly any Nepharian traits are to be found. This has resulted in worrisome adaptations, such as the development of thermal vision and and an, albeit still primitive, version of the electrical organs found inside Aumpnuuk.

With most of the neutral races preoccupied with infighting and foreign affairs, little effort has been made to eliminating Piru. However, with the Nepharian's conflict with Kran over and the Nepharian main territory sending them up-to-date equipment, they stand a much better chance against Piru, at least for the time being. Whether or not the Nepharians will push their advantage remains to be seen.

Drulgr
Drulgr are Piru's answer to energy shielding. The creatures, which stand slightly taller than Gualarins, are incredibly muscular. They wield no blades or spines, instead relying on pure brawn to overpower prey. When they engage a foe, they attempt to knock them down and will then proceed to relentlessly pummel them until their shielding is overwhelmed. They do not stop once the shield goes down, and will continue to attack unless either killed or the victim has been reduced to little more than a bloody pulp.

Tiamat
First reported by the korvar a few months before their entry into the Great War, Tiamat is a young, rapidly expanding hive that developed somewhere in a largely unexplored region of space. Since its discovery, Tiamat has quickly become a menace to a number of races, most notably the korvar. They have also attacked the betel, xeverra, and zorock, though currently these conflicts are sporadic and minor by comparison. Many believe that they will eventually begin fighting the khasii as well.

With much of its weight being thrown at the korvar, Tiamat's mutations have developed almost exclusively to counter them. Like hive Piru, Asag Biomatter have large spikes capable of piercing thick, heavy armor. In some cases, these spikes can go straight through the thinner parts of a battlesuit. Like Apophis, Much of Tiamat's brood is partially covered in a carapace that gives it protection against ballistics, with the exception of explosive rounds. The hive is also noted to liberally use the massive strains of Biomatter such as the Gargantual and Jentrillion in order to break through heavy armor lines and fortifications.

Upon viewing Tiamat's genetic material, one would find that it is mostly filled with things derived from the korvar and various animals from their planets. This is because of how easy it is to acquire material from there than it is other host. Betel worlds have relatively little biomass and the Xeverra live in a nomadic fleet, using their robotic proxies and heavy armor do most of the fighting. Meanwhile they have not made much progress against the Zorock, whom they have not adapted to yet and only engage sparsely.

What will ultimately come of Tiamat is still up in the air. Their fight with the korvar has been very back-and-forth, with both sides making progress. Scales have begun to tip in the korvar's favor now that they have a dedicated task force, but the korvar's inexperience with fighting such a foe means ground assaults can go either way. The situation may worsen if the hive is allowed to absorb more biomass from other sources.

Gortralk
The Gortralk is a large, hulking creature that, while smaller than a Gargantual, still towers over most of its brethren, being over three times the height of a Korvar battlesuit. They are armed with four large spikes which protrude from their limbs and are covered in an especially hard carapace that provides limited resistance against explosives. They operate as tank hunters, barging straight into the thickest enemy lines and using their immense strength and spikes to tear armor elements to shreds. They have been observed as being capable of plucking smaller vehicles off the ground and tossing them a limited distance, making them all the more dangerous. The quickest way to dispatch a Gortralk is either air power or destroying its well-armored head.

Elvernok
The most recent of Tiamat's mutations, the Elvernok is a diminutive creature slightly smaller than than outstretched Diabloian hand. They are designed to climb unto a soldier and find a gap in their armoring. Once it finds one, it will began to rip and tear at it with its claws and teeth, creating a sizable hole. If it makes a large enough hole, it will then go inside of its victim, tearing them apart from the inside. It should be noted that unlike the Mutarior, the Elvernok currently does not have the capacity to take over host. Whether this will change or not remains to be seen.

Basic Warriors
Warriors come in a multitude of forms, from the lowly Ramorphinds to the powerful Gaularins. They all share a common purpose, kill anything that moves, so that the Feeders can consume it. The general types of BioMatter Warriors are, in order of power: Click on any creature for more information.

Mutants
The BioMatter hordes also contain a variety of creatures mutated by the Mutarior organism. These various creatures belong to a variety of Epic War races, yet all share one thing, they serve BioMatter unflinchingly, under control of the Mutarior embedded inside their brains.

Special Creatures
Aside from their basic troops, BioMatter forces contain several creatures with more specific roles. There are the shooters, who attack enemies at range from behind the main horde; Feeders, who collect organic matter from behind the frontlines; and Epics, who provide the horde with seige engine capabilities.

Birthers
The most common sign of an infection, Birthers are akin to gigantic fungi. They are large, stationary mounds of biological material connected to each other by tendrils. These interconnected birthers form the 'bases' where feeders deposit their collected biomass. This biomass is used to make more warriors, birthers, and feeders, all of which are released through large pores that dot the surface of a birther.