Hivemind
A Hivemind is a unified collective consciousness consisting of a number of individuals whom each either completely share the same mind exerting its will over its constituents or are otherwise connected to one another. Hiveminds are typically found in specific species via biological or parabiological means, however they can also be artificially created via technological means. Hiveminds may vary greatly when it comes to how exactly they function, as no consistency exists when it comes to how autonomous individual drones are and how conscious the hive consciousness is, as well as if the hivemind is a decentralized networked collective present within each constituent or extending from a central 'monarch' exerting its will.
In a hivemind with highly autonomous drones and an unconscious hivemind, knowledge is instantly shared among its constituents without erasing any identity. One could visit an unfamiliar area and know its layout because someone else had been there before, one could ask a question and know the answer because someone had asked before, one could wish to learn something and gradually acquire memory of preforming it because one had done so before. This could be a largely positive environment, with each individual with access to all knowledge and all about each other, negating the need for conflict due to familiarity. Examples of beings fostering such a hivemind include the East Baiameans, the Keonnans, and the infected of the Pisura27 Sickness.
In a hivemind with highly autonomous drones and a conscious hivemind, everyone within the collective can feel a presence with a will of its own lurking within their minds, a entity incapable of controlling or interfering in the actions of its constituents yet capable of conversing with them. If one would have a question or need, the entity provides an answer thanks to its vast intellect. While it may advise with its constituents, it never steps beyond its boundaries. Examples of beings fostering such a hivemind include the Neronans, Oneiroi-Noctua, the Vorxans, and the Wei'virs.
In a hivemind with somewhat autonomous drones and a conscious hivemind, everyone within the collective can feel a presence within their minds, watching and monitoring everything they do. It converses with its constituents often, occasionally even commanding them to do things when needed, things which they cannot refuse. The presence is much smarter and wiser than its constituents, keeping them in line via whatever means required while offering them the gift of its intellect and coordination, acting for everyone's benefit in order to further its own means. Examples of beings fostering such a hivemind include HAWK's network[1], victims of the NLE's and YNF's mindcontrol technologies, Odinarod's implant-based collective, The Collective[2], The Wonderland, the Zerg, and Zhouwen.
In a hivemind with subservient drones and a conscious hivemind, there are no constituents to feel the presence. There is only the collective being, the being that spans worlds with billions of eyes seeing through billions of drones, only deviating from the collective will in times when functions such as eating and rest are necessary, acting solely for the collective will and not for their own. The collective being, despite not needing to, continues to protect and specialize its limbs, seeing no need for trivial matters such as culture, tradition, language, or individuality, only serving what the mind deems is needed. Examples of beings fostering such a hivemind include the Abyssal Enclave, the Eunoia Collective, The Creep, The Pisungall, and the Yelniks[3].
- ↑ While the units employed by HAWK have their own individual AI systems, they are always connected via at least one QT-device to "The Core". The Core hereby always has the possibility of fully overwriting any individual process on any kind of HAWK unit. This total domination of will even goes so far, that Units which are not connected to "The Core" for an extended period of time will initiate a total shutdown and in extreme cases even initiate a self-destruct with the exception of only a select type of HAWK units that are not affected by such a connection loss.
- ↑ The Collective masquerades as a highly autonomous and unconscious hive, with its central intelligence hiding itself from its drones and erasing all memory of its interventions from their minds when such interventions are necessary.
- ↑ Uniquely each hive is its own collective, acting as individuals that cooperate with one another.
