#queen skaab

[messinwitheddie]

Do you have any extra lore on that one tallest who was treated like a fighting dog by her mother? I've seen you draw the two of them a couple of times, I wonder if you have any more in-depth info on them or if you simply made them as one-off characters to show how pre-1st era Irken hives were.

Oooh! You're referring to Bash (Left, tall Irken), only daughter of Queen Skaab the slaughterer.

Originally they were just one-off characters, but I decided to give them an origin story that connects with the Colossus's origin story.

Skaab's reign took place before the tallest ruling format became the unquestioned norm in Irken society. Legend has it, she birthed 4 to 7 swarms of 500 (depending on the version of the legend being told).

Originally a group of elders ruled over her hive. Poorly. Skaab convinced her swarm to revolt. She ordered them to storm throughout the hive and slaughter the elders, the other birthing drones and their swarms. Once she seized control, she sent her drones out to raid neighboring hives. They stole decades worth of food and provisions while slaughtering every enemy drone except smeets, any male that pledged loyalty to her and, if found, tall drones.

Because Skaab successfully birthed swarm after swarm and lived, she was convinced she was immortal and destined to raise/ command the largest army of all time. She would cast out or execute other women, keeping only male drones to keep a vice grip on her hive's loyalty. That and because she was fully convinced she alone could replenish her army and needed no other birthing drones in her chambers.

Skaab's only daughter, or only daughter she kept alive was Bash, a tall, infertile drone. At this point in Irken history, Irkens who grew very tall were usually considered hideously deformed and a bad omen.

Bash was treated like a fighting dog; shackled in a dirty cell, only let out to fight other tall drones captured in Skaab's raids. She was timid when locked up; usually covered in open stab wounds or deep scratch marks. Her right eye was blinded, her black wings were torn to shreds and her jaw had been broken, never properly healed.

Skaab had to mash up her food for her. She fed Bash by hand. She only spoke to Bash before and after battles.

Thousands of Skaab's underlings were gathered in a colosseum-like arena called "The Pit of Mortals" to watch Bash fight.. and win. Entire olympic swimming pools of blood were spilled thanks to the brutality of Bash. She was always determined to win, not to save her own life, but to hear Skaab's praise at feeding time.

Eventually Behemotta, not even fully grown, but still frighteningly tall, is captured and thrown in the Pit of Mortals to face Bash.

There are 3 different endings for Bash in the Legend of the Colossus.

Behemotta kills Bash in combat then leads a revolt against Skaab/ takes her hive; executes her publicly.

Behemotta and Bash team up and both lead a revolt/ execute Skaab.

Behemotta and Bash team up and both lead a revolt/ execute Skaab, but Bash, won't allow Skaab to be executed. Instead, she begs for mercy on her behalf and insists on banishing her instead. Skaab is her mother after all and carrying yet another swarm.

Bash's story is a pretty sad one. Almost inconceivable to the modern Irken.

[inventors-fair]

Alphabetic Unlimited Entries (1/3)

@bread-into-toast - Eiganjo Temple

@davriel-canes-tea-supplier - Blazing Justiciar

@ghoulcalculator64 - Zavqa Maja's Spark Barrier

@gollumni - Jevez, Plague Wielder

@grornt - Skaab Stitching

@helloijustreadyourpost - Jilted Queen's Horde

@hiygamer - Zzzyxas, Master of the Abyss

[messinwitheddie]

Part 5 of the Colossus's backstory.

Behemmotta followed the path if the drove throughout the night. Every so often she would swoop down for a closer look or to eat some of the food accidentally dropped along the path.

Eventually they noticed her presence. Startled, they drew arms, forcing her back with blades and threats.

"What beast is this that flies by moons' glow and takes our food?! Away with you, beast!"

Threatened, Behemmotta stood tall, flaired out her wings wide and screeched. Though it frightened off many predators, it failed to ward off the mob.

"Kill it! Kill it!" They cried, lunging their weapons forward.

The tallest drone in the drove, Klove, heard the commotion. He raced to the rear to defend them. He charged at Behommetta, standing taller than her-- taller than any drone she had ever seen. Klove failed his arms, flashed his claws and a exhaled a blood-curdling roar.

Bohemotta buckled to her knees. She froze, paralyzed. Tears fell.

Another from the drove jumped between them. She stood on her fuzzy extra legs, waving for Klove to back down. "Stop!" Begged the elder female. "It's only a smeet! Don't hurt it!"

"That thing isn't irken!" Replied the mob. "It's a cursed chaos-beast! It's mimiking a smeet! It was sent to terrorize us! Drive it back! Kill it!"

"It's a smeet, you fools! Only a smeet! Six-years living at most; don't hurt it!" Dow insisted. Behemmotta crouched beneath her legs. Blades and shouting surrounded her. She exhaled a pitiful sob of surrender.

Klove eyed the stranger curiously. "Even I wasn't so huge at six. How are you certain it is what you think?"

"The gleam in its eyes, the chub in its cheeks, the stubbiness of its digits," Dow explained. "My smeet was almost that size before queen Skaab's raiders took him. I know a big smeet when I see one. It must have been separated from its hive. We can't leave it out here to be eaten or shrivel up in the sun."

Klove understood. He trusted Dow's judgment before anyone's. He needn't ask another question. "No threats here, people! Lower your weapons! Keep marching!" He instructed. The other drones dispursed.

Klove looked down at Behemmota, expression much softer than before. "You may travel with us to Skaab's Pit of Mortals. We have seven weeks left to march through Nodrone's land before we reach it. They will be long and grueling. Stay close, smeet. If you wander off and get lost no one will be sent to find you." He warned.

Klove returned to his post in the front to pull the wagon. Behemmotta followed the marching drove as instructed, making a strong effort to stay close to Dow at all times. She never felt safer.

Part 4