#aggressive headcanons

Alrighty, here's my third insane, crackhead rambling about fictional bug God biology, this one is quite a bit shorter than the others. EDIT: I forgot to add a couple of bullet points, so I am adding them in. The last four of them are new additions.

The Vessels can all be classified as Pale Beings, just like their parents. However, because they have been hollowed out by Void, there are some key differences.

Like Pale Beings, the body temperature of the Vessels is incredibly cold. Furthermore, because they are Void constructs, their temperatures are even lower. Both their white shells and black, Void-infused chitin are freezing to the touch.

They do not give off a Pale Light like either of their parents.

None of them are able to speak. The only noise that they can make at all is a low rustling sound, akin to that of wind.

Upon the cracking of their shells, their Shades are released. Their Shades retain characteristics of the Vessels’ personalities, thoughts, and feelings. However, the Shades generally only retain imprints of negative emotions and pain, similar to that of a sullied stain. As such, they are aggressive in temperament.

Because their bodies are formed from Void, their forms can be contorted and changed at will. The Vessels can summon or conjure up tentacle-like tendrils and extra limbs from their bodies. They generally use the tendrils in battle.

The Vessels, like their mother, do not have mouths. Instead, they eat by grabbing food with their Void tendrils and absorbing it into their bodies. They can eat through any part of their body as long as their shells are not obstructing access to the Void.

The Vessels can easily repair damage to their bodies via the use of Void or Soul. When the injury to their Void-infused chitin is small, they can easily repair it. If it is a larger wound or even a loss of a limb, they must use Void to repair the injury or regenerate the lost limb. If their white shells are damaged, they are only able to heal such an injury by Focusing Soul.

They do not have traditional hemolymph or organs. Instead, they all bleed, cry, and vomit Void.

Unlike other Higher Beings, the Vessels do not have sexual organs, nor can they reproduce. Consequently, they are all genderless. However, because the Void of their bodies are all able to be manipulated and changed, they can warp their form to accommodate the act of mating.

If their shells are not cracked open immediately upon death, the Shade is stuck inside the inanimate Vessel. They are unable to move or do anything and are trapped in a sort of limbo. Breaking the shell will set the Shade free.

The Vessels are able to die of starvation and do have to eat to survive, however, they can live off very little food. A little energy goes a long way.

Being Void constructs, Vessels have incredible endurance and are able to withstand even the most intense physical exertion.

AND Yukio introduces her to Aggretsuko.

Wow, this one was a big editing job since I changed a shit ton of stuff from the original. W elp, it's done tho. Enjoy another one of my insane, crackhead ramblings. :]

For Grimm, other nicknames/titles include: Troupe Master, Master, my Flame (by Auric, past nickname).

For NKG, other nicknames/titles include: Nightmare King, Nightmare’s Heart, God of Nightmares.

Troupe Master Grimm serves as the Vessel for the Nightmare Heart, the Higher Being that both controls the Nightmare Realm and thrives within it.

Grimm and NKG are intrinsically tied to the Nightmare Realm and can use this tie in various ways:

Grimm can enter the Nightmares of any bug, both mortal and Higher Beings, and see within them. Seals keep Grimm out, but if the Nightmare is potent enough, the Nightmare King can slip past even the King’s Seal.

When entering Nightmares, they can clearly see within them. Any bug whose Nightmare they visit will remember the Nightmare in vivid detail. Bugs are unaware of their presences unless they intentionally make it known.

The Nightmare King enters Nightmares with the intention of consuming the Nightmare Essence that is produced. The Troupe Master, on the other hand, has a full digestive tract and stomach and, being mortal, must eat to survive.

The stronger and more distressing the Nightmare, the more delicious it is, according to NKG anyway.

Through their Nightmares, the Nightmare King has the ability to control and enslave bugs, but largely prefers having a small Troupe with only a follower or two as opposed to a full-on hivemind like the one his sister controls. Most of the heavy lifting and servitude in the Troupe is taken care of by the Grimmkin.

Grimm can travel freely between the Dream, Nightmare, and waking Realms. NKG may travel between only the Dream and Nightmare Realms. No other Higher Being can do such; Auric, the Vessels, and Vesla would need to possess a Dream Nail to walk through Dreams and Nightmares, and the Radiance would have to possess a Vessel to walk among mortal bugs.

Despite the fact that Grimm is NKG’s Vessel, the two of them are very different:

The Troupe Master is but one piece separated from the whole of the Nightmare King. He remembers most things from his past lives, though sometimes his recollections can be jumbled and blurry.

Grimm is as much a slave to the Nightmare Heart as the Grimmkin and the other Troupe members are. Though he does have free will and can act against and be free of the Nightmare King if he so chooses, doing so would result in his death.

They can both exist side-by-side, but only within the Nightmare and Dream Realms.

The Nightmare King is the culmination of all past Grimms. He is unable to leave the Nightmare and Dream Realms.

NKG is a God, while Grimm is his Vessel. Their levels of power are incredibly different and Grimm himself is similar to the average mortal bug.

Their personalities are drastically different, and the two of them do not get along at all. Many of their differences can be found in the way they conduct themselves. The Nightmare King is much more instinct-driven and tends not to dwell in the simple pleasures that the Troupe Master enjoys.

Each Troupe Master is born via the creation of the Grimmchild.

The Grimmchild is born as its own person. When all of the Grimmkin flames are collected, it is able to consume the Nightmare King and take its place as the new Troupe Master. When the Ritual is completed, Grimm’s memories flow into the child and its personality is overwritten by Grimm’s. Grimm does retain the memories of the Grimmchild, however.

It takes the Grimmchild about a year to grow back to its regular size. In that time, his wings curl around him into a cloak and he regains his voice.

Grimm is able to teleport long distances. When he does so, he likes to add a little dramatic flair into it and disappears/reappears in a cloud of red smoke.

His body temperature is elevated. It is possible to feel the heat radiating from him if standing close enough to him.

His hemolymph is red.

He retains control over the minds of his Troupe. When taking control of their minds and wills, they lost their memories of who they were before joining the Troupe. However, Grimm only accepts those into his Troupe that willingly agree to become enthralled.

Troupe members gain a sort of immortality when putting on the Grimm Troupe mask and becoming a member. They do not age or change physically as long as they remain in the Troupe.

Though they are under his control, Troupe members still retain their personalities and can make choices independent of Grimm.

Grimm and NKG, like other Higher Beings, are intersex. He is unable to bear young himself, but can mate with other bugs.

Second infodump, this time about our favourite homeboy, Auri. His info is overall quite a bit longer than Vesla's so strap in.

Other nicknames include: Wyrm, Pale Wyrm, the King, God-King, New Light, Pale Beacon, Auri (by Grimm).

Auric began life as a Wyrm, retaining many qualities of his previous form:

Wyrms are solitary creatures. It is unnatural for them to live with other Wyrms, even in pairs. Wyrms often fought and died over territory disputes. 

Their mating cycles are incredibly rare—Wyrms only go into heat every few years. Wyrms are intersex and genderless, retaining both eggs/a womb and sperm, meaning that Wyrms, regardless of gender, may have children. As such, two Wyrms will mate during a cycle (the mating is often violent, non-consensual, and loveless), and after they finish, they will immediately separate. The gravid Wyrm will retreat to a nest until they are able to lay their eggs and the spawn are hatched. There are often many complications to both the process of laying eggs and hatching, meaning that it’s rare to have more than two or three spawn survive. After the babies hatch and are able to leave the nest, they are abandoned by their parent and left to fend for themselves.

Wyrms also have the gift of “foresight,” the ability to see the future. The ability is nearly uncontrollable and happens randomly. The King specifically often experiences prophetic visions in his sleep. After each vision, he is left with a splitting headache and a permanent memory of what he has viewed. When he sees something with his ability, the mental image stays forever, and with perfect clarity.

As a Wyrm, he had sharp claw-like limbs as opposed to arms or legs.

His appetite is just as demanding and intense as it was when he was a Wyrm; specifically, he is carnivorous.

After his transformation from Pale Wyrm to little fork King, many things about his biology changed.

Though he retains his intersex characteristics, he no longer has a womb and is unable to bear children.

Rather than having small, but sharp claws as he did in his Wyrm form, Auric actually has four lithe arms. There are two at his shoulders and two at his middle. Many bugs do not know that he has more than two arms, as he only uses the top set out in public. He uses his lower two hands to work in his meth lab workshop, meaning that they’re both stained and tainted with Void. The fingertips on each of his hands are completely black, and it appears that the Void is creeping up the palms of his hands.

His blood was red. He flushed pink and bled crimson; however, because of his rigorous experiments with Void, his blood has taken on a black colour.

He has a tail, a remaining vestigial reminder of his Wyrm form. It’s long, drags along the ground behind him, and has a soft tassel at the end of it.

His mating cycles are relatively similar to that of when he was a Wyrm, minus the non-consensual and pregnancy aspects. His body temperature rises during his heats, and the cycle lasts roughly about a week.

His nesting cycles also last about a week. Once every few months, he gets an incredible urge to hibernate and nest. He typically eats a large amount of meat, locks himself in his room, assembles pillows and blankets into a nest, and then sleeps in the dark. His instincts are on high-alert and, like during his mating cycles, he is incredibly aggressive and lacks any mercy toward those that disturb him.

The urge to nest can sometimes occur even when he is not in a cycle. He sometimes feels the instinct to curl around and protect his wife and children, generally coiling his tail around their limbs protectively.

His eating habits are also similar to those he possessed as a Wyrm. He is primarily carnivorous, but can also consume other things. He primarily indulges in sweets and caffeine. His mouth is fashioned quite similar to that of a snake. His jaw can unhinge to consume large amounts at a time, and he possesses a long, snake-like tongue. His teeth are incredibly sharp, specialised for the purpose of ripping and tearing into meat and fat. He is not a fan of how his mouth is fashioned so crudely, and prefers to eat alone where no Retainer may see him devouring his food like a predator. He and Hollow often eat alone together (or sometimes with Vesla) because of this oddity.

His chitin/exoskeleton glows with his Pale Light. His light, especially at full capacity, is painful to mortal bugs that look upon it. In fact, it is possible to go blind when looking at him for too long. However, he is able to control his light. Like his Lady, he can dim it when he so chooses and does so when he goes out in public. The Light is not as painful to other Higher Beings, but still can be irritating to the eyes. The King is sometimes unable to control his Light, especially when he loses his temper. Though it is not lethal at full capacity, it can cause lifelong damage to mortal bugs.

His voice is quiet. He tends to be incredibly soft-spoken, rarely raising his voice over that of a mutter. However, when he wants to, he is able to project his words into the minds of other bugs. Though it is not painful by default, when he’s upset or intentionally trying to hurt someone, it can be head-splitting and debilitating.

Like Vesla, his body and bodily fluids are frigid in temperature.

The King’s Brand is burned into the center of his chest, marking him as the ruler of Hallownest.

When kissing his wife, he often simply presses his face against hers, sometimes nuzzling her cheek.

The Kingsoul is a symbol of his Union with Vesla. It is split into two White Fragments that both of them wear on their person. Auric also wears his pinned to the inside of his robes.

They can both occasionally get impressions of thoughts and feelings through the Kingsoul. They can also communicate through it when they are apart with the use of their emotions.

‘Sup, everyone! This is the very first of my many infodumps. I wanted to start with Higher Being biology because I already had a bunch of information typed out. I’ll have separate posts for each of the Higher Beings, starting with Vesla. So, enjoy the infodump, I guess. Higher Being Biology and Specifics: The White Lady [“Vesla”]

Other nicknames include: Pale Root, Root, Lady Root, the Queen, the Lady, Ves (by Auric), Vessie (by Auric).

Like Auric, Vesla has her own Pale Light. Unlike her husband’s, however, her Light does not bring pain to those who look upon it. Instead, basking in her glow provides both mortal bugs and other Higher Beings with a feeling of happiness and contentment. Being around her can have a calming, mellowing effect—her Light can offset aggression. The Light itself is dimmer in shine than the King’s, but she is better at controlling its glow.

Vesla has several different types of spores and pollen:

One of her spores can cause paralysis for up to an hour at a time.

One spore can induce sleep; the effect is tenfold when she is using her Light to calm the individual.

The final spore of hers can cause mild poisoning; the effect is not lethal, but the unlucky bug hit with the spore can feel sick for up to a week.

Finally, Vesla releases fertility pollen once a year during her mating cycle. Each spring, Vesla goes into heat and produces an aphrodisiac-like pollen that, when inhaled, causes the subject to experience heightened libido. She produces this pollen for up to one week—the pollen itself is airborne.

Each spring solstice, when she goes through her mating cycle, she travels to Queen’s Gardens to root herself to the ground and release her pollen into the air. The pollen encourages bugs to procreate for the coming spring. This tradition has become a Hallownest holiday; the New Life Celebration.

She used to make the trek to her Gardens with her husband each spring. However, as he became more and more consumed with his work and royal duties, Vesla started bringing her dedicated knight, Dryya.

Vesla and Auric have an open relationship; it is natural for Higher Beings to take on multiple partners and concubines. Vesla is fairly experimental and has been with many people, but Dryya is the only one of her partners that stays consistent. In turn, Dryya thinks of herself as her Lady’s girlfriend.

Vesla is unable to consume traditional foods, for she does not have a mouth. Instead, once every three months, she will root herself to the ground within her chambers (specialised for the purpose) and will regain nutrients from the soil within. When she’s rooted, her husband often visits to water her and pour fertiliser in her soil. She retains extra nutrients in her roots for the three month period, until she must root herself again.

Because she is a Pale Being, her body temperature is below average. Her roots are cold to the touch, and her blood and other bodily fluids are the same.

Her body is firm and has a similar texture to the bark of a smooth tree. Her body is covered in intricate details and patterns, reminiscent of the age rings one may find in a tree. Her face and roots are the only parts of her with a degree of plasticity.

Her hemolymph is similar in colour to the blue of her eyes. Her flush is blue, both on her cheeks and the tips of her roots. The hemolymph is thick and sappy, clotting easily when she is injured.

As for the Kingsoul, the Kingsoul is a symbol of her Union with Auric. It is split into two White Fragments that both of them wear on their person. The Queen wears hers pinned to the inside of her robes.

Like other Higher Beings, Vesla is intersex.

She is definitely the really motherly baking type personality-wise, but the only things that she is able to eat and drink are compost, fetiliser, and water. I've explained it before, but it was a long while back, so I'll touch on it again! :D Essentially, Vesla will root herself to the ground for on month at a time to absorb nutrients (fertiliser, water, etc.) and then will be able to walk around freely for up to two months. To do this, she has her own personal chambers separate from he royal bedchambers she shares with Auric. In her chambers, there is this sandbox-like hole in the floor filled with soil that she is able to root herself in. While she's rooted, either Dryya (mostly Dryya actually) or Auri will pour fertiliser and water into the soil to feed her. It's just a hole with dirt in it and I think it is very humourous. :>

I love their dynamic, it’s so innocent - they’ve grown up together, they’ve grown into loving each other just in this made-for-tv movie sort of deal where one day Rin just looks over while they’re laying around on Hanayo’s bed like, “Oh. Kayo-chin is beautiful,” and it’s so sweet and easy to add “I will love you” to the whole best friends forever deal.

Hanayo is so shy and quiet and Rin shoves her forward into her passions where she can shine and Rin being supportive and aggressively so!! And Hanayo turns it around once in a while when Rin falters just a little bit and takes over - “Rin, you’re so strong, you’re so good,” - and it’s never a gender role thing or any imbalance because they both prop each other up so fiercely.

Aged-up Rinpana: Hanayo volunteering at the local library during her final years in university reading to the kids; all their older siblings want her autograph cuz she’s from Muse and think she’s so! cute! and some strapping lad asks her out and she blushes but gets to say “No thank you, I’m busy tonight” and goes back to her apartment where Rin is yelling at the game on TV with dinner ready-made and they chat and  fall asleep on the couch like nerds, and Hanayo puts a blanket over them.

Or even like platonic brotp Rinpana they’re just so great together - Rin has a crush on someone else and Hanayo brushes her hair (even though it’s short it doesn’t need it, it’s for comfort) and tells Rin it’ll go great, because Rin is amazing and energetic and everyone should love her! And Rin writes Hanayo a cute thank you card just to say she appreciates Hanayo - it’s got like the worst handwriting in the history of existence and a poorly-scrawled cat winky face inside and Hanayo puts it on her fridge like it’s a masterpiece.