The Swarm

Name (& pronunciation): The Swarm
Date of Birth (& age): Unknown/n/a?
Place of Birth: The Hive
Gender: None/All
Species/Racial Origin: “Swarm” - The Swarms are physic entities formed of masses of individual insects. They project a low level psychic aura that combined with their natural ability to alter their colour and form into broad shapes, helps to complete the illusion of shapeshifting. It is all a trick of light and perspective. The feed on knowledge and seem to operate as a hive mind singularly (as in, within their swarm) and broadly (they can communicate with other swarms and the hive over distance)
They spread out into the universe to learn more, but some strayed too far, lost contact with the hive, developed personality.

Social Class/Community Status: Severed – The Swarm is small and far from home, they've lost their psychic link with the hive and are considered, by other swarms, to be utterly insane as a result of this isolation.
Language: Many
Family/Friends/Pets/Etc: The Hive
Height: Just over 4 foot
Weight: Next to nothing
Hair: White/grey
Eyes: Black with a sheen like oil
Limb Dexterity: Ambidextrous

Detailed Physical Description:

Put simply, the swarm is a hive mind comprised of millions of tiny sentient flying insects. They speak as many as one, countless voices, young, old, male and female. Occasionally they argue with one another.

Because they are, in reality a large swarm of insects, the swarm is a true shapeshifter. That means they can take any form, be it animal, vegetable or mineral. They have no trouble taking the form of a table lamp or a cat but it's usual form of choice is that of a young white haired androgynous child of about 7 dressed in a manner typical of the rest of the crew.
Why they take this form is anyone's guess, perhaps they just feels more comfortable or find people react more favorably toward them when they look like an innocent youngster.

Typical Clothing/Equipment:
Personality/Attitude: The Swarm is naturally inquisitive and curious. They ask a lot of questions, all the time. It can be a little bit annoying.
They thrive on new adventure and really do embody that idea of living each day to the full. They can be seen as impulsive, naive and a little too eager to rush headlong into danger.
The swarm doesn't seem to have much fear. They may not be totally sane. How do you gauge the sanity of a hive mind?

Skills/Talents: As a true shapeshifter, the Swarm quite literally can turn into anything they want. The only restriction is size/mass.
Because of the limited numbers of the swarm, (usually Swarms are twice the size of this one and not nearly so chatty) the forms they take can only be of a certain size. If their numbers are stretched too thin, the illusion cannot be completed. As a result, they lack the ability to become anything particularly large, sticking instead to smaller forms where the density of insects is at an optimum. The Swarm's forms are also all an illusion, passing your hand through them will cause the insects to disperse as they fly out of the way. If they're pretending to be a chair, you can't sit on it, you'll fall on your butt.

Strengths: Knowledge, the Swarm is very very well traveled and knows rather a lot of apparently pointless but occasionally helpful information. They are also an excellent navigator and can speak countless languages.

Hiding. The Swarm is exceptional at hide and seek.


Weaknesses: Being a swarm of insects, suffice to say, bug spray is not something they enjoy.

It can be quite difficult to understand all those voices talking at once.

Again, being a swarm of insects, fly swatters....

Fears: Bug spray

Hobbies/Interests: Knowledge, gossip, rumor, speculation, scuttlebutt, news... you get the idea.

Philosophy of Life: So much to see, so little time.

Attitude Toward Death: Death is part of the cycle, we die, new us are born. Death is a difficult concept to explain to a hive who see multiple generations pass within themselves regularly.

Religion/Beliefs: The swarm believes in only one thing, the hive. But it fears it is probably only a myth told by elders to give hope to the younger generation. They have been severed from the hive so long none of the current swarm even remember a time they knew the hive's voice.

Fetishes/Strange Behaviors: The swarm speaks with many voices as one, they don't always say the same thing.

Most Instructive/Painful/Memorable Experience: They cannot remember.

Sexual Preference/Experience/Values: n/a

Education/Special Training: n/a

Place/Type of Residence: The ship
Occupation: Navigator
Place of Work: The ship