The Lamaea

OVERVIEW
NAME: The Lamaea. References in ancient texts to “the Horde” are also believed to refer to them.
GENDER: Many. Refers to themselves as “we,” but has expressed no preference. Is generally referred to by they/them/theirs or “it.” They have mentioned not enjoying being called "it," but some CAFE scientists do so regardless.
RACE: Unknown. Swarmshifter? Human? Some extinct monster? No one’s sure.
AGE: Unknown. At least as old as the Third Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, so possibly around 5,000 years old.
MAGIC: Swarmshifting, some form of advanced psionism, some form of memory absorption. The true extend of the Lamaea's powers are unknown, but it has demonstrated incredibly potent psionic powers multiple times.
AFFILIATIONS: None. Hopefully.
RANK: Prisoner.


DESCRIPTION
In human form, the Lamaea appears as a male of perhaps twenty years of age, with a slender build and dark brown skin. This is contrasted by their pale golden hair, which is neck-length and slightly wavy. Their eyes are what is most startling, however: an unnatural, pure black, which shines the same gold as their hair in the light. They also have a tendency to smile in a way that is perhaps a bit too toothy and a bit too wide.

They wear flowing robes of wispy white cloth that manage to show a considerable portion of their chest. Around their waist is a golden belt in the style of ancient Egypt, decorated with teal and dark blue glass, with a scarab beetle centrepiece.

Otherwise, the Lamaea takes the form of hundreds of scarab beetles with shells of pale gold and blue.


PERSONALITY
The Lamaea is unpredictable at best. They are a predatory creature that preys on humans, and each person they devour adds another beetle to their swarm and another fragment of a psyche to their mind. Because of this mishmash of personalities, the Lamaea is wishy-washy, capricious, and downright confusing, with many different personality factors that are frequently at war. Despite this seeming disorder in their head, however, the Lamaea will only use “we” and never mentions any internal struggle.

Additionally, although the Lamaea is physically male, it does not have a gender identity and claims to have no idea what the act of sex entails. This is almost certainly a lie, because it’s known to have devoured at least three prostitutes and had to have picked something up somewhere along the way. The Lamaea seems to enjoy flowers and playing dress-up in ways that confuse others, which frequently involves cross-dressing. They also have no concept of personal space.

They have a strange sense of humor that is childish and playful. The Lamaea will frequently play dumb about things it ought to know, and will also give circuitous or trick answers. It does seem to disdain lying and liars, at least most of the time.

It is unknown if the Lamaea can develop a unified feeling towards someone, let alone loyalty or affection. It does enjoy keeping certain people around as a “pet,” but that job is much more dangerous than one would expect. If the Lamaea is struck by a temper tantrum, they will eat their pets and express no remorse.

They are most often acting childish in one way or another, and don’t seem to realize if they’re being condescended too. Outright snide remarks, however, may anger them.

The Lamaea seems to be completely happy in its hivemind state, and is unable to understand how people can stand being a single mind. It views its devourings both as a gift and a punishment, because once the human is devoured, their mind joins the harmony of its swarm. It does understand that being devoured by scarab beetles is painful, but it thinks that people should be honored to even be considered for eating. The Lamaea only needs to devour a person’s brain, and usually accomplishes this by eating through their eyes and to their brain. It seems to be able to devour most magical creatures, but is most interested in humans.

In terms of play, the Lamaea’s capriciousness will literally be determined by the roll of a die. At the start of a thread, I’ll roll a d4 to determine how often I’ll roll to change personalities. Every nth post, I will roll a d20. On 1-10, the Lamaea’s personality will remain the same. On 11-20, it will change. Another roll (this time a d6) will determine what its new personality will be. I reserve the right to write appropriate personality changes in my post if they’re required for plots. Additionally, character reactions can influence its mood.

1. ERUDITE.
The Lamaea is several thousand years old and has accumulated incredible knowledge. In this particular mood, the Lamaea has decided to be helpful. They will answer what questions they can and offer suggestions or hints. Quick to disappear, if the Lamaea is not treated with proper respect.

2. COQUETTISH.
They have decided that one particular person looks interesting. Frequently, this means shifting into their attractive human form and almost playfully seducing their target. May or may not end with the target being devoured. Sometimes may spontaneously turn into playfulness.

3. PLAYFUL.
Although when acting playful the Lamaea is rarely harmful, they can be annoying. In this case, they act sort of like a hyperactive young child, shifting frequently between forms and often asking for toys or riddles. Boredom may lead to a grumpy Lamaea. Giving the Lamaea an especially enjoyable toy or difficult riddle may lead to it feeling more helpful. May spontaneously turn into coquettishness.

4. CRANKY.
Sort of like a toddler on a sugar crash, if that toddler were a demon comprised of the fragments of a thousand minds.

5. OBSTINATE.
The Lamaea can be very stubborn when it wants to. It didn’t get to be five thousand years old without a bit of gumption. Some days it can be swayed with words and other times it’s impossible to compromise with. Good luck. Trying to force it to do something can lead to grouchiness or psychopathy.

6. PSYCHOPATHIC.
The Lamaea has found something tasty. Another scarab for the swarm, perhaps?


HISTORY
Although the Lamaea’s history is mostly unknown, they are believed to originate from ancient Egypt, sometime during the Third Dynasty. The belt they wear in their human form has been identified as corresponding with the style and craftsmanship of the age, and seems to lend credence to the idea that they had some sort of richness or influence at the time. This is also supported by the fact that the sarcophagus they were sealed in was also from that age.

The Lamaea was released accidentally from a sealed sarcophagus in the British Museum’s collection about forty years ago, and has inhabited a special cell block in the MI13 headquarters ever since. Occasionally it is allowed out, accompanied by an armed guard, on “walkies.” Researchers have managed to find out surprisingly little about its origins in the twenty years it’s been captured.

Some known facts about the Lamaea:

• It is intelligent. Loves puzzles.
• It can remember people and events, as well as facts.
• Is able to remember the lives that make it up, at least parts of them.
• It dislikes people who lie to it, and rarely lies.
  
• It is a skilled psion, although it shows a preference to telepathy and mind connections over the other areas of the field (telekinesis and farseeing), although it has demonstrated all abilities of a psion at one time or another. It once reached across the Atlantic Ocean with its telepathy.
  
• Numerous times, it has expressed a desire to return to its homeland. It has also stated that it is not sure where it is in the world.
  
• The Lamaea has a special love for young girls. Not that way, guttermind. It refuses to harm them and will frequently defend them, and often try to play with them. It will only devour a girl if she is dying and in pain. Once, in the past, the Lamaea was actually used to defend the young daughter of a MI13 executive when she was under attack from a supernatural gang.
  
• Can be bribed with sweets, flowers, and pizza.
  
• The Lamaea is extremely protective of its belt. Twice, when researchers tried to remove it, it became furious. One time, it shouted “it is mine!” However, the other time, it shouted, “it is his!” This difference did not go unnoticed.
  

Postulates or hypotheses about the Lamea:

• The Lamaea itself has claimed to have been the Eighth Plague of Egypt. It is possible it was released from its imprisonment by grave robbers at the time, and re-imprisoned later. However, the Lamaea is unable to take the form of locusts.
• Most researchers, especially those focusing on the Lamaea’s psionic abilities, believe that it began as two psions attempting to meld their minds together to become one entity. This process was traditionally considered impossible, but the Lamaea’s immense telepathic abilities and fragmented mind seem to lend credence to the theory that ancient Egyptian psions attempted a meld and either failed spectacularly or succeeded entirely, and created the Lamaea. It has been suggested that six people attempted the meld, as evidenced by the six main “moods” the Lamaea has a tendency to adopt.
  
  

Facts about the Lamaea that current researchers do NOT know, but may be used as plot points for character interactions (mostly here for my own notes):

• The Lamaea’s mind is in complete harmony with themselves in a way that even a single mind is not. They do not often feel the anxiety of conflicting desires within oneself. They have a democratic version of decision making: different fragments will present their viewpoints and evidence as to why a certain path is the best, and attempt to persuade the rest of the mind. Once the majority is won over, the minority will usually admit defeat or stay silent, and may be persuaded later.
• They can feel affection. Usually, the objects of their affection are devoured and given an exalted position among the swarm. However, they will respect the object's desire to stay un-absorbed if sufficiently convinced.
• They do not understand why a person wouldn’t want to join them. All of their fragments, after all, are perfectly content and in harmony. The pain is only temporary, and their happiness immortal and unified.
• The six main personality traits correspond to the traits of the two people who originally made up the Lamaea, a father driven mad by grief (Erudite, Coquettish, Psychopathic) and his dying daughter (Playful, Cranky, Obstinate). Both were skilled psions, the daughter abnormally magical for her young age. The daughter was expected to be one of the most powerful psions in the kingdom, but because she was half white, she was attacked and mortally wounded. In his grief, her father attempted to save her by melding their minds. It worked… sort of.
  
• Originally, the Lamaea went on a killing spree and gained scarabs by killing people in their human form and devouring their brains. After it had assembled a sufficient swarm, however, it was able to just eat through the eyes and devour the brain that way. 
• If pressed by someone the Lamaea trusts, it may explain how its belt was “His. Mine. Her father’s. Before we were us.” However, this is unlikely to happen. If pressed for the story of how it became “us,” it will tell a vague rendition of the aforementioned history, switching out “we”, “he”, and “she” for many of the characters there.