Akestos
Surge Lord
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: StormSurge. An Ion storm and obscuring mineral dust cloud, created around the Hive in space, ahead of the Surge, or around Hive structures
Image Source: Custom Image VideoHive + Lightning | Dusk Sunset | Dominique Van Velsen | Custom Text
Primary Source: Ion Storm
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Name: StormSurge Magnitude 1 - 10
Manufacturer: The Hive Mind | The Swarm's Will
Affiliation: Factions: SwarmSurge | Closed Market
Homeworld: Undisclosed Hive Planet, Classified Designation: D12
Production: Minor
Modularity: No
Ingredients: D13 | Centax Purifier | Kae Vine | Heat | Pressure
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Classification: Ion Storm, mineral cloud.
Method of Consumption: Inhalation or Contact
Average Life: Ion Storms last for weeks or months depending on the conditions or where they are. A Stormsurge is no different. In the vast blackness of space with nothing to hinder it, a storm can go on for years.
Nutritional Value/Allergies/Side Effects/ Purpose: To damage electronics, to weaken enemy craft, structures or droids. To protect Hive Worlds, very large Hives, and Surge Fleets. To obscure surge movements behind the cloud.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Strengths:
+Can vary in Strength. From StormSurge 1 - 10. This allows the Hive to create a Stormfront to suit its purpose. 10 being lightning all around, 1 being a mineral dust cloud.
+Damages Ships, Droids and metal structures. Fast moving plasma flashes of ionized gases, causing magnetic discharges. These storms have a tendency to strike electronics, ships, and shields. Though they can hit organics, it's much more likely their magnetic discharge will be attracted to metal or to energy sources.
+Ion Storm's are dangerous area of effect creations. More important than that, these ones obscure what's really going on. You can certainly try to get erratic scans through an ion storm, but by its nature, it's going to mess with many devices that try. These clouds are made from the very minerals of the Hive's own dead bodies, meaning they often appear to be a different shade of the same color, which doesn't help matters visually.
Weaknesses:
-Once released, a storm is a storm. You can't easily then control what it is going to do. You can just send it in the direction you hope it will go.
-Vulnerable to force users or creatures who can control weather patterns or storms. The hive itself doesn't control wind direction or air pressure with these for example. Though one day it may develop more refined weather biotech.
-Some devices can capture magnetic energy or plasma discharges, giving them at least temporary protection.
-The strikes from a storm are unpredictable, a small ship flying or individual moving might pass by harmlessly. A big ship or army however is more likely to be hit.
-It is impossible to hide from force sense or an equivalent force power with this, though certainly flashes of lightning might be distracting and the hive mineral cloud dust visually unsettling.
-Harder to produce on colder planets or environments.
-While biological creatures don't attract magnetic discharges near as much, they still don't react well to lightning unless it is migitated somehow.
Strength and Weakness
+/- The Hive communicates just fine telepathically in an Ion Storm, though sonic signals are hindered somewhat.
DESCRIPTION
Whereas terrestrially a storm surge is usually associated with water, here it is most certainly not. As with worlds such as Moorja, the Hive has found Ion storms on planets benefit it more than hurt it. At least where countering dead metal such as droids or ships are concerned. On an average day, there is no need for an ion storm, on a few days there are. These only come from long established and large hives, specific creatures, hive structures, and ships can produce them however to lesser degrees.
Usually orange or red in appearance from the D13 mineral and Centax Purifier gas. These clouds are often colored the same as the creatures that are within it, mostly because it is formed from the same minerals of their own bodies. Though the shade is certainly not an exact match, and not all hive creatures follow the same color scheme. Surge Domains or groups of biospheres, do tend to follow a familiar pattern with their colors or textures.
If the Hive is large enough. When the Biosphere has entered a swarm stage you might see an aptly named Living Mountain producing these. Huge superheated volcanos producing the pressure and heat necessary for ionized gases to form and a plasma storm's eruption to be produced. In ship form, it may be a huge hive ship doing the same ahead of the main fleet, for creatures it would be many working together on mass. The varying degrees of storm generally require larger sources on the higher end, a hive volcano might be able to produce a higher magnitude of storm, whereas a group of many creatures might just produce a lower magnitude orange dustbowl. For a ship, it would depend on its size as to what was possible, and how much room was allocated to doing this.
