99< [PLAYBACK BEGINS: THE CAMERA FOLLOWS A LINE OF IMPERIAL DRONES, EACH CARRYING A FILIAL PAIL IN EACH HAND. THEY MARCH SILENTLY, SOMBERLY. THE OCCASIONAL JADEBLOOD AHEAD OF THE LINE FLEES INTO A SIDE CORRIDOR. A FEW GRUBS ARE SQUISHED UNDER THE FEET OF THE ENCROACHING DRONES.] 99< [After a drone collects genetic material it returns to the brooding caverns. Each drone will protect its pail with extreme prejudice. They march onwards, guided by pheromone trails, to the most central, secretive, and well-guarded room in any cavern system: the mother grub's chambers.] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE CORRIDOR OPENS UP INTO A MASSIVE ROOM, HIGH ABOVE THE GROUND. THE CEILING STRETCHES SEVERAL STORIES TALL AND THE SIZE OF AN ARENA STICKBALL STADIUM. THE FLOOR SEEMS ALMOST LIQUID, WITH EVERY COLOR OF THE HEMOSPECTRUM FLOWING FROM THE CENTER OUTWARDS. MANY JADES WADE THROUGH THE COLORS, SOME CARRYING SUPPLIES AND OTHERS NETS. IN THE CENTER IS A MASSIVE UNDULATING CREATURE, EASILY THE SIZE OF A SCHOOLFEEDING BUS. THE MOTHER GRUB HERSELF.] 99< [The drones approach from above, so as to not impede the work of the mother grub's caretakers, nor the young. A constant stream of grubs flows from the mother grub's oviducts, enough to completely cover the floor. Some jades are given the thankless task of attempting to keep the chambers clean of the blood and other leavings of the newly birthed grubs.] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE CAMERA FOLLOWS THE DRONES AS THEY FLY DOWNWARDS. THE MOTHER GRUB LETS OUT VARIOUS GURGLES AND COOS AT THEIR APPROACH. ONE BY ONE, EACH DRONE UNCEREMONIOUSLY DUMPS ITS BUCKETS OUT ONTO IT, COATING IT IN LOAD AFTER LOAD OF GENETIC SLURRY. THE RAINBOW OF SLIME IS UPSETTINGLY QUICKLY ABSORBED THROUGH ITS SKIN, LEAVING IT A SHINY WHITE WITHIN MOMENTS OF EACH SPLATTER. ONCE FINISHED, EACH DRONE EXITS THROUGH ANOTHER ELEVATED HOLE. THE CAMERA REMAINS ON THE MOTHER GRUB AS THEY LEAVE.] 99< [The mother grub absorbs the gathered genetic material and forms it into the famous incestuous slurry from which it forms its eggs. There are many mythconceptions about the slurry and its mechanisms. Longstanding beliefs hold that dominant genes rise to the top and recessive sink to the bottom, or that particularly intense concupscient pairings, red or black, result in more of the donators' genes being passed on.] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE VIEW SWITCHES TO AN ANIMATED DEPICTION OF THE MOTHER GRUB IN THE STYLE OF A BLACK AND WHITE DOODLE. IT SMILES AND THROBS TOWARDS THE CAMERA. ANIMATIONS PLAY ALONGSIDE THE VOICEOVER TO PROVIDE VISUAL AIDS FOR THE PROCESSES BEING DESCRIBED.] 99< [Firstly, whether a gene is "dominant" or "recessive" has no inherent bearing on its contribution to its owner's fitness. A dominant gene is one whose phenotype (the observable characteristic of the genotype) overrides that of a recessive gene. The phenotype of recessive genes is only observable in the absence of a dominant gene. There are further complexities and wrinkles that the interested viewer may take it upon themselves to research. Many psionic mutations are the result of several recessive genes lining up just right.] 99< [When a troll engages in intercourse their heightened emotional state makes their body create various neurotransmitters. The troll body is able to differentiate between feelings of pity and hatred; each feeling creates different chemicals. Some create euphoric feelings, some inhibit exhaustion, and some communicate with the reproductive system.] 99< [The genetic makeup of a troll is shaped like a double helix. During replication the genes separate, "unzipping" into two individual helices. Most cells in the troll body contain the double helix, but the reproductive cells contained in genetic material contain only one helix. The neurotransmitters created during intercourse spur on the creation of these single helix cells; whether the chemicals are piteous or loathing determines which half is used. Hate results in reproductive cells using the "left-handed" helix and pity in the "right-handed" helix.] 99< [Once the genmat of both parties is deposited into a filial pail they react with each other. The separate helices bond and form a new double helix structure. The bonds between left and right handed helices have been found to be weaker than left to left or right to right, causing the resulting material to be less potent. It is likely that anecdotal observation of this fact in the far past is what created the taboo of quadsmearing. More intense feelings of loathing or pity lead to increased production of their respective neurotransmitters, which in turn leads to increased production of genetic material. This provides a possible explanation for both the idea that more intense relationships create more dominant genes, and for the stigma around quadrant vacillation.] 99< [The now double-helix genetic material is then delivered to the mother grub. En route it continues to react with itself. Two double helices will line up next to each other and both unzip. They will swap bits and pieces between single helices, then rezip. The initial double helices, which all encoded the exact same information, thus become many different strands encoding different information.] 99< [Much in the same way certain animals can absorb water through the skin, so too does it absorb genetic material. The material is combined in specialized stomachs into an incestuous slurry. The intense recombination underwent within the mother grub prevents the deleterious effects of inbreeding from building up. Non-troll species often have a taboo against mating with biological ancestors, descendants, or siblings, likely stemming from the observation of these negative effects. Troll society thus lacks this taboo. The double helices again split, then recombine with helices from different troll pairings. No strand holds an inherent advantage over any other; the only factor determining how many grubs one troll might be responsible for is quantity.] 99< [After passing through several specialized organs the reproductive cells containing the newly recombined genetic material begin to multiply. Each one forms a small clump of cloned cells, becoming soft, small eggs.] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE VIEW SWAPS FROM THE CARTOONISH AND CUTE TO A LIVE CAMERA VIEW OF THE INTERNALS OF A MOTHER GRUB. IT IS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC.] 99< [The eggs gestate within the mother grub's warm and inviting internal ovum chambers for five to seven Standard Alternian Nights. During this time they are slowly but steadily pushed towards its oviducts. As they are squeezed out of its orifices the grubs are forcibly expelled from their egg sacs, in a manner similar to the popping of a zit, and the extraneous material falls to the ground. Any grub lucky enough to devour any discarded sac will have a fantastic start on its life.] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE VIEW SHIFTS TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE MOTHER GRUB. A STEADY STREAM OF THUMBNAIL SIZED GRUBS ARE SHOT OUT FROM VARIOUS ORIFICES. MOST BEGIN WIGGLING ABOUT AND FLEEING TOWARDS THE EDGE OF THE CHAMBERS THE INSTANT THEY HIT THE GROUND.] 99< [Grubs are constantly born from the mother grub as long as it is provided a steady stream of genetic material. Two pails can last a healthy mother grub for about a night; in lean times, it can hold onto material in various internal vacuoles to keep a steady drip-feed going. A properly cared for mother grub can birth upwards of twelve grubs a second.] 99< [In the next installment we shall explore the beginnings of a grub's life. As always, questions and comments are appreciated. I have been Head Archivist Zervar Burouh.] 99< [#BroodingCavernsDocumentary #FilialPails #ImperialDrones #BroodingCaverns #GrubDeath #WigglerDeath #Violence #Gore #GeneticMaterial #Pheromones #QuadrantCulture #IncestuousSlurry #MotherGrub #Incest #IncestMentionOnly #NSFW #CorrectingMisconceptions #Eggs #Hatching #Birthing #CavernJades] Őoo
