Zervar Burouh

Zervar Burouh

5 days ago

@gravitationallyCinematic[GC]

99< [((#this-stuff-is-happening-to-grubs #cw-animal-death #cw-child-abuse #depending-on-your-opinion #death #gore #violence #blood #horror #body-horror #substance (light mention) #cw-needles #cw-cannibalism))] 99< [PLAYBACK BEGINS: THE SCENE OPENS WITH AN ABOVE GROUND SHOT OF THE MOTHER GRUB'S PERSONAL CAVERN. THE GROUND SEEMS TO MOVE LIKE RAINBOW COLORED GRASS, HUE CONSTANTLY SHIFTING. JADEBLOODS WADE THROUGH THE COLORS; SOME WIELD BROOMS, SOME HOSES, SOME MODIFIED BUTTERFLY NETS AND CLUNKY BACKPACKS. THE CAMERA SLOWLY GETS CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE GROUND. CLARITY INCREASES. RATHER THAN GRASS, THE MOVEMENT COMES FROM AN UNENDING WAVE OF WIGGLERS, SCUTTLING OUTWARDS FROM THE CENTER OF THE CAVERN, AWAY FROM THE MOTHERGRUB. ONE JADEBLOOD SWINGS HER NET, CAPTURING WHAT MUST BE AT LEAST A HUNDRED OF THE MINISCULE NEWHATCHES, THEN DUMPS THEM ALL INTO HER BACKPACK. THE EDITING IS STRANGE, WITH MANY QUICK, NEEDLESS CUTS TO DIFFERENT ANGLES.] 99< [The first few instants after a wiggler is expelled from one of the mother grub's many orifices are of vital import to its continued survival. The majority of wigglers will not leave the cavern they were hatched in. The first order of business is nutrients. The mother grub spares no more than she must for each wiggler; they will need to eat to even have the energy to escape. The best first meal for any wiggler is its own discarded egg sac. These contain many vital nutrients that may be reclaimed to help the grub grow. However, the speed at which new wigglers are hatched ensures there is always more than enough competition for this valuable resource.] 99< [This is the first check for good genes a wiggler will experience. Is the wiggler fast enough to grab a sac and run? Is the wiggler sneaky enough to steal the prize from another? Clever enough to create a distraction? Perhaps strong enough to fend off rivals. On rare instances one might even be lucky enough to spot a wiggler with an aptitude for leadership which can form a small gang.] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE VIEW FOCUSES ON A YELLOWBLOODED WIGGLER. IT IS VERY, VERY TINY. IT HAS A MESSY MOP OF HAIR COVERING ITS EYES AND TWO V-SHAPED HORNS. IT IS SURROUNDED BY A STAMPEDE OF WIGGLERS ON ALL SIDES, IMPEDING ITS OWN MOTION, BUT IT IS MANAGING TO SQUEAK AND CHITTER ENOUGH TO GET THE ATTENTION OF A FEW OTHER WIGGLERS. THERE IS A JADEBLOOD, NEARLY BALD, WITH A SINGLE HANDLE SHAPED HORN CONNECTING TO BOTH SIDES OF ITS HEAD. THERE IS A PURPLEBLOOD WITH CURLS POKING THROUGH A SERIES OF COMBOVER SHAPED HORNS. THERE IS A BRONZEBLOOD WITH CHOPPY HAIR AND HORNS SHAPED LIKE TWIGS. THE THREE LISTEN TO THE MUSTARDBLOOD, OCCASIONALLY CHIRPING IN RESPONSE TO IT. THE EDITING CONTINUES TO BE ODD, WITH THE OCCASIONAL SEEMINGLY POINTLESS CUT.] 99< [This is also a test of greed. No matter how strong a wiggler might be, if it over-indulges it will find difficulty defending itself. The second-best meal in this cavern, after the egg sacs, is another wiggler.] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE CAMERA CUTS TO A LARGE INDIGO WHICH HAS SUCCESSFULLY BULLIED MANY OTHER GRUBS AWAY FROM A PILE OF EGG SACS. IT IS ABOUT TWICE AS LARGE AS THE REST OF THE GRUBS, MAKING IT ABOUT THE SIZE OF A THUMB. IT GORGES ITSELF ON THE SACS AND REVELS IN ITS GOOD FORTURE. SUDDENLY, THE PURPLE WIGGLER FROM BEFORE CRAWLS IN FRONT OF IT AND LETS OUT AN ADORABLOODTHIRSTY ROAR OF CHALLENGE. THE INDIGO BELLOWS AND BEGINS MOVING TOWARDS THIS THREAT. AS IT STANDS, THE JADE AND BRONZE LUNGE AT IT FROM BEHIND, EACH BITING DOWN ON A LEG. IT WHIMPERS IN RESPONSE THEN WHEELS AROUND, FIXATED ON THIS NEW THREAT. THE PURPLE LIFTS ITSELF ONTO ITS HIND LEGS THEN SLAMS DOWN ON THE INDIGO'S BACK. ITS FRONT LEGS PIERCE IT, DRAWING A TWIN TRICKLES OF BLOOD. IT CRIES OUT AGAIN AS IT SHAKES THE LOWERBLOODS OFF ITS LEGS.] 99< [THE MUSTARD MAKES ITSELF KNOWN AS IT CHARGES INTO THE INDIGO, GORING ITS SIDE WITH ITS HORNS. THIS IS ENOUGH OF A DISTRACTION FOR THE JADE AND BRONZE TO GET BACK TO WORK. THEY PEEL OFF LEGS, ONE BY ONE, AS THE PURPLE GNAWS ON THE INDIGO'S FACE. WITH A FINAL PATHETIC WHIMPER THE INDIGO SUCCUMBS TO BLOOD LOSS AND EXHAUSTION. THE GOLDBLOOD STRUGGLES TO FREE ITSELF FROM ITS SIDE AS THE PURPLE AND BRONZE START PULLING THE INDIGO IN HALF. THE JADE CRAWLS AROUND TO HELP FREE THE YELLOW, WHICH GIVES AN APPRECIATIVE CHIRP. THE QUARTET RIP APART THE INDIGO, REVEALING A MUSH OF BLUE BLOOD AND STILL UNDIGESTED SACS. THEY EACH EAT THEIR FILL, BUT NO MORE. THE CARRION IS ALREADY ATTRACTING SCAVENGERS, READY TO ENCROACH UPON THE FEAST, AND FIGHT FOR IT. THE FOUR LEAVE THE REMAINS TO JOIN THE RUSHING WAVE OF GRUBS, BUT STICK CLOSE TOGETHER. ] 99< [IN THE MASS OF GRUBS SOME NIP OR BITE AT THEIR NEIGHBORS. SOME ARE FLUNG THROUGH THE AIR WITH NASCENT PSIONICS. SOME ARE EATEN. ANY WHICH TRY ANYTHING WITH THE QUARTET ARE MET WITH A SWIFT REPRISAL BY ANOTHER OF THE BAND.] 99< [The cavern floor is quickly coated with a sticky mix of blood, up to half a Tiny Imperial Measurement Unit (TIMU) deep closest to the mother grub. The calories gained from fully devouring another grub or even half an egg sac will be enough for a wiggler to escape, assuming they can avoid a fight. Those unfortunate or weak enough to not get either will have to make due with lapping up the blood.] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE CAMERA VIEW PULLS AWAY, THOUGH THE QUARTET REMAINS IN VIEW. ONCE FAR ENOUGH AWAY THE ODD CUTS DISAPPEAR. IT FLIES AHEAD OF THEIR TRAJECTORY, CLOSER TO THE WALLS OF THE CAVERN, AND A FEW JADEBLOODED TROLLS IN COVERALLS COME INTO VIEW.] 99< [There are many tasks jadebloods must carry out in the mother grub's chamber: the most important is feeding. The mother grub is kept nourished on a nutrient sludge that has been bio-engineered to keep it fertile, placid, and healthy. While not officially condoned, some caverns have been known to toss wiggler corpses that haven't yet been scavenged into the mix. Depending on the cavern the sludge is then either baked into different shapes, generally beetles, that mimic the mother grub's "natural" diet, or it is administered intravenously.] 99< [Next in importance is collection. ] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE CAMERA FOLLOWS THE QUARTET FROM A GRUB'S EYE VIEW. THE CAVERN WALLS ARE IN SIGHT, WITH FLICKERING LIGHT SHINING FROM DIFFERENT CAVE ENTRANCES. SOME ARE WIDE OPEN WHILE SOME ARE TINY CRACKS, BARELY LARGE ENOUGH FOR A WIGGLER TO SQUEEZE THROUGH. THEY GET CLOSER AND CLOSER, THE JADEBLOODS AHEAD LOOK SO MASSIVE FROM THIS HEIGHT, THE JADES TURN TOWARDS THEM, ONE SMILES- THE CAMERA IS SUDDENLY CAUGHT BY THE SWING OF A NET. THE QUARTET- NO, THE TRIO, LOOK UP WITH A MIX OF INDIGNATION, OUTRAGE, AND FEAR. THERE IS A MUSTARD, A JADE, AND A PURPLE WIGGLER. THE CAMERA CUTS BACK TO THEIR PERSPECTIVE. THE MATURE JADEBLOOD HOLDS A NET FULL OF WIGGLERS, WITH THE BRONZE'S FACE VISIBLE NEAR THE BOTTOM. IT KNOWS NOT WHAT IS TO COME BUT IT KNOWS TO BE VERY, VERY AFRAID. SOME GRUBS SPILL OUT OVER THE TOP AND REJOIN THE MOB. WHEN THEY MOLT THEY WILL NOT REMEMBER HOW CLOSE THEY WERE.] 99< [Cavern collecterrors station themselves far enough from the cavern walls that the wave of wigglers remains tidal, but close enough that only fattened up wigglers will be left. With a single swing of their nets a whole slew of grubs are captured. These grubs are processed on the spot for efficiency's sake.] 99< [THE OLDER JADEBLOOD DUMPS THE LOAD OF GRUBS INTO HER BACKPACK. THE CAMERA FOLLOWS THE BRONZEBLOODED WIGGLER, BUT THE TRIO CAN BE SEEN FLEEING AS THE VIEW SHIFTS. THE YELLOW LOOKS BACK ONCE, THEN CONTINUES.] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE CAMERA SWIVELS AROUND BEHIND THE COLLECTERROR AND THE SCENE SHIFTS FROM LIVE FOOTAGE TO SLIGHTLY CHUNKY CGI. EVERYTHING IS RENDERED IN WIRE FRAME, EXCEPT THE WIGGLERS. THE BRONZE IS FOLLOWED, BUT DOZENS UNDERGO THE SAME PROCESS. THE PROCESS PROCEEDS IN FULL, GORY DETAIL AS IT IS NARRATED.] 99< [The torso pillar rucksack of the collecterrors contains a highly specialized bio-machine called a "baby thresher". The first chamber has a floor at a steep angle. Various pheromones are used to separate wigglers by caste and corral them through one of ten different exits. Higherbloods have exits towards the top, such that as they push other wigglers down the lowerbloods among them are moved closer to their own exits. Those which fail to escape, or which are already dead or dying, slide to the bottom and fall into a separate chamber.] 99< [The mixed caste chamber contains a simple set of piston powered walls. They mash the corpses within to a pulp which drains out the bottom. A series of sieves separate out blood, tissue, bone matter, and horn keratin, which is all mixed and collected for later use. The baby thresher comes equipped with many jars to hold the collected materials.] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE BRONZE WIGGLER, IN CGI BUT STILL MORE REAL THAN THE WIRE FRAMES, IS USHERED ALONGSIDE ITS PEERS INTO THE BRONZE CHAMBER. ONCE THROUGH THE ENTRANCE IT IMMEDIATELY FALLS INTO A PIT, ENSURING THERE IS NO HOPE FOR CLIMBING BACK OUT.] 99< [Each caste is sorted into a similar chamber. Lowerblood chambers are equipped to handle a great quantity of wigglers, but otherwise they are identical. Hollow needles extend from the walls of the chamber and extract the blood from the wigglers. A carefully calibrated timer ensures that only just enough is taken so as to not cull the wigglers. Once the needles retract the weakened wigglers are attracted, again via pheromone, into a new chamber. Those which refuse to exit or which perish before exiting will be eaten by the next cohort; the self-cleaning capabilities of the baby thresher are one of its key advantages over previous collection methods.] 99< [THE BRONZE WAILS AND SQUIRMS AS IT IS PUNCTURED MANY TIMES OVER AND SUCKED DRY. IT IS A HUSK BY TIME THE NEEDLES RETRACT, FLESH ALMOST GREY. WHEN THE PASSAGE IN FRONT OF IT OPENS IT MOVES AS FAST AS ITS WEAKENED STATE WILL ALLOW. IT WEARS A FACE OF HOPE. IT IS SURE THERE IS ESCAPE AHEAD. IT IS SURE ITS COMPANIONS ARE WAITING FOR IT. IT REALIZES TOO LATE THAT THE NEXT CHAMBER IS ANOTHER PIT AND IS PUSHED IN BY THE BRONZES BEHIND IT. IT IS GROUND BETWEEN TWO SPIKED ROLLERS, SEEMINGLY MADE OF SOME BUG'S SHELLS, AND DEPOSITED IN A PILE OF GORE AND OFFAL.] 99< [The remains of the grubs are collected in their own separate containment units. The small size of the newhatches ensure it takes an entire night before the storage needs emptying. The jadebloods are graded harshly on the quantity and quality of their collections. The combined caste materials are exported for use in the creation of concrete, paper, and fertilizer, among other uses. The separated blood is exported as a higher price for use as paints, dyes, and grubsauce, to name a few examples. The separated offal has many different uses depending on the caste it is collected from. The export of these materials is one of the chief manners brooding caverns pay for overhead costs and bring in necessary resources such as food or personal computing devices.] 99< [SCENE CHANGE: THE WIRE FRAMES DECONSTRUCT IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO AN OLD SCREENSAVER. THE VIEW SHIFTS BACK TO REALITY, FOLLOWING THE TRIO OF GRUBS FROM BEFORE. THE HERD HAS THINNED OUT GREATLY AT THIS POINT; THE CAVERN FLOORS ARE VISIBLE. THERE ARE NO STRANGE CUTS.] 99< [Grubs which have managed to claim their first meal and dodge culling from peers or caretakers will make it to the edge of the cavern. From there, they must pick an exit. Some are dead ends; grubs instinctively refuse to return to the mother grub's chamber, so these will inevitably starve. Some exits lead immediately to predatory mold. A scant few lead deeper into the caverns, where grubs will have to fend for themselves, hunt, forage, and eventually, pupate.] 99< [THE TRIO BICKERS FOR A FEW MOMENTS ABOUT WHICH EXIT TO PICK. THE JADE WIGGLER SEEMS TO BE INTERESTED IN A MOSSY CREVASSE, THE PURPLE IN A HOLE THAT WOULD REQUIRE CLIMBING TO, AND THE MUSTARD IN A WIDE OPEN CORRIDOR. THE ARGUMENT ESCALATES TO NIPPING, BUT EVENTUALLY THEY AGREE TO GO DOWN THE WIDE CORRIDOR. THE PURPLE SEEMS ESPECIALLY HUFFY ABOUT THIS. AT LEAST, AS HUFFY AS SOMETHING THAT TINY CAN MANAGE. THE CAMERA FOLLOWS THEM IN, SHOWING HOW THE CORRIDOR QUICKLY OPENS UP INTO A GORGEOUS UNDERWATER RIVER SYSTEM, WITH OLDER AND FATTER GRUBS PLAYING, EATING, AND CULLING EACH OTHER IN THE DISTANCE. ONE GRUB IN THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THE SHOT GETS EATEN WHOLE BY A CARNIVOROUS PLANT. THE PLANT WALKS OUT OF FRAME. THE TRIO SETS OUT WITH A CHORUS OF SQUEAKS BUT THE CAMERA REMAINS STILL.] 99< [The journey is far from over, but grubs which escape the mother grub's chamber have a good start on life. If they've had more than one meal, even better. The next installment shall explore the early life of a proper wiggler and the hazards that come with it. I have been Head Archivist Zervar Burouh. As always, questions and comments are most welcome.] 99< [Wiggler Population Remaining: ~45%] 99< [#BroodingCavernsDocumentary #BroodingCaverns #GrubDeath #WigglerDeath #Pheromones #MotherGrub #Eggs #Hatching #Birthing #CavernJades #Collecterrors #GrubOnGrubViolence #MaterialsCollection] Őoo

Jane Crocker

5 days ago

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@gutsyGumshoe[GG]

The physical comedy of those newhatch wriggling larvae throwing one another around with a meager gelatinous form is UNRIVALED. Jadebloods must have trunk solid torsos from all of the laughing. I have never seen a brood so fresh from the... mother orifice! A reminder of the SHEER SIZE of the ready-to-molt heifers I had crawling all over my sweater during my previous visit!!

Kintsugi Knight

5 days ago

@abstractCollector[AC]

My fucking sudoku.