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Murkmites, Where to go from here?
a year ago
So for a long time I've stopped getting as much murkmite stuff (If you havent seen them yet, they are just gooey parasitic creatures), I've taken the time to work on some of the bg lore and how exactly I want to organize the project. The current ref for them : https://www.furaffinity.net/view/34324131/ is really outdated and frankly the lore is shifty at most. I need to sit down with a couple people and really nail everything down.
I'm thinking of organizing the different infected into types/tiers of infection, though would just need to get a lot of concepts done... hard to do when you dont know who's willing to draw them xD
Tiers would be split from 1-3
Stage 1. Introduction to infection, murk takes control of the mind and puppets body, the goo wouldnt cover the full body though
Stage 2. Goo completely covers host, but their original body is still sunk inside, but the body is able to shift and change to fit the desires of the murkmite. Resistance from the host is gone at this point.
Stage 3. Body beneath the goo is absorbed, fully merging murkmite and host... the host will see themselves reborn and think of themselves as the prime lifeform and spread the infection.
Host speed of conversion and their strength will be dependent on the physique of the host body the murk puppets, the amount of magic a person inherently wields (murks consume magic tied to souls and convert it into more goo), and how wise and intelligent they are (murks consume thoughts/memories and harvest them for the hive, leaving the host unable to fight back)
They will likely be closely affiliated with the void in my lore, so the goo can drive people insane to embrace the murkmites if exposed for too long, it would also make sense for murks to bring back victims to their hive/nest rather than murks seeking out victims. So sorta have a xenomorph sorta people tied to the walls as the murks come to claim them, their minds beings twisted by the goo around them. They are basically parasitic shards of the void who infest the mortal plane... trying to tear it apart chaotic entropy for the void... a deeply instinctual process to spread and consume all living beings. I also want to put more focus on the mental aspect of the changes, the effects of the mind as parasite and host are merged together, the aspect of resisting its corruption etc.
Of course they will still all be destroyed by Vuul when he does his little sacrifice, though I like the idea of Vuul potentially be able to manipulate and use some for his own ends after his corruption... considering he is made from the same magic as them (hence the similar eye motif.
Types:
Chest: Attaches to chest, corrupts individual and keeps their mind to lead the face infected as generals for the murk horde.
Face: Attaches to face, dronifies individual into a drone of the hive, serving in hard labour and soldiers to spread.
Brood: Monstrous creatures turned by murkmites which are reappropriated to defend the hive, covered in newborn murksmites
Rare Types:
Mindeater: More advanced Insect like murks that attach to the back of a creature, consuming its mind and augmenting their bodies, can develop into core of the hivemind and assist the queen
Queen: A more large and advanced murkmite that acts as the metaphorical "heart" of the hive. Its goo constantly grows and consumes the enivornment and terraforms it into the murky goo murks are made from. The queens can take over large and powerful creatures to protect and empower itself to defend the hive.
Slivers" A murkmite that looks more like a worm, can be inserted into a victim and basically turn them into a sleeper agent of the hive. It will mature and hijack the host's actions without knowing until it fully takes over when required by the hive.
If you are an artist or know artists that might be interested with this kinda theme let me know ! :> I've wanted to really focus more on the sort of horror-y corruption aspect of them, focusing on turning into a goopy monstrocity sorta vibe. I want to focus on the sort of merging between host and murk, becoming consumed with the euphoria of spreading and embracing their new roles to spread murk. All the while embracing that sort of alien and foreign theme of that eye staring into your very core, the eldritch nature of the goo and its victims.
While I do like the mindlessness to some extent of the current version, I feel it doesnt give them much character... and it leaves the concept a bit hollow? Either way heres the folder for murk stuff if you wanted to check out and see what i meant https://www.furaffinity.net/gallery.....8478/Murkmites
But yeah if you are an artist and you like and would want to draw these let me know! I'd be happy to get these concepts on paper :> !
For those who aren't artists but still like them:
Are you still interested in murkmites? What do you like about them? Any suggestions?
I'm thinking of organizing the different infected into types/tiers of infection, though would just need to get a lot of concepts done... hard to do when you dont know who's willing to draw them xD
Tiers would be split from 1-3
Stage 1. Introduction to infection, murk takes control of the mind and puppets body, the goo wouldnt cover the full body though
Stage 2. Goo completely covers host, but their original body is still sunk inside, but the body is able to shift and change to fit the desires of the murkmite. Resistance from the host is gone at this point.
Stage 3. Body beneath the goo is absorbed, fully merging murkmite and host... the host will see themselves reborn and think of themselves as the prime lifeform and spread the infection.
Host speed of conversion and their strength will be dependent on the physique of the host body the murk puppets, the amount of magic a person inherently wields (murks consume magic tied to souls and convert it into more goo), and how wise and intelligent they are (murks consume thoughts/memories and harvest them for the hive, leaving the host unable to fight back)
They will likely be closely affiliated with the void in my lore, so the goo can drive people insane to embrace the murkmites if exposed for too long, it would also make sense for murks to bring back victims to their hive/nest rather than murks seeking out victims. So sorta have a xenomorph sorta people tied to the walls as the murks come to claim them, their minds beings twisted by the goo around them. They are basically parasitic shards of the void who infest the mortal plane... trying to tear it apart chaotic entropy for the void... a deeply instinctual process to spread and consume all living beings. I also want to put more focus on the mental aspect of the changes, the effects of the mind as parasite and host are merged together, the aspect of resisting its corruption etc.
Of course they will still all be destroyed by Vuul when he does his little sacrifice, though I like the idea of Vuul potentially be able to manipulate and use some for his own ends after his corruption... considering he is made from the same magic as them (hence the similar eye motif.
Types:
Chest: Attaches to chest, corrupts individual and keeps their mind to lead the face infected as generals for the murk horde.
Face: Attaches to face, dronifies individual into a drone of the hive, serving in hard labour and soldiers to spread.
Brood: Monstrous creatures turned by murkmites which are reappropriated to defend the hive, covered in newborn murksmites
Rare Types:
Mindeater: More advanced Insect like murks that attach to the back of a creature, consuming its mind and augmenting their bodies, can develop into core of the hivemind and assist the queen
Queen: A more large and advanced murkmite that acts as the metaphorical "heart" of the hive. Its goo constantly grows and consumes the enivornment and terraforms it into the murky goo murks are made from. The queens can take over large and powerful creatures to protect and empower itself to defend the hive.
Slivers" A murkmite that looks more like a worm, can be inserted into a victim and basically turn them into a sleeper agent of the hive. It will mature and hijack the host's actions without knowing until it fully takes over when required by the hive.
If you are an artist or know artists that might be interested with this kinda theme let me know ! :> I've wanted to really focus more on the sort of horror-y corruption aspect of them, focusing on turning into a goopy monstrocity sorta vibe. I want to focus on the sort of merging between host and murk, becoming consumed with the euphoria of spreading and embracing their new roles to spread murk. All the while embracing that sort of alien and foreign theme of that eye staring into your very core, the eldritch nature of the goo and its victims.
While I do like the mindlessness to some extent of the current version, I feel it doesnt give them much character... and it leaves the concept a bit hollow? Either way heres the folder for murk stuff if you wanted to check out and see what i meant https://www.furaffinity.net/gallery.....8478/Murkmites
But yeah if you are an artist and you like and would want to draw these let me know! I'd be happy to get these concepts on paper :> !
For those who aren't artists but still like them:
Are you still interested in murkmites? What do you like about them? Any suggestions?
Gotta revisit and get another murk comm it seems
Motivation could be important here in terms of making characters (if that's the goal)-is the only motivation they have to spread, corrupt, and consume? Or are they capable of making more nuanced choices? Would they setup a church in a town to install themselves as beings worthy of worship and farm the town/city for generations of new hosts, or would they just devour them all immediately?
I think I might change it to two 'types' from your three since you're asking.
1 - Murkmite being only, no host. Can coalesce into what you call 'drones' and 'brood' at present, but are essentially mindless drones in mentality that seek to consume and corrupt.
2 - Murkmite Host: Acts more like the 'Chest' murkmite in concept and their mentality is ultimately consumed by the murk horde for the murk horde, but retains personality and intelligence to do so intelligently instead of instinctually. Can be put into a drone-like, mindless state if the hive wills it.
The other types then become variations of type 1 or type 2, depending the intelligence that most fits the role. This also handily gives a NEED for new hosts as the hive can't function as anything more than a collective mass without them.
As for art, I might do some, but I had to give up art and focus on full time work because reality bites.
Well the murkmites already have the more mobile goopy form seperate from a host, plus the entire idea is that people want to be hosts to the murks so I figure a murkmite which manifests a body without a host would be pretty redundant. Your second murkmite host is basically just the facial murkmite idea and the chest one combined. So maybe I didnt really explain it well :>
I like the idea of certain people becoming certain roles, it fits the whole scheme I have for them. The idea originally was for the murks to takeover towns and then utilize the hosted individuals to create themselves weapons and resources.
In any event, I think the key thing is you want more character expression with the infected... and the easiest way to do that *is to do it.* We sometimes get lost into typing things and putting them into boxes when the differences are subtle. It's probably fine to have some have their minds and others be essentially mindless drones slaved to the murk instincts-that could be just differences in how the corruption plays out from person to person. There doesn't have to be some sort of a hierarchy; particularly in a hive mind.
As to how they take over things, if they just advance, consume, and corrupt, that's fine-I just wasn't sure if they could be masterminds in addition to forces of nature.
I like the idea of them being more basic and instinctual, rather than 'masterminds.' Intelligence to a certain degree in order to organize and plan ahead of time. Even if they could be more clever I think they would prefer the a more upfront approach anyways.
but i keep procrastinating about it ^^; someday the urge will hit me at the exact time i have money for the commission and an artist i know can draw it is open hehe
i can think of a couple artists who i think would make AWESOME murkmite art, in particular i'd reccommend:
another artist i reccommend is