Blighted Tribes
The Blighted Tribes are a fusion of alien Psychezoa clusters, a network of organic tendrils, and enthralled human mutants that infest the Western Antilles Archipelago and Central America.
In 2467 CE, the Blighted Tribes are comprised of four Parasitic and two Symbiotic clusters that prey on unblighted humans and compete against each other.
Blighted Tribes Map, 2467 CE
Blighted Tribes Factions
Dominating the Western Golfo de Mexico is the Mex-Tex Madre Hyve, an ultra-powerful Parasitic Seablight cluster congealed across more than 100-square-kilometres between the former United States and Mexico. Its psychic pulse preaches the Awakened Path and can be felt throughout the Antilles Archipelago. Its power is only matched by the Pacifica, Tranatlantica, Ba’al, and Hēi’àn Tǎ Madre Hyves
The Mex-Tex Madre Hyve’s overlordship is far from universal. Both supporting and competing against the Mex-Tex Madre Hyve are the Tyde Kyndrid and Depertado Madre Hyves located on Tainos Supremo. Their Kongresses are led by powerful High Blightspeakers that compel their Kongregans to assault human settlements and vessels.
In the ruins of Beaumont, Texas, a fourth Madre Hyve has fused with Ancestor technologies and seven cocooned High Blightspeakers to form the Markeena Arkana Board.
Meanwhile, the Skullrievers on the North American Gulf Coast and Ahuizotl of the Yucatán Peninsula have both evolved from Symbiotic Seablight proginator tendrils into unique Cambiaformas. Their Hunting Packs are led by fierce Chieftains that question the Awakened Path.
Madre Hyve
These Parasitic and Symbiotic Blighted Tribes threaten each other and their neighbouring unblighted human factions: the Hopesail Confederacy, Masqued Guilds, and Pyrate Republic.
Blighted Tribes Origins
All of Earth’s Blighted Tribes originate from the first Parasitic Seablight ‘proginator tendril’ that sprouted from Western Pacific Garbage Patch around 2327 CE. This Seablight cluster spread dendritic tendrils and pulsed with exotic radioactivity. Additional Parasitic clusters formed and developed into nests, hyves, and Madre Hyves. Parasitic Seablight tendrils consume and transform everything they touch, including humans. This relentless growth resulted in the Seablight Deluge and Century of Deconstruction.
The largest clusters have developed independent psychic minds and can spawn monstrous Seablight Entities. Some humans ensnared by Seablight Touch are not consumed. Instead, they are transformed into Blighters, mindless zonbi with chitin-skin and an aggressive demeanour.
Parasitic Blighters, Blightspeakers, Kongregan, and Kongresses
Blighters are driven by alien genetics and psychic manipulation to prey on foreign organics, including humans and competing Seablight clusters. Blighters can also be consumed by a hyve and regurgitated as Awakened Blighters strengthened with preternatural powers.
A handful of humans ensnared by Seablight Touch are not converted into Blighters. Instead, they are gifted with psychic Blightsense. Those with heightened Blightsense become Low Blightspeakers capable of Mind Control and Divination. Low Blightspeakers are compelled to enthrall humans into loyal Kongregans.
Kongregans gain mutations, form a Kongress, and follow the commands of a Blightspeaker. Unlike Blighters, Kongregans maintain a sense of self identity, although they remain dulled by psychic enthrallment. Kongregans are adaptable and can survive in hazardous environments. Hundreds of Kongresses dwell in the Northern and Western reaches of the Antilles Archipelago. They live in crude settlements scattered across the Florida Archipelago, Tainos Supremo, Yucatan Penisnula, and elsewhere. The strongest Kongregan within a Kongress will become a Warrior Chieftain strengthened with powerful mutations. They lead Kongress Hunting Packs into combat against unblighted human settlements and weaker hyves. A Kongregan can be compelled by a Blightspeaker to sacrifice themself to a hyve. This Hyve Thythe is used to summon Seablight Swarms and Predator Seablight Entities.
A rare few Low Blightspeakers become High Blightspeakers. They have an exceptionally strong psychic connection with a Madre Hyve. High Blightspeakers act as interlocutors between an alien hyve mind and Kongresses. They can summon Apex Seablight Beings.
Blighted Tribes Appearance
Blighted Tribespeople greatly differ between Parasitic and Symbiotic strains. Parasitic Blighters have rough chitin skin and a feral manner. Kongregan are usually marked by physical mutations. Some Kongregan may be able to hide their blighted veins or other mutations under layers of cloth, enabling them to infiltrate civilized human settlements. Symbiotic Seablight results in humans transforming into diverse Cambiaformas.
Blighted Tribes Demeanor
Most denizens of The Blighted Tribes have Blightsense or are enthralled by the psychic tendrils of a Blightspeaker, an Apex Seablight Entity, or a broader Madre Hyve psychic pulse. Kongregan are wary if not hostile towards outsiders, including other Kongresses. Kongregans influenced by the Mex-Tex Madre Hyve are driven to enact the Awakened Path. Those infected with Symbiotic Seablight, such as Skullriever Hunting Packs and Ahuizotl rover Kongresses, exercise independent decision-making. This enables them to plan their reaction to strangers, and even engage in basic diplomacy with the non-blighted. Blightspeakers are capable of psychic Mind Control, allowing them to gauge and manipulate non-blighted minds (see Chapter 3: Heroic Professions).
Blighted Tribes Language(s)
Communication between human Blighted Tribespeople is called Blightspeak, a combination of primal sounds, alien sigils, and psychic nudges. A strong Psychic harmonisation connects members of a Blighted Tribe Kongress and enables subtle thought communication. This may be one-directional, such as instructions sent by the Markeena Arkana Board to Spindletop Disciple Drone Organlles, or more complex networks, such as the shared psychic powers of the Skullrievers and Ahuizotl. The Kongregan of Tainos Supremo may speak Lengua Karibeño and Southern Creole, while the Skullrievers comprehend Eastrican and Northern Creole.
Blighted Tribes Occupations
Most Blighted Tribespeople live in servitude to a High or Low Blightspeaker. Kongregan may perform menial roles, such as serving Blightspeakers and Cheiftans, scavenging for skrap, organic harvesting, or attending to their hyve. A Tyde Kyndrid Kongress may organise themselves into a crew while voyaging, such as captain, navigator, and gunners. The Skullrievers, Despertado, and Ahuizotl have complex hierarchies and cultural roles. These include lieutenants, shamans, scouts, skilled hunters, and workers. Within each tribe are enthralled mindless Blighter zonbi and aggressive Awakened Blighters waiting to be triggered.
Blighted Tribes Religions
The central focus for a Kongress is a powerful Blightspeaker that can commune with a Madre Hyve and preach the Awakened Path. Blightspeakers emanate psychic pulses while performing to a Kongress. Their description of the Star Sparker’s Cosmic Plan and the eventual uplift of all organic into a fourth dimension causes extreme ecstasy. Sustaining this ectasy requires a regular hyve tithe of Kongregan sacrifices.
Blighted Tribes Arms and Armour
Most Kongregan wear threadbare clothes or rustic ancient armour. Some Blightspeakers may have a modicum of fashion. Some Kongregan have Psychezoa-morphed physical mutations. Warriors and chieftans may be armed with Ancient, Modern, or Advanced arms and armour.
Blighted Tribes Cultural Skills
Many Kongregans are enthralled by the Mex-Tex Madre Hyve, and have limited conscious thought. Some Kongresses, such as the Ahizoutl and Skullrievers, have developed unique cultural distinctions. Many Kongregan are empowered by Psychezoa with mutant and psychic abilities, including Flight, Hiding, Jumping, Sensing, Spotting, Stealth, Swimming, and Tracking. Blightspeakers are capable of Blightspeak, Projection, and Divination, while Chieftains are skilled with Command and Weapons.
Blighted Tribes Cultural Items
Kongregans may carry small fetishes, skulls, bones, and other items invested with importance. These can vary significantly between Kongresses. A Spindletop Disciple Kongregan, for example, may worship an Ancestor gadget they believe empowers the Markeena Arkana Board, while Skullhunters are usually festooned with bones.
Discover More Blighted Tribes Content
Predator Seablight Entity
Lesser Seablight Entities are horrific Parasitic Psychezoa creatures spawned from a gestating Madre Hyve. These abominations are the size of large boulders and have hardened
Low Blightspeaker
Low Blightspeakers are humans gifted with mutations and psychic Blightsense through contact with a Parasitic Madre Hyve. These mutants possess psychic powers that allow them
Skrap Plunderer
Skrap Plunderers are the enterprising metal-scalpers of the Antilles Archipelago. These human metal detectors seek metallic skrap, Ancestor gadgets, miscellaneous equipment, currency, and weapons they
Cambiaformas
A Cambiaformas is a human that have been ensnared by a Symbiotic Seablight hyve or nest tendril, undergone physical transformation, and survived. Many unfortunates become
Ahuizotl
The Ahuizotl are predominately avian and feline Blighted Tribe mutants evolved from a network of Symbiotic Seablight proginator tendrils located in the central mountains of
Tyde Kyndrid
The Tyde Kyndrid are a maritime Blighted Tribe comprised of thousands of devout Kongregans and hundreds of Awakened Blighters. Several dozen large Tyde Kyndrid Kongresses
