Swarm

Despite it's lifelong mission being understanding or learning the world around it, The Swarm doesn't know if it's own origins. Neither do they attempt to theorize how they became so, believing it to be wasted effort. Unknown to the them, the creation of the Swarm should be credited to a disgruntled mage in Talibar. More notorious than famous, he was known as the local nutjob in the nearby settlements, and his theories discredited for being 'stupid'. The mage was obsessed with entomology, further alienating him from the people as they consider it strange. Frustrated with his failed attempts to gain in the world, he moved out to the forest to study, believing it is in the stomach of the giant forests, he'll find his calling. Creating a small hut, he started an experiment to create a new species of insects which would be understood by humans. After all, being able to communicate with insects to predict the next swarming phase would greatly benefit those who work in agriculture and save crops in his mind. Using one of the greatest survivors in Olden, the cockroach, he tested his spell. Unfortunately, from his point of view, it failed. The cockroaches showed no attempt to communicate or show any sign of intelligence like he intended. Once again frustrated, he left the hut to try forget his wasted efforts. Where he went after is unknown, probably working in a farm where he's actually useful.

Unbeknownst to the poor mage however, his experiment succeeded. Well, partially. The cockroaches have indeed changed into something, and been imbued to be different than the others. He was merely impatient, the Swarm then was too 'young'. As time went by, various arthropods and insects has found themselves attracted to the strange hut, entering it without knowing what's going on. As more insects entered the hut, the Swarm grew 'older', growing more intelligence, and astoundingly, the natural enemies and preys in the hut refused to attack each other. Instead, it decided to cooperate, they found themselves in awe, as if they were linked together. After enough numbers gathered, they left the hut to hunt. Not as smart however. The Swarm wasn't always a humanoid , it started out something worse.

Even though the Swarm has grown older and bigger than it's first phase, it hasn't assimilated enough to it's Hive Mind to be truly self-aware. Instead, the Swarm started out as a big carpet of eating machines, indiscriminately eating anything it found in it's path like a mindless animal. Using it's sheer numbers and the advantage of having poison, it was able to easily take down less threatening creatures such as dogs, birds, and other animal inhabitants of the forest. Sooner, even humans and elves, if they were found alone. As it ate, it grew, constantly assimilating others into their ranks, to the point such insects like the Ant Queen would rather avoid the Swarm than confront them in order to keep her ants as her own. Unlike the Swarm now, it did not assimilate knowingly or assimilate to expand their capacity to understand or evolve, rather it assimilated unconsciously, thinking noting of the growing numbers.

The final phase started after it reached four years of existence, and it would be realized it would be their saddest. As they grew enough to be fully aware of themselves, they also grew enough to feel emotion, the most stunning one being:

"REMORSE"

It realized for majority of it's existence, it was noting but a mindless animal that consumes anything that comes infront of it. Although saddened by the fact and almost disbanding in an attempt to do their style of suicide, they realized something else as well. Everything was new. Being mere insects before, they only thought of survival and hunger. Now as they found a new reason of their existence, something replaced their hunger of physical food. The hunger for knowledge. Like a restless child, it set out to learn. While having an intellect of a child back then, it wasn't totally stupid to the point they just barged in there asking for cookies. Rather, they observed and watched, soon taking advantage of it's numbers to take a humanoid shape, even trying to mimic the face of a human. (Look to the picture of above). But knowing they'll get attacked whether the mass of insects took an appearance of humanoid or not, they used robes along with gloves to disguise themselves. Only appearing at night, it surprisingly blended in with the others, keeping it's head down, and staying silent as best as it can. After a year, it was able to the learn the Common language, broken, but still able to speak. And he continues to roam, trying to learn the new world around them. And the only thing the Swarm stood out against others, was it's strange odor.

It was also the day they finally chose themselves a name, something that would not individualize anyone in the link.

"Swarm"

Disgruntled mage uses spells on some cockroaches to create a new communicable species, thinks he failed, Swarm is born first as a mindless eating machine, keeps growing, gains sentience and self-awareness, takes humanoid form and wanders the city at night to learn and observe their new setting in awe.