Ant Quest

A quest about some ants an shit. Starts like Sim Ant, then abruptly political intrigue, superpowers you can steal by feasting on the corpse of the owner and strange naming conventions (Everything is named after a song/album/band title.) emerge.

Mostly writefaggotry, with photos of insects as reference and some MSpaint scribbles now and then.

The players start with control of KILLER QUEEN, the ruler and founder of Cydonia, an expansionist ant empire. As the story progresses, ants that gain individuality and their own unique name become individually controllable.

First thread

Second thread

Third thread

The Setting

At times, Ant Quest seems to be set in the 'real world'. But in reality, the game takes place on Johnny Cash, what seems to be a humanless earth, replete with a strange fungus that empowers the owner and strange superpowers that can awaken in some insects. Further, insects in this world have largely gained sapience, and have culture and civilizations.

The factions

Cydonia

The Empire founded by KILLER QUEEN, the player faction.

Occupying territory on the southern borders of the Mandarinian Empire (The Mandarinian Empire currently unaware the ant colony they located is that of KILLER QUEEN), Cydonia is comprised of three locations:

Crescent, the capital.

Located in the shadow of a massive curved piece of rock, home of KILLER QUEEN, birthplace of her empire. On The Mandarinian Empire's southern borders

Stealin', testing grounds.

Located underneath a dense patch of yellow flowers along The Mandarinian Empire's southern border. Current residence of the Roots of Chaos spawned growth.

Carpathian Ridge, military outpost

Home of the first Sister Hazel and Sister Machine gun. Only recently set up.

Allied with Def Leppard, a beetle inhabiting fields near Carpathian Ridge, recently altered by the effects of a mysterious fly named Styx (Teleopsis dalmanni)

Notable Members:

KILLER QUEEN, founder, ruler of Cydonia

-Valiance: Stayin' Alive

KILLER QUEEN possesses up to 100 units of egg energy, and 25 body energy. Starting with her egg reserves first, the energy is immediately expended to cause rapid healing in the event of being wounded.

Scars Of Yesterday, First Knight Of Cydonia, Champion Of KILLER QUEEN, Commander Of Her Armies

Advanced Valiance: Cry Of The Brave

-A penetrating shock wave that can be produced from special hollows his four mandibles possess. The power grows the more mandibles employed, as does the risk.

-If a Cry of the Brave is activated with only one mandible (termed Level 1 or 0.5 if the mandible is only opened partway), it will not cause Scars of Yesterday to become Lethargic.

-If a Cry of the Brave using two mandibles is employed, roll a d10. A roll of four or lower will induce the Lethargic Trait.

-If three mandibles are employed, Scars of Yesterday must roll a d10 and roll five or higher to avoid becoming Lethargic (if a 1 is rolled, Scars of Yesterday will lose consciousness).

-If all four mandibles are employed, Scars of Yesterday must roll a d20 and beat a DC 15 challenge to stay conscious, and is automatically rendered Lethargic irrelevant of the result.

-All rolls now gain a bonus of 2 to the roll, to be included when rolling the dice. -The power of Cry of the Brave grows the more mandibles employed.

Ability: Fury Of The Storm

-An application of Cry Of The Brave, Fury Of The Storm is repetitious Lv1 Cry Of The Brave uses.

Valiance: Aerosmith

Hyper-developed spiracles and organic air jets on his body allow Scars Of Yesterday to propel himself with bursts of air. While in use so, Scars Of Yesterday cannot breathe, and excessive use can lead to death via asphyxiation.

Ability: Path Of Glory

-By clamping his mandibles together to form a penetrating point, Scars Of Yesterday can employ Aerosmith to become a living spear. Is somewhat more strenuous than normal Aerosmith use.

Valiance: Unstoppable Impact

-Specially re-adapted spiracles and organic air jets on the lower half of each of his legs allows Scars Of Yesterday to trigger a vicious discharge of air against any object, potentially cracking armor. Any number of legs that can reach a given object can be employed, or split between multiple targets in range. The recoil is severe, and grows the more legs utilized, although being used in divergent directions can allow different blasts to cancel out each others recoil.

Ability: Operation Ground And Pound

-Every time a one-legged Unstoppable Impact is used, Aerosmith is used to immediately nullify the recoil, allowing Scars to stay in place and continue using Unstoppable Impact without pause. Just as with any use of Aerosmith, the longer this is sustained at any given time without sufficient recuperation, the more Scars will be in danger of potentially suffocating.

Valiance: Extreme Power Metal

-A passive Valiance, Extreme Power Metal radically heightens the durability of the carapace, antenna, and all joints. Only the eyes and the inside of the mouth are not so sheltered. Makes Scars Of Yesterday much more durable than he would be conventionally.

Advanced Ability: Body Breakdown

-A combined application of Aerosmith, Unstoppable Impact, and Extreme Power Metal, Body Breakdown can only be used when Scars Of Yesterday is beneath a desired target, standing on stable ground. In such a situation, he triggers all six legs for unstoppable impact against the ground, so that the recoil will throw him upwards towards his target, while using Aerosmith to further accelerate. Thanks to Extreme Power Metal, the spike crest running down his back is virtually unbreakable, and can be used to inflict a plethora of puncture wounds in a target. This ability possesses great armor piercing capabilities.

Toxic, Envoy, Servant Of Cydonia

Ability: Sting

-Toxic's stinger can cause a chemical reaction in those stung that causes their body tissue to begin burning. Smaller creatures can die outright from the sting.

Wings Of Destiny, Knight Of Cydonia

Valiance: Purple Haze

-Sacs beneath her wings allow the bearer to spread a powder that adversely effects the sense of balance and mental cohesion of anyone to inhale it.

Battery, Former Death On Six Legs, Veteran Soldier of Cydonia

Valiance: Thunderstruck

-Allows bearer to circulate an electrical current throughout it's body. Cannot be sustained for long, so it's use is largely reactive.

Ability: Pack-A-Punch

-Battery's antenna are particularly well armored, and can be moved much more aggressively than normal. The antenna can be treated as an extra pair of limbs sans manipulators on the end.

Death On Six Legs Guarding Toxic

Unknown, but displayed phenomenal judgement bordering on precognition during a recent mission. Could bear investigation

Mandarinian Empire

Led by Acid Queen, A queen vespa mandarinia japonica (japanese hornet), One of the largest empires in the known area of Ant Quest, currently largely committed to a war against some other kingdom to the west, is violently expansionist. It's spread through the flower fields south, however, has been largely slowed by the presence of the Ancient Forest, home of the birthplace of Primal Valiance, and habitat for a plethora of exceptionally powerful independent insects, such as Knorkator, the one to claim Primal Valiance the last time it was available by act of lightning.

The Mandarinian Empire grew powerful thanks to their staple Warrior caste, a particularly large, aggressive, and durable flying form, some fifty millimeters (two inches) long, built for war (the vespa mandarinia japonica species). They have enslaved most Bumblebee species and rendered them as mindless servants, after a past attempt by bumblebees to band together to oppose the then newly founded Mandarinian Empire. They also have several vassal races under their command, their names no longer relevant now that they serve the empire, now only identified as Messenger Caste and Scout Caste. But some serve with distinction, such as the newly created race of Metallic Green Bees (Agapostemon) (Burn Crazy The Hellion is one of these, they are bigger in the Ant Quest setting than they are in real life, in Ant Quest they are some one and a half inches long.

The Mandarinian Empire can lay a large amount of their military success on their Mandarinian Honey, said to be a lesser rival of Bohemian Rhapsody, both as a battle stimulant, and as a method of physical growth, both general and specific to Valiance. They have nineteen massive hives throughout their territory that each produce this honey, and nowhere else. [Trade Value: 100 units of Mandarinian Honey = 1 unit of Bohemian Rhapsody, both in value and in terms of effect, generally speaking.]

It is currently attempting to open communications with W.A.S.P., looking for more vassal states to augment it's forces.

Has bounties out on the following individuals {Body needed for payment) NOTE this is NOT a complete list.

-The Ace Of Spades, AKA 'The Gold Demon, The War God': Leader and Co-Founder of The Beatles Price: [137,000 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-Knorkator, AKA 'The Beast Of The Ancient Forest': Known Possessor of Primal Valiance Price [75,000 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-Beethoven AKA 'The Composer Of Death': Known Possessor of Primal Valiance Price [60,000 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-Metal Thrashing Mad, AKA 'The Fire Beast': No Established Affiliations Price [26,500 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-Metallica, AKA 'The Juggernaut': Veteran Active Member of The Beatles Price [21,400 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-Bob Marley AKA 'The Chemist': Veteran Active Member of The Beatles Price [18,900 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-SteppenWolf AKA 'The Breaker': Veteran Active Member of The Beatles Price [12,500 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-Gygax: Leader of Known Enemy Coalition Force Price [6,000 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-Styx: Instigator of Calamitous Occurrences Price [5,000 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-Iron Maiden: Leader of Known Enemy Collective Price [4,800 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-Running Wild: Raider and Murderer of Citizens Price [3,950 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-Motörhead: Instigator of Rebellion and Resistance Price [2,800 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-Scars Of Yesterday: Affiliate of KILLER QUEEN Price [1,150 units of Mandarinian Honey]

-KILLER QUEEN: Leader Of Known Enemy Colony Price [1,000 units of Mandarinian Honey]

Big names in The Mandarinian Empire (Not complete)

Acid Queen, Leader, Japanese Hornet Qqueen

White Widow, Commander, Japanese Hornet, Black/White Palette

Blackjack, Official Advisor, Japanese Hornet, Black Palette

Red Comet, Captain, Japanese Hornet, Red Palette