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Architect Termite — Description

To those who know the Scholars merely by name, they may think that their faith is much like the Philosophers. Great allies to the Church of Divine Wealth, those who bear its vast knowledge and preserve its history, yet they care very little for the rituals and prayers. The Scholars take part in much, but their real devotion is to knowledge and the wondrous potential of Black Bile. They may perform the ceremonies of the Church and bow their heads, but such practices are so that they get free access to the tomes and great libraries. They want information, they want new ways to store it. The Towering Archives is their great work, and they would love nothing more than to keep building it up. Keep filling its halls and refine its efficiency to perfection. For those so obsessed with knowledge, you would think they care for little else. But for those who have seen the Scholars and been to Akavedah, then they know there is one other thing they love: termites.
It makes sense that the sacred beast of Black Bile would be favored by the Scholars, but some may question if this appreciation goes too far. Their garb shares termite traits, and their use of bone-bile limbs lets them have six limbs like their precious bugs. Nothing wrong about that! Then you see Akavedah and their remote libraries, and there you see the shape of termite colonies in its design. Towering spires and winding tunnels, but is this so different from human architecture? Well, go inside, and find a staggering amount of termites within, great colonies bred and maintained within the Archives. Trails of them crawling along the walls, farms where they and their Black Bile are harvested. Sections where architecture seems more fitting for bug than man. In some places, one may forget where they are and think they have been transported into the center of a great colony!
This is the devotion and love the Scholars show to the termites, for they believe these insects are the progenitors of Black Bile's incredible potential. It was said that man saw the intricate tunnels and markings of a termite colony and realized that such carvings could be used to retain knowledge. That these bugs were capable of weaving information into the foundations of their very home. And so the long quest to perfecting that method and the Black Bile needed began, and it is all thanks to the termites. Thus, this is why the Scholars are so inspired and enamored with them, as they are a crucial part to their goal of collecting and preserving all the information of the world. So you can imagine how excited they got when a strange new species of termite was discovered.
They were discovered below, during an expedition into deep colonies for new strains of Black Bile. The Scholars believed that new variants could be found at depths man did not normally dig to, potent fluid untouched by civilization. Yet, some may argue they found something greater below, as they laid their eyes upon a strange kind of termite. They were as large as a man, their anatomy similar to their kin yet different. They appeared to be cloaked in shrouds of fungus, for what purpose, no one knew. Even odder was their few numbers, as they were not singular like a queen, but weren't nearly as numerous as other castes. In fact, these entities didn't even feel like they belonged to the same colony, as they worked at their own pace while the little ones busily scurried about. Of course, specimens had to be collected and brought back to the surface, especially when they noticed the bile shards erupting from their shells. Surely there were boons to be found here!
The few that were found were brought back to Akavedah, back when it was in its earlier stages. They kept them safe and contained, with the hopes of getting a better look at the shards they grew and the Black Bile they secreted. However, things went a different course when one termite gnawed through its chamber and roamed free in the halls. It would be tracked down to one of the Archive's termite breeding colonies, where it was found tearing through the spire. The Scholars hurried to restrain it before it did anymore damage, confused why it had turned so destructive. But when the tenders to this farm took a closer look at the mess, they noticed strange carvings and new shapes added to the spire. The realization would eventually come that it had not been destroying the spire, but improving it. It was using its crystal claws and clicking jaws to reshape what had been built, guiding its form to something greater, more efficient. The specimens would be let loose on some other spires as a test, and indeed they slowly rebuilt them into better versions. Theories abounded, as the Scholars wondered if these entities had a special attunement to Black Bile that allowed them to "hear" its wants and see its potential. They seemed perfect for carving out excess and redundancies, while reshaping what remained into an efficient system. Their title of "Architect Termite" would be fully granted when some of the Scholars noticed these entities eyeing the very walls of the Archives itself.
It cannot be denied that the masterful construction of the Towering Archives owes much to the Architect Termites, as they were the ones who silently guided the Scholars in the development. As they roamed the halls and libraries, interpreters would follow close behind, noting every movement and gesture. Scratches here, gnaw marks there. The very path of the Architect Termites would tell them where improvements could be made or where flaws lay hidden. Walls would be knocked down, new halls would be carved out, all directed by the etchings left behind by these termites. What would be built would be superior, not in just the architecture, but in the very essence of the Archives. Workers and Scholars alike would note that it seemed things just worked better in these new conditions. The little termites were more efficient, their bile crystals grew stronger. The whole place would slowly morph and grow to these silent plans, adding to the termite look of the Archives. But even when new construction isn't taking place, the Architect Termites are called upon for their eye in crystals, as they see what simple man cannot.
In slower times, the Architect Termites are left to their peaceful work on Black Bile crystals, helping the Scholars create better strains. It seems they know where flaws lie, able to detect a bad batch well before anyone else could see the failure. Thus, resources would be saved by recycling them and trying again. They would also help in the slow shaping of their growth, nipping and carving bits here and there to subtly influence their design. Through these efforts, better shards and slabs have been created, ones that hold even more information than the ones before. Of course, there is still a long way to go, but if it weren't for the aid of the Architect Termites, the Archives would be years behind.
But of course, all these uses help only the Scholars and their efforts. What do others see in these odd termites? Their own crystals and secretions is the answer. They carry within them a potent strain of Black Bile, in both solid and liquid form. The crystals on their back can be carefully harvested and carved into Black Bile etchers, special implements for carving and writing. Though it seems a waste to turn them into a mere stylus, users swear that the tool helps their work, almost guiding their hand and mind. Hidden connections are discovered, sudden epiphanies struck. And when it comes to etching information into slabs, these tools are hard to beat, as their transfer of data is nearly flawless and cracks are rare. As for their liquid Black Bile, it is an incredible fluid for fueling the mind and memory. It is excellent for growing crystals or rearing termites, but those who ingest it find its blessings doing wonders for their mental abilities. The mind becomes sharper, the thoughts much clearer. Those under the influence claim that it is fluid of efficiency and clarity, suddenly clearing out all the noise and useless data so that your mind can work at maximum efficiency. Viable data is easily found, logical steps are obvious and some swear that time itself almost slows down as your mind races to absorb all information and calculate all possibilities. Alas, the effects do not last long, but for those in a bind in their works or on the battlefield, the sudden awakening of the mind is an incredible blessing. Though some warn that too many doses may make your mind too lean and efficient, permanently erasing memories and traits deemed "unneeded."
Architect Termites mostly remain in the Towering Archives, where they silently go about their work. Before the war times, individuals would be escorted to construction sites of the Church, where it was hoped that their expertise would aid in the design. Blessings of their Black Bile would be given to aid in the planning of battles or musings of conundrums, giving the edge needed to solve the problem. But when the civil war broke out, the Archives refrained from joining in and sealed their gates. The Architect Termites would remain safe in their halls, as the Scholars would not dare lose a single one of these precious creatures. Their efforts are now focused on the crafting of the Microcosmic Star, as every mind and avenue must be used to crack such an impossible puzzle. These entities are good at spotting the flaws that ruin every attempt, sometimes a little too well. There have certainly been a few Scholars who grumble in frustration when a promising crystal is suddenly snapped off and shattered. Yes, it would have eventually failed and the Architects saw that coming, but boy does that really hit the morale hard some days.