Trinity of Worms

"The Queen makes strong Drones, Drones secure Nexus, Nexus covers the Queen."

—The Trinity of Worms mantra.

The Trinity of Worms is a polytheistic religion of the Locust Horde, based on the Riftworms and their Queen. Its adherents believe that the Riftworms are their Gods, or "life-givers", as they created the Hollow tunnel network and the organisms within that led to the creation of the Locust. The Riftworms and their various aspects have been chronicled in the Kantus Scrolls and Rulers of Nexus Plates, which are studied by the Kantus as they have an inherent connection with worms through the Hivemind.

Beliefs

Riftworms

In historical context, Riftworms existed in the subterranean of Sera and burrowed in the soil, creating the tunnel system known as the Hollow. Due to the excrement from the Riftworms as they burrowed, it allowed for life to bloom in the Hollow. Alongside underground lakes, an ecosystem of plant and fungal life grew, including a mycelium called Imulsion. Years of evolution allowed for indigenous creatures that were typically reptilian in nature. Imulsion and Hollow creatures were used by humans to create mutated chimeras called Sires, which led to the creation of the Locust Horde. In every sense, the Riftworms were regarded by the Locust as life-givers, thus seen as Gods.

Sires

Due to Imulsion fumes, a disease called Rustlung began to affect humans. To find a cure, Dr. Niles Samson used transgenics on infected human children of Imulsion miners for results. According to scripture, the scientists found at least one Riftworm, which would explain how their existence came to be known, and took genetic material from it to treat Rustlung. This mutated the children into mutated chimeras called Sires. By combining Sire DNA with the embryonic stem cells of Myrrah, a child born with genetic immunity to Rustlung, they created the Locust Horde. From the Riftworm being used to create the Sires, the Sires were also revered and seen as "holy incubators" of the Locust Horde that evolved from the "holy Riftworms."

Queen

Myrrah was a human born with a genetic immunity to Rustlung. Her embryonic stem cells were combined with Sire DNA to create the Locust Horde. Due to bestowing them with life, the Locust Horde held Myrrah as their Queen. After she led the rebellion against the scientists in the Mount Kadar laboratory, the Locust Horde viewed her as their savior from their slavery, giving them the independence they longed for. Biologically, the Locust Horde cannot hope to flourish without a Queen and they will remain unguided with no one in control of the Hivemind. With a Queen, they are able to learn and grow. The Locust vehemently defend their Queen. Their loyalty to her is one of the basic tenants of the Trinity of Worms - as by protecting the Queen, they can continue to grow and prosper as a people.

Hivemind

Due to Imulsion's fungal network and Myrrah's genetics being used to create the Locust Horde, a psychomagnetic link was established between all members, called the Hivemind. Within, the Locust can telepathically communicate with each other and other Hollow creatures connected. Myrrah also had the ability to control the Locust and compel them through her temporal lobe. The Kantus refer to this as the Rift, and can only be accessed by inhaling Imulsion fumes. The Kantus believed the Imulsion allowed them to enter the plane and receive prophetic visions that they used to assist the Horde in various matters, typically military.

Trinity

The Trinity refers to the teaching that the three Riftworm Gods comprises three distinct, eternally co-existing virtues of the Locust Horde: the Queen, Drones, and Nexus. Together, these three virtues promise eternal life. The exact translation: The Queen makes strong Drones, the Drones secure Nexus, Nexus protects the Queen. This is the belief that the Queen will continue to produce life for the Horde as long as the Horde protects and serves the Queen.

Symbols

The main symbol of the Trinity of Worms are three worms converging onto a triangle to form into one. Each worm contains a mantra written in the Locust Runes that translate into each of the Trinity. The symbol itself is translated into: The Trinity of Worms or Worms.

Scriptures

Kantus Scrolls

Kantus Scrolls, translated.

"When man [to] the Worms [said] what is your name? The worms answer, my name is "Horde" for we are many with the Trinity of Worms."

—The translation of the Scrolls

Baird here.

So we're barely 30 minutes in the Hollow and I've already found irrefutable, incontrovertible evidence the Locust are, absolutely, without a doubt, insane. Like I didn't already know that, but hey, when you find a scroll made of human skin, well...

I'm still trying to decipher all the Locust runes, but from what I can tell, the scroll has something to do with communicating with "worms". Yep, that's right... haven't figured out the first part yet, but the second part says: "The Worms answer, my name is Horde, for we are many with..." It cuts off after that, and there's a glyph I've never seen on the back, but I'll have to figure that out later. But gut-check here, guys: Our enemy talks to worms. If they're outsmarting us in this war, then we probably deserve to be extinct.

Trinity Artifact

Trinity of Worms artifact, translated.

"The Queen makes strong Drones, Drones secure Nexus, Nexus covers the Queen."

—Locust translation of the Trinity of Worms artifact.

Baird here.

Just found an artifact that looks exactly like the glyph on the back of that lovely skin scroll.

From other writings I've found, I think I've pieced it together: This is something called the 'Trinity of Worms,' and it's probably the closest thing I've seen yet to a Locust religious symbol. They really worship worms. We so do not deserve to be alive.

As far as I can tell, there's some kind of mantra on the artifact, about the queen making drones, drones protecting Nexus... and I'll have to work out that last part a little later. I don't work well under gunfire.

Rulers of Nexus Plates

Rulers of Nexus Plates, translated.

"When man [to] The Worms [said] what is your name? The Worms answer, My name is Horde for we are many with vengeance."

—Translation of the plates.

Baird here.

Some old tablets that talk more about... you guessed it, worms.

Also might be something of a creation tale here, definitely worth investigating further... we also found another piece of tablet earlier, a more recent piece, that seemed to suggest that something awakened "the great worm" recently. Something "light" and "hot".

If I were a gambling man, my money'd be on the Lightmass Bomb. Now that'd be some irony: The bomb kills the Kryll but not the Locust, then awakens something that can sink entire cities. Story of human existence, right? We try to make things better, but only make things worse in the long run.

Misanthropy is underrated.

History

Prehistory

In ancient times of Sera, a species of gargantuan worms known as Riftworms burrowed beneath the surface of Sera and thus created the Hollows, a network of underground tunnels in the deep underground. Due to the fertile soil produced by the Riftworms, they created life in the Hollows as well. At some point, at least one of the Riftworms became dormant.

Pendulum Wars

""When man [to] the Worms [said] what is your name? The worms answer, my name is "Horde" for we are many with the Trinity of Worms.""

—Translation of the Kantus Scrolls.

In the early Pendulum War-era, the Coalition of Ordered Governments discovered a sickness in humans that came from mining the newly discovered Imulsion called Rustlung. The New Hope Research Facility was created to house the sick children of Imulsion-poisoned miners, study their progress, and cure the effects of Rustlung. Among the children brought there was a child named Myrrah, who exhibited genetic immunity from Imulsion exposure, but was unable to replicate her immunity in other children. Doctor Niles Samson, the director of New Hope, used cross-species genetic experimentation in order to cure the children of Imulsion miners, as he theorized that the indigenous animals from the Hollow were genetically immune to Imulsion due to their proximity. What resulted was the Sires. Spliced, they mutated into deformed, aggressive, rabid humans.

After numerous leaks of their practices, New Hope was shut down by the Coalition. A fringe political party, however, believed in Dr. Samson's work and offered to relocate him, his employees, and his research to a secondary facility inside Mount Kadar to continue his work. There, he combined the embryonic stem-cells of Myrrah with the DNA of the Sires to create the Locust Horde. Myrrah gained sympathy for her "children", and grew a hatred for the scientists as they not only imprisoned her children, but also supposedly murdered her daughter, Reyna. She led the Locust to slaughter the scientists and fled deeper into the Inner Hollow of Mount Kadar.

There, the Locust created a civilization, starting with the construction of Nexus. As the Locust developed a culture, a Kantus Drone named Droak became the first priest of the Trinity of Worms. As their culture developed, so did the Trinity of Worms. The Temple of the Trinity was created in the Nexus as the Kantus Priests, led by the Ketor, or High Priest, practiced this religion. Among the practices in their religion was the inhalation of Imulsion fumes, which apparently gave prophetic visions. In developing the religion, they believed the Riftworms created the Hollow and life within it, that man had once approached the Riftworm and it replied with vengeance, and that the Sires were holy "incubators" of the Locust, evolved from the Riftworms.

Lambent War

In time, the Locust Horde became affected by Lambency as more of their kind became infected, starting a civil war known as the Lambent War. The Ketor at the time, Ketor Vrol, banished the priest Skorge for his prophetic visions of the Locust Horde being destroyed by the Lambent, seeing it as blasphemous that the Riftworm has abandoned them.

As the Lambent War continued on, many Locusts struggled with their faith, becoming agnostic or atheist because the Lambent War seemed endless and futile, and that their "gods" have abandoned them. Even those on the Locust Council, such as Vold RAAM and scientist Ukkon believed that the "gods" either don't exist or are long dead and unable to aide in their war. Vrol found the technological and bio-mechanical advancements of the Horde to be blasphemous, but those of the council dismissed his beliefs.

At some point in the Lambent conflict, RAAM believed that the only way to save their race was to abandon the Hollow and colonize the surface. Skorge tried to convinced Vrol of his prophetic visions and consider to suggest to the Council that the Locust must leave to the surface. Meanwhile, RAAM had Karn and his forces abandon the front to allow the Lambent to advance and overrun the Temple of Worms. The battle was won against the Lambent, and Ketor Vrol personally advocated for RAAM, Skorge, and Karn's presence before the Council and Queen. The Locust eventually invaded the surface and began the Locust War against humanity.

Locust War

"Anya, it's a giant worm! They're sinking cities with a giant worm!"

—Marcus Fenix to Anya Stroud following the sinking of Ilima City.

By 14 A.E., the COG retaliated against the Locust in the Lightmass Offensive by bombing the Outer Hollow, which resulted in the death of Uzil RAAM, thousands of Locust, the extinction of the Kryll, and the further spread of Lambency. Skorge, who had since become the Ketor of the Kantus, was then promoted to High General of the Locust Horde.

While the Locust suffered heavy losses due to the Lightmass Bomb, they discovered that the bomb's explosion had awakened a Riftworm. With their "god" finally able to aide them, Skorge used the Riftworm against the humans and commanded it to sink the cities of Tollen and Montevado in a campaign to weaken the Jacinto Plateau and finally be able to sink Jacinto City. Doing so would flood the Hollow and kill the Lambent, and leave the humans without a safe place on Sera left.

In that time, the COG discovered that the Locust were behind the sinking and feared Jacinto would be next, prompting the invasion of the Inner Hollow in Operation: Hollow Storm during which, Baird was able to research and study the Trinity of Worms. During the battle, the humans discover the Riftworm as it sunk Ilima. Delta Squad was able to infiltrate the worm and kill it from the inside.

Despite the death of their god, the Locust were able to invade Jacinto and partially sink it, but the COG managed to sink it before the Locust. Nexus and the Temple of Worms was destroyed and a majority of the Locust Horde died in the flooding, as the survivors of the Locust dissolved into the Savage Locust and Queen's Guard.