Mantid

Template:Mists of Pandaria

Mantid
File:Sik'thik Deep-scout.png
Faction/Affiliation	Independent, Sha, Klaxxi
Racial leader(s)	Grand Empress Shek'zeer
Homeworld	Azeroth
Area(s)	Townlong Steppes and Dread Wastes, Pandaria

The mantid are a race of insect-like creatures native to Pandaria.

Background

The Mantid are an intelligent and highly evolved race of insect-like creatures who have menaced the people of Pandaria since prehistoric times. While their society has a queen, they don't operate as a hive mind. They are sentient beings, capable of constructing tall buildings and mastering weapons.

Mantid act with individual cunning, making them formidable in single combat and unstoppable when their numbers converge. Every mantid generation, the young hatch in incredible numbers and then swarm toward the rest of Pandaria, devouring anything in their path. Only the strongest return. Although the ancient mogu managed to protect their lands by building a gigantic wall between themselves and the mantid, the generational swarms require an all-hands defense of the wall or the very heart of Pandaria will be lost.

The mantid forced out the yaungol out of their homeland Townlong Steppes and devour everything in their path in order to build their own crystalline empire of ruthless warriors and scheming feudal lords. The pandaren are left reeling when the mantid's thousand-year cycle of aggression kicks off a hundred years too early and their greatest warriors burst through the great wall. The beleaguered pandaren must now face the worst swarm in recorded history while trying to isolate the cause of the mantid's erratic behavior.

The Klaxxi

Main article: Klaxxi

Keepers of the mantid culture, those stoic mantid lords have determined that their own queen has been corrupted and must be destroyed. Although wary of outsiders, it may be possible to earn the trust of the Klaxxi, gaining access to their unique arms and armor. Their capital is presumed to be Klaxxi'vess.

Culture

Amber

Main article: Kypari

Amber is the cornerstone of Mantid society. They use this material in their architecture, their art, and their technology.

Masters of sound, the Mantid long ago found a way to use amber to extend the range of their acoustic casting. In this way they are able to communicate over vast distances. No army has successfully marched on Mantid lands undetected, and even lone travellers are urged caution as their movements are no doubt being watched the moment they venture beyond the wall.

The Empress and her council of Klaxxi safeguards the great trees of Townlong Steppes - the "Kypari" they are called - as the only source of their precious amber. Legend has it that the Kypari once flourished east of the wall, but the Mogu cut them all down in their never-ending war against the Mantid swarm.

Mantid Society

Mantid assaults on the Serpent's Spine are a terrible thing to experience, both as a defender, and as a Mantid. Only the smartest, strongest, or most agile of the Mantid survive this encounter, and Pandaren defenders are slaughtered outright in terrible numbers.

Mantid survivors make their way back to the great tress, often bearing trophies of their conquests. There, they are welcomed back into the Mantid society, and take their place among their civilization according to the level of their deeds.

The purpose of this rite of passage is unclear. but those who travel beyond the wall are forewarned: any Mantid you encounter beyond the wall is a hardened veteran, to be feared and respected.

The Empress

The Empress of the Mantid is a force to be feared throughout Pandaria. From her the nearly endless hosts of the Mantid are spawned.

Though Mantid Empresses are long-lived they are not immortal. A council of Mantid Elders, known as the Klaxxi, see to the organized transfer of power from one Empress to the next. The exact nature of the exchange is extremely secretive, but it appears to involve a trial by combat. Remains of the previous Empress are fer to her successor. For this reason the unbroken line of power has extended throughout the entire history of the Mantid civilization.

Though few in number, the Klaxxi evidently play a pivotal role in shaping and protecting Mantid culture. It is unclear if they can directly countermand the will of the Empress, however.

Types

• Mantid
• Kunchong
• Mantid queen
• Mantid vizier

Groups

• Ik'thik
• Klaxxi
• Kor'thik
• Krik'thik
• Set'thik
• Sra'thik
• Sri'thik
• Vor'thik
• Vos'thik
• Zan'thik

Speculation

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

Pre-Titan?

In the quest Living Amber, Korven the Prime mentions that "many were the threats to our race after the usurpers remade the world. Narrow was the path ahead." It is possible that Korven is refering to the Titans' reordering of Azeroth, and that the mantid already existed on the planet, like the trolls and the tauren. It is also possible that he meant the Mogus' flesh-shapinging magic in some fashion, or maybe there was some as-yet-unknown time period that the mogu did not rule Pandaria in some way. In any case, there is currently not enough information to confirm anything.

Gallery

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  Mantid Concept Art

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  Mantid Concept Art

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  Mantid Concept Art

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  Mantid Concept Art

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  Mantid Concept Art

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  Mantid Concept Art

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  Concept art of the similar mantaxx race from the Burning Crusade art book

Notes

The mantid, like the nerubian and silithid, use several models to show one race. Many of these models share a skeleton with previous insect creatures that have appeared in the past. For example the mantid queen uses the skeleton of the nerubian vizier and the kunchong uses the silithid colossus skeleton.

External links

World of Warcraft Community Site Mists of Pandaria: Bestiary