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{{Mists of Pandaria}}
 
 
{{Infobox race
 
{{Infobox race
 
| name = Mantid
 
| name = Mantid
| image = Sik'thik Deep-scout.png
+
| image = Mantid.jpg
 
| type =
 
| type =
| faction = [[Independent]], [[Sha]], [[Klaxxi]]
+
| faction = [[Independent]], [[Sha]], [[Klaxxi]], [[Old Gods' forces]]
 
| character =
 
| character =
 
| capital =
 
| capital =
 
| leader = [[Grand Empress Shek'zeer]]
 
| leader = [[Grand Empress Shek'zeer]]
| mount =
+
| mount = [[Scorpid]]
 
| homeworld = [[Azeroth (world)|Azeroth]]
 
| homeworld = [[Azeroth (world)|Azeroth]]
 
| environment =
 
| environment =
Line 17: Line 16:
 
}}
 
}}
   
  +
:''We mantid are an elder race. The pandaren you associate with - they are but children. They have their role to play.<br>Each cycle, our young swarm their walls. The pandaren slay the weak. The strong return.<br>With each generation, we grow ever stronger.''<ref name="Kil'ruk">{{NPC|Neutral|Kil'ruk the Wind-Reaver}}</ref>
The '''mantid''' are a race of insect-like creatures native to [[Pandaria]].
 
   
 
The '''mantid''' are a race of insect-like creatures native to [[Pandaria]], originally created by the [[Old Gods]]. The mantid forced the [[yaungol]] out of their homeland [[Townlong Steppes]]<ref name="mmo-c press tour 19 march">{{ref web|url=http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/2687-Mists-of-Pandaria-Press-Tour|date=2012-03-19|title=Mists of Pandaria Press Tour|accessdate=2012-03-19|publisher=MMO-Champion}}</ref> and devour everything in their path in order to build their own crystalline empire of ruthless warriors and scheming feudal lords.
==Background==
 
[[File:Mantid.png|400px|right|The mantids]]
 
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.<ref>[http://www.blizzplanet.com/blog/comments/world-of-warcraft-mists-of-pandaria-faq World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria FAQ]</ref> They are sentient beings, capable of constructing tall buildings and mastering weapons.<ref>Blizzcon 2011 Art Panel</ref>
 
   
  +
Recently, the [[pandaren]] were left reeling when the mantid's hundred-year cycle of aggression kicked off a decade too early<ref>[[Gao-ran the Tempered#Quotes|Gao-ran's dialogue]]</ref> and their greatest warriors burst through the [[Serpent's Spine]]. The beleaguered pandaren fought off the worst swarm in recorded history with the aid of the newly-arrived [[Alliance]] and [[Horde]]. While trying to isolate the cause of the mantid's erratic behavior, it was revealed that [[Grand Empress Shek'zeer]] and many of her mantid were corrupted by the recently released [[Sha of Fear]], and with the assistance of the [[Klaxxi]], [[adventurer]]s were able to defeat her.
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 [[Serpent's Spine|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.<ref>[http://www.blizzplanet.com/blog/comments/world-of-warcraft-mists-of-pandaria-faq World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria FAQ]</ref>
 
   
  +
Following the resurrection of the [[Heart of Y'Shaarj]] by [[Garrosh Hellscream]], the Klaxxi allied themselves with the Warchief. Their [[paragon]]s took up guard beneath [[Orgrimmar]] to protect the heart of their dark former god, but were ultimately defeated during the [[Siege of Orgrimmar]].
The mantid forced out the [[yaungol]] out of their homeland [[Townlong Steppes]]<ref name="mmo-c press tour 19 march">{{ref web|url=http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/2687-Mists-of-Pandaria-Press-Tour|date=2012-03-19|title=Mists of Pandaria Press Tour|accessdate=2012-03-19|publisher=MMO-Champion}}</ref> 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.<ref>[http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/mists-of-pandaria/feature/zone Zone Previews: Townlong Steppes]</ref>
 
   
  +
With their empress dead, their paragons killed, and most of their [[Kypari]] trees killed by the Sha, the future of the Mantid is uncertain.
==The Klaxxi==
 
  +
{{main|Klaxxi}}
 
  +
==History==
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]].
 
  +
In the ancient past, the mantid were a colony of [[aqir]] who shared the world with their sister kingdoms of [[Ahn'Qiraj]] and [[Azjol-Nerub]] during the war between aqir and trolls before [[the Sundering]]. Although the trolls thought the [[qiraji]] and [[nerubian]]s were all that was left of the split empire, there was another colony that lived farther south. They worshiped an [[Old God]] with seven heads named [[Y'Shaarj]], who was defeated by the [[Titans]] upon their arrival. [[Sha|Y'Shaarj's shadows]] haunt Pandaria to this day, and the mantid swear that if he ever returns they will ally with [[Old Gods' forces|his army]] instead of with the other mortal races of the world.<ref name="Kil'ruk"/>
  +
  +
The [[Dread Wastes]] are the mantid homeland. From here, [[Grand Empress Shek'zeer]] commands a seemingly endless swarm of mantid. They hurl themselves against the [[Serpent's Spine]] wall, nearly overwhelming the [[Shado-Pan]] defenders. Historically, the mantid have swarmed in regular and predictable intervals. 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.<ref>[[Mantid Society]]</ref> With each generation and each cycle, the mantid grow stronger.<ref name="Kil'ruk"/>
  +
  +
The recent swarm however is about ten years too soon, and the pandaren are caught off-guard. It's not that the Empress is getting more strategic; in fact, her whole society is in the middle of an upheaval.
  +
Shek'zeer has been overwhelmed and possessed by the [[Sha of Fear]], and she's running her empire into the ground. At her command, the mantid are embracing the sha, willfully corrupting themselves, their sacred trees, and the entire ecology of their land. Blind fear has driven the empress onto a warpath and it's tearing her civilization apart.
  +
  +
A council of mantid elders known as the [[Klaxxi]] are the stewards of mantid history and culture, and their goals are much more long-term than those of the empress. They recognize that the empress has lost her mind, and that swarming Pandaria will mean little if their entire civilization is given over to the sha in the process. The Klaxxi have now declared that their beloved empress must be put down. The Klaxxi do not have an army to fight back the swarm, but they do have access to the [[paragons]], warriors of ancient mantid eras preserved in amber who are buried all over the Dread Wastes. These powerful champions, ingenious alchemists, and deadly assassins, preserved at the height of their abilities, must now be awoken if the corrupted empress is to be defeated.
   
 
==Culture==
 
==Culture==
 
[[File:Mantid.png|right|The mantids]]
 
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.<ref name="BlizzplanetMoPFAQ">[http://www.blizzplanet.com/blog/comments/world-of-warcraft-mists-of-pandaria-faq World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria FAQ]</ref> They are sentient beings, capable of constructing tall buildings and mastering weapons.<ref>Blizzcon 2011 Art Panel</ref>
  +
 
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 [[Serpent's Spine|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.<ref name="BlizzplanetMoPFAQ"/>
  +
 
===Amber===
 
===Amber===
  +
[[Amber]] is the cornerstone of mantid society. Harvested from the great [[kypari]] amber trees, they use this material in their architecture, their art, and their technology. Amber is fashioned by ambersmiths into sharpened blades and weapons.<ref name="DFA"/> Some [[paragon|heroes]] among the mantid are even preserved in amber for a time in need.<ref>[[Quest:The Klaxxi Council]]</ref>
{{main|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.
+
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.<ref>[[Amber (object)]]</ref>
+
The empress and her council of Klaxxi safeguard the great trees of [[Townlong Steppes]] - known as the "[[kypari]]" - 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.<ref>[[Amber (object)]]</ref>
   
===Mantid Society===
+
===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 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.
+
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. With each cycle the mantid grow stronger. Those who travel beyond the wall are forewarned: any mantid you encounter beyond the wall is a hardened veteran, to be feared and respected.<ref>[[Mantid Society]]</ref>
   
  +
Mantid are born with little on their mind but a lust for battle. Participation in a swarm is not only a cultural rite of passage - it is the catalyst for their physical maturation. Only those who return from battle can develop from a swarmborn into a fully-aware, individual citizen.<ref>[[Malik the Unscathed]]</ref>
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.<ref>[[Mantid Society]]</ref>
 
   
  +
The mantid view other races such as pandaren as "lesser creatures", and take pleasure in slaughtering them by the thousand. However, they do not consider these lesser creatures to be entirely without purpose, nor is their defeat the mantid's true aim. Rather, the mantid make use of their enemies' defences to cull the weak from their numbers and hone the skills of the strong. As the mantid say: "Battle is an efficient mentor." The purpose of the cycle is not death. It is knowledge.<ref name="DFA">[[Death From Above (story)]]</ref>
===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.
 
   
 
===The empress===
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.
 
  +
:''Go together. Swarm the Wall.<br>The strong will return. The weak will not.<br>The lesser creatures must die. Sweep them away.''<ref name="DFA" />
   
  +
The empress of the mantid is a force to be feared throughout Pandaria. From her the nearly endless hosts of the mantid are spawned. The empress sings to her swarm, giving them purpose, her words filling their minds. Her desires are their desires, and they do not hesitate to obey.<ref name="DFA" />
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. <ref>[[The Empress]]</ref>
 
  +
  +
The mantid empress gives orders and direction to her swarm from a distance, speaking directly into their minds. She appears to communicate with them through some form of sound, although one that is apparently inaudible to other races. Her communication can be blocked through sufficient disruption of sound of this kind.<ref name="DFA" />
  +
 
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, with empresses traditionally displaced in their old age by a carefully chosen successor.<ref>[[Grand Empress Shek'zeer#Dungeon Journal]]</ref> Remains of the previous empress are fed to her successor. For this reason the unbroken line of power has extended throughout the entire history of the mantid civilization.
  +
  +
Young mantid "swarmborn" are extremely dependent on the voice of the empress. Without her constant communication, they are left in a fugue, milling aimlessly around, and will not even act to defend themselves or their empress. Indeed, the swarmborn are unable even to recognise the empress without her voice speaking from within their minds.<ref name="DFA"/>
  +
 
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. <ref>[[The Empress]]</ref>
  +
  +
===Kunchong===
 
{{main|Kunchong}}
  +
The cycle of mantid birthing and building revolves around the [[kunchong]], a colossal insect large enough to threaten whole towns by itself. The mantid revere this enormous creature, and when instinct compels it to stampede throughout the continent, eating earth, trees, and lakes, they follow behind, collecting the amber-colored resin it secretes, birthing their young and creating their homes in its wake. If other races’ homes are trampled by the kunchong, it is of little consequence to the mantid. Where the kunchong's shadow falls, they walk. Where they walk, the land is transformed.<ref>[http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/mists-of-pandaria/feature/bestiary Mantid]</ref>
   
 
== Types ==
 
== Types ==
*{{RaceIcon|MantidVizier}} Mantid
+
*{{RaceIcon|Mantid}} Mantid
 
*{{RaceIcon|Kunchong}} [[Kunchong]]
 
*{{RaceIcon|Kunchong}} [[Kunchong]]
 
*{{RaceIcon|MantidQueen}} Mantid queen
 
*{{RaceIcon|MantidQueen}} Mantid queen
Line 65: Line 86:
 
*[[Kor'thik]]
 
*[[Kor'thik]]
 
*[[Krik'thik]]
 
*[[Krik'thik]]
  +
*[[Shek'zeer]]
 
*[[Set'thik]]
 
*[[Set'thik]]
 
*[[Sra'thik]]
 
*[[Sra'thik]]
Line 71: Line 93:
 
*[[Vos'thik]]
 
*[[Vos'thik]]
 
*[[Zan'thik]]
 
*[[Zan'thik]]
  +
*[[Zar'thik]]
 
== Speculation ==
 
{{Speculation}}
 
 
=== Pre-Titan? ===
 
In the quest [[Quest:Living Amber|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 [[Titan]]s' reordering of [[Azeroth (world)|Azeroth]], and that the mantid already existed on the planet, like the [[troll]]s and the [[tauren]]. It is also possible that he meant the [[Mogu]]s' 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==
 
==Gallery==
Line 85: Line 102:
 
File:Mantid Concept Art 4.jpg|Mantid Concept Art
 
File:Mantid Concept Art 4.jpg|Mantid Concept Art
 
File:Mantid Concept Art 5.jpg|Mantid Concept Art
 
File:Mantid Concept Art 5.jpg|Mantid Concept Art
File:Mantid.jpg|Mantid Concept Art
+
File:Mantid Concept Art 6.jpg|Mantid Concept Art
 
File:Mantaxx.jpg|Concept art of the similar [[mantaxx]] race from the ''[[The Art of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade|Burning Crusade art book]]''
 
File:Mantaxx.jpg|Concept art of the similar [[mantaxx]] race from the ''[[The Art of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade|Burning Crusade art book]]''
  +
File:Death From Above.jpg|[[Kil'ruk the Wind-Reaver]]
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
   
Line 98: Line 116:
 
{{Elink|link=http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/mists-of-pandaria/feature/bestiary|type=wowus|desc=Mists of Pandaria: Bestiary}}
 
{{Elink|link=http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/mists-of-pandaria/feature/bestiary|type=wowus|desc=Mists of Pandaria: Bestiary}}
   
  +
{{Mantid|doc=}}
 
{{Azeroth natives}}
 
{{Azeroth natives}}
   
Line 104: Line 123:
 
[[Category:Pandaria]]
 
[[Category:Pandaria]]
 
[[Category:Races]]
 
[[Category:Races]]
  +
  +
[[es:Mántide]]

Revision as of 01:08, 15 January 2014

Mantid
Mantid
Faction/Affiliation Independent, Sha, Klaxxi, Old Gods' forces
Racial leader(s) Grand Empress Shek'zeer
Racial mount Scorpid
Homeworld Azeroth
Area(s) Townlong Steppes and Dread Wastes, Pandaria
We mantid are an elder race. The pandaren you associate with - they are but children. They have their role to play.
Each cycle, our young swarm their walls. The pandaren slay the weak. The strong return.
With each generation, we grow ever stronger.
[1]

The mantid are a race of insect-like creatures native to Pandaria, originally created by the Old Gods. The mantid forced the yaungol out of their homeland Townlong Steppes[2] and devour everything in their path in order to build their own crystalline empire of ruthless warriors and scheming feudal lords.

Recently, the pandaren were left reeling when the mantid's hundred-year cycle of aggression kicked off a decade too early[3] and their greatest warriors burst through the Serpent's Spine. The beleaguered pandaren fought off the worst swarm in recorded history with the aid of the newly-arrived Alliance and Horde. While trying to isolate the cause of the mantid's erratic behavior, it was revealed that Grand Empress Shek'zeer and many of her mantid were corrupted by the recently released Sha of Fear, and with the assistance of the Klaxxi, adventurers were able to defeat her.

Following the resurrection of the Heart of Y'Shaarj by Garrosh Hellscream, the Klaxxi allied themselves with the Warchief. Their paragons took up guard beneath Orgrimmar to protect the heart of their dark former god, but were ultimately defeated during the Siege of Orgrimmar.

With their empress dead, their paragons killed, and most of their Kypari trees killed by the Sha, the future of the Mantid is uncertain.

History

In the ancient past, the mantid were a colony of aqir who shared the world with their sister kingdoms of Ahn'Qiraj and Azjol-Nerub during the war between aqir and trolls before the Sundering. Although the trolls thought the qiraji and nerubians were all that was left of the split empire, there was another colony that lived farther south. They worshiped an Old God with seven heads named Y'Shaarj, who was defeated by the Titans upon their arrival. Y'Shaarj's shadows haunt Pandaria to this day, and the mantid swear that if he ever returns they will ally with his army instead of with the other mortal races of the world.[1]

The Dread Wastes are the mantid homeland. From here, Grand Empress Shek'zeer commands a seemingly endless swarm of mantid. They hurl themselves against the Serpent's Spine wall, nearly overwhelming the Shado-Pan defenders. Historically, the mantid have swarmed in regular and predictable intervals. 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.[4] With each generation and each cycle, the mantid grow stronger.[1]

The recent swarm however is about ten years too soon, and the pandaren are caught off-guard. It's not that the Empress is getting more strategic; in fact, her whole society is in the middle of an upheaval. Shek'zeer has been overwhelmed and possessed by the Sha of Fear, and she's running her empire into the ground. At her command, the mantid are embracing the sha, willfully corrupting themselves, their sacred trees, and the entire ecology of their land. Blind fear has driven the empress onto a warpath and it's tearing her civilization apart.

A council of mantid elders known as the Klaxxi are the stewards of mantid history and culture, and their goals are much more long-term than those of the empress. They recognize that the empress has lost her mind, and that swarming Pandaria will mean little if their entire civilization is given over to the sha in the process. The Klaxxi have now declared that their beloved empress must be put down. The Klaxxi do not have an army to fight back the swarm, but they do have access to the paragons, warriors of ancient mantid eras preserved in amber who are buried all over the Dread Wastes. These powerful champions, ingenious alchemists, and deadly assassins, preserved at the height of their abilities, must now be awoken if the corrupted empress is to be defeated.

Culture

The mantids

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.[5] They are sentient beings, capable of constructing tall buildings and mastering weapons.[6]

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.[5]

Amber

Amber is the cornerstone of mantid society. Harvested from the great kypari amber trees, they use this material in their architecture, their art, and their technology. Amber is fashioned by ambersmiths into sharpened blades and weapons.[7] Some heroes among the mantid are even preserved in amber for a time in need.[8]

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 safeguard the great trees of Townlong Steppes - known as the "kypari" - 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.[9]

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. With each cycle the mantid grow stronger. Those who travel beyond the wall are forewarned: any mantid you encounter beyond the wall is a hardened veteran, to be feared and respected.[10]

Mantid are born with little on their mind but a lust for battle. Participation in a swarm is not only a cultural rite of passage - it is the catalyst for their physical maturation. Only those who return from battle can develop from a swarmborn into a fully-aware, individual citizen.[11]

The mantid view other races such as pandaren as "lesser creatures", and take pleasure in slaughtering them by the thousand. However, they do not consider these lesser creatures to be entirely without purpose, nor is their defeat the mantid's true aim. Rather, the mantid make use of their enemies' defences to cull the weak from their numbers and hone the skills of the strong. As the mantid say: "Battle is an efficient mentor." The purpose of the cycle is not death. It is knowledge.[7]

The empress

Go together. Swarm the Wall.
The strong will return. The weak will not.
The lesser creatures must die. Sweep them away.
[7]

The empress of the mantid is a force to be feared throughout Pandaria. From her the nearly endless hosts of the mantid are spawned. The empress sings to her swarm, giving them purpose, her words filling their minds. Her desires are their desires, and they do not hesitate to obey.[7]

The mantid empress gives orders and direction to her swarm from a distance, speaking directly into their minds. She appears to communicate with them through some form of sound, although one that is apparently inaudible to other races. Her communication can be blocked through sufficient disruption of sound of this kind.[7]

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, with empresses traditionally displaced in their old age by a carefully chosen successor.[12] Remains of the previous empress are fed to her successor. For this reason the unbroken line of power has extended throughout the entire history of the mantid civilization.

Young mantid "swarmborn" are extremely dependent on the voice of the empress. Without her constant communication, they are left in a fugue, milling aimlessly around, and will not even act to defend themselves or their empress. Indeed, the swarmborn are unable even to recognise the empress without her voice speaking from within their minds.[7]

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. [13]

Kunchong

Main article: Kunchong

The cycle of mantid birthing and building revolves around the kunchong, a colossal insect large enough to threaten whole towns by itself. The mantid revere this enormous creature, and when instinct compels it to stampede throughout the continent, eating earth, trees, and lakes, they follow behind, collecting the amber-colored resin it secretes, birthing their young and creating their homes in its wake. If other races’ homes are trampled by the kunchong, it is of little consequence to the mantid. Where the kunchong's shadow falls, they walk. Where they walk, the land is transformed.[14]

Types

  • IconSmall Mantid Mantid
  • IconSmall Kunchong Kunchong
  • IconSmall MantidQueen Mantid queen
  • IconSmall MantidVizier Mantid vizier

Groups

Gallery

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.

References

External links