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// Greeter, Firestarter and Icebreaker 
// Story: The Changeling Hives by Written Word 
// by josh_the_changeling 
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Hive Greeters/Fillyton Village

Now many would look at the name and say “Hive Fillyton Village? That’s a stupid name” But actually the hive now believes themselves as Fillyton Village, for their story is somewhat tragic in a way. An offshoot from Hive Frost Fang, those who could not take the faith usually snuck out and became a part of this hive which started as a like-minded group but grew as more changelings went there with no other place to go. The hive itself is settled on the lower peak of the smallest mountain (Mount Filly) of the Chrystal Mountains since many explorers, adventurers and miners often take that route to enter the frozen waste looking for old ruins, rare mineral veins or just find something no one has ever seen before. 

Lacking the resources to build a hive from scratch they instead built a village out of whatever they came across, mostly rock and trees dragged up from the mountains base. The original plan of the ponies was simple. As ponies went through the village to rest and get supplies the whole town would be friendly and kind, sucking up their love as they went along with their business. Things went south fast when one of the explorers accidently entered what he thought was a bathroom but was really the back of a house, walking into the kitchen where undisguised changelings were ironically, cooking him his dinner. He panicked and was tackled by said residence, imprisoned until he managed to escape. The Hive was terrified of retaliation but it never came. It is unknown what happened to this little adventurer but no report was ever given to the guards.

The Changelings after a long discussion decided to instead take the form of ponies constantly. Originally this was just till the flow of travelers slowed down but as it sped up, the changelings found less and less chances to change back into their original forms.  The end of the hive came with the construction of a trading post nearby calling in traders and merchants from all over the area, some even coming from the hot south just to get their hands on some exotic wears all passing though and staying at the town. As time went on the fact they were changelings was brought up less and even their children didn’t get much of a chance to learn about their heritage and in time, they forgot completely.

Only one changeling knows that the town is actually a hive, the midwife. In town she is worshiped as a kind of village elder and is supposed to keep the village secrets, the fact the town is a hive being one. The ponies themselves think their young are cursed so that if a second set of eyes see their young they are turned to ash, a lie made up by the first midwife so that mothers never find out they are actually lying eggs. Children are taught how to change into ponies before they can even walk so those who grow up can’t recall their time as a changeling and the changelings had gotten used to feeding so much their bodies do it automatically now. The towns secret was revealed when a scientist cast a detect changeling spell, a powerful spell that required the hiring of over a dozen mages, in the hopes that hive Chrysalis was actually deep into the mountains receiving a big reward from Celestia for the location. Instead however he discovered the whole town was changelings and tried to prove it by watching them before figuring out they never swapped out of being ponies. In frustration he confronted one of the ponies over it only to discover though a spell he was telling the truth and that the whole town had no idea of their origins. 

Scientists are studying the town from a distance as we speak, still letting travelers though to act as a love source though they usually only let those approved by the Academy of Science in Canterlot first so there’s little chance they might reveal the truth of their town to the population. 

To this day their looks are unknown, religion and culture are unknown, who their queen is and her role is unknown…All lost to history.  Many a debate has been sparked about whether studying them is right or not. On the plus side, it helps us better understand the ability of changelings to adapt and even help come up with ways to integrate changelings into Equestria. On the down side they are hiding the truth from these people and using Equestrians as lab rats. Their threat is zero, even if they did find out they still have their honest lives as ponies to fall back on and would consider themselves Equestrians first and changelings second. 

Hive Firestarter

Hive Firestarter is an offshoot of hive Ash Raider. Early on in the hive's history many members of Ash Raider found their raiding and forcefully stealing love “Unchangeling” and left early on in their evolutionary lifecycle. They settled far in the north east of Equestria at the right tip of the Chrystal Mountains. In particular one of the mountains, Mount Ember, is actually an active volcano though while it is still bubbling with magma the last eruption was recorded over two thousand years ago. They settled around the lava pools to avoid attacks from local diamond dogs but as their changes took hold they moved directly into the pools. 

Firestarters are the same size of a normal changing but have a thicker frame, holeless hooves and are missing their fangs and horns. They have acquired two other abilities to make up for their lack of magic, they're so heat resistant they actually live in the larva itself! They also have a mouth glad that can launch a fire projectile however this is basically a fireball launched every ten seconds, not a miniature dragon breath. They have a military based society with a general and economic leader being one and the same with the queen on top as both ruler and joint chief. They are vastly disciplined, orderly and also have dozens of outposts alone the mountain’s sides. 

Religion wise they worship the idea of a warrior heaven much like primitive societies but differs in that these warrior heavens tend to be rather barbaric in nature, with beer halls and tales of slain beasts. The Firestarter heaven is for more orderly. It’s called, translated of cause, as the Great Palace and is supposed to make Canterlot castle look like a clubhouse. A massive towering structure filled with every pleasure one would want but with a sense of order and respect to every inch. This is where all of the greatest generals and commanders in history go, with the greatest soldiers acting as their bodyguards while also indulging in its pleasures. Those who serve well live just outside the palace as the “main army force” missing out on the palace but outside is still described as rolling grassland filled with flowers, a place where food and friends are in an infinite supply. Not quite heaven but still a paradise. Cowards and murderers on the other hand are sent far away from the palace in lands of dirt, stone and mud. They become part of the “axillaries” the peasant army. The land itself needs a few broken backs to work and life is hard but one can still find some pleasures and it is possible for a coward to prove themselves and be let into the main army force. Traitors and those deemed “Hopeless” are sent to the palaces dungeon where they are tortured till the end of time.

The reasons there’s a standing army is because they are preparing to do battle at the end of the world though oddly, this religion doesn't actually HAVE an end of the world. It’s believed that it’s impossible to predict the end of the world and all other religious versions are valid, only that whatever it is they will fight it. To prepare themselves they actually have mock wars with other heavens, having friendly conflicts which while all the pain, hunger and general horribleness is just as real as in life they are resurrected at the palace once the conflict is won or loss. This means they don’t fear death but knowing the pain of having a blade stabbed into your chest kinda makes them want to avoid it at all costs.

The Hive itself is as mentioned, built into the volcano with tunnels and lava pools, the environment itself acting as a power deterrent. Construction wise the hive is separated into two parts, the caves and the halls. The caves themselves are just jiggered rocky tunnels and it is this that forms most of the hive. It’s because as lava cools it becomes obsidian, a brittle rock that can only be broken into chunks as opposed to rock that can be ground up. As they dug deeper they did come across traditional materials and that lead to the construction of the second part. The inner hive is an architectural palace similar to the Equestria marble temples but with a more blocky orderly design to it. This part of the hive is populated by changelings of power especially officers.  Now as you might have guessed the hive is separated into two, officers and the general population. Now one would say such a split In the population would result in a bad relationship between the two but on the contrary, what keeps both sides friendly is the simple fact that officers are not picked from family but from experience, as such any soldier or civilian could become an officer. The reason experience is chosen over blood can be traced back to their current position. The war with hive Icebreaker has gone on for decades and the hive needs as many decent men in power as they can get in order to survive. 

Now one of the unique things about hive Firestarter is that just under a quarter of the population is diamond dog. A decade into the war with Icebreaker Firestarter began to worry that they might run out of changelings before Icebreaker and also could use a much more powerful force to act as a spearhead in attacks. At the same time a medium sized diamond dog guild, Firepaw, had found their mines at the foot of the volcano running out. Usually materials would bubble up from deep underground and while most went up to the volcano’s surface some would scrap off the sides and over time would layer into the volcanos base. This was a very long process however and once the mines ran out there was little the dogs could do. It was then that the hive decides they would take them on as mercenaries. The dogs were reluctant at first until they were shown exactly HOW they would be paid. Most minerals as mentioned bubble up to the top of the volcano where it is collected by changelings in the lava and pushed out into an empty chamber. From there the minerals hardened and are giving to the dogs.

The dogs moved in, keeping to the lower chamber as its cooler there while having pipes installed that run to the local lake using the water to keep their living spaces cool. As the years and decades went by slowly the relationship turned from a professional one to a social one, the two groups mixing to the point where one cannot imagine their society without the other. Changelings still make up the majority but it’s common to see dogs hanging with bugs. The minerals still roll in and it’s unknown what would happen if the gold, jewels and silver stopped flowing. Both societies have rubbed off on each other the diamond dogs being a bit more gentler and show SOME manners while the changelings tend to be more lay back as far as their pleasures go. The dogs follow the same beliefs, viewing the palace more as a war tent then a castle but the changelings don’t mind. Same belief, different view. The diamond dogs themselves seem to have much thinner fur then other dogs due to living in such a hot environment along with tougher skin, though their cave like environment have shrunk them down a little and made them a little wider. The dogs are led by a war chief which was originally the position as guild master. This dog is an advisor to the queen, acting as commander of the dogs and represents them in the hive. They are usually selected like most of diamond dog leaders, either by combat, vote or by murdering the last one (although that is done mostly in rouge like diamond dog clans and guilds, the diamond dogs of hive Firestarter no longer practice this as a right of succession.) 

Now another unique aspect of hive Firestarter is they have been in a conflict with a rival hive, hive Icebreaker. Everything started a good 180 years ago when the hive slowly formed just north of the mountains. Neither hive knew of the other until Icebreaker had a sizable hive and population, where both hives got into contact and made an agreement. As the cold frozen north had very few ponies and the mountains were too difficult for changelings to hike to, climb, then descend constantly, Icebreaker would stay to the north and Firestarter would stay to the south.

This peace lasted a good 27 years until a flood of northern exploration occurred. Supposedly Ruin Finder, as his name suggests, found a serious of old ruins north of the mountains and proved there was once a civilization that far into the frozen wasteland besides changelings. This caused a massive influx of would be adventurers and explorers attempting to find long lost treasures and relics. Soon villages formed to both supply them and transport minerals back into Equestria. Ice mining is also a big business, special Nevermelt ice fetches a big price for mages and those who want a cheap and effective air conditioner that doesn’t melt away in time plus there are many relics, ancient creatures and even treasures trapped in the ice. With the construction of six of these villages Icebreaker went from a starving hive to a fat one, with no government they set up a taxation system protecting the ponies from creatures like ice golems, ice wolves, polar bear and other changelings in return for love. This usually doesn’t work in Equestria as changelings are usually kicked out by an armed response, but without any organization the ponies have adapted to live with it. 

When Firestarter found out they tried to reorganize the treaty. According to them they wanted two of the villages and were willing to lax Icebreakers restrictions as a result, along with giving them some of their mountain territory. Icebreaker refused these terms despite Firestarter sweetening the deal demanding they stay to the original agreement. Tension ran high as some of the feeding grounds south of the mountains became aware they were being fed upon, slowing down the collecting process to avoid detections. Once again, according to Firestarter, they tried to reorganize the treaty so they could get one of the villages even just temporary to help relieve the love shortage but Icebreaker threatened action if they even crossed the border, whether peacefully or not. As changelings started to starve they knew they could not let Icebreaker get away with this and against their wishes, sent a force over the border to collect love from the nearest village. Icebreaker declared war on Firestarter for this and the two first clashes just outside the village called the Battle of Steam where supposedly the conflict was so close and bloody ice spells and fire balls hit each other repeatedly covering the battlefield in, well, steam. 

The war wasn’t expected to be won overnight but it was expected to be short. These were not two massive empires that spanned the world, they were two hives, two small states. Usually conflicts like this only occupied a few battles before a winner becomes clear. There were some factors however that slowed the war to a crawl. First off both forces were very reluctant to cause any permanent damage to the other as both saw the conflict for resources not a war for survival. By the time both sides figured out how serious this war had become their rival had mobilized for war and set up serious defenses. Second, both sides soon resorted to outside help which boosted their numbers, plus boosting public opinion. The war seems far off when instead of your family fighting its people from another country or state. Finally, as the war dragged on hatred and disagreement grew. It eventually got to a point where no one cares about land or resources anymore. It’s all about wiping out the other. What's worse is as time has gone on by both societies have changed into far more warlike social structures. Both countries are built for war and stopping the war might cause more harm than good. The war has also gone on over a century thanks to cease fires. This can give even a decade of peace but all with the goal to build up numbers again to go at it as soon as the expire date is reached.

As far as advantages go hive Firestarter has the volcano to protect itself, diamond dog troops, well trained officers and generally stronger troops physically. Overall, they offer no threat at the moment but if Firestarter wins the war their warlike society will demand more conflicts and there are many good fights to be had down south. 

Hive Icebreaker. 

Hive Icebreaker claims they are decedents of the queen who left hive Frostfang though there isn’t really any evidence of this. They set up their hive just north of the Crystal Mountains near an active volcano that while kept the base bare, had little impact on the snowy region. Biologically, they are similar to hive frost fire but have much larger wings giving them faster and more controlled flight but are much thinner than other changelings having a smaller carapace and are somewhat weaker. They tend to put their faith in ice spells and their fast flight when it comes to battle. Their society is warlike just like their neighbor hive although while they praise commanders and generals, more often than not it is the soldier that gets center stage. 

Religion wise Icebreaker believes in the strength of the individual. A long time ago there was a queen who had everything given to her but the cost was she would spend her life alone and isolated. She found friendship and then love in her servant which blossomed while kept hidden from the rest of her hive. When they found out however they called it heresy, that the queen must only live for the hive as opposed instead of herself. Out of bravery and affection she freed her lover and both left the hive to start a new one where freedom was its base as opposed to servitude. If this is true then the results were…mixed. Changelings of hive Icebreaker have many freedoms not allowed in most hives such as freedom to not don disguises when out in public, having a relationship with “Dirty” races such as diamond dogs, can have their own dwellings not sanctum by the hive and can leave if they wish to. A lot of these freedoms are looked down upon however, free speech against the hive is not allowed and people still put their duty to the hive before their own wants and needs. 

It is believed that once a changeling dies they go through reincarnation coming back as another creature. When the person proves themselves worthy, whether in this life or any life, they are allowed into a kind of heaven where every single life they have lived splits off into multiple beings all to enjoy paradise individually. Usually those chosen as worthy are who prove themselves braver then most, heroic, artistic, creative or otherwise use their lives to better the lives of those around them. This does give the hive a friendly atmosphere as many pilgrims and worshipers help each other including strangers for a chance to enter this paradise. 

When hive Firestarter absorbed the Firepaw guild Icebreaker found itself on the defense. They thought the alliance could not hold assuming their rivals were paying with a finite resource. To counter them they started taking bit taxes along with love ones to the displeasure of the ponies. They used the money to hire as many Griffin mercenaries as they could find setting up a temporary town for the group to stay in while they fought for the army.  As time went on what was supposed to be a temporary thing soon became a part of each other’s cultures. However the difference is while the diamond dogs and changelings see each other as different people they consider themselves one complete hive. This is most likely due to the fact the diamond dogs were given space in the hive while the griffins were kept a few miles away. As time went on their temporary shelter was added and expanded forming a town called Insect Feather named after one very drunk Griffin who thought it made perfect sense and no sense at the same time. The town being populated by mostly griffin mercenaries and latter their families, is free of taxation attracting many pony merchants and craftsman boosting the population and racial diversity. Despite this mixture the fact the hive and town are separate means it’s “Them and us” that the town might serve the hive but the hive does not serve the town.

The hive records that when they started taxation of the villages hive Firestarter demanded they get up to four out of the six villages leaving them to slow starvation as two towns were simply not enough to support the current population. As time went on Firestarter became more and more aggressive threatening the destruction of the treaty if their demands were not met. They ended up Building up their own armed forces before attacking one of the villages at which point Icebreaker sent forces to save their stock entering the Battle of Steam. Their views of Firestarter mimic their view on Icebreaker, loathing them to the point where they believe them to be villains and monsters no longer caring about land only the destruction of their foes. Unlike Firestarter however a small group of pacifists have arisen called the Frost. They believe that this burning hatred only damages both sides, that they should sit down and find a peaceful resolution. Sadl, not only does the government look down on them but so does the majority of the population, some members even coming under attack by pro war changelings. They see their views as traitoress and the government only needs a shred of loose evidence to exile them from the hive. 

As far as advantages go hive Icebreaker has the icy wasteland to slowly burn out attacking armies, griffin troops, well trained soldiers and braver, more loyal troops. Whether their a threat is up to debate, while they are a warlike society their religious beliefs and connections with the pony villages could mean that once they win the war they could find peace though this is not a certainty and could decide to expand their empire by adding more villages by force.