Evolving Myrland Spider Castes, A Lore and Gameplay Suggestion with Real-World Examples

[Quinniki]

Over time, I’ve found myself wondering how species in Mortal Online 2 might respond to long-term disruption, especially those that seem to have structured social behavior, like the spider colonies scattered throughout Myrland. I didn’t play Mortal Online 1, so I might be missing some context from the original game, but I’ve really enjoyed digging into the current lore and piecing things together. With the world still dealing with the aftermath of the Tagmaton Irruption, and with the recent release of the Tagmaton invasion mechanic now live in the game, it feels like a fitting moment to explore how native species might react. What follows is more of a speculation/suggestion: what if spiders started adapting their caste structure in response to all this?

Caste Systems in Myrland and Beyond

Mortal Online 2 already features two spider lineages with clear caste organization:

• Myrland spiders: Nitre Workers, Flingers, Guardians, and a Queen
• Clothos spiders: Clothos Workers, Flingers, Maidens, and a Queen

These castes look a lot like what we see in real-world eusocial species, especially ants (Pheidole, for example) and social spiders like Stegodyphus dumicola. They divide labor, defend territory, and center around a single reproductive figure. It's a full colony structure.

And in biology, those structures aren’t always fixed. Under stress, whether from predators, competition, or environmental collapse, colonies sometimes change. New roles emerge. Dormant castes reappear. The whole hive adapts, or it dies out.

The Lingering Threat of the Irruption

Even though the main Irruption event is behind us lore-wise, its effects are still being felt. The Tagmaton didn’t just disappear, they’ve started showing up again in new systems, like the recently launched invasion mechanic. From an ecological perspective, they aren’t just another threat; they pose an existential danger to native species. Their aggressive spread, hive structure, and ability to overtake territory make them more than just hostile, they’re invasive in the truest sense. That kind of pressure could easily force nearby species, like spider colonies, to adapt or collapse.

Spiders and Tagmaton don’t just share habitat, they compete for the same ecological role: tunnel systems, coordinated defense, and chemical communication. If the Tagmaton keep expanding, it makes perfect sense that nearby spider colonies would shift into survival mode, and that shift could be visible in how their caste systems evolve.

Real-World Parallels

A few examples from actual biology support this kind of thinking:

• In some Pheidole ant species, researchers have observed the re-emergence of long-lost “supersoldier” castes under environmental pressure—roles that weren’t seen in normal conditions but showed up when the colony was under threat.
  (Moffett et al., 2012)
• In Stegodyphus dumicola, even introducing one bold spider into a shy colony can cause a huge behavioral shift, group aggression and expansion increased by over 300% in some cases.
  (Wright et al., 2018)
• Spiders living near rival colonies have also been shown to escalate their behavior, becoming more aggressive and territorial over time.
  (Lichtenstein et al., 2019)

Point being: in the natural world, stress breeds change. Especially in eusocial species.

Ecological Stress and In-Game Behavior

It’s easy to imagine how this could play out in-game, even subtly. Spider colonies might start changing their behavior based on factors like:

• Repeated player incursions into hive zones
• Proximity to active Tagmaton invasions
• Nitre depletion in the region (disrupting resource stability)
• Magical corruption events or mana disturbance
• Nearby colonies competing for space and dominance more actively

If these conditions were tracked quietly behind the scenes (as a kind of “colony stress level”), it could allow for emergent behavior without needing to create new spider types. Just a shift in how existing colonies respond to pressure, more patrols, different castes appearing more often, deeper tunnels, or aggressive behavior at territory edges.

Narrative & Worldbuilding Value

This kind of reactive caste behavior would be a natural fit for Mortal Online 2’s world. It could easily tie into what different factions believe or observe:

• Tindremic researchers might interpret the changes as ancient traits resurfacing
• Tagmaton cultists might view these shifts as divine adaptation
• Alvarin spiritualists could sense a natural backlash or restoration in progress
• Theurgy schools might document magical resonance affecting hives

Even without visible changes to models or names, just hinting at caste adaptation through journals, rare drops, or rumors would create a strong sense of living ecology. It turns passive PvE into something reactive, story-driven, and regionally unique.

Final Thoughts

Even if the Tagmaton aren’t the main focus anymore, they’ve clearly left a mark. With the new invasion system now active and mechanics continuing to develop around it, this feels like a perfect moment to consider how the rest of the ecosystem might be adjusting in response. I think a unique change like this, tied into the Tagmaton invasion, would be a really exciting direction for this part of the game. It's not something many games explore: wildlife that actually adapts or reacts to calamity, even long after the initial event. This concept is based on known real world ecological patterns, with some measured speculation applied to the game's context. If it ends up sparking something in future content or inspires others with similar thoughts, I would be glad.

Thanks for reading. I would love to hear what others think about the concept, or if anyone has similar ideas for other species in the world.

References & Reading​

1. Moreau et al. (2012) – Ancestral caste roles reactivated under pressure:
   https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221728094_Ancestral_Developmental_Potential_Facilitates_Parallel_Evolution_in_Ants
2. Wright et al. (2018) – Bold individuals shift collective spider behavior:
   https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(17)31520-8
3. Lichtenstein et al. (2019) – Social spider colonies escalate when rivals are near:
   https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-12081-2
4. Grinsted et al. (2013) – Behavioral ecology of eusocial spider colonies:
   https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00265-014-1696-9

P.S. (This idea actually made me create a forum account, haha. Big thanks to @[One] Mortalitas in the Discord lore discussion channel for encouraging me to post it here. I've been really excited to share this and see what others might think.)

 

[Quinniki]

Post finally got approved

 

[finegamingconnoisseur]

I would be happy to see the invasion spawn system be applied to other creatures and humanoid mobs like the bandits, undead, and such, but expanded to have their own faction system and thematic behaviours.

Have them be hostile to diametrically opposed creatures, like a bandit might be hostile to the undead, but be friendly to scoundrels and outlaws as they belong to a mutually-aligned faction, so to speak. We could also have creatures and humanoids that are aligned only with themselves. Like the undead could be hostile to every other mob.

Then we could introduce the need for npc mobs needing to consume food or some other resource to sustain themselves. The bandits, for instance, might raid npc towns to attack players and take their coins and items of value like gems.

This isn't new; in Ultima Online, certain creatures like the headless ones actually rummage through player corpses and take random items. I actually came across a headless one back in 2003, killed it, then found several items that were clearly not in its loot table.

Several minutes later, the player who died to the headless one came by and asked me if I had seen his gear. I said yes, and handed it back to him. As a thankful reward, he gave me several thousand gold from his bank.

It would incentivise more PvE and emergent gameplay. For example, players might set up a lost and found service, the person who lost their items might put up a reward similar to bounty for wanted criminals.

Sometimes, this might make it easier for players who have died and their loot bag is somewhere far away or in a hard to reach location. What they normally would have given up trying to get back, they might have a chance with this system.

One might argue, no one is this altruistic, or that everyone is only looking out for themselves. But from my own personal experience, it is more like 50/50. You'll of course have some who are only interested in self-benefit, but you'll also have people who choose to do good even if they stand to benefit nothing from it.

One time, back in Mortal Online 1, I died to the lictors inside the Tindrem bank because I accidentally hit the banker. A player in the bank took my items and handed it all back to me after I resurrected two minutes later, instead of running off with my stuff and pretending nothing ever happened. Before I could thank or reward them, they smiled and walked away.

More recently, in Mortal Online 2, two PKers killed me outside the Fabernum graveyard. Two large guilds that didn't like each other put aside their differences and joined forces to help me drive off the PKers and get my stuff back. I've never seen anything like it, and that's why to this day I still remember their kind deed.

Just a few ideas that came to mind after reading your post.

 

[Quinniki]

I would be happy to see the invasion spawn system be applied to other creatures and humanoid mobs like the bandits, undead, and such, but expanded to have their own faction system and thematic behaviours.
Then we could introduce the need for npc mobs needing to consume food or some other resource to sustain themselves. The bandits, for instance, might raid npc towns to attack players and take their coins and items of value like gems.

I think this is an interesting idea. If you take a look at some of the more legitimate negative reviews on Steam, a common point that comes up is how empty or lifeless the world can feel. I can agree with that to some degree. The spawns are static, resources are always in the same places, and once you’ve learned the routes, it all starts to feel a bit repetitive.
The idea of having additional factions tied to similar creature types, especially if they could engage in battles with each other, would really help make the world feel more alive. It would give the map a sense of movement and change that it currently lacks. Obviously some factions would not have such an ability, like undead for example.

Expanding on that, it could be interesting if building reputation with those factions unlocked something unique. For example, a bandit-themed faction could require you to earn their trust before offering thievery-related skill books or services. That kind of system would feel more immersive, and it would fit into the lore better than just buying everything from the same vendors.

It would incentivise more PvE and emergent gameplay. For example, players might set up a lost and found service, the person who lost their items might put up a reward similar to bounty for wanted criminals.

Sometimes, this might make it easier for players who have died and their loot bag is somewhere far away or in a hard to reach location. What they normally would have given up trying to get back, they might have a chance with this system.

One might argue, no one is this altruistic, or that everyone is only looking out for themselves. But from my own personal experience, it is more like 50/50. You'll of course have some who are only interested in self-benefit, but you'll also have people who choose to do good even if they stand to benefit nothing from it.

I agree that adding some kind of system to support more “good guy” playstyles would be a solid improvement. This game is, after all, a full loot sandbox, not just a PvP game. The full loot aspect is what really gives weight to your actions. It helps maintain the tension you feel, especially when you're out in the wilderness.

Personally, I’m not going out of my way to engage in PvP, but I don’t dislike it either. It adds another layer of planning and risk to every decision. For example, if a certain aggressive player faction is active up north and the areas around special POIs are known hotspots, it forces you to think. How do you travel to or through those areas without getting caught? Depending on the kind of faction you're dealing with and how they choose to operate, you might even be able to avoid conflict altogether.
That sort of thinking is part of what makes the game engaging. Since so much of it is player-driven, being able to act out a certain role, whether aggressive, neutral, or altruistic, adds meaning to your decisions. Having systems that reflect or support those choices would go a long way in making the world feel even more alive.

Just a few ideas that came to mind after reading your post.

Thanks for the response. You brought up some fun and genuinely valuable ideas I hadn’t fully thought about before. I could definitely see a lot of those fitting well into MO2.

 

[finegamingconnoisseur]

Personally, I’m not going out of my way to engage in PvP, but I don’t dislike it either. It adds another layer of planning and risk to every decision. For example, if a certain aggressive player faction is active up north and the areas around special POIs are known hotspots, it forces you to think. How do you travel to or through those areas without getting caught? Depending on the kind of faction you're dealing with and how they choose to operate, you might even be able to avoid conflict altogether.

Having non-consensual PvP also brings political considerations into the picture. In the same example above, suppose that you knew the guild leadership and are on good terms with them. They may grant you safe passage through their lands, or even send a contingent of their own to escort you through the more dangerous parts.

Or if there is a battle between two warring guilds, it might be possible to slip through the woods undetected, as the two guilds will be too busy fighting to PK a lone traveller. It might even be possible to get involved by helping one side (and incur the wrath of the other), if you so choose.

I think that is part of what makes a non-consensual PvP world a much more engaging and unparalleled experience than a consensual one. Also a PvE player here, who only engages in PvP if I'm cornered and forced to fight.

 

[Quinniki]

Having non-consensual PvP also brings political considerations into the picture. In the same example above, suppose that you knew the guild leadership and are on good terms with them. They may grant you safe passage through their lands, or even send a contingent of their own to escort you through the more dangerous parts.

Or if there is a battle between two warring guilds, it might be possible to slip through the woods undetected, as the two guilds will be too busy fighting to PK a lone traveller. It might even be possible to get involved by helping one side (and incur the wrath of the other), if you so choose.

I think that is part of what makes a non-consensual PvP world a much more engaging and unparalleled experience than a consensual one. Also a PvE player here, who only engages in PvP if I'm cornered and forced to fight.

Yes, I definitely agree with this. A game like this will naturally lead to players getting involved in guild or group politics large scale or small. I can understand why some people find that frustrating or even problematic, but it’s kind of inevitable in a sandbox environment like this one.
That said, it can be really enjoyable. You end up adjusting your plans, your trips, decisions, and even your daily play around ongoing guild wars, alliances, and other player-driven dynamics. It just adds another meaningful layer to think about, and it helps make the world feel more alive and reactive.
I think adding a system like the one I mentioned in my post, along with the invasion or inter-NPC battle mechanics you brought up, it could introduce even more engagement and map activity. It would help make the world feel dynamic, even during quieter moments, without relying entirely on player interactions to drive all the content. Even now, groups are already calling out sightings of the new Tagmaton Broodmother and sharing locations when they spot them around the map. It really goes to show how a mechanic like this adds more life and engaging content to the game.

 

[Quinniki]

Can we get some love for our spiders? I just spotted Tagmatons inside a Nitre cave. When are our spiders going to start fighting back?

 

[finegamingconnoisseur]

Can we get some love for our spiders? I just spotted Tagmatons inside a Nitre cave. When are our spiders going to start fighting back?

Wow, never thought the invasion would spread out this fast. Might need to start preparing defences for my hometown.

The spiders do fight back when attacked by tagmatons, do they not?

 

[Quinniki]

The spiders do fight back when attacked by tagmatons, do they not?

Technically they do, yeah. They however didn't fight back for long, very outmatched to say the least. The invasion is spreading very far, its rooted itself even in areas we cannot see.