Nightreaver

Carnyx Vespula (Regional Name: Chatillian Lurker, Common Name: Night Reaver)

 

Description:

The Night Reaver, known as Carnyx Vespula in scholarly circles, is a monstrous entity whose life cycle begins with a parasitic larval stage. The larvae, resembling oversized dragonfly nymphs but spanning a terrifying length of 1-2 feet, are carnivorous and can be as fiercely aggressive as the adults if cornered, although they normally try to escape from harm. Upon consuming sufficient meat for the transformation, they enter a chrysalis state, eventually emerging as adult Night Reavers. These adults bear a striking resemblance to gigantic, spiked, all-black praying mantises with remarkable agility and lethal speed, with a body 4-5’ in length. Their eyes, akin to those of a mantis shrimp, are specially adapted for hunting warm-blooded prey in cold environments. They can leap 20 meters in a single bound, and often begin their ambushes in this manner. They are well armored, but relatively fragile beneath.
 

Ecology:

Night Reavers are predominantly found in the dense, shadowy fringes of the Chatillian Shadow Forest and the forests of the Midlands, with occasional sightings in the southern reaches as far south as Waylan. Their preferred habitats are regions where the dense foliage and dark, secluded areas provide ample cover for their ambush tactics. The thick forests, with their small mountain ranges, meandering rivers, ponds, and clearings, create an ideal environment for these stealthy predators.
  Luckily for the people of Chernaya, if a target is not immediately available upon bursting from the site of their host, they will consume the host and then hone in on the other larvae through pheremones, and they converge upon a nest where they merely lie in wait for their parent to return with more food.
  Larvae are generally not hostile to one another, but if the adult that implanted all of them never returns with their next meal, they will begin to cannablize one another early. If food is provided, they consume it and then build a cocoon. Upon bursting forth from their chrysalis some 24 hours later, these newborn adults first action is generally to try to cannabilize the others. From each nest of larvae, only one adult generally survives, if any do.
 

Behavior:

The Night Reavers' life cycle revolves around a gruesome reproductive process, beginning with the implantation of larvae in prey via a superficial bite. Adult Night Reavers are formidable ambush predators, spearing or slashing with their forelimbs. The adult’s “mouths” are actually their reproductive organs -- they consume food through a larger mouth-pedepalp slightly lower on their body. They implant eggs in prey with a bite, often dragging off parts of their catch to feed their larvae. These nests are typically located in secluded areas like caves or beneath old tree roots, adding to the creatures' mysterious and terrifying nature.
  The larvae, once emerged, are ravenous and will consume any available meat, triggering their metamorphosis.
 

Lore: In the lore of Chernaya, Night Reavers are akin to boogeymen, the embodiment of night terrors that snatch unsuspecting victims in the darkness. Their full reproductive cycle is largely unknown, except for a handful of loremasters. To the common folk, Night Reavers are the stuff of nightmares, spoken of in hushed tones as merciless hunters of the night. They are the whispered threat used to keep children in line and the reason even the bravest souls fear to venture into the forests after dusk.