Kiepheloi

Kiepheloi physically resemble Apis mellifera. They have a head, two compound eyes, a pair of antennae, a thorax connected to six limbs, one pair of wings, and a comparably large abdomen. Unlike Apis mellifera, kiepheloi have bodies made of stone resembling marble, and wings made of what appears to be gold filigree. Adult workers are on average 18–22mm (0.71–0.87in), whereas adult queens are 25–30mm (0.98–1.18in) on average.

Kiepheloi are eusocial, with each colony built around a queen that births sterile workers which care for her in return. Despite the terminology used, scholars are in fact uncertain whether the kiepheloi possess any concept of gender or biological sex. Observations of the species suggest that kiepheloi queens do not produce male offspring, and that even isolated virgin queens can spontaneously lay eggs and build a colony without outside intervention. Some posit that this is a form of parthenogenesis, but historical accounts suggest that the species has experienced genetic changes over time, which would necessitate sexual reproduction or some other means of introducing novel genetics to the species.   On the level of colonies, wild kiepheloi populations reproduce when the colony produces one or more new queens and swarms, much like their Apis mellifera cousins. Domesticated kiepheloi do not swarm unless induced, typically by feeding a colony only gold-poor rock until the colony produces one or more new queens, as this simulates "famine" conditions, forcing the colony to swarm.

Kiepheloi consume gold-bearing rocks and gold ore as sustenance. While some scholars attribute this to their nature as elementals, novel research suggests that kiepheloi are not innately capable of metabolizing gold. Although more research is needed, preliminary evidence suggests that the kiepheloi's internal environment is highly conducive to the flourishing of a variety of aurophagic bacterial strains, which are thought to perform vital intermediate processing of the gold ingested by the kiepheloi, breaking it down into a more bioavailable form for the creatures.   This was discovered in an unsanctioned experiment that involved exposing a newly hatched queen to blood magic designed to kill all microbial organisms. Although the colony was established as normal, the workers never produced any honey, and the queen soon sickened and died. After confirming the findings with the use of another queen, the team published their findings. Unfortunately, further research into the matter has been stymied by the original team being barred from entering Orochtha on pain of death, and the refusal of the great temple at Athaios to sanction any more such experiments.

It is widely speculated that the gold filigree of kiepheloi wings makes the creatures highly sensitive to pressure differentials, allowing them to detect even subtle movements in the air or through the ground. Evidence as to this capability becomes apparent when a hive puts on a threat display at the approach of a distant predator even if the predator is coming from underground, or has not been spotted by any individual member of the colony.   Furthermore, scholars have reason to believe that kiepheloi possess some hitherto unknown means of detecting gold deposits. The range of his perception is unknown, but there have been observations of kiepheloi that burrow dozens of meters underground in search of gold.