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Chapter 7: BESTIarY
Yethawar
(Sonic Beetle)
Among Makadan tribes and cities, grassland-dwelling yethawars are both feared and cherished. Dubbed
“sonic beetles” by non-Makadans, these creatures
possess a variety of talents that make them both deadly
and valuable.
Physically, a yethawar is no stranger than many other
large beetles. Roughly twice the size of an adult fist,
it has six legs and a narrow head protected by a thick
chitin exoskeleton colored brown, bronze, or beige. Its
legs end in sharp claws that cling to rocks, have good
traction in softer sand or dust, and help it protect itself
from predators. Similarly, it can bite hard enough to
nearly sever a man’s finger, so picking one up can be
dangerous.
The yethawar’s unique feature, though, is its pair of
fanned antennae that emerge like large ears or antlers
from the forward dorsal ridge just behind its eyes. These
are the yethawar’s sound receptors and generators,
crucial to its existence and a practical utility to human
owners. The sonic beetle’s antennae allow it to communicate with other yethawars over long distances and
hear far-away dangers, giving it ample time to burrow
and hide.
Sonic beetle handlers tap into this communication
system to send signals to each other. Two such beetle
owners can send simple coded pulses, or “chirps,” that
a distant companion can receive and interpret. Chirps
can be heard over distances of up to ten miles, depending upon intervening terrain and weather. There is no
universal code of chirps established, so signals must be
simple. Chirps travel unprotected, and could be intercepted and deciphered by enemies.
Yethawar antennae can also create focused sonic
blasts that can deafen and destroy objects. They are
most effective against rigid things, less so against
softer ones. The high-pitched squeal can shatter glass
or even a steel blade, piece of armor, a tooth or claw.
The amount of direct damage is minimal. Yethawars
instinctively direct their attack against a threat’s closest exposed ears; the deafness caused may last for several minutes or hours before wearing off, or result in a
permanent reduction in hearing (often in a single ear
at a time).
Traveling entertainers have a use for yethawars completely outside their normal role or natural defenses.
This beetle can imitate and amplify the sounds it hears.
Singers and musicians can train a single yethawar (or
even an echo of them) to “sing along” with them. The
sounds are neither human voices nor exact duplications
of accompanying music. Still, the sonic beetle’s contribution is pleasing, tonal, and even harmonious. Hearing of this, spell casters eager to perfect the benefits of
their own harmonious magic now seek yethawars and
those who know the secrets of coaxing this musical nature. Beware a mage who allows sonic beetles to hang
from his clothing and crawl about his flesh freely; he
may be more powerful than he appears.
Yulugh
The simple yulugh, also known as a “burrower” in
many Khitan languages, is a slug-like pest that can
destroy a home, village, or caravan if unchecked. They
consume and contaminate water, dissolve and weaken
buildings and equipment, and befoul their surroundings with a terrible stench.
They are small, varying from the size of a man’s thumb
to no bigger than the palm of his hand. Made of soft,
moist flesh, they have a rubbery interior skeleton made
of cartilage. Smashing one is simple, if disgusting, making a stinking mess that must be cleaned up lest it further dissolve the floor.
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