Banderwyrd

When we came upon the village we discovered that everything was long dead. And I mean everything, whatever did this killed anything that was alive in that village, and then everything it could catch in the forest around it. The funny part is we didn't find any tracks, just people lying there in a pool of their own blood, like something had sprung clean out of thin air and disemboweled them. - Excerpt from a report made by a Kordish Captain about his investigation into the disappearance of the residents of the Isle of Kiv

Fast, deadly, cunning and unstoppable; all terms inadequate to describe the dread Banderwyrd. Precious few people ever manage to survive an encounter with these extra-dimensional killers and fewer still do so with enough of their sanity intact to convey details about the encounter.
What is known is this; Banderwyrds are insectoid carnivores that hunt primarily at night. They are incredibly fast and strong and are known to show a shocking amount of intelligence. They tend to inhabit small areas for large lengths of time, killing everything that lives in the area before they move on.
Perhaps most terrifying about these creatures is the suggestion among some scholars that they are not even from this world at all, but rather come from and inhabit some form of extra-dimensional space beyond mortal abilities to perceive. These theories are lent some weight by survivor stories often reporting that the Banderwyrd would disappear and reappear rapidly and in different positions, often passing through walls to get to their prey. Some reports even report seeing the creatures grabbing unfortunate victims and disappearing with them, leaving nothing behind but a bit of blood and a strange burning smell in the air.
Even if these reports prove to be false a Banderwyrd is no less dangerous for it. The creatures are large and strong and possessed of a large set of scything forelimbs that are capable of cutting through tempered steel with almost no effort. Corpses found near the site of suspected Banderwyrd attacks often feature large cauterized wounds on the body indicating that the blows from these limbs are searing hot.
Furthermore some hardier or more skilled victims have been observed with bleeding in their ear canal. Survivors have also described how during the night of attacks they can occasionally hear the creatures use their wings to make a deafening and disorienting chiming sound loud enough to rattle their teeth several yards away.
Blessedly attacks by Banderwyrds are extremely rare, as the creatures themselves are all but unknown. Historically reports of the creatures have been dismissed as trauma induced myths, until 3161 where renowned hunter Aazimba encountered on that had been attacking a village for sometime and slew it. The injuries she sustained during the encounter were enough to end her career but the corpse was immediately set upon by scholars from all over the world for study. The results of this research proved less than helpful as the insides apparently melted as soon as they were exposed to air.
Standard procedure for most nations when Banderwyrds are reported is to abandon the area being attacked and hope the creature moves on to less populated areas, or retreats back to the dimension that spawned it.
Perhaps the most terrifying thing about the Banderwyrd though is that the study of ancient texts and the experimentation of various mages have suggested that the world that they hail from is very much similar to our own, and that in that place the creatures are near the bottom of the food chain.

Basic Information

Anatomy

About the size of a large human man, though considerably bulkier. Typically dark blue or purple in coloration. Insectoid in appearance with thick chitinous hides and large wings that bear a resemblance to many beetles. Possess a set of raptorial forelegs capable of producing a strange sort of energy that allows them to cut through and pierce most known substances with relative ease. Their back legs are thick and powerful ending in wicked talons similar to that of a bird, though more heavily armored. The head is an interesting mix of humanoid and insectoid features with a set of forward facing eyes similar to humans and a jaw similar to that of a humans as well, though it is surround by a set of powerful crushing mandibles capable of producing a similar energy to their forelegs, though on a lesser scale.

Genetics and Reproduction

Unknown

Growth Rate & Stages

No Juvenile Banderwyrd has ever been reported.

Ecology and Habitats

Extradimensional in nature. Otherwise known to appear almost anywhere, though there have never been any reports of a Banderwyrd appearance in areas of extreme cold.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Banderwyrds will attempt to kill and eat anything in the area they are inhabiting. They have been known to stalk and kill large prey as well as smaller prey, including dragons.

Biological Cycle

Unknown

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Can see perfectly in the dark, seem to be able to sense victims across dimensional gaps.