Arrynna

"Always keep your eyes on the trees, you never know where an Arrynna may be hiding." - Roctane Forester, seconds before being attacked by an Arrynna

Written by: jester2b

Cover Art by: Rafael Sewa

Artwork by: Gabrial Andrade

Death Crawls From the Deep

One must be wary when traversing the wilds of Stelwen. Creatures both big and small can pose a great danger to unprepared travellers. Among these creatures exists a stealthy predator that has perfected its hunting methods over millennia. A beast even the most experienced foresters and rangers fear. They call it the Arrynna, Creeping Death. For when it sees you, it may already be too late.

Morphology

Ebony Aranmorta lying in wait by Gabriel Andrade

The Arrynna is a six-legged drake, although its central legs are believed to have once been its wings. This drake has traded the airborne lifestyle of their kin and opted to instead live as wall-crawling ambush predators. Its body is low to the ground, which helps it keep a low profile despite its large size. Their ability to climb walls with ease comes from their feet, which use cling pads and claws to stick to surfaces and remain in one spot for long periods. The pads on their feet also serve a secondary purpose, as they are sensitive to vibrations in the environment, alerting them to nearby prey or possible predators. Its deadliest weapon is its jaw, lined with teeth that help it hold onto prey, but the essential part is its two large fangs at the back of its jaw, which are used to deliver the paralyzing venom. There are three variations of the Arrynna: the Ivory Arrynna, the Arboreal Arrynna, and the Ebony Arrynna. The Ivory Arrynna is the smallest of three, living exclusively in dark caves and are rarely seen above ground. Since they live in complete darkness for most of their lives, the Ivory Arrynna is blind, relying on their other senses and vibration-sensitive feet to detect prey. As the name implies, the Ivory Arrynna has ghost-white skin caused by centuries of living underground. The Arboreal Arrynna is the second-largest and hunts almost exclusively in dense forests. They are the most unique out of the three because of their color-changing scales, which can shift between green and brown colors, allowing them to blend into the trees while hunting. Lastly, the Ebony Arrynna is the largest and most common Arrynna species. Unlike their cousins, these Arrynnas are the most versatile of the three, able to hunt effectively in any environment. The Ebony Arrynna is also more aggressive than its counterparts, engaging in fights head-on while others flee.

Habitat

Sightings of these creatures are most frequent in Stelwen and southern Ostenland, along with plenty of evidence of these creatures living in the untamed forest of Virginwood.

Diet

These drakes are opportunistic predators that will prey upon anything they can catch. In Stelwen, Arrynnas are commonly seen feeding many species of giant spiders on the continents and have unfortunately become highly adept at hunting Roctane wandering in the dense forests. This drake is extremely careful about only attacking what it can overpower quickly and effortlessly, purposefully avoiding anything that may pose too much of a challenge. The Ebony Arrynnaa, the largest of the three species, have been found cannibalizing the smaller Arborral and Ivory Arrynna species. This behavior is believed to be unique to the Ebony Arrynna, which is both the most aggressive and versatile of its kind.

Hunting Behaviors

The Aranmorta is an ambush hunter sneaking around in the jungle's canopy or using the cold darkness of caverns to set up surprise attacks on prey. Once it finds an ideal position, the creature will wait there with its legs spread out and body low to the ground. An Aranmorta can stay like this for days, patiently waiting for the perfect prey to wander within their reach. When its target is in their sight, the Aranmorta will burst forward with blinding speed and clamp its jaws onto the unsuspecting victim. Once the victim is in their grasp, it'll begin injecting paralyzing venom that immobilizes the struggling prey, sealing their grim fate. With the prey secured, the Aranmorta will return to their lair to consume their meal in peace.
Being an ambush predator, the Aranmorta will avoid direct confrontation at all costs. This creature's greatest strength is stealth, meaning it has a hard time in head-on fights; even against animals it usually considers prey. In most cases, if the Aranmorta loses the element of surprise, it'll immediately flee the area and set up a new ambush somewhere else. However, the Ebony Aranmorta is more likely to fight whatever may be threatening it, even if they are completely outmatched. They use their speed and agility to outmaneuver their opponent and land a paralyzing bite upon them. If they can paralyze their opponent, the Aranmorta may choose to carry them off and eat them or make for an escape.

Reproduction and Growth

Little is known about their reproductive cycle and growth with the secretive life these creatures live. The popular theory is that a male will leave its lair during mating season and wander in search of a female. After finding a female and mating, the male will return to its home while the female will stay and protect the clutch of eggs. The eggs will hatch after an undetermined amount of time, and the hatchlings will remain under the care of their mother until they are adults. Once fully grown, the mother will force her children to leave the lair and fend for themselves.

Lifespan

Unknown

Average Height

2.4m (8ft)

Average Length

6m (20ft)