Mahktala Flies (măk-tô-lə)

Gokrenxia         Mahktala Flies

Why is it that the most beautiful creatures given to us by nature are often the most deadly?

— An Elven Mage

Description

Long ago, in the early 100's of the First Age, Elven records document the stunningly beautiful mahktala flies roamed the land of Gokrenxia. These short-lived creatures were insects bearing a pair of moderately-sized, brightly-colored wings. A rear pair of smaller wings used for steering made them highly agile in flight.

Feeding

One truly unique characteristic of the mahktala was their diet. They would ravenously feed on the rivers of arcane power flowing through the land. Interestingly, the more arcane energy they consumed, the brighter their wings would glow. The flies were drawn to practitioners of mystic arts, presumably for the residual concentration of arcane energies flowing through their bodies. This earned them the nickname "mage flies."

Anatomy

In traditional insect fashion, the mahktala fly's body consisted of three segments. From front to back, these were a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. Their entire body was protected by a hard outer exoskeleton.

Head

Highly developed antennae located on the the head provided the mahktala a wide range of senses, to include smell and environmental conditions. The truly unique sense though, was the ability to sense arcane energy. In fact, the flies seemed inexplicably drawn to it. They were drawn to places where power converged, making them particularly common around those studying or practicing arcane magics.

Thorax

The mid-section of the fly, to which their legs and wings were attached. They stood and walked on four long, segmented legs ending in a small pair of claws. A smaller pair of legs on the forward segment of their bodies served as arms for retrieving food. All of the legs naturally secrete a sticky substance used for gripping almost any surface.

Abdomen

The third segment of the fly, where its reproductive organs were found.

EXTINCT

Lifespan

25 - 30 days

Average Weight

2g

Average Length

0.5 - 1 in (1.27 - 2.54 cm)

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Vibrant, multi-colored wings having an appearance akin to stained glass are the unmistakable hallmark of the Mahktala Fly. Their common colors include reds, oranges, greens, blues, and purples.

The Mahktala's Decline

Around the year 124 of the First Age, a plague of mahktala flies exploded across the land. Beautiful and terrible swarms were drawn to major Elven cities by the intense concentrations of arcane power. After gorging themselves on the power, they entered a frenzy, attacking and feasting instead on the life force of every living thing they could find. Something had to be done.
Mages from the Order of Satrekke devised a powerful ritual that would poison arcane energy in an area. Performing this ritual in large groups, energy would pool and serve as a massive beacon for the swarm, drawing them in only to feast on the poisonous energy and expire. Reversing the ritual was particularly challenging, since the mages needed to channel that same poisoned energy in order to "clean" it. Many mages suffered from arcane sickness as a result, but the plan worked, and the mahktala flies become creatures of memory.

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Mahktala Swarm by dream by WOMBO