Cave Scorpion

"The best laxative for a Trebai soldier these days is the sight of a roaring drunk bunch of Makovai mounted upon a scorpion bigger than your house." - Trebai soldier Avenchus Kreder

Cave Scorpions, known in the Makovai language as Petrichena, were large creatures that inhabited the vast cave systems beneath the Makovai Mountains as well as some areas above ground. Tamed and bred by Makovai dwarves for centuries, they were the primary means of mounted combat by the Makovai.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Several variants of cave scorpions existed, but all types shared the following features: a long, armored abdomen mobilized by between six and ten legs; a long, armored tail used as the animal's primary means of attack; and a snakelike head attached with a short, armored neck. Different subspecies of cave scorpions differed most notably in color, as well as size, speed, and what was attached to the end of the tail. Only one type of cave scorpion, Petrichena Diatha, possessed a pair of pincers on the front of its body.
Outside observers, especially humans, often remarked that the creatures looked like massive versions of scorpions (hence their common name).

Genetics and Reproduction

Female cave scorpions laid eggs, producing as many as ten offspring each reproductive cycle.

Ecology and Habitats

Before the First Era, cave scorpions exclusively lived underground, and would almost never survive if stuck above ground. They thrived in dark, dry environments.
Gradually, bold Makovai wranglers began to coax the animals outside in greater numbers, breeding the few that survived. This new population of cave scorpions began to thrive in the cold weather of the mountains, and greatly increased in number as a result of all the new food sources they could consume

Dietary Needs and Habits

Cave Scorpions were predators, consuming small animals such as rodents, rabbits, and small deer.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Cave scorpions were extremely significant to the Makovai. The first major use of the animal was mounted combat, used in the same way as, for example, the Alois would use a cavalry horse. What made cave scorpion combat superior to horseback combat to some Makovai, however, was the fact that many cave scorpions could seat multiple individuals.
The other major use of the cave scorpion was as a source of armor. The strength of cave scorpion chitin was comparable to that of steel, and frequently worn in battle by Makovai warriors.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Cave scorpions did not possess sight, as a result of their origins in pitch black caves. They relied almost entirely on hearing, but also possessed and used their sense of smell.

Lifespan

20-40 years

Average Height

1-1.2 meters

Average Weight

1200-1300 kilograms

Average Length

8-10 meters

Geographic Distribution

• Boundary Hills
• Makovai Mountains