Modern Carapace Bestiary Pt. 1
The Megafauna that have appeared in Modern Carapace stories so far* alongside the Tarantula Hawk for size comparison.
Armacada Sovereign | Subterranean Insectoid Burrowing Megafauna
In a desert region called The Ribs dwell the Armacada. Armored and pale, they seldom rise from underground, where they burrow deep into the earth, feeding on the soil, diverting subterranean water westward. Their coming and going is crucial to making the Spore-covered West hospitable. Every seven years the juveniles emerge under the cover of powerful sandstorms to feed on a royal jelly provided by the Armacada Vertax, a male with a large sail on his back. The female Sovereign observes from afar. This ritual is crucial to the development of the juveniles, but also makes them vulnerable to poachers, and Armacada carapace is much desired.
Armacada Vertax | Nomad Insectoid Trophallaxis Megafauna
Scattered across the United States, and potentially the rest of the world, are males of the Armacada family. The only airborne of their kind, they sail on the wind with a large appendage on their back. Accounting for the radius of the Vertax sail, they are technically the largest megafauna yet recorded. When hunting for food, the Vertax allows their sail to cover the ground around them in what is called a "death tent," trapping their prey within. Lined with globules containing necessary sustenance (and, it's speculated, generational memory), the Vertax will arrive under the cover of dust storms or hurricanes, delivering food to juvenile Armacada. Roughly every seven years new broods of Armacada are born, and the Vertax makes his deliveries until his body cannot produce more sail silk.
Osst | Feline Defensive Emesis Megafauna
A master of stealth considering her size, the Osst is mostly defined by how little is yet known about her. While it is surmised she is feline, she has almost as much in common with bats (her large snub nose, her powerful ears) and, strangely, amphibians. When hunting, she will vomit up her intestines on her prey, dissolving their body with a powerful glowing acid. Just as easily sucking her intestines back in, she will feast primarily on large aquatic prey, picking at their carcass over many weeks.
Very little is yet known about this gargantuan crustacean megafauna distinct from its utility to the Osst. The celia barbs covering its long claws are thought to have a similar function to deep sea crabs, catching and filtering nourishing bacteria from open vents on the ocean floor. Three large gills on its back fill with air when it surfaces, allowing it to return to the depths and hold its breath for as long as it takes to collect sustenance.
Agaricarus | Composite Fungal Epizootic Megafauna
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Mantle Dauber | Solitary Hypogean Apis Megafauna
Fiercely territorial, the Mantle Dauber spent most of her life building an underground chamber for her offspring. After mating with a drone, she consumed him, and his remains were repurposed into a vessel for incubating her eggs. The Mantle Dauber is unique among megafauna for being negatively effected by the Spore, and ingesting it leads to an agonizing death. For this reason, there is speculation the Mantle Dauber is a fairly young species, ill-adapted to the Spore as an energy source in common use by others of its size. A concerted effort is in place to protect eggs not effected by Spore exposure, building new manmade nests outside of the Spore Quarantine Zone.
A prototype military mecha adapted for reconnaissance and megafauna response work, with a limited automaton capability. The Tarantula Hawk 1 was heavily damaged in "O Bounty Of Thy Ribs" and modified significantly. Presented here for size comparison.
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