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Although Macrotermes are often considered a dry, tough food, when prepared correctly, they can be quite juicy in flavor. Few outside of the Megalotis know how to prepare them this way, so if you are offered the chance to have Macrotermes shishkabobs down in Bonewatch be sure to take it! The critters and the fruit served with them will be a sweet experience you will never forget.
artist: https://toyhou.se/skywatchers
more info on Macrotermes found here
The Tower
The Tower card is a striking representation of upheaval, destruction, and the dismantling of established structures and a catalyst for profound change. In its imagery, a towering structure is struck by lightning, crumbling into chaos. This card serves as a powerful metaphor for the unforeseen disruptions that reshape our lives. It represents a period of chaos and destruction that paves the way for new beginnings and transformation.
Often seen as destructive pests, termites in reality are essential decomposers. They break down tough plant fibers and contribute to nutrient cycling in ecosystems. This role, though often hidden from view, mirrors the transformative energy of the Tower card, where destruction paves the way for renewal. It reminds us to embrace impermanence and release attachments. Just as the termites break down plant material to create fertile soil, the tower encourages us to let go of what no longer serves us, clearing the way for new opportunities and personal evolution.
The tower / the termite encapsulates the notion that sometimes, the structures we've built—be they beliefs, relationships, or life circumstances—need to collapse to make way for renewal and transformation. At its essence, they reflect the abruptness of change and the dismantling of established structures. Similarly, the Macrotermes mounds, despite their impressive construction, eventually succumb to forces beyond their control. This dual nature of destruction and rebirth mirrors the transformative nature of the card, where breakdown ultimately paves the way for breakthrough. Just as the termite must adapt to the collapse of their mounds, we too are challenged to navigate unexpected upheavals with resilience and grace. They call to us to embrace change, even when it arrives with a tempestuous force. Growth and evolution often emerge from the ruins of the old, reminding us that even in the face of destruction, there is potential for renewal.
Overall, by embracing the lessons of the Tower / the termites' symbolism, we learn to navigate change with resilience and purpose. We become attuned to the signs of instability, enabling us to take preemptive measures to avert disaster or adapt to sudden shifts. Through this we gain the ability to rebuild our lives and perceptions, emerging stronger and wiser from the rubble of what once was.
Prints available on Redbubble and Inprnt
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You are wandering across the savannah at night, just minding your own business, when suddenly you feel yourself being watched. You turn around, and thousands of beedy eyes are locked on you.
The amazing artist for this peice is the lovely LightyearLeader. I showed this to my Animalia players and they went nuts over it. One of my favorite feelings.
information about this creature can be found on this post here
The Macrotermes Braminus workers all look very similar to one another. However, their queen looks extremely different with her enormous, lumpy body and pincers as large as your hand. Although she will never willingly venture outside of her mound, she can become extremely hostile against anyone who attempts to destroy her home.
She is a mix between a queen termite and an anaconda. Their bodies are quite a bit larger than the workers (the workers are about 1.5 inches long, whereas she is closer to 5 feet in length). Her snake-like body bulges with eggs but is still mobile enough for her to be able to attack intruders. She rarely moves but if forced to, prefers to pull her body along with her legs, but if threatened or in a hurry, she will use her snake-like portion to slither quickly but doing so seems uncomfortable. Her mandibles are also quite different from her workers as they are slightly serrated their shape being similar to that of how anaconda teeth lay.
Woe be to anyone who tries to destroy a Macrotermes mound as they will invoke the queen's wrath and surely be shredded to pieces.
The Bugs Bite (Megalotis Legend)
If you were to travel far out on the savanna, you would find a small town populated by Megalotis. This close-knit town was filled mostly with farmers, and all the townsfolk did their best to get by. Until one day, a plague struck their sleepy town, causing nearly all their crops to crumble.
With a bit of research, one of the Megalotis found that their plants weren’t dying from drought or infertile soil, but rather they were being dismantled by small bugs. The Megalotis followed the bugs back to a large mound made out of dirt and debris. They then ventured inside of the mounds bringing the plant matter with them before coming back up to get more.
Upset at his findings, the Megalotis used their claws and teeth to tear apart the mound. In retaliation, the bugs swarmed around the Megalotis and started to bite and grab the Vulpes. Soon the pain from their bites became unbearable, so he tried to walk away from the destruction, but the collective strength of the creatures allowed them to drag him by his ears back to what remained of their nest. Once at the entrance, the bugs used all their strength to pull the Vulpes into its depths in an attempt to rip him apart, deaf to the Megalotis’s pain.
However, the towns folk heard the Megalotis’s cries and rushed to his aid. With his head now fully underground and his screams muffled, they attempted to fight the bugs with the only weapons they had on hand, their teeth. Chomping and crushing the bugs, they managed to thin out the creatures enough to free the captured Megalotis. The townsfolk then retreated, their friend torn up and ears stretched from the bugs’ tugs.
As they licked their wounds they knew the bugs would either starve them or rip them apart. So it was now time for them to go on the attack. The next night they gathered everyone in the town and went out to the bugs’ mounds. Finding most of the creatures asleep, they managed to take them by surprise and utterly destroyed the stone hard mound, ripping it to pieces.
But defeating their foe did not save the town from the starvation that soon started to set in. As the crop season ended, they found that their food stores had been pilfered by the bugs and were practically empty. Out of options, many of the townsfolk went out to try to hunt the bugs that had put them in this situation in an attempt to have something to eat. But they had little success.
That was until the Megalotis, who had first been attacked by the bugs, started to look. His ears had healed and were now considerably larger than the other Megalotis’s, allowing him to pick up even the smallest of noises. With his ears to the ground, he found that he could hear the bugs crawling underground, and with this new power, he was able to lead the other townsfolk to multiple mounds where they feasted. The gift the bugs had given them was now their undoing.
At first, they only ate the bugs out of necessity. However, as the years passed by, the Megalotis started to get a taste for them and can often be found farming them to this day.
Artist: https://twitter.com/Zacharieribbit
If it's a sweet dessert you are after it may be worth trying a Macrotermes pop. A thick coating of hard sugar surrounds the bitter critters giving it a unique taste and texture. Many pups Megalotis can be seen sucking on these lollies as a reward for hard work. Although many adults find the flavor far too sweet.
artist: https://toyhou.se/MosquitoGutz
more info on Macrotermes found here
A queen macrotermes will spend most their life underground in their cozy chamber coiled up as they constantly lay eggs. Those walking above would never image the beast resting just under their feet.
i love the mood on this artwork, the amazing Hunter_Slime_660 did such a great job capturing the feel of the mighty queen among her humble workers.
more information on the queen macrotermes can be found here.
The Megalotis are known for the many dishes that they make using Macrotermes as the star. It is easy to down hundreds of these little critters as, on their own, these little creatures aren't very filling. Farmers will spend countless hours in the field checking up on their Macrotermes mounds and making sure that they haven't gotten out of control. Once every few months they will go out with large bags and harvest large amounts of the bugs to sell as ingredients. Most farmers will be careful about how many they harvest leaving plenty of workers behind to sustain the mound.
Probably the most widely known dish is that of the Dried Macrotermes. After being harvested they will spend a few days in the sun drying before being sprinkled with salt and packaged up. The drying process causes them to stay good for many months causing them to be both a good snack and a good for long-term food storage.
artist: https://toyhou.se/MosquitoGutz
(more info on Macrotermes can be found here)
