Ankheg
Ankheg Characteristics
These monstrous insectile beasts are roughly 10 feet long and range from 700-900 pounds. They are burrowing creatures with large, blade-like mandibles and long stick-like feelers protruding from the from the front of the face. Their bodies are covered in dark brown or yellow chitinous plates that rest on 6 multi-jointed legs that end in hooks. The feelers, hooks, and mandibles aid them in underground movement and capturing prey. While they are capable of eating any organic or decaying matter, they prefer living flesh, and are unfortunately well suited to attacking land walking creatures from underground. When all else fails, they also have a corrosive spit that they build up and store in their abdomens. This is used as a last resort countermeasure for dealing with desperate situations and to hopefully finish off their food or escape if necessary.
Culture
Ankhegs are singular creatures and do not interact with each other overly much. They tend to burrow close to each other, as the presence of multiple Ankhegs increases the chances of consuming food that attempts to escape. Despite this, they do not otherwise interact with each other, neither harming nor hindering each other. On occasion, two or more Ankhegs can get in a tugging match with a creature they have grabbed, often ending with the meal split in two. Ankhegs prefer to tunnel under rich farmland where the soil is soft and easy to manipulate. This also usually means there is food nearby, even if it’s not always meat. Ironically, the presence of an Ankheg is beneficial to such territories, as their tunneling and bodily waste help to till the soil as well as provide nutrients to the land.
History
In cities, Ankhegs are the stuff of nightmares: giant, vicious insects that devour humanoids hungrily with bladed appendages, usually after dragging them underground where no one can find them or hear them scream. In rural areas they can be treated with the same amount of fear, but on occasion are viewed with reverence. Despite their tendency to eat anything living they can find, their presence in farm country benefits those that harvest the land. It is not unheard of for the inhabitants to treat such beasts almost as gods, offering up a sacrifice of sheep on regular intervals. This keeps the Ankheg happily fed and enriching the soil, while also keeping it too full to eat any other creatures. Of course, the Ankheg is not aware of this arrangement and only recognizes that for some reason it has a regular, easily accessible food supply. Should that be taken away, however, the creature will soon seek out living flesh on its own.