Ecology of the so-called Battle Beatle of T'Nanshi

by Rien

Deep in the forests of the T'Nanshi wilderness, one can find a large beetle, about the size of a dog, with a round shell. It is a common belief that this beetle, called the 'T'Nanshi Battle Beetle', has long been a valued part of the ecosystem of the forest, but this is unfortunately a terrible misconception. The battle beetle is a relative newcomer to the forest; it's original home was Southern M'Chek. It was hunted to near extinction there, due to it's tendency to dine on the livestock of M'Chekian farmers. Some clever entrepreneurs decided to capture those remaining alive, tamed them, and sold them as pets to the wealthy nobility of Mikona.

Eventually an ambitious trader by the name of Darek rounded up about twenty beetles, loaded them into a caravan, and began taking them to Le'Or, where they would be sold at extravagant prices. Unfortunately his journey was never completed; he was killed by bandits before he arrived. The beetles escaped, and have since habituated to the forest, where they survive quite well. They have become a danger to Elven Mircat populations, for two reasons: They feast on both the prey of the Mircats, and on the Mircats themselves. For this reason, they should be exterminated on sight.

Unfortunately the Battle Beetle is a dangerous foe. They often make their nests on isolated ledges, and it is a favorite tactic of theirs to push intruders off. Their shells are extremely hard, repelling all but the sharpest of blades, and they have an incredible constitution. Despite their small stature, they have been known to survive blows normally enough to fell two giants. Their bites are mildy poisonous, but the real worry is their fearsome claws, capable of penetrating the strongest armor to get to the tender viscera beneath. No matter how skilled a fighter, ALL should be wary of the Beetle when engaging it in combat alone.