Vulkjornn's Curse
The tale of Ambyphala is one of hubris and over-accomplishment, as are typical myths in relation to Vulkjornn. Her myths goes that she was a grand sculptress who could make likenesses so realistic that not only would her statues resemble their muse, but their muse would actually resemble Ambyphala's statue. She would use this to devious effect, causing men to give her wealth and their affection.
Eventually, she asked Vulkjornn if he could humbly assist her in growing her skills further, though not via words, but by crafting a sculpture of him doing so, to which he obliged. This did not end well for Ambyphala, as he indeed gave her the lesson she asked for. He made a statue of her turning into a creature so hideous and vile, that as she turned into it, he hid her away in a mythral geode.
So goes her story, and since the opening of the Ambyphala geode, her and her kin have skittered through the Akathian Peninsula.
The Myth In Full
So the story goes that there existed a woman named Ambyphala. This woman was a sculptor, who created works so intricate and true to their muse, that whoever she made a statue of, could change the personality of who she crafted. She did this to powerful people, from rich merchants that she would sculpt giving her great wealth, and so they did. She would sculpt rulers gifting her land, and so they did. She would sculpt the men she yearned for, falling in love with her, and so they did.
Before long, she sculpted Vulkjornn, depicting them giving her a lesson. And so, he did. He crafted a sculpture so intricate, so unique and powerful, that the reality of the sculpture not only transformed the personality of what was depicted, but made it real indeed. Vulkjornn crafted a statue of Amyphala turning into a horrific creature of many legs, flesh of stone and crystal, mandibled jaw and features that would force any man into a flight.
Thus, Ambyphala transformed into this horrific creature, and rather than release it into the world as the monster it was, Vulkjornn trapped it within a mythral geode. One day, however, this geode was opened.
The Ambyphala In Reality
The creature is a reality, and was released at the opening of a mythral geode in the Akathian Peninsula, posthumously named Ambyphala both as and due to the creature that escaped. It slaughtered many hundreds of miners, scholars and officials who had gathered to witness the historic event. Its tyrade, however, did not end there.
Ambyphala ravaged the peninsula, destroying many small homes and villages that were made in those woods. Her spawn took their own holds in the Peninsula, like smaller versions of herself, and now many nests of the creatures exist in the woods, though notably, they have not left the forest since their emergence, and any attempt to coax them out has been unsuccessful.
Killing the beasts has historically proven to be extremely difficult, though not impossible. The primary problem with destroying them is that their flesh is less flesh than it is mythral crystal and ore come to life. One solution, however, has been found, which is the use of silver blades. The problem with these weapons is that for them to be effective, they must be completely solid, and so their procurement is somewhat difficult. Paying for the materials is just one aspect as well, as finding a smith capable of fabricating a weapon that itself can withstand blows, and not be too incredibly unwieldy due to the weight of silver.
