Cipcicada

Vampiric Insects of the Forest

A hollow chirping echoes through the darkened trees as the sun finally sinks below the horizon. The sounds come in waves, reaching through the forest and burying the sounds of other insects with its deep, hollow sound. Only during the summer months can one hear this empty sound, one that sends chills to the bone and makes blood run cold. The reaction is instinctual, buried under reason and logic that says that sound is nothing more that the cicadas found throughout the various forests of the Northern Continent. Beneath all of that, one can find the truth of why the sound runs blood cold, a sound only made by bloodsuckers, monstrous creatures of the forests.
Cipcicadas are one such creature, a small insect that varies little from the normal cicadas that fill the forests of Vóreios in the summer months. The single stripe of red down their bodies marks them as what they are, but its a tell that is hard to see most times. Their hollow chirps ring out, empty and sullen almost like a hidden crypt. The sounds they echo spell the end and an outcome many say is worse than death.
Being bitten by the Cipcicadas can bring about harsh side effects, ones that invade the senses and change the quality of life one may have. Known as Cicadism, the venom of these vampiric insects can cause their victims to crave blood and death, not far removed from the stories of Vampires in the world.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Cipcicadas are almost identical to normal cicadas with only a few difference. The vampire cicada, as they are also known as, have a red stripe down the center of their back that is often only a couple of millimeters wide, meaning it is often difficult to see unless up close. The cipcicada also has extremely small fangs that can inject a powerful venom into any of its victims.

Scientific Name

Cicadoidea lamia

Conservation Status

This species is considered endangered, but few wish to work towards conservation of the species. It is unknown what the species adds to an ecosystem so conservation efforts have been nearly nonexistent.

Geographic Distribution

• Elven Forest
• Little Greenwood

Related Condition

Cicadism