Kēpam

A species of wyrm, kēpamim are large predators from the jungles of Northern and Eastern Iasteron.

Hunting behaviour

It is primarily an ambush predator, using a network of web-like filaments extruded from glands on its sides to enable it to sense vibration. These filaments are fine enough to be near-invisible, and light enough to drift in the air. Anything that comes into contact with the filaments alerts the kēpam and it hones in on regular vibration, using the heartbeat as an indicator of whether what it has detected is viable prey. Older, more experienced animals are able to detect speech using the filaments and use these to target yutaaq over similarly-sized, but more dangerous, prey.   Despite its size, a kēpam is capable of great stealth, following a likely interference with its network to the source before launching an ambush. They emerge from their hiding-place to seize their prey using tentacles lined with tube-feet, and drag them back into their hiding place, immobilising their prey with venomous barbs in between their tube-feet, before dragging in it into an external stomach. As a wyrm, kēpamim can consume large quantities of meat before fasting for several months. They are most active in the dry season, preferring to lie dormant during the monsoons, as the rain appears to confound their senses. This dormancy is not a true hibernation, and kēpam attacks are only less frequent during the rainy season.

Reproduction

An entirely solitary species, the female approaches a body of still water and releases hundreds of eggs. In doing so, she releases a pheromone that attracts males to fertilise them. The fertilised eggs sink to the bottom of the water and hatch into larvae after approximately two weeks. The larvae moult into a juvenile form after about a year, reaching sexual maturity a year later.

Predators

Despite their size, kēpamim are not apex predators. The breeding pheromones released by the females attract numerous animals that feed on the eggs - birds skim the unfertilised eggs from the surface, river mammals and even juvenile kēpam root out the fetilised egs and larvae. Of the 200-300 eggs released, only a third may be fertilised, with about half of those surviving to adulthood.

Defence

As a larvae, a kēpam's primary defence is speed and a voracious appetite, but it loses this advantage once it reaches the juvenile stage and leaves the water. At this point, it gains the ability to exude, in addition to its hunting filaments, a thick mucous that both functions as armour and helps it to maintain hydration during the dry season.
The mucous is viscous and impact-resistant, thickening when struck. It can be pierced by arrows and armour-piercing rounds, but is resistant to small calibre bullets and fire.

Mythology

In Majdasir mythology, kēpamim are the cursed offspring of a giant and a sea god.