Mechanoarachnids

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Mechanoarachnids have 8 segmented legs. They have large armored metal sections across their back that have jagged curved spines that raise up from its back, with their entire head is made of metal with two protruding horns. They also have large tail with a venemous stinger and large venom glands within the base of the tail. They have multiple glowing eyeballs that dot their metal skull.

Genetics and Reproduction

Mechanoarachnids are asexual and breed through a disgusting, yet beautiful process. When they inject their venom into their prey to imobilize them, they also implant their larvae into the victims body. These larvae feed and grow off of the host while it lays incapacitated until they reach maturity and eat them from the inside out.

Growth Rate & Stages

The Mechanoarachnids begin as a larvae that is implanted into a host where they feed off of them for days or weeks at a time. Then once their metal exoskeleton hardens they eat their way out and begin the next stage of their life.
After exiting the remains of the creature they are considered adolescents and begin growing and developing their venom glands and tail with their trademark stinger. This process can take 3 to 5 months depending on how successful they are at hunting.
Once their tail and venom glands fully form they become adults and begin to produce eggs that they can then implant in more hosts to continue to expand their race across the realms. Their exact lifespan in this stage is still unknown at this point.

Ecology and Habitats

Their preferred habitats include swamps and cave systems as these provide ample cover and opportunities for ambushing prey. If there are no suitable locations for them in their environment, they have also been known to dig tunnels that they use to hide in and hunt from.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The mechanoarachnids absorb the iron from their prey in order to help develop their exoskeleton and stinger. They tend to eat voraciously in their larval and adolescent stage to maximize growth in the early stages of life. Upon reaching adult stage they no longer eat and live purely to reproduce, eventually succumbing to the effects of starvation but usually breeding hundreds if not thousands of mechanoarachnids by that point.

Behaviour

Mechanoarachnids are very often found in small groups, often numbering 3-5 in a pack. They exhibit high levels of intelligence and coordination while hunting and this increases their chances of securing prey as well as hosts when they reach adult stage. Larger groups have been reported but are extremely rare.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The Mechanoarachnids have extremely good sight, especially at night as they are mainly nocturnal hunters.
Darkvision, tremorsense

Civilization and Culture

History

Originally started as an experiment by a mad wizard, the mechanoarachnid race was an attempt to create the perfect nocturnal hunter. As the wizard became more and more bold he began magically combining constructs with some of the natural beasts of Timeuria. Eventually he found the combination he was seeking and the first mechanoarachnid was born.
As he iterated on his design the race began to grow more intelligent and cunning. Eventually one of the experiments escaped its containment cell and broke the rest of them free. They killed the wizard and fled the labratory where they were being held. From there they began to explore and populate the world of Timeuria.

Scientific Name

metallum arachnid

Lifespan

Unknown

Average Height

6'

Average Weight

2,000 - 3,000lb

Average Length

12' including tail