Insectile Soldier

ECOLOGY

Environment any underground
Organization solitary, pair, or hive (10-100+)

An insectile creature is a twisted, aetherite-infused victim of the azaka. Following a slow, agonizing transformation, such a creature hardly resembles its former self. A chitinous exoskeleton covers most of its body, venomous mandibles protrude from its mouth, and vestigial limbs hideously sprout forth.

The same process that transforms an insectile creature’s body also alters its mind. A newly created insectile creature falls under the control of the azaka that created it, becoming its slave.

In the presence of azaka, insectile creatures make formidable opponents. Without their masters, they become aimless vermin; dangerous but lacking in intellect or motivation.

Insectile creatures are common where their azaka creators thrive. Near azaka hives, insectile creatures are found in abundance.

They act as guards, laborers, and even soldiers for their hive. The azaka are extremely possessive of their slaves, but they are willing to sacrifice these creatures to protect themselves. Rarely, entire hosts of insectile creatures spew forth from the azakas’ subterranean tunnels and attack encroaching settlements, driving them back and capturing more victims for enslavement.

Independent researchers have attempted to reverse-engineer the process by which insectile creatures are bred, to little success. Others have gone so far as to attempt capture of individual azaka for study. So far, these experiments have all ended in disastrous failure.