Creature - Moleant

Moleants are cave rodents the size of a small dog. They resemble a furless mole with three pairs of legs ended in sharp talons. They use a pair of withered arms, located in front of their body, to dig in the dirt and rock. The creature exudes an extremely corrosive substance from its mouth that allows it to soften rocks. Its two large frontal incisors lets it cut through metal.

Social abominations. Moleants live in giant colonies under the surface of the earth to protect their fragile skin from the sun and wind. Some of these colonies can reach populations over a hundred individuals. Moleants breed quickly and grow up at a rapid pace, eating whatever they can find in the ever-encroaching darkness from below. At the center of their nest, the cyclopean body of a queen lay countless tiny, pale eggs. Near the queen, in the connected chambers, moleants workers accumulate precious chunks of metal whom the creatures are fond of.

A moleants’ nest. Nests of moleants are vast subterranean structures made of hollowed rock. Acid pools form in the depressions from the creatures’ caustic saliva, illuminating the tunnels in a greenish glow. Rare minerals, corroded armor, burnt weapons and skeletal remains litter the area. These nests might prove full of treasures to whom does not fear the hive’s wrath.

Strategies. Moleants are fearful creatures devoted to the protection of their hive. If their nest is attacked, they will not falter but will die instead. If they spot intruders in their galleries, moleants will not attack, preferring to wait for reinforcements. When they deem themselves numerous enough, they will swarm the intruders to kill them and bring their bodies to the hive for consumption, or at least to drive them away. Moleants will remain on the ceilings and walls of the cave, spitting acid at their enemies. They’ll use their bite only when engaged, or to block the entry of a tunnel.

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