Giant Scorpion
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Chitinous scourges of deserts, jungles, and savannas, Scorpions are deadly arachnids with powerful pincers and a painful sting. But the most dangerous of them all is the Giant Scorpion. The Giant Scorpion, or the Magna Scorpii in Ancient Attian, is a giant arachnid who got his fame due to its large size compared to a normal arachnid of the scorpion family.
Giant Scorpions are known for their size, with an infant being 1 meter in diameter to a full-grown Scorpion being 8 meters in diameter and 6 to 10 meters (20 to 32 feet) in height, with even older species as big as a small house or large caravan. They come in various colors, from multiple shades of red, yellow, and dark green, to the most common; black. Despite having six to twelve eyes - an obvious pair at the center of the carapace and two to five smaller eyes on each side - scorpions do not have good eyesight. The Scorpions' chelicerae (mouthparts) are each fitted with two sharp teeth like fangs, able to bite and hold onto their prey once in reach for consumption. All Giant Scorpions, just like their smaller counterparts, are fitted with a large stinger. This stinger holds both the anus section and the venom of the creature. While Scorpion venom can be fatal, and its sting hurts, due to the size of the stinger of a Giant Scorpion, getting stabbed by the stinger can result in the same bodily damage that can be inflicted with a sword or dagger, potentially killing the unfortunate.
The venom of a full-grown Giant Scorpion is ten times more potent. Upon contact with the skin, it can cause immediate irritation or even etch through the surface of certain metals. If the toxin enters the body of its prey, it can cause blindness, complete paralyzation, and heart failure in mere seconds. The stingers of Giant Scorpions are often farmed from its body, used to extract the venom housed within. Some people believe that scorpions commit suicide by stinging themselves when threatened by fire. Upon testing this theory, this has proven to not be true, as they are immune to their own venom.
Like their smaller cousins, Giant Scorpions too are "ovoviviparous." This means eggs hatch inside the mother, and the babies are born separately. Scorpions can have very small or very large litters, with the average litter size being around 12 scorplings. Even though it is an enormous creature, it only has a lifespan of 6 to 12 years, double the lifespan of a regular Scorpion.
Habitat
The largest population of Giant Scorpions can be found in the Anjyarr canyons and the canyons of the Delorwaki Savanna. The Giant Scorpion family even expands further south, in the rocky terrain of the Jungle Of Spiders, who are much smaller of all their kind. Their lairs are located in mountainside caves as the preferred habitat of scorpions is beneath rocks and debris, which the canyons have plenty of. Hunting is done by burying themselves under shallow layers of sand or loose dirt where they lie in wait for prey to wander near. In addition to desert habitats, the scorpions have adapted to temperate, subtropical, and tropical environments such as grasslands, savannas, jungles, and forests. Yet, they still prefer the canyons and rocky terrain over all else. Scorpions often resort to cannibalism in their climates, and hence even though they are large noticeable creatures, their population is very slim. Combined with their nature to stay hidden, coming face to face with a Giant Scorpion is rare but not impossible. Due to the large population of Giant Spiders in the jungles, the Scorpions often clash with these creatures. As spiders are also their favorite delicacy.
Behaviour
The vast majority of Giant Scorpions, like the regular scorpions, are nonsocial, solitary animals that interact only at birth, during courtship, or for cannibalism. They are often so aggressive that they are usually considered "inveterate cannibals." Giant Scorpions are more aggressive than their smaller counterparts in general, not caring how big or small their prey usually is. This even includes humans, elves, Denur, and others. The Scorpions usually feast on wandering animals, seeking to avoid humans. They are quickly agitated and attack the nearest creature or animal they see as prey to eat at birth.
The creatures usually live alone or in small groups, protecting nests or defending their food supply. Female Scorpions are very protective of their Scorplings, protecting their nests and lairs from intruders. Mother Scorpions eat their babies in severe cases if no means of food can be found, while male Scorpions turn to cannibalism way faster due to the conditions in the Anjyarr Desert.
Actions and Abilities
What makes these creatures so deadly is their size and a tough exoskeleton made of thick layers of chitin. Giant Scorpions inhabit almost all the same abilities as their smaller counterparts. They are well-equipped to defend themselves or attack prey with their pincers and stinger. Between the last pairs of legs are comb-like structures called the pectins, which are sensory organs used to sense surface textures and detect prey. The strength of Giant Scorpions varies by terrain. While most Scorpions remain hidden in their lairs to avoid attacks, the creatures in the Jungles are known to camouflage themselves with their dark-green shades. Their pincers or claws can break someone's spine, even going as far as to snap its prey in half. While the stinger is the most dangerous part of the beast, Giant Scorpions quickly run out of energy and have to take a long time to regain their strength when using their tail. They only use their stinger if they have to, as their claw strength alone can be enough to kill an enemy. Even their smaller legs have sharp ends to hold grip, which can also be used to pierce through smaller enemies if getting stepped on. While other creatures cannot hear a regular scorpion's sound, the Giant Scorpion can release a deafening screech, which also alerts other Scorpions in the area. Though Scorpions, or Giant Scorpions for that matter, are not natural swimmers, they can move in water if they find themselves there. A study by observation has shown that the nature of a Scorpion's body and internal organs allow them to be submerged for up to 48 hours without any harm.
The animals have weaknesses, though, as the study has confirmed, that the Scorpions have an increased sensibility, making them sensitive to oils such as Lavender, cinnamon, peppermint, and cedarwood. Cedarwood can even seep through its exoskeleton and burns the flesh and internal organs of a Scorpion, making it possible to kill them. Bright light in dark spaces also scares them off, as does fire. Fire, however, can also cause the opposite effect, agitating them more as the exoskeleton holds off the fire.
Interesting to know
From observation by a biologist, it has been noted that a Giant Scorpion was seen with a worn-out saddle of unknown origin and culture. The owner of the saddle was not present. The Giant Scorpion also was seen having golden engravings of this same unknown culture on its pincers, presumed to be some form of decoration. However, the Scorpion could not be found after its appearance and the saddle not retrieved, and speculation has it that the saddle, Scorpion, and the ancient people of Anjyarr might be connected. No further sightings of Giant Scorpions with these traits have been reported ever since.