Kruthik

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Kruthiks were reptilian hybrids of an insect and a drake.

"As I had feared, our clan’s newest mining outpost, one of our proudest achievements, was completely destroyed. Kruthik tunnels riddled the deserted complex, and I knew it was pointless to search for survivors."

- Theros Silveraxe, Dwarf Darkstrider

Description
Kruthiks become more horrid as they advanced through their life cycle. All kruthiks shared certain characteristics: a kruthik vaguely resembled a canine covered in plates of thick, silvery chitin, it had six limbs composed of bone, chitin, and steely scales; the front and rear appendages ended in long scythes that could hew through the stone. In addition to serving as a kruthik’s weapons, manipulators, and means of traversal, the limbs were its main sensory organs. Its reptilian head was mostly large, serrated mandibles. Armored plates protected the kruthiks' neck and back.

History
Kruthiks were created via vile magics by the tiefling empire Bael Turath of Nerath for use as living siege weapons. The beastmasters infused the essence of a hellish burrowing insect from the Nine Hells into scytheclaw drakes, creating the first kruthiks. The monstrous creations proved impossible to control and they quickly escaped into the Nerath's Underdark during Bael Turath’s fall. Unleashed into the world, kruthiks thrived and became one of the greatest threats that the subterranean civilizations of the Underdark, as well as their neighbors on the surface, faced.

Behavior
The sadistic half-reptiles were an unyielding force of chaos and destruction turning quickly on their failed masters and, given their burrowing capabilities, easily wandered off and massacred whatever they found.

Kruthiks were aggressively territorial and would defend their hives, especially the nest’s hatchery, and food stores.

Kruthiks communicated with each other using complex insect-like chitters and reptilian hisses, and pheromones. They were intelligent enough to understand simple phrases in other languages.

Combat
These monstrosities hunted in packs. The hatchlings and the young swarmed around the nearest foe in a vicious horde fighting until slain, raking the target to pieces with their claws and mandibles. The adults used their toxic spikes on tempting targets within range before engaging in melee. Similarly, the hive lords used acid blasts to weaken enemies followed by relentless claw attacks, staying close to other kruthiks.

Ecology
When a kruthik was in contact with the ground, it could detect the slightest vibrations, allowing it to pinpoint the location of any creature within a 50-foot radius. Kruthiks reproduced once a year by laying a clutch of six gray eggs that hatched a day or two later. The hatchlings were the size of a small dog but could easily rend a humanoid in half. After a week of constant feeding, a hatchling became a young kruthik (almost 3 feet long and weighing 30 pounds). Young kruthiks had dragonfly-like wings and most of them couldn't fly, the wings give them a speed advantage over their older kin. After a year a kruthik matured into an adult (over 6 feet long and weighing 250 pounds).

Adult kruthiks developed chitinous spikes on their plates that filled up acerbic venom when threatened. Those spikes could also be hurled short distances with deadly accuracy.

Most kruthiks died before reaching their final life stage at five or more years. That stage was the hive lord; they encased themselves in a dull gray-blue chrysalis and after four weeks of metamorphosis emerged covered with bulkier chitin plates (nearly 12 feet long and weighed a ton). The hive lords had blue highly caustic and nauseating saliva, which they could spray in a wide arc.

Kruthiks were social creatures dwelling in hierarchal nomadic hives, which typically consisted of numerous kruthiks led by one or more hive lords. The hives depleted all resources in the area and moved on. Kruthiks inhabited large underground chambers or cave systems. They were attracted to sources of heat, magical energies, especially connected to the Nine Hells, and excavated lairs as close to such locations as possible.

Kruthiks tolerated constructs, elementals, oozes, and undead, and sometimes used them to help guard the hive.

Because of Kruthiks being repelled by the sulfurous smells of their dead, there was a thriving market for their ichor and body parts. Armorers were able to covet kruthik chitin to create lightweight yet durable armor and shields.