Drakkhid are formidable subterranean predators native to the arid wastelands of The Sands of Serrakhan and the wind-scoured ravines of The Barren Badlands. These insectoid monstrosities burrow through sand, stone, and hardened rock alike, carving out vast labyrinthine nests and complex tunnel systems that often collapse behind them to conceal their presence. Though most travelers fear them as lurking death beneath the dunes, many nomadic tribes often associate significant value to their purpose in keeping ecological balance as their existence predates the Serrakhan Sultanate.
Biology & Behavior
Drakkhid possess immense chitin-plated forelimbs shaped like hooked plowshares—evolved for rending both stone and prey—and a pair of massive, crushing mandibles capable of pulverizing bone and stone with ease. Despite their lack of eyes, Drakkhid possess a finely attuned tremorsense, able to detect motion across vast stretches of desert terrain, sometimes up to three miles away under the right conditions. They are entirely blind, relying on seismic vibrations and scent to navigate their dark world.
Carnivorous by nature, the Drakkhid subsist on a varied diet of desert fauna—primarily Taun herds, desert hares, and rock lizards—but are also known to consume succulent desert flora, particularly cacti, whose rich water content and internal aloe aid digestion and hydration. A single large kill may feed a Drakkhid for several months, allowing it to enter a state of dormancy, lying in ambush beneath a thin veil of dust and sand until prey ventures near.
Their most feared weapon, however, is their ability to spew corrosive acid in a conic burst. This acid not only immobilizes prey but helps dissolve flesh, allowing the Drakkhid to consume even armored or scaled prey more efficiently.
Reproduction & Society
Drakkhid are matriarchal in structure, with rare females known as Khanithii presiding over broods of smaller males. Each Khanithii breeds prolifically, laying hundreds of eggs in tightly packed burrows deep beneath the desert floor. The young are ravenous and cannibalistic—only the strongest survive the first weeks, unless their Khanithii provides ample flesh.
When a Khanithii grows large and dominant enough, she may molt and transform into a Zirthakha—a hive queen. Zirthakha are titanic in size and exude complex pheromonal signals to coordinate hive behavior, nesting structure, and hunting patterns. Communication is also accomplished through mandible clicks, a rudimentary and rhythmic form of speech intelligible only to other hive members.
It is believed that Drakkhid—particularly Zirthakha—can live for several centuries and grow continually if unchallenged by predators, starvation, or disease. The largest recorded Zirthakha, encountered by The Sunsations near the The Serrakhan Scar, was said to be the size of a basilica and nearly ate an entire herd of Taun being shepherd by Won (see: Gharazh'uul).
Ecological Significance
Drakkhid are avid ambush predators and natural terraformers of the desert. Their burrowing churns the earth, aerating deep sand layers and unearthing precious minerals that desert folk often collect in their wake. However, their presence near settlements is considered a death knell—a sign that prey has grown too plentiful or that something more dangerous has driven them from deeper dens.
While largely hostile and untamable, Kroot tribes have been rumored to tame and rear young Drakkhid males for use in battle, training them as war-beasts during coming-of-age rites. These creatures are fitted with staked mandible clamps and led into combat by scent-masked handlers. Additionally, few nomadic tribes have formed semi-symbiotic relationships with small Drakkhid broods to help cull overpopulating pests or even detect Sandwyrm movements.