Background life...

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Curiously, what sorta smaller insects exist in Zalanthas? These would the sort of insect that is useless for any typical task or use. The insects like kankflies. Adversely, what sort of smaller animals exist? Gophers, that sort of animal...useless to one, but great background life?

If you don't know, create one. Here is my first.

SHORT:a tiny, thick-shelled brown beetle
NAME: Helmet beetle (Byn Bug)
DESCRIPTION: Small and unthreatening in appearance, this tiny 3/4 inch long beetle bears a thick shell with no segments in it. It also apparently possesses no wings, and thus makes use of its ten spindly legs rather effeciently, moving in a quick scuttle. Two antenna nearly as long as it is extend forward, waving constantly, as the insect apparently posseses no eyes.
HEIGHT: .8 inch
WEIGHT: .1 stone
LIFESTYLE/ENVIROMENT: The helmet beetle is nicknamed the Byn Bug because of its attraction to dung as a source of food, and thus its infestation of the Byn Latrines. It is a scavanger, possessing no manner of offense against other predators. It's shell, however, is exceptionally thick for its size, and it will simply withdraw within, weathering its typical predator's ambushs. When not feeding, it will rest in dark places, typically under stones or between loose bricks. It cannot climb an solid-surface incline of more than 25 degrees, being too heavy to attempt such.

SHORT:an elongated,  many-legged insect
NAME:Stink Worm (Gith Toe)
DESCRIPTION:: This long segmented insect can grow up to a cord in length and can have as many as twenty pairs of legs. It is mainly a nocturnal predator of other small insects, but can occasionally be seen during the day. Its most annoying habit is that of latching onto humanoids when they are sleeping and digging its main jaws and some of its legs into the skin as it drinks some blood. If the host attempte to pry the parasite off, then it emits a horrendouse odor. During the day the stink worm tries to remain hidden in shade, but if disturbed it move quite fast for short distances between patches of shade. Some have been said to claim that if you sit out in the hot sun exposing the skin around the worm, it may decide to leave of its own accord.

[Quo]

Given the swarms of tiny nasty insectoid critters bound to appear here, I'd like to remind you of your friendly critter control force. Lizards of all size! As long as they don't act as humanoid control force in which case they might be considered as not-so-friendly.
LizardsLizardsLizards might give you a glimpse on fandom.
And while you're at it, Desert USA isn't original Zalanthas, but has a lot to offer to feed imagination.

[Mekeda]

Some of this was discussed briefly by staff and I'm going to share a few things from that discussion. Many of these were contributed by LoD so the actual credit for the names goes to him while I wrote up the descriptions and info, except the gypsy wasp which was offered by IxMachina. Some of these do not exist IC'ly in the game world but it might be a good suggestion as to the types of insects that would exist.

Mekeda



1) a jaka beetle - This small black beetle is commonly found in stables and other sources of dung. About the size of a thumb in length, it is best known for the fierceness of it's mandibles. Long the scourge of the stablemaster, it is known for biting kanks and leaving small but deep cuts which can quickly get infected. It's preferred food is fresh dung but the unwary kank who settles down atop it can cause it to attack. A pair of thin black wings allow the jaka beetle to move quickly when confronted, and flying or burrowing deeper into dung are it's natural reactions to attack.

2) a cockroach - These tiny brownish bugs are the bane of the sloppy housekeeper the known world over. Insidiously resourceful, they will quickly find any open source of food or liquid and survive through scavanging off the sloppiness of others. Though considered repugnant to most, some tribes consider these small wingless creatures a tasty snack and the preferred cooking method is a quick fry in a stone pan over a blazing fire.

3) a rock spider - This small greyish spider would appear delicate at first glance. It's leg are thin and it's body is at most the size of a thumbnail and when perched atop the rocks of it's homelands, the badlands, it can often be hard to distinguish it from the natural cracks in the boulders. However, this tiny spider has a pair of mandibles almost as long as its body and a bite that festers quickly, and without proper treatment can quickly develop into a large absess.

4) a long limbed churuk - This tiny creature looks like a lizard with abnormally long legs. Rumored to be the mutated descendents of toads that once filled flowing riverbeds, it's normally found amongst the grasses of the eastern plains. It's six long agile legs give it an incredible agility that makes it extremely difficult to catch. The legs, meaty and small are considered a delicacy when fried in gurth fat by some of the eastern tribes. It's primary form of defense is a thick sticky weblike structure that it spits at it's opponent, creating both a noxious stink as well as limiting sight if near the eyes. This weblike mass quickly dries to an almost ropelike consistency.

5) a two-pincered kyl - This palm sized bug is primarily found in the mountains to the east of tuluk. It's hard brittle shell can range in color from a deep ebon black to a pale almost silvery grey. Named because of it's resemblance to the much larger, and far more dangerous kryl, it has a series of spikes that start just behind the head and run down to the tail. Unlike the kryl though, the kyl does not have a natural poison, though it does have the same whiplike tail. It's primary form of attack is to use the stinger of it's tail to impale it's food, and then move in with it's two over-sized pincers for the kill.

6) a red-tailed scorpion - this diminuative scorpion is commonly found beneath boulders and in crevices in the red sands. It's body tends to be shades of paler reds and greys but it's tail is always a fierce red. Equipped with poison, the tail is it's primary form of attack. Luckily for most humans, the amount of poison this small insect can put into a sting is not enough to be fatal, though difficulty breathing, profuse sweating, and convulsions have been known to occur.



gypsy wasp:

This hand-sized, flying insect lives in large, underground hives in the red desert. The name is given to the creature for the bright pattering found on its wings, which carries iridescent splashes of blues, violets, bright yellows and reds, in random, but eye-pleasing patterns. The gypsy wasp is a carnivorous insect lives off of other insects, using a long, stilletto-like stinger to puncture them to death.