Verurata

In Tescan myth there’s tales of a boy named Felix. Felix was spiteful and cruel, he tormented animals, burnt crops for his own pleasure, and stole from the weak and feeble. He was a parasite. So the ancestors made him into one. As it said in oral legend, his body was warped and contorted to embody his pathetic demeanor in physical fashion. He became the first of many Verurata. Today it is still a cautionary tale told by Tescan mothers to their children lest they incur the wrath of their ancestors. Verurata exist only as a reminder of why selfishness will only get you so far.

#### Physiology and Anatomy

A miserable insectoid beast. The Verurata are fetid and foul. They’re enormous flies which gurgle an odorous bile. This bile collects in two chambers on their heads which can be exercised to push the liquid out of their tube-like mouths. The bile is mildly acidic, able to burn flesh and plant fibers. Upon contact with skin the bile causes a greenish rash. This rash is both irritating and unsightly. The bile can be particularly painful if the point of contact is a sensitive area like the face- often fired in such a way as a defense mechanism. The bile’s effects only last a few minutes and can be washed away with water- and once it leaves the Verurata’s mouth it’ll quickly dry up into a crusty inert mucus. As Verurata lack any jaw or teeth, this bile also serves as a means to predigest material so that it may be slurped up with its tube mouth.

The front two legs of the Verurata are shrunken to the point where they’re mere stubs. They’re purely vestigial, serving no real purpose. Their back legs are like that of a cricket, able to be springloaded to make for long jumps. A Verurata can clear large gaps and hop over fences with little issue. They use these leaps to take flight. Verurata wings are small and thus must beat constantly to stay aloft. They cannot fly particularly high but are able to make rapid movements mid-air in almost any direction. So while they’re arguably the slowest fliers in Amnisica’s airspace they’re by far the most maneuverable.

Verurata lay eggs year-round. A female can lay up to a hundred eggs in a single season. Juveniles need only shed before they’re perfectly capable on their own, effectively miniature versions of their adult parents. Verurata rarely survive the winter of their first season on account of their feebleness so they may bury their brood in warm places like the rotting carcass of a large animal. Verurata eggs will not hatch in cold conditions but are not dead. They can wait out years of hardship until the ideal conditions return for ample hatching.

#### Psychology

It is hard to describe Verurata as ‘social’ but they do dwell in large groups. They can form swarms of up to twelve adult members. These swarms are uncoordinated but will mob together to claim food and attack threats. Verurata rarely hunt for themselves and instead prefer the leftovers of other animals. They’re content to eat garbage which puts them at odds with sapient races. They may harass housepets and even children which is why they’re seen as vermin. Due to their size and habits, they have been largely culled (and thus fear) urban centers, but can be found in rural environments.