The following is reprinted with permission from the Esterhens Ecological Council's Guide to Wildlife of Mestta. Copyright 1277 PE. For more information on the following article, please refer to a copy of the EEC's Study on the Causes and Effects of the Jelnaahnian Parasite on the Wildlife and Ecology of the Juhan Continent.
Cater-Beast:
To understand the Cater-Beasts, you must first get to know the normal, perfectly harmless and altogether friendly Jungle Caterpillar of the Juhan Continent (Moxis Lytomatisade). These caterpillars are green, segemented, and have slightly fuz-covered bodies, same as any other run of the mill caterpillar throught the world. The Jungle Caterpillar is, however, slightly larger. The adut male Jungle Caterpillar typically grows to a body length of one and a half meters with a diameter of roughly 25 centimeters. The female counterpart has a slightly smaller body length, approximately one meter, and a diamtere ranging from 15 centimeters to a full 40 centimeters depending on the point in the egg cyce.
They are completely harmless to human life although they have been known to wreak havoc on the Juhan Segoraya fruit harvests as the trees the fruits grow on are a favorite of the caterpillars. The Juhan Life Preservation Council have in recent years attempted to find alternate food sources for the caterpillars, but have been largely unsuccesful and have resorted to leaving a portion of the trees uncoated in the sticky resin that drives the caterpillars away.
All of this was before the Nakamato-Fujiri NCOO (Non-Classified Orbital Object) crashed into the Rezvan Sea. The Jelnaahnian Parasite carried aboard has affected most of the wildlife on the island continent, although luckily humans are among the few unaffected species.
Since the parasite arrived, the once harmless Jungle Caterpillar has been altered into a much more fearsome creature. The Cater-Beast (Moxis Lytomate-Jelnaahniasit). The mention of one can turn your average Juhanin into a simpering, spineless heap.
The Cater-Beast has retained the size of it's previous incarnation, but where it once had a small, toothless mouth for latching into the bark of trees, it now bears a salivating orifice with rows of razor sharp teeth encircling it's maw. It has yet to gain any appreciable speed and at a maximum can move at approximately 1-3 kmh, but with the parasite in place, such things are usually not far off from development. The Cater-Beast is a purely carnivorous animal and feeds mainly upon the Zakcata, a small bird which is also unaffected by the parasite. If human flesh is availble, the Cater-Beasts seem to prefer it for it's size compared to Zakcata bird and the nutriets it provides. If allowed to, a Cater-Beast will gorge itself on human meat until it can no longer move, and in most cases, dies.
It is difficult to get any biological information about the Cater-Beasts, firstly because the Juhanians are loathe to go near even a dead one, and second, because a smaller life-form resides within the Beasts intestinal tract. This second organism is the result of parasitic germination and is more deadly than the first. Approximately the size and shape of a tarantula, the Leptasas (Mox Jelna-Jelnaahs) are much quicker than their hosts. In addition they carry a powerful poison capable of rendering a human dead within minutes. Fortunately, these cannot survive very long outside their hosts and quickly die. But every attempt to dissect a Cater-Beast has resulted in the deaths of those performing the operation.
Slaying a Cater-Beast is somewhat easy to do with the proper tools, one should have a sword at least one foot in length and optionally a shield for added protection. Approach from the rear since the only offensive capabilites of a Cater-Beast are it's teeth and it is painfullt slow in turning around. Slice laterally along the dorsal area being careful not to pierce the Rulmasis Bulge, since this is where the Leptasas is germinated. Repeat crossing over the original cut at a 90 degree angle. This will severe the Beasts spinal column and should also destroy it's liver, the combination of which will usually kill it instantly.
Travel Notes:
The Juhan Continent is currently quarantined except to research personell. All travel to and from the continent is suspended pending the closure of the infection.
Prior to the Quarantine Protocol, a few unaffected Jungle Caterpillars were rushed from the island along with a few Segoraya trees. They are currently being observed in a Emergency Life Preservation Quarantine Zone in the provincial estate of Langee and seem to be doing well. They have shown no signs of infection and should be released into a new habitat in a wild environment soon.
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-Ultima Ratio Regum-
To create a monster out of the need to fight is just as bad as ignoring it when it is standing just in front of your face... -Anon