Category:Scarab Beetle

This section contains canon info from officially published sources

Scarabs make up a family of several insect and beetle species.^[1] Though most are harmless, several kind of flesh-eating scarab beetles exist within the Demiplane of Dread. Thankfully, scarab beetles are usually encountered only deserts, underground locations, or tombs.^[2][3][4][5] Scarab beetles generally shun light and intense temperatures, thus limiting their activities above ground.^[2][3] Encountering them indoors or underground is more precarious, as they are skilled at burrowing^[2][3] and may be encountered in tunnels or holes obscured by dung or other detritus.^[2] In tombs, they can hide out in the walls and floors and scurry out en masse once disturbed.^[6]

Specific varieties of flesh-eating scarab beetles definitely encountered in the Land of Mists include the grave scarab beetle, the giant scarab beetle, and the monstrous scarab beetle. These three scarab beetle varieties all vary extremely in size, but generally all have a black-blue sheen to their carapaces when active.^[4][5] The grave scarab beetle turns a yellow color and may be mistaken for jewelry. A fourth type, the hoard scarab, has coloring resembling the gold or silver coins it hides among^[7] and may or may not exist in the Land of Mists.

When not worked up by living organisms, scarab beetles generally show little activity, feeding as scavengers upon the dead and decaying. When alerted to the presence of a living organism, the scarab beetles attack, quickly tearing apart the flesh of any nearby creatures.^[2][6][4][5] An exception ironically exists for the larger varieties, the monstrous and the scarab beetles, as they usually refrain from attacking unless provoked.^[4][5]

Although singular examples of swarming flesh-eating scarabs can be dangerous because of their tendency to burrow through flesh and dine on innards, swarms of scarab beetles can be truly dangerous because of their ability to strip away all flesh of their living prey in but a few mere moments.^[2][6]

Imagery in Religious Practice and Mythology

In the rituals for mummification (though not necessarily rituals for creating the ancient dead), a protective scarab amulet is placed on the dead body after it has had linen and gum placed upon it.^[8]

The Seven Scarabs of Sakkaramon were a series of talismans that were purportedly sought by the Seekers of the Seven Scarabs to revive their ancient dead masters.^[9]

References