Courtyard > Enemies > Bugbeasts Greetings, apprentice. Come to see our little rogue's gallery, have you? Yes. Well, after all - why not? It's important to know about those that might harm you, and there are certainly enough individuals in the City who would wish to harm us. The ones who don't know about us see as a threat, and the ones that do know of our existence - well, sometimes I think they almost see us as trophies. At any rate, best you'd learn their weaknesses before they find yours.

Bugbeasts

Classification: Non-Human Location(s): Pagan territories Variations: None Known Weaknesses: sword, dagger, blackjack, arrows, mines, gas

Description:

Pagan legend holds that the Trickster once held dominion over the world, and that his Empire was composed of all manner of creature. At least some of these legends must be fact, since living proof has presented itself in recent times. When the Trickster revealed himself during the Dark Project incident, he again exposed the world to not only his evil but also the vast legions of minions which followed in his footsteps. Among these minions were the Bugbeasts - creatures which resemble a praying mantis, yet walk upright like a man.

Like the Ape and Frogbeasts, the Bugbeasts were first seen during the Dark Project incident, spilling out of Constantine's mansion along with numerous other creatures and spiders, eventually laying siege to the Hammerite temple in Downtowne. An artist's rendition of the beasts can be seen on the wall here. The primary attack of a bugbeast upon detecting an intruder is to release a swarm of insects from its mouth. These insects are similar to carrion-divers but smaller. They are capable of inflicting stings to their target at an alarming rate, quickly reducing the health of even the most stalwart. In rare cases, a bugbeast will defend itself using its razor-sharp limbs, but in most situations the creature will retreat to a safe distance where it will then begin releasing swarms. The creatures are also very large and heavy, making them impossible to move after unconciousness or death - an important fact to remember before attacking one.

After the Trickster's death at the hand of Garrett, the Maw of Chaos - the paradoxical realm of the Trickster and his minions - underwent numerous changes to both its environments as well as its inhabitants. We now know that the Maw of Chaos is exactly that - a chaotic dimension that must be maintained in order to remain stable. This role was filled first by the Trickster, whose dominant will maintained the Maw for generations. After his death, Viktoria attempted to fill the vacant role but was apparently less adept at it. Or perhaps the Maw conforms to the will of its keeper. At any rate, the inhabitants of the Maw - assumingly including the Bugbeasts - found themselves in a different world and different forms.

However, unlike the other minions of the Trickster, Bugbeasts have not been seen since the aftermath of the Dark Project incident. We know that the beings were brought into the Maw through a portal of some sort, possibly from another dimension altogether. In fact, what precious little information we've obtained about the Maw from our Pagan allies seems to indicate that it is not a single place, but many places together. If this is true, it is entirely possible that the "place" from which the Bugbeasts arrived has been destroyed or cut off from the rest of the Maw following the violent upheaval of the Trickster's death.

After Viktoria's death at the hands of the Mechanists, it is assumed that the Maw underwent yet another round of violent change. However, since we have been unable to locate a portal or entryway leading to the Maw, this theory must remain exactly that - a theory only. Despite continued alliances with the Pagans, they remain steadfastly silent on the matter. It is possible that the Maw itself - and all inhabitants of that realm - have ceased to exist. The current fate of the Bugbeasts is unknown and shall remain so until new evidence presents itself.

Weaknesses:

Bugbeasts are susceptible to the same weapons and tactics as a human foe. They can be slain with the sword, knocked out with the blackjack or gas, and killed with a well-placed arrow. Of course, fire arrows or other explosive forces will also kill them, but such is not advisable due to the amount of noise and damage involved. Also, it was noted that even when knocked out silently from behind, the creatures emitted a loud noise of sorts similar to a scream. This sound would, of course, alert any other beings in the area as to the bugbeast's plight.

Threat Assessment:

Bugbeasts have not been seen since the death of the Trickster after the Dark Project incident some years ago. It is unknown whether the Maw has been destroyed or merely closed off from our realm, but the fate of the beasts must remain a mystery for now. No other similar creatures have been sighted within Pagan territories, so it must be assumed that the Bugbeasts are no longer a threat. The threat assessment for this opponent is therefore very low.

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