| Other Names | - |
| Climate/Terrain | Forest, Swamp - Aggradar only |
| Frequency | Rare |
| Organization | Individual |
| Activity Cycle | Constant |
| Diet | Carnivore |
The arachtopus is a strange looking creature that gets its name from the fact that it looks like the offspring of an octopus and a giant spider. The arachtopus has eight legs radiating out from a central body. The leg span of the creature is typically a little over a meter. The body is a soft fleshy wrinkled hide stretched over a bony case that keeps the brain and other internal organs safe. The legs are the most unique thing... they are thick tapered tentacles with suction cups, exactly like an octopus. However, this land creature crawls like a drunken spider across the ground, slapping down one tentacle after another and dragging itself forward or sideways. It is slow moving, but determined.
The skin color is a mottled greenish grey with a light tan underbelly and two red eyes. If flipped over, a mouth with several sharp teeth can be seen.
Although a land animal, the arachtopus is capable of swimming and is much more agile and graceful in the water.
The arachtopus is a surprisingly nimble creature. It is capable of short bursts of speed when necessary in which it flails its tentacles and clumsily scuttles across the ground. However, most of the time it moves with slow, careful, ominous precision. It can whip out a tentacle to attack an opponent, often stretching a tentacle further than would be thought possible to reach opponents who may feel they are safely out of reach. It will often attempt to grab an arm or leg with a strong grip and then pull itself to its prey. The tentacles of the arachtopus are very strong. Once attached, it is very difficult to get the thing off. Only death will get the arachtopus to release its grip.
If an arachtopus manages to grab a hold, it will then begin to feed. It chews into the exposed flesh of its prey and then begins to drain blood and bodily fluids. This is excruciatingly painful for the prey.
The arachtopus is native to Aggradar. It can be found in the forests and swamps throughout that continent. It is more common in the Sybren Imperium and there are also several dozen of these creatures in the Kalanos Marshes. It has also been encountered in jungle areas. In most environments, it will typically wait in trees to drop down on unsuspecting prey.
The Sybren Imperium utilizes the arachtopus as an instrument of torture. Prisoners in Sybrenar prisons might find themselves strapped down to a table while one of these terrors is placed on his bare chest. Not only is its feeding method painful, but the creature itself is disturbing and terrifying to behold. It has quite an ominous reputation.
The plural of arachtopus is arachtopi.
This website was last updated February 29, 2024. Copyright 1990-2024 David M. Roomes.