VirginsBane Beetle

Full Description

The VirginsBane Beetle is a creature of the tundra plains and the Bushlands and is large, the size of two human fists, violet in colour and a voracious hunter of other insects and the smaller spiders. For much of the summer it is not only safe but advisable to live next to one of these colonies, as they eat nearly all of the dangerous mosquitos in the area and only attack humans if they or their nests are bothered.

In September things can turn very nasty indeed, for that is the month when the Beetles spawn, and the female beetle lays it's egg sac in another creature's womb. Whilst it has plenty of other prey for this, such as cows and sheep, it is not scared of attacking humans. Despite it's name it prefers to attack those who are allready pregnant. When attacking humans, it waits until it sees a lone adult female and then comes in from behind and stings her in the back.

The venom causes the victim to fall asleep for a short time, long enough for the VirginsBane to land on her womb and implant an egg sac through her clothing.. Unlike the bite of other insects which itch, the wounds of the Virginsbane heal up very quickly. Whilst in the slumber the woman often has very sexual dreams that are so vivid that they are often confused with reality later on. The beetle soon flies off and the victim awakes confused about what happened.

If she is pregnant at the time, the egg sac grows along with the baby, taking it's nourishment from the mother like the baby is also doing, until in a few months the egg sac and baby come into contact with each other, when the egg sac engulfs the baby, killing it, digesting it and growing in it's place. When the mother delivers what she thinks is her baby, the egg sac ruptures and the baby beetles fly out of her womb. Those that are not prey for other insects and spiders will be fully grown within a month and live with others in nests that they make out of twigs.Most do not survive until adulthood.

If she is not pregnant the egg sac grows in her stomach like a baby does, making her appear pregnant. Should she be murdered by her outraged family it will continue to grow inside her decomposing body, after which the beetles chew through the egg sac, strip the body of flesh within hours and then chew and burrow their way to the surface of the soil.

If her family do not murder her she will often be forced to marry the person that she thought impregnated her. When she *gives birth* it will be a swarm of beetles that fly out of her and not a baby.

Additional Information

Plot hook-the PC's are asked to smuggle one of these beetles into the bedroom of a noble lady to kill her baby in the womb so that another may inherit the title. They will be paid well, but would they really stoop so low?