#mormolyce

Violin Beetle (Mormolyce phyllodes), family Carabidae, found in SE Asia

"Lizard Skin Wolf" © Guan Wei, accessed at his DeviantArt here

[Although my version of Mormo is decidedly reptilian, the original folkloric Mormo was more associated with wolves: Mormolyce is one of her other aliases, and it literally means "fear wolf". So I made a fear wolf. The flavor text is inspired by the ecology of fear, which is well documented with wolves and elk in Yellowstone National Park.]

Mormolyce CR 9 N Outsider (extraplanar) This creature is a hybrid of reptilian and mammalian traits, with a mix of fur and scales covering its body. Its head is wolf-like, but its eyes are golden and its tongue is forked. Its stance is semi-erect, with legs held at an angle from its body. A mane runs from its head down the length of its long tail.

The mormolyceia are among the most recently created children of Mormo, Goddess of Predators. Unlike a number of her descendants, who originated through whim or by accident, the mormolyceia were born with a purpose—to actively engineer ecosystems. A mormolyce is a living trophic cascade, preferentially targeting overpopulated species and creating buffer zones where rare species can take refuge and recover their numbers. This usually means hunting other predators, particularly in areas where the worship of Lamashtu or other demons is common, but some mormolyceia can also be found keeping herbivores from overgrazing while their populations of natural predators recovers. As a mormolyce’s presence becomes known, creatures move more rapidly through its territory and forage less, allowing time and reproduction to do their role in restoring the numbers of its favored species. A mormolyce values the lives of its charges above all others, and if that means protecting an endangered species from humanoid hunters, it will gladly do so.

Like the wolves they superficially resemble, mormolyceia are social creatures. Individual members of their packs are usually spread widely across the landscape, and if they come across an interloper, will usually follow them and observe them for a while in order to determine whether or not it poses a threat to the ecosystem. If they determine it does, the mormolyce gathers its pack in order to make a coordinated attack. Mormolyceia work well in groups—they can temporarily share their teamwork feats, and different members of a pack may have different training in order to broaden their tactical options. A mormolyce heals when near a creature suffering from a fear effect, and they use their spell-like abilities and Dazzling Display feat in order to ensure that as many members of the pack can benefit from this as possible, as well as to scatter enemies. Mormolyceia typically do not pursue fleeing members of non-sapient species, but will chase down and finish off creatures that choose to disrupt and degrade ecosystems.

The mormolyceia are native to the First World, where they learn how to hunt and train to work together. Mormo and her most powerful allies have been repopulating them onto Golarion in order to support its ecological health. As outsiders, mormolyceia do not need to eat, but enjoy food and the intimidation factor provided by partially consumed corpses. They can be surprisingly garrulous when not hostile, and happily provide travelers through their territories with information to better pass through without causing disruptions.

Name after the Greek folkloric forest spirit Mormo, the Hideous One, used by mothers and nurses to terrorise their children into good behaviour.

Large Carabid beetles up to 10cm in length, with fused, flattened elytra, native to the rainforests of SE Asia.

Very unusually for Carabs, their larvae live inside large bracket fungi, and eventually pupate. Quite likely their will be other insect larvae to eat inside the fungi - they tend to be prime real estate for many insects. Apparently their exit holes are remarkably tiny, compared to the finished beetle.

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