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"Mantodea Sapiens"  CLASS: ARTHROPOID BIOLOGY: Created by the hybridization of human and mantis, this dangerously clever and limitlessly patient hunter is a natural master of ambush and the art of grappling. Its unusually flexible joints, elastic muscles and lightweight body enable it to leap impressive distances, scale almost any surface and contort itself into seemingly impossible hiding places, while the accuracy and depth perception of its huge, powerful eyes are unsurpassed by even advanced technological means. Slowing its heart rate and focusing its mind, the Zokar can go without food for an extended period of time as it awaits the approach of a suitable meal, at which point it springs forth with it elongated raptorial forearm and ensnares the prey in an arsenal of claws, spines and barbs. If it can identify a neck or other thin point in the prey's silhouette, it will always attempt to chew through this area first. BEHAVIOR: The typical Zokar is a calculating killer and somewhat antisocial loner that prefers isolation and silence whenever possible, especially to avoid the distraction of its seemingly unending appetite. Even when full to capacity, the monster is tempted to chew on any available flesh and always eager to learn the flavor of any newly encountered creature. It most of all enjoys the softer organ meats and especially the fattiness of brain tissue, which it typically saves for last as a form of "dessert," and many of its kind share a penchant for collecting the remaining skulls or equivalent casings of favorite meals. Zokar consider cannibalism to be an extremely intimate act, but very rarely to a lethal extreme, more often sharing whatever pieces of their anatomy they can most safely spare. A Zokar feels a powerful drive to remain hidden from sight even at its most sociable, and it is known colloquially in some cultures, particularly those of humans, as a "Hide-behind." APPLIANCE: Zokar make equally effective personal guards or hunter-killers, and are also popular in pest control. Having no taste for vegetable or even semi-vegetable matter but finding an instinctive sense of comfort among foliage, they get along well with Botanical monsters and can become generally protective of plant life, often stationed to watch over developing Botanicals or even non-monstrous agricultural specimens. ACROBATIC: the Zokar is a maneuverable and lightweight contortionist, unimpeded by most obstacles and capable of squeezing into tight spaces. SNAPPING CLAW: a Zokar's larger arm has incredible reach and can snap shut with deadly force. MANTIS VISION: the monster's eyesight is more powerful than most other creatures, and provides it incredible accuracy.   Contents copyright Jonathan Wojcik
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