Beetle

Description

Beetles and scarabs are an overwhelmingly numerable monster across many forests and plains in Norrath. Most are not hostile but will social aggro in the presence of their kin being attacked. Beetles and scarabs are not considered animals for the purposes of druid and ranger animal-specific spells.

Lore

Fire Beetle Eyes can be used as a mild inventory lightsource, implying that fire beetles have good night vision. It's also used as a non-consumable reagent for their fire DoT spells, implying that lowly fire beetles have some sort of association with natural fire magic beyond their names. Meanwhile, the lava beetles of Nagafen's Lair literally breath fire. Humans of the Temple of Thunder offer Fire Beetle Eyes as tribute to their god, Karana.

Many beetles and scarabs are closely associated with disease and invasive swarms. The death beetle of Nagafen's Lair casts a disease-based proc. Several beetles in Sebilis have disease-themed names such as the frenzied pox scarab. And North Karana hosts swarms of scarabs during the plague events. It's speculated that beetles and scarabs may have been created by Bertoxxulous, the lord of disease.

Several large scarabs can be found in Rathe Mountains which seem to be aligned on opposing factions along with the local sphinxes. They were intended to be involved in the Fiery Avenger quest line but this part was left out. This does nevertheless indicate that large scarabs are capable of some degree of intelligence, at least as pets or something to sphinxes. Ember is another unambiguous example of a beetle as a pet.

Some rare beetles such as Prince Klaknak have regal titles, but it's not known if these were simply conferred by impressed locals or if beetle society is regimented with some sort of hierarchy such as the bixies have.