Greetings Adventurers!
Last time we talked about the Clansmen and how the humanoid communities live within the Stormtossed Isle’s ecosystem and society. Today we are diving into the next enemy type: the Mantus!
The Mantus are a race of humanoid insects native to the Isle. This is the first time we are discussing an enemy type that while retaining some human traits, cannot be considered human, and you will soon understand why. Insect haters beware!
The Mantus and their society
The Mantus have their own settlements and a capital to oversee them all. Despite being native to the Stormtossed Isle, which has a variety of climates, they are only comfortable in a temperate climate, and their cities can only be found in the lush and verdant central plains. Mantus are fully sentient beings, and their towns offer amenities similar to those of human towns.
While they are far less inclined towards commerce (which is understandable, given their intimidating appearance) and have fewer merchants than humans, their cities often feature unique trade goods not found elsewhere.
When it comes to battles, Mantus tend to work only with their kind and with their domesticated beasts of burden.
Like any other civilized town, the Mantus cities aren't overly fond of nearby bandits, be they of their own kin or any other kind. So while they do not generally seek human allies, they do look kindly on mercenaries who rid their lands of bandit groups.
The Mantus combat strategies: a mix of human & insect instincts
Mantus combatants forego any form of armor, as their chitinous shells provide more than enough protection. However, most of them do tend to use weapons, with polearms and swords being highly favored.
Mantus culture is highly stratified, and it influences even their anatomy and strict combat formations, with lesser Mantus Drones forming the frontline of any unit. The eyeless Drones fight with their natural raptorial claws. They are numerous and resilient, but single-minded. It is said that a Drone will keep fighting for a long time even with their head chopped off (courtesy of its Ancillary Nerve), but its movements will be dulled considerably. Mantus are considered dangerous foes mainly due to their ability to combine strategies used by human fighters while taking advantage of their superior armor and other insects’ traits, depending on their type of combatant.
Expanding on this, most Drones are led by Mantus Warriors, seasoned fighters with polearms and the ability to fly. They have discovered ways to use their copper-rich blood to channel electricity to great effect in combat.
Warriors, in turn, defer to Mantus Nasutes, fearsome commanders wielding swords or daggers and often bearing shields. They are capable of long-range acid attacks with the beak-like structure on their faces called a Fontanellar Gun.
Finally, a small number of shaman-like Mantus Scholars can be found in the most difficult of battles. They control enchanted insects to inflict damage or even heal large areas.
Mantus are sometimes seen with the towering, stilt-legged creatures called Stjelkants, which they have domesticated as beasts of burden. Being elevated so high above the battlefield makes them difficult to harm in melee combat. Stjelkants exist symbiotically with swarms of biting insects and carry their nests on their backs, summoning them to defend themselves and their Mantus keepers.
Needless to say, Mantus packs can be a formidable opponent for the player’s party, especially when all their various types of fighters combine their unique skills.
We hope you enjoyed the deep dive for the fearsome Mantus, awaiting you in your adventure in Pathbreakers: Roaming Blades. Follow us on social media and join our Discord server to stay up-to-date with our announcements and devlogs!