On the Urmer

The insectoid mer, or perhaps man as it is unknown by most, also known as the Urmer or grounded/connected folk within academic circles, are derived from, or at least similar to, the common varieties of insects that inhabit a wide range of biomes. However from Wrothgar to Grahtwood, they’re often heard, not seen, by most outside their own. All members of the group have sound-producing organs at the bases of their throats, which emit buzzing, often in a throbbing pattern, or even high-pitched chirping and howling. It should be noted that yes, they do indeed have throats, as we more well-known races have ourselves. One may expect to find the common cicada standing five feet tall, but in fact their necks reach into a much more merish maxilla and upper jaw piece, lacking the chelicerae of the house spider, or the mandibles of a grasshopper. They share an appearance much akin to the common Kwama, or at least those what stand on two legs. However their bodies are more gaunt, and their extremities held further from the body, like a man’s. On their backs they carry a set of wings, though their functionality is unknown to me and my colleagues. Whether one or two sets depends on the breed of insectoid, some having four wings, others a less common two.

The most common variety within the Wrothgarian mountain ranges, are the cicada-like K’kshpa clan, and the grasshopper-like K’k’ts. The names are of their own language, a guttural and confusing tongue made primarily of click and hisses. Both are adorned with two sets of wings, which open to a full breadth of at max, five and a half feet. The wings of the k’kshpa form a protective cover over the entire underside of each person, made up of stone-hard turquoise, greens, yellows and brown chitins. While the wings of the k’k’ts are far less practical, with a breadth of only three feet and thin, red veins across each. The eyes of each clan are large and wide-set, but shockingly not compound. Their cousins in Hammerfell are quite different, however.

The Urmer of Hammerfell came to be, ostensibly, alongside the common variety of thunderbug in the area. They are beetle-like, carrying two sets of wings and a chitin shell that covers their extremities, similar to that of their k’kshpa cousins. Whether they also adopted their thunderbug neighbors’ electrifying defense mechanisms is currently unknown. Unlike their cousins of the north, the eyes of the Hammerfell Urmer are compound, consisting of uncountable receptors. It’s assumed they developed to assist seeing in sandstorms. This variety of Urmer can also be found in Grahtwood, where their chitin hides are far more colorful and less dense, more for show and less for practicality.

Unknown to any, including myself, are the swimming, flying and magical capabilities of these peoples. They are tribal, showing obvious intelligence, but an examination of the body was unable to deduce magical ability, innate or otherwise.

The bodies of all common varieties are as follows:

• Antenna are not always present, though are short and bristled when they are
• Maxilla are jaw-like, allowing for vertical and horizontal movement
• Two thoracic segments, though one seems to be underdeveloped, not sporting arms or legs
• Spiracles lead to the inner respiratory system, eliminating the need to actively breathe
• Abdomen is shorter than any house insect, ostensibly to allow bipedal movement; made up of only two to three terga, or abdominal segments.\

Not much is known of their cultural practices— religion, family life, child rearing, none of it. What we specialists have been able to glean is that they’re much happier to live on their own, viewing the other races from afar. Perhaps one day we can establish contact of a more direct nature.