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Cerberus — Description

It should be no surprise at this point that there have been many misconceptions and misinterpretations between the Underworld and surface world. I mean, after all, these false beliefs are what pretty much fueled the animosity that still burns bright in these two realms. The people of the surface thought that this underground civilization of horned beasts and living shadows was literal purgatory, while the denizens of down below saw life up above as a blasphemous blight in a godless void. Thankfully, such ancient beliefs have long been disproved, and hopefully the hate between worlds has died down a bit. Outside of these more destructive misconceptions, there are also cases where past explorers from both sides have dared to tread into this other world and failed to properly understand what they were witnessing. Most often there were only glimpses of unknown creatures or strange phenomenon, and all the "facts" were hastily scribbled down as the panicked explorer fled in fear. This is how you get tales of deadly shadows that possess people, where someone got one look at a shade and made a whole lot of terrible assumptions. On the other side, it is where you also get stories of scourges from above, like the faceless rotten fungal people that spew poison and devour life (which honestly isn't the worse thing I have been called as a dryad). This is how old field journals and tomes boast pictures of bizarre, and sometimes impossible, creatures. Once calmer minds were allowed to delve into these unknowns, though, we quickly learned the true meaning of a lot of old myths. A simple example would be the species known as the Cerberus, who had a rather different face in the old story books before someone bothered to take a closer look.

Ancient drawings and stories attach this name to a dog-like beast with three heads (and occasionally a serpent tail), and claim it to be some guardian of the underworld. It was a vicious monster that kept the dead in and the living out. Tales of its existence was one of the many reasons why people on the surface dare not venture nears these demonic "portals" that led to hell. However, it was eventually learned that this horrid guard dog was not in fact a dog, it wasn't even a mammal! Instead, the Cerberus belongs to the family of scorpions, as rather large member of the group. Its size isn't the only thing to note, as it has other bizarre bits to its anatomy. The first thing to notice is that it only appears to have four legs (the claws don't count, those are pedipalps, not legs), which is odd compared to the usual eight found in scorpions. It is believed that these missing four legs were either lost or perhaps fused with the other legs to create these heftier limbs. Due to the Cerberus' huge size, it needs some strong legs to carry it, so it seems the species found it was better to bulk up four instead of eight. Then take note of its thin stinging tail, which may not appear as intimidating or vicious as the stingers of others. This is because the Cerberus fights with strength and powerful claws, thus a potent venom isn't as necessary. Also, when living in cramped tunnels and cave, bringing a tail overhead to sting may not be so easy.

My mention of the claws no doubt focuses attention on the feature most folk are interested in on the Cerberus. The species boasts two huge pincers, whose size is almost the same as its own head. They possess serrated edges that allow it to saw and cleave through flesh with ease, the blades so prominent they look like teeth. On the claws themselves are numerous spikes, with at least one pair large enough to give the impression of horns or ears. Bright coloration on the sides of these appendages can make people think of eyes when they see them. What I am obviously getting at here is that these two claws are the two extra heads of the mythical dog Cerberus. When held up on either side of its real head, it can make it look like a three-headed beast, especially when the spectator screams and flees after only looking at it for a second. While that explains the three heads, some may ask why people thought of a dog instead of a scorpion. Well, it turns out that the Cerberus are not silent creatures. The claws have a metallic lining to them, which helps with another feature of this species (we'll talk on that later), that rubs and scratches together whenever the pincers are opened and closed. When faced with an intruder, the Cerberus gnashes its claws, and the colliding of these metal parts create a loud, short sound. Some have likened it to a metallic barking sound, but that isn't the whole story. Yes, it has similarities to the barking of a dog, but if you were to sit in an empty room and listen to it, you would clearly tell the difference between the two. However, encountering a Cerberus in the dark tunnels of the Underworld is a rather different circumstance. The pair of claws are clacking all at once, creating a cacophony of noise that is amplified by the echoes of the tunnel. Alongside that is stridulation from the main head and body, which sounds like a low growling sound. Combine these with the terrifying visuals, and people come running out recalling the sound of demonic barking by some devilish canine.

To add to this display is the fact that the Cerberus appears to "breathe" fire. When those gnashing heads emerge from the dark, bursts of flame can be seen lining its many jaws. This is because the species produces a flammable gas, which can be emitted from its mouth in an invisible cloud. When those metallic claws snap open and closed, sparks are produced. This obviously ignites the gas and creates of blast of fire. While the pincers themselves don't spew these clouds, their sparks and proximity to the flaming mouth gives the impression of them having the same. It should be noted that this fire has more bark than bite, as the flames are not that hot and don't last very long. It appears that this behavior is more for scaring off bothersome intruders and for mating displays. The males ignite these gas clouds to show off power and health, which tends to scare off the younger rivals. Female Cerberus can also create these flames, though they use them more for cleaning parasites off their hard-shelled eggs. I believe it is used by both for hygiene and grooming, literally burning off the filth. As a weapon, not so much. It turns out their sheer strength is more than enough.

When it comes to eating, the Cerberus is a carnivore, prowling the tunnels and caverns for prey. Their large size means they go after bigger prey, like the Isodons. For them, there is no fancy ambushes or clever tactics, they pretty much look for food that can't run fast enough. Many species down below rely on armor and impenetrable defenses to survive predator attacks, but unfortunately these are useless against a Cerberus. Their claws are incredibly powerful and can crush chitin, bone and shell. They simply approach hunkered down prey and tear them into chunks. For those with armor thick enough to withstand this assault, the Cerberus will instead look for weak spots. The underbelly is usually the soft area, so all the scorpion needs to do is flip prey over and stab into its guts. Its strength is used here to break the prey's grip and knock them over, getting at the exposed belly. Some sightings have shown that the Cerberus may occasionally use its hooked stinger to snag prey clinging to walls and pull them down. This stinger harbors a painful venom, but it isn't lethal. Falling into the waiting claws of this beast, though, is a guaranteed death sentence. Once prey is killed, the Cerberus will eat its fill and then take the remaining carcass up in its claws. It will carry what it can back to its lair, saving it for later.

The lair of the Cerberus is an important part of this species, as they are territorial. An individual will either find or carve itself a cozy little chamber, which it then claims as its own. These spaces are not large, usually just big enough to fit the Cerberus and a few extra carcasses. The important feature of this chamber is an entrance that is just big enough for the beast to block with its body. These spaces are where they store food or keep their eggs, and they are very protective of it. When unwanted visitors start getting too close, the Cerberus will stand at the entrance and block the way. Even if foes are not turned away by claws and flames, its sheer size prevents them from entering. This is how they protect their food and eggs from other Cerberus, who may be looking for an easy snack. This is why it is rare for one of these beasts to leave their chambers unguarded if it as decent supply of meat or eggs in it, as they dare not leave it unattended for long. Females will stockpile their space with kills before laying their eggs, as she will keep watch over them until they hatch, refusing to leave them for a second. When the young do emerge, she may finally go out to hunt, as her stockpile is long gone and she is most likely starving at this point. Rather than leave her young behind, they clamber onto her back and ride along as she looks for food. The sight of a female Cerberus laden with her children is an incredible one, but only when seen from far away. In this state, she is very hungry and very protective. Show any sign of threat to her or her young, and she will rip you into pieces. Don't even think you are safe if you are behind her, as that is what the stinger is for. When a threat approaches from the back, the Cerberus doesn't bother turning around and instead lashes out with its venomous spike. Such attack is so fast, it is almost like getting struck by a viper! A tail like a snake? Huh!

This species obviously has significance, as it has been known by the surface world for centuries. These myths are indeed false, as it isn't a multi-headed dog that guards hell, but you can clearly see where the impression comes from. Encounters with this species is possible because they live in the upper levels of the Underworld (meaning the layers closer to the surface), which means a higher chance for a timid spelunker to stumble upon one. Funny enough, this idea of a "guard dog" isn't just a surface world thing! It turns out the Underworld has saw their defensive behavior for their burrows and decided to put it to good use! The Cerberus has actually been domesticated (or at least very well trained) in some regions, with them being used to guard storerooms, homes and other precious places. Thorough training and rewards of food help teach them who to trust and who to keep out, and they are quite good at warding off intruders. Some have been even trained to guard livestock, scaring off predators who try to sneak in for an easy kill. Outside of that, some demons have kept them as just regular pets. With their size, though, this often is done by the wealthy and powerful, as they have the room to spare for a non-essential companion of that bulk. It appears that their strength and intimidating appearance is quite loved, so any proper warlord would have one of these beasts to sic on their enemies.

There have been attempts to bring the Cerberus up to the surface, as there are plenty of questionable folk who would want to own one. Funny enough, this has been difficult because the giant powerful scorpion of the Underworld has one major flaw: they're kenophobic. Much like many denizens of the Underworld, they are very much used to the tight tunnels and enclosed caverns. Throw them out into the open, with an empty sky looming overhead, and they pretty much flee to the nearest burrow or hole. They are not used to such areas and don't know what to do when presented with them. So people who have dragged a Cerberus up to the surface to sell as a pet or guard dog will find the beast panicked and anxious. I don't think I need to tell you what happens when one of these scorpions gets paranoid and nervous. However, these disastrous attempts do not mean a Cerberus cannot live on the surface. Illegal wildlife traders have found that locking these sedated beasts in lightless cages prevents these outbursts, and even covering their eyes helps ease them. They are then sold to wealthy customers, who leave these creatures in dungeons and vaults, places that mimic their Underworld home. Some are used as guards, others for morbid entertainment. Lock a couple poor souls in a labyrinthine basement, and wait for your new pet to hunt them down and pull them apart. Sure is swell that we displace these unwary creatures for rot like this....

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

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No spooky season is complete without visiting the Underworld! Turns out it isn't only populated with prehistoric creatures but also with some faces rather familiar to such a "demonic" place!

Also this concept had me thinking that it would work great as a MH carapaceon, like the Akuras. Only downside is that it would have to be a fire and/or blast monster and goodness do we already have plenty of those!