Loxatl
From Lexicanum
Loxatl a race of sinuous, non-humanoid quadrupeds evolved from amphibian forms. They are commonly found as mercenaries in service of Blood Pact armies. Their natural environment is under water - outside of water, their vision, hearing and sense of smell are dulled, and they rely on their powerful senses of taste and vibration to hunt and corner prey. In appearance they resemble a slimy-skinned scaleless Komodo Dragon, with a broad toothy head and pupiles red eyes.
They are slighter larger than humans and extremely swift and dexterous, and use large dew-claws to give them purchase on any surface, allowing them to run up walls and across ceilings. Their presence is often given away by the nauseating smell of a mix of rancid milk and crushed mint.
The Loxatl use unique weapons known as flechette blasters, carried along with ammunition bandoleers on their torsos, and mounted on mechanical armatures that fire the weapons through a mind impulse device. This leaves a Loxatl's limbs free for climbing. The blasters fire deadly shot-bursts filled with millions of razor-sharp filaments that shred armour and cause grievous wounds in their target's flesh.
Loxatl are believed to operate in small, 'brood groups' of related kin, communicating by vibration and subsonic calls, usually led by a single Matriarch. Loxatl are normally grey skinned - when in close proximity with brood kin they communicate through iridescent patterning that they are able to flash and move across their skins.
The word 'Loxatl' is almost certainly a reference to the Axolotl, a species of Mexican mole salamander (a close relative to the Tiger salamander) that stays within its larval form thought its life-cycle, and is common in captivity.
