The Slayer's Guide to Scorpionfolk (2004)

Savage Desert Raiders
What are scorpionfolk and where do they come from? This is a question that many have asked; what is known is that they are brutal and destructive. But who are they really, and how can they be so savage and yet still exist? Surely they would all have killed one another in an orgy of violence; so there must be more to the scorpionfolk than meets the eye. The Slayer’s Guide to Scorpionfolk will lift the veil that obscures these fascinating and dangerous creatures from mortal ken.

The first travellers realise they are the targets of a scorpionfolk raid is when they are faced with the awesome vision of these huge creatures charging them. Somewhat akin to centaurs, these creatures appear to be the blending of two forms, that of a monstrous scorpion some 10 feet in length with a human upper torso. Bearing down on their prey with lance, claws and stinger twitching, the folk make short work of their targets taking what they will; food valuables and other treasure. Most caravan routes through the hot barren lands avoid known hot spots of scorpionfolk activity, but it is not always possible to gauge where they will hit. It is much safer to find routes around than to venture into the known haunts of the folk, they acknowledge no authority or boundaries other than their own. Only the most powerful and well-armed expeditions venture into the stomping grounds of the folk, and then only at great need.