Scorpion-kinden, by David Mumford : Shadows of the Apt

Scorpion-kinden, by David Mumford

Scorpion-kinden live lives of violence, greed and savage joy. Raiders, traders, slave-takers and mercenaries, they can be found making a brutal living across the Empire, the Spiderlands and the eastern Lowlands. Clawed and belligerent, they respect only strength. For the old, the weak, the infirm of purpose, there is only death or flight. So it is that a few more enterprising Scorpion-kinden are found scratching a living beyond the reach of their kin. There is no other way for them to enjoy a long retirement.

Posted by Adrian Tchaikovsky on February 4th, 2009

Posted in Art, Kinden

Tags: scorpions

13 Comments

13 comments to “Scorpion-kinden, by David Mumford”

…And the Ugly. : Shadows of the Apt, February 5th, 2009 at 10:03 pm:

[…] Rakka the escaped slave and, most especially, cunning old Hokiak. So, to set the reconrd straight, here is David Mumford’s depiction of the Scorpions, which I’ve saved to last because I think […]
low, October 20th, 2010 at 5:20 am:

Correct me if I get any of this wrong. Scorpions have blades along the inside of their thumb and forefinger, mantises have spines running along their forearm. Neither are retractable. Spiders have bone needles, ants have blades, wasps have barbed hooks, beetles have bees have spikes.
Mole crickets have chisel-like nails grasshoppers have blades upon their heels and an assassin bug's bare hands pass through Armour and cut flesh like a razor. Any other apt powered killing blades I'm missing? Flies, skaters, soldier beetle, roaches, moth? (I know most of these aren't likely but I'm still curious.)
Adrian Tchaikovsky, October 20th, 2010 at 11:59 pm:

Beetles turn up with over-calloused, bludgeoning knuckles (there's an example in The Scarab Path in fact).

The Scorpion blades are actually more the outside of thumb and forefinger, forming over-arching blades considerably longer than the actual digits, but leaving the inside of the hand free for holding things. Thorn bugs have… well, full body weaponry.

Scorpion and Spider natural weapons can also be somewhat venomous, with the right Art.
low, October 21st, 2010 at 2:30 am:

Almost forgot the crescent thumb blades of the dragonflies.
low, October 12th, 2011 at 10:34 pm:

Scary, giant, tusked desert dwelling kinden?
inquiring ant, October 28th, 2011 at 4:03 pm:

do ant-kinden have a hand art? it seems like everyone else has a hand-art but them…
Adrian Tchaikovsky, October 28th, 2011 at 4:34 pm:

That sounds obscene, when you say it like that. Yes, Ant-kinden have a sort of acid touch Art the same as the Bees — it's used in (I think!) Blood of the Mantis.
Thankful Tarkesh, November 15th, 2011 at 1:42 pm:

i will reread it soon, but i cant seem to recall ant kinden having an acidic touch in book 3…
Adrian Tchaikovsky, November 15th, 2011 at 8:17 pm:

Challenge accepted:) p287 UK edition "The Guard he had just struck put one hand to his shoulder, and immediately a searing pain burnt into him, accompanied by the smell of burning cloth and flesh." Lovely fellows, the Sarnesh.
Thankful Tarkesh, November 17th, 2011 at 2:31 pm:

i just read a part in bookj 3, where the emperor Alvdan III and the misquito kinden are watching an arena fight, and it mentions one of the the ants fighting has a bone blade on his arm…maybe seperate ant kinden city-states have different art powers???
inquiring ant, December 1st, 2011 at 2:56 pm:

wait, cancel that. i finished book 3, and an ant had acidic hands! you were right!
justathought, November 3rd, 2014 at 12:20 pm:

On the subject of close combat art and desert dwelling kinden… have you heard of the South African armoured katytid… just thought you may want to give the scorpions some competition in the dryclaw some day
Adrian Tchaikovsky, November 3rd, 2014 at 8:52 pm:

Hmm, I should look them up 🙂

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