Scortaurs

Scortaurs are a type of beast featuring the upper half of a human and the lower half of a scorpion. They wander about the desert continent of Qahil.

Appearance and anatomy
Scortaurs have an upper half of a human and the lower half of a scorpion. This lower half has the pincers of a scorpion and four thin legs for scuttling around the sand. They also have an extendable tail with a large, bulbous stinger at its end capable of excreting a poison that paralyzes a human's muscles.

Features from the humanoid half of a scortaur that sets it apart from humans include hairlessness and a third translucent eyelid that functions the same as in birds.

Adaptation in a desert environment
Scortaurs have adapted in the hot and harsh desert environment. From their third translucent eyelid acting as a dust shield for sandstorms to their thin legs that can travel above the dunes, scortaurs are fast and strong warriors of the arid sands.

Scortaurs, like other beasts that call the desert their home, also don't need to eat or drink as often. Scortaurs are said to survive for up to 2 months without food and up to a month without water.

Excretion of and immunity against venom
Scortaurs are capable of excreting a paralytic venom from their stinger. This poison is so potent it can kill a human with one sting if untreated. Although scortaurs can use their tail as a defense mechanism in and of itself, scortaurs can only use their tail for back attacks. In order to attack in the front, scortaurs store said venom and use it to tip their spears--a weapon of choice for scortaurs.

Scortaurs are also immune to venom from other scortaurs or any venom weaker than it.

Constricting grip
The huge pincers of scortaurs are capable of a grip with a strong, bone-crushing force.

Nourishment
Scortaurs are omnivorous. They drink cactus sap and eat oasis blooms, both raw and cooked. However, they also eat any desert dweller they could stomach, including rodents, insects, and, if they're lucky, birds they've shot down. They might also eat manmade foods if they're offered some.

The most well-known scortaur food is steamed oasis blooms with stir-fried crickets.

Desert steeds
Scortaurs, thanks to their speed, can go through the desert with ease. Due to this, humans living in the desert have employed scortaurs as transport through the desert. However, scortaurs can't carry as much weight unlike other beasts and animals. They are used more often by solo adventurers like mercenaries, travellers, and ruin investigators.

Cavalry warriors
Scortaurs are also strong and capable of combat, particularly with using their venom-tipped spears. The history of legendary scortaur warriors have been documented throughout history, even with a band of scortaurs being in the heat of battle during the War of Dragons of Men.