Bekal
The bekal (often referred to as the bekal fly) is a small, blood-drawing flying insect native to the sweltering jungles of the planet Eryn. They are highly comparable to the mosquitoes found on Mar.
Ecology and Behavior
Bekal flies sustain themselves by biting animals and people to draw blood. They undergo a massive spawning season twice a year. During this mating season, the bekal reproduce, eat, and die by the millions, forming immense, inescapable swarms that permeate the jungle for an entire week.
In addition to blood, bekal flies are highly attracted to sweet substances. They are frequently drawn to the fermenting palm sap used to make skondul liquor in rylak villages, where they often drown and form a thick skin of dead bugs on the liquid's surface. Biologically, they also possess a fatal, instinctive attraction to open flames.
Interaction with Sentient Species
To survive the week-long spawning swarms, the rylak and their ellr slaves are forced to hole up indoors, lowering mosquito nets and shuttering their windows against the horde. Firesakes, the lowest caste of rylak, are typically tasked with skimming the dead insects out of the communal skondul basins. However, some rylak, such as the cruel master Hloldr, do not mind the dead bugs in their drink, claiming the dead bekal add "texture" to the liquor.
Key Events
Cariel's Soulbind
Due to their tiny size and simple minds, bekal flies are incredibly difficult to magically soulbind. However, the ancient mage Cariel (Magona) successfully managed to enslave millions of the insects to her Will as part of her larger animal army.
The Battle in the Desert
During a confrontation with Trey and Arra in the Thesserin Desert on Valaralda, Cariel revealed her mastery over the insects. In a horrific display of power, Cariel opened her mouth and unleashed thousands of soulbound bekal flies that she had been hiding within. The swarm immediately inundated Trey and Arra, biting their skin, crawling into their eyes, noses, and throats, and nearly incapacitating them. The heroes were only saved when Arra exploited the insects' natural weakness by lighting a brazier on fire, distracting the flame-drawn swarm long enough to hurl the fire in Cariel's face.