Gravy Fly
Description
Gravy Flies are a flying insect native to Creation's Great Grass Sea, similar to the Mosquito, about the size of an adult human thumb. Where the mosquito feasts on the blood of animals upon which it lands, however, the gravy fly consumes another part of its prey: the fat. A thin, sharp proboscis extends from the head, piercing the skin of its prey to reach fatty deposits, releasing a venom that begins to liquefy the fat and allow it to be sucked up into the fly's stomach, which grows fat and spherical as it fills. The fly then attempts to escape, often struggling to fly under its increased weight, to find shelter where it might rest and digest its meal. Female flies, who have larger stomachs and feed in greater quantity, and if they have encountered and mated with a male not long before they may rest even longer to generate one or two eggs. This is taxing, and often results in the death of the mother fly, though even should she survive most gravy flies do not survive more than a few months.
In Creation, gravy flies feast on most creatures who can offer up sources of fat... humans and Cattle are favoured, as are Boar, birds, horses, Frogpurses, Guar, Gnu, Lions, and Gazelles. They are not particularly durable, and after feeding have difficulty maneuvering, meaning individual flies often perish when trying to bite their victims.
The venom of the gravy fly is limited in its duration and extent, and numbs its victim even as their fat liquifies. However, this effect on body fat can cause a great deal of physical trauma, particularly for smaller creatures such as humans (always inflicting at least one level of bashing damage).
Cultural Significance
While the gravy fly is considered a pest due to its bite, many in Creation also value it for use in cusine. The fat taken by a gravy fly remains semi-liquified in its stomach, where it takes on deeper savory flavours and hints of salt. Some humans will capture gravy flies after they have fed, squeezing them to pop their stomachs and release a warm rich sauce over their dishes. Many gourmands claim this method produces a superior and more refined version of the common pan sauce.
Some beauticians in Creation employ gravy flies, in controlled conditions, as part of weight-loss regimens, though this remains highly dangerous.
Hellish Gravy Flies
Hell is home to a few creatures native to Creation, trapped with the fallen Primordials when they were imprisoned within the world-body of Malfeas. Gravy Flies are amongst those creatures, and they have managed to subsist upon demonic fats in the Yozi Realms as well as they did mortal ones in Creation. The gravy flies found in Hell tend to be hardier and more aggressive than those in Creation, traveling together in larger, thicker swarms as they search for prey. Demon-fed gravy flies can be eaten, the alien variation in the bodies of their prey creating new and indescribable sauces when they are harvested... there are few in Hell or Creation who would think to do such a thing, but the Second Circle demon Alvir, The Throat That Roars is known to keep bottled swarms of the flies for such purposes.
Unknown to nearly all save those versed in the most arcane and complex of First Age sorcery texts, the gravy fly did not arrive in Malfeas with the fall of the Primordials, but sometime after, released as part of an effort by some now-forgotten Celestial Exalt to serve an agenda of artifice. If a single gravy fly can feed upon the jotun of five different Yozi, then in its stomach shall be mixed a concoction which can be used as a potent exotic component, its power dependent on the particulars of the combination. Which artifacts were forged using such Primordial Gravy Fly mixtures, and if they remain in service today, is unknown.
