HOME | DD

Description

Kumonga

Intro: Throughout history, mankind has always harbored a fear of what lies underground. Mythologies from around the world invariably portray the depths of Earth as a place of gloom, torment, decay, and horror. Modern analysis supports the possibility of such stories being inspired by brief encounters, at various points in ancient history and prehistory, of kaiju. In particular, a race of creatures that were so feared that most myth cycles barely dared to hint at their existence. So feared that to seek and worship them and their accursed deity was punishable by death. Nevertheless, stories of “those ones” persisted down through the millennia of man’s history, forgotten by most and whispered of only in lonely, isolated places. Stories of “those ones” whose true name can only vaguely be pronounced as “Speiga”, and their supreme goddess of the underworld; “Kumonga” …

Story: FATHOM became fully aware these creatures barely a year after the Castle Bravo strike on Godzilla, when a large specimen surfaced in Arizona and was terminated via heavy dynamiting and napalming, thankfully before it reached a populated area. Since then, there were several other “giant spider incidents” across the world throughout the later half of the 20th century, and then some before Godzilla’s resurgence in 2014-2016. Much of these incidents occurred over western North America, isolated pacific islands, and northern Africa.

Samples procured from such specimens as could be salvaged indicated that, despite the regional discrepancies, these creatures all belonged to the same super species, dubbed Speiga sarcophagus. This was an important component in the research of FATHOM geologist, Bill Randa, who first presented his “Hollow Earth” hypothesis in 1970. This idea proposed the existence of large, hollow portions of Earth’s crust, in which kaiju may retreat to in search of better sources of radiation. Of further note was that all specimens of S. sarcophagus documented thus far were male…

The Kebira region, in northeastern Sahara, would eventually come to be seen as a possible entrance to such a realm. Two large kaiju, Varan and Komodithrax, had been monitored in and around the region since 1958, with a suspected third kaiju sensed burrowing underground. Many specimens of S. sarcophagus were also seen to emerge in the area, but were kept from venturing far by both varanids. After kaiju entered public awareness and the research station of Kebira was disclosed, though, one such specimen that had been brought in for study after having been assumed dead reactivated and destroyed much of the station before being killed by Varan. After that, the lizard kaiju was followed deep into the Kebira region, where a number of other large arachnids were encountered, along with the burrowing kaiju, Baragon. Baragon, in turn, was followed down into a series of great caverns that further lent support to the Hollow Earth theory.

The cave system was found to be crawling with arachnid monsters, which Baragon seemed to find harder and harder to fight back. Two especially large specimens appeared in the deepest regions, and were barely defeated by the synapsid kaiju. They, however, were merely the cohorts of the true Queen of the Underworld. From the depths of the Earth, the primordial spider, Kumonga, finally revealed herself. After this report reached the surface, both Libyan and Egyptian governments approved an underground nuclear detonation. The bomb was set, and the recon team retreated as Baragon engaged Kumonga. The echoes of their battle were heard and felt until the detonation…

The desert countries’ celebrations, though, were all too premature. A few days later, after barely any seismic warning, Kumonga resurfaced in the heart of Cairo, Egypt. Her webbing quickly blanketed much of the city and made short work of all military attempts at termination. Soon, though, both Varan and Komodithrax, after disappearing within the Kebira crater, reemerged in the Gulf of Suez, and began travelling quickly towards the city. More seismic activity also announced the presence of Baragon long before he arrived as well. What little military resistance there was failed to stop them, and soon, all four monsters clashed in Cairo. The battle was long and destructive, but eventually Baragon’s heated body was enough to burn through Kumonga’s web. All three reptilian kaiju gradually wore the spider down, though Varan was suffered a heavy dose of venom that forced him into a torpor. Komodithrax was forced to shed her tail to avoid the same fate, and Baragon lost much of his segmented armor. Finally, Baragon’s flames ignited the spider’s internal silk glands, and Kumonga was immolated.

Kumonga retreated into the Nile, where she appeared to freeze and go dormant. As he cooled down, Baragon also barely managed to drag himself back into the ground. Containment facilities were established around both Kumonga and Varan’s comatose bodies as Cairo was evacuated and the capitol was relocated to New Cairo. Attempts to relocate Baragon have been unsuccessful, while Komodithrax has been steadily moving towards the Atlantic…

Abilities: Kumonga is without doubt the largest and most powerful arachnid that has ever lived on Earth. Her carapace is able to withstand nearly all conventional weapons, only being sensitive to extremely hot or cold temperatures, as well as around the softer joints of her legs. Each of said legs end in muscular, grasping multi-clawed paws, which enable her to clamber easily across difficult terrain on and under the Earth in spite of her massive bulk. Each paw also bears a large raptorial claw which can be wielded as oversized pickaxes for digging and climbing, as well as piercing straight through the hides of smaller kaiju. Both pedipalps also possess such a claw for better manipulation and grappling of prey.

Her body is also covered in innumerable hairs, or setae, which contain silicate compounds, making many of them razor sharp and able to penetrate steel at high speeds. Kumonga will often discharge these setae in battle, which can cause disorientation and extreme irritation, even mild blood loss in large quantities.

Like all spiders, Kumonga is venomous. Much more so, in fact, than almost any other known lifeform. The venom contains unique radioactive compounds that seem to disrupt nearly all forms of biological organization. Untreated, it is always fatal for average lifeforms, and deadly for most lower kaiju as well. A partially effective antivenom has fortunately been synthesized with the help of Varan and Komodithrax’s own milder venom. It is also fortunate that, as this venom seems to be difficult to metabolize, she uses it infrequently.

By far, Kumonga’s most prolific tool is her silk. She is able to produce a dozen types of silk from spinnerets on both her abdomen and around her mouthparts. Common techniques include a feather-light silken ‘parachute’ that can spread over and blanket large areas and entangle flying enemies, ropier and very sticky strands that can bind prey and are resistant to fire, and a venom-laced ‘spear’ that can slow down tougher opponents. All forms of silk are incredibly tough, with the more elastic types being more susceptible to high temperatures, while the more fire-proof varieties are less flexible. She also uses strands of laid silk to better sense her surroundings, as her vision is very poor. She can detect the slightest tremors through the ground and in the air across her setae, making it quite difficult to sneak up on her.

Character: Though her biology has been studied extensively since the Cairo incident, very little is known of this mysterious goddess’ motives aside from predation. She seems to be very reclusive, and only ventures into the upper world when a direct threat is sensed. She seems to be feared by even other members of her species, all of which are far smaller than her, and of which she is the only known female. It is speculated that she may have eliminated all other female competitors and may be the primary regulator of her kind, similar to Kamacuras’ standing among the gimantids.

Of particular concern to many agencies is the extent to which her underground territory may reach. Comparative mythology has traced mentions of her abhorred name to certain Native American tribes, Pacific Islanders, and various Asiatic and East African cultures. If true, this could indicate a very extensive network of tunnels deep below the Earth’s surface, sprawling across the globe like a giant web. The number of male Speiga within these tunnels is also a matter of debate, as is the question of whether or not Kumonga has mated with any of them. High-energy scans of her dormant abdomen have detected traces of movement, though its' nature is, for now, impossible to tell…

----------
Apologies for yet another delayed upload. I've been making a major purchase and it took priority. Hope it's satisfactory.
Kumonga is copyrighted by Toho

Description

Kumonga

Intro: Throughout history, mankind has always harbored a fear of what lies underground. Mythologies from around the world invariably portray the depths of Earth as a place of gloom, torment, decay, and horror. Modern analysis supports the possibility of such stories being inspired by brief encounters, at various points in ancient history and prehistory, of kaiju. In particular, a race of creatures that were so feared that most myth cycles barely dared to hint at their existence. So feared that to seek and worship them and their accursed deity was punishable by death. Nevertheless, stories of “those ones” persisted down through the millennia of man’s history, forgotten by most and whispered of only in lonely, isolated places. Stories of “those ones” whose true name can only vaguely be pronounced as “Speiga”, and their supreme goddess of the underworld; “Kumonga” …

Story: FATHOM became fully aware these creatures barely a year after the Castle Bravo strike on Godzilla, when a large specimen surfaced in Arizona and was terminated via heavy dynamiting and napalming, thankfully before it reached a populated area. Since then, there were several other “giant spider incidents” across the world throughout the later half of the 20th century, and then some before Godzilla’s resurgence in 2014-2016. Much of these incidents occurred over western North America, isolated pacific islands, and northern Africa.

Samples procured from such specimens as could be salvaged indicated that, despite the regional discrepancies, these creatures all belonged to the same super species, dubbed Speiga sarcophagus. This was an important component in the research of FATHOM geologist, Bill Randa, who first presented his “Hollow Earth” hypothesis in 1970. This idea proposed the existence of large, hollow portions of Earth’s crust, in which kaiju may retreat to in search of better sources of radiation. Of further note was that all specimens of S. sarcophagus documented thus far were male…

The Kebira region, in northeastern Sahara, would eventually come to be seen as a possible entrance to such a realm. Two large kaiju, Varan and Komodithrax, had been monitored in and around the region since 1958, with a suspected third kaiju sensed burrowing underground. Many specimens of S. sarcophagus were also seen to emerge in the area, but were kept from venturing far by both varanids. After kaiju entered public awareness and the research station of Kebira was disclosed, though, one such specimen that had been brought in for study after having been assumed dead reactivated and destroyed much of the station before being killed by Varan. After that, the lizard kaiju was followed deep into the Kebira region, where a number of other large arachnids were encountered, along with the burrowing kaiju, Baragon. Baragon, in turn, was followed down into a series of great caverns that further lent support to the Hollow Earth theory.

The cave system was found to be crawling with arachnid monsters, which Baragon seemed to find harder and harder to fight back. Two especially large specimens appeared in the deepest regions, and were barely defeated by the synapsid kaiju. They, however, were merely the cohorts of the true Queen of the Underworld. From the depths of the Earth, the primordial spider, Kumonga, finally revealed herself. After this report reached the surface, both Libyan and Egyptian governments approved an underground nuclear detonation. The bomb was set, and the recon team retreated as Baragon engaged Kumonga. The echoes of their battle were heard and felt until the detonation…

The desert countries’ celebrations, though, were all too premature. A few days later, after barely any seismic warning, Kumonga resurfaced in the heart of Cairo, Egypt. Her webbing quickly blanketed much of the city and made short work of all military attempts at termination. Soon, though, both Varan and Komodithrax, after disappearing within the Kebira crater, reemerged in the Gulf of Suez, and began travelling quickly towards the city. More seismic activity also announced the presence of Baragon long before he arrived as well. What little military resistance there was failed to stop them, and soon, all four monsters clashed in Cairo. The battle was long and destructive, but eventually Baragon’s heated body was enough to burn through Kumonga’s web. All three reptilian kaiju gradually wore the spider down, though Varan was suffered a heavy dose of venom that forced him into a torpor. Komodithrax was forced to shed her tail to avoid the same fate, and Baragon lost much of his segmented armor. Finally, Baragon’s flames ignited the spider’s internal silk glands, and Kumonga was immolated.

Kumonga retreated into the Nile, where she appeared to freeze and go dormant. As he cooled down, Baragon also barely managed to drag himself back into the ground. Containment facilities were established around both Kumonga and Varan’s comatose bodies as Cairo was evacuated and the capitol was relocated to New Cairo. Attempts to relocate Baragon have been unsuccessful, while Komodithrax has been steadily moving towards the Atlantic…

Abilities: Kumonga is without doubt the largest and most powerful arachnid that has ever lived on Earth. Her carapace is able to withstand nearly all conventional weapons, only being sensitive to extremely hot or cold temperatures, as well as around the softer joints of her legs. Each of said legs end in muscular, grasping multi-clawed paws, which enable her to clamber easily across difficult terrain on and under the Earth in spite of her massive bulk. Each paw also bears a large raptorial claw which can be wielded as oversized pickaxes for digging and climbing, as well as piercing straight through the hides of smaller kaiju. Both pedipalps also possess such a claw for better manipulation and grappling of prey.

Her body is also covered in innumerable hairs, or setae, which contain silicate compounds, making many of them razor sharp and able to penetrate steel at high speeds. Kumonga will often discharge these setae in battle, which can cause disorientation and extreme irritation, even mild blood loss in large quantities.

Like all spiders, Kumonga is venomous. Much more so, in fact, than almost any other known lifeform. The venom contains unique radioactive compounds that seem to disrupt nearly all forms of biological organization. Untreated, it is always fatal for average lifeforms, and deadly for most lower kaiju as well. A partially effective antivenom has fortunately been synthesized with the help of Varan and Komodithrax’s own milder venom. It is also fortunate that, as this venom seems to be difficult to metabolize, she uses it infrequently.

By far, Kumonga’s most prolific tool is her silk. She is able to produce a dozen types of silk from spinnerets on both her abdomen and around her mouthparts. Common techniques include a feather-light silken ‘parachute’ that can spread over and blanket large areas and entangle flying enemies, ropier and very sticky strands that can bind prey and are resistant to fire, and a venom-laced ‘spear’ that can slow down tougher opponents. All forms of silk are incredibly tough, with the more elastic types being more susceptible to high temperatures, while the more fire-proof varieties are less flexible. She also uses strands of laid silk to better sense her surroundings, as her vision is very poor. She can detect the slightest tremors through the ground and in the air across her setae, making it quite difficult to sneak up on her.

Character: Though her biology has been studied extensively since the Cairo incident, very little is known of this mysterious goddess’ motives aside from predation. She seems to be very reclusive, and only ventures into the upper world when a direct threat is sensed. She seems to be feared by even other members of her species, all of which are far smaller than her, and of which she is the only known female. It is speculated that she may have eliminated all other female competitors and may be the primary regulator of her kind, similar to Kamacuras’ standing among the gimantids.

Of particular concern to many agencies is the extent to which her underground territory may reach. Comparative mythology has traced mentions of her abhorred name to certain Native American tribes, Pacific Islanders, and various Asiatic and East African cultures. If true, this could indicate a very extensive network of tunnels deep below the Earth’s surface, sprawling across the globe like a giant web. The number of male Speiga within these tunnels is also a matter of debate, as is the question of whether or not Kumonga has mated with any of them. High-energy scans of her dormant abdomen have detected traces of movement, though its' nature is, for now, impossible to tell…

----------
Apologies for yet another delayed upload. I've been making a major purchase and it took priority. Hope it's satisfactory.
Kumonga is copyrighted by Toho