Ferro-beast

Ferro-beasts are creatures which appear in Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 universe.

Description
Appearing somewhat similar to a Terran armadillo or glyptodon, Ferro-beasts are quadrupedal creatures native to the planet Yimbo-bim which are roughly six to seven feet long and possessed of a tough, armoured shell. Their most distinguishing feature, however, is a sprouting of short tentacles which form a sort of “beard“ around their mouths.

Ferro-beasts primary diet is in the iron-rich mineral deposits which dot their home world, which they are capable of scenting from many miles away. In order to consume these minerals, a Ferro-beast will use its tentacles to secrete a powerful digestive juice on to the deposit to create a sort of ‘soup’ which it will then lick up and take as sustenance.

Although generally placid in nature, the smell of the large amounts of concentrated metal (compasses, wristwatches, mining equipment, etc.) carried by an average explorer or prospector may be enough to drive a Ferro-beast into a frenzy, and even vehicles are not immune to their predations. Indeed, many a landing craft has been lost due to an unwary pilot setting down near a herd of these creatures, unaware of the nature of their diet.