Songwitch 1441 Share Posted June 4, 2023 The Caves and Caverns Though existing in all climates and regions, caverns are a separate realm unto themselves, boding cold, dark, and ominous whilst housing many secrets and horrors within. It is among the few biomes that may be both natural and man-made, from gaping caverns to sprawling mineshafts. There are many creatures which dwell here, and though not many descendants settle amongst these stone halls, save for the dwarves, grand caves as these nevertheless pose as enthralling find to any roaming spelunker or explorer who travels within. Flora Not bearing any rich soil nor sunlight to warm its depths, the stony cavern is often thought as inhospitable to plantlife, though those well-versed in botany would argue quite the opposite, for there are many unique things that grow within the darkness. Jailor’s Moss Fauna Whereas the mountains and hills claw towards the heavens, the caverns burrow themselves deep into the bowels of the earth. Thus, whether driven underground or birthed by the earth, there are many things that dwell here, for not all things that live crawl upon the surface. Tarraskan Beetles Physiology The Tarraskan beetles are medium to large sized insects that make their hives in the caverns. If one were to take a moment to look upon these insectoids, one would find themselves revolted by the crude and distorted, almost humanoid forms they possess. This has led to myth and legend of the Tarraskan Beetles once being Descendants themselves, though having been changed over time by some curse or malignant affliction. While their carapaces do not provide them much protective strength, able to resist at most one or two strikes of a blade before shattering, they will succumb very quickly under blunt weaponry. The Tarraskan Beetles seem to come in a variety of types that range in size, from the basic warrior form that seems to be just shorter than a human all the way to the Queen, the overarching hivemind itself that towers over its drones and seems to have taken on additional appendages and a set of malformed wings that are unable to support its weight.It is unknown the true depth and variety the Tarraskan Beetles can come in, from more heavily armored forms to protect the Queen to more nimble and agile forms capable of flight. One thing for certain is that once located, Tarraskan Hives must be put to the torch with overwhelming force.Tarraskan Beetles have incredibly poor eyesight, mainly relying on a strong sense of hearing and smell to pick up the friendly pheromones produced by their Hive and to pick up on unfamiliar scents which they denote to attack. The pheromone itself seems to be produced by a small gland beneath the layered sections of chitin that adorns their bodies. Behavior As it is common with aggressive insects such as wasps, ants, etc, the Tarraskan Beetles are no different. They build their hives in the crevices and winding tunnels of the underground. They take the carrion of their hunts, chew it thoroughly and process it into a macabre daub which they use to fashion their walls and hives. Thus one can tell they are near a Tarraskan hive by the stench of death. Though if one is in smelling distance, the swarm has probably awoken and is on its way to dispose of the intruder. The Tarraskan Beetles all produce a very strong pheromone that helps them communicate and detect one another's presence in combat, this pheromone helps them identify friend from foe due to their poor eyesight. Taming These creatures cannot be tamed. The Hive hungers for all living things. Abilities There is no notable ability that has not been mentioned in previous sections. It is however worth noting that if a player were to manage to harvest a pheromone sack, they would be able to use it to mask their scent and easily infiltrate Tarraskan hives undetected. – Tarraskan Beetles can only be roleplayed during DIY, player-hosted events. – Tarraskan Beetles cannot be tamed. – Extracted pheromone sacks are player-signed and have only one use; the one explained above. Prismatic Spiders Physiology Big glowing spiders the size of boulders can be seen resting atop cavern walls, disguising themselves amongst luminous shrooms or crystals. They possess rocky spikes that protrude from their torso, which are white like their limbs to match the diorite caves they tend to congregate in. What is most curious about this creature is the bright and iridescent carapace of its head and thorax. These parts of their body can blend in with local bioluminescent elements, meaning that they will look similar to the environment that they’re in. Although these spiders are typically docile, they possess a large range of skills that make them capable killers. Unlike typical spiders that weave webs, the Prismatic Spiders are more commonly related to Bolas spiders, meaning they spin webs into a lasso and wrap their enemies up. They then smash their enemies against hard terrain or drop them into chasms. Their second most potent ability is their ever-changing venom. Few know this, but the color of the Prismatic Spider actually determines what type of venom it secretes, combined with the knowledge that they can shift colors, it means that these monsters can cycle through many different types of venom. Behavior They are docile spiders, which won’t attack unless provoked. They are omnivorous, devouring plant-life and fellow cavern monsters alike. They can attack descendents if their sources of food are disturbed, such as excessive hunting and therefore lack of sustenance. To mate these spiders perform a most dazzling and elaborate dance that can take up to hours to complete. This involves vigorous changing of their color, intensive waving of their limbs in wild rhythms and so on. Abilities Prismatic Spiders can switch the type of venom they use in two emotes, as follows: Amethyst - Fear - Three emotes of duration. Topaz - Upper Limb Paralysis - Three emotes of duration. Emerald - Strong Nausea - Three emotes of duration. Ruby - Blindness - Three emotes of duration. – Prismatic Spiders can only be roleplayed during DIY, player-hosted events. – Prismatic Spiders cannot be tamed. – Any material extracted from a Prismatic Spider is wholly aesthetic and player-signed. – Venom cannot be harvested as it will lose its potency and properties shortly after exiting the Prismatic Spider’s body. – Fear-mitigating spells can nullify the effect of the Amethyst-type venom. Onyx Ooze Physiology A large, sentient block of shimmering black ooze that is capable of reaching the size of a house. This monster crawls along the floor by sending its slimy tendrils across the ground, then channeling itself through it. This can take a long time, since the bigger the ooze the longer it takes to channel itself through. There is not much else to describe about this ooze, whatever internal organs it may possess are obscured by its onyx black ichor. All that can be discerned is that it possesses an animalistic intelligence and drive typical to that of predators. However, one thing that is known for certain is the incredible strong corrosive power the ooze has over flesh and metal, being able to melt both equally in mere moments. Behavior Due to their slow movement, the Onyx Ooze are ambush predators. They hide atop cave ceilings ready to drop down upon unsuspecting victims. If one sees bits of dissolved rock, metal or flesh in front of them, or black droplets falling from the ceiling, those are clear signs of the ooze being present. Apart from that, not much about the ooze’s behavior is known. It is theorized that when it has eaten sufficient biomass, it splits itself into two. This means that if the ecosystem experiences a disruption, such as a sudden explosion of population of the wildlife, there is also a big increase of the ooze population. To this end, they do not seem to compete over territory, instead just those who cannot hunt will simply die out. Abilities This ‘creature’ is able to corrode flesh or metal within three and four emotes respectively. – Onyx Ooze can only be played during DIY, player-events and may never be weaponized against another player or group. – Onyx Ooze cannot be tamed. It is too primitive and lacking of sentience to do anything other than devour all that which crosses paths with it. – Ooze cannot be harvested or contained in any way as it will corrode through any metal or flesh at some point. Almarisian Remnants Cave Leech Physiology Cave leeches appear remarkably like a naked bat with an extended neck and featureless face. It has no facial features save for a large, drooling maw with several rows of razor-thin teeth. Cave leeches have two legs upon which they may walk, yet although they do possess wings, their ability to fly has not been confirmed. Due to it’s highly aggressive and repulsive nature, the creature is widely avoided and investigation on a live subject is nearly impossible. More terrifying yet, adult cave leeches can scale up to the size of an uruk. Habitat These creatures simply crave a massive dark and damp space within which to hide. Due to environmental preferences, the creature resides within the icy northern reaches, and is known to plague the cave systems of the Norlandish and Haenseti lands. Behavior Though incredibly aggressive, cave leeches are also keen trappers, clinging to the ceiling of vast cave systems whilst awaiting opportunity to fall onto its prey, typically aiming to behead their unfortunate victim immediately. They will excessively attempt to maul their prey with its razor sharp teeth, and should it manage to kill its target, it would proceed to gradually drain away the victim’s blood over the course of the next few days. Abilities Though cave leeches cannot perform successful flight, it may use its wings to briefly glide when falling upon its prey. The teeth of this creature have been known to cleave iron as if paper, making the loss of a limb a common occurrence if not careful. Furthermore, the high-pitched screech emitted from this creature’s maw is deafening, often resulting in loss of hearing for several narrative days. Redlines - Cave leeches are grotesque and frightening. - Cave leeches cannot at all be tamed or controlled. - Cave leeches cannot fly, though they can glide. - It typically only takes an emote or two for their teeth to sever an unarmored arm. - Cave leeches are weak to fire and light. Lurker Physiology The Lurker is a gargantuan, carnivorous cavedweller and shadow-prowler, growing up to sixty feet in height given its home can accommodate its size. It’s carapace can withstand the weight of falling boulders and stalagmites, protecting its otherwise fleshy innards. These creatures possess six insectoid legs which allow it rather frightening speed and strength, though often the creature moves in a serpentine fashion. Lurkers reproduce asexually, forming broods that compete with one another for territory or carve new caves into the ground outright by digging them out with their mighty legs. Habitat A Lurker’s natural habitat is a cavernous system, preferably one with many traversable routes inside it. Lurkers themselves often create these routes to better invade territory they seek to usurp from their kin or to set up ambushes on cave ley lines that prove to have a lot of traffic moving through them. Less commonly, Lurkers can live in tall, damp and dark swamplands, where the jagged pattern of their carapace can often have other predators mistake it as a lazy crocodile under the water until they pounce. Lurkers found outside their environment always die, given there is no moisture to add a thick layer of mucous onto their underbelly; thus allowing the neurotoxin they produce to attack their own nervous system, leave them paralyzed and as such, easy prey for vultures. Behavior Lurkers act reclusively and seem unaware of their colossal stature. Their relative blindness prevents them from gauging their own depth. Because of this, they move slowly and weave their head about to give their long antennae room in which to sway and scope out scents and vibrations alike. Those that make caves their homes are especially astute when it comes to pinpointing potential food as the sounds echoing from the walls quickly make their way to the Lurker whose mastery over its rocky environment is unparalleled. It will, unless famished, settle itself into a dark hole it dug for itself and then ambush whatever prey walks by with stomps and neurotoxins. Once paralyzed, it spends the rest of the encounter pushing the prey into its perpetually-open maw. It’s easy to identify a Lurker that has just eaten: its head always points up to straighten its neck so that whatever it ate might slide down its slimy throat and into its stomach. At this time, they are most vulnerable; thrashing their head and moving too quickly is a surefire way to have their food either slide back out of their mouth or be regurgitated with the paralytic bile they ordinarily produce. Because of this, they recede into burrows or swampwater with their heads facing the sky so gravity might do the work for them; unfortunately being forced to expose their neck in the process. When confronted with insurmountable odds, a Lurker flees through one of the many escape routes it is never without. Should it not be detained and pinned, its escape is guaranteed. Should a Lurker’s eggs be targeted and the Lurker notice it, it will thrash in a manner that could verge into the self-destructive to do away with the threats. Abilities Serpentine in nature, the Lurker’s head sways as a cobra’s would to angle the button eyes flanking its torso around. These are relatively vestigial, given they can only detect light or lack thereof. Instead, they use two long, slow-moving antennae on their head to sense vibrations and scents in the air. Mouth more akin to a hole than anything else, the Lurker predates with paralyzing toxins, the might of its heavy legs and lashings of its carapaced head; all but its oozing underbelly. This spot on their body is not only responsible for securing the eggs but for producing a potent, paralytic neurotoxin said to have developed in the Lurker due to a diet of Mandragora mushrooms in the earliest days of their infancy. This neurotoxin oozes like thick mucus under them, leaving a snail-like trail wherever they go. They have also been known to projectile vomit this bile onto their prey. Redlines - Lurkers cannot exist outside of caverns or swamps. - A Lurker’s bile cannot be extracted or repurposed. - Lurkers are not by any means tameable but druids can commune with them. - Lurkers who have ingested an animal will instinctively crane their heads up to the sky or cavern roof, at which point they are vulnerable. Lurkers who have fed take one narrative day to finish digesting their meal. - Lurkers who have their eggs targeted will use the full force of their strength and size against an opponent and adopt much more reckless, albeit effective, combat strategies. This is up for player discretion but should always be a final option for a Lurker rather than the norm. Skelt Physiology Skelts are footlong mosquitoes with legs long & sharp enough to cut, a crustacean shell body with 3 segments, & a probing jabber that can drain blood or implant larvae. They can weigh several dozen pounds (36-48) when fully engorged. Their droning wings create a distracting noise in groups. The skelt body can curl up into a size of a baseball & it is exceptionally easy to miss when hidden. Once a year, after fully engorging themselves, Skelt will implant larvae into a dead body & float it out to water. Up to eight skelt can be born from the body of a descendent. Skelt are all the same creature, each is capable of parasitic reproduction. Habitat The cruel skelt dwell in caves, caverns, swamps, marshes, bogs, tropics, & jungles. They are always near still water, preferably a large body of it. Darkness is not necessary, but ideal. Skelt grow hives from their dried up prey’s bodies, often living inside the remains in caves. A Skelt Swarm contains 6-8 Skelt, and a Hive may contain anywhere from 2-5 swarms. Behavior If discovered in their cave, or otherwise intimidated, skelt attempt to flee unless fighting is necessary. The skelt prefer to attack at dawn & dusk, tracking signatures of creatures with blood through the air. Individual Skelt prefer the weakest, sleeping targets, but a swarm is happy to sacrifice one or two to gorge upon a massive creature. Abilities 1. Puncture - The Skelt’s probing skewer can pierce armor up to chainmail. The skewer is coated with barbs and a slick oil, so it is hard to grab and pull out. Blood that is drained out only makes the skewer slipperier & harder to grab. a. If multiple Skelt pierce one victim, their movement is greatly hindered as the skelts leverage their skewers in controlling the target. 2. Drain - Once a target has been punctured, the Skelt can drain the blood from the limb. Two emotes after puncture, whatever limb (including the torso) will be completely numb, and if unremoved after six continued emotes, death is certain. 3. Disconnecting Whine – When 10 or more Skelts are flying, the droning sound of their wings is too overwhelming for voidal connection in the nearby area. This also makes communication difficult in the chunk. 1. (15x15 square with the ET/swarm at the center.) Redlines -Playable by ET only -A single Skelt counts as a medium sized creature for use in Conjuration. -Skelt proboscis cannot be combined in chimeric conjurations, the mechanics of the skewering jabber is too complex to function in association with non-skelt biology. Gremlins Physiology Gremlins are quite short and peculiar little runts who range up to 3-4ft tall with scaly skin. They have quite cartoonish features, such as random splotches of hair lining their backs. Or their oversized ears and hands. Habitat These small pests reside within caverns, or dark spaces, where they’re able to easily make nests safely stowed away for the suspecting adventurer to have a hard time coming across. In most cases they often inhabit areas in the vicinity of cities or small towns. Behavior Are able to use small tools they find, though are unable to craft their own. Anything within the nearby range of their nest will likely fall prey to its pranks that it pulls on a normal basis. Pranks and meddlings are rarely harmful, and are more of just a way to try and ruin another’s day. If the Gremlin has set up somewhere, and has been pulling pranks for a while, it will start to listen in on the general chatter of the people - pulling even more devastating and witty jokes on them as it learns more of their lives and such. These things tend to act bratty when interacted with, due to its isolation and loneliness that a Gremlin often experiences throughout its life. Easy to aggravate. Won’t cooperate with any descendants it meets. Abilities Have rather keen hearing due to their giant ears. somewhat quick on their feet, at the expense of them being rather frail and brittle. Redlines -Aren’t tameable. -Cannot speak or understand common. -Won’t attempt to attack someone if caught, but instead will try to run. -Aren’t able to craft anything with tools or materials they find. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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