Monster Specification

Earthcrawlers

Typical Monster Level ("ML"): 3 to 7

Typical Number Encountered: d6 (often in small packs)

Usual Alignment(s): N/N

Description: a dark mottled reddish-brown (camouflaged to look like Anar Granite) insectoid creature, like a cross between a Giant Earwig and an elongated Carrion Crawler, with multiple small legs, large bug eyes and multiple long tentacles

Habitat: Dungeons, Depths of the Earth

Language: none (they seem to communicate by faint vibrations made with their legs and/or tentacles in the rock)

Chars: Co 4d8, Wp 4d4

Movement:

Earthwalk @ up to 2ML ft/sec in a fluid wriggling motion

Scuttle (if out of the Earth) @ up to ML ft/sec

Fighter Abilities:

ML/3, FRU AMR    D = 25 + (5ML) %    RD = 5 + (5ML) %    5 + (5ML) HP

Attack Modes:

2ML Tentacles @ A = 12ML%, DAM = 2dML (FRU to d4, 6 or 8) of Acid Damage, which corrodes metal and flesh into sand.

Bite @ A = 6ML%, DAM = 1dML (FRU to d4, 6 or 8) of Acid Damage, which corrodes metal and flesh into sand (which the Earthcrawler swallows).

Magic Armour, Shields and other Items get a st at BTS 10(ML+2)% [Wp] if hit by Acid Damage.

HitLoc Table:

HitLoc Area

Front

Side

Rear
Tentacles 01 to 25 01 to 12 n/a

Head

26 to 44

13 to 35

n/a
Body n/a 36 to 100 01 to 30

Legs

46 to 50

101 to 125

31 to 35

ADS: 4 all over

Effects of Specific Damage:

Hit Loc Area

%age HP Damage taken

Effects

Tentacles

 

 per 10% 1 Tentacle Severed
   
Head 20% Unconscious, carries on attacking for d6 sec, Co check vs Death
40% Dead, carries on attacking for d6 sec (can still cause Acid Damage)
   

Body

 

 

 80% Incapacitated, Co check vs Death
160% Death
   

Legs

 

 50% Scuttle * 3/4 (Earthwalk unaffected)
70% Scuttle * 1/2

 

 90% Scuttle * 1/4
100% Scuttle * 0 (immobilised)

No Bleeding effects.

Thievish Abilities:

M on Th Activities:

Defensive ThL = ML

Other Abilities / Powers / Notes:

  1.  Earthcrawlers are Insectoid Monsters.
  2. Earthcrawlers are a rarely-seen member of the "Clean-up Crew" as they dwell within the rock of the Dungeons and Depths of the Earth, only emerging to feed upon Stoned Beings.  They have the innate Abilities to Earthwalk through solid rock and earth without tunnelling and to Earthsee up to 10ML ft.
  3. Their large eyes can Earthsee clearly through rock, earth and metals but they have very poor normal vision, so are effectively blind when looking into caves and dungeon corridors and chambers (making them less likely to be Stoned by Monsters which Stone by sight and effectively immune to Sg-dependent Spells and Effects).  They can see Earth Elementals and detect when They are performing Earth Spells or Effects (especially Stoning).
  4. Their mouths and tentacles secrete an Acidic slime which breaks down Stone or flesh into a sand that they can digest and excrete in a powdery form.  They can consume rock, leaving sandy trails behind them, but prefer to eat Stoned Beings for their nutrients.
  5. In the Dungeons, any Earth Spell or Effect (e.g. Stoning) has a 1% chance (roll 00 on d100) of attracting Earthcrawlers and Earthwalking has a 3% chance (roll 97 - 00 on d100) of attracting or encountering Earthcrawlers.  Double these chances in the vicinity of Stoning Monsters or in the Depths of the Earth.  Even when attracted, Earthcrawlers rarely emerge from the Earth, except to consume Stoned Beings, but will attack and attempt to consume Earthwalkers.
  6. Rumour has it that Earthcrawlers were created when Carrion Crawlers were Stoned and subsequently transformed by TERRANA and Her Earth Elementals into Her own Clean-up Crew to dispose of Stoned Beings.

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