Dunecrawlers
Live Fast, Every Moment Could Be Your Last
"The heat bears down on the lone traveler causing his footing to falter. He looks ahead for any sign of water or refuge; instead he sees the plume of a sandstorm on the horizon. He slumps, nearly completely given up, but as he raises his eyes to look again, he sees movement below the plume. A few moments pass before he realizes what it truly is, hundreds of Dunecrawlers migrating his direction. The traveler whispers thanks to his god as his salvation approaches."Dunecrawlers are eccentric, nimble, and very often misunderstood. Their lifespans are relatively short meaning they live in constant motion from one place to the next. Most Dunecrawlers have made lives for themselves in the Badlands as scavengers and inventors due to the ripe amount of Meneki ruins contained underneath the sands. However, Dunecrawlers can be found dotted around the world, trying to live their lives to the fullest.-Inan Ver'tah, Beyond the Sea
Basic Information
Anatomy
Dunecrawlers are a small arthropod race - usually around 3 feet in height. They have a pillbug like back and four pincers. Two of the pincers are dominant and bigger than the others as a defense mechanism and for stronger grip while the smaller ones are often used to carry smaller things and tend to more menial tasks. They have four legs that provide some mobility, but they will often roll up to move faster. Dunecrawlers range in color with cavern Dunecrawlers often times being see through or pure white. Surface Dunecrawlers tend to display the colors of the desert with oranges, browns, and blacks, but there is a Dunecrawler for pretty much any color of the spectrum.
Biological Traits
There are 3 variations of Dunecrawlers: Stilkin (Stalker), Keildesh (Hardened), and Ghost.
Stalker Dunecrawlers are quick on their feet and can easily blend in with their surroundings. They are most common variant and live along the dunes of the Badlands. They are a tad smaller than the other variations, and their body is a bit easier to maneuver with a few extra leg joints. Despite their namesake, they tend to be quite friendly.
Hardened Dunecrawlers have been shaped by the crags of the Badlands. They have adapted against the more poisonous creatures of the crags and have even developed a bit of poison as a defense mechanism of their own. These Dunecrawlers are a bit bulker - with a stronger exoskeleton made of multiple hard plates of chitin. They also have stingers within their dominant pincers that allows them to inject poison into their foes in combat situations.
Ghost Dunecrawlers (also sometimes referred to as Cavern Dunecrawlers) have lived in caves for many millenniums. Due to this, they have lost their eyesight in favor of a better honed sense of hearing and heat detection. Their bodies have also become clear - allowing you to actually see their organs. Having grown up in the depths of Myst, they've grown accustomed to the magic crystals that flow underground to the point of being able to having a bit of innate magic.
Growth Rate & Stages
This species starts as clusters of eggs of numbers in the 20s to 50s. A number of Dunecrawlers die in this vulnerable stage, but about half survive onto the larva stage. The larva stage typically lasts a quarter of a year before they mold and grow into normal Dunecrawlers. They reach full maturity at 2, and from there they tend to live up to 30.
Ecology and Habitats
Dunecrawlers have lived and adapted in the deserts of the Badlands, however, they can be found in all the deserts of Myst. They can withstand stark temperatures, and enjoy the heat of the desert over the mildness of forest lands. They will often be found traveling in large nomadic bands.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Having adapted in places where food is much more scarce, Dunecrawlers are omnivores that can eat pretty much anything as long as it gives nutrients. Cavern Dunecrawlers tend to have a bit more of a meat diet, but they still eat the fungi and cave plants of the caverns.
Additional Information
Social Structure
Dunecrawlers tend to travel in mass packs and trade guilds. They don't really have any sense of authority or status within their packs - a Dunecrawler of 20 years has no more status over one of 5 years. However, some over the years have adopted a more hierarchal structure as they've come in greater contact with other species, with the most influential members of the pack being those that are the most reproductive or successful financially.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Dunecrawlers are most often found around the Badlands - their natural environment - but some have traveled over the years to surrounding continents. They will more often than not be found around the hotter areas and deserts of the world.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Surface Dunecrawlers have eyes that they do use, but alot of their perceiving is actually done with antennae. Their antennae are relatively short and thus not used for feeling, but they can often pick up vibrations and smells in the air. Cavern Dunecrawlers rely on their antennae (and thus their antennae tend to be much longer than surface Dunecrawlers) and other heightened senses as they are blind. Along with the normal functions of the Surface Dunecrawlers' antennae, Cavern Dunecrawlers can perceive heat and taste as well, allowing them to even pick up things that would be invisible to the naked eye. Cavern Dunecrawlers, having also lived closer to sources of Etherine underground, have picked up a bit of magic of their own (though it still requires the usage of Etherine).
Civilization and Culture
Average Technological Level
The Badlands are full of ruins, providing Dunecrawlers access to many ancient Menekian technologies. They will often adapt certain technologies to their own use if able, but most of what they find is sold.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Crawler is a languages of clicks and bug like chatters that not many other species have been able to crack. Most Dunecrawlers also learn Common as the majority of their customers use Common.
History
Dunecrawlers are natural to the planet of Myst and have spent many years developing on it. They were one of the races enslaved by the Ancient Elves during the Age of Elves - often being used for a variety of dangerous tasks as they reproduced quickly. When their enslavement ended, and the world went silent, many Dunecrawlers started immediately recovering technologies lost from the Rend as they could easily navigate the cave systems that survived. They would start to sell this tech to the survivors, creating an important trade system for the underground and starting a tradition of barter and trade amongst themselves. When everyone started to return to the surface, Dunecrawlers continued uncovering old ruins and selling technologies.
Full Cover Image:
Origin/Ancestry
Ghost, Keildesh (Hardened), Stilkin (Stalker)
Lifespan
Roughly 30 years
Average Height
2.5 to 3.5 ft
Average Weight
Roughly 50 Pounds
Geographic Distribution
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