Underkingdom Cricket
Cave crickets of various sorts have always lived in the various caverns and tunnels beneath Mordrekain. As the Underkingdom of the Dwarves and Gnomes continued to expand and take up more of the habitable space, it was inevitable that some would eventually adapt to the presence of this civilization and become at least somewhat domesticated. So it is with the Underkingdom Cricket, which fills a similar role within the subterranean cities as raccoons and crows do on the surface. They inhabit areas thick with garbage, food waste, and compost, feasting on the refuse of an urban society while filling the air with their chirping song.
Reekin Predation
Life on the outskirts of Dwarven and Gnomish towns grants most Underkingdom Crickets a modicum of security from their usual predators. Crickets are mild vermin at worst and a boon to the environment at best, while most of their predators are a more active menace to society. What this doesn't stop, however, are the Reekin.
Most reported Reekin incursions on Underkingdom sites come in the form of raiding parties and the odd outright assault, but these are only the ones the Underfolk are aware of. Unbeknownst to the vast majority, the Reekin surrounding the Underkingdom can be far sneakier than one would expect for their kind, and they've taken a liking to cricket meat. On top of more insidious acts like sabotaging machinery or stealing food supplies, Reekin will frequently hunt a town's cricket population right out from under them. They make sure never to drive them to the point of extinction, as that would be bad for everyone, but more than once they've put a highly noticeable dent in the local cricket population, prompting Underkingdom scientists to begin a number of studies as to what possible part of the cricket life cycle could explain these sudden, location-specific population drops. They've yet to come up with answers.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Underkingdom Crickets are cylindrical insects with thick, burrowing forelimbs. While they can still leap a significant distance, their hind legs are not nearly as large or powerful as most other cricket species. Young adults develop wings which they can use to travel from their birthplace should food prove to be too scarce, but after a few molts, they become too weak to carry the insect any longer, and in some cases have even been known to fall off entirely.
Ecology and Habitats
As their name would suggest, the Underkingdom Cricket can be found throughout the metropolitan areas of Mordrekain, though their numbers are largest in more humid regions and cities with particularly dense populations, as these regions give them the most suitable matter to eat.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Underkingdom Crickets are omnivorous, eating primarily fungus and carrion in the wild. Within urban areas, they seem to eat just about anything they can get their jaws on. Reports of crickets eating their way into storehouses and laying waste to weeks worth of supplies are not uncommon in fringe towns. They are best known for inhabiting the garbage dumps of the kingdom's largest cities, converting any and all garbage they can digest into a fairly potent fertilizer and driving down nearby property values with their incessant singing.
Additional Information
Domestication
Underkingdom Crickets are sometimes tamed and specially raised as pets in order to serve in a similar capacity to pet birds. That being, they're personable creatures - especially when well-fed - who sing pleasant songs and don't tend to make too much of a mess. They're also easy to feed, since very little is toxic to them and they aren't particularly picky. Some families have even been known to purchase pet crickets specifically to use them as something akin to a living garbage disposal.
Average Intelligence
Crickets aren't the most intelligent of creatures, even as insects go. Though their large size seems to have lent the Underkingdom species a very slight advantage in this regard - to the point that some can even be taught tricks and other behaviors if properly raised - they still fall well shy of what anyone would term 'smart'.
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