Crusty 'Uns «Crustean»

Description (Initial Observations): hese solitary, omnivorous scavengers can be encountered in a wide variety of places, as indicated above. In populated cities, they live around garbage dumps, their Heightened Taste enabling them to distinguish which leavings are safe to eat.They generally try to stay out of the way of bigger creatures, preferring to spend most of their time buried in sand or fine gravel with only their eyestalks exposed. When encountered, crusteans will be invisible unless surprised (on a 1 only).Crusteans are both articulate and intelligent. They have no natural enemies, and they are generally well equipped to avoid encounters, but occasionally one will get lonely and take an opportunity to join a group of intelligent creatures for a time. Crusteans enjoy company and often enjoy helping strangers in distress, but their cranky, irascible nature often prevents them from expressing themselves properly. Even with long time friends, a crustean's conversation will generally alternate between griping and sarcasm, especially when it is performing a kindness.A crustean will automatically climb an opponent to find a spot that the opponent cannot conveniently reach (between the shoulder blades of a human, for example), and will attempt to pinch with both claws. If it hits, it will try to hold on until its Symbiotic Attachment takes effect (which does not begin until the round after the crustean is attached). It takes a PS of at least 12 to pull a crustean loose if one claw is attached, or at least 16 if both claws are attached. If a creature cannot grasp the crustean, it may try to knock it off. This requires a combat hit at -4 and a minimum PS as noted above. This all assumes that the crustean is attached in a highly inaccessible spot - a crustean will be very reluctant to attack a creature with no back". A crustean forcibly removed from an opponent has a 50% chance of losing the claw or claws that were attached. It can regenerate these when it sheds its shell (see below), but not until at least a week has passed.Crusteans can climb almost any vertical surface with great speed, even if the surface is moving (in the case of an opponent). However, the surface must have some cracks, crevices, or footholds in it. Crusteans' Light Wave Manipulation has no effect on lasers or black ray guns. They must shed their shells once a month (sooner if they lose a claw), and will regrow new shells and claws in 8 to 13 days. They can only shed their shells underwater and are extremely vulnerable while doing so. They must also mate underwater. A crustean can hold its breath for a long time (4 hours), but it is not a water breather and so will not be encountered in deep water. Crusteans have no interest in treasure and artifacts, although they understand other creatures' desire for them. A visible crustean looks like a brown and black mottled crab about the size of a derby hat, with long legs and very large, powerful claws.