"We was diggin’ a new tunnel when we burst into a cave. Hans saw somethin’ gleaming in the dark and thought it was an ore vein. Idiot woke the thing up, doomed us all…"—Torval Angild, ex-miner
The Shriekcrawler, also called the Wailing Death, is a large, many-legged reptilian beast that dwells in the deepest caverns beneath the surface of Haven. Known for its powerful sonic shriek that it uses to stun its prey, the Shriekcrawler has become the subject of many a doomed cave explorer’s story. While extremely dangerous, hunting them can be profitable due to the properties of their lungs.
Characteristics
Appearance
The Shriekcrawler is a large, pale-scaled reptile that resembles an elongated monitor lizard. Twelve powerful legs ending in clawed feet give the Shriekcrawler considerable speed as well as let it climb on any surface. They are also expert burrowers, using their claws to dig through earth and rock as they hunt for prey. Indeed, many of the tunnels that connect Haven’s extensive caverns together were originally dug out by Shriekcrawlers and later expanded over time by natural or outside forces.
Like many subterranean creatures, the Shriekcrawler possesses no eyes, having no need for sight in the pitch-black environment it calls home. For hunting, it savages its prey with a mouth full of serrated, dagger-like teeth that continuously regrow throughout its life. It is not uncommon to find discarded teeth lying around on cavern floors, which some people collect and turn into necklaces as good luck charms. However, most see these teeth as a warning, a sign to turn back lest they wander into a Shriekcrawler’s waiting jaws.
Biology
The Shriekcrawler boasts an impressive set of highly-developed lungs which let it hold its breath for up to an hour. However, their primary function is to let the Shriekcrawler unleash a powerful sonic blast strong enough to send most creatures flying. This shriek is loud enough that most creatures are left temporarily or even permanently deaf, utterly disoriented as the Shriekcrawler moves in to feast. To prevent it from going deaf from its own attack, the Shriekcrawler has a set of special folds in its ears that close whenever it uses its sonic burst.
An opportunistic carnivore, the Shriekcrawler feeds on anything it can catch as well as scavenging from carcasses should the need arise. It hunts by lying still and listening for any noise made by potential prey. Once a sound has been picked up, the Shriekcrawler will track the noise until the prey is close enough. Next, it rears up and unleashes its shriek, stunning anything nearby and devouring any unfortunates who were standing too close. They’ll even hunt other members of their own kind, though fights between Shriekcrawlers often turn into screaming matches that last for hours.
During mating season, the male Shriekcrawler digs out a burrow and marks it with his scent, hoping to attract a mate. Should he successfully manage to woo a female, the two will mate and the female will lay her eggs a month later. She will guard these eggs for the next five months, staying around for another two weeks after they hatch. At this point, the young Shriekcrawlers will leave, rapidly burrowing away so they don’t become a meal for their hungry mother.
Behavior
The Shriekcrawler is a solitary beast, living in hidden hollows dug in cavern walls. These hollows are often the nexus of a network of tunnels that lead to other caves, which are often used by other creatures if the Shriekcrawler dies or abandons its home. Though the Shriekcrawler is rarely seen by the intelligent races of Haven, they do have a habit of bursting into mines and quarries when they hear the sounds of heavy labor going on. More than a few operations have been shut down due to the surprise appearance of a Shriekcrawler bursting in and devouring hapless workers.
Shriekcrawlers are highly territorial creatures, tolerating nothing within several hundred meters of their hollows. If the intruder happens to be another Shriekcrawler, the two will size each other up and engage in physical combat. If the defending Shriekcrawler is the winner, the intruder will leave, but if the trespasser triumphs, the Shriekcrawler will be forced out of its territory, forced to seek a new home far away from its original burrow. These competitions are fierce as all Shriekcrawlers yearn to dig their hollows near the best hunting spots.
Shriekcrawler Hunting
The Shriekcrawler’s powerful sonic attack and voracious appetite have made cavern exploration a hard time for many groups across Haven. However, it was eventually discovered that their lungs made for a powerful component of certain spells and alchemical brews, which drove the demand high enough for dedicated hunting parties to form. These hunters are often equipped with special rune-lined helmets designed to protect their ears from the beast’s shrieks, though they still have to avoid being sent flying. If a hunting party is successful, the Shriekcrawler’s corpse is hauled to the surface and dissected, with the lungs being sold off to the mage who hired them.
But the lungs are not the only part of the Shriekcrawler that is valuable. Their tough hides are often worked into cloaks and armor, providing a good degree of protection without sacrificing mobility. Their meat is also surprisingly palatable, described as tasting like aged beef. It is a common practice to cook a dish known as Shrieker’s Stew with this meat after a successful hunt, famed for its richness and said to improve one’s hearing. Lastly, Shriekcrawler skeletons are often seen in many high-end museums, becoming prized attractions that awe and terrify visitors.
Notable Individuals
TBA