Crawlers from 'The Descent'

”Folks reckoned they must've broke clean through into hell. The devil was mighty pissed.”

One of the write-ups I’d planned for last year, the Crawlers from the movie The Descent

were a race of underground dwellers who were frighteningly effective in being scary in a unique environment. There was nothing new in the Crawlers that we hadn’t seen before, but the execution and implied aspects of the Crawlers were pretty cool. I enjoyed both The Descent and The Descent 2, but I think that the first film and the introduction of the Crawlers was far better, although I liked the swerve at the end of the second film.

Typical Crawlers

F: Gd (10)

A: Gd (10)

S:  Typ (06)

E:  Gd (10)

R: Pr (04)

I: In (40)* (See Below)

P: Typ (06)

Health: 36

Karma: 50

Resources:  N/A

Popularity:  0

Talents:

Crawlers are very cunning having extraordinary animal intelligence, but have no refined talents.

Powers:

Adapted Physiology:

Crawlers are incredibly adapted to their environment, making them incredibly formidable in their natural surroundings (underground). As such, Crawlers possess keen instincts and intimate knowledge of their world and have developed several key powers such as:

Sonar: Crawlers possess bat-like sonar based on evolutionary development for life underground. Like bats, Crawlers possess this skill at Rm (30) ability.

Adapted Natural Weaponry: Crawlers have sharpened nails and fang-like teeth which provide them with Gd (10) natural weaponry, which halves body-armor and protection. 

Stealth: In their own environment, Crawlers have Gd (10) stealth, able to sneak up on opponents or ‘get the drop down’ on targets.

wall-crawling: Although not necessarily the power of wall-crawling, Crawlers can move up and down their cave-like maze of tunnels with Gd (10) ability and speed.

sub-vocal communication: although not specifically stated, the Crawlers can communicate with one another over short distances, suggesting like bats they communicate.

Crawler Intuition: Crawlers seem to possess higher than average intuition within their environment, bordering on superhuman awareness while in such. With that being said, Crawler Intuition is at In (40) while in their cave system and/or at night. This is a two-edged sword: The Crawlers are so perfectly adapted to living in darkness they suffer when outside of it (see limitations for more details).

Contacts:

Crawler don’t’ really contacts, but Ed Oswald, the local owner of the farm in which their caverns open up to seems to know of their existence and has gone to protect it.

Limitations:

Crawlers have several key limitations based around their adapted physiology, which include:

Nocturnal: Crawlers are strictly nocturnal creatures, needing the darkness of their home cavern system or perfect pitch dark night to operate. Crawlers suffer anywhere from a -2cs to a -4cs when operating in well-lit areas, and are naturally photophobic. Crawlers do not seem to enter into sunlight under any circumstance.

 Sound dependent hunters: Crawlers utilize their enhanced sense of hearing and sonar-like abilities for hunting and navigation, but it can be interfered with as seen in both movies from items ranging from walkie-talkies to cellphones to similar electronics. Such devices confuse Crawlers and distract them, causing crawlers to suffer a -2cs to tracking checks against opponents. In addition, several of the key characters figure out that the Crawlers hunt by sound and are able to avoid their hunting groups simply by remaining still and silent. 

Hideous: Crawlers are hideous creatures suffering a -2cs to all reaction based FEATs.

Notes:

I liked the Crawler design. I felt that the Intuition is probably something that would be a little high, but given the extreme nature of their environment and how perfected adapted they are, it made sense. Furthermore, one of the things I considered was how they were shown to hunt, how they were able to track, and how most importantly they were avoided. I don’t think an In (40) intuition based on their strengths and limitations isn’t that hard to begin with as a base.