Ashcricket of Grafangu and Neatapori - Printable Version +- Sangreal - Fantasy Roleplay (http://193.122.143.38) +-- Forum: Lore of Sangreal (http://193.122.143.38/forumdisplay.php?fid=7) +--- Forum: Lore Applications (http://193.122.143.38/forumdisplay.php?fid=27) +--- Thread: Ashcricket of Grafangu and Neatapori (/showthread.php?tid=46)

Ashcricket of Grafangu and Neatapori - BigDrago53 - 05-04-2025 Ashcricket of Grafangu and Neatapori “Where the mountain cracks and the coalsmoke sings, the Ashcricket waits with jaws of embered steel.” —Old Neatapori Miner’s Warning ? Summary The Ashcricket is a rare, car-sized subterranean insectoid creature found only in the volcanic and mountainous regions of Grafangu and Neatapori. Dwelling in the deep coal-veins and ash tunnels of the earth, it sustains itself on combustibles—particularly coal, charcoal, and sulfurous rock—which it both consumes and ignites internally, becoming a walking furnace. Regarded with a mix of fear and reverence, the Ashcricket is both predator and natural phenomenon. ? Basic Description Size: Roughly the size of a small wagon or car (10–12 feet long) Body: Segmented black exoskeleton streaked with glowing red fissures. Plates resemble volcanic rock fused with obsidian. Legs: Six jointed limbs, barbed for digging and climbing, capable of incredible bursts of leaping power. Eyes: Multifaceted and ember-red; capable of low-light vision and heat detection. Mandibles: Serrated, glowing orange at the tips—superheated and capable of biting through stone and steel. Internal Furnace: Visible through gaps in its thorax plates; glows white-hot after feeding. ?️ Habitat The Ashcricket is native to mountainous volcanic zones, particularly: Southern Grafangu: Especially the Ashneedle Peaks and collapsed lava tunnels known as the Embercoil. Northern Neatapori: The Blackvein Mountains and the Fireroot Rift. It burrows deep into coal seams and dormant volcanic veins, emerging only when hungry or disturbed. Sightings increase after rockslides, mining explosions, or volcanic tremors—which awaken dormant nests. ? Properties & Behaviors Combustion Feeding: The Ashcricket consumes combustible minerals and ignites them in its internal furnace. The heat fuels its movement, reproduction, and bioluminescent mating displays. Thermal Locomotion: Converts coal into raw heat energy, allowing for short-range flame-propelled leaps and rapid tunneling. Flame Breath (Minor): When threatened, it can vent pressurized superheated gas from its spiracles, briefly igniting surrounding material. Not a true “flame breath,” but devastating in confined tunnels. Molten Excretion: Leaves behind a trail of half-digested mineral slag—often mistaken for volcanic flow—used by alchemists as a source of rare trace elements. Sound Emission: Emits a rhythmic crackling-chirp that resonates through rock. Often mistaken for tectonic movement or machinery by untrained ears. ? Special Properties Coal-Seeking Instinct: Possesses a hyper-acute sense for carbon-rich materials. Some miners report it can detect coal seams before they're visible. Heat Aura: Proximity to an active Ashcricket raises ambient temperature drastically. Tools become hot to the touch. Torches often sputter or extinguish due to local oxygen disruption. Ashbirth: Rarely, when overfed, an Ashcricket will go dormant and give rise to a nesting mound—a hissing cocoon of slag and ash that hatches 2–3 emberlings after several weeks. These juvenile Ashcrickets glow brighter and move faster, though they lack full armor. ⚠️ Known Risks and Uses Highly Dangerous to miners and travelers near active coal seams. Attacks are often mistaken for collapses or gas explosions. Hunted only by experienced beastmasters using coal-bait traps. Valuable Slag: Their waste material is used in alchemical forging, especially for heat-resistant alloys and incendiary powders. Superstitions: Neatapori lore considers them “Children of the First Fire” and bad omens of deep-earth anger.