The true origins of these creatures remain a mystery, with many theories about their origins. Some say they were once humans who became trapped and corrupted between dimensions. Others surmise that they are natives to another plane of existence who’ve taken on a human-like form to invade our reality. What is known about them is that they emerge from weak points between dimensions, usually caused by failed experiments or rituals involving temporal or extradimensional travel. Once manifesting in our reality a crawler can never return from whence it came, and seem fixated on a single goal, finding and killing as many humans as possible.
Crawlers appear as small humanoid, with two arms, two legs, and a round head. Their skeletal structure prevents them from bipedal motion, forcing them to crawl about on all fours. They are genderless and hairless, with slimy grey hides and faces devoid of eyes or noses. Their mouths are filled with sharp, fang-like teeth, and their hands are tipped with claws. Some of these creatures are found wearing tattered loincloths or filthy shorts.
Crawlers seem to be blind but find their way easy enough, but whether they employ some combination of heightened smell and hearing, or find their ways by utilizing psychic energy, is unclear. They move about slowly, crawling across walls and ceilings as easily as level surfaces. Crawlers are very stealthy, usually attacking by surprise before a victim even realizes they are being stalked. They can be found singly, in pairs or trios, and in rare cases in packs of up to a dozen creatures.
In combat, these creatures attack with bites or claws. They have no natural armor, and their small size and frail frames make them easy to dispatch, with often a single attack being enough to destroy one. However, this is where the true danger lies, for slain Crawlers explode into a cloud of noxious green fumes.
These clouds sill an area about six feet square and dissipate over three combat rounds. Everyone within or forced to move through these noxious clouds must make a CON check. Those rolling a Hard success or better suffer no effects other than watery eyes and burning throats, like passing through thick smoke. Those who roll a normal success suffer 1 penalty die for all rolls over the next combat round. Those who fail suffer 1 penalty dice for 1D3+1 combat rounds. While these creatures can dodge, they seldom do so, and eagerly sacrifice themselves so that their deaths weaken their opponents, so that their brethren can more easily bring them down.
Crawler, Noxious Stalkers from Between Dimensions
Char. Averages rolls
STR 35 (2D6 x 5)
CON 45 (1D6+6 x 5)
SIZ 40 (2D6+1 x 5)
DEX 50 (3D6 x 5)
INT 45 (1D6+6 x 5)
POW 50 (3D6 x 5)
HP 5
Av. Damage Bonus: -1
Average Build: -1
Average Magic Points: 10
Move 7
ATTACKS
Attacks per round: 1
Fighting attacks: Claws or bite
Fighting 40% (20/8), damage 1D4-DB
Dodge: 25% (12/5)
Armor: None
Skills: Spot Hidden 65%, Stealth 75%, Track 65%.
Sanity Loss: 1/1D4 for to see an Crawler
