The Nature of Predators - Krev DND (1/3) (Patreon)

Crawlers and Firefossils Cast List: Species and Class

Notes prior to the Session log to any humans new to the game: All classes generally fall within or between the five specialization schools, Magician, Orator, Outlaw, Naturalist, or Warrior. Some classes are only playable by certain races, with their unique stats, abilities, buffs, and debuffs. Notable examples are the Jaslip Torporwalker (a form of Spirit Magician), the Krev Cira (considered a busted class that blends Magician and Naturalism), the Smigli Earthshaker (an Outlaw class that harnesses underground power and stealth attacks), the Resket Charger (a Warrior class that has unparalleled movement on top of Reskets’ default movement buff), the Trombil Metalborn (a Warrior class that can absorb armor and refined metals into their person to upgrade base stats), and the new Human Swindler (an Orator concept that often walks the line of Outlaw. Humans have a default buff to persuasion checks against any Krev Characters).

Please note that humans are a new playable race that have not yet undergone proper balancing. Gress, as the Chronicler, exercised discretion on rolls to avoid disruptions to his planned campaign. All other characters are NPC characters created and controlled by the Chronicler.

Starring Taylor Trench…as Blessa, Krev Nutripetrologist — Naturalist

Starring Gress…as Juvrelor, Human Mythmaker — Orator

Starring Cherise Benson…as Toddel, Smigli Earthshaker — Outlaw

Starring Quana…as Lenelda, Jaslip Torporwalker — Magician

Mavai, the Resket warrior, had done what he could to free citizens from the firefossil attack on Kamta Village; it was the oath he had sworn as part of the Imperial Guard. The continent of Evrel had not seen a skeleton risen by the sun’s rays, breathing out its flames, in decades. The Slayers’ Guild had roamed the lands fighting the monsters, and dug out fields far and wide to discover which bones lay dormant. Firefossils were remnants of powerful magic from the dawn of creation, a kind of power not tapped by even the greatest mortal mages. 

It took great heroism to face such an ancient foe and plunge a sword into their hearts. It was through determination that the Slayers Guild’ had whittled away the vast energy sustaining the firefossils, cutting through bones with sunsteel. The Emperor declared victory over the monsters, after years without witnessing a creature alive. Civilization flourished once more, as the innocuous younger generation began to question whether firefossils had ever existed! A foolish question, when their scorch marks still lined many ruins.

However, something had shifted when the sun darkened a fortnight ago. The bones that adorned the royal family’s gates were sucked away, as if by magic—flying off to somewhere unknown! The Emperor noticed the trophies vanishing, and could only learn the general direction they’d been magnetized to from witnesses. The ciras in the Void Woods spoke of a dark magic, according to cirahunter scouts who overheard their whispers; they said that there was no killing a firefossil, that the sun’s energy drained into the earth on a cyclical basis. 

This was a serious matter that had the attention of powerful people. The Emperor didn’t know whether an ancient magic could raise the dead monsters or not, but the Slayers’ Guild had long since disbanded, with nothing left to fight. Mavai had been sent to Kamta, on the coast, to investigate any signs of a firefossil presence. The attack had been like nothing he’d ever seen, with the beasts flying far overheard. Projectiles passed between the bones, and fire buffeted down from the heavens.

The Oath of Life compelled him to save as many people as possible. This firefossil was continuing its rampage along the coastline, and by the time he reported back to the Emperor, half of the continent would be gone! It was a matter of weeks before the entire land was destroyed. Mavai had only managed to rescue these four individuals from Kamta, who he thought would be of little help taking down a firefossil. This was all he had to try with, so he had to hope they’d at least recover the equipment. They needed to find the nearest sunsteel vault first. 

“Aw! Juvrelor! You’re so cute!” Blessa gushed, as the party traveled along the dirt road. 

The human blushed, flattered and loving the Krev’s petting at camp. “Thank you. I’m glad that my squishiness is appreciated here. Are you…sure that this is the time for this? We’re almost to the sunsteel vault—”

“Of course it is! It’s always time to treat you like a little baby. Your lips are so pink and have skin on them; the wrinkles look so pettable! Maybe I can hold you hand while you walk, and tap on those hard little fingernails that are so tiny. What danger could there possibly be in a Slayers’ Guild abandoned vault?”

“Why would you say that aloud?” Mavai sighed with irritation, unable to fathom how these fools would be able to face down a firefossil. He’d have to do it alone, since he’d only strung them along by downplaying the danger. Perhaps he should cut them loose. “Have you no idea how sunsteel is made?”

“I can hear the spirits whisper. They’re strong in this place,” Lenelda said, able to harness her arcane perception. “There are magical tests and trials: their energy is strong, permeating through the very ground and air. The Slayers demanded that those who wielded their swords were worthy.”

“Clearly, more went into their initiations than you hear in Juvrelor’s stories of valor,” Toddel prodded.

The Resket sighed. “Yes. If we’re rebuilding the Slayer order starting with you four, it’ll have to be seen that you’re up to the task. From the stories I’ve heard, there are metal guardians built by Trombil crafters and Challenger Spirits by the forge. I, of course, am the only one here who could be worthy.”

Juvrelor attempted to persuade Mavai that he was worthy of joining the new order of Slayers, though that was an impossible task. “I am worthy to stare down the toughest foes. I can take a firefossil with my super cute fingers.”

“You could not take a blade of grass. It’s unfortunate that you’re all I have, though you were barely tough enough to make it out of Kamta. You’re not Slayer material, so stay behind me.”

Seeing Juvrelor’s failure, Blessa tried to persuade Mavai of the same thing. “Surely you see that I’d be a fantastic Slayer! I can eat rocks that make me…fireproof. Yeah, fireproof, man. I’ll eat anything.”

“That won’t work…ugh, why did you roll a…,” the Resket offered a discontented head shake, then forced himself to reset. “You know, I see something in you. The way you said it; you’re an excellent Nutripetrologist. I will help you become a Slayer, give you any sunsteel bullshit you need. The check was nineteen…ugh, I hate this.”

“It sounds like you don’t like the way I roll. Blessa is blessed! You have to believe in me.”

“Neat. Can I see if Mavai will find me worthy?” Lenelda asked.

The walkways to the vault complex began to erode away behind the posse, imploring them to move along. Any idle conversation could result in the posse’s fall into the abyss below, where hundreds of hungry creatures looked eager for scraps. Blessa flicked her claws, very eager to get moving since she’d gotten the approval she wanted. It was almost like she could hear a ticking timer, as if it was an hourglass that had been placed on a table and turned. The universe was sending them a sign.

“Let’s progress onward and remain vigilant for traps! We’ll have to rely on our perception,” Mavai encouraged, herding the group into the lobby of the Slayers’ base.

It was a rather unimpressive venue, crumbling and decrepit with a drafty airflow. The alabaster walls and statues were complemented by a few cracked sun mirrors, which likely once lit up the room. Ornate tiles with a firefossil crest on them had faded to be indiscernible, caked in dust and imperceptible without the natural lighting. There had always been natural tremors, but there seemed to be a great deal more ever since the darkening of the sun. It’d hastened this facility’s decline, and was perhaps a sign of the firefossils stirring. There might not be any sunsteel smelters left by next week.

“I’ll look around.” Lenelda shifted herself into torpor state, a way of breathing and putting herself in a mind trance that took remarkable discipline. She could step out herself a bit. “Toddel, maybe you should look underground. You can avoid stepping on anything and search for any hidden mechanisms.”

The Smigli was able to locate a passage of soft earth. “I’m on it. I’ll be the eyes and ears of the world down below.”

Blessa’s super-long tongue flitted out, ensuring she dripped saliva onto the nearby human’s shoulder to show affection. Awwww! “Why doesn’t Toddel just burrow underground the entire way to the sunsteel forge, grab us some swords, and bring them back? No guardians, no nothing.”

“Blessa, you’re a genius. You are the chosen one, my favorite, very female Krev!”

The entrance to the Slayers’ vault temple collapsed behind the posse, with rocks continuing to fall in a way that could easily strike a hapless person on the head. The entire room might come down, so it would be wise to go as deep into the facility as possible; adventurers would have to outrun the building’s implosion. With the Slayers’ organization long gone, there hadn’t been much upkeep around this place. 

“It seems to me like we have no choice but to all push deeper inside, and to make it to the smelting chamber in our own ways,” Juvrelor noted helpfully.

Mavai squawked in agreement with the human’s statement. “Certainly. It would be dishonorable to allow Toddel to go alone. Since I know Blessa is worthy, surely she can handle the tests. Besides, it’ll be good to have multiple people for the forging of sunsteel. That’ll be as strenuous as any of the trials.”

“What do you know that you’re not telling us?” an unimpressed Lenelda asked, failing to be very persuasive.

“You will see if we get that far. There’s a reason no organization besides the Slayers has forged sunsteel. Even the Emperor feels it is…not worth the price, unless there are firefossils threatening our very existence! Civilization must continue.”

On that ominous note, the Resket warrior raised his torch and descended the dark stairway toward the first magical protections. He was well-versed in how to outfox magic, but it might not be so simple for the other party members to circumvent the dangers that rested inside. Wit and ingenuity would be necessary for the Kamta survivors to acquire the weapons that might give Evrel a fighting chance against the return of the firefossils.

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A/N - A peek at the Crawlers and Firefossils campaign! I’ve never written fantasy so let me know if you think it’s my genre, how you like what Krev came up with and the characters that our KC quartet created. Is Gress a good DM? What do you think of their mythical fantasy creatures, and what story might be planned out for the sunsteel temple and beyond?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!