She was deep in the Lexington Necropolis when she saw the angel. It looked like another animal-headed mummy among the countless shriveled corpses that lined the alcoves of the cave. But rudeMechanical had seen it before. The black hood and the beaked skull.
If anyone else drew near it they would die. If they followed it they would be struck suddenly and dragged away. But she knew it wouldn't harm her. If she wished she could stroke its robes. Touch its face. She was beloved of the Depths and the angel staring at her from the end of the gallery filled her with a reassurance that she was loved.
Painnawire scowled from her perch on the othernaut's shoulder.
"S'justa bug."
rudeMechanical picked the racoon up and deposited her on the floor, because if her familiar was going to be like that she could walk the rest of the way. Piannawire wrung her paws.
"Get'is hair, maka nice coat."
The bird turned and glided away into the tunnel, cane waving from beneath the robe to probe the earth beneath its feet as it departed. It forgave rudeMechanical for her trespass and declined to stalk her for food. Could she catch something for it? She met a man earlier in the inclined gallery. He seemed suspicious of her and it was possible he had been joined by the people he was waiting for. People who would pull him out of any trap he fell into. Drag him to safety if he fell to the ground kicking and writhing and stopped almost immediately because he was paralyzed by strong venom.
She stopped making excuses. She would repay the Goddess' generosity. She had to.
-
Most otherspace and neverwhen creatures can't survive in the real world because they don't function according to normal physical laws. Surgeonbugs are built different. Or they might just be a cryptic species from earth, an undiscovered nasty bug taxa. Nobody really knows where they're from.
Surgeonbugs look like skeletal birds wearing heavy black robes - like the vultures from Dark Crystal or the crows from Pathologic. This is actually a layer of protective hair dangling from the metasoma of the giant scorpion underneath, with the skull-shaped stinger at the top. They sweep the ground ahead of them with their antennae as they scuttle around, which looks like a cane extended from beneath the folds of the robe.
They lurk in places once inhabited by humans, either abandoned buildings in the real world or in otherspaces that aren't being fed with charges. When you see one at the end of a dark hallway it looks like a spooky plague doctor. If you approach, they turn and leave. They lure you down the hall and then they turn around and kill you when you get close.
SURGEONBUG (AKA Garfield's Palpigrade, Death Angel)
WT: 40
Surgeonbug 75% (Subs Pursuit, Subs Secrecy, Provides Poison Attacks)
Surgeonbugs are a threat to lone explorers who don't have anyone to help them when they get paralyzed. They bite prey and inject a paralytic venom, then scurry away while they wait for the poison to take effect. Being attacked by the bug is an Unnatural 5 shock.
The venom immobilizes the victim in seconds equal to the die roll. A successful Fitness save doubles the amount of time the victim has, letting them kill the bug, run away, etc. Once immobilized, the paralysis lasts for minutes equal to the die roll.
Paralyzed victims are masticated by the Surgeonbug for d10 damage per minute. The arthropod's sharp little chelicerae slice through skin and muscle, stripping exposed flesh down to the bone. Being fed on while immobilized is a Level 9 Helplessness shock, assuming the victim survives.
If attacked while feeding, the bug runs and hides, only fighting if cornered. It's one reason you never explore otherspaces alone.
WHAT YOU HEAR
Othernauts often think the Surgeon Bug is a supernatural apparition, like a wilowisp or pooka that lures explorers to their death. The name Death Angel is a common appellation among people who haven't met one up close. Folk belief says they're normally invisible and prohibited from taking people before their time, but in areas where the border between worlds is weak they can hunt freely. There's a glimmer of truth to the legend - Surgeonbugs in the real world are typically found near otherspace entrances. Sometimes they block the way out, lurking in the doorway.
The familiar Piannawire was right about one thing: Surgeonbug hair makes an excellent material for clothing and textiles. It's soft, not rough or bristly like you'd expect from a gross insect. It's a great insulator and simultaneously hydrophobic and breathable, possibly because of its role in regulating the scorpion's body temperature and humidity. The midnight black color makes it impossible to see in the dark. Sleep in it and you'll never have nightmares. One bug has enough hair for a single coat or blanket. You can't farm them though. Nobody has ever seen them reproduce (they might spontaneously generate) and if you shear one it dies before growing back.
The original artist did this design for a streamer, based on the game Lethal Company.
Here is a little goober I drew for @daszombes latest video! A large arachnid with an oversized stinger which resembles a medieval plague doctor mask. A veil of modified hairs protects it from the environment and keeps it hidden. Bask in its gooberness! pic.twitter.com/WCNdqS86pk
— SteveMobCannon / Paul 🏳️🌈 (@stevemobcannon) December 2, 2023
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