Difference between revisions of "Ice Crawler"
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Ice Crawler (Palarthropodia gelidus) | Ice Crawler (Palarthropodia gelidus) | ||
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== Physiology & Ecology == | == Physiology & Ecology == | ||
Ice crawlers have flat, low to the ground bodies. They measure some three meters in length, with 5 pairs of jointed exoskeliton legs suspending them off the ground, with an eleventh "leg" extended behind them. Each of these legs ends in a poly-dactyl foot, padded with microscopic grippers which insure firm footing on any surface (even glass-smooth ice). This creature also has 4 modified "digger" legs on its "head" (reminiscent of terrestrial insect antennas). | Ice crawlers have flat, low to the ground bodies. They measure some three meters in length, with 5 pairs of jointed exoskeliton legs suspending them off the ground, with an eleventh "leg" extended behind them. Each of these legs ends in a poly-dactyl foot, padded with microscopic grippers which insure firm footing on any surface (even glass-smooth ice). This creature also has 4 modified "digger" legs on its "head" (reminiscent of terrestrial insect antennas). | ||
Revision as of 23:28, 16 March 2017
| Ice Crawler | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Base Information | |
| Classification | |
| Terrain | Land/Ice |
| Locomotion | Walk |
| Size | 3 meters long |
| Speed | Sluggish |
| Strength | |
| Social Structure | |
| Weapons | "Shovels","Rock Grinding Teeth", and "Flamethrower" |
| Armor | Steel-Hard Exoskeleton |
| Source | |
| Homeworld | Furioso |
| Multi-world | |
| Canon | Yes |
| Reference | JTAS:17 |
Ice Crawler (Palarthropodia gelidus)
Physiology & Ecology
Ice crawlers have flat, low to the ground bodies. They measure some three meters in length, with 5 pairs of jointed exoskeliton legs suspending them off the ground, with an eleventh "leg" extended behind them. Each of these legs ends in a poly-dactyl foot, padded with microscopic grippers which insure firm footing on any surface (even glass-smooth ice). This creature also has 4 modified "digger" legs on its "head" (reminiscent of terrestrial insect antennas).
Life Cycle & Reproduction
No information yet available.
Diet & Trophics
Four modified legs ring the creature's anterior end (there is no head as such) and act as shovels, scrapers, and rock lifters, throwing rocks into a ventral "hopper" ringed by muscular rock crushing "teeth". Spongy organs are present all along each side of the creature, just above the leg- body joints. These organs, ranging in col- or from brown to dull orange to bright red, are the analogues to lungs for the ice crawler, which "breathes" hydrogen. No muscular action is Involved in this process; hydrogen is diffused through the spongy tissue, and sequestered and collected chemically within the creature's body. The ice crawler metabolizes rock. They have a dual poly-chain silicon- carbon biochemistry, using silicon in some biochemical reactions and carbon in others. Carbon comes from the breakdown of the methane present in the atmosphere, while silicon is liberated by heating and reduction reactions from ingested rock.
The oxygen product of the ice crawler's diet produces a potenttally flammable mixture in a hydrogen atmosphere of Furioso. For the most part, ice crawlers immediately combine this liberated oxygen wlth atmospheric hydrogen in special organic reaction chambers within the body. The exothermic reaction, though apparently not essential to their body chemistries, acts as a sort of organic "supercharger". As the animal is, at best, sluggish and slow-moving, this process brings about unexpected results. This reaction serves as a chemical "pick-me-up" which can send the usually torpid animal thundering across the ice in random directions at unexpectedly great speeds. Over the ages, however, some species developed an even more unique method of using oxygen liberated during the breakdown of silicon from ingested rock. These creatures can store oxygen in nearly pure form. When threatened or frightened, they can direct jets of oxygen and hydrogen through an anterior orifice located between their handling legs. This stream of hydrogen and oxygen is ignited catalytically, turning the beast into a living flamethrower with a range of several meters.
History & Background (Dossier)
No information yet available.
Travellers' Aid Society Advisory
No information yet available.
References & Contributors (Sources)
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This article is missing content for one or more detailed sections. Additional details are required to complete the article. You can help the Traveller Wiki by expanding it. |
- JTAS17 p. 6, article: Bestiary (Ice Crawler)
- Author & Contributor: (*) I-C #DroyneLife (*) (talk) 22:41, 12 March 2017 (EDT)