Our recent pledge in regards to the collective German rpg blogging efforts this month (after all, someone had the nerve to claim, that all of our October articles would follow the “From the Grave” motto given out by Teilzeithelden…) starts to bear fruit:
In our third article a horrifically useful creature for Earthdawn creeps – or rather crawls – through Barsaive:
The Bone Cicada
The name of this neigh fingerlong insect might come from its bonewhite colour just as well as from its propensity to nest near or in old graves and boneyards.
It became famous for an entirely different and far less obvious ability, though.
Bone cicadas can sense undead creatures and anounce their presence by distinct loud chirping noises.
At first, though, this very ability made the pale insects suspect as harbringers of doom, causing fear and revulsion amongst namegivers.
Since the truth about the relation between undead and bone cicadas became known, though, adepts and others, who venture forth into old ruins, broken kaers or horror-tainted reaches, have begun take the little creatures with them, carrying in small cages to act as early warning against the possible undead dangers.
Some nethermancers have even another reason to praise the bone cicada: They value the crushed carapace of the insects as spice for their tea.
Bone cicadas are a rare find on most Barsaivian markets and cost around 2 gold pieces together a suitable wooden cage if available.
Bone cicadas can sense undead within a radius of 50 feet, disregarding line of sight, intervening terrain or even magical effects. To detect an undead creature, the bone cicada has to make a successful test against the undead’s Spell Defense. The step for this test is equal to the bone cicadas Perception step +3.
Bone Cicada
Dexterity: 5
Strength: 1
Toughness: 1
Perception: 6
Willpower: 5
Charisma: 3
Initiative: 5
Number of Attacks: NA
Attack: NA
Damage: NA
Death Rating: 2
Wound Threshold: NA
Unconsciousness Rating: NA
Knockdown: NA
Recovery Tests: 1
Physical Defense: 15
Spell Defense: 11
Social Defense: 6
Armor: 0
Mystic Armor: 5
Combat Movement: 4
Full Movement: 8