I am going to inform an area of Stoneshadow by defining some of the local creatures and then connecting them geographically and culturally.

I tried out the “Creatures Drawing Deck” today. Here was my draw:

Here’s what I came up with.

First I decided to work in the “mustache or beard” by using centipede legs for a delightful chin-mass for expressive flexibility and weirdness. I figured I’d use the bear for a body template, with ‘dilla plating mixed with chitin. I added the cute ‘dilla ears and the overall effect is somewhat bat-like with some whimsical centipede antennas. The textural mix of baggy skin, chitin plating, fur, and claws was an interesting experiment. All of the critter is oriented towards a burrowing creature.

How big, then? My first thought was “grizzly size of course” then I took a closer look and thought maybe a 5’ height would be good. Dense and bulky, so more solid than humans, but often shorter (while still less compact than dwarves.)

How about that “national park” habitat? Alright, I’m putting them at the edge of human territory, and all we’ll say at this point is that human wizards were doing some experimentation and ended up creating (or importing) these diggeries, who formed a tribal community. I’ll figure out more as I add more creatures to the mix.

Consulting the handy quick-reference for statting up monsters on p. 203 of Under the Mountain, this is what I come up with.

DIGGERIES

Compact burrowing creatures. They can pheremonally communicate with and direct sizzlepedes. They communicate with hoarse grunts, in compact (often compound) words and grunts.

Combat 6. Claws and jaws, 6 (+2).

Armor 1 (natural). Vitality 14.

• Active: Dirtspray. If fighting near sufficient loose material, turns back to a foe and rapidly digs, spraying the foe with a disorienting barrage of loose material that costs the foe an action next round. The target can ignore the effect by spending a Resolve or employing a similar defense.
• Active: Tunneling. Move at a walking pace through loose soil, under the ground. Dig through soft rock, clay, or root-bound earth about a foot a minute. Claw through six inches of rock a minute, or a quarter inch of metal.
• Special: Sizzlepede Affinity. Communicate empathically and simple ideas using chemicals and leg/beard twitches with sizzlepedes, who are inclined to obey diggeries. They can wear sizzlepedes as scarves, direct them as scouts, and lead them in battle.

BEHAVIOR:

• 1-2. Leggit! Squawk and chitter, withdrawing (to prepared tunnel exits if possible.
• 3-4. Raaagh! Act normally but also regain 3 Vitality.
• 10+. Off ya! Those who are not defended do damage as normal, and in addition, each one tears off a shield or wrenches armor. If wrenching armor, reduce its value by 1 die code until adjusting it out of combat. If the target has no armor, the target is gouged for an extra attack inflicting 8 Vitality.