Apokolips Ash-crawler
Context
Apokolips, the planet ruled by Darkseid, is one of the key locations in Jack Kirby’s “Fourth World” mythology. Over the decades, we learned more about its society and its feature, including the fauna. Such as ash-crawlers.
Here’s a primer and stats for an ash-crawler, as seen in a 1987 Action Comics issue.
Powers & Abilities
Ash-Crawlers are repugnant, vaguely octopus-like animals from Apokolips. They reportedly live in the famous Fire-Pits of that accursed planet.
It is said that they gorge themselves on the immense heat there, being immune to heat and flame. And that ash-crawlers sometimes find themselves a home on a major heat source near a Fire-Pit, perhaps because population pressure forced them to leave.
An ash-crawler has the strength of ten men. Its awful tentacles can snare almost anyone – especially as it usually attack by surprise, dropping from a height after silently climbing there. Ash-crawlers are also very resilient.
However a determined, knowledgeable and very strong person can wrestle an ash-crawler and drive their hand or a knife through soft flesh and into the tiny brain of the beast – its sole weak point.
Darkseid’s agent Sleez once brought an enthralled ash-crawler with him to Earth. It served as a guard of sorts in Suicide Slum. The horrible beast was killed by Big Barda.
Game Stats — DC Heroes RPG
Tell me more about the game stats
Ash-Crawler
| Dex: 05 | Str: 07 | Bod: 06 | Motivation: Live, feed, reproduce |
| Int: 01 | Wil: 01 | Min: 02 | Occupation: Animal |
| Inf: 01 | Aur: 00 | Spi: 03 | Resources {or Wealth}: ////// |
| Init: 007 | HP: ////// |
Powers:
Energy absorption: 25, Extra limbs (x5): 07, Skin armour: 05
Bonuses and Limitations:
- Energy absorption only against heat.
- Skin Armour is ineffective against melee attacks by Characters who know where an Ash-Crawler’s weak spot is.
Skills:
Acrobatics (Climbing): 06, Thief (Stealth): 03
Advantages
No Vital Areas, Life Support (consumes heat instead of food and drink).
Drawbacks:
Misc.: Maximum land speed is 02.
Design Notes
This is refurbished, expanded, illustrated version of the Mayfair stats in the Apokolips sourcebook.
Source of Character: Action Comics v1 #593.
Writeup completed on the 15th of September, 2013.