Appearance

First and foremost, Orecrabs are massive, standing at about three feet tall when fully mature. They have four legs and two arms that sport large claws. Males have larger, more impressive claws than females.

Their shells are beautiful, studded with large crystals and ore, depending on where they live. The older an orecrab, the more impressive their shell. Quartz is the most common crystal grown, with varieties like amethyst, citrine, and agate. Those that live in mountainous areas may have gold studding their shells, and some orecrabs even sport things like lapis lazuli, diamonds, and copper.

Once they begin to grow their crystals, they cease moulting their exoskeleton, as their crystals now serve as a sturdy shell that continues to grow with them.

Abilities

Orecrabs are semi-terrestrial, and are able to live in and out of water. They still make their nests near bodies of water, and are a sign of good mining terrain.

They scuttle quickly, and are surprisingly adept climbers. Both males and females can pack a decent blow with their claws, which can both crush and cut.

While not intelligent, they can tell when humanoids are hostile or not, and rather seem to enjoy having their shells scrubbed. Some are even considered affectionate, and will protect their masters (or whoever feeds them most).

Culture

Orecrabs live in mated pairs, and protect their nests dutifully. They keep watch over their young until they’ve had their last moult, and cast them out of the nest to go find new homes.

These mated pairs often share territory with other mated pairs and form colonies. These colonies are peaceful, and their breeding seasons are governed by the moon. While scuffles occasionally occur, they’re few and far between. Even their mating rituals are peaceful; males dance to woo females, and those with larger claws are more attractive.

The only time orecrabs become violent are when their nests are threatened.

They mourn the loss of their partners, and many will not take another mate, living their lives guarding an empty nest.

Orecrabs do well in captivity, and make popular pets for merfolk and dwarves. In order to keep their beautiful shells healthy they must be fed the proper stones and ore, and that can make them a little costly to care for, but many see it as an investment worth partaking in.

When they die, their shells can be harvested. Farming orecrabs has become more common, albeit rather unusual.