BONUS MONSTER 18:

Anomuran Paladin
COCONAUGHT

CLASS: Arthropoid

Free, additional supplementary monsters for the Mortasheen Tabletop RPG Core Rulebook, created by Jonathan Wojcik, additional writing and all gameplay stats by Bonnie Saucier. For use with the gameplay system by Morgan Mullins!

*This art is an unfinished, rough digital sketch originally drawn in 2023, see "concept notes" at the end!

Description:
This monster resembles a huge, hulking crab creature with a dark, craggy looking shell covering its two massive shoulders, between which is a relatively tiny face consisting of two pure white eyes on stalks, two long antennae and a thin, pointed upper jaw with sharp teeth. It has two immense gorilla-like arms that reach to the ground with bulky, shelled forearms. Its fleshier lower body splits into a set of smaller, irregular branching legs.

BIOLOGY:
Hybridization of hominid and the Crustacean genus Birgus. The Coconaught is by far the heaviest and among the largest of all known Arthropoids, a slow moving but densely muscled and thickly armored omnivorous scavenger. It has a relatively small esophageal opening, and usually employs its crushing strength to compact complete meals into dense balls. Corpses are a common meal, but it is most attracted to fruits and nuts. It can swallow retronatural coconuts and many gourds whole, but will tear apart entire fruiting trees, especially Mortasheen graygnarls, and crush the portions one by one.

  A Coconaught dislikes entering water, preferring to live farther inland, but a mated pair requires a source of water for their filter-feeding crawlers. In drier environments the two will work together tunneling a deep well-like shaft until they can find moisture.

BEHAVIOR:
The Coconaught has a strong protective instinct towards allies it hasn't categorized as food, and its common use as a peacekeeper or guardian, especially among Sectilian Clanhives, has resulted in populations of Coconaught with their own cultural systems based on principles of chivalry and altruism.

  A Coconaught enjoys climbing, finding food sources more enticing the higher their elevation. Those who live near Coconaught colonies may have to trim graygnarl trees and other climbers from their rooftops to reduce unintentional damage.

  Coconaught vehemently dislike Zoaeoid, whether or not the Zoeaoid are derived from the larvae of Birgus or of other Crustacea. A Coconaught will still defend an allied Zoaeoid with the same sense of honor as any other smaller, weaker creature, but may yet breathe some small sigh of relief when the vicious little monster is incapacitated or otherwise finally quiets down.

Concept Notes:

This coconut crab Arthropoid was pushed out of Book One two years ago, but had this rough draft sketch and a statblock done. I missed yesterday's update because I was at a retro gaming expo and then worked the table at a Portland Insectarium movie event, so we're putting up something ready-made today and will make up for yesterday with a double update to come!