Homebrew Craver Species Details

"As the frigate entered the unclaimed star system, their communication relay let out a faint hum. Commander Yorga was hesitant as she lifted her fingers to activate the intercom - there was something ominous about the whole affair she couldn't quite get a grasp on. Perhaps it was the strange wreckage orbiting around the local sun, or maybe the scarred, barren planets that she could see through her instruments. As her hand mindlessly obeyed force of habit, a metallic, raspy voice echoed through the colony ship: We wonder... What sound do you make, when you scream?"

— Craver horde, first contact

Driven by DNA

Despite their best efforts, Cravers have yet to find a way to consistently release their bretheren from the tiranny of their genes. Programmed to hunt, kill, salvage and rebuild, the few Cravers who have managed to break free of their conditioning have done so through sheer luck by being exposed to large amounts of unrefined Dust. Most of these "freed" cravers join the Academy to further explore their abilities and newfound freedom.

Slavers and Slaves

Cravers follow their primary directive through direct and unrefined means: wage war on a weaker empire, conquer their planets, enslave their population and force it to work until only a lifeless, empty husk is left in the night sky. Due to the unsustainable nature of this practice, entire star systems have been depleted by a Craver colony.

The Cravers themselves, however, are also enslaved, partially by their genes and partially by their strict hive-mind like society. Craver Bishops, in particular, are individuals who hold enough power in Craver society, most commonly due to being the only individuals clever and composed enough to do so. Each Craver colony also has a single Queen, which is responsible for furthering the bloodline, though her role is less political and more of a necessity for their species.

Matter Over Mind

Craver technology and buildings have a distinct organic feel to them, though they are constructed from scavenged parts of sacked planets and colonies. The genetic memory necessary to build a functioning spaceship is implanted in each Craver and they have the uncanny ability to work on massive projects with perfect coordination without saying a word.

Craver ships are fast, powerful and disposable. Their hulls are barren and uneven, with exposed pipes and circuits and redundant reinforcements in sections of the ship which are often targeted by heavy fire.

Hunger and Desire

Historians agree that, while terrifying, Cravers are also a sad species: intelligent enough to realize it's bound by ancient chains, but not yet advanced enough to be able to break them.

As a result, Cravers are driven by a single, burning, all-consuming feeling: hunger. Unable to resist or cope with their insatiable appetite, they try to soothe the pain by giving into their programming and becoming vicious machines of war. Some claim that hope still exists for this doomed species, in the form of a revolutionary discovery, a breakthrough in genetics or, simply, a miracle. For now, the other species tend to avoid Craver space, and for good reason.

Craver Names

Craver names tend to be related to their occupation in Craver society, as those still bound to the Hive tend to view themselves as mere extensions of it. Cravers who break free from their strict caste system and carve a name for themselves across the stars perpetrate this tradition by assigning themselves a honorific, a descriptor which often brings attention to their newfound condition of freed individual. Cravers colloquially also use a first name chosen to be intimidating and full of hard consonants.

Male Craver Names: Argek, Brogan, Drogon, Everet, Farkin, Heres, Janus, Kaleb, Lomung, Morvic, Ravello, Satio, Victor.

Female Craver Names: Aster, Badena, Caldres, Invicta, Jamona, Lifrane, Nikal, Pantana, Rissa, Tremare, Unvix, Zitiana.

Honorific: Eccelso, Everfree, Libera, Prime, Returned, Rinato, Slayer, Terror, Testudo, Unbound, Unbroken.

Craver Traits

As a Craver, the Endless have armed you with the following natural abilities:

Age

Cravers are mass-produced and were never expected to last more than a handful of battles. You are "born" as an adult and can live up to 30 years.

 

Size

Cravers have a hulking and hunched form, placing them between 7 and 8 feet tall. your size is Medium.

 

Speed

Your walking speed is 30 feet.

Relentless Endurance

When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. Once you use this trait, you can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.

Darkvision

You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You discern colors in that darkness only as shades of gray.

Vicious

Once per turn, if your hit points are equal to or less than half their maximum, you can add your proficiency bonus to a weapon damage roll.

 

Violent

Your DNA drives you to unforeseen acts of terrible violence. If you reduce a creature to 0 hit points with an attack, you can't choose to knock them out.

 

Powerful Build

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Quadribrachial

The Cravers were engineered with a quadribrachial form - meaning that they have four arms. This allows them increased flexibility in combat, whether by wielding multiple different weapons, being able to manipulate objects while keeping their weapons at the ready, or carrying unwieldy objects and armaments.