Swarm Crab
Forget it, I'm not going out into the swamp while there's a swarm there.
- Ferryman to some adventurers
As one of the few great dangers in swamps, swarm crabs were notorious among sapient species for eating everything and anyone stupid enough to not wear special protection.
Protection against swarm crabs came in the form of a tightly woven metal fabric, most commonly boots, which was not consumed. Some places then started harvesting the swarms with nets made out of the same material in order to use the crabs as a food source.
Later on some started to think about the loss of feeling when pricked and the possibility that there could be a compound that the swarm crab produced that could be used as a local anaesthetic.
Basic Information
Ecology and Habitats
Due to the swarm behaviour and their individual tiny size, swarm crabs preferred moderately tempered, slow moving waters, like in swamps, where a swarm could grow to gargantuan sizes.
Another preference was the presence of mud, as it helped a swarm blend in, making it easier for large prey to accidentally step into the swarm.
Dietary Needs and Habits
The swarm crab were omnivores, being able to feed on almost anything that they came across, no matter it was a plant or an animal, alive or dead.
If the prey was large, it would notice many small pricks on the body part in the swarm, but after a few seconds it'd be numb. Only once the body part would loose its responsiveness the creature would be guaranteed to notice that it was half eaten away.
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