Scuttler

'See em scuttlers. Keep away unless you've got a death-wish. You never know, till too late, if they carry wealth, or death.' – Gnomish Soldier

A dangerous career largely taken up by the Iron Gnomes of The Dwarven Enclave. These workers battle tight and dark spaces in the tunnels of Dhun Khenil in search of a vital component of many of their war machines. This profession is seen by many others of the faction as dirty and dishonourable and scuttlers are often given a wide berth in all manners of life. This is in part because they are the primary contractors of the Curse of Stone in their role of finding earthsap. However, others consider them without honour for choosing to 'scuttle' the tunnels in search of expensive components and materials instead of fighting on the front lines against the other factions to claim the city, and a home for themselves.

Role & Need

Scuttlers became an offshoot of the sapper's profession for the Iron Gnomes military. When they first entered Dhun Khenil they were excavating tunnels and creating their own in an effort to make a primary base for which to martial and begin cleansing the city. During this some gnomes were afflicted with the Curse of Stone as they touched a compound they had never before encountered, earthsap. Eventually, the iron gnomes managed to capture some earthsap and analyzed it. They found it contained great magic potential and Iron Gnomes engineers soon offered a great reward for any quantity of earthsap. This saw several sappers and others taking up the call and hunting for this earthsap. They became known as scuttlers to the others, named after the sounds they make scuttling around small tunnels, and an attempt by the military to shame them, likening them to rats. Though regardless of their social status and the way many see them, it is a necessity brought on by the war. For the earthsap they hunt powers incredible machinery in the war effort.

Risks & Dangers

There are the regular risks of tunnel collapse, intercepting other factions' tunnels and tight fighting in their exploration for the earthsap. However these dangers pale in comparison to the Curse of Stone. A horrifying ailment caused by exposure to earthsap that can lead to a painful death and sees their bodies slowly turn to stone. This likelihood of contracting this curse is the main reason they are shunned by their own kind and others. Many fear the stoneskin they develop and the horror of a long painful road to death.

Adapted for Dangers

Scuttlers take all the opportunities to limit the dangers they can. This involves using specialised metal tools for listening to the rock and detecting the movement of earthsap through it. They also wear stone and metallic clothes so if earthsap touches them they can quickly discard the clothes and hope it doesn't have the time to eat through and enter their skin. They are also armed with explosives, mining picks and other weapons for combatting any creatures they come across while exploring the vast network of tunnels.

A Tale of Venya

Learn more about the world, its history and the factions here.

Earthsap

This compound enters the material realm through cracks in the veil. This usually happens where the earthen elemental realm touches the material plane. Earthsap or as some refer to it 'living stone' has an odd sentience. It is a brown metallic liquid that flows through rock like a worm. Any rock it passes through it turns to a seam of metal behind it. No one knows why it flows the way it does or what attracts it, but it seems to prefer moving towards living tissue and flesh, turning it to stone before moving on. 

This material has great magical potential and has been used by The Dwarven Enclave in the operation of powerful war machines in Dhun Khenil. This makes the substance extremely valuable to the Iron Gnomes and has caused a need for more Scuttlers, who seek this compound, trading each vial full for a chunk of solid gold.