Nordskag Kreb

From MassiveCraft Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Nordskag Kreb
Noimg.png
Fauna
Official Name Nordskag Kreb
Common Nicknames Horned Crab
Classification Fish
Habitat Waterways of Nordskag
Domesticated No
Current Status Common

Many fishermen and people who posses a general love for the sea will know the Nordskag Kreb. One of larger of the crab species, many inhabitants of the North adore catching and eating this crustacean. Populating the majority of the waters in Nordskag, the Nordskag Kreb has been a delicious meal for the Velheim that caught them since they began catching them centuries ago. With a somewhat spiky and hard shell, all predators of the crab tend to be way bigger than it, as is custom with crustacean species. The Nordskag Kreb is rather abundant, and has a sweet flavor when their meat is properly cooked, the Kreb’s primary use is as a generic food product across Aloria, though focused in areas dominated by the Velheim.

History

Ever since the shores of Nordskag were colonized, the fishermen that rode the waters of the nearby oceans were accustomed to finding Nordskag Krebs entangled in their fishing nets. While present day inhabitants of Nordskag eat Nordskag Kreb regularly, they were simply tossed back to the ocean whenever they were caught at the time, being found as a nuisance rather than a food source by most of the fishermen as their claws could potentially cut into their nets. It wasn't until some crabbers decided to make use of the situation and would the Kreb gradually become a common meal item in the coastal regions of Nordskag. As the catching of crustaceans became more popular, the Nordskag Kreb finally had some light shined on them. Favored for their sweet taste and abundance of meat, fishermen began to focus on catching them in the late 200’s. Making their way into the daily meal of any Velheimer living near the coastal regions of Nordskag, they’d be a common animal to spot along the coasts nowadays.

Physical Appearance

Allowing the Nordskag Kreb to blend into its environment, all members in these species have a maroon-like hue to allow them to blend with any rock chunks at the bottom of the Nordskag oceans. Its carapace reaches up to a single foot in length, the Kreb appears more menacing than most of its cousins, specifically due to the spikes on its exoskeleton. Donning miniature spikes that defend itself from predators, the crabs also have two larger spikes that curve similar to horns at the front of its carapace right above its eyes. While the carapace by itself can seem rather intimidating, its six legs and two claws that reach up to three feet in length is what contains the meat, but is commonly the cause of injury to fisherman. It is well known that most fishermen lose a finger or two due to the claws of the Nordskag Kreb.

Diversity

While at first sight it may be difficult to differentiate male from female, its physical characteristics can define a Kreb’s gender. The two spiked horns that protrude an inch or two away from the front of its carapace are missing on the female crabs, while the male counterparts, as said, can grow horns as big as two inches tall. Typically, the bigger the horns, the larger the crab is. An abundance of female Nordskag Krebs roam the bottoms of the oceans due to the fact that most of the female Kreb are smaller than the males, thus having less meat. Another reason is that the fishermen wish to retain the population of Kreb for the future, thus leaving the females to mate with whatever male they can find.

Life Span and Development

The Nordskag Kreb starts within a cluster of eggs numbering anywhere between ten to twenty. These eggs are laid by a female Kreb in a natural pocket inside coastal rock formations. After a month or two, depending on the temperature of the oceans, the small crablings emerge from their eggs and roam around the rock formation they were spawned at. During this time they are most vulnerable, not having their exoskeleton hardened yet, most of the crablings are killed during this period. The survival rate for young crabs is one in ten. After a couple weeks, they are grown to a quarter of the size of an adult Kreb, and possess the exoskeleton of an adult, meaning that it has hardened and fully formed. The crablings then move into the sea where they potentially thrive, grow and eventually breed. The Nordskag Kreb can live up to 25 years where, during that time, their horned carapace and limbs, its natural armor allows it to protect itself from most predators. They can mate multiple times a year with a number of different mates.

Mental Overview

Just like any regular crab there is, the Nordskag Kreb are wild as most sea creatures are. Constantly on the look for anything that could keep food or be food itself, the Kreb is hostile to anything that isn’t one of its own.

Territory and Groupings

On any rocky formations beneath the water of Nordskag, it is common to find at least one Nordskag Kreb treading on the surface of the jagged stones lying on the bottom of the sand. While the crabs may not specifically group together to act as a pack, they tend to cluster up in one spot to possibly intimidate predators. These uncommon packs are often spotted by fishermen in shallower waters, as the coloration of the Kreb causes the water in that area to appear darker than the surrounding waters.

Trivia

  • Those living near the oceans of Nordskag actually tend to use the horned shell of a crab for decoration.
  • Catching a rare, but possible teal colored Nordskag Kreb is said to bring plentiful food from the ocean for a single month.
  • The Nordskag Kreb is a common heraldry symbol across the Three Skags because of its fame. The most notable family who possesses such a symbol is currently House Krabbsund, who made and still makes their fame in exporting the crustacean to other parts of Aloria.

Accreditation
Writers Jouster
Processors HydraLana, Drunkfailure
Last Editor HydraLana on 11/19/2023.

» Read more