The Lurcher

The Lurcher

The Lurcher is a cave-like creature known for its ability to blend seamlessly into rocky terrain. Its hardened exterior is nearly indistinguishable from natural stone, allowing it to remain hidden for years without being discovered. Despite its massive size, it moves beneath the earth like a sandworm, making it possible for the creature to appear in places where no cave had ever existed before.

The crystals lining its interior emit a faint purple glow, resembling valuable amethysts. Countless travelers have mistaken them for rare treasures and called their companions over to share in the discovery.

Yet something always feels wrong.

Was the cave always this size?

Most pay little attention to the thought. The promise of wealth is far more convincing than a fleeting sense of unease. Adventurers enter the cave, carving away crystal deposits and gathering valuable stones while venturing deeper into its depths.

By the time they decide to leave, it is already too late.

The entrance seems smaller than before. The walls feel closer. The tunnel that welcomed them inside begins to tighten around them. The crystals they once admired reveal themselves to be teeth.

Before anyone realizes the truth, the cave has already begun to close.

And the Lurcher is ready to feast.

In the cover photo, there are 4 stages. 

Stage 1: The creature is dormant, making it appear like an ordinary rock. Shown in the 1st model.

Stage 2: The creature opens its mouth, revealing a cave opening. Shown in the 2nd model.

Stage 3: The creature opens wider, allowing the sky to shine above the travelers. Shown in the 3rd model. 

Stage 4: The creature closes its mouth, ready to munch on the people inside. Shown in the 4th model.

Lurcher Encounter Mechanics

Placement

• The owner must spend:
  • 20 Rocks or Minerals
  • 10 Wood
• The Lurcher may only be placed on rocky terrain.
• Stage 1 is placed immediately.

Stage 1 – Dormant

• The Lurcher appears as a normal rock.
• When a player moves within one finger-length of the Lurcher, they must roll.
• If they roll a 6 or 12, they must turn their miniature around.
• The owner may replace Stage 1 with Stage 2.
• If they roll any other number, they may leave normally.

Stage 2 – The Lure

• If a player was affected by Stage 1, all players within two finger-lengths of that player must roll.
• If they roll a 1, 4, 8, or 10, they must:
  • Move adjacent to the Lurcher.
  • Turn their miniature around.
• Any other result has no effect.
• A player who refuses to roll skips their next turn.

The owner may now replace Stage 2 with Stage 3.

Stage 3 – The Gathering

• If fewer than 2 players are adjacent to the Lurcher:
  • Stage 3 cannot occur.
  • The Lurcher disappears.
  • A 6-turn cooldown begins.
• If 2 or more players are adjacent:
  • Stage 3 begins.
  • Each player adjacent to the Lurcher draws from the owner’s 40-card Lurcher Deck.

Possible cards include:

The Ditcher

• You realize something is wrong and escape.

The Safe

• You hide your valuables before venturing deeper.

• You die.

• Your valuables cannot be claimed by the Lurcher’s owner.

The Greedy

• You discover a mineral vein worth 40 minerals.
• You continue collecting.
• You die.

The Follower

• You continue exploring the cave.
• You die.

The Chances and Number of for each card:

Follower - 16

Ditcher - 12

Greedy - 8

Safe - 4

Follower: 40%

Ditcher: 30%

Greedy: 20%

Safe: 10%

Stage 4 – The Feast

• Any players still adjacent to the Lurcher are consumed.
• Those players:
  • Die.
  • Lose one-third of all valuables combined. Players who drew The Safe do not lose any valuables.

• The owner chooses which resources and items make up that third.

After resolving the encounter:

• The owner removes the Lurcher from play.
• The Lurcher miniature is placed beside its deck.
• The deck is reshuffled.
• The Lurcher cannot be used again for 10 turns.

All rolls use a d12.

For more realistic look on the model(s), use gray, silver, or light gray filament for the main body, and use purple or translucent purple filament for the crystals/fangs.