Rimeclaw Skulker

Stub-class article · First seen: s17 · Last seen: s18
Rimeclaw Skulker
the Rimeclaw
Rimeclaw Skulker — portrait.
Character
StatusPartially-Killed
First seens17
Last seens18
FactionSapphire Sea fauna, Frost-zone creatures

The Rimeclaw Skulker is the smaller, ranged-attacking water-borne creature type in the s17 cold-water reef-line encounter [10], ongoing into s18). At least two Rimeclaw Skulkers were in the water during the fight, distinguishable from the larger Brinemaw Wyrm and the Reef Stalker by their behaviour: they poke their heads above the water and fire a “ball of spit that turns into an icicle midair” at ranged single-target [1]. The first Rimeclaw Skulker opened the fight by firing at Steven (miss, 9 flat-roll against prone, [2]; the second (“the one right next to it”) fired at Mike on the next initiative slot (20 hit, Mike’s reaction Shield blocks, [3]. Neither has been killed on-screen as of session end.

Overview

The Rimeclaw Skulker is the smaller, ranged-attacking aquatic predator of the cold-water frost-zone in the southern stretch of the Sapphire Sea. It is one of three new creature types in the s17 reef-line encounter (alongside the larger Brinemaw Wyrm and the Reef Stalker) plus the pack of Water wolves on the deck. At least two Rimeclaw Skulkers were present in the encounter [1] and “the one right next to it” at L1610), neither yet killed on-screen as of session end.

The DM introduced this creature type by name on the first Skulker’s initiative slot: “we have this Rimeclaw Skulker. Let’s see… You’re going to see it poke its head out of the water, and it’s going to fire what looks to be a ball of spit that turns into an icicle midair” (Nick (DM), [1].

Appearance and biology

Smaller than the Brinemaw Wyrm and the Reef Stalker. Body partially submerged when stationary; pokes its head out of the water to fire ranged attacks [1]. The party did not get close enough to identify blood colour or examine the body during s17.

Combat profile (per s17 round 1-2)

  • Ranged icicle-spit attack - a “ball of spit that turns into an icicle midair” [1]. Single-target. Round 1: missed Steven on a flat 9 (Steven was prone, [2]; separately, the second Skulker’s icicle hit Mike on a 20 but was blocked to 0 by Mike’s reaction Shield [3].
  • Other attacks - not yet observed in transcript.

Distinguishing from the other two creature types

The s17 encounter introduced three new creature types plus a wolf pack. They are easy to conflate; the canonical distinctions:

  • Rimeclaw Skulker (this article): Smaller, in the water, ranged icicle-spit, at least two in play.
  • Brinemaw Wyrm: Largest, serpentine, fins, frost-breath cone line attack; the creature trapped in Mike’s Phantasmal Force lava cube. Hugo’s “big serpent dragon thing”.
  • Reef Stalker: Large monstrosity with “really powerful claws and bite attacks” (Mike’s History 16, [6].
  • Water wolves: 3-4 quadrupedal swimmers on the deck with luminous purplish-blue blood.

Status as of session 17

Alive, combat ongoing. No on-screen kills of any Rimeclaw Skulker as of session end. Resolution deferred to s18.

Session 18

The s17 cliffhanger combat resumed at the top of s18 round-3 continuation [7]. The DM noted the Skulker’s pack had been reduced to one - “since his pack has been reduced to only one, he no longer gets pack tactics” (Nick, [7]. The Skulker’s first attack of s18 missed Caelumn on a 10 [8]. Hugo then flew down from his s17-end airborne position and landed a 22-to-hit longsword decapitation in a single swooping motion: “deals more than sufficient damage to decapitate the wolf as he kind of makes a swooping motion running his longsword through the water before he makes a clean cut through its neck” (Nick, [9].

The DM narrated the kill as “the wolf” while initiative-naming “the skulker” the line before - see Water wolves for the matching ambiguity note. The most plausible reading is a DM verbal slip mid-narration - the kill is the Rimeclaw Skulker, not a separate water wolf. The alternative reading is that a leftover water wolf was nearby and Hugo killed that instead, leaving a Skulker alive. Either way, the DM’s encounter-end closing line at [5] - “as the last shapes vanish beneath the reef, the water closes over it” - implies any surviving hostiles (Skulkers or otherwise) dispersed beneath the water and disengaged.

At least one Rimeclaw Skulker is killed under the most plausible reading. Any survivors are presumed dispersed. The Skulker species is not on-screen again in s18.

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 17, line 1604 — DM introduces "this Rimeclaw Skulker"; pokes head out of water, fires "a ball of spit that turns into an icicle midair" at Steven.
  2. ^ Session 17, line 1607 — Icicle attack on prone Steven - flat roll, 9 misses.
  3. ^ Session 17, line 1610-1611 — Second Rimeclaw Skulker - "the one right next to it" - fires icicle at Mike; 20 hits; Mike Shields for 0.
  4. ^ Session 18, line 119-124 — Combat resumes; DM notes "his pack has been reduced to only one, he no longer gets pack tactics" (L119); Skulker's attack on Caelumn misses on a 10; **Hugo's longsword 22-hit decapitates the small creature** (most plausible reading: this is a Rimeclaw Skulker, narrated as "the wolf" - DM verbal slip; see body text).
  5. ^ Session 18, line 176 — Encounter end - surviving Skulkers (if any) implied dispersed by DM closing line "as the last shapes vanish beneath the reef, the water closes over it".
  6. ^ Session 17, line 1599 — Inline citation.
  7. ^ Session 18, line 119 — Inline citation.
  8. ^ Session 18, line 121 — Inline citation.
  9. ^ Session 18, line 122-124 — Inline citation.
  10. ^ Session 17, line 1568-1987 — Inline citation.
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