Difference between revisions of "Cremling"

A '''cremling''' was a type of scavenger crustacean on [[Roshar]] that was native to the [[Shattered Plains]],{{book ref|twoksa1|4}} the [[Purelake]],{{book ref|twoksa1|i|1}} [[Kharbranth]],{{book ref|twoksa1|39}} and likely other areas, such as [[Alethkar]].{{book ref|twoksa1|41}} The term "cremling" seems to be more of a generalized name for a whole group of small scavenger crustaceans.{{book ref|twoksa1|4}} They were reviled by humans, who often called others cremlings to degrading and insult them.{{book ref|twoksa1|6}}

== Appearance and Anatomy ==

As there are many species of cremlings, their appearance is not uniform. They have claws{{book ref|twoksa1|57}} and a carapace{{book ref|twoksa1|49}} and tend to be tiny, multilegged, and thin,{{book ref|twoksa1|39}} with elongated bodies.{{book ref|twoksa1|57}} In the Purelake, at least, cremlings have a multitude of colors.{{book ref|twoksa1|i|1}} The cremlings in the chasms of the Shattered Plains had a reddish hue, but their carapace was semi-transparent, so their organs could be seen.{{book ref|twoksa1|27}} As a group, cremlings seem to share the trait of purple blood.{{book ref|twoksa1|31}} Some cremlings, most notably in Kharbranth, had carapaces that were shaded like the feelers of [[shalebark]].{{book ref|twoksa1|39}}

It is possible that for an unknown reason cremlings may sometimes shed their carapace.{{book ref|twoksa1|49}}

== NicheEcology ==

Cremlings had two primary food sources. The first was scavenging. They drank blood,{{book ref|twoksa1|56}} as well as ate the flesh of the deceased humans,{{book ref|twoksa1|27}} [[Parshendi]],{{book ref|twoksa1|56}} and other creatures, such as [[chasmfiend]].{{book ref|twoksa1|15}} The other source of food came from plants. After [[highstorm]]s, plants would often unfurl to drink in the nutrient rich rainwater. The cremlings would feed on the newly exposed parts of the plants.{{book ref|twoksa1|11}}

Cremlings lived in burrows often located in cracks in the rock.{{book ref|twoksa1|57}}

Some cremlings seem to have had a symbiotic relationship with shalebark.{{book ref|twoksa1|39}} The cleaned the shalebark by eating anything that had built up on the shalebark. The coloring of these cremlings helped them blend with the shalebark, disguising them from predators.

The cremlings grew from larvae, which matured in stagnant pools of water.{{book ref|twoksa1|43}}

The cremlings were preyed upon by [[graspers]], who would swiftly seize cremlings and pull them into their layers.{{book ref|twoksa1|57}}