Tambanokano

In the Age of the Gods, the stars were the children of the Moon and the Sun. There were thousands of them and they were so bright that they drowned out the light of their parents. The largest of them was Tambanokano, a monstrous crab who swam through the sky eating its brothers and sisters.

The more stars it ate, the darker the sky became. Eventually at night, the sky was dark and no stars were visible during the day. Eventually Tambanokano ate so many stars that it was too fat to fly. The crab fell into the ocean and sank to the bottom of the deepest trench.

To this day, Tambanokano sits at the bottom of the ocean eating anything that comes within reach of its grasping claws. It looks up from the depths hungering for the lights in the sky that it missed in the days when it could fly. Tambanokano offers the power of hunger and the might of its malice to those who feed it. It wants nothing more than to rise from its Trench to eat the world, the stars, the moons, and the sun.

I just love free food, and you look like seafood!

— Tamatoa, lyrics from Moana

The Claws of the Crab Kaiju

They say that it's bad luck to even sail over the dark waters of Tambanokano's Trench. The great glutton gets lighter as he gets emptier and hungrier. It floats up and gobbles whatever is unlucky enough to get in it's way. Every few decades passing mortals report great claws rising from the depths to snap up whales, krakens, or unlucky ships.

The waters roiled as enormous claws of midnight black chitin pierced up through the ship from below. Enormous barnacles covered them along with an entire ecosystem of seaweed and crustaceans. The very tips of Tambanokano's claws and horns glowed with the same deep orange as the vents of the Glutton's lair deep below. As the crab devoured the ship and its passengers I felt its glowing orange eyes roam over me hungrily. It sank back into its trench and I knew that it would devour me too if I got too close.

— Report from the Vigilance in the Talinian Ocean

Spawn of Tambanokano

Once every century or so, Tambanokano spawns thousands of eggs, each one capable of becoming a monster as great as itself. Luckily, the ravenous monster eats all of the eggs before they can hatch. "The Spawning" is the only time that Tambanokano's Trench lights up, revealing the monster in all of its hideous glory.

When the deep waters light up, the crab's followers gather to worship the form of their Dread Master.

Cult of Tambanokano

The Cult of the Crab has existed since the dawn of time, but has never been very powerful or prominent. The cannibalistic Rites of Gluttony, and the nature of their other horrific rituals, repel sentients with any empathy. Any time a Crab Coven is located they are hunted down and exterminated.

The Cult organizes in Covens of three, the maximum number of "crab lovers" that can interact for any amount of time without turning on each other. At their core, followers of Tambanokano are selfish, treacherous, and untrustworthy. They know better than to trust each other and any alliances they make are short-lived.

A Crab Coven

Guard Muncher by Chris L - Heroforge

Lady Evelina by Chris L - Heroforge

Mechanic Hortix by Chris L - Heroforge

The Glutton guides us on the path of true power. He offers the enlightenment of actualizing our true selves. There is nothing wrong with indulging ourselves.

— Lady Evelina, Crab Warlock

Crab Cultists seek to increase their own personal power at the expense of others. In return for their devotion and service, the Crab grants its warlocks the power of hate, hunger, and despair. Their goal is to release their master from its prison.

Their most sacred rite involves descending just outside the reach of their patron's claws during "The Spawning." They hope to catch any eggs that escaped the grasp of the Crab. They hope to hatch them and unleash kaiju crabs on the world, the moons, and the multiverse.

The Far War

During the War Against the Far Realm the Tambanokano sided with the elder gods for the chance to eat the stars and moons again. It slew and ate the hero Ion the Evoker at the end of the war.

The Can Opener

To most, the Can Opener is a notorious serial killer of Soulforged and Mechani-kin that stalks the Cannery neighborhood of Aurumopolis.

In reality, the Can Opener is a miniature version of Tambanokano summoned by a Coven of Crab Cultists. The Cult has only recently unlocked this power. The monster's hunger has increased with the advent of new moons and it has redoubled its efforts to escape imprisonment.

The Can Opener by Chris L - Heroforge

I had the misfortune of being trapped with the Can Opener on my first flight to the moon! Luckily that cute gnome Nyfyx was able to save me... Poor Otto!!

— Helm Bingo Ashdown