Barren

Offspring produced by Dust-Cursed bugs may carry some of the curse themselves. These bugs’ shells have a dry, chalky quality to them, not unlike the shell of a husk, and they are possessed of a similar resilience. The bug’s Shell score becomes an Absorption score instead, though it can still be used to make Shell checks to resist.

However, whenever the bug takes Heart damage from an attack, their Absorption score decreases by 1, to a minimum of 2. Effects that would damage Shell damage Absorption instead, to a minimum of 1. Absorption damage heals at a rate of 1 point each time the bug rests.

Should a Barren bug ever die of starvation, they immediately become a Husk with a Shell score equal to their current Absorption, as if they had the Dust-Curse. However, the Dust-Curse grants them a Husk’s innate immunity to damage from Sandstorms.