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Bestiary Table of Contents
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In Guilddom Adventures Made Easy monsters are sorted into categories and subcategories. |
Fell Animals are unusually large and powerful version of common animals. Most are the descendants of other Fell Animals, although some are newly created by the Griffin. Some tales describe things in the Enchanted Forest that also newly change a normal animal into a Fell Animal. They are valued by the Unseemly, who put them to sleep with enchantment and use them as guards for treasure chambers.
Usually Fell Animals appear in small numbers. Occasionally some tragic or malevolent situation will result in a large number of Fell Animals roaming together.
A newly Fell Animal is simply called a "giant" animal. It is much bigger and tougher than a normal animal of its kind, but not especially more aggressive or dangerous.
Small animals made gigantic are comparable to a normally large and dangerous animal. For example, a Giant Rat is comparable to a normal wolf or bear. Larger animals made gigantic are enormous and often very dangerous.
The amount of FP a Giant Animal has depends upon how big it was to start with: a Giant Rat would have 6 FP whereas a Giant Lion or Tiger or Bear could have twice that or more.
| Giant Animal |
|---|
FP 6 or more, AR 0 Brawn Hack/Slash (claw/bite): 3 Lift/Smash (paw/tail): 3 blunt melee attacks affect 1 more opponent Throw/Ensnare: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 0 Perception/Track: 3 free surprise attack at 1 skill Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 3 Balance Block/Dodge: 1 Leap/Tumble: 2 safely fall 2 more meters Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
As a Giant Animal grows it becomes a Shadow Animal. This can happen as it grows naturally or as it is further exposed to what caused its change.
A Shadow Animal is even bigger and tougher. Because of its huge size it is resistant to ensnaring unless the trap is especially designed to catch such a huge target. Its FP double from the amount it had as a Giant Animal.
Shadow Animals radiate a visible aura, usually green or grey in color. They are often resistant to therianthropy.
A Shadow Animal gains exaggerations of its innate animal abilities. Shadow Snakes are unnaturally able to detect heat and hypnotize. Shadow Badgers and Moles can dig at incredible speed. Shadow Crows have a shriek that causes pain and panic. Shadow Centipedes have nearly impervious chitin.
A Shadow Animal also has its personality exaggerated. A predatory animal becomes especially vicious. A Shadow version of a pet dog becomes dangerous in its desire for attention.
Shadow Animals gain a little intelligence: all are at least as clever as rats.
| Shadow Animal |
|---|
FP 12 or more, AR 1 Brawn (Exceptional) Hack/Slash (claw/bite): 4 Lift/Smash (paw/tail): 4 blunt melee attacks affect 3 more opponents Throw/Ensnare: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 0 Perception/Track: 3 free surprise attack at 1 skill Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 3 Balance Block/Dodge: 1 Leap/Tumble: 2 safely fall 2 more meters Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
The largest of Fell Animals are called Grim Animals. These are often even larger, but not always. More consistent is the completion of the animal's changes.
Grim Animals are incredibly tough. Most are quite clever. They often have rocky/bony protrusions or additional horns that develop as their bones grow denser. They commonly have double the FP they had as a Shadow Animal.
Grim Animals are very resistant cold and heat. Their shadow aura is now also tangible and causes weakness in living creatures who are next to the Grim Animal. They are completely resistant to therianthropy.
A Grim Animal often develops a physical and behavioral change as it finishes evolving and arrives at a new state. In some cases the result is much less aggressive than when it was a Shadow Animal; well-known examples are Grim Horses, also known as Unicorns, which stand 40 hands tall (over 4 meters) yet are tamable and naturally peaceful around unarmed and non-aggressive intelligent females who feed them enough apples. In contrast a Grim Iguana (also called a Stegosaurus) is more aggressive than it was as a Shadow Animal, perhaps because it is larger and needs to eat more. Other Grim Animals are quite predatory but not towards the intelligent races: one famous incident involved a Grim Blue Anole that ate all of a Bergtroll Kingdom's chickens before it was finally killed.
Shadown Animals gain a little more intelligence: all are at least as clever as dogs.
| Grim Animal |
|---|
FP 24 or more, AR 1 or 2 Brawn (Exceptional) Hack/Slash (claw/bite): 5 may parry with up to 1 DR Lift/Smash (paw/tail): 5 blunt melee attacks affect 3 more opponens Throw/Ensnare: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 0 Perception/Track: 3 free surprise attack at 2 skill Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 4 may help 2 others through the wilderness Balance Block/Dodge: 3 may block or dodge 2 more attacks per turn Leap/Tumble: 3 safely fall 2 more meters Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
The "biggies" are heraldic beasts with huge size that attack only every other turn. (On odd turns they use Dodge/Block if able, or get no action.) Most are solitary creatures.
Most can raised in captivity if captured while very young or hatched from their eggs. Even though none ever become tame enough to be pets, it is a source of great esteem in Bergtroll society to have a "biggie" guarding your castle or keep.
When fighting a "biggie" it helps to use Block/Dodge the turns it attacks, and make your own attacks on the turns it does not.
Seps are enormous snakes that breathe dreadful fumes. Their venom works by dissolving their prey's bones, allowing them to swallow whole even huge animals. The fumes cause nausea but no lasting damage.
A seps's scales are thick and prized by armorers. The venom is used by alchemists as an ingredient for acids.
A seps is quite agile with its tail. It can pick up one opponent with its tail (usually to toss it or bash it against the ground) while biting another opponent. Thus, if it fighting more than one opponent it gets two attacks on those turns when it does attack.
The Seps owned by Bergtrolls are kept in dungeons to discourage prisoners from escaping their cells.
Very young Seps have only 2 FP and 0 AR, but can exhale clouds of noxic fumes with surprising accuracy and distance.
| Seps |
|---|
FP 16, AR 2 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 4 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 0 Lift/Smash (tail): 3 Perception/Track: 1 Leap/Tumble: 0 Throw/Ensnare (tail): 3 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
These enormous birds look like eagles and have razor-sharp wings. They live by the sea. Mated pairs bond for life and always travel together.
Alerion feathers are rare and expensive, valued by Bergtrolls for decorating hats and fans.
Alerions normally make combats as short as possible. Rather than biting or clawing their prey, they grab it in both talons and then drop it from a great height. They rely on their size and the thickness of their feathers to protect them from harm by the prey they grab.
Alerions captured when young do not live long. The bird dies during its fourth year unless it becomes half of a mated pair, and captive alerion refuse to bond or mate.
| Alerion |
|---|
FP 20, AR 1 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 4 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 2 Lift/Smash (grab): 5 Perception/Track: 4 Leap/Tumble: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
A phoenix is a stork-like bird with long wings and legs. When awake its body is surrounded by flame.
Phoenix eggs, if taken from the mother, will never hatch but will always remain fiery hot. These eggs are valued by machinists who use them in the boilers of steam engines, and by the wealthy who use them to heat their homes.
A phoenix fights by scratching with its claws or by flying high and raining down a shower of flame.
Pheonixes that are caught young are kept in the upper room of lighthouses or the highest tower of castles.
| Phoenix |
|---|
FP 12, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (claw): 4 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 3 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 3 Leap/Tumble: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire (fire): 3 Wilderness/Escape: 4 Sneak/Hide: 0 |
The Crocodone is an enormous crocodile whose teeth are always wet. Its hide is incredibly thick. Its tail is long, flexible, and tipped with a bony spike.
The teeth are prized as a portable source of water. Even after the crocodone is killed, the teeth continue to shed water for a month. The hide is too thick and tough to use when making armor.
In combat the crocodone tries to spear its prey with its deadly tail spike. Doing so requires using every other turn for positioning: the crocodone never uses any defensive actions. A crocodone is usually lethargic, laying until prey comes near almost buried in mud or submerged in a watering hole (only the tip of its nose peeking out).
Crocodones kept by Bergtrolls are kept in the moats of castles and keeps.
| Crocodone |
|---|
FP 12, AR 3 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (tail): 6 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 0 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 1 Leap/Tumble: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 2 |
The manticore has a lion's body and startlingly humanoid head, but with too many teeth. Its tail ends in a ball of metal spikes.
Different manticores create spikes of different metals: copper, iron, bronze, steel, or even gold or silver. When captured young and treated well they can become a significant source of metal in otherwise metal-poor regions.
In combat a manticore fights by gathering for a pounce (no action), leaping and raking with its front claws (a single attack that can affect two opponents), regaining its balance (can Block/Dodge), and then shooting its tail spikes. Then the entire routine repeats.
A manticore begins a combat with eight tail spikes. When it shoots its spikes it can shoot more than one, which aids its attack chance similarly to a group of combatants who all attempt the same thing.
Manticores are skilled trackers with an keen sense of smell. They prefer to scent and track wounded animals rather than fight healthy prey.
A manticore in captivity that is well-fed can be slightly tamed. They are used in the most suspenseful and daring acts of Bergtroll circuses. Manticores are the only "biggies" that do not hatch from eggs.
| Manticore |
|---|
FP 18, AR 1 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (claw): 4 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 0 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 4 Leap/Tumble: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire (tail): 3 Wilderness/Escape: 4 Sneak/Hide: 2 |
This large snake lives in sandy lands. It has four horns: two look like barrel cacti, and two look like dead animals. It buries itself in the sand with only its horns showing; when animals come to feed on what appear to be cacti or carcasses then the snake lunges.
In a combat that lasts longer than the initial lunge, it raises its head high so it can strike from above at its prey's head.
The Cerastes is never raised in captivity by Bergtrolls. It is stupid, brutal, aggressive, not as large as the other "biggies", and has two horns that small strongly like carion.
| Cerastes |
|---|
FP 10, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 4 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 0 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 1 Leap/Tumble: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 5 |
Wyrms are big, heraldic snake-like beasts with at least two limbs. Like their cousins, the "biggies", they move slowly and attack only every other turn. Wyrms are often encountered in family groups of two to six creatures. They are incredibly dangerous since they can turn their opponents into their element.
Unlike the "biggies", all Wyrms speak the same language. Also, their special element-related attacks do not affect other Wyrms. Because of this, Wyrms of different kinds sometimes live or hunt together.
It is folly to attack a wyrm without the proper protection. All stories in which an adventurer defeats a wyrm involve a special, enchanted weapon or shield, a golem helper with a special chem, an unusual clockwork automaton, etc.
Because they are so dangerous, wyrms are not captured when young, as sometimes happens with "biggies". Their eggs or corpses may be valuable to alchemists.
A Lindwyrm is a large snake with two limbs: thin forelegs. It also has wings, but cannot fly. Many have a hairy mane like a horse.
The breath of a Lindwyrm kills prey by turning the creature into a thick cloud, which the Lindwyrm then inhales.
| Lindwyrm |
|---|
FP 14, AR 1 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 3 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 0 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 2 Leap/Tumble: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 2 |
A Salamander is a short, thick, big snake with a large head and four tiny legs. It is completely aflame, waking or sleeping, but is not actually made of fire.
The bite of a Salamander kills prey by turning the creature into a thick blaze of fire, which the Salamander then absorbs.
| Salamander |
|---|
FP 8, AR 1 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 4 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 0 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 1 Leap/Tumble: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 2 Sneak/Hide: 0 |
A Wyvern is a lithe snake with two limbs: stout hind legs. It has wings and can fly. On its tail is a stinger.
Wyverns live near pools or lakes. They most enjoy eating hairy animals; unless very hungry they eat goats and sheep, avoiding cows and fish. In some stories a person who removes his or her clothing is no longer appetizing to a wyvern.
The sting of a Wyvern kills prey by causing the victim to swell up and fill with water.
| Wyvern |
|---|
FP 12, AR 1 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (sting): 4 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 2 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 3 Leap/Tumble: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
A Basilisk is the smallest of heraldic beasts, less than a meter long. When aboveground it holds most of its length upright because its four, spindly limbs are close together and most of the way down its length. When it moves it whistles, a noise that causes all snakes and many other animals to flee.
The gaze of a Basilisk kills prey by turning the creature into stone.
A Basilisk's mouth drips venom, which kills plants. This makes its burrow obvious. Weasels and mongeese, if released into the lair, sometimes manage to kill the Basilisk in the complete darkness of the tunnels.
The venom of a Basilisk copper into gold. If a dead Basilisk is burned, the ashes will turn silver into gold. These effects use up the venom or ashes. (On average, the remains of one Basilisk can change fifty grams of copper and silver.)
Although a Basilisk's gaze does not petrify other Wyrms, if the Basilisk desires it can still cause intense pain. Some Basilisks make use of this to dominate and control Lindwyrms and Salamanders (a bullied Wyvern would just fly away).
| Basilisk |
|---|
FP 6, AR 1 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 2 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 1 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 3 Leap/Tumble: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire (gaze): 5 Wilderness/Escape: 3 Sneak/Hide: 4 |
Living Traps are mindless plants or animals cause explorers inconvenience or are an obstacle to travel. They are not normally fought in combat.
No sample stats are provided for Living Traps since they are not fought in combat and are too mindless to have skills.
This unique carnivorous plant does not ensnare prey, but instead grows large pods filled with spiky burrs. Mature pods are so full of air that the slightest touch will cause them to explode, showering the burrs in every direction. Burr Poppers are naturally only dangerous to small animals. However, Arzens are known to carefully harvest mature pods for use as weapons and in traps.
This peaceful moth does not attack. But the patterns on its wings hypnotize. Any intelligent creature that looks at the moth while its wings are moving must, each turn, succeed in a Perception skill check or be stunned the following turn. Normally Gaze Moths flutter about in small groups near a more dangerous (but unintelligent) creature, hoping to be allowed to scavenge what their "partner" more easily kills.
This thorny plant grows both outdoors and in damp caverns. When harmed, it whistles to attract local predators. It poses no direct threat, but does attract monsters.
A small patch of Heat Moss is only dangerous to slow-moving prey. When touched it radiates intense heat. Very large patches are quite rare but much more dangerous.
This fungus makes moods fiery. Anyone near considers all other creatures of its same kind to be enemies.
The bark and pollen of this tree provoke melee combat. Moreover, any successful attack with a bladed weapon uses twice as many Damage Dice.
These trees live on river banks. They have upper roots that dangle from its branches. Some of these roots straighten and harden. The tree's lower roots exhude a sweet paste. When the tree feels fish nibbling at its lower roots, it releases a dried upper root to spear the fish.
This whispy moss is extremely flammable. Because of the spores it releases any nearby flame, even that of a lantern, will cause all of the Blight Moss to dramatically combust.
Normally Blight Moss is not dangerous. However, its powdery ash is highly toxic and physical contact will sicken or kill most plants and animals.
This plant feeds on life force. It is usually underground, but its effect extends to any creature within one to five meters (depending upon the size of the Necroroot). It drains 1 FP per combat round from living creatures. It heals 1 FP per combat round to Undead.
This thorny plant is more dangerous than others because its thin "needles" are copper.
A plant similar to Old Man In The Ground, whose root tips turn the donut-shape of soil around the main plant into quicksand. The plant is thus on an island of solid ground in the center. Small prey that manages to scramble onto this island would eventually starve.
Elemental spiders normally live in groups of mixed types. They are moderately intelligent and cooperate to make best use of their natural abilities. Underground or where prey is scarce these groups contain 4-8 spiders. In the forest or other places with more food these groups contain 8-12 spiders.
Elemental spiders are not very poisonous. Their bite will poison small animals, but a normally-sized adventurer only fears their other abilities.
Therianthropy works on elemental spiders, but as with normal spiders it is seldom used. Spider sight and movement are so different from those of mammals that few Therions have the experience to see straight or move well as a spider, let alone weave a web or navigate its threads.
This clever spider can become mostly incorporeal. In that state it is immune to combat and can pass through spider webs. However, it is not entirely incorporeal and cannot pass through walls. Phase Spiders are spindly and the size of dining room chairs.
In a group of elemental spiders the Phase Spiders work as scouts who patrol the edges of the lair or encampment. During combat they focus on attacking any opponent with ranged attacks, charing while incorporeal and then once upon their prey becoming normally solid and attacking.
Phase Spiders attack by biting. If injured they become incorporeal and retreat.
| Phase Spider |
|---|
FP 4, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 4 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 2 Lift/Smash: 1 Perception/Track: 2 Leap/Tumble: 1 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 3 Sneak/Hide: 4 |
This spider can excrete potentially explosive blobs as well as webbing. These blobs are strategically put in the webs. When ensnared prey struggles in the web a nearby blob will explode. The Demolition Spider will pull on its web to detonate blobs when it sees prey near its web. Demolition Spiders are thick-bodied and the size of large housecats.
In a group of elemental spiders the Demolition Spiders stay in the center of the lair or encampment, ready to manipulate the webs.
During an outdoor combat, some Demolitions Spiders will climb high into trees to drop newly made explosive blobs onto the opponents. Most will stay in the webs, and attack by biting only if approached.
| Demolition Spider |
|---|
FP 8, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 4 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 1 Lift/Smash: 1 Perception/Track: 3 Leap/Tumble: 1 Throw/Ensnare (drop): 3 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 2 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
This huge spider has flat feet that allow it to walk on water. Fortunately, it seems to have no other special ability. Water Striders are solidly built and the size of ponies.
In a group of elemental spiders the Water Striders will charge into the melee vanguard of any combat, knowing their huge fangs and sturdy bodies make them more suited for close fighting than other elemental spiders.
Stream Striders attack relentlessly, never using defensive actions. However, they flee when at 4 FP.
| Stream Strider |
|---|
FP 12, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 4 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 0 Lift/Smash: 2 Perception/Track: 2 Leap/Tumble: 2 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 2 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
This spider leaps out of hidden tunnels to grab prey. It can dig at a remarkable rate using the single large claw on each leg. It is the size of a large dog.
In a group of elemental spiders the Giant Trap Door Spiders will build their burrows strategically in and around the lair or encampment. They are the only spiders that attack with their legs, and do so effectively. Their sharp claws also help them escape from nets or traps.
Giant Trap Door Spiders attack if they have the advantage, and otherwise try to lure prey into webs or near where other Giant Trap Door Spiders are waiting underground.
| Giant Trap Door Spider |
|---|
FP 8, AR 1 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash: 5 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 1 Lift/Smash: 1 Perception/Track: 4 Leap/Tumble: 1 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 4 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
Oozes are actually "colony" creatures made up of a large number of single-cell units which are each barely visible to the eye. Cutting an ooze does not harm it. To damage an Ooze colony, burn or freeze it. Electricity will shatter some oozes into smaller pieces.
| Ooze (any size) |
|---|
FP 2 to 12 (2 per lifecycle stage), AR 0 Brawn Hack/Slash: 0 Lift/Smash: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 3 unarmed attacks ignore 3 AR and stuns may pin Shoot/Fire: 0 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 0 Perception/Track: 1 Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 0 Balance Block/Dodge: 0 Leap/Tumble: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
Swarmers are bugs or rodents that are dangerous because they attack in groups.
This dangerous bug is as large as a housecat. It is shaped much like any mantis except that the outward edge of each foreleg is razor sharp. Fortunately, it is fragile. Unfortunately, it usually attacks in large groups.
When a group attacks, each Slicing Mantis takes a turn leaping into melee range, attacking, and then leaping away. Wounded mantises retreat.
| Slicing Mantis |
|---|
FP 2, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash: 4 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 3 Lift/Smash: 1 Perception/Track: 2 Leap/Tumble: 4 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 2 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
This bug is the size of a large dog. It has three horns. When it attacks, air pockets behind each horn increase in pressure until the horn eventually forward. Lost horns regrow during the next month.
Arbalast Beetles attack by waiting as a group for prey to pass along a narrow path or through a narrow passageway. Then all the beetles shoot their first horn simultaneously. They will preferably scurry backwards to avoid melee combat, so that other beetles can continue shooting at the opponent. However, if any beetle is killed then the remaining ones henceforth fly away from melee combat.
The FP and AR of an Arbalast Beetle increase with its age and size.
| Arbalast Beetle |
|---|
FP 4 to 12, AR 1 or 2 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 2 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 1 Lift/Smash: 1 Perception/Track: 1 Leap/Tumble: 1 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
This fiercely territorial insect can shoot a tiny ball of fire from its posterior. A lone Inferno Dragonfly is not very dangerous, for these firey missiles are small. However, the usually fly about in groups of a dozen or more. Each is the size of a large rat.
Inferno Dragonflies are able to fly silently. They often attack at night, surprising their prey. Unlike most attacks, their damage is not based upon the excess of their (group's) Shoot/Fire skill check. Instead, use as many damage dice as half the number of Inferno Dragonflies attacking.
| Inferno Dragonfly |
|---|
FP 3 or 4, AR 1 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash: 1 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 2 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 1 Leap/Tumble: 1 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 4 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
These rodents are the size of a gerbil. Each colony of Share-Shrews lives off of a pooled collection of FP. Initially each shrew is incredibly tough and sturdy, and an impact that would maim, cut, or crush a normal creature merely knocks back the shrew. Eventually the shared pool of FP is exhausted, and the shrews begin to faint and can be killed.
Share-Shrews are cowardly, and try to avoid danger. However, when hungry they will attack humanoids or large animals, preferably by leaping onto it all at once to knock it over. A colony has 12 to 20 shrews.
| Share-Shrews |
|---|
FP one per shrew (shared), AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash: 3 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 1 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 2 Leap/Tumble: 3 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 3 Sneak/Hide: 2 |
The cute, blue lizards are the size of iguanas. They have a single horn on their nose, from which they can squirt a liquid that causes intense pain and then paralysis. They are popular as pets because they are easy to care for, friendly to their owners, and decent as guard animals for the home.
In the wild they are found both above and under ground. A single Blue Squirter is at worst a painful inconvenience. A hungry pack can be very dangerous.
Blue Squirters are immune to their own squirts, and those of other Blue Squirters.
In combat a pack of Blue Squirters will all squirt in groups. Because each creature can only squirt once every three turns, one-third of the pack will squirt each combat turn. Blue Squirters preferably to attack as an ambush when hungry and hunting. The squirt is so painful that the target always cries out, even if attempting to remain quiet, but the pain is caused by a chemical rather than wounding.
Each combat round those Blue Squirters who are not squirting gnaw on a paralyzed opponent (or Dodge if no opponents are paralyzed). Because their mouths and teeth are small, this gnawing has only an effective skill of 1.
Squirt damage is found uniquely, because their squirts do more paralysis than harm. If the attack succeeds, roll one damage die per attacking Blue Squirter. Only those damage dice that roll 8's do any damage, and instead of being criticals each of these only signifies one-half of a FP of damage (rounded down). However, both 1's and 2's count as stuns, and if the target is stunned it loses three turns.
| Blue Squirter |
|---|
FP 1 to 4 depending upon size, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 1 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 1 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 1 Leap/Tumble: 2 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire (squirt): 4 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
These squirrels are slightly larger than normal squirrels, and live both above ground and in caves. They have the unusual ability to pass through dirt and stone as if incorporeal. Any item they carry also passes through dirt and stone, and is not damaged if the squirrel releases it to "bury" it. Rock Squirrels most often use this ability to hide stashes of nuts for Winter, similar to their normal cousins. However, they are also very fond of shiny objects and many travelers have lost coins or gems to a Rock Squirrel who stole them from a campsite and took them underground.
In combat, a Rock Squirrel is normally purely defense and dodges each turn. However, it receives a free attack action each time its opponent misses.
Rock Squirrels normally travel in small groups, but often only one is seen since it is scouting/thieving while its colleagues are hiding.
| Rock Squirrel |
|---|
FP 6, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (bite): 3 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 4 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 3 Leap/Tumble: 3 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 4 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
This aggressive blob creates many more copies of itself when attacked. It can be hurt by normal weapons (unlike Oozes) as well as fire or cold. It is immune to electricity, and acid heals it.
In combat it attacks by squirting acid or constricting slow-moving prey. Each time a Charteuse Pudding is hurt but not killed it first loses FP and then creates a copy of itself (with equal FP).
| Charteuse Pudding |
|---|
FP 12, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash: 0 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 0 Lift/Smash (crush): 3 Perception/Track: 1 Leap/Tumble: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire (acid): 3 Wilderness/Escape: 0 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
Those of the Lamia's worshippers (mostly Mer, but others too) who have lived violent lives but intensely desire to increase in virtue are changed by the Lamia. From the waist down they are given a black snake's tail. These creatures are called "The Hiss".
The Hiss lose their old racial identities and abilities. For example, those who were Mer no longer can change themselves from the waist down, breathe water, sing hypnoically.
The Hiss are intelligent, but initially are equally snake-like in temperament and habits. They only cooperate with other Hiss whom they know. They are fond of eating eggs and freshly hunted game animals. As hunters they become skilled at archery and the use of poisons, but they prefer to flee from melee combat.
Many of the Hiss keep small snakes as friends: more than pets, for the Hiss can speak with all snakes and many other reptiles.
The Hiss are supernaturally gifted at languages, and can learn an unfamiliar language in only a few hours. They are also able to mimic any voice they have heard, as well as sounds from nature.
Even though a few of the Hiss succeed in growing in maturity and virtue, the Hiss are not accepted in Arliac City. If discovered, they are hunted by guild watches or bounty hunters.
Most of the Hiss are mindless savages. They wear little clothing, and except for practicing archery and Alchemy (to make poisons) they exhibit few remnants of civilization or culture.
| Normal Hiss |
|---|
FP 8, AR 0 Brawn Hack/Slash: 4 may parry with up to 1 skill Lift/Smash: 3 Throw/Ensnare: 1 Shoot/Fire: 4 interrupting shots use 1 more die to check for stuns Brains Bargain/Appraise: 1 Perception/Track: 3 free surprise attack at 1 skill Social/Etiquette: 1 Wilderness/Escape: 3 Balance Block/Dodge: 2 may block or dodge 2 more attacks per turn Leap/Tumble: 1 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 4 |
A few of the Hiss are genuinely repentant and even under the influence of their snake-like form struggle towards self-improvement. These "Upward Hiss" form societies based upon five cardinal virtues: honesty, loyalty, charity, integrity, and humility. These societies exhibit their own strange culture and craftsmanship.
Members of the Upward Hiss advance through five stages as the cardinal virtues are mastered. All newly created Hiss are selfish but will always keep their word. Those among the Hiss who start along the Upward Path gain loyalty and will not be selfish when pursuing their community duties. Those who become more mature develop charity and will give beyond what duty requires, but only sometimes. Some of the Upward Hiss mature yet further and gain integrity: these are generous and kind in all situations. The most mature, the elders among the Upward Hiss, gain humility and always looks to others instead of themselves.
Tail coloration changes among the Upward Hiss, to reflect their stage of maturity. The black tail changes to reddish when loyalty is gained, to orange when charity is acquired, to yellow when integrity is obtained, and to green when humility is mastered. This change in coloration is gradual as spots, stripes, or speckles of the next color slowly appear and become more dominant.
Among the Upward Hiss, many stories attest that those who obtain humility are approached by the Llamia, who offers to restore them to their old bodies. But the offer is always refused because the elder prefers to remain among Upward Hiss society to help others follow the Upward Path.
A few legends claim that the Upward Hiss have the ability to put their virtues in physical form. One of the Upward Hiss who has developed loyalty, charity, or integrity can enter a trance and shed its snake skin. This causes the loss of that highest-obtained virtue; the creature immediately beings acting less mature. However, if the shed skin is eaten by another of the Upward Hiss who is ready to obtain the crystallized virtue then the eater will effortlessly gain that virtue.
| Upward Hiss |
|---|
FP 8, AR 0 Brawn Hack/Slash: 3 may parry with up to 1 skill Lift/Smash: 2 Throw/Ensnare: 1 Shoot/Fire: 4 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 2 Perception/Track: 4 free surprise attack at 1 skill Social/Etiquette: 4 fast talking lasts 2 more hours Wilderness/Escape: 3 Balance Block/Dodge: 1 Leap/Tumble: 1 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 3 may help 1 other move stealthily |
Scurvydie are creatures with the torsos of squirrels and various bird-like features, and perhaps multiple heads resembling yet other animals.
Scurvydie are warm-blooded, omnivorous mammals that live up to fifty years. They are untamable and do not make nice pets. They are susceptible to therianthropy at all developmental stages.
The juvenile form of Scurvydie is the Hieroscruvy. These animals are as small as normal squirrels, and behave quite similarly. However, their squirrel body has a hawk's head.
Hieroscruvy can be a farm pest, raiding gardens and killing chickens, but are no more dangerous than other small mammals.
| Hieroscurvy |
|---|
FP 4, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash (Bite): 2 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 3 Lift/Smash: 0 Perception/Track: 4 Leap/Tumble: 2 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 3 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
Some time during its second year a Scurvydie changes into a Gryphoscruvy by growing a pair of wings like a hawk's. The monster's front forelegs also change to be like a hawk's talons
A newly changed Gryphoscruvy is not much larger than a big squirrel. During the next dozen years they grow to be the size of large horses.
Gryphoscruvies have a hawk's predatory hunger, and larger ones regularly hunt by swooping down on small livestock. Gryphoscruvy are sufficiently adult to form mating pairs and breed. They usually mate for life but switch homes seasonally.
The favorite meal of Gryphoscruvies is venison. A watchful rancher can teach them to stay away from most types of livestock, but deer are apparently a delicacy that a Gryphoscruvy will take any risk to obtain.
A few legends tell of Gryphoscruvies being tamed and used as flying mounts, but none of these stories are historically reliable.
| Gryphoscurvy |
|---|
FP 4 to 20, AR 0 to 1 Brawn Hack/Slash (Bite or Claw): 3 Lift/Smash: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 0 Perception/Track: 4 free surprise attack at 3 skill Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Balance Block/Dodge: 3 may block or dodge 2 more attacks per turn Leap/Tumble: 2 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
Some Gryphoscruvy grow a second head resembling that of a stag. These are known as Peryscurvy. It is not known whether this second metamorphosis is the result of age, eating a sufficient quantity of venison, or some other factor. A Peryscurvy also gradually grows a second tail like a stag's but larger.
A Peryscurvy is strikingly clever, perhaps because it has two brains. It gains a strange inexplicable ability: it can alter the shape of its shadow to resemble the shadow of any animal. It uses this false shadow to lure its prey into the open where it can better pounce.
Many Peryscurvy discover that members of the intelligent races are especially vulnerable to chasing false shadows.
| Peryscurvy |
|---|
FP 18 to 24, AR 1 Brawn Hack/Slash (Bite or Claw): 4 Lift/Smash: 0 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 0 Perception/Track: 4 free surprise attack at 3 skill Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Balance Block/Dodge: 3 may block or dodge 2 more attacks per turn Leap/Tumble: 2 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
Very rarely a Peryscurvy metamorphosizes a third time and becomes a Chimerscurvy. As before the reason is unknown.
A Chimerscurvy grows a new dragon-like head and tail. The dragon-like head of a Chimerscurvy does not have a breath attack as a true Dragon does, but can exhale clouds of darkness. In combat it can bite or breathe with its dragon-like head, claw with its front claws, and also sweep with its dragon-like tail each turn, but the tail attack must be against a different target behind the monster.
Chimerscurvies begin growing again. They may double their size during their remaining years.
| Chimerscurvy |
|---|
FP 26, AR 1 Brawn Hack/Slash (Bite or Claw): 5 Lift/Smash (Dragon Tail): 2 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Shoot/Fire (Breath): 3 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 0 Perception/Track: 4 free surprise attack at 4 skill Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Balance Block/Dodge: 3 may block or dodge 3 more attacks per turn Leap/Tumble: 2 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
During the early part of the second Kobalt era there was a terrible war between a Kobalt Superfamily and two Unseemly troops. Unseemly magic shrank and twisted the Kobalt army. The result was effectively a new race of humanoids that has only animal intelligence and lacks the sapping ability. These are now called Arzens.
Like their Kobalt ancestors, Arzens have leathery skin and pointy ears and teeth. They are even smaller than Kobalts, seldom three-fourths of a meter tall. Their eyes are not the dark eyes of Kobalts but are bright red and glow faintly in the dark. Their ears and teeth are pointier than a Kobalt's, with their ears shorter and teeth longer. Arzens retain the Kobalts' nocturnal habits and rapid healing of wounds
Azrens normally live in large groups. They behave much like ants, with warriors protecting the workers. Unlike ants they have no "queen" and any female Azern can have children.
Arzens prefer to take over natural caves or abandoned ruins, but are able to dig cavern-complexes. Their own tunnels and caves are much like those of Kobalts but smaller and more sprawling.
Arzenic life lacks art or crafting, even to the extent of lacking tool manufacture. But Arzens can use tools: they readily dig with stolen mining equipment or fight with stolen weapons. Except for shields, stolen armor does not usually fit them and is kept only because it is shiny.
Even though they lack true intelligence, Arzens often tame or breed a pack of animals (usually dogs or wolves, but sometimes large lizards or cats) who help hunt or guard the lair. Perhaps the Arzen's own pack-like nature aids in working with these animals.
Most Arzens are blue, like their Kobalt ancestors. There is nothing special about Blue Arzens
| Blue Arzen |
|---|
FP 6, AR 0 Brawn Hack/Slash: 3 may parry with up to 1 skill Lift/Smash: 3 Throw/Ensnare: 2 Shoot/Fire: 2 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 1 Perception/Track: 4 Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 3 Balance Block/Dodge: 3 may block or dodge 1 more attack per turn Leap/Tumble: 2 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
About one Arzen in one hundred will be born with a strange metabolic condition. The Green Arzen has dark green skin, often warty and pock-marked. Green Arzens grow to be twice as tall as Blue Arzens. They also heal incredibly rapidly: one FP per combat round. Because of their size, strength, and healing they terrorize their Blue Arzen kin.
| Green Arzen |
|---|
FP 10, AR 0 Brawn (Exceptional) Hack/Slash: 4 may parry with up to 1 skill Lift/Smash: 4 blunt melee attacks affect 1 more opponent Throw/Ensnare: 3 Shoot/Fire: 3 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 1 Perception/Track: 3 Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 2 Balance Block/Dodge: 2 Leap/Tumble: 2 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 2 |
A very few Arzens are born with red skin and a natural gift for Transmutery. These Azrens often rise to social prominence, bullying and scaring their Blue and Green kin with their "magic". They are not truly intelligent, but are more clever than other Arzens. Survival teaches them to learn from their mistakes and to stay aware of the emotions of others around them.
| Red Arzen |
|---|
FP 8, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash: 2 Bargain/Appraise: 2 Block/Dodge: 2 Lift/Smash: 2 Perception/Track: 4 Leap/Tumble: 2 Throw/Ensnare: 2 Social/Etiquette: 2 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 2 Wilderness/Escape: 3 Sneak/Hide: 4 |
Zooks are hybrid-men. Their existence is thought to be tied to the Pooka, whose accidental existence bends the way humanoids and monsters mix.
Zooks are bidpedal and look like Therions who have the heads and/or limbs of animals or plants. The most common are rat-men, lizard-men, mushroom-men, and the vine-fisted.
Some Zooks are intelligent and have obtained armor, weapons, and equipment. These often work together in small groups. Sometimes Zooks form large bands and cooperate with the roles of scouts, messengers, raiders, and captains.
During combat, most Zooks fight alone or in pairs. Only a few are clever enough to fight strategically as members of a group.
Rat-Men are humanoid but their heads, forearms, and forelegs resemble a rat's (but of course larger). Most also have a rat's tail.
Rat-Men become cowardly when threatened with a weapon. However they can be brave when not directly threatened, and make skilled scouts, spies, and messengers for the Grand Ogres who create them.
Those Rat-Men who do carry a weapon usually carry a sling or small crossbow. If forced to fight, their claws are sharp and dangerous.
| Rat-Men |
|---|
FP 8, AR 0 Brawn Hack/Slash: 2 Lift/Smash: 2 Throw/Ensnare: 1 Shoot/Fire: 3 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 3 Perception/Track: 4 Social/Etiquette: 3 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Balance Block/Dodge: 4 may block or dodge 2 more attacks per turn Leap/Tumble: 4 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 5 |
Lizard-Men are large humanoids with the head, hands, feet, and tail of a lizard. They have thick, scaly skin that provides natural armor. They are not as quick and nimble as Rat-Men but make much better warriors.
| Lizard-Men |
|---|
FP 10, AR 1 Brawn Hack/Slash: 4 may parry with up to 2 skill Lift/Smash: 3 blunt melee attacks affect 2 more opponents Throw/Ensnare: 1 Shoot/Fire: 2 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 1 Perception/Track: 3 Social/Etiquette: 1 Wilderness/Escape: 2 Balance Block/Dodge: 2 Leap/Tumble: 1 Ride/Pilot: 1 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
Mushroom-Men are stout humanoids with a mushroom for a head. On the mushroom are normal humanoid eyes, but only slits for a nose and ears. They are nearly immune to heat, cold, and electricity.
Twice per day they can release mind-control spores from the soft ridges under their mushroom's cap. These spores are very effective against unintelligent creatures, but seldom work against an intelligent opponent.
Although Mushroom-Men make terrible fighters, they compensate by using the monsters they control. Most Mushroom-Men keep two or three Fell Animals or other creatures to use as servants and warriors.
| Mushroom-Men |
|---|
FP 6, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash: 1 Bargain/Appraise: 1 Block/Dodge: 1 Lift/Smash: 1 Perception/Track: 3 Leap/Tumble: 1 Throw/Ensnare: 3 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 2 Wilderness/Escape: 2 Sneak/Hide: 2 |
The Vine-Fisted look like Therions except for having sturdy vines instead of hands. They are often very intelligent and infiltrate Therion settlements, wearing gloves to appear as normal travelers until some reconnaissance or vile deed is complete.
The Vine-Fisted never use weapons in combat, but sometimes wear armor or carry a shield. When fighting, they grapple and strangle with their long vines.
| The Vine-Fisted |
|---|
FP 8, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash: 0 Bargain/Appraise: 3 Block/Dodge: 2 Lift/Smash: 3 Perception/Track: 4 Leap/Tumble: 1 Throw/Ensnare: 4 Social/Etiquette: 2 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 2 |
A few types of monsters cause problems with certain skills. By their very nature, proximity to one of these monsters fouls up the corresponding skill. The anti-skill monsters are all long-lived; the older they get, the farther extends their ruinous ability.
The Anti-Build monsters are even more troublesome than other anti-skill monsters because they not only disrupt the active use of a Build skills but their proximity also ruins any items created using that Build skill.
As the saying goes, "White Mice Tell No Lies." Actually, it is only a certain breed of albino mice whose presence forces intelligent creatures to only speak truth.
These odd bugs fly in a small swarm, and protect it with a minor illusion. The air around them looks wavy and rippled, similar to the air above a hot stove. Aiming any missile weapon through that illusion is nearly impossible.
Bubblers look like a slimy pile of foam. They are the bane of Alchemists. Any liquid near these small creatures bubbles and boils, ruining all potions and gasses.
"Bugs" look like large silverfish. They can detect any nearby chems, which are their favorite kind of food. If a "Bug" is near a chem then the chem (and its golem) stops functioning.
Gremlins are small, quick lizards whose touch rusts metal. They are especially fond of ruining and eating the devices Machinists create.
Shades are living pools of blackness that live by draining the warmth from living creatures. Transmutery does not work near them, and their presence causes objects shaped by Transmutery to warp.
A few elemental creatures can teleport.
These bugs look like floating and flickering lights. They lure prey into swamps or quicksand, then teleport away until the prey drowns.
These giant horseflies have posteriors aflame. They fly in, bite while attempting to ignite their prey, and then teleport a few meters away to safety.
These fascinating lizards have a ridge of fire burning down their spine when awake. If the flame is doused, the lizard flails about in a fit of discomfort for a minute, then proceeds timidly to safety.
They can teleport short distances. They often hunt in a pack, allowing wounded lizards to flee while fresh attackers take their place.
These crafty snakes live and fight in groups. They are quite intelligent and use teamwork in combat.
When fighitng they spit acid from behind cover. If their prey comes near, they teleport a few meters to a safer location.
These annoying bugs bite and then flee a short distance away with teleportation. They may carry disease.
These large wasps build a tall, sturdy hive from mud and rock. They defend the hives by teleporting out in an organized sortie, attacking once in unison, and then teleporting back into the hive to prepare another attack wave.
This odd snake neither poisons nor constricts. Instead, it lashes with its tail and makes quick, repeated bites with its canine-like teeth. Its scales are rocky and protect the snake when it attacks. It often hunts in groups, and wounded snakes teleport back to the shared burrow.
The largest known group of Undead is the at Arlinac Mountain. The remnants of the Dweorg armies still walk through the Fortress and many of the mountain's caverns, even though most of the mountain's Undead were destroyed by the Advance of Gara Gara.
A newly created Undead is a Zombie. Zombies are not intelligent. The power that animates them is primitive and works sloppily: they move slowly and jerkily, are almost mute (able only to groan and wheeze). They are unable to use any tool requiring more coordination than a club or thrown rock, and even with these they are not very accurate. Even though they are individually not skilled at combat they can still be dangerous when in groups. They have no sense of self-preservation and attack relentlessly without tactics or defensive actions. A group of Zombies will lack teamwork, and if there is enough room an adventurer can often lead the group so it pursues single-file. They only desire a Zombie has is to eat the brain of living or recently killed creature. If it does this it becomes a Ghoul. Zombies are supernaturally aware of nearby living brains. A Zombie that is not following the orders of a more advanced Undead will be idle unless it notices a brain to pursue. Zombies cannot sense brains through walls or glass-paned windows.
Zombies are vulnerable to cold, fire, and light. They are not especially flammable, but burning a Zombie will eventually destroy it. Hacking it to small pieces makes it no longer a threat, effectively destroying it since it does not heal. Some stories describe sanctified objects that cause great damage to zombies.
| Zombie |
|---|
FP 4, AR 0 Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash: 1 Bargain/Appraise: 0 Block/Dodge: 0 Lift/Smash: 2 Perception/Track: 1 Leap/Tumble: 1 Throw/Ensnare: 1 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 0 |
A Ghoul is an Undead that has eaten a brain, and so is no longer a Zombie. It seeks more flesh. But Ghouls do not mind long-dead flesh, and often find graveyards where they can satisfy their craving. They stay in groups if possible, aware of their slow and weak state. They are not mindless but are very slow to make a decision. As Ghouls feed they gain coordination until they only occasionally betray the jerky and staggered movements to which they were once limited. They also being to regain a metabolism, and slowly heal, but loose all their hair and may carry disease. Ghouls sweat and have saliva: their sweat is poisonous and accumulates under their fingernails, their saliva causes paralysis. When a group of Ghouls attacks, each Ghoul will have a large rock and most will have a club or other one-handed weapon. The rocks are thrown first, if possible from an ambush. Then the Ghouls scratch/bite unarmored prey, or strike at armored prey with their weapons. Wounded Ghouls retreat to allow others to take their place. The paralyzing bite of a Ghoul uses twice as many Damage Dice on unarmored opponents, but its loss of Fatigue Points only lasts half an hour.
Ghouls remain vulnerable to fire and light, but are no longer especially vulnerable to cold. Fire can still destroy them. A slain Ghoul that is not burned becomes dry and brittle over the next few days and eventually crumbles.
| Ghoul |
|---|
FP 6, AR 0 Brawn Hack/Slash: 1 Lift/Smash: 3 blunt melee attacks affect 1 more opponent Throw/Ensnare: 1 Shoot/Fire: 0 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 0 Perception/Track: 2 free surprise attack at 1 skill Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Balance Block/Dodge: 1 Leap/Tumble: 1 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 0 |
A Ghast is a Ghoul that has become satiated with dead flesh. Now it wants living prey. Ghasts have developed a fully functional metabolism. They heal normally and have regrown a little of their hair. They no longer have poisonous sweat or paralyzing saliva. Ghasts have regained the coordination and agility they had before death. They move quickly. If they were a member of the intelligent races they are cunning and predatory, use weapons and tools, and often plan ambushes that give them the first attack. They will flee combat if they loose their initial advantage. Ghasts develop a keen ability to track living prey, and have an excellent sense of smell. Ghasts may travel in groups, but often prefer to travel alone or in pairs to better rely on stealth. They often set traps: they realize they do not make good traps, but even a dud trap can distract adventurers long enough to facilitate an ambush.
Ghasts remain vulnerable to light, but are no longer especially vulnerable to cold or fire. Since they are now "alive" because of their metabolism instead of the source of their necromobility they can be reliably destroyed with weapons (even arrows, whose perforations do very little to Zombies or Ghouls). A slain Ghast quickly turns to powder in only a few moments.
| Ghast |
|---|
FP 8, AR 0 Brawn Hack/Slash: 3 Lift/Smash: 3 blunt melee attacks affect 1 more opponent Throw/Ensnare: 3 Shoot/Fire: 1 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 0 Perception/Track: 3 free surprise attack at 1 skill Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 2 Balance Block/Dodge: 2 Leap/Tumble: 3 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 3 |
A Wight is a Ghast that has become satiated with eating the living. Its next yearning is to absorb magic by keeping enchanted items next to its skin. Wights can detect nearby magic and will often stealthily follow a trade caravan or other group that owns a magical artifact to steal the item late at night. Wights are very sneaky, avoid combat when possible, and may leave if given the item or items they desire; some are even intelligent enough to bargain with. A Wight almost looks like its old race, but still has glowing white eyes and little hair. It regains its former racial ability, and also develops a strangely disorienting breath: those they breathe upon become dizzy and sleepy, usually succumbing to a brief, harmless, hallucinogenic stupor. Wights normally equip themselves similarly to a living adventurer: armor, missle and melee weapon, and trap materials. Some Wights practice the Build skills, and many carry useful alchemy potions (healing, speed, or sleep gas vials) even though alchemy potions do not directly contribute to their accumulation of magical energy. Wights normally dwell and attack alone or in pairs.
Wights are no longer especially vulnerable to fire, cold, or light. They radiate cold. They can be killed like a living creature. Once killed, the glow leaves their eyes.
| Wight |
|---|
FP 8, AR 0 Brawn Hack/Slash: 3 may parry with up to 1 skill Lift/Smash: 3 blunt melee attacks affect 1 more opponents Throw/Ensnare: 3 Shoot/Fire: 2 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 1 Perception/Track: 3 free surprise attack at 1 skill Social/Etiquette: 0 Wilderness/Escape: 3 Balance Block/Dodge: 2 Leap/Tumble: 3 Ride/Pilot: 0 Sneak/Hide: 4 |
A Lich is a Wight who has consumed enough magic to progress to the final stage of necromobility. A Lich is an ironic Undead, for it has lost its old life but has developed new hopes and dreams. Vigorous in metabolism and satiated with magic, it now wants to blend into society to rule or accomplish other objectives. Some liches hate their Undead existence, but most view necromobility as a slowly-realized benefit they enjoy and celebrate in twisted ways. If a Lich has a weakness it is in its cruelty: most Liches that are discovered are identified because there are needlessly and inexplicably sadistic and cruel. Liches are keenly intelligent and strong-willed. They completely regained their original appearance, including losing the Wight's disorienting breath and regrowing their hair, except that in darkness their eyes can still be seen to glow slightly white. They are practiced with many skills and the use of their racial ability; ancient Liches have exceptional skills and talents. Liches also have a stare that can momentarily hypnotize intelligent creatures; a few stories tell of a Lich able to mentally command animals (most often rats but in one story beetles) but these accounts, although frightening and memorable, are unreliable. Killing a Lich is difficult because they naturally heal from most wounds, poisons, disease, and any other damage; the only sure way to kill them is beheading, which causes their eyes to briefly flare brightly with light. There is no typical Lich appearance or behavior in combat; Liches differ as much as any living, intelligent warriors.
Liches are no longer especially vulnerable to fire, cold, or light. They radiate cold and light, yet can lessen this affect to an almost non-existent amount to allow themselves to better pass unnoticed among the intelligent races.
| Lich |
|---|
FP 12, AR 1 Brawn Hack/Slash: 4 may parry with up to 3 skill Lift/Smash: 3 blunt melee attacks affect 1 more opponents Throw/Ensnare: 3 Shoot/Fire: 4 Brains Bargain/Appraise: 3 Perception/Track: 3 free surprise attack at 1 skill Social/Etiquette: 4 fast talking lasts 1 more hour Wilderness/Escape: 3 Balance Block/Dodge: 2 Leap/Tumble: 3 Ride/Pilot: 1 Sneak/Hide: 4 |
Dragons are large, thick-skinned lizards with a breath weapon who gain power from hoarding treasure. They are initially slow and ponderous, only attacking once every other combat turn.
As a dragon ages it increases in size and FP similarly to most large creatures. But most of a dragon's abilities depend upon the types of treasure in its hoard:
Many unintelligent dragons are immune to Therianthropy. This could be due to hoarded armor, but stories also say this is because at least half of the unintelligent dragons are actually Therions who have been in the form of a dragon for so long that their own personality and intelligence has been lost, replaced by a dragon's.
A Therion using a dragon's shape retains that shape (including whether it has wings, its potential speed, and its AR) irregardless of how the dragon's hoard subsequently changes. Draconic breath, hypnotization, transmutation, and transformation into an elemement are not copied with therianthropy.
The more intelligent dragons may have higher skills than listed on the following character sheet.
Most dragons serve Big Blackie and are thus part of his Dragon Dominion.
| Dragons |
|---|
FP 8 or more, AR 1 or more Brawn Brains Balance Hack/Slash: 2 or more Bargain/Appraise: 1 Block/Dodge: 2 Lift/Smash: 2 Perception/Track: 2 Leap/Tumble: 2 Throw/Ensnare: 0 Social/Etiquette: 0 Ride/Pilot: 0 Shoot/Fire: 4 Wilderness/Escape: 1 Sneak/Hide: 1 |
Air dragons are long, thin, and either white or silver. They breathe gusts of wind that easily deflect flying arrows and crossbow bolts.
Fire dragons are stout and either red or gold. They breathe cone-shaped blasts of fire.
Most water dragons are portly and either blue or turquoise. Their breath attack is scalding hot steam.
A much rarer variety of water dragon is thin, furry, and snow-colored. It can breathe such an intense cold that any creatures hit by the breath are frozen solid.
Earth dragons are chunky and brown or gray. They swallow large rocks, which they can spit out high speeds.
The few dragons that are not part of Big Blackie's Dragon Dominion are called Fortitudinous Dragons. They are hunted by the Dragon Dominion.
Demidragons are small reptiles with the outward shape of a dragon but with none of a dragon's normal abilities. Their origin is unknown. They are rare, but can be tamed and bred. Pets raised from infancy become very loyal and affectionate to their original owner, but will never bond as strongly with anyone else.
Winged demidragons (and their eggs) are prized by Therions for therianthropy.