Part 11 – Non-chaotic Monsters of Pamaltela

AMPHISBOENA
(Amphisboena cendrys)

Bite 2W2+2, Scaly Hide +2, Agile 15W, Dodge Attack 5W, Jump 12W, Large 15, Roll Fast 8W, Tough 15W
Venom: Debilitating, Lethal, Potency 15W2

Distribution: Jolar, Kothar

Habitat: Plains

These highly venomous serpents are very rare, but, despite their bizarre appearance are not chaotic. They have a head at each end, and, in addition to being able to slither like a normal snake, they can also grasp one of their heads in the mouth of the other, form into a rigid hoop and roll along the ground at high speed; this ability, however, will only work over reasonably even ground, so that the animal is forced to crawl if it wishes to enter hills or other rough terrain. How amphisboenae breed is unknown. Mind-affecting magics cast at an amphisboena, including sleep spells and the like, will normally affect only one head per spell.

The heads of the amphiboena are quite independant, so that they may attack separate targets if necessary. If the creature has sufficient space to do so (for example, if it initiates an attack against a prey animal) it will roll forward to build up momentum and then suddenly straighten out so that it catapults itself through the air and strikes the target like a giant missile.

Image: Amphisboena

DIRT DEVIL
(Stygius sordefossor)

Claw & Bite 10W+2, Warty hide +2, Ambush 15W, Climb 10W, Dig 15W, Hear Noise 18W, Large 18, Scent Prey 12W, Sense Vibration 18W, Strong 12W, Unnerving Howl 2W

Distribution: Fonrit, Errinoru, Jolar, Kothar

Habitat: Savannah, jungle

These hideous creatures are vagely humanoid, but walk on all fours. Their forelimbs end in heavy, clawed, shovel-like paws ideally suited for burrowing through the earth. Their heads are conical in shape with small eyes and large ears that fold back against the skull when the creature digs. The skin is a very dark grey, almost black and is covered with warty ridges. The Doraddi name them ‘devils’ because of their low-pitched, loud and horrible howls.

Dirt devils spend much of their time below ground, where they dig tunnels through all but solid rock. This is made possible, not just by their shovel paws, but by their ability to gnaw through soft rock with their powerful, spade-like teeth. It is unlikely they can gain nutrition from stone in the way trolls do, but even if they can it appears they must also acquire organic matter, for they are fierce and dedicated carnivores.

Dirt devils were once normal trolls, but they chose to venerate the earth goddess Zugorteg above Kyger Litor. Without the guidance of the great troll ancestress they lost their sentience and became no better than beasts.

Combat Tactics: Dirt devils generally only surface at night, and then usually to feed. While they do eat burrowing animals, and often leave their tunnel lairs to eat carrion or attack small prey above ground, they can also sense the approach of large animals (human-sized and over) on the ground above them by the vibrations their footsteps make. When a victim is directly overhead, the dirt devils erupts from the ground, grabs its prey and hauls it down into the tunnels, where it will generally be too cramped for the creature to fight back effectively. Normally such attacks are solitary, but on occasions, swarms of a dozen or more of the creatures have been reported to pounce upon herds of animals or even small villages, to kill as much as they can in a mad feeding frenzy. How they coordinate these attacks is unknown.

A dirt devil will usually attempt to drag an opponent below ground. Although their tunnels are large enough for a human or troll to crawl through, combat is awkward or impossible. The dirt devils’ joints are articulated in such a way that they can fight in such close quarters without much difficulty. Once below ground, the dirt devil will claw and bite in a vicious frenzy, and attempt to literally tear its victim apart.

FRIGHT
(Noctofuriosus pavor)

Claws & Tusks 12W+2, Armoured Hide +3, Distract Foe 2W, Dodge Attack 8W, Insane Frenzy 10W, Resist Magic 2W, Strong 12W, Terrifyingly Ugly 18W, Tough 18W

Distribution: Umathela, Fonrit, Jolar, Kothar

Habitat: Rough terrain, forest

Frights are hideous creatures said to be descended from trolls who turned from Kyger Litor after they arrived in the surface world, and which were cursed with insanity and a hideous countenance by the aggrieved goddess. Vaguely humanoid in form, they have a thick skin studded with bony tubercles and covered with matted hair, sharp claws and tusks, and have three twisted horns on their head. They normally amble along using their knuckles as apes do, but can also lurch onto their hind feet. Frights are greatly feared by local humans, and are fortunately never encountered in packs.

A fright’s response to intruders is difficult to predict, as might perhaps be expected of a creature reputedly cursed with insanity. Sometimes they will simply ignore a threat, at other times they may approach out of curiosity, and at others still, they will attack in a mindless bloody frenzy directed even against creatures which appear quite harmless.

When excited, the fright makes hideous screeches and growls whose timbre seems calculated to chill the spines of any mortal. To reflect this, any opponent performing a task requiring concentration, such as casting a spell, must first overcome the creature’s Distract Foe ability. A fright’s appearance is so ghastly and inhuman, that against any opponent capable of seeing its face, the fright may augment its Claws & Tusks ability with its Terrifyingly Ugly rating. Should any being which normally relies on vision in combat, such as a human, attempt to fight without looking into the creature’s face, the Narrator should impose a suitable circumstance modifier.

GULPER
(Faux vorax)

Gulp 5W2, Rubbery Hide +3, Ambush 10W, Dodge Attack 2W, Hungry 5W, Large 18, Resist Magic 5W, Strong 15W

Distribution: Errinoru, Tarien, Kothar, Slon

Habitat: Jungle, swamp

Gulpers are fat, wrinkled and rubbery creatures with wide jaws and sagging jowls. They have wings and huge webbed feet. They are equally at home in water or on land, although they must breathe air and cannot remain submerged for long; they are also capable of clumsy flight over short distances. They are solitary animals, not associating outside of the breeding season, and lay leathery eggs in piles of rotting vegetation, which they then abandon. They are carnivorous, lying in wait for prey while camouflaged with local vegetation. They will eat almost any large animal that wanders past, and their usual response to an attack is to simply try and eat the antagonist, weapons and all.

These Doraddi say that these strange creatures were the creation of sea gods, but were exiled from the water when they tried to eat their own makers.

A gulper’s mouth and belly are hugely distensible, allowing them to swallow prey with a Large of up to 8W. To attack, the creature simply attempts to engulf its opponent, and gulp it down into its stomach. Failure in an extended contest with the creature means the victim has been eaten whole, and will rapidly suffocate before being digested. The gulper will eventually spit out any indigestible material, such as metal items, large piles of which may accumulate near its lair.

HOON
(Noctusagittarius dirus)

Bite 10W+3, Drool Acid 5W, Fling Spines 12W+2, Fur & Thick Skin +3, Cunning 18, Fearless 18, Large 10W, Spot Prey 12W, Strong 18W, Tough 5W

Distribution: Umathela, Fonrit, Errinoru

Habitat: Mountains

A hoon is a monstrous flying creature with bat like wings, dark shaggy fur, and a beaked, skull-like head. They have a long, tail covered with thick ridges of skin, the underside of which bristles with sharp spines. Hoons are fearless creatures, and will attack even large parties of humans or elves. Fortunately, they are solitary and never encountered in groups. They nest in caves or other natural shelter high in the mountains, and raid the surrounding lowlands for food. The young remain with the mother until they are weaned, and then survive on local mountain fauna until they are large enough to fly further afield.

Hoons are said in some legends to be descended from trolls, although the connection is unclear. Certainly they must have lost even the most tenuous links to the man rune. The trolls themselves refuse to discuss the hoons and their origin.

Combat Tactics: Hoons fly low to hunt and are most active around dusk and dawn. The hoon is able to flick its tail spines at prey up to forty yards away. It has over a hundred such spines, and new ones sprout each night. Only one such spine is flung at a time, but as it is unlikely to run out, the hoon will likely use them repeatedly against a target which does not immediately succumb.

When faced by a target which is well protected by vegetation cover, the hoon will instead hover over it and drool a long stream of acidic stomach contents. This acid is strong enough to defoliate vegetation and result in painful burns on humans or animals, and even blind them, it is rarely fatal; once the cover has been destroyed the hoon will attack with its tail spines as normal. If cornered on the ground, where it cannot employ its usual attacks effectively, a hoon will bite with its beak.

MIDGET SLASHER
(Microstygius vorax)

Bite 8W+3, Dagger Combat 12W, Thick Skin +1, Ambush 10W, Cunning 2W, Fearless 18, Quick Reflexes 5W, Run Fast 2W, Tough 18, Tracking 10W

Distribution: Tarien, Jolar, Kothar

Habitat: Savannah

These nasty little predators are distant relatives of trolls. In the Storm Age, the ancestors of the midget slashers believed that Kyger Litor’s powers would not help them on the hot savannah of southern Pamaltela, and so abandoned her worship. Since then, having lost their connection to their great ancestress, they have devolved into small-brained carnivores, able to use only the most rudimentary of tools.

A typical midget slasher stands about four and a half feet tall, most of which is due to its long legs. They have a short, rounded torso, small arms and a flattened head. Their jaws are powerfully muscled and lined with dozens of long, sharp fangs. Midget slashers usually prey on large animals such as rhinos and uintatheres, and are unlikely to be frightened of a mere party of humans.

Midget slashers hunt in packs of between five and fifteen adults. They lie in ambush for their prey and all rush out to attack it together, and so may augment their first attack with their Ambush ability. Their usual tactic is for some of the pack members to grapple with the target or stab and feint with flint daggers to distract and hinder it, while the remainder bite out chunks of flesh to kill it through shock and blood loss. Midget slashers use the same tactics in combat against people as they do when hunting for prey.

NIGHTSTALKER
(Parastygius mirelensis)

Grapple 18W, Bite & Punch 5W, Tough Skin +2, Agile 5W, Large 18, Strong 2W2, Tough 18

Distribution: Errinoru

Habitat: Jungle

Nightstalkers are tall, gangly, nocturnal humanoid creatures with prehensile fingers and toes. Their skinny appearance belies the tremendous strength their wiry muscles give them. They have long, wrinkled, flexible necks and monstrous mask-like faces. A shaggy mane of black hair adorns the animal’s skull and in runs a strip down its back. Their skin is a pasty grey colour. Nightstalkers are solitary in habit, and the female looks after its single offspring for as brief a period as possible. When adult nightstalkers do meet, they greet each other with a series of low barks and growls; if the creatures are the same sex or the female is already pregnant or with a young cub, they will attempt to drive each other off, sometimes even coming to blows.

Combat Tactics: Nightstalkers grapple with their opponent and then repeatedly slam them against a solid surface, such as a tree, augmenting their Grapple ability with their Strong. Against an opponent too large or heavy for this tactic, they will either flee or bite and punch at the creature with their fists.

Shadowstalker

(Parastygius vralensis)

Distribution: Umathela, Fonrit

Habitat: Forest