Bestiary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U W Z - 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10+

8 entries found.

Maka
keywordsDrylands, Twilight, Domestic, Hunted
level1
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick
8
16
15
3
7
7
7
6
0
0
0
0
4
0
45
Bite
:
A9
D14
Init19
damD2
A Maka is a large lizard with a rusty brown colouration and a distinctive blue tongue. Fully grown a Maka is as long as a Keldian's forearm. Unlike the smaller Meerkan a Maka is considered to be edible, and are sometimes hunted by subsistence hunters with no herds of their own. They are rarely domesticated and reared, even though they are very docile, because they are nimble and can easily escape from most enclosures. They are generally not considered intelligent enough to learn not to do so.
Marama Thorns
keywordsDrylands, Plant
level2
Thick hedges of Marama Thorns are planted around many Dryland villages, to keep out packs of Razor Lizards and wandering Crdlu. These plants grow dense thickets up to three or four legats high and at least two legats deep. Climbing over a Marama hedge requires an Agility + Climb roll resisted by a 12 to avoid D4 damage. Pushing through the thickness of the hedge causes D6+1 damage (ignoring everything but full-body armour).
Maugey
keywordsDrylands, Plant, Crop
level0
Maugey Cactus is a hardy plant native to the Drylands. The cactus has a thick barrel shaped core, surrounded by layers of fleshy pointed leaves, armed with long sharp spines. Maugey can be found scattered amongst the Razor grass wherever the rocky ground gives some space. Every year they throw up tall spikes covered in small bright flowers, and then produce sweet red fruit with a hard waxy rind.

Maugey Cacti are cultivated in many Drylands settlements, and almost every part of the plant has a use. The pulp can be squeezed and drained to collect a milky sweet sap that is used to flavour food, or to turn into a white alcoholic drink called Pulque. Distilled, the same sap produces Mezcal. After draining, the pulp can be pounded flat and teased out into fibres to weave into cloth, while the thorns can be used as needles. The heart of the plant can be hollowed out to allow the sap to collect in the space, or many hearts can be uprooted and processed to make the drug Menik (although this requires the destruction of numerous full-grown plants). Maugey fruit is also edible, once the rind is peeled off.
Meerkan
keywordsTwilight, Domestic, Pet, Hunted
level0
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick
7
11
13
4
5
8
5
4
1
0
0
0
1
1
25
Bite
:
A6
D11
Init14
dam1
Meerkan are small brightly colored lizards from the Poison Forests, often kept as pets. An adult Meerkan is a little more than a full handspan in length, with bright eyes, pebbled skin, a long tail and four legs with small clawed feet. Meerkan feed on small insects and seeds, and love to sit on the shoulder of their owner. Meerkan emit a variety of soft trills and loud whistles, and some can be taught to reproduce snippets of tunes with careful training (Int + Animals / Husbadry vs. 14). There is not much eating on a Meerkan, but desperate hunters will still sometimes collect them for the pot. Hunting Difficulty 13.
Mekorro
keywordsTwilight, Spirit
level7
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick
23
22
16
7
18
10
12
40
0
6
4
0
4
5
146
Grasp
:
A24
D22
Init16
damD6+4
Can attack up to 5 times a round
The Mekorro is a bizarre and disturbing spirit beast that sometimes emerges from the swamps of the one river. It resembles some sort of huge deformed Keldian, it's wrinkled and shrivelled bare skin covered in wiry hairs, from which numerous muscular arms emerge, each ending in a large grasping hand with rough clawed nails. A snub contorted face nestles between the arms, it's mouth filled with long sharp teeth. The Mekorro has no legs, and scrambles through the swamp on it's many hands. The sight of a Mekorro is terrifying, and inflicts a Fear 16 attack on anyone that sees it.

Sages have suggested that the Mekorro is a fusion of many different spirits, united by some common purpose. They may arise when a group of Keldians die all at once from drowning or some other disaster. They do not seem capable of speech, but sometimes they howl and moan and growl deep in their throats.

In combat a Mekorro reaches out with many of it's hands, grasping, tearing and crushing with a wild fury. A Mekorro can attack as many as five times in a round while still having enough hands remaining to move around. The Mekorro seems to be full of boundless rage and incoherent anger and if it cannot find a person to vent it's anger on it will smash down trees, uproot plants and rip chunks out of the earth.
Mind Taker
keywordsDrylands, Twilight, Icelands
level4
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick
16
14
12
12
12
10
8
25
0
0
2
0
4
3
93
Drain
:
A16
D14
Init20
damD6 Int
Ignores Armour.
The Mind Taker is a hideous creature of the shadows. It can be found anywhere from the Poison Forest to the Dead Hills, seemingly immune to heat or thirst. This is not so surprising, given that the Mind Taker feeds on the drained Intellect of its victims. The Mind Talker resembles a purple sphere or octopus with four large paddle limbs. With these it can latch onto a victim, draining D6 Int with a successful touch. The victim will be stunned and confused and must make a fatigue check each time they are hit. Should the Mind Taker be allowed to drain all of a target’s Int then the target will die. However in normal cases the Taker flees after accumulating around 10 points of Int, and a victim will then recover 1 Int per hour until well again.

When slain a Mind Taker quickly deflates, and then begins to sublimate into an unpleasant purple smoke. Catching this smoke within a sealed container is tricky (Agility vs. 16), but results in a Treasure 4 of value to alchemists. Corrupted Stonetalkers are reputed to be able to use this smoke as part of a poison that causes D6 Int damage on exposure.

As if their powers were not already enough the Takers can also teleport in combat up to 5 strides in any direction, allowing them to always attack first in any round. They will usually use a teleport to initiate combat, taking a victim by surprise, usually while resting or sleeping, since they are not skilled attackers.
Mother of Stars
keywordsTwilight, Aquatic, Very Rare
level9
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick
11
27
12
8
40
15
20
110
4
8
7
0
3
2
238
Smash
:
A28
D12
Init10
damD12+8
Can smash up to 6 targets a round.
Sting
:
Phys vs. 15 or D10 Stun
The Mother of Stars is an almost legendary relation of the Crown of Stars (or perhaps it is simply a Crown of Stars grown to enormous proportions), a vast, many-armed, starfish like creature of the One River. The Mother of Stars is over 30 paces from tip to tip, though it can withdraw its arms to fit into narrow channels. Its rubbery body is violet, blue and grey, translucent at the tips, and slightly luminescent. It is capable of causing the small bumps on its surface to emit hypnotic patterns of light, which lure aquatic creatures close enough to eat. Keldian boats are sometimes drawn to these underwater patterns and similarly destroyed. Mothers have no interest in treasure, but their hides are often studded with weapons and other objects that have been absorbed into their flesh.

In combat the Mother of Stars can strike up to 6 targets a round with some of its many arms (others are always involved in swimming and feeding). These blows cannot be parried or blocked, they are capable of smashing ships into matchwood, but they are slow, and usually easy to see coming. Attacks against the arms (use the Smash stats) do not harm the Mother's body, but each arm can only sustain 15 Damage before being severed or withdrawn.

Once a target has been knocked into the water it will be stung many times by the fine tendrils that hang under the main body, and then consumed. A stunned target will automatically be eaten in d4 rounds. Should the Mother be seriously harmed it will withdraw its arms and commence to rotate under the water, creating a whirlpool that automatically damages any ship that remains close. Each captain must make a Travel roll to get their ship to safety, resisted by a 16, or sink.

It is not clear how intelligent the Mother is. Sages record legends of how a Mother has blockaded the harbour of a city, or relentlessly attacked a shipping route, for weeks, before vanishing as quickly as they arrived.
Mussagana
keywordsUndead
level4
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick
15
11
10
5
18
14
14
35
0
0
3
2
3
4
108
Bite
:
A17
D11
Init14
damD8+3
Inflicts a Wound on a critical hit. Two attacks a round
The Mussagana is the undead spirit of a Keldian who starved to death. Their all-consuming hunger causes their spirit to cling to their flesh, ever seeking a way to fill their empty bellies. The Mussagana superficially resembles a gaunt and emaciated Keldian, with limbs reduced to sticks of bone and shrunken flesh. Where their bellies should be, however, the Mussagana has a second mouth, gaping and filled with ragged pointed teeth.

Mussagana are interested in only one thing, eating, and will concentrate on stores of food and grain, devouring everything they can get their double mouths on. They are just intelligent enough to adopt simple ruses if it will get them close to food, such as throwing on a cloak and joining a group entering a storehouse, or entering a building where food is being served, but at the sight of food they throw aside such deceptions and gorge themselves. A clever Keldian facing such a creature knows that it can be lured with food.

If attacked, the Mussagana will bite with both mouths, attempting to devour alive whoever it is attacking. On a critical hit it will bite off part of whoever it is attacking, leaving a nasty wound (tales tell of a Mussagana devouring both the food used to lure it and the hand holding it). Like most embodied undead the Mussagana is resistant to normal weapons, taking half damage from physical attacks and spells. Sacred weapons do full damage.