Bestiary

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8 entries found.

Amorokka
keywordsDeadlands, Drylands, Twilight, Icelands, Flying
level6
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick
30
21
14
4
17
13
13
40
0
8
5
0
5
6
159
Bite
:
A30
D21
Init19
damD10+3
Screech
:
A35
D21
Init15
damD8
Ranged 2. Area 4. Ignores armour. Phys vs. 15 or D6 Stun.
The Amorokka is a dangerous flying predator found all across the face of Sun Keld. Resembling a huge black eel, and growing as much as 10 paces long, the Amorokka weaves sinuously through the air with no apparent means of support, although it has many rapidly beating fins along its length which shimmer as they move. The creature's blunt head is broken only by a large and toothy maw, it appears to have no eyes, ears, or nostrils. Nevertheless it is a keen hunter, homing in on prey with some sort of sonic sense (small animals fleeing from these sounds are often the first sign of a hunting Amorokka).

In combat the Amorokka attacks mostly with its bite, ripping chunks from its prey, but it can also employ its sonic sense as a weapon. This releases a pulse of sound strong enough to burst eardrums, topple obstacles, and stun animals. The Amorokka is also capable of swimming through solid sand and earth (though not rock) much as if it were air. When threatened the creature dives into the ground, emerging suddenly to make surprise attacks (or if that is expected, does the same from the air). Surprise attacks from the ground have Stealth 18, from the air 14 (but +2A). Luckily for those that must face it the Amorokka still needs to breathe, and cannot stay underground indefinitely. They are believed to make subterranean lairs with no entrances.

The Amorokka has one other form of defence. Its smooth and glossy hide has a consistency like glue, trapping things that hit it. When an edged or bladed weapon penetrates its hide (does damage in excess of its armour) or fumbles, it may be stuck. Roll Agility + Weapon Skill vs. Agility. If the Amorokka wins, the weapon is stuck fast, and will be pulled from its wielder's hands if they fail a resisted Physical roll. Old Amorokka are covered in the scars, hilts, and broken blades of such weapons, which constitute 5 Treasure 4s if removed after it's death.
Annukai
keywordsSpirit, Flying, Political
level6
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick Lvl
Counsellor
21
20
15
15
15
15
15
22
12
8
3
0
4
2
126
6
Bite
:
A18
D18
Init19
damD6+3
Rod
:
A21
D20
Init20
damD12+3
Yellow Ray
:
A22
D20
Init21
damD8 Stun
Ranged 6. Ignores Armour. Spirit vs. 18 or agony (-8A/-8D).
Judge
21
20
15
15
15
15
15
22
18
8
3
0
4
2
107
7
Annukai are creatures of Spirit, resembling Keldians with eagle wings and heads. They dress in ornate kilts and pectoral disks, and often carry copper rods, with which they can make attacks if they so choose. Annukai are generally peaceful, however, and will not attack a Keldian unless they are provoked, or feel that the laws they enforce have been contravened. Unfortunately no one is clear what laws the Annukai enforce. Sometimes they appear to follow the Law Code of Nastrim, other times they prosecute crimes that make sense only to them.

Generally Annukai are seen, but not encountered. They sometimes observe the activities of Keldians, but fly away, apparently vanishing into cloud or sunlight. (They can use this same ability to leave combat, making them almost impossible to kill). Sometimes, however, one or more Annukai will descend from the sky to charge someone with a crime. They will arrange a trial, with an Annukai judge, and accept witnesses, lawyers, pleading, and all the other tricks of law, provided that all the intricacies of their law are followed. An Annukai counsel will have Law 6, a Judge Law 8, and 3 Social Armour. All Annukai have the Assured Quality.

To conduct an Annukai trial; first determine the Law code used (Nastrim, Ningaur, Talite, Tribal, Other). Any Keldian may stand as a counsel, but will have a -3 penalty to their Law skill if the code is unfamiliar (they may make an Intelligence + Law roll vs. a 14 to understand what odd laws the court is using, and get rid of the penalty, otherwise they risk falling afoul of these laws themselves). Once pleading begins a counsel for the defence (the Annukai are always the prosecution) must defeat the Prosecutor in a Social Combat using Law and Oratory to win a reprieve for the accused. Points of law can be referred to the Judge. Defeating the Judge in a Int + Law contest will allow the objection to stand. The side that loses this contest is docked 2 Status. Once the pleading is complete the Judge will pronounce sentence, which tend to be as arbitrary as the crimes they prosecute. One day they may accuse someone of murder and punish them to run a foot race, another time they may accuse someone of being too happy near a grave and punish them with death.

An Annukai Judge, in addition to the abilities shared by all Annuaki, can use the following Spells at will, as if they were an 8th Level Mage : Suppressing the Flow, Matrix Strike, Flow Disruption, End Enchantment
Anzud
keywordsDrylands, Twilight, Icelands, Very Rare
level6
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick
17
15
10
12
25
15
12
45
8
8
8
6
1
3
156
Maul
:
A23
D15
Init6
damD10+9
Unbalanced. Long. Sacred. Mighty 3.
Anzud are enigmatic giant smiths that can be found, rarely, almost anywhere on Sun Keld. An Anzud stands twice as tall as a Keldian, and is heavily muscled and enormously built. Their flesh is rock hard and varies in colour from ochre to grey-black. All Anzud have huge shaggy manes of hair which spread across their shoulders and upper chests. Most also have beards, which they wear stiffly braided so that they jut out beneath their faces. It is not clear if there are male and female Anzud, or if all of the creatures are the same. Anzud children are equally unknown.

Anzud are legendary smiths, with a supernatural skill with metal and stoneworking. All Anzud have Mining 5, with 3 in each skill, as well as Warfare / Armoury 6. They are believed to guard and mine their own sources of metal, though active mines have never been found, and will sometimes come to Keldian mine workings in search of ore. They will occasionally trade for metal or stone, but are as likely to use their great strength and weapons to take what they wish instead. Most Anzud carry giant sized Mauls or Axes, as well as wearing metal armour (un-armoured they have Armour 4).

In tales told by Sages, Anzud usually only appear when some hero must seek one out to have a great weapon forged or repaired, or where some rare gem or cache of star iron is guarded by an Anzud smith. A few tales tell of Anzud who have sought out great smiths, usually to teach them their secret skills. Generally the smith in the tale must first impress the Anzud with some great deed of craftmanship, or a test of their stonecunning.

Magical constructs of great complexity such as the Copper Hunter are sometimes said to be the work of the Anzud.
Hunters
keywordsDemon
level6
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick Lvl
Hunter
29
20
14
15
15
14
13
35
0
6
6
0
2
5
142
6
Spear
:
A29
D23
Init16
damD6+6
Long.
Master
30
20
14
16
17
15
15
44
10
8
8
0
2
5
171
7
Spear
:
A30
D23
Init16
damD6+6
Long.
Whip
:
A32
D20
Init19
damD6+4
Long. Wounds bleed 1 Lethal / round.
Lightning
:
A20
D20
Init18
damD6+5
Ignores armour.
The Hunters are a race of cruel beings from some other dimension that are occasionally summoned by dark and secret magics. All that is known of the ritual of their summoning is that a fire must burn on a sacred high place for them to be summoned, and that they may not come. If they do appear then they will demand a sacrifice in blood, for they love to fight, and if this is not met then they attack their summoner. The Hunters are a terrifying sight, their appearance causes Fear 16, dark figures in barbaric armour carved with demons and bathed in blood, who wield fell spears. Sometimes the Hunters appear riding black spectral steeds, like those conjured by the Shadow Steed spell.

The Master of the Hunters is reported to have been summoned once or twice. He is larger and even more dangerous than his kin, and is always accompanied by at least four hunters. In one mailed hand he holds a spear, in the other a barbed whip made from lighting which may be used either to inflict bleeding wounds or to act as a bolt from a Lighting Burst spell. In addition the Master carries a horn that can be used to summon another D4 Hunters in D4 turns if he is not slain first.

It is thought that killing the Hunters merely send them back to their home plane, and they are sure to hate whoever sent them there.
Invisible Stalker
keywordsDemon, Spirit
level6
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick
31
31
15
12
0
0
13
30
0
0
0
4
3
0
149
Consume
:
A31
D18
Init18
damD10+3
Ignores Armour.
The Invisible Stalker is a truly horrific creature, and those attacked by one suffer Fear 18. The Invisible Stalker has no visible form, even spells cannot reveal what they look like, they are just a force that falls upon living beings and sucks the blood from their bodies. The first warning of its attack is the sudden appearance of bloody rings upon the body of its victim. Blood spurts from these wounds, sucking out of the body into the Stalker where it rapidly vanishes. The agonized victim is commonly plucked up into the air, thrashing wildly. Weapons striking at the Stalker do little or nothing. Most physical attacks will miss, and even those which hit do nothing unless the weapon is made of living or once-living material (bone, wood, horn etc.) Fumbles, naturally, will hit the victim instead.

The Red Order Mages insist that the Invisible Stalkers come from the sun, and seek spells to control them.
Salamander
keywordsDeadlands, Spirit
level6
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick
28
18
18
16
12
12
18
32
5
8
2
3
3
1
140
Spear
:
A28
D21
Init16
damD6+5
Long. Sacred. D6 flame damage.
Aura
:
damD6
Area 1. Fire damage.
The Salamander is a fire spirit which lives in the volcanoes and hot springs of the Dragon Mountains. They are crimson scaled, lizard-like bipeds, shorter than a Keldian and will a long tail to balance their slightly stooped bodies. Salamanders are constantly surrounded by an aura made of flame, as are the molten weapons they wield (or anything else they touch). Salamanders have little contact with mortals for they have no interest in items or culture. However they sometimes aid Red Order Mages or attack Black ones. A Salamander can spend its Spirit on damage or regeneration 1 for 1. They are of course immune to any form of fire or heat, but can be harmed by normal weapons (though wooden ones catch fire and are destroyed after one round).

It has been suggested that hide armour made from Salamander skin might also be fire proof (Difficulty 22). Salamanders keep no treasure as Keldians recognise it (they may value molten metals however), and appear to have no crafting skills other than weapon making. Salamander spears retain their fiery aura while in the Brightlands. Away from the Salamander's home, however, the flame goes out and the weapons collapse into slag.

Salamanders are the Brightlands equivalant of the Strigga.
Strigga
keywordsIcelands, Spirit
level6
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick
28
18
12
16
18
12
18
32
5
8
4
3
0
1
138
Spear
:
A28
D21
Init13
damD6+5
Long. Sacred. D6 cold damage.
Aura
:
damD6
Area 1. Ice damage.
The Strigga is a spirit of the ice and darkness that lives amongst the deep glaciers of the Night Side. They are blue scaled, lizard-like bipeds, who bear a crest and mane of feathery ice. Strigga are constantly surrounded by an aura of freezing cold, as are the icy weapons they wield (or anything else that they touch). Strigga have little contact with mortals, appearing to value only the ruins of the ancients, which they constantly seek to enter. However they sometimes aid Black Order Mages or attack Red ones. A Strigga can spend its Spirit on damage regeneration 1 for 1. They are of course immune to any form of cold based attack, but otherwise can be harmed by normal weapons (though metal ones become brittle and gain the fragile quality when striking them).

It has been suggested that a cloak made from the icy fur of a Strigga might be proof against the cold of the deep dark, but working it would be very difficult (Difficulty 22) as the creatures rapidly collapse into frost and snow when slain. Occasionally Strigga will make agreements with Black Order Magi who offer them relics of the ancients, but the creatures appear to have few emotions and will not hesitate to break an agreement they have made.

Strigga are the Icelands equivalent of the Salamander.
Winddrift
keywordsDeadlands, Drylands, Flying
level6
At Def Ag Int Phys Pre Spi H S W Ar MD Mv Fer Quick Lvl
Tentacles
18
18
15
2
11
2
8
25
0
0
3
0
0
5
109
6
Stinger
:
A18
D18
Init20
damD8+4
Sting. Phys vs. 15 or D8 Stun.
Body
5
30
4
2
15
10
8
40
0
0
2
0
3
1
139
6
Sun Ray
:
A26
Init6
dam2D12
Ag vs. 15 for half damage. Sets target on fire.
The Winddrift is a Drylands predator sometimes also referred to as the Namushzu (Glass Death). Its large body is nearly transparent and lighter than air. A Winddrift never lands, instead they drift across the Lightside with the wind, trailing a cloud of thread-thin stingers just above the ground. These stingers are hard to see (Stealth 18). When these stingers touch a living thing their venom stuns them, leaving them open to further stings. When the target ceases to struggle larger tentacles descend from the bulk of the Winddrift and draw the body up, to be sucked dry and then dropped. A single Winddrift cannot lift something much larger than a Keldian, but multiple creatures sometimes congregate around larger prey, descending to extend their feeding tentacles.

A grounded target facing a Winddrift is in serious trouble. Although they can strike against the stingers and tentacles (Defence as above), they can do little to the barely visible creature above, although dealing 25 points of damage to its feeding limbs may drive it off. The only real defence is to seek shelter in a closed structure. Even this is not sure protection, however. When a Winddrift knows that food is available it can alter its mantle in such a way that it becomes a giant lens, focusing a ray of light and heat onto the surface. Anyone hit by this beam will be set alight, and the Winddrift uses this ray to set fire to Razor Grass and wooden structures, to flush their prey out where they can catch them.

If a Winddrift's prey does find some way of attacking its body then they can drive the creature off for good; it will retreat if it takes more than 10 damage to its body, and will not return to the same area.