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Examining the Beasts of Fantasy v3.0


jkeown

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Examining the Beasts of Fantasy. 3rd Revised Edition

Various Sources, GURPS, HERO, Wikipedia, my own twisted imagination.

Enjoy!

Edit: corrected spelling, added MRQSRD Critter abilties, removed HERO artifacts.

Added a few new ideas of my own (Bradymetabolics, Predator/Prey Ratios)

EBF-BRPv35.pdf

Edited by jkeown
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This is reminiscent of the old Traveler tables for alien creatures, and would make an excellent resource for a number of campaigns with the addition of some generic stat blocks or some other chinese menu style of choices.

It would be great for Science Fiction, Science Fantasy [i think the Post Apocalyptic settings of my youth, where radiation caused bizarre mutations would now be considered SciFan], any setting where Chaos as a mutagen was a common hazard and HarnWorld's spawn of Ilvir.

Nicely done.

And don't forget Realism Rule # 1 "If you can do it in real life you should be able to do it in BRP". - Simon Phipp

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Examining the Beasts of Fantasy. 3rd Revised Edition

Thank you very much ! :)

I have been looking for some good ideas to make some of the alien species

of my setting a bit "more alien", and this is full of good ideas. :thumb:

"Mind like parachute, function only when open."

(Charlie Chan)

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I converted this from its original Fantasy HERO format, in which I originally wrote it, in less than an hour. I have noticed several "artifacts" from that incomplete translation. Cdesign proponentists, anyone?

First off, sorry about that!

Secondly, I am now raging at myself for missing those references. There might be a smaller revision today before the big one that includes all the cool stuff I thought of after finishing it.

By the way, if any one has any thoughts on new critter abilities, post them here, and I'll include it in v3.5 or 4E. Maybe the Fourth Edition will require miniatures? :D

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Chalasyan

All along the White Sea, rock-strewn coastline blends into rolling hills and scrub. Varied terrain is abundant, as the boundary is dotted with a tropical forests or swamps on occasion. It is particularly jumbled in Chalasyan, where the Farkin river drains into the sea, low-lying areas are wetlands, and higher elevations are dense forests providing great variety. This has led to an extreme biodiversity, with several subspecies of almost every animal.

The Food Chain

The local food chain is dominated by Humans, Ogres and a few Trolls and Howlers. Where these intelligent races do not intrude, however, the dominate species are the Brown Wazzan, the Predator Voop and the Southern Imperial Wyvern. Direct competition occurs between the Predator Voop and the Brown Wazzan, with the Wyverns only venturing inland to scavenge. They are apex predators only in the coastal region and the sea shallows, where they compete (somewhat unsuccessfully) with the placoderm-like Bony Jaws.

It is thought the Predator Voop is not a natural occurrence. While they retain the bone structure of the Common Voop, their digestive tract and natural weapons show no similarity at all to any herbivore. How long ago they were altered is not known, but signs of magical tampering are plainly obvious to Keliphian Druids and Animal Mages.

Both the Brown Wazzan and the Predator Voop share similar ranges, scrublands and tropical forests. Both prey on just about anything that moves. In most cases, the wazzan's speed and agility is countered by the sheer power the Voop can bring to bear on a given target. As a result, most animals in Chalasyan are very fast, or very tough, or both. Smaller flying predators and Mage Rats occupy the next lower level of the food chain, the former best represented by the Red Kestral and the Tor Hawn.

Tor Hawn are an invasive species, having been brought in by human settlers during the Scattering thousands of years ago. They are native to Thundai and have adapted to roosting in the rock spires off the coast, frequently falling prey to Wyverns.

Wooly Herders and Common Voop make up the top herbivores, with the Voop making large migratory movements throughout the year. Herds of up to a hundred individuals can strip a forest clean in a matter of days. They stay clear of Chaos-haunted B'nye's Stand, however, contenting themselves with grazing in Koosfall Glades and the southern eaves of the Trollwood. Wooly Herders graze in the Sarkeen Foothills region and in limited numbers in the Wetlands near Thumpington. Herders are also the most common domesticated livestock in the region.

Waterways are home to the Magefish (several "pre-marinaded" species exist, with lemon and balsamic being the most common), who eat various insects and the Blue-Lobed Vine.

Blue Lobed Vine

These are prized by mages for the POW boost they provide. While most wizards cultivate their own with Alchemy skill, it can be found growing wild on the edges of the rivers and streams that drain the Farkin Mountains. The average wild growth of the stuff is equivalent to four doses. Each dose provides 1D3 POW for CON Minutes.

Wooly Herder

The Wooly Herder runs when it is approached, and simply dies if seriously threatened. In Chalasyan, an all-too-common insult is to shout at an offending neighbor's livestock in the hope that one or two keel over. Butcher Shops are noisy places, and frequently employ Ogres.

They mostly resemble smallish yaks, with more than the usual glancing around nervously.

STR 2D6+6 (13)

CON 3D6 (11)

DEX 3D6+6 (17)

SIZ 2D6+4 (11)

INT 4 (4)

POW 2D6 (7)

CHA 4 (4)

Move: 6

Hit Points: 11

Damage Bonus: None

Armor: Thick Fur AP 1

Attacks: Head Butt 35%, 1D6

Skills: Sense 95% Stealth 45%

Brown Wazzan

Not only a fine riding beast; the Brown Wazzan is a feared predator across the Empire and beyond. While those found at local Bird Wrangler farms and seedy inner-city hatcheries are often suspect, this wild specimen is sure to give hunters pause.

They attack until a target is incapacitated and then dine on the victim’s flesh before it dies. These birds are really quite nasty, in fact.

Many domesticated varieties exist, and I’m sure I have notes on those around here somewhere.

STR 4D6+18 (32)

CON 2D6+6 (13)

DEX 3D6+6 (17)

SIZ 4D6+12 (26)

INT 3 (3)

POW 3D6 (11)

CHA 3 (3)

Move: 6

Hit Points: 20

Damage Bonus: +1D12

Armor: Bushy Feathers AP 3

Attacks: Bite 45%, 1D8+1D12

Kick 45%, 1D6+1D12

Skills: Sense 60% Stealth 60%, Tracking 55%

Red Kestrel

Native to the coastlines of the southern Imperial seas, they are increasingly threatened by invasive Tor Hawns seeking better nesting grounds away from the wars of the North.

They favored by nobles, who enjoy the black and red plumage that so resembles the Imperial Heraldry.

STR 1D3 (2)

CON 2D3 (4)

DEX 3D6+18 (27)

SIZ 1D2 (2)

INT 4 (4)

POW 2D6 (7)

CHA 4 (4)

Move: 2, 8 Flying

Hit Points: 9

Damage Bonus: -1D8

Armor: None

Attacks: Claw 50%, 1D6–1D8

Bite 35%, 1D4–1D8

Skills: Dodge 75%, Perception 100%, Stealth 60%

Bony Jaws

The Bony Jaws rules the White Sea region as the top predator. Able to kill the vast Hairy Whales in mere seconds, humans and similar creatures steer well clear of the beast with two exceptions.

The first is in the case of those caught unaware by the monstrous fish. They are large, fast and terrifying, most who are caught in small craft, downed sky castles or shipwrecks encounter one fatally.

The second case is that of enchanters and those in their employ. The fist-sized jewel in the upper skull of the creature is used to create the wildly popular Unseen Amulets, an item that grants the wearer invisibility.

STR 8D6+10 (42)

CON 6D6+10 (32)

DEX 2D6+6 (12)

SIZ 10D6+12 (55)

INT 1D6 (4)

POW 1D6+6 (10)

CHA 1 (1)

Move: 12

Hit Points: 43

Damage Bonus: +5D6

Armor: Bony Plates (Head Only AP 6)

Thick Skin (Body & Tail AP 3)

Attacks: Bite 50%, 9D6

Spiky Bits 50%, 4D6 (Only When Grappled)

Skills: Sense 95% Swimming 100%, Stealth 90%

There is Not a Giant Spiky Fish Here The Bony Jaws attacks by using a variant of the invisibility spell employed by the more disreputable mages and talented rogues. They cannot be observed with normal senses, nor can they be skryed for, they are literally “Not Here” until they attack. They always attack from ambush. Defenders may be allowed a chance to notice the on rushing swell and displacement in the water, unless the beast is attacking from below, which is the usual, most unfortunate, case.

Observation has revealed it is very similar to the Ysnar Variant taught by the Wyzadri Max College in Chalasa proper. The spell uses a Skrye Shield component favored by that breed of Formulaic Wizards. This suggests a strong connection between the two, and the possible creation of the Bony Jaws from a prior, unknown species within the last 2000 years.

Ytrann-Laced Lateral Line The Bony Jaws seeks out prey by a kind of lateral line-sense. Unless this sense is specified in the Spell or Power description, the creature cannot be blinded.

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