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• Menagerie • 
Alligator, Crocodile
Lizards of ancient age and graceful danger, the alligator and its saltwater cousin the crocodile fulfill an important niche in a wetlands and swamp ecology, preying on fish, birds, insects, mammals, and other creatures. Often found in packs of five to 20, they are surprisingly gregarious and raise their young with an apparent loving kindness.
Stealthy and deadly in water, they also can make surprising bursts of speed on land. While in water they clamp down on prey with powerful jaws and thrash around their own axis, rending the prey apart.
Some unusual cultures raise these creatures as pets and guards or for sporting events in which contestants wrestle the annoyed beasts. They also are harvested for their tasty meat and hides, which make excellent and sturdy clothing and accessories.
Bards tell of an ancient King of the Gators, a beast of cunning intelligence and gigantic size, which can make even dragons quake with fear. Legend has it that the Gator King will one day devour everything in the world, leaving him to eternally starve. The Gator King is said to live in the bubbling acid swamps at the Edge of the World, where foul slimes and oozes feast on hideous birds and cackling hags.
But those who dare the swamps and avoid the souls of the dead trapped in the rotting timbers of the moss-choked trees can find the treasures of ages past.
Lost in this place are artifacts created by uncaring gods and discarded like old clothing; remains of fabulous heroes and foolish merchants, staves of powerful wizards and holy wards of great priests, and dangerous technology of other realms. The swamps are disconnected from time and space, warping into and out of existence like light glancing off a soap bubble. Great castles and donjons, ancient conveyances and small villages, strange creatures and bizarre weather all haunt the Edge of the World Swamps.
Quick death awaits those who step into rapidsand or get tangled in the bloodsucking vines of the willow trees.
Some foolish ones say the Gator King is a poor, trapped soul — bound into a curse not of his own making, hoping for deliverance. But woe to any foolish enough to think they can overcome the Gator King’s all-consuming appetite! To those who can find deliverance for the Gator King, the rewards of the gods awaits. Several ancient scrolls tell of theories on how to survive the swamps and appease the Gator King. Scattered around the world, they merely await collection by a brave group of heroes determined to answer the ancient mystery of the Gator King.
Typical Alligator or Crocodile
Agility 1D+2: dodge 3D+1, fighting 6D, stealth4D+2
Coordination 1D
Physique 4D+2: lifting 6D, running 4D+2, swimming 7D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 1D: hide: self only 5D+1, survival 4D, search 4D, tracking 4D
Charisma 1D: intimidation 5D, mettle 5D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 9 (land)/16 (water)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 21
Wound Levels: 3
Natural Abilities: cold-blooded (lethargic in cold; +7 to difficulties of all actions until warmed up); jaws (damage +1D); rending (damage +2D; may only be attempted while clamping on victim in water); scaly hide (Armor Value +2); tail slap (damage +2); large size (scale value 3)
Giant Bat
Giant cave bats are one of the more prevalent dangers in caverns and abandoned dungeons, and those who travel by night through certain parts of the land are learning to fear the loud screech and the beating of leathern wings that presages the arrival of these creatures.
Giant cave bats average one meter in length, with wing spans up to 2.5 meters. They live in tunnels and caverns, emerging at night to hunt for food. They tend to feast on large prey, such as sheep, cattle, and humanoids. They attack in swarms of up to 20, forcing their victim to the ground and eating him alive.
Giant cave bats use a powerful sonar to enable themselves to navigate. They rely on stealth to allow them to approach an enemy undetected, and will carry prey home if to is small enough. Otherwise, they simply eat their fill and leave the rest for scavengers.
Interestingly enough, cave bat victims often seek the creatures out! Among Earth and Air Giants, particularly, giant cave bat meat is considered a delicacy, and many a Giant has braved caverns in various parts of the land on a hunt. Goblins and orcs like the meat as well as the hides, and they often seek cave bat lairs. Some pay dearly, in trades or information, for directions to one.
Of course, if they are feeling especially malicious, they may ask someone seeking information to actually slay the bats and bring them back in exchange for the answers they need.
Even more deadly are the hell bats, which thrive on darkness and hate the touch of light. They spend the daytime hours asleep in vast caverns, emerging after dark to carry out the wishes of their masters. Hell bats are humanoid-shaped creatures, 2.5 meters in height, ebony in hue, with jet-black wings and crimson eyes. Their wingspans reach five meters in length.
Wickedly sharp claws extend from their hands to allow them to disembowel their victims.
The attack of a hell bat is easy to distinguish from that of any other creature.
Its distaste for light will lead it to attempt to extinguish any source of light in the possession of its victims, either through physical action or the use of its natural magick. Once its prey is trapped in darkness, the hell bat emits a piercing shriek to freeze them with fear, and then it strikes with startling swiftness.
Hell bats are relentless fighters, relying on speed, cunning, and strength to carry the battle. They normally attack solo, although as many as two of the creatures have been seen to work together.
Typical Giant Cave Bat
Agility 3D+1: dodge 4D+2, fighting 4D+1, flying 4D, stealth4D+2
Coordination 1D
Physique 3D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D+1: hide: self only 3D+1, survival 4D+1, search 4D+1, tracking 4D
Charisma 1D+1: intimidation 4D, mettle 2D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 50 (flying)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 15 Wound levels: 2 Natural Abilities: teeth(damage +2); wings; small size (scale value 3)
Typical Hell Bat
Agility 5D+1: dodge 6D, fighting 6D, flying 5D+2, stealth7D+1
Coordination 1D
Physique 5D+1: lifting 5D+2, running 6D
Intellect 2D
Acumen 5D: hide: self only 5D+1, survival 5D+1, search 6D, tracking 6D+2
Charisma 4D+1: intimidation 7D, mettle 5D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 15 (land)/60 (flying)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 24
Wound levels: 4
Natural Abilities: claws (damage +1D); darkness (as an action, may try to cause a sphere of darkness 10 meters in diameter; requires an Intellect roll of 8; may be disbelieved with a Moderate Charisma or mettle roll); fear (+5 to intimidation total when emits a shriek); immune to damage from nonmagical weapons; sensitive to strong light (+1 to difficulties for each round exposed to torches, light spells, etc.; modifier is cumulative until retreats from light for several rounds); teeth(damage +2); wings
Bear
The bear is one of the most renowned creatures of the wild. Though generally considered slow, lumbering animals by the casual observer, they are in fact quick when motivated. Combined with their very powerful physique, bears are dangerous adversaries. This makes them a favorite companion of druids and shamans, serving as guardians and sometimes mounts.
Black bears are one of the smallest kinds of bear, weighing in at about 135 kilograms and roughly 1.2 to 1.5 meters from nose to tail. The brown, or “grizzly,” bear is generally 225 to 270 kilograms and 1.8 to 2.1 meters long. As the largest of their species, polar bears can weight over 540 kilograms and measure up to three meters long. When standing on their hind legs, take their length and add half again to determine the approximate height any bear can reach.
While bears are mainly carnivores, they can and will eat nearly anything.
Black and brown bears will eat all manner of plant matter, including berries, roots, and bulbs. Some brown bears go after big game such as elk and moose, but most prefer fish and small game.
Polar bears almost exclusively dine on seals and other arctic wildlife.
When they are very hungry or feel unthreatened, bears scavenge campsites.
Driven by a powerful sense of smell, a bear will even claw open sealed pottery jars, or bash them on hard objects. Those who feel clever by hanging their supplies in trees will receive a rude awaking by black bears, who are excellent climbers, and persistent grizzlies, who will shake or knock down trees to get at these scrumptious treats.
Most bears do not attack humans unless it is necessary. Mother bears are notorious for going out of their way to protect young. A mother bear protecting her young gains a +2D bonus to her fighting and damage, and she does not engage in any defensive actions, such as dodging or retreating.
Typical Black Bear
Agility 2D+2: climbing 4D+2, fighting 4D, stealth3D+2
Coordination 1D
Physique 4D: running 4D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D+2: search 4D+2
Charisma 1D: intimidation 4D, mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 15
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 26
Wound levels: 4
Natural Abilities: claws (damage +1D; +5 to climbing totals); bite (damage +1D); thick fur (Armor Value +1); large size (scale value 1)
Typical Grizzly
Agility 2D: climbing 3D, fighting 5D, stealth3D
Coordination 1D
Physique 5D: running 5D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D+1: search 4D+1
Charisma 1D: intimidation 5D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 18
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 32
Wound levels: 4
Natural Abilities: claws (damage +1D+1); bite (damage +1D); thick fur (Armor Value +2); large size (scale value 3)
Typical Polar Bear
Agility 2D: fighting 6D, stealth3D
Coordination 1D
Physique 6D: running 6D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: search 4D
Charisma 1D: intimidation 6D, mettle 5D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 19
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 38
Wound levels: 5
Natural Abilities: claws (damage +1D+1); bite (damage +1D); thick fur (Armor Value +1D); large size (scale value 4) Adventurers report unusually large subjects of each species. These bears are about 50% larger than their respective cousins and gain a +1D to Physique and fighting as well as +1 to their scale value.
Bird of Prey
Predatory birds, or raptors, are some of the world’s most efficient hunters.
With amazing eyesight, they can spot small prey, such as rodents and other birds, from a mile away. Diving from great height they reach incredible speeds, sometimes in excess of 320 kilometers per hour, and snare their victims efficiently with razor-sharp talons.
The smallest of the raptors is the hawk, which comes in many varieties including the falcon and goshawk. The falcon generally attacks other birds and is the smaller of the two, weighing only one-half to two kilograms with a wingspan of about one meter. The goshawk is slightly bigger, weighing about 1.4 to 1.8 kilograms with a wingspan of 1.2 meters. It hunts small mammals on the ground including mice, squirrels, and rabbits. Both are used in falconry, the art of training and hunting with raptors.
In falconry, a captive raptor’s eyes are covered with a hood and the falconer engages in a process of bonding with the bird through gentle speaking, careful stroking of the feathers, and reward with food. Once the bond is formed the falconer can train the hawk to hunt prey. The falcon is primarily used by nobles to hunt with because it kills its prey with a quick, clean blow to the spine and neck that many view as a more honorable means of dispatching a foe. The goshawk is a peasant’s hunting bird. With its more aggressive nature, it eviscerates prey if left unattended for too long. Basically, it has a habit of ruining a good meal.
Eagles are significantly larger birds, about 4.5 to 6.8 kilograms with a wingspan of 1.8 to 2.4 meters. This gives them the power to hunt larger prey, snatch shallow-water fish, or compete for fresh kill from other birds. Eagles also scavenge for carrion, so when they can’t get fresh food, they willingly feast on any carcass left behind after a hunt or battle. Typically they are not trainable, except by rare or magical means.
When soaring, using thermal layers in the air to stay aloft, a raptor can fly for hundreds of kilometers before resting.
Typical Hawk
Agility 4D: dodge 5D, fighting 5D+2, flying 6D
Coordination 1D
Physique 2D: stamina 4D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 3D: search 5D+2, tracking 4D
Charisma 1D: intimidation 2D, mettle 2D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 32 (flying)/15 (gliding)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 8
Wound Levels: 1
Natural Abilities: beak (damage +1D+1); diving attack (+45 to flying total and +2D to initiative roll for 1 round when charging 1 target from sufficient altitude); talons (damage +1D; may attack the same target twice per round with no penalty); wings; small size (scale value 7)
Typical Eagle
Agility 3D+1: dodge 4D+1, fighting 5D, flying 5D+1
Coordination 1D
Physique 2D+2: stamina 5D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 4D: search 5D, tracking 4D+2
Charisma 1D: intimidation 3D, mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 25 (flying)/14 (gliding)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 12
Wound Levels: 2 Natural Abilities: beak (damage +1D+1); diving attack (+45 to flying total and +2D to initiative roll for 1 round when charging 1 target from sufficient altitude); talons (damage +1D; may attack the same target twice per round with no penalty); wings; small size (scale value 5)
Giant Boar
The giant boar is the one of the greatest prizes that any hunter can seek.
Throughout legend, kings, wizards, and gods have tasked heroes with slaying this monstrous beast for their banquet tables. However, many overconfident and greedy fools have perished on such quests, as this creature does not take well to being anyone’s prey.
It is not with out reason that the giant boar is so hunted. Each boar, being about 1,580 kilograms and measuring the size of a fully grown rhinoceros, can destroy an entire crop in a matter of days or make grazing lands barren in weeks. Moreover, they are hostile and charge a mounted knight with no hesitation, much less a group of farmers or herders. Females, during mating season, also destroy houses and farms in their territory, bulldozing down any unfortified structure with frenzied ease.
They consider such dwellings competing dens and treat them as they would any other offending female — with great disdain.
Aside from the property damage and the potential loss of lives that a giant boar can inflict, these beasts are hunted for purely economical aims as well. The meat from a giant boar is flavorful and rare, thus fetches a high price, not to mention that many of its organs are components in magical potions and rituals. Even more prized is the hide, which can be made into fine clothing and armor.
While most mature giant boars are aggressive fighters, the elder giant boar is far craftier in battle. Having survived the violent adult years, the elder, typically over 40 or 50 years old, has learned much from its encounters with other beings. They have been known to dig pits with their tusks to trap hunters, lure attackers past nests of poisonous snakes, and goad knights into charging them near cliff edges.
The pelt of Elder Giant Boars, which are silver gray, are valued at two to four times that of the brown or black pelts of the adult. The bristles of the pelt don’t take well to dyeing, and are very distinctive, so counterfeiting is difficult.
Tales of a white, or albino, giant boar have been told, but none has ever been killed or captured.
Typical Giant Boar
Agility 2D+2: dodge 3D+3, fighting 5D+2, jumping 4D, stealth3D
Coordination 1D
Physique 6D: running 7D, stamina 8D
Intellect 1D+2
Acumen 3D: search 4D, tracking 3D+2
Charisma 1D: intimidation 4D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 35
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 39
Wound Levels: 5 Natural Abilities: tusks (damage +2D+2); trample (damage +2D; must charge); hind kick (damage +1D, rear hooves only); tough hide (Armor Value +1D vs. magical and nonmagical attacks); large size (scale value 7).
Note: Elders have 4D in bluff, 3D in traps, and +1D to intimidation and mettle, in addition to the typical skills.
Cloaks, vests, and coats made of giant boar pelt give the wearer a +1D to all survival tests made in cold and rainy conditions, as well as +1D Armor Value.
Bogie
Bogies are small creatures that resemble pointed-eared, gray-skinned Leprechauns in peasant clothing. They have been known to appear as large clouds of dust. Bogies have fingers that end in points that allow them to burrow in the soil.
These mischievous sprites are distantly related to Leprechauns, but the two races give each other a wide berth.
(Leprechauns consider Bogies to be humorless Trolls.) Bogies are solitary creatures, although occasionally two will live together for company for a short while.
Daylight brings out the wickedness in these creatures. During this time, if they are prevented from returning to their subterranean homes, they become increasingly irritable, short tempered, and mean. In combat, Bogies use their farming implements for maximum damage.
During the night, they are in better spirits but still mischievous and enjoy playing pranks on beings larger than themselves. Some of their typical pranks include: tying shoelaces together, stealing and hiding small objects, writing humiliating messages on victims while they are sleep and placing a victim’s hand in a bowl of warm water. They like to hide in cupboards and closets where, if they are not found, they sometimes fall asleep.
Bogies are found in temperate regions, especially forests and farms.
The creatures sometimes make deals with woodcutters and farmers, but they are notoriously poor negotiators and often get the bad end of the deal.
Bogies enjoy vegetables of all types, though they can subsist on almost any plant matter. If captured or charmed, they can be a great source of information for the immediate area. They always know where the best roots are located, and they often know interesting details of local history.
Typical Bogie
Agility 3D: climbing 3D+1, dodge 5D, fighting 3D+1, melee combat 3D+1, stealth4D
Coordination 3D: throwing 4D
Physique 2D: running 3D
Intellect 2D: scholar: local history 3D, speaking 2D+2
Acumen 3D: crafting: agriculture 3D+2, hide 4D, trading 3D+1
Charisma 2D: animal handling 4D, bluff3D+2
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 12
Wound Levels: 2
Advantages: Size: Small (R2), scale value 6
Disadvantages: Hindrance: Bad Negotiator (R1), +3 to mettle difficulties; Hindrance: Short Stride (R1), 2 meter reduction to running, swimming, and jumping Move; Quirk: Ill-Tempered (R1), Difficult mettle attempt to overcome mean-spiritedness at night or else +1 per hour (cumulative) to all charm and persuasion attempts
Special Abilities: Intangibility (R2), can turn to a dust cloud with Ability Loss (R1), can be trapped in an item that would collect dust, like a bellows or a bottle; Skill Bonus: Animal Language (R3), +9 to speaking: birds, speaking: mammals, and speaking: reptiles with Additional Effect (R2), can communicate with animals Equipment: tiny, crude farming equipment (damage +2)
Bogle
From the dawn of time, people have used tales of lurking “bogles” to make children behave. These relatively harmless tools of parenting may seem innocuous, but bogles are real and very, very dangerous. Bogles originate in a shadowy dimension separated from ours by a barrier called, among other names, the Veil. Bogles cannot breach this barrier — unless they get help from the other side, that is.
The bogles’ path to carnage lies in fear, but not the kind felt by a thief about to be caught by guards, or that experienced by a shy person making a speech in front of a crowd. Bogles are only drawn to irrational, paralyzing terror, such as might be felt by a conscripted soldier about to go into combat for the first time, or by a child who has heard too many scary bedtime stories. When parents frighten their children in the name of social decorum, when grown men surrender their wits to the numbing spread of total fear, they unwittingly open a window in the Veil. If they are very unfortunate, a bogle will be there, staring back at them...
It is far too easy to make children believe in monsters. Belief leads to fear, and fear feeds the insatiable appetite of the bogle. Left unchecked, a bogle can grow strong enough to rend the Veil; once that happens, its prey is almost certainly doomed.
Bogles do not possess a solid form on their side of the Veil, existing instead as wraith-like essences that drift on ethereal winds, patiently waiting for signs of prey. Once allowed into this world, however, bogles take the physical form of their prey’s deepest fear. Bogles can appear large or small, fat or skeletal, hairy or scaled, repulsively hideous or disarmingly beautiful, recognizably humanoid or completely alien. With out a strong source of fear to sustain them, bogles rapidly weaken and are pulled back into their own realm by the Veil, where they wait for the chance to roam free again. Survivors of bogle attacks are rare, and, of course, bogle descriptions vary greatly.
Bogles prey mainly upon people who can be overwhelmed by fear, which is why children so often become victims.
Adults, however, are not immune to bogles, and no one can tell for certain how many have fallen to these inner killers.
For a rare glimpse into the mental state of victims of a bogle attack, as well as a hint of the creature’s perceived form, one museum curator points to a fire-damaged journal found in a ruined military outpost. The hastily scrawled text is mostly unreadable, but mentions the appearance of an emaciated, disease-ridden girl covered in oozing sores and dressed in filthy rags, shortly before a guard disappeared. Some witnesses offered conflicting descriptions, and the story was dismissed. More guards vanished over the next couple of nights, only to be spotted at dawn outside the fort, severely mutilated (some people doubt whether all of these deaths could have been caused by just one bogle, but experts agree that “terror” itself is contagious, and mass hysteria could have contributed to the lingering presence of a single bogle, which took new shapes as needed). The account went on to say that men began to desert their posts, hoping to escape the terror, but they were always discovered lying with in sight of the fort, broken and torn like the others. The unnamed author’s account then rambled for a bit before concluding with these lines: “I knew they’d leave me here… all left me… I can hear the creature now… so many legs… sound, like something wet and heavy dragging across the rocks...
Mother, deliver me from…”
Typical Bogle
As bogles can take many forms, no single set of characteristics can accurately represent them. Therefore, the composition of the bogle is up to the game master. Use any entry herein or base it on any humanoid, adding these abilities plus any others the victim thinks the terror would have: life drain (6 Body Points/1 Would level per round per successful intimidation attempt); immortality (returns to its home dimension when slain); inspire fear (+2 to intimidation totals and -2 to combat difficulties against frightened individuals; Moderate mettle or Charisma roll to resist); one form (bogle must make a Moderate mettle roll, which counts as an action, to keep one form when confronted by two or more victims; indicates that the bogle vanishes to its home dimension). Remember that bogles are supposed to be frightening creatures that are hard to defeat.
Bull
The bull is identified by many cultures as a symbol of strength and virility — some consider it sacred. A number of religious ceremonies use the bull as a sacrifice or in rituals pitting them against warriors as a test of their bravery.
However, despite the mysticism associated with bulls, the day-to-day use of these animals is the simple breeding of livestock.
In any herd of cows, or steers, there are 20 to 30 bulls per 100 cows in the wild or traveling with nomadic herders, but only about five to 10 bulls on farms and ranches for a like number of cows. In this way, farmers and ranchers maintain control of the population and insure optimal breeding, as well as to prevent bulls from injuring one another when competing for females. They do this by locking horns. In enclosed settings, like ranches, they have been known to injure the cows as well.
Bulls are much larger than cows, about 1130 kilograms and standing 1.5 meters at the shoulder. A cow is about 680 kilograms by comparison.
The horns of a wild bull average 1.5 meters from tip to tip, but can get as long as 1.8 to 2.1 meters. Must bulls in captivity have been bred for small horns (which can be as short as one-half to one meter across) or have had their horns cut off to prevent injury to people and beast a like.
Like many herd animals, bulls don’t generally bother with people unless they approach too closely. The bull deals with threat, real or perceived, by a swift charge, goring of the horns, and trampling under hoof. In a ceremonial battle, or bullfight, the bull is taunted with a cape or any other large piece of cloth into charging. It is not the bullfighter that is the target but the cape itself.
The motion of waving the cape creates the perception of the cloth as the threat; the person holding the cape is irrelevant to the bull. A talented bullfighter can keep a bull occupied for several minutes with this technique and may play to the crowd by putting his back to the bull or even going to his knees to “fight” the animal. To perform this kind of bull taunting, the character needs training in a specialization of dodge, called bullfighting. Each round, the fighter makes an intimidation roll versus the bull’s mettle, in addition to a dodge: bullfighting attempt against the animal’s Acumen. As the performance requires both each round, multi-action penalties apply. Missing the intimidation roll means that the bull does not charge, while missing the bullfighting attempt indicates that the bull plowed into the fighter.
Some bullfights require the fighter to kill the bull or lance it with several spears in order to finish the contest.
Once the bull becomes injured, it gets even more enraged and more difficult to control. Any bullfighting tests made after the bull is wounded (a loss of more than five Body Points or one Would level) are done against the bull’s mettle instead of Acumen.
Some fighters like to show off by moving to the side at the last moment and placing themselves close enough to the side of the bull as it rushes past. (This adds +5 to the bullfighting difficulty.) It is a very dangerous but crowd-pleasing stunt and could, eventually, earn the character some fame.
Typical Bull
Agility 2D: dodge 3D, fighting 4D+2, jumping 3D
Coordination 1D
Physique 4D+2: running 5D+2, stamina 6D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: search 3D
Charisma 1D: intimidation 4D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 30
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 19
Wound Levels: 3
Natural Abilities: horns (damage +2D; +5 to fighting totals if a long horned bull); trample (damage +3D; must charge); large size (scale value 3)
Note: More aggressive bulls can have a mettle skill of 5D to 6D.
Bunyip
Bunyips are the angry animal spirits of creatures that were slain for sport or other petty reasons. They have a variety of shapes, but are always covered in fur, with two large clawed arms and a ferocious mouth of teeth. They may sometimes have horns, fins, wings, scales, or other parts of animals that have been slain in the area. The more animals senselessly killed with in the vicinity of their creation, the larger they are.
The first bunyip is said to have appeared in a large island-continent far out in the ocean, but they can be found near any body of water. an animal killed and thrown into a water hole has an excellent change of becoming a bunyip.
During the day, they hide in their watery lairs. At night, the spirits attack anything that ventures with in two kilometers of its lair, but it will not go beyond that limit even if the target flees beyond the area. It prefers humanoid women over all other targets as the creature savors the sweet flavor of female flesh.
Shamans that are close to nature have been known to call on and manipulate bunyips, but this is extremely dangerous.
If the shaman does not create the miracle properly or if the bunyip’s potential victim flees its sphere of influence, the spirit attacks its summoner. The spirit’s power may only be used to avenge slain animals and the like, so the shaman must word his request carefully and target victims even more carefully.
Under other circumstances, bunyips cannot be reasoned with , and they attack all until they or it are destroyed.
However, if it manages to kill the person or persons responsible for its creation or growth, it disappears with the corpses of those persons, never to return. The bodies of these persons are never recovered, though the bloated corpses of its other victims might be found, laden with treasure, in the bottom of its den.
Typical Bunyip
Agility 3D: fighting 4D, stealth6D
Coordination 3D
Physique 8D: running 8D+1
Intellect 1D
Acumen 3D: hide 4D, tracking 4D
Charisma 3D: intimidation 7D, mettle 5D
Strength Damage: 4D Move: 12
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 32
Wound levels: 5
Natural Abilities: claws (damage +2D); teeth(damage +3D); cannot travel more than two kilometers from its lair; can eat anything; breathe in water; large size (scale value 6)
Notes: Some bunyips have one or more of the following: tough hide (Armor Value +3D), enhanced sight (+6 to sight-based totals); night sight (no penalties in dim conditions); flight (flying Move 36 with flying skill of 4D); combat instincts (cannot be surprised).
Bunyip Summoning Invocation
Skill Used: Strife
Difficulty: 11
Effect: 15 (+3D+1 bonus to persuasion)
Range: 1 kilometer (+15)
Speed: +15
Duration: 25 minutes (+16)
Casting Time: 25 minutes (-16)
Other Aspects:
Components (-2): Bull-roarer (very common)
Concentration (-2): 15 minutes with mettle difficulty of 8
Gestures (-3): Whirl a bull-roarer over head for entire concentration time with acrobatics difficulty of 11
Incantation (-2): Carefully worded request (complex formula with difficulty equal to roll of bunyip’s mettle)
Once the shaman seats himself with in one kilometer of the bunyip’s den, he begins by twirling the bull-roarer over his head. After its roaring is steadily produced, he concentrates on summoning the bunyip forth. At the end of the time and with a successful strife roll, the bunyip appears. (On a failure, the bunyip does not appear. On a failure with a Critical Failure, the bunyip attacks the shaman.) The shaman may then make his request of the bunyip, using his persuasion plus the bonus received from this invocation against the bunyip’s mettle. (Treat the bunyip hostile but the request as something the bunyip would do anyway.) Any kind of failure to convince the bunyip to follow the shaman’s wishes results in the bunyip attacking the character.
Cat
Cats are greeted with an air of mysticism and superstition, sometimes worshiped as gods or reviled as devils.
No other animal is treated so divergently by society, perhaps because it is a creature that carries itself like one who keeps secrets. In a magical setting a cat is cause for great concern.
The common domestic cat is typically no actual threat to anything more than a mouse or other rodents and even in superstitious cultures can be found roaming with in most communities.
Generally only about 33 centimeters or so long in the body, adults weigh in at 2.7 to 5.4 kilograms, domestic cats can be found as pets in many homes or hovering about storehouses, watching for marauding rats and birds to eat.
While independent creatures, they do entertain the company of humanoids and do form a small number of strong social bonds.
Related to the domestic cat are the feline predators of the wild, known commonly as the great cats. These include cheetahs, cougars, leopards, panthers, lions, tigers, and others. Tigers are 75 to 286 kilograms and measure 1.2 to 2.8 meters in length, while lions are 1.9 to 2.7 meters in length and weight between 112 and 270 kilograms. All prefer to go after herd animals like deer, wildebeest, and the like, but they will eat what is available, including carrion, reptiles, fish, and berries.
The primary hunting technique of all cats, large or small, is to stalk their prey and use the terrain to mask their approach. They then pounce at their intended meal from the side or rear, knocking it to the ground and going for the throat. The larger cats, like cougars and lions, often pursue prey that is much larger than they are, but domestic cats rarely go after anything near to their size. Once the prey has been rendered helpless or dead, cats generally take it to a secluded place to eat. However, domestic cats that have a good relationship with humanoids often leave their kill (or at least a good part of it) in a place for their upright companion to find. It is a practice that is said to be part of some ancient ritual to bless, or curse, the humanoid for their treatment of the feline ... if one believes in that sort of thing.
Typical Domestic Cat
Agility 3D: acrobatics: falling 5D, climbing 4D, dodge 4D, fighting 4D, jumping 4D, stealth4D
Coordination 1D
Physique 1D: running 3D, stamina 2D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: hide: self only 4D, search 3D
Charisma 2D: mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 20
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 10
Wound levels: 1
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +2); claws (damage +2); night sight (no penalties in dim conditions); small size (scale value 6)
Typical Lion or Tiger
Agility 4D+1: climbing 5D, dodge 5D, fighting 5D+1, jumping 5D, stealth5D+1
Coordination 2D
Physique 4D+1: lifting 6D, running 5D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D+2: hide: self only 4D+2, search 4D, tracking 3D+2
Charisma 2D: intimidation 5D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 30
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 24
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +1D+1); claws (damage +2D); night sight (no penalties in dim conditions)
Note: Large cats can leap up to 10 meters horizontally or two meters vertically.
Celestial
Many religions feature divine messengers, beings from the heavens who descend to warn — or punish — humanity. Though some claim that these creatures are mere hallucinations, exaggerations, or metaphors, they are all too real. Divine beings come in several forms, but the most common are the heaven-born winged creatures often referred to as Celestials.
Celestials resemble Humans except for three things. First, they are gloriously beautiful, with long, graceful limbs, androgynous features, flawless skin, flowing hair, and large, expressive eyes. Second, Celestials have golden skin and white-blonde or bronze-brown hair, and eyes of such a pale blue or green they appear almost white. They seem to glow with health, vitality, and beauty.
Third, Celestials have large wings that sprout from their shoulder blades. These wings are fully functional, and allow the Celestials to fly at impressive speeds and with astounding agility. Most Celestials have four to eight wings, which seem to overlap somehow, though some have only a perfectly matched pair.
Celestials have a strict hierarchy, which determines not only rank and duties but even physical appearance. For example, certain Celestials have only two wings, while others have four, six, eight, or even 10. Unfortunately, no Celestial has ever confirmed the proper hierarchy, so two mortals (or even two religions) can have wildly different ideas of where one Celestial stands in the divine order.
Celestials do not need to eat or drink, or even to breathe. Their link to the divine provides all the sustenance they need, although both sunlight and positive emotions can give them added strength and comfort.
Most Celestials seem haughty to mortals, because they command rather than request, and because they dislike being touched. This is not arrogance, however. Celestials are accustomed to absolutes, and have no concept of lies, uncertainties, or tact. They speak their mind, state what they know, and place complete confidence in whatever action sounds best to them — but if a new plan sounds better they will switch to supporting that, and see no problem with such a drastic reversal.
Typical Celestial
Agility 3D (+12): acrobatics 7D+1, fighting 6D+1, dodge 8D+1, flying 10D, jumping 6D+2, melee combat 8D
Coordination 2D (+8): charioteering 4D, throwing 5D+2
Physique 3D (+12): lifting 8D, stamina 10D
Intellect 3D: cultures 4D, healing 4D, navigation 10D, speaking 4D
Acumen 3D: search 3D+1, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 4D (+12): command 8D, charm 8D+1, intimidation 7D+1, persuasion 9D, mettle 10D
Miracles 3D: favor 5D+2, strife 5D
Strength Damage: 4D (+12)
Move: 10
Fate Points: 5
Character Points: 100
Body Points: 40
Wound levels: 5
Advantages: Authority (R2); Contacts (R2), fellow Celestials following the same divinity; Equipment (R4), special holy weapons and armor; Patron (R3), the divinity
Disadvantages: Debt (R3), owes all equipment and Advantages to divinity; Devotion (R3), to divinity and divinity’s laws; Employed (R2), to divinity; Enemy (R2), Demons; Quirk (R1), seemingly narcissistic
Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R1), +1D to natural healing rate; Ambidextrous (R1), +1 to select skills when using two hands; Environmental Resistance (R2), +6D to Physique to resist effects of extreme conditions; Flight (R4), flying Move 80; Immortality (R1); Increased Attribute: Agility (R12), +12 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Charisma (R12), +12 to related totals; Increased Attribute:
Coordination (R8), +8 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Physique (R12), +12 to related totals; Skill Bonus: Link with Divine (R4), +6 to favor and strife totals with Additional Effect (R4), requirements of religion need not be performed. All Special Abilities have Debt (R1), owed to divinity.
Equipment: flaming longsword (damage +3D; flammable materials catch on fire); divine armor (Armor Value +10D+2)
Note: Due to their closer connection with their divinities, Celestials need not perform any actions their divinity otherwise requires of followers to perform miracles.
Centaur
Centaurs are an amalgam of horses and Humans, possessing the upper torso and arms of a man attached to the body, legs, and tail of a horse. (Scholars are a bit mystified that, at four equine and two Human limbs, Centaurs have more appendages than either source creature.) Centaurs have two distinct social groups: territorial, which are composed of mixed numbers of males and females resembling nomadic human tribes; and harems, consisting of one or two dominant males and five to six females in a life-long dedicated grouping.
Centaurs are omnivorous, supplementing their gathered vegetative diet with small game hunting. They are regional but somewhat nomadic, forgoing most permanent structures.
They prefer living in temperate forests, brushlands, and mountainous terrain, although can adapt in difficult times to reside in less hospitable areas.
Centaurs are usually mildly xenophobic, preferring the company of their own kind rather than those from the outside world. These views are not entirely justified, as Centaurs have been captured in the past by other unscrupulous races.
In combat with outsiders, Centaurs prefer the bow and arrow, although they sometimes use other weapons relying mostly on upper-body skills, such as the spear or net. Centaurs can also fight using hooves and fists, although such methods are usually reserved for ritualistic battles among their own kind.
Centaurs are intelligent and cunning but typically wild, unpredictable, and prone to succumbing to alcoholic and amorous desires. However, well-mannered Centaurs are possible, and bards sing tales of those who have overcome their more base nature. Although Centaurs are generally distrustful of non- Centaurs, those who form bonds with outsiders will defend their friends to the death. While it’s rude to think of a Centaur as a horse to domesticate, friendly Centaurs may permit Humans to ride them like horses (they generally prefer riders of the opposite gender).
Typical Centaur
Agility 3D: fighting 4D, jumping 4D, melee combat 4D
Coordination 2D: throwing 2D+2
Physique 4D: running 5D
Intellect 2D: healing 2D+1, traps 3D
Acumen 3D: search 3D+2, survival 4D, tracking 4D
Charisma 2D: bluff2D+1, command 2D+2, intimidation 2D+2, persuasion 3D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 16
Wound Levels: 2
Advantages: Size: Large (R1), scale value 3
Disadvantages: Devotion (R1), debauchery; Quirk: Phobia (R1), xenophobia
Special Abilities: Fast Reactions (R1), +1D to initiative rolls, one extra action per round thrice per adventure; Hypermovement (R5) +10 to base Move; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Hooves (R1), +1D damage
Equipment: longbow and quiver of arrows (damage +2D+2; range 10/100/200; 20 arrows); metal-tipped spear (damage +2D)
Cyclops
A race of seemingly contradictory giants, Cyclopes (the plural of “Cyclops”) trace their lineage directly from the gods.
Sages as a rule do not disagree with this assertion, not because of overwhelming evidence — proof remains sketchy, at best — but rather because most scholars have a policy against drawing the ire of volatile man-eating giants.
Standing at eight to 10 meters, Cyclopes appear for the most part to be giant Humans. However, instead of two eyes, they possess one large eye in the center of their forehead. They traditionally dress in the loosely sewn skins of large animals, and prefer weapons that can best utilize their size and strength, such as tree-trunk clubs and thrown boulders. Curiously, Cyclopes have a remarkable blacksmithing tradition, despite the fact that they have little use for metal objects or armaments themselves; many legendary weapons — oversized and Human alike — are of Cyclopean origin.
These giants generally prefer solitary existences, either roaming from place to place or dwelling in caves and raising livestock such as sheep and cows. They use animals to satisfy their carnivorous eating habits, but many Cyclopes develop a taste for Human flesh.
They can survive in most climes except arctic or desert conditions. However, they prefer seaside mountainous areas with lots of fresh water. Occasionally, they band together in clusters akin to villages and hamlets, where members assume different occupations such as tailor, blacksmith, or sage. Their chaotic and explosive natures make any larger social structures impossible, although tales tell of one or two self-controlled Cyclopes residing in large tolerant cities.
Although they prefer their privacy, Cyclopes are quick to band and defend others of their kind from threats or acts of aggression; only against extended threats or wars will they appoint a warlord to serve as leader. Cyclopean society treats males and females equally.
Cyclopes have two distinct subgroups in their society: scholars and warriors.
For the most part, they are born into their roles. Newborn Cyclopes who do not open their eyes until six to eight weeks are warriors, while scholars’ eyes open upon birth. However, Cyclopes may transcend these roles; though difficult, a warrior-born Cyclops may instead dedicate life to more academic pursuits, and vice versa. About one in 10 Cyclopes is born a scholar, and parentage does not determine role. Cyclopean society favors its warriors slightly, but recognizes the value of its sages and seers. Human sages debate whether any intrinsic quality separates scholars from warriors, or if the difference remains rooted in culture and upbringing.
Cyclopes have interpersonal liaisons as desired; they do not marry or form other life commitments, although some have a preferred mate. Fertility rates fall slightly below Humans’, with a six-month gestation period. Cyclopean mothers, with separate help and care from their fathers, protect and nurture their children until deemed mature at 14 years old, at which point they become full members of society. Cyclopes can live to be 80, although most die decades earlier due to their combative lives.
Typical Cyclops
Agility 3D: fighting 4D, melee combat 4D
Coordination 1D+2: throwing 4D
Physique 5D (+2): lifting, 6D, stamina 5D+2
Intellect 1D+2: traps 2D+2
Acumen 2D: crafting 3D
Charisma 1D+1: intimidation 5D, mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 3D (+2)
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 26
Wound levels: 4
Advantages: Size: Large (R2), scale value 6
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel: Vulnerability (R3), eye can be targeted at +4D (15) difficulty, +12 damage modifier, success means Cyclops is blind
Special Abilities: Hypermovement (R2) +4 to base Move; Increased Attribute:
Physique (R2), +2 to all related totals
Equipment: large club (damage +3D); giant rock (damage +5D)
Demon
Demons are interdimensional creatures from Hell sent to tempt mortals into corrupting and selling their souls.
These creatures come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and no two are alike.
Most are humanoid with Human facial features, although the more fearsome of the species have animal or insect features. Demons have a tough hide that is evident when in its true form.
Additionally, in its true form it has horns and cloven feet and sometimes wings and a tail. Demons generally shapeshift into more pleasing forms.
In Hell, Demons have a social structure that mirrors that of the most popular current humanoid structure, minus a few years. This structure is more of a guide for the Demons. In reality, only the strong rule and the weak serve.
Due to the precarious balance between Good and Evil, Demons adhere to strict rules when on Earth(lest they incur the wrath of the Good). They cannot injure a non-Demon unless they have been attacked first. They must fulfill any promise that is made when someone uses their true name. (Due to their evil nature, they will do so only to the letter of the agreement and take advantage of any mistakes or loopholes to hurt as many other beings as possible.) Demons must take their true form when their true name is spoken. They cannot lie about the nature of their powers or to what extent they may use these powers. (These creatures are, however, adept at twisting their words and saying one thing while implying another.) Assuming a Demon follows these rules, he may stay on Earth as long as he likes. Some Demons indulge in excess. Other Demons spend years in a fictional personae to bring despair and suffering to a target.
Any Demon bothering to come to Earth tends to target those of the good at heart and righteous of mind, because they provide more entertainment.
They use their magical abilities to torment others or grant wishes to those who wish to sell their souls.
Demons can be found anywhere, but they may not step on consecrated ground. They often take the form of powerless individuals to keep their true identity a secret.
Demons have equipment according to their cover personae. (If the creature is posing as a beggar, it would have beggar’s clothes and a beggar’s cup, for instance.) They sometimes wield powerful magic items and relics.
These creatures eat, but they do not need to. Demons prefer the blood and flesh of a recently corrupted sinner. They sometimes eat weak and powerless creatures because they can. All Demons have a true name that they keep hidden from others at all times. Wizards and other practitioners of magic may sometimes divine the name, but more often than not, they discover the equivalent of a nickname. These demonic nicknames have very limited power over the beasts, but the Demons often do not let individuals discover that until it is too late.
Typical Demon
Agility 3D: dodge 2D, fighting 7D, flying 3D+1, melee combat 3D+1, riding 3D+1, stealth3D
Coordination 3D: charioteering 3D+1, marksmanship 3D+2, sleight of hand 3D+2, throwing 3D+2
Physique 3D (+4): lifting 5D+1, running 5D+2
Intellect 3D: cultures 3D+1, reading/ writing 3D+2, scholar 3D+2, speaking 4D, trading 4D
Acumen 3D: disguise 5D, gambling 5D, hide 4D, search 3D+1, streetwise 3D+2, tracking 3D+1
Charisma 3D: bluff7D, charm 5D, intimidation 6D, mettle 4D 
Magic 2D+2: apportation 3D, alteration 4D, conjuration 4D+2
Strength Damage: 3D (+4)
Move: 10
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 8
Body Points: 38
Wound levels: 5
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel: Holy Items (R4), take double damage from holy items or items that are specially purified and blessed; Achilles Heel: Consecrated Ground Weakness (R5), cannot cross consecrated ground with out becoming racked with pain and must do nothing else but escape; Advantage Flaw: True Name Weakness (R10), all scores, except Intellect, are at -1D against an opponent that knows the creature’s true name, and the user may bind the Demon to his service; Devotion: Rules of Conduct (R3), must follow rules outside of Hell (see description); Infamy (R2)
Special Abilities: Natural Armor (R1), +1D to damage resistance total with Ability Loss (R1), ineffective against holy items; Accelerated Healing (R4), +4D to natural healing rate with Ability Loss (R1), may not be used to recover damage done by holy items; Flight (R4), flying Move 80; Immortality (R1), when slain on Earth, they may not return for 1 century and 666 days; Increased Attribute: Physique (R4), +4 to related totals For a shapechanging spell, see the Rakshasa entry on page 67 of this book.
Dinosaur
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Measuring 15.25 meters from nose to tail, standing over 5.5 meters tall, weighing over five metric tons, and sporting one-meter jaws that can bite a horse in two, the tyrannosaurus rex is the undisputed king of predators.
But there is much more to the life of this famous hunter than many people realize. These fast, agile, and intelligent eating machines are just as likely to be found playing games of tag with other tyrannosaurs, chasing prey or harassing other dangerous animals for the sheer joy of it, mucking about in ponds and mud holes, sliding down snow-covered hillsides on their backs, or even simply playing with string. They enjoy challenging puzzles and will work for hours trying to crack a barrel as if hoping to find a dozen cows magically hidden inside.
Although capable of running down and killing most animals for food, tyrannosaurs never pass up a chance to scavenge carcasses or dine on easier prey. And few scholar-adventurers realize that the terrible lizard king is not a true carnivore at all. One intrepid professor witnessed three tyrannosaurs devour something with great relish, and then stumble crazily around afterwards as if drunk. The afflicted beasts ignored members of the expedition as they inched their way closer, only to discover that the tyrants had been feasting on a huge heap of berries that had been fermenting in the sun. The three lizard kings then briefly charged at the explorers but did not pursue them as they fled the scene. In this regard, tyrannosaurs most resemble crows and ravens — much like those ubiquitous harbingers of fate, tyrannosaurs eat just about anything and are known to collect shiny things (as many unfortunate adventurers have discovered), but whether as gifts for their mates, prizes to line their nests, or simply as entertaining diversions, none can say.
Immature tyrannosaurs live in crèches of two to seven individuals of approximately the same age, though not necessarily related by blood. The social bond of the crèche lasts throughout a tyrant’s long, event-filled life (tyrannosaurs live up to 125 years), and individuals sometimes undertake extended journeys years later to visit old friends. However, as with all things, even the closest bonds eventually give way when members leave in search of mating prospects. Tyrannosaurs mate for life and show great affection through nuzzling and preening, and some tyrants have even been known to pine away upon the loss of a companion.
Intellect of this unexpectedly advanced and touchingly familiar behavior may offer little comfort, however, if a triad of adolescent lizard kings picks up a lost adventurer’s scent...
Typical Tyrannosaurus Rex 
Agility 4D+1: fighting 7D, dodge 6D+2, jumping 5D+1
Coordination 2D
Physique 8D+2: stamina 9D+2
Intellect 1D+2
Acumen 2D: hide 7D, know-how 3D, tracking 4D+2
Charisma 1D+1: intimidation 6D+1, mettle 5D+1
Strength Damage: 4D
Move: 20
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 25
Wound levels: 4
Natural Abilities: tough skin (Armor Value +1D); teeth(damage +3D); tail (damage +3D); large size (scale value 12)
Triceratops
The triceratops is a difficult animal to approach and study. Peaceful by nature, they are extremely dangerous when anyone threatens their territory or off- spring. Adult triceratops have no natural predators, though younger specimens sometimes fall prey to tyrannosaurs, velociraptors, or large mammalian carnivores. A typical triceratops stands over three meters tall and measures over 7.5 meters from tip of snout to tip of tail, packing 4.5 metric tons of surprisingly agile meat in between. Females are slightly smaller than males but no less aggressive when challenged.
Adults are vegetarians and subsist entirely on grass, leaves, and roots, but a young triceratops is omnivorous and will eagerly consume insects, small mammals, other species of dinosaur, or anything that winds up in front of its mouth— even its own mother (or the head of an unwary adventurer). Fortunately, female triceratopses know better than to do something so stupid, which is more than can be said of certain adventurers...
Triceratopses live in social herds akin to lion prides, with one male (the bull) controlling a group of 20 or more females (cows) and dozens of offspring (toplets) of varying ages. Toplets remain with their prides until nearly mature, at which point they either leave on their own or are stolen by a young bull seeking females of his own. Prides remain isolated from each other most of the year, but during mating season, which starts with the onset of autumn, all of the prides band together to migrate to hatching grounds located in warmer climes, hundreds of kilometers to the south.
Upon reaching maturity, females often leave the pride to find a mate, as part of nature’s way of avoiding inbreeding.
Instinct impels maturing males to leave and establish prides of their own; battles between old, experienced bulls and young, healthy challengers are fairly common occurrences during the autumn migration. As might be expected, few challengers succeed, but occasionally one manages to steal away with a few young females. Success doesn’t come with out a price, and bulls spend their days in constant vigil, warding off predators and other male triceratops, visiting females, and marking territory. All this activity leaves little time for eating, so the bull takes whatever chance he can to grab a quick snack.
Cows spend most days grazing, socializing, and caring for offspring.
During mating season, breeding cows stand watch over their nests of three to six eggs while young or eggless females try to gather food for the pride. Hatchlings learn what plants to eat and what beasts to avoid from their mothers. Cows are dangerous only when they feel their young are threatened, which happens whenever anything Human-sized or larger walks into sight on two legs. In the absence of a bull, a pride’s cows rally to the defense of the young. For this reason, young are generally lost to predators only during the long migrations between hatching grounds and grazing territories, when the herds must keep moving to beat the winter snows or return to their lush grazing plains after the relatively lean mating season.
One triceratops bull was actually observed to pause for a mouthful of greenery during a mortal fight with three thrill seeking tyrannosaurs. The fight ended predictably, with the bored tyrants being driven off, but the bull paid for his untimely dining decision with a wound to his flanks that left an impressive scar.
Typical Triceratops
Agility 3D+2: fighting 7D+2, dodge 7D
Coordination 1D
Physique 8D: stamina 9D+1, swimming 9D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: search 4D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 7D, mettle 6D
Strength Damage: 4D
Move: 25
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 23
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +3D); horns (damage +3D); tough skin (Armor Value +1D); large size (scale value 10)
Velociraptor
Of all the dinosaurs, none pose a greater threat to humanoids than the velociraptor. Of all the civilized races, only the Elves come close to matching the patience, endurance, and skill of these consummate hunters. Standing nearly two meters tall, able to outrun a thoroughbred at full sprint, and armed with razor-sharp talons and surprisingly strong grasping claws, they possess a chameleon-like ability to change their skin patterns and colors to match any terrain, and an appetite that is never sated. These creatures are the dire wolves of their kind — nightmares brought to life.
Velociraptor packs live in den-warrens scratched from hillsides or clay pits.
Their social hierarchy is a living model of the principal of the survival of the fittest. ’Raptors run in packs of 12 or more individuals ruled by a mated alpha pair. Pack member positions fluctuate according to the individual’s current health and strength. Injury or disease often causes a pack member to slip down a rung with in ’raptor society, and those that appear too weak risk ending up on the menu. Velociraptors of beta or lower status are free to choose mates, and mated pairs help each other survive injury and famine, but only an alpha will risk its life to protect its mate.
Velociraptors hunt in groups called jagers, instinctively employing hunting tactics that would challenge even the best Elven trackers. Jagers are composed of four individuals, usually mated pairs, which operate around the clock to meet the needs of demanding warm-blooded metabolisms. They have been known to wander up to 48 kilometers a day to find food in lean times. In such cases, successful hunters eat their fill and drag the rest back to the den-warren to share with the others.
Alphas do not hunt in jagers, their primary duties being to produce eggs, raise the pack’s collective young, and defend them from predators while the jagers seek food.
While ’raptors do not normally stalk healthy, uninjured targets that are much larger than themselves, famine can force jagers to override this important instinct.
This behavior usually leads to serious injury or death, but scholarly expeditions have watched desperate, starving jagers separate healthy adult triceratopses from their herds and use hit-and-run tactics to wear them down.
Typical Velociraptor 
Agility 3D: acrobatics 4D, fighting 5D, climbing 3D+1, dodge 4D, jumping 5D, stealth7D
Coordination 3D
Physique 5D: stamina 6D, swimming 6D
Intellect 1D+1
Acumen 2D: hide 5D, search 4D+1, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 1D: intimidation 3D, mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 35
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 21
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: eviscerating foot claws (damage +3D); teeth(damage +2); talons (damage +1)
Pterosaur
Of all the beasts that own the skies, nothing stirs stronger primordial emotions than the sight of a lone pterosaur gliding silently overhead on thin, leathery wings. Now, imagine the feeling when a thousand pterosaurs suddenly wing into sight in coordinated pursuit of flying prey. With a wingspan of 12 meters, large intelligent eyes, an even larger brain, and a one-meter beak full of small sharp teeth, the pterosaur is matched in aerial spectacle only by Dragons.
Easy gliders and powerful flyers, pterosaurs live in expansive social rookeries comprised of hundreds or sometimes thousands of mated pairs.
They prefer ocean-side cliffs, although redwood trees overlooking large lakes or inland seas serve just as well. Only the fecundity of fishes can satisfy the needs of hungry hatchlings, but this does not mean that a pterosaur will pass up an easy meal. Adventurers traveling along isolated seacoasts have lost their captured boars, and even the occasional donkey, to a flight of keen-eyed pterosaurs on patrol.
Pterosaurs often hunt singly, skimming the surface of waves and scooping up fish and other appropriately sized tidbits, eating some and saving the rest in pelican-like pouches to carry home to feed the hatchlings. Sometimes, though, pterosaurs hunt in groups called flights (or flying circuses, if a species bears particularly colorful markings).
Flights are naturally adept at distracting prey and making sneak attacks from unexpected directions. The incentive for hunting as part of a flight is that all members share the catch. Flights take most land-bound animals by surprise, gliding in silently and diving seemingly right out of the sun. Pterosaurs must succeed in snatching their prey in one pass or risk being grounded, for they are clumsy on land and few make it back into the air with out suffering injury, as the occasional torn and broken leathery corpse can attest.
In the air, however, the pterosaur is master — nothing escapes the premier maneuvering instincts of these lords of the sky. It is for this reason that some have thought to tame these magnificent beasts and use them as aerial mounts to terrify enemies in combat. The truth of the matter is that for all their size, pterosaurs only weigh about 18 kilograms — the weight of a rider would crush the pterosaur’s bones during the furious maneuvering required during aerial combat, leaving the poor beast and its passenger plummeting helplessly to their deaths. The theory of pterosaur/rider teams might work in practice, but only if employed as messengers or aerial observers.
Typical Pterosaur
Agility 4D: fighting 4D+1, dodge 5D, flying 7D
Coordination 2D
Physique 3D: stamina 6D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: search 6D, tracking 5D+2
Charisma 1D+1: intimidation 2D, mettle 2D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 25 (flying)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 15
Wound levels: 2
Natural Abilities: talons (damage +2D); toothed beak (damage +2D); wings allow the pterosaur to fly or glide for several hundred kilometers or for as long as there are thermals to keep them aloft.
Djinn
Most legends state that the first Humans were created from earth. Some of those legends further explain that the same forces that produced Humans also fashioned beings from the other elements. The Djinn were one result with two separate races, one composed of fire and the other of air.
The Djinn are masters of shapeshifting, with bodies as fleeting as the elements from which they were spawned. Those tied to good tend to be stunningly attractive, while those aligned with evil are equally ugly. However, evil Djinn can assume more comely appearances to better deceive others.
Regardless, their natural forms always betray their element, either as a body emerging from wispy clouds or a form surrounded by flaming tendrils.
Both types of Djinn have similar abilities, although the means they use to manifest them are wildly disparate.
Fire Djinn are typically creatures of chaos and evil, while air Djinn are usually devoted to harmony and good.
However, Djinn do have free will and can theoretically serve any goal they would like. Nonetheless, only a fool would blindly trust a fire Djinni that says it wants “nothing but to help.” Djinn invariably tie themselves (or are bound by others) to an artifact or object: lamps, bottles, stones, chalices, and so on.
Sages debate why they must form these bonds to the physical world; one common theory proposes that both air and fire are ephemeral states, and with out a material union, they would dissipate to the ash or four winds from whence they came. Whatever the reasons, this bond forms the most common means of controlling and dispelling Djinn.
Powerful magic or rituals can draw forth a Djinni to this world; anyone who does so would be wise to have a suitable container ready for its arrival. Although common lore suggests this vessel should be a thing of beauty — a beautifully polished ring, a jewel-encrusted lamp, and the like — some arrogant or cruel masters have shunted their conjurations to ignoble objects. So far as anyone knows, Djinn do not reproduce in any mundane way, and all those living in the world have either always been here or were conjured from ... elsewhere. Djinn do not need to eat or even breathe, yet both kinds of Djinn dislike going underwater.
They can live anywhere, but they have an affinity for deserts, where fiery winds and shifting sands have a personal resonance. Djinn with out masters can travel where they like, although they are instantly transported to their tied object if someone possesses and invokes it.
Although some stories tell of supremely powerful Djinn capable of world-shattering feats, most Djinn are much less potent (some unscrupulous Djinn might try to convince their finders otherwise). Because Djinn are phenomenal at negotiating favorable deals from their masters, they are most often used as guardians or for a specific task, which the Djinni usually per forms with out complaint. However, their use is limited only by their masters’ imagination; mages have trusted a Djinni as a scholarly companion, kings have used them as messengers, and many bards have turned to a Djinn bottle in search of inspiration.
Typical Djinn
Agility 3D: flying 6D, stealth4D
Coordination 2D: sleight of hand 3D
Physique 2D
Intellect 4D: reading/writing 5D, scholar 5D, speaking 5D, trading 6D
Acumen 3D: disguise 7D, gambling 4D, investigation 3D+2, search 3D+2, tracking 3D+2
Charisma 4D: bluff5D, charm 5D+2, intimidation 4D+1, mettle 5D, persuasion 5D 
Magic 1D: alteration 3D, apportation 3D, conjuration 3D, divination 2D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 19
Wound levels: 3
Disadvantages: Advantage Flaw: True Nature (R3), all spells that change the Djinn’s appearance cannot hide some airy or fiery aspect — hiding the aspect requires a Very Difficult disguise check; Devotion (R3), honoring its contract; Devotion (R3), good or evil, depending on the Djinn; Employed (R1), anyone who possesses the Djinni’s vessel can command it completely
Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R1), +1D to natural healing rate; Flight (R5), flying move 100; Immortality, can be banished by destroying its container; Invisibility (R3); Iron Will (R1); Longevity; Silence (R2), +4D to stealth and +2D to attacks from behind.
For a shapechanging spell, see the Rakshasa entry on page 67 of this book.
Dog
Dogs are domesticated canines that are found all over the world. They come in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes.
All dogs are four-legged; the vast majority have fur and a cold nose. The colors of a dog’s coat ranges from white to reddish-brown to yellow to black and combinations of these colors.
Lap dogs tend to be small and provide companionship for humans.
Hunting dogs are generally small to medium-sized and are especially bred for trailing big and small game. Guard dogs are usually the largest and always the most sturdy of dogs. These canines are bred for battle and are sometimes be equipped with specially designed light armor.
All dogs follow the pack social structure.
In the wild, the alpha male proves his dominance in combat over the other males. He becomes the leader of the pack and all dogs with in that pack follow him.
Domesticated canines follow the pack mentality to a lesser extent. Because of their close association with Humans, their owners generally take the place of the alpha male.
Canines can be found in almost any climate, but certain breeds will be found in certain climes. Wherever there are humans there are always dogs to follow them. Dogs are extremely loyal to their masters, even masters that do not treat them very well.
Dogs are carnivores and must be fed regularly. Masters that forget to feed their dogs will have a hard time controlling them, even if they treat them well. Dogs have an amazing sense of smell. They can smell a drop of blood in a bucket of water. It is for this reason that they make excellent hunters and guards. Dogs often smell an opponent before they see them.
These creatures dislike cats and other feline-related creatures. Even the most trained dog may let out a bark when he catches a whiff of cat. Some dogs are extremely intelligent and capable of complex tricks.
Typical Guard or Hunting Dog
Agility 3D: dodge 6D, fighting 5D, stealth4D
Coordination 1D
Physique 4D: running 4D+1
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D+1: search 3D, tracking 4D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 5D, mettle 3D+2
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 25
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 12
Wound Levels: 2
Natural Abilities: enhanced smell (can track targets days after their trail is cold); teeth(damage +1D+2); small size (scale value 4)
Typical Lap Dog
Agility 3D: dodge 4D, stealth3D+2
Coordination 1D
Physique 2D: running 3D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: search 2D+2, tracking 3D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 2D+2, mettle 2D+1
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 20
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 9
Wound Levels: 1
Natural Abilities: enhanced smell (can track targets days after their trail is cold); teeth(damage +1D); small size (scale value 5)
Dragon
Few creatures are feared more than the dragon and for good reason. Their immense size, reptilian or serpentine appearance, extreme age, active intelligence, and magical ability are more than a match for whole armies, particularly since most dragons can also fly. Dragons can be divided into six major types: earth, air, fire, water, skeleton, and oriental.
Air Dragon
Air Dragons are slight of build, long and lean, and their wings are usually feathered, as are the ends of their tails.
Their scales also resemble feathers, and have a faint sheen to them. Most Air Dragons are pale in color, particularly blue, green, or gold and silver.
The Air Dragons are playful and sociable. This may be because more Air Dragons exist or because they wander so much that claiming territory is impossible.
Air Dragons often travel in small packs, but happily mix with any other Air Dragons they find. Most Air Dragons care about little other than flying and socializing, and they exchange news, gossip, and idle conversation readily. Many also happily speak to birds and other airborne creatures, and even those people brave enough to approach them openly.
With in each pack, a single Air Dragon holds sway. This only means that he or she can tell the others when it is time to move on and which direction they should go — the position is akin to that of a party host or a trip organizer.
This lead Air Dragon is usually a little older and slightly less flighty, but only slightly, and packs are easily distracted.
Air Dragons simply go wherever the wind and their own interests take them.
An Air Dragon may wander away from his pack, if they are going one way and he wants to go another, and then join a new pack heading in that direction. Later, if he encounters his first pack again, he might rejoin them, or simply visit with them and catch up on recent events.
Air Dragons survive mainly on small birds and on fish they pluck from the sea.
They enjoy the thrill of catching their food but have no interest in causing terror — they simply love the chance to show their speed and agility. Air Dragons rarely attack humanoids, though a pack might wheel about a lone traveler and dance around him, even feinting at him with claws and jaws. Of course, if attacked, the pack will defend itself, but most Air Dragons have no love of fighting, only in flying.
Despite their slighter build, Air Dragons do not mind the cold — indeed, they often fly high above the ground, where the air is thinner and colder and their breath streams behind them.
Air Dragon packs are often seen over mountain peaks and flitting about mountain ranges. They also enjoy wide open expanses, like deserts or valleys, where nothing slows the wind from racing across the landscape.
Typical Air Dragon
Agility 5D (+12): acrobatics 8D+2, dodge 8D+2, fighting 5D+2, flying 10D
Coordination 2D
Physique 4D (+7): lifting 7D, stamina 8D
Intellect 3D: cultures 5D, navigation 10D, scholar 4D, speaking 6D
Acumen 3D: search 3D+1, survival 6D+1, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 2D+2: bluff4D+2, intimidation 8D+1, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 4D (+7)
Move: 10
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 20
Body Points: 29
Wound Levels: 5
Advantages: Size: Large (R3), scale value 9
Disadvantages: Infamy (R1); Quirk (R3), flighty
Special Abilities: Atmospheric Tolerance: Thin Air (R1); Environmental Resistance (R2), +6D to Physique to resist effects of extreme conditions; Flight (R5), flying move 100; Increased Attribute: Agility (R12), +12 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Physique (R7), +7 to related totals; Longevity (R1); Natural Armor: Scales (R2), +2D to damage resistance totals; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R3), +3D damage; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Teeth(R3), +3D damage; Sense of Direction (R1), +1D to navigation and tracking
Earth Dragon
Earth Dragons are typically the largest and heaviest of the species, with thick bodies supported on four massive clawed legs, and a long neck bearing the large head. Enormous bat wings on their backs enable them to fly, and they can use their heavy tails as weapons. Their thick scales are typically the color of rust, blood, or copper.
The entire Earth Dragon population is small as they live for thousands of years, but dragon mothers give birth to only one egg at a time. Most centuries see the birth of only a single dragon. Because they are so few in number, each dragon stakes out its own territory. Any other dragon entering that territory must acknowledge the owner’s supremacy or fight for possession. Thus Earth Dragons meet rarely. Only in times of overwhelming need do they gather together, either in some place so barren no dragon claims it or in a location owned by a dragon so powerful no other dares to challenge him.
Even when Earth Dragons mate, they are wary of surrendering control, and their mating dances are performed in the air, usually over some neutral territory.
Earth Dragons have no leaders, but the strongest dragons hold the choicest locations and command respect from their peers.
Earth Dragons are carnivores. They hunt for their food and delight in flying low to the ground, neck stretched forward and mouth open, to scoop up deer, cows, and humanoids in their path. Earth Dragons often toy with their prey, swooping down to land stunning blows that bat their victims about and herd them in a particular direction.
Earth Dragons are not known for their subtlety, and enjoy the fear they sense from their prey, and from anyone who sees them approach. They consider anyone on their lands to be fair game, and the most powerful Earth Dragons have laid claim to whole cities, which they allow to stand because the cities attract more victims.
Earth Dragons enjoy living places safe and warm, and select caverns for their homes. Some of these lairs cut into mountains or hills, while others are below ground, particularly along a coastline. The Earth Dragon often hollows the space out further, smoothing the walls and giving himself more room to maneuver. Of course, Earth Dragons favor existing underground tunnels, whether or not they currently have residents.
Earth Dragons usually live in temperate regions, because their prey prefers these areas and because they do not enjoy the cold. Most Earth Dragons have at least a small town or two with in their territory, and forests, meadows, or farmlands are also common.
Typical Earth Dragon
Agility 3D (+8): acrobatics 6D+1, climbing 5D, dodge 7D+1, fighting 10D+1, flying 9D
Coordination 2D: marksmanship: fiery breath10D
Physique 4D+1 (+12): lifting 9D, running 5D, stamina 7D
Intellect 3D: cultures 4D, navigation 10D
Acumen 3D: search 3D+1, survival 6D+1, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 2D+2: intimidation 8D+1, mettle 6D
Strength Damage: 5D (+12)
Move: 10
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 20
Body Points: 30
Wound Levels: 5
Advantages: Size: Large (R4), scale value 12; Wealth(R2)
Disadvantages: Infamy (R3); Quirk (R3), territorial
Special Abilities: Flight (R4), flying Move 80; Increased Attribute: Agility (R8), +8 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Physique (R12), +12 to related totals; Longevity (R1); Natural Armor: Scales (R3), +3D to damage resistance totals; Natural Hand-to- Hand Weapon: Claws (R3), +3D damage; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Teeth(R3), +3D damage; Natural Ranged Weapon: Fiery Breath(R2), damage 6D, range 10/20/40, with Ability Loss (R1), may only fire once every other round.
Note: Those Earth Dragons that burrow deep in the earth also have ranks in Infravision.
Fire Dragon
Fire Dragons are the smallest variety of dragon. They are winged but have only front legs — their back section simply curls into a long tail with a spade end.
Their scales are shades of red, orange, yellow, and gold.
Some sages believe that Fire Dragons are not real dragons at all, only creatures with a similar appearance because it doesn’t exhibit the same intelligence or size as others of this species. Fire Dragons are tiny and fast and appear alone or in twos or threes. They are drawn to fire, and they often appear near any large blaze — even a good-sized campfire can call one, though the flame must be outdoors or near the opening of a natural shelter like a cave. When a Fire Dragon does appear, it ignores any nearby creatures and flies straight to the flame — and into it. Then it swoops around, enjoying the heat and the light, teasing the fire into taller flames and often creating small trailers that spin off from the original blaze. They delight in its movement and warmth, and care little for its effect on others. They only enlarge and sustain a fire so that they can enjoy the flames for a longer period of time.
Fire Dragons have no real social structure. Each dragon or group keeps to itself and travels with in its chosen area (which may be small if there’s a large concentration of fires), seeking flames. The first Fire Dragon or group there takes possession of that particular fire. Any other Fire Dragons in the area will not disturb them, and Fire Dragons never fight for possession. They also have no voice, which is another reason why scholars claim they are not real dragons at all.
Fire Dragons are not vicious, but they will attack anyone who gets too close to them while they are with in a flame.
They will also fight anyone trying to put out the fire.
Fire Dragons only like meat that has been severely charred. They are so small they do not need much food.
They often survive on those scraps left in campfires by travelers, or small woodlands creatures caught and cooked in forest blazes.
Fire Dragons prefer heavily wooded areas and dry plains, since both have opportunities for frequent fires. When not dancing with in a flame, they nest with in hollowed-out trees at night.
By day, they curl up on flat rocks and bask in the sunlight, the same way that snakes do.
Typical Fire Dragon
Agility 5D (+4): acrobatics 8D, dodge 8D, fighting 6D+2, flying 10D
Coordination 2D: marksmanship: fiery breath8D
Physique 3D: stamina 10D
Intellect 2D: navigation 8D
Acumen 3D: search 3D+1, survival 6D+1
Charisma 3D: charm 4D, intimidation 6D+1, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 10
Body Points: 24
Wound Levels: 4
Advantages: Size: Small (R2), scale value 6
Disadvantages: Hindrance: Short Stride (R1), 2 meter reduction to running, swimming, and jumping Move; Infamy (R1); Devotion (R3), flames
Special Abilities: Atmospheric Tolerance: Fire (R1); Environmental Resistance (R2), +6D to Physique to resist effects of extreme conditions; Flight (R4), flying move 64; Increased Attribute: Agility (R4), +4 to related totals; Natural Armor: Scales (R2), +2D to damage resistance totals; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R1), +1D damage; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Teeth(R1), +1D damage; Natural Ranged Weapon: Fiery Breath(R1), damage 3D, range 5/10/20
Water Dragon
Water Dragons have four small legs and no wings. They are long and narrow, to allow them to slide through the water. Long ridges, which resemble fish fins but feel more like scales, run down their back and trail from each clawed foot. Older Water Dragons have similar ridges trailing from their brows. Their scales are slick and range in color from pale green to a vivid dark blue.
Most Water Dragons live alone or in mated pairs, but they often gather with their kin to discuss events and enjoy one another’s company. Water Dragons group themselves by family, and each family has a matriarch, a patriarch, or both. The extended family lives with in a small sea, sizable lake, or large portion of the ocean. Each family member or couple claims a region for personal use.
Most families gather at least once each month, typically in the domain belonging to the head of the family. Water Dragons from other families must ask permission when entering the family’s territory, or they are treated as invaders and attacked. Neighboring families gather together two to three times a year to discuss larger issues and to maintain friendly relations. Water Dragons from different households often become friends and, if their regions border one another, meet more frequently.
Water Dragons are talkative when with their own family, but their topics are serious and subjects can hold their attention for hours. They enjoy gossiping about neighbors, but they also discuss philosophy, marine biology, and other weight issues.
Fish are the main food for Water Dragons, followed by all manner of sea creatures. Any animals that wander into a Water Dragon’s territory become fair game, including humanoids. Though they are not violently malicious, Water Dragons do enjoy taunting surface dwellers.
They also consider it an insult for a surface-dweller to cross over their home with out asking permission and so often capsize boats. Those fisherfolk who offer gifts to the dragons find smooth waters and plentiful fishing, though sometimes a young Water Dragon rocks their boat just for fun. Any humanoid who dares to attack a Water Dragon will be pursued by the entire family, and if she manages to escape to land she will find them waiting every time she ventures near water again.
Water Dragons make their homes among nests of coral and seaweed, along the ocean or lake floor. They favor deeper waters, where they can sleep undisturbed and unseen. Over time, the dragons often carve upon the coral, transforming it into a roofless palace with delicately fluted columns everywhere.
Typical Water Dragon
Agility 3D: acrobatics 8D, contortion 7D, fighting 8D+1, dodge 9D+1
Coordination 2D
Physique 4D (+9): lifting 8D, stamina 9D, swimming 12D
Intellect 3D: navigation 10D, speaking 4D
Acumen 3D: crafting 6D, search 3D+1, survival 6D+1, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 2D+2: bluff4D+2, charm 3D, intimidation 8D+1, mettle 6D
Strength Damage: 4D (+9)
Move: 10
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 20
Body Points: 30
Wound Levels: 5
Advantages: Size: Large (R3), scale value 9; Wealth(R2)
Disadvantages: Devotion (R2), to family and territory; Infamy (R2)
Special Abilities: Environmental Resistance (R2), +6D to Physique to resist effects of extreme conditions; Increased Attribute: Agility (R10), +10 to related totals; Increased Attribute:
Physique (R9), +9 to related totals; Longevity (R1); Natural Armor: Scales (R2), +2D to damage resistance totals; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R2), +2D damage; Natural Hand-to- Hand Weapon: Teeth(R2), +2D damage; Ultravision (R3), +6 to sight-based totals in dim or dark conditions; Water Breathing (R3), +3D to swimming
Oriental Dragon
Oriental Dragons are long and sinewy.
They have horns on their brows and long wispy beards on their chins.
The ridges on their backs and tails are long. They have no wings but four legs, each ending in an agile claw — most Oriental Dragons have four claws per foot, but the Imperial dragon has five.
Their scales shimmer and range in color from black to blue to red to gold, silver, or even white.
Oriental Dragons are the most intelligent of the dragons, and they can sit for months or even years while pondering some topic. Oriental Dragons enjoy a good debate or an intellectual discussion.
They are sparing with their words, however, and often speak in vague terms and near-riddles.
Most of the Oriental Dragons — and they are the rarest of the dragon races — live alone and see other dragons only rarely. They interact with humanoids more frequently, liking to disguise themselves as such to wander the countryside.
Oriental Dragons are not violent, though they will defend themselves when attacked. They do enjoy confrontation but prefer battles of a more intellectual nature. They enjoy creating moral quandaries for humanoids in order to watch their reactions.
They will only attack humanoids for three reasons: the people attack first, the people threaten the dragon’s interests or domain, or the people have demonstrated themselves to be villains (usually by harming someone the dragon considers a worthy individual). In those situations, the Oriental Dragon is a deadly opponent, clever as well as strong.
Because there are so few of them, what most people assume to be racial subtypes are actually specific dragons.
The Yellow Dragon and the Horned Dragon, for example, are individual dragons rather than types. Only the Yellow Dragon is covered with bright yellow scales, and only the Horned Dragon has four horns above his brows and a ridge of them running down his snout to the tip of his nose.
The leader of the Oriental Dragons is the Imperial Dragon (also known as the Celestial Dragon), who has jet-black scales and five claws on each foot. This dragon is the wisest and most powerful of the Oriental Dragons, and he may command any of the others, though he rarely does so. He does, however, wander into another dragon’s domain with impunity — the other Oriental Dragons must ask permission before entering another’s domain, or face a challenge (usually to either a logic puzzle or a verbal duel).
Unlike the other dragon races, the Oriental Dragons are vegetarians.
They eat mainly bamboo shoots and rice, though they happily consume any fruits they can find. They will also eat bread and vegetables. No Oriental Dragon will deliberately eat meat, and it is a grave insult to offer meat to one of them. They also drink rice wine, and anyone who offers a dragon this drink wins their favor.
Each Oriental Dragon has his own interests and his own domain. Some settle in lake beds, others atop mountains, and still others deep in forests or hidden valleys. Certain dragons consider it their duty to guard treasures, whether natural or crafted, while others train people, travel the world, or make sure the seasons occur with out fail.
Typical Oriental Dragon
Agility 3D (+10): acrobatics 6D+1, fighting 5D, contortion 5D, dodge 8D, flying 9D, jumping 6D, stealth7D
Coordination 2D (+3): sleight of hand 5D
Physique 3D (+9): lifting 13D, stamina 12D, swimming 4D
Intellect 4D (+3): cultures 7D, healing 10D, reading/writing 8D, navigation 10D, scholar 8D, speaking 10D, trading 6D
Acumen 3D (+3): artist 8D, disguise 10D, investigation 6D, search 7D, survival 6D, tracking 8D
Charisma 3D (+3): command 9D, charm 11D, intimidation 9D, persuasion 11D, mettle 11D 
Magic 6D: apportation 6D+1, alteration 7D, conjuration 7D, divination 6D+2
Strength Damage: 7D (+9)
Move: 16
Fate Points: 4
Character Points: 40
Body Points: 33
Wound Levels: 5
Advantages: Fame (R2); Size: Large (R3), scale value 9; Wealth(R2)
Disadvantages: Devotion (R2), to domain
Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R1), +1D to natural healing rate; Flight (R3), flying Move 96; Increased Attribute: Agility (R10), +10 to related totals; Hypermovement (R3), +6 to base Move; Increased Attribute: Acumen,
Charisma, Coordination, Intellect (R3 each), +3 each to related totals, Increased Attribute: Physique (R9), +9 to related totals; Immortality (R1); Natural Armor: Scales (R2), +2D to damage resistance totals; Natural Hand to- Hand Weapon: Claws (R2), +2D damage; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Teeth(R2), +2D damage; Quick Study: All Attributes (R1 each); Water Breathing (R3), +3D to swimming
Skeleton Dragon
Skeleton Dragons are usually taken from the Earth Dragons, and so have massive frames and skeletal wings.
Unlike the other five types, Skeleton Dragons are not natural creatures, and are created rather than born.
They are typically fashioned by necromancers, who reassemble a dead dragon’s bones and then reanimate the skeleton to create a massive, magical servant. Fortunately, Skeleton Dragons lack most of their former intelligence, and only a handful is capable of magic. Most Skeleton Dragons have only their size, their strength, their flight, and the fact that they are undead and so are immune to many mundane weapons.
Skeleton Dragons have no society and thus no hierarchy. Each of these creatures has been animated by a particular individual. It is enthralled to that person and required to do her bidding. Only when two or more Skeleton Dragons serve the same master do they fight for control, with the strongest becoming the leader of their small pack and commanding the other members.
Skeleton Dragons are not alive and thus do not need to eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. They are tireless and can fly or fight for hours with out pause.
Because they are no longer truly alive, and never can be again, Skeleton Dragons hate the living. They particularly loathe living reptiles and, above all else, living dragons. A Skeleton Dragon will attack a living dragon at every opportunity.
Skeleton Dragons can be found anywhere in the world, as they go wherever their master goes or wherever she orders them to go. They are most common in the countryside, however, where people are less likely to have defenses against magic and thus where a dragon of any sort has the greatest impact.
Typical Skeleton Dragon
Agility 3D (+8): acrobatics 6D+1, climbing 5D, dodge 7D+1, fighting 10D+1, flying 9D
Coordination 2D
Physique 4D+1 (+12): lifting 9D, running 5D, stamina 7D
Intellect 2D
Acumen 2D: search 3D+1, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 2D: intimidation 10D, mettle 6D
Strength Damage: 5D (+12)
Move: 10
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 20
Body Points: 34
Wound Levels: 5
Advantages: Size: Large (R4), scale value 12
Disadvantages: Devotion (R3), hate the living; Employed (R3), to person who reanimated it; Infamy (R3); Reduced Attribute: Acumen, Intellect (R4 each), -1D each; Reduce Attribute: (R3), -2 pips
Special Abilities: Flight (R4), flying
Move 80; Increased Attribute: Agility (R8), +8 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Physique (R12), +12 to related totals; Longevity (R1); Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R3), +3D damage; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Teeth(R3), +3D damage; Skill Bonus: Painless Wounds (R4), +12 to stamina total; Skill Bonus: Mindless (R5), +15 to mettle totals Breath-
Dwarf
Dwarves are built like short, stout Humans. They stand about 1.5 meters and usually have broad features and thick beards. Most people are familiar with the Mountain Dwarves (or Mynyd), but three other types exist: the Dwende, the Chanak, and the Wavelorn.
Dwende
The Dwende surface-dwelling dwarves who live in tropical regions. Their skin is deeply tanned from the sun. They wear only simple kilts and sometimes loose shirts, and either go barefoot or wear sandals.
Dwende live in small tribes or clans, each lead by a chieftain. This chieftain decides on all matters of importance, including hunting, marriage, and tribal location. Once chosen, a chieftain retains control until he dies, steps down because of age, or is forcibly removed by a majority of the clan. Larger tribes also have a council of elders, and each tribe has a medicine man who regulates the tribe’s herbs, potions, and healing.
The Dwende hunt small game both on land and along the water’s edge.
They also grow fruits, vegetables, grains, particularly grapes and barley — the Dwende share their underground cousins’ love for wine and ale.
Though not unfriendly, the Dwende are reclusive — their villages are made of local materials and well hidden among trees or with in low dunes, and people can walk with in a meter of a Dwende house with out seeing it. Nevertheless, the Dwende treat guests superbly, particularly when they can get news and stories about distant lands. The Dwende place great value in hospitality, honesty, and loyalty — the worst crime they can imagine is to turn away friends and family in a time of need.
Typical Dwende
Agility 3D+1 climbing 4D, dodge 4D, fighting 4D, melee combat 5D, stealth5D+2
Coordination 3D: marksmanship 5D, throwing 4D
Physique 3D+1: lifting 4D, running 5D, stamina 5D, swimming 5D+1
Intellect 2D+1: healing 4D
Acumen 3D: artist 4D, crafting 4D, hide 3D+1, search 4D, survival 6D+1, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 3D: animal handling 4D+2, charm 5D+1, mettle 4D+1
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 18
Wound levels: 3
Advantages: Size: Small (R1), scale value of 3
Disadvantages: Hindrance: Short Stride (R1), 2-meter reduction to running, swimming, and jumping Move
Special Abilities: Hardiness (R2), +2 to damage resistance totals; Longevity (R1)
Equipment: short sword (damage 1D+2)
Mynyd
The most wide l y know n and most numerous race of Dwarves, the Mynyd (or Mountain Dwarves) consider themselves the progenitors of all other Dwarven races. They are skilled metallurgists, engineers, and miners. A few even have some magical gifts.
The Mynyd favor d ark, study clothing and long hair, which both males and females wear in braids.
Dwarven men also prefer long beards, to keep their faces warm in the cool underground tunnels.
They are terse in speech and gruff in manner, possibly owing a constant need to be on the defensive against raids on their treasure. (Elves say it’s because they don’t get enough sunlight and fresh air.) Once their trust has been gained, most find them to be generous hosts.
They live in city-kingdoms, each claiming a small mountain range or portion of a large range, wherever precious or useful metals and stones abound.
Though they hunt small game, gather tunnel mushrooms and lichen, and plant vegetable and fruit gardens near the entrances to their dwellings, they have become so renowned for their jewels and metalsmithing that they find it more efficient and lucrative to trade for their foodstuffs. Nonetheless, though they don’t grow much of their own grain, they do brew their own strong ale.
Typical Mynyd
Agility 3D: dodge 3D+2, fighting 4D+2, melee combat 5D
Coordination 2D: marksmanship 3D+2, throwing 4D+1
Physique 3D+2: lifting 5D, running 4D, stamina 6D
Intellect 2D: devices 5D, trading 4D+1, traps 4D+2
Acumen 3D: artist 5D+2, crafting 5D, gambling 4D
Charisma 2D+1: intimidation 5D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 19
Wound Levels: 3
Advantages: Size: Small (R1), scale value of 3; Wealth(R2)
Disadvantages : Hindrance: Gruffness (R2), +2 to bluff, charm, and persuasion difficulties; Hindrance: Short Stride (R1), 2-meter reduction to running, swimming , and jumping Move
Special Abilities: Hardiness (R2), +2 to damage resistance totals; Longevity (R1); Ultravision (R1) +2 to sight-based totals while in dim or dark conditions
Equipment: lantern (negates 2D (6) in darkness modifiers); leather apron (Armor Value +1 to front only); mining pick (damage +2)
Chanak
The Chanak are nocturnal surface dwellers with pale skin and scraggly beards. They are lean and have long, thin fingers. They prefer to hide themselves in thick cloaks with deep hoods.
The Chanak move among the larger folk frequently but want nothing to do with them. The Chanak consider humanoids as only useful for their money, their goods, and sometimes for the look on their faces when they know they have been robbed or cheated.
Chanak gather in small tribes or clans, often secretly locating their villages near Human cities. A tribal chief leads the settlement, though anyone can challenge him at any time, and the winner becomes (or remains) the chief.
Chanak chiefs hold absolute power over the tribe, in large part because they have defeated anyone who might question their decisions.
The Chanak prefer stealing their food to hunting for it. They also buy food, using the money and goods they stole.
They rarely drink alcohol, however, as they do not trust anyone to protect them when they are drunk.
Typical Chanak
Agility 3D+2: acrobatics 4D+1, climbing 6D, contortion 5D, dodge 5D+1, jumping 4D+2, fighting 5D+1, melee combat 5D, stealth5D+2
Coordination 3D+1: marksmanship 3D+2, lockpicking 5D, sleight of hand 4D, throwing 3D
Physique 3D: lifting 4D, running 4D
Intellect 3D: devices 4D, traps 6D
Acumen 3D: hide 4D, investigation 3D+1, search 4D, survival 3D+1, streetwise 4D+2, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 2D: bluff4D+2, mettle 4D+1
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 17
Wound Levels: 3
Advantages: Contacts (R1), other Chanak; Size: Small (R1), scale value of 3; Wealth(R1)
Disadvantages: Infamy (R2); Hindrance: Short Stride (R1), 2-meter reduction to running, swimming, and jumping Move; Prejudice (R2), Humans Equipment: short sword (damage 1D+2); heavy cloak (Armor Value +1)
Wavelorn
The Wavelorn are aquatic Dwarves.
They have a blue-green tint to their skin and hair, and webbing between their fingers and toes. Gills are visible along their necks, and they wear very little because clothing slows them in the water.
The Wavelorn live in small tribes. Each tribe selects a tribal leader, or headman, who then takes total command — the headman is chosen after several tests.
When the headman grows too tired or too infirm to lead, or when enough elders vote that he should be replaced, contests, which include a mock combat and a race, are held and everyone who wants the position enters. The elders review each contestant’s abilities before making their selection as a group.
The Wavelorn survive on a diet of sea plants, fish, eels, and other sea creatures. The Wavelorn often trade shells or treasure they found below for other items or services.
The Wavelorn live deep beneath the waves, in cities they have carved from the ocean floor.
Typical Wavelorn
Agility 3 D : climbing 3D, dodge 2D, fighting 4D, melee combat 3D, riding: aquatic 3D
Coordination 2D: throwing 5D
Physique 4D: lifting 6D, stamina 5D, swimming 8D
Intellect 2D+1: navigation 5D, trading 3D, traps 3D
Acumen 3D: artist 3D, crafting 4D, hide 3D+1, search 4D, survival: underwater 5D, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 2D+2: animal handling 3D: aquatic +2D, bluff4D+2, intimidation 6D+1, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 20 Wound levels: 3
Advantages: Size: Small (R1), scale value of 3; Wealth(R1)
Disadvantages: Enemy (R2), large water creatures; Hindrance: Short Stride (R1), 2-meter reduction to running, swimming, and jumping Move
Special Abilities: Environmental Resistance (R2), +6D to Physique to resist effects of extreme conditions; Hardiness (R2), +2 to damage resistance totals; Longevity (R1); Ultravision (R1) +2 to sight-based totals while in dim or dark conditions; Water Breathing (R2), +2D to swimming
Equipment: trident (damage +2D+2)
Giant Eel
Giant eels are larger cousins of their more mundane kin. However, while many Humans regard normal-sized eels as a tasty delicacy, giant eels tend to view Humans much the same. Exasperated naturalists note that the term “giant eel” actually encompasses a variety of different species, both fresh and saltwater. However, they all share similar characteristics, especially in their ferocity against those who invade their territory.
With a snakelike body at least as thick as a Human’s thigh and a length of five meters or more, a single giant eel is more than a match for most lone swimmers.
They come in a variety of shades and markings; some are solid-colored with only slight or no demarcation, while others have symmetric patterns running down their bodies. Most giant eels have skin that matches their surrounding watery environment, providing excellent camouflage. Legends tell of one giant eel that can change its coloration and markings to hide near-perfectly.
Giant eels can live in any non-arctic environment, although they are most commonly found in temperate or warmer regions. When it comes time to spawn, most breeds of giant eels instinctively return to a particular breeding ground (which vary among subspecies, and can be hundreds of miles away), where the female releases millions of eggs before she dies. Those eggs follow the water currents and transport the next generation of eels far and wide. Some wealthy gourmets savor these eggs and hire brave explorers to track down these breeding spots for egg-harvesting. Given how these areas can contain dozens or even hundreds of frisky eels eager to protect their offspring, any such mission can be as dangerous as it is lucrative. Fresh water giant eels are generally a little quicker but less tough than their saltwater relatives, which can grow much larger than their lake- and river-bound kin.
Giant eels, like their smaller brethren, are largely solitary predators.
They subsist entirely on meat, usually in the form of large fish, and spend their dormancy cycles sheltered in coral reefs or caves. Most giant eels swallow smaller prey whole or bite it to death, but they can also constrict larger victims (such as most Humans), simultaneously inflicting damage and keeping the quarry from escaping or attacking. Giant eels do not generally attack unprovoked, although their fierce territorialism means “provocation” can include Human activities such as crossing a river in a boat or swimming along the coast. They can survive out of water for several minutes while continuing to attack, and are smart enough to slither back to the water if they can. It is rare for them to attack something on land with out warning, although the traditional minstrel ditty “Ask Wee Willy Why He Doesn’t Wee Water in the River by the Wayfall Sea Anymore” offers a cautionary tale otherwise.
Typical Giant Eel
Agility 5D: fighting 6D, contortion 5D+2, dodge 5D+2, stealth5D+1
Coordination 2D
Physique 3D: lifting 5D+1, swimming 4D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: search 3D, tracking 3D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 3D, mettle 2D+2
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 10 (swimming)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 16
Wound Levels: 2 Natural Abilities: breathe in water; constriction (successful tackle does +1D damage per round, cumulative, after the first round, to a maximum of +3D); jaws (damage +2D); thick hide (Armor Value +2); large size (scale value 2)
Ekimmu
The oldest type of vampires, Ekimmus resemble demonic corpses with a foul mist escaping from their mouths and ears. They are dressed in the dirt-caked, rotting remains of the clothes they wore in life.
Ekimmu are solitary creatures that exist only to cause despair. The vampire’s spirit is not at peace, and only through its destruction can it find final rest.
These vampires wander the Earth and attack the living at every opportunity.
The dawn forces them underground or into crypts until sunset.
Ekimmu are created when a deceased individual dies in a violent manner and does not receive a proper burial. Sometimes, if an individual had some unfinished business of great importance, he returns back as an Ekimmu.
Ekimmu do not create more of their kind. They attack victims until they or it are dead. If they kill a victim, they devour the corpse utterly. No matter how much damage they take the night before, if they retreat to the underground when the sun rises, they come back fully healed the next night.
In extremely remote regions of the desert where a few of these creatures still exist, they are worshipped as minor gods by the local desert nomads. The nomads will sometimes leave an offering to the beast, but the creature feels no obligation to spare anyone. However, if the offering keeps the vampire sufficiently occupied, it may delay the creature’s attack until sunset, accomplishing the desired goal anyway.
Typical Ekimmu
Agility 3D: fighting 4D+1, melee combat 3D+1
Coordination 3D: throwing 4D
Physique 4D: lifting 4D+1, running 4D+1
Intellect 1D
Acumen 3D: hide 2D
Charisma 3D: intimidation 4D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 8
Body Points: 41
Wound Levels: 5
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heal: Fire (R4), takes double damage from any fire-based attack; Achilles’ Heel: Sunlight (R6), dies after 1 minute of exposure to direct sunlight; Advantage Flaw: Sunlight Weakness (R5), all scores, except Intellect, are at -1D from sunrise to sunset; Infamy (R1); Quirk: Day Sleep (R2), must sleep during the day and will not awaken unless physically attacked
Special Abilities: Hardiness (R2), +2D to damage resistance totals; Longevity (R1); Increased Attribute:
Physique (R3), +3 to related totals; Intangibility (R1), can turn to mist with Ability Loss (R1), can be trapped in an item that would collect mist, like a bellows or a bottle; Skill Bonus: Painless Wounds (R4), +12 to stamina total with Ability Loss (R1 per type), may not be used on wounds from fire, sunlight, or holy items 
In Earth mythology, these creatures can be found in extremely old tombs, Babylonian ruins and places that are or were part of the Babylonian Empire.
Sire— The secrets of the Ekimmu have proven difficult to unlock. There is no element of contagion, as found in other Vampires, nor from which extensive quirks and weaknesses to draw analysis.
Nevertheless, I am close, and this lore shall make me a renowned necromancer. It seems the means of murder is somehow crucial. Violence is key, as is finding those tormented in some way.
My experiments continue. Who will miss the worthless travelers amid the dunes? Who could find my pit of failures? Who shall notice an upsurge of Ekimmu prowling the nearby oases? No one can find me, nor my temple and laboratory hidden safe under the sand.
Elemental
Elementals are spirits made of one of the raw magical elements of creation.
Elementals are only naturally found in areas that have a high concentration of the purest form of their element.
Summoned elementals are often bound by wizards as pets, slaves, and warriors.
Summoned elementals will obey the letter of a summoner’s commands, but the more clever elementals look for ways to violate the spirit of the agreement.
Air Elemental
Air elementals normally take the form of nearly invisible waves or currents of air, only seen because the air shimmers with their movement. They are not particularly strong, though they are fast and difficult to hit. They attack by pushing and striking with masses of air.
Typical Air Elemental
Agility 5D: fighting 5D+1, flying 6D, stealth5D+1
Coordination 2D
Physique 2D
Intellect 1D+2
Acumen 1D+2
Charisma 1D
Strength Damage: 1D Move: 20
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 28
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: air push (damage +1D); immune to air attacks, disease, and poison; vulnerability to earth based attacks (receive +2D to damage from these)
Earth Elemental
Earth elementals are resistant to injury and brutally strong. They appear as humanoid shapes, roughly sculpted from stone and earth. Though slow and ponderous, they make excellent guardians and siege engines.
Typical Earth Elemental
Agility 2D: fighting 4D,
Coordination 2D
Physique 5D
Intellect 1D+2:
Acumen 1D+2:
Charisma 1 D : mettle: travel by ship 4D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 21
Wound Levels: 3
Natural Abilities: immune to earth attacks, disease, and poison; stone fist (damage +2D); stone exterior (Armor Value +2D); vulnerability to air attacks (receive +2D to damage from these, which its exterior cannot resist)
Fire Elemental
Wizards attempting to control fire elementals get a +3 to the difficulty to reflect the capricious nature of this type of elemental. Fire elementals love to destroy and consume, making them excellent warriors. They enjoy change and new experiences as well and chafe static guard duty assignments. Fire elementals usually appear as humanoid shaped masses of flame, but they change their appearance to suit their whims.
Typical Fire Elemental
Agility 4D: fighting 4D
Coordination 4D: marksmanship 5D
Physique 3D
Intellect 1D+2
Acumen 1D+2
Charisma 2D: bluff4D, intimidation 4D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 21
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: fire fist (damage +2D); immune to fire, disease, and poison; fiery exterior (Armor Value +1D); fire jet (damage 3D; range 6/—/—); vulnerability to water attacks (receive +2D to damage from these, which its exterior cannot resist)
Water Elemental
Water elementals found in nature are placid, unassuming creatures that would rather flee or hide than fight.
When summoned, they can be used as powerful servants and warriors, but they never cooperate readily with their summoner.
Water elementals take the form of a roughly Humanoid-shaped blob of water if forced onto dry land, but they cooperate better when in the water.
Typical Water Elemental
Agility 4D: fighting 5D
Coordination 2D
Physique 4D
Intellect 1D+2
Acumen 1D+2
Charisma 1D: mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10 (5 on dry land)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 18
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: immune to water attacks, disease, and poison; resistant exterior (Armor Value +1D); water fist (damage +2D); water jet (damage 3D; range 6/—/—); vulnerability to fire attacks (receive +2D to damage from these, which its exterior cannot resist)
Elephant
Elephants are typically native to savannah and jungle regions, though due to their popularity with humanoids as beasts of burden, performers, and engines of warfare, they can be found anywhere that vegetation, water, and people are plentiful. These creatures can stand between 2.4 and 3.4 meters at the should and weigh between 2.7 to 6.3 metric tons, rendering them a formidable sight to any formation of disciplined defenders. When angered, or trained to, an elephant will charge with devastating results to the terrain and obstacles in its path, giving rise to its appellation “the unstoppable force of the wild.” A war elephant is often rigged with a small tower or similar fortified structure upon its back. Depending on the size of the animal, this allows two to six soldiers to ride the creature into battle.
When used for carrying supplies or cargo, an elephant can generally move half its own weight for great distances.
Despite this benefit, people don’t often use them for caravans unless food and water is plentiful on the journey as an elephant can eat up to 230 kilograms of vegetation and 300 liters of water a day, making them difficult to care for on long journeys.
In the wild, elephants travel in herds of five to 20, with a large bull as the leader. While considered the gentle giant of the animal kingdom, the bulls will attack any perceived threat, though the amount of provocation required to enrage an elephant is quite unpredictable.
Many times bulls ignore interlopers who are not threatening a herd member, simply staying alert while they are present, but occasionally the males attack with out warning.
Elephants are intelligent creatures.
Compared to most creatures of the wild, they are easy to train if they are started young, at about four years of age. Aside from instructing them to perform in traveling shows or for the amusement of kings, an elephant can be taught to do a number of heavy labor activities aside from simply carrying a load. Some cultures use them to lift lumber with their mighty trunks or demolish trees and light structures. With an experienced teamster, elephants can also pull wagons of enormous size, increasing their capacity to move cargo by double or more their normal ability.
Their lifespan and maturity rate is very close to that of humanoids, reaching adulthood at around 15 to 20 years old and living to about 70 years old or more. They also show very distinct emotions, such as grieving at the side of a lost herd member, showering friends with affection, and laughing. When traveling with a band of adventurers, they add color to any journey.
Typical Elephant
Agility 2D: fighting 4D: charging +2D
Coordination 1D
Physique 6D: lifting 7D, running 6D+1, stamina 8D
Intellect 1D+2
Acumen 2D: search 3D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 4D: charging +2D, mettle 4D+2
Strength Damage: 4D
Move: 35
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 45
Wound Levels: 5
Natural Abilities: trample (damage +3D; must charge), tusks (damage +2D), trunk (damage +1; can grapple with it); large size (scale value 8)
Note: The bull of an elephant herd bred for war have a lifting, fighting, and intimidation increased by 1D.
Elf
Elves were once thought to dwell only in temperate forests, but travelers have encountered Elven pilgrims in climates ranging from unbearable, steamy jungles to frigid wastes. Perhaps this is because Humans began settling these areas only recently, at least as Elves measure it (after all, what is 500 years to a race of near immortals?).
Human scholars divide Elves into a few species, but their physical differences are mostly cosmetic. Elves differ primarily in behavior and allegiance, and most are inclined to remain aloof from other sentient races. The High Elves, called Fair Folk by some, are the type of Elf most often encountered.
High Elves are intelligent and practical, enjoy games of skill, and possess great wisdom gained from centuries of contemplation. In appearance they closely resemble Humans, though they are healthier, sturdier, and far more handsome. Tales of their graceful features, startling green or blue-gray eyes, and clear, musical voices have led young women and men into the wilderness in the hopes of catching a glimpse of these rare travelers.
High Elves always dress in gilded finery, for their race is noble, proud and possessed of the blood of ancient rule r s . Their religious convictions run deep, but their elaborate ceremonies dedicated to the gods of Nature and Thought are always concealed from the eyes of outsiders.
When peace blankets the land, High Elves spend their days in leisurely pursuit of academic and philosophical goals, and they carefully tend to the lands that surround their chosen homes. In times of war, however, High Elves are quick to mobilize and fierce in battle. Few armies have ever stood against the assembled hosts of the Fair Folk.
Black Elves take their name from their jet-black skin, eyes, and hair. All live underground, far from the light of the sun that reminds them of an ancient betrayal linked to the High Elves, whom they regard with contempt. This hatred for their cousins does not extend to other races, though, and Black Elf outposts have been known to trade with Dwarves, Humans, and even more barbaric races on occasion.
Black Elf society is organized along military lines. Every 10 years (or as needed), soldier-citizens elect a king who wields absolute authority over an expansive hierarchy of captains, lieutenants, sergeants, troops, specialists, and non-combatant citizens (those that are too old, too young, or too injured to fight). Kings reign 10 years if death does not claim them first (Black Elf commanders lead from the fore in battle, but surprisingly, most live to serve out their terms).
Having waged ceaseless war against a subterranean enemy (too terrifying to describe) for millennia, Black Elves have dispensed with religious pomp and ceremony. The gods of the Black Elves ask only that worshipers serve their king and people. Since most Black Elves spend a portion of every day engaged in war-related efforts, soldier-citizens prefer subdued, practical clothing or dark enameled armor to the colorful, flowing robes worn by other Elven societies.
Typical Elf
Agility 3D: dodge 3D+2, melee combat 3D+2, stealth3D+2
Coordination 3D: marksmanship 4D
Physique 3D: running 3D+2
Intellect 3D: reading/writing 3D+1, scholar 3D+1, speaking 3D+1
Acumen 3D: artist 3D+1, hide 3D+2, search 3D+2, survival 3D+2, tracking 3D+2
Charisma 3D: animal handling 3D+2, charm 3D+2, mettle 3D+2 
Magic 1D: alteration 1D+1
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 20
Wound Levels: 3
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Hindrance: Arrogance (R2), +2 to bluff, charm, and persuasion difficulties; Hindrance: Delicate (R2), -2 to damage resistance total; Sense of Duty: Nature (R2), feel a deep devotion and kinship with trees and plants (High Elves) or Sense of Duty: Clan (R2), feel a deep devotion to their king and others in their society (Black Elves)
Special Abilities: Ambidextrous (R3), +3 to skill totals; Enhanced Sense: Sight (R1), +1 to sight-based totals; Immortality; Skill Bonus: Stealth(R1), +1 to hide, stealth, and tracking totals; Ultravision (R3), +6 to sight-related skills in dim or dark conditions 
Empusa
The Empusai (plural of Empusa) are the demonic, vampiric daughters of evil goddesses of magic. They are created from the spirits of loyal priestesses. They appear as beautiful women, but in their true form, they have the upper bodies of filthy, hideous women with pale skin and the lower body of a donkey. Empusai are always female.
Empusai social structures are based on witch’s coven. At the head is a queen and below her three sisters; below each sister, three more; and so on. The Empusai above must approve of the behavior of the Empusai below.
When hunting, the Empusai hunt alone. In rare instances, groups of three work together to capture a group of victims or a particularly powerful victim.
During the day, the Empusai disappear into the underworld or hide in deep parts of their temples, where they assume their true demonic form. At night, they hunt, seducing men and devouring them when possible. The Empusai can only exist on the flesh of the living. They can go an indefinite period with out feeding, but failure to capture a victim for a long period may mean a lowering of rank with in their coven.
The Empusai have a variety of magic powers granted by their goddess. They brew potions with adeptness, one of their favorites being to change shape into animals for the night. They know the ideal herbs and animal parts for potions. Sometimes, witches use the Empusai as mentors to learn. Only a female may study under an Empusai.
The Empusai prefer lairs located on the fringes of society, often sharing living quarters with witches.
Frequently, they use a cover persona to befriend witches or attract men.
Typical Empusa
Agility 2D: dodge 2D+2, fighting 2D+1, flying 2D+1, melee combat 2D+1
Coordination 2D
Physique 3D: running 3D+2
Intellect 3D: scholar: potions 5D, speaking 3D+1
Acumen 3D: hide 4D
Charisma 3D: charm 5D, mettle 4D+2 
Magic 5D: alteration 6D, conjuration 6D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 18
Wound levels: 3
Advantages: Contacts (R4), Empusa sisters In Earth mythology, Empusai are Greek vampires and followers of Hectate, the goddess of magic.
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heal: Fire (R4), takes double damage from any fire-based attack; Achilles’ Heel: Insults (R4), must make a Moderate mettle roll or run shrieking until she can no longer hear the insults; Achilles’ Heel: Sunlight (R4), as dawn approaches, feels inescapably compelled to return to her hiding place; Advantage Flaw (R2), all spells must be cast using potions; Employed (R2), by goddess; Price (R2), must remain faithful to goddess or lose magical abilities; Infamy (R2)
Special Abilities: Longevity (R1); Skill Bonus: Charming Gaze (R2), +6 to charm totals with Restricted (R1), limited to opposite sex
Equipment: cauldron; potions to enhance seduction; herbs, animal parts, and other potion components
Shapechanging Potion Spell
Skill Used: Conjuration
Difficulty: 11
Effect: 10 (Shapeshifting (R1) with Additional Effect (R1), can change to normal animal size)
Range: Self (0)
Speed: 0
Duration: 7 hours (+22)
Casting Time: 1 round (-4)
Other Aspects: Components (-14): small piece of creature shapechanging into (common, destroyed), special herb — usually marjoram flowers but one more appropriate to creature can be used (uncommon, destroyed), water (ordinary, destroyed), pot (common)
Gesture (-2) Stir together components (fairly simple)
Focused (+6)
Variable Duration (+4): Off only This spell helps the witch make a potion that allows her to change into any one form for one night or more. Add any result point bonus to the duration value and look up the new time on the “Spell Measures” table.
Fairy
Fairies are spirits of Nature given physical form and one purpose — to serve Nature and protect its own. Their presence is considered a reliable indicator of the health of the environment, for a land with out Fairies is one with out magic, cheer, or hope. As servants of Nature, Fairies can speak with trees, ferns, toadstools, mosses, every kind of animal, and even some kinds of rocks (other kinds of rocks refuse to speak, don’t have anything to say, or are just plain boring). Fairies trust the High Elves implicitly, but distrust other races, especially Humans and others that disregard their effects on nature, leading some to speculate that they are somehow related to the near-immortal Fair Folk. Fairies know that all things are related; most races just refuse to accept the truth.
Being less than five centimeters tall, Fairies could live right under the Big Peoples’ noses with out detection, but instead prefer verdant landscapes bursting with scented flowers, mosses, lily ponds, oak trees, and toadstools. They shun living among certain races of the Big People, for Humans like to make pets of cats, which are dangerous to even the most cautious Fairy. In fact, almost any animal, whether pet, livestock, or feral, associated with the mannish-races are dangerous to Fairies just from sheer size alone. Fairies do not fear insects, frogs, or mice, however, and have much to offer these creatures in exchange for friendship and aid. For example, these diminutive but cheerful beings help mice gather enough food to last through long and lean winter nights, and in return mice warn Fairies whenever cats are prowling nearby.
Two of the most common varieties of Fairy-folk are Green Folk and Glade Fairies.
Green Folk
Green Folk (sometimes called Green Children by patronizing Humans) have blonde, red, or light brown hair; green or blue eyes; and child-like physiques that belie their true strength, for Fairies can lift over 20 times their own weight, two meters tall if needed, but this glamour has no real effect upon the world, other than perhaps to ward off would-be aggressors.
Green Folk enjoy the passing of the seasons, spring and autumn being their favorites, and consider this when seeking a new place to live.
Green Folk follow one of two types of lifestyles, in community or in solitude, though they are united in purpose. Fairies living in communities, are friendlier and more numerous, residing in townships, called troupes, of 50 or more individuals ruled over by a tough but fair queen. Each queen in turn serves Oberon and Titania, the King and Queen of the Fairies, can pass as any humanoid species and defeat all in combat or contest.
Each troupe arrays itself in distinguishable garments, often of the same style or color. For example, the Shefro dress mostly in green — forest green jerkins, grass green tights, and leaf green boots, but with pointed red caps. Males wear one white feather in their cap to signal love for a sweetheart.
The other type of Green Folk, the solitary ones, are less populous by far and they prefer the lives of introspective wanderers, making what they need or trading for needed goods with other Fairies. Loners and wanderers, many dress in flowing red medieval gowns or scarlet doublets and pants and blood-red capes, though prefer plainer clothes.
Of these solitary Fairies, the Ferrishin alone know the secret of fashioning rope woven from spider webs and dew-drop gemstones, a combination that creates a line of unusual strength and beauty, one that they trade for items they cannot make themselves. The solitary Fairies are ruled by whoever draws the short straw during their yearly gatherings. This form hefting a total of about two kilograms.
All Green Folk can fly, even though some appear to have no visible wings, while the wings of others look like the wings of insects or butterflies or tatters of colors. They can also appear powerful and enigmatic beings that of government may seem flippant to other races, but all Fairies of Clan Rouge serve King Oberon and Queen Titania with all the love and fervor of the troupe Fairies. Even though the two clans seem always at odds, woe to the schemer who tries to come between them.
Typical Green Folk Fairy
Agility 4D+1: acrobatics 4D+2, climbing 4D+2, contortion 5D, dodge 6D, flying 5D+1, melee combat 5D, riding 4D+2, stealth5D
Coordination 2D: marksmanship 4D
Physique 1D+2: swimming 5D
Intellect 3D+2: cultures 4D, healing 4D+2, reading/writing 4D, speaking 4D, devices 4D, trading 5D+2
Acumen 3D+1: artist 3D+2, crafting 5D, hide 3D+2, know-how 3D+2, search 4D, survival 4D+1
Charisma 4D: animal handling 4D+1, charm 5D, persuasion 5D+1, mettle 4D+1
Magic 1D: alteration 1D+1, divination 1D+1, conjuration 1D+1
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 6
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 12
Wound Levels: 2
Advantages: Size: Small (R4), scale value 12
Disadvantages: Hindrance: Delicate (R3), -3 to damage resistance totals; Hindrance: Short Stride (R2), 4 meter reduction to running, swimming, and jumping Move
Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R1), +1D to natural healing rate; Animal Control (R1), +10 bonus to animal handling for one species; Flight (R2), flying move 24; Longevity (R1); Silence (R3), +6D to all stealth checks.
Glade Fairies
A close relative of the Green Folk, the Glade Fairy is equally hard to spot, though for different reasons (in their defense, Glade Fairies have a saying: “If you have to try very hard to find something, you’ve probably already overlooked it”).
The only way to spot a Glade Fairy is to sit quietly in a clearing at dawn or dusk, thinking pleasant thoughts. Patient observers might soon notice something stirring where nothing moved before (as grandmothers used to say, it always was there; you just never took the time to look). To those who remain calm and quiet, some of the plants, or at least beings that strongly resemble plants, may come to life before their eyes. Glade Fairies are perhaps the most striking of all Fairy-kind, having willowy, moss covered bodies, long, supple limbs, and faces wrinkled and gnarled as the bark of trees. They make their homes in the transitional spaces between forests and fields. They are especially fond of deer, owls, pheasants, hedge gophers, and damselflies, creatures that share their habitat. When natural disasters threaten, Glade Fairies work tirelessly to rescue earth-bound animals from oblivion. However, Glade Fairies are helpless in the face of unnatural destruction (such as slash-and-burn practices) wrought by sentient races, and do not easily forgive such injuries. Many would-be farmers or ranchers have woken up one morning to find themselves surrounded by poisonous scorpions, venomous snakes, or worse.
Typical Glade Fairy
Agility 3D: fighting 4D, dodge 3D+1, stealth4D+2
Coordination 3D: throwing 4D
Physique 5D: lifting 5D+1
Charisma 1D+1: animal handling 5D, command 3D, persuasion 2D, mettle 3D+2
Intellect 3D: cultures 3D+2, healing 4D, trading 3D+1
Acumen 4D+1: disguise 6D, hide 7D+1, investigation 5D+1, search 5D+2, survival 5D, tracking 7D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 6
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 12
Wound Levels: 2
Advantages: Size: Small (R4), scale value 12
Disadvantages: Hindrance: Delicate (R2), -2 to damage resistance totals; Hindrance: Short Stride (R2), 4 meter reduction to running, swimming, and jumping Move
Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R1), +1D to natural healing rate; Animal Control (R1), +10 bonus to animal handling for one species; Longevity (R1); Natural Armor (R1), +1D to damage resistance rolls; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: thorny limbs (R1), damage +1D; Silence (R3), +6D to all stealth checks.
Have you ever lost your sword and actually taken the time to look for a very tiny ball of spider silk or a thimble of star-shine left in its place? Probably not, but you should have. You might have had an encounter with a Fairy while you were sleeping. No doubt it quietly offered to trade you something that seemed equitable to your drowsy mind, and maybe it wasn’t the best deal you ever made, but imagine your sword flying along with out any apparent support, accompanied by a disembodied voice yelling at people to get out of the way — it might have been the source of all those legends about intelligent swords. There is a reason that bards call them “fairy tales...”
Familiar
Familiars are magically enhanced versions of mundane animals. Wizards use them as guardian, messenger, clairvoyant aide and companions, though they still are prone to some mischievous or not entirely intelligent behavior.
The process of making a familiar is straightforward though challenging and varies based on the mage and the magical power involved. The caster imbues the target animal with a magical power source based on their arcane preference and then bonds with the creature.
The host animal can be any creature that is nonmagical by nature and can be carried by the master. A host gains a number of abilities once the transformation is complete. Commonly, they become stronger and quicker than their mundane brethren, and they always have a measure of magic resistance to protect themselves from detection and attack by enchanted means. In addition, they quickly learn to understand, but not speak, the language of their master.
This allows them to follow fairly complicated instructions and to spy more effectively by eavesdropping on the conversations of intruders.
Many mages will also imbue their familiars with a limited number of magical abilities, to facilitate their missions.
These abilities are simulated by skills the animal could not normally posses, such as being able to open doors or write. The familiar can learn many intellectual skills, such as new languages, over time.
As well as gaining an ally for spying, companionship, and security, the master receives a number of abilities, which depend on the type of familiar.
Example Familiars
Cat
Agility 4D: acrobatics: falling 5D, climbing 5D, dodge 5D, fighting 5D, jumping 4D+2, stealth5D
Coordination 1D
Physique 1D+2: running 3D+2, stamina 2D+2
Intellect 2D: language: (of master) 3D, scholar 2D+2
Acumen 3D: hide: self only 5D, search 4D, tracking 4D
Charisma 2D+2: mettle 4D+2
Strength Damage: 1D Move: 20
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 14 Wound levels: 2 Natural Abilities: bite (damage +2); claws (damage +2); night sight (no penalties in dim conditions); detect magic (identify location of magic with in a 3- meter radius); magic resistance (+6 to difficulties of all magic effects directed at animal); small size (scale value 6) Note: The master of a cat familiar gains +1D to jumping and stealth and Ultravision (R2), +4 to sight-based totals in dim conditions.
Owl
Agility 4D: dodge 5D, fighting 5D+2, flying 5D, stealth4D+2
Coordination 1D
Physique 2D
Intellect 2D+2: language (of master) 3D+2, scholar 3D
Acumen 3D+1: hide: self only 4D+1, search 6D+1
Charisma 2D+1: mettle 5D+1
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 32 (flying)/15 (gliding)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 12
Wound levels: 2
Natural Abilities: beak (damage +2); talons (damage +1D; may attack the same target twice per round with no penalty), night sight (no penalties in dim conditions); magic resistance (+6 to difficulties of all magic effects directed at animal); diving attack (+35 to flying total and +2D to initiative roll for 1 round when charging 1 target from sufficient altitude); quiet flying (+2D stealth to ambush by air); wings; small size (scale value 7)
Note: The master of an owl familiar gains +1D to mettle and divination and +2D to conjuration only when attempting flight spells.
Snake
Agility 5D: fighting 6D, dodge 6D, stealth6D+2
Coordination 1D
Physique 1D
Intellect 3D: language: (of master) 4D, scholar 3D+1
Acumen 3D: hide: self only 5D, search 4D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 4D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 1D Move: 15
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 11
Wound levels: 2
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +1D; venom injected when fighting success beats difficulty by 5 or more); venom (causes 1D damage every round for 5 rounds; Very Difficult stamina roll to resist); camouflage (+1D to hide: self only); magic resistance (+6 to difficulties of all magic effects directed at animal); thermal vision (no attack penalties in darkness); small size (scale value 9)
Note: The master of a snake familiar gains +1D to hide and dodge, and +2D to stamina: poisons.
Fiana
Those who travel the islands of the northern seas claim that not all the islanders are exactly Human. The worst, they say, are the Fiana, a race of people who live in the mountains and hills of some of the largest islands. The Fiana look Human, but they can do things no normal man or woman ever could. The Fiana themselves claim this stems from their descent from the supernaturally endowed children of a powerful goddess, who watches over their island homes.
The Fiana can be identified by the blue tattoos that decorate their faces, arms, and chests. Most Fiana carry only weapons of bone, horn, wood, and stone, though a few have blades of bronze. Their simple and sturdy clothing is mostly leather, though they wear fur capes in winter. Fiana men have thick beards; both men and women wear their hair long and pulled back. They equally favor thick bronze or gold necklaces, called torcs, and both rings and earrings.
The Fiana divide themselves into clans, each of which has its own distinctive name, tattooing style, leader, and skald (a bard who keeps their history as oral song). The clans are small, and often work together to repulse invaders, but each clan has its own territory, and those from other clans must request permission to enter their area. Small skirmishes among the clans are common, but these are mainly to relieve boredom and maintain skill at arms — serious conflict between the clans is rare, and the clan chiefs usually settle disputes.
The Fiana eat mostly meat, potatoes, and bread, though they do gather any fruits and vegetables they can find. They prefer ale and water for their drink. The Fiana raise herds of small, thick-furred cattle and sheep, and occasionally goats.
Most households have chickens as well.
Farms are uncommon, but homes often have small vegetable plots out back. The Fiana also hunt deer, pheasant, other wild animals.
Though fearsome warriors, the Fiana are not raiders and they do not attack others with out reason. They closely watch anyone entering their territory, attacking only those who present a threat to the clan. Anyone judged harmless is instead approached and questioned. If his answers are acceptable, the Fiana will host him, providing him with food and drink in exchange for information about the outside world. Some travelers have established regular trade with the Fiana, who produce finely crafted bronze jewelry and beautifully carved wood and bone items, but the islanders admire the well-made leather boots of outsiders and covet weapons of metal.
The Fiana keep to themselves most of the time, and their territories are inhospitable enough that few disturb them. The few times nobles have tried exploring Fiana lands with an eye toward settling them, the Fiana have slaughtered their men and proven that the cost was far too high for such rocky terrain.
In Earth mythology, the Fiana live primarily in Scotland and Ireland. They are the descendants of the Tuatha de Danann, the people adopted by and given supernatural abilities by the fertility goddess Danu. The Tuatha de Danann are considered among the first Fairy-folk in Celtic lands.
Typical Fianna
Agility 3D+2: climbing 6D, dodge 5D+1, fighting 6D+1, jumping 5D+2, melee combat 6D, stealth5D+2
Coordination 3D: marksmanship 6D, throwing 6D
Physique 3D+1 (+3): lifting 6D, running 6D+1, swimming 5D+1
Intellect 2D: navigation 3D, trading 3D, traps 3D
Acumen 2D+2: crafting 5D, hide 3D+1, search 4D, survival 6D+1, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 3D+1: animal handling 3D, bluff4D+2, intimidation 6D+1, mettle 5D 
Magic 1D: alteration 3D
Strength Damage: 3D (+3)
Move: 30 Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 6
Body Points: 30
Wound levels: 5
Advantages: Contact (R4), goddess
Disadvantages: Infamy (R1)
Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R1), +1D to natural healing rate; Increased Attribute: Physique (R3), +3 to related totals; Longevity (R1)
Equipment: broad sword (damage +2D+2); dagger (damage +1D); hard leather armor (Armor Value +1D+1); spear (damage +2D)
Flying Cat
The Flying Cat, or Winged Cat, is one of many examples of creatures that have spawned from the fall-out of mystical practices. Domestic cats, as familiars, are a great asset to mages, but unlike other popular familiars, such as the owl, they have difficulty traveling great distances. Therefore, hundreds of practitioners of magic have strived to correct that shortcoming by enhancing their familiars through spell, potion, and, on occasion, grafting “donated” wings.
Over the centuries, this has produced an entirely new species of cat with wings and the ability to fly, albeit for short distances much, to the chagrin of mages everywhere.
These kin to the cat and the familiar have benefited greatly from the speedy arcane evolution that has befallen them. They are larger than either of their cousins and weigh about nine to 14 kilograms full gown. They measure up to a meter in body length, though typically around three-quarters of a meter, and have a wingspan of about 1.8 meters. It is certain that their ability to fly is magically enhanced, else they would struggle simply gliding, much less gaining altitude.
Flying Cats exhibit exceptional intelligent for what most consider to be an animal. If some manner of translation magic is available, they can engage in complex conversations. In fact, they have become so bright that they largely no longer serve mages. If they do associate with a practitioner, it is generally for equal gain. Only the most lazy of Flying Cats work for simple room and board. More often, they prefer to roam and explore, avoiding long-term attachments outside of a mate and kittens.
These courtships and rearing of off- spring only last as long as it does for their lesser cousins, and then the Winged Cat moves on to new adventures.
Some Flying Cats like to “adopt” ill-fated travelers, others ally with adventurers for a common cause, while a few are quite miscreant and play terrible (even lethal) tricks on passers-by. The disposition of the Flying Cat is generally based on its experiences and varies as much as it does in humanoids. Those mistreated are either timid or cruel, but when nurtured, they can be quite paternal.
Unfortunately, the product of a few evil spell casters has created a handful of malicious Flying Cats, which have been known to mastermind diabolical plots of their own.
In appearance, the Flying Cat comes in as many varieties as there are wild and domestic cats. The wings sometimes match the coat, but often they look like the wings of a bird or other flying creatures including bats, butterflies, and miniature dragons. Color and wing type does not have any correlation to personality, motivation, or abilities.
Typical Flying Cat
Agility 3D+2: acrobatics 6D, climbing 4D+2, dodge 6D+1, fighting 5D+1, flying 5D, jumping 6D, stealth6D+1
Coordination 1D+2
Physique 2D+1: running 5D+2, stamina 4D
Intellect 3D: reading/writing 4D, scholar: magic 4D, traps 4D
Acumen 3D+1: hide: self only 6D+2, search 4D+2
Charisma 3D: bluff5D, charm 6D, persuasion 5D, mettle 5D 
Magic 1D: conjuration 1D+1, divination 2D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 4
Body Points: 16
Wound Levels: 2
Advantages: Size: Small (R2), scale value 5
Disadvantages: Hindrance: Arrogance (R2), +2 to bluff, charm, and persuasion difficulties; Short Stride (R1), 2 meter reduction to running, swimming, and jumping Move; Infamy (R1), known to be mischievous; Prejudice (R1), being an intelligent magical animal
Special Abilities: Attack Resistance: Extranormal (R1), +1D to related damage resistance rolls; Flight (R1), flying move 16 with Ability Loss (R2), must rest (doing nothing) for 1 round for every 5 rounds of continuous flight; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Teeth(R1), damage +1D; Natural Hand-to- Hand Weapon: Claws (R1), damage +2D; Ultravision (R2), +2 to sight-based totals in dim conditions only.
The Furies
The Furies are three hags — Alecto, Tisiphone, and Megaera — who torment the guilty. each appear to have the head of a dog, hair made from snakes, wings like bats, and the body of a human woman. Each Fury carries a torch and a whip, and they always appear angry.
They wear tattered garments.
The three hags argue constantly.
Alecto, being the oldest, is leader by default, but the other two complain bitterly about her leadership. If a victim is tormented by all three sisters, his best bet is to pit the hags against one another and then flee in the ensuing melee.
The Furies have some magical abilities that they use to further torment their victims, frighten them, and trick them into dying horribly. Ideally, the hags want the victim to die in an ironic fashion connected to her guilt.
Although the Furies can eat, they do not need to do so. They neither need to breathe or sleep. The Furies cannot be killed as long as sin exists (that is to say, so long as people do mental or physical harm to each other), but they can be driven away if the guilty party completely atones for his or her actions.
The Furies are usually found in extremely isolated places, especially abandoned temples dedicated to the netherworld. Bitter and betrayed people often seek out the Furies, to serve as their followers until those who have wronged them pay for their crimes.
Also known as the Erinyes , adventurers might find the three women more susceptible to flattery (and guile) by calling them the Eumenides, or “Kindly Ones.” Greek mythology recounts the most common tales of the Furies.
The innocent cannot be harmed by the Furies, and it is these people that may exact information from them. The Furies may reluctantly reveal secrets of supernatural beings or give clues to a quest. They can only do this for the truly just and it causes them physical pain to be in the presence of such creatures.
(Naturally, those who are truly good will not torture the Furies for longer then they must to get the information they need.) Individuals that think they are good, but in their heart are not, can easily tricked by the creatures.
The Furies
Agility 3D: fighting 3D+1, flying 3D+1, melee combat 3D
Coordination 2D: sleight of hand 2D+1, throwing 3D
Physique 2D: lifting 3D, running 2D+1
Intellect 4D: cultures 4D+1, scholar: arcane lore 4D+1, speaking 4D+1
Acumen 3D: search 4D, tracking 5D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 5D 
Magic 1D: alteration 2D+2, conjuration 2D, divination 3D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 10
Character Points: 18
Body Points: 32
Wound Levels: 5
Advantages: Equipment (R3), magical torch and magical whip
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel: Atonement (R2), if the guilty party truly atones, the Furies flee; Achilles’ Heel: Innocence (R3), being in the presence of a truly innocent or just person causes 2D in damage per round; Quirk (R3), the Furies feel a great resentment toward each other and often act upon it
Special Abilities: Immortality (R1), the Furies cannot be die until sin no longer exists in the world
Equipment: magical torch (reduces darkness modifiers by 10; never goes out); magical whip (damage +3D; only affects those who have committed a sin) 
Ghost Warrior
Ghost Warriors are the reanimated forms of soldiers whose devotion to a cause transcended death. Upon being struck down, the spirits of these warriors refused to depart their bodies, believing the fight not yet won. But since physical death is disorienting, decades or centuries often go by before the bodies rise again, too late for the battle, and proceed to engage any perceived threat in the vicinity.
Ghost Warriors appear as they did in life, but with a ghastly pallor and a fixed expression of fury. They are impossible to reason with , understanding nothing but battle. Most of their number tend to be the fallen members of elite units who thoroughly believed their struggle was just. Their ability to become ethereal means no fortress is safe from them, for they can pass through the walls and solidify for the fight.
Typical Ghost Warrior
Agility 3D+1: dodge 4D+1, fighting 4D, melee combat 4D
Coordination 2D+1: marksmanship 3D
Physique 3D: lifting 4D+1, running 4D, stamina 3D+2
Intellect 2D+2
Acumen 2D+2: investigation 3D, search 3D+1, tracking 3D
Charisma 3D: intimidation 4D+2, mettle 6D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 19
Wound levels: 3
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Devotion (R3), to thee cause and will attack anyone who is not a member of the company
Gargoyle
Gargoyles are dangerous creatures who live to slaughter the innocent.
They appear as grotesque figures with what seems to be stone hides, but which actually are a tough, leathery skin. They prefer surprise and ambush to a fair duel. They tend to choose one target from a group, usually the weakest of the lot, and attack her until she is slain. The only exception to this is when someone is attempting to damage their lairs or use it for any type of religious ceremony — this causes the gargoyles to attack as one.
Gargoyles will attempt to slay any cleric who tries to invoke a miracle in their territory.
Typical Gargoyle
Agility 4D+2: climbing 5D, dodge 5D+1, fighting 6D, flying 5D+2 stealth5D+1
Coordination 1D
Physique 5D+2: lifting 6D, running 6D, stamina 6D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 3D+1: hide: self only 5D
Charisma 3D: intimidation 4D+2, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 15 (land)/60 (flying)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 18
Wound Levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +2); claws (damage +1D); horns (damage +1); leathery hide (Armor Value +1D); night sight (no penalties in dim conditions); wings; small size (scale value 0–3) range in height from a meter to two meters and have wingspans of three to five meters. Their hands are clawed, their heads have horns and mouths full of sharp teeth, and their bat-like wings give them the power of flight.
Special Abilities: Attack Resistance: Non-enchanted Weapons (R2), +2D to related damage resistance totals; Intangibility (R2), +6D to damage resistance totals vs. physical weapons, can pass through solid objects; Longevity (R1), can be killed by enchanted weapons; Skill Bonus: Painless Wounds (R4), +12 to stamina totals
Equipment: long sword (damage +2D+1); ring mail armor (Armor Value +1D+2)
Ghoul
An evil spirit inhabiting a corpse with the distasteful habit of devouring both the dead and living, scholars note that Ghouls favor the flesh of children. Living in graveyards and deserted places, especially deserts, ghouls employ a variety of tricks such as lighting fires to lure weary travelers, disguising themselves, and altering their size and shape.
Ghouls reportedly change into hyenas or wolves, or shrink and use feral hares and dogs as mounts to stalk prey.
Each ghoul has a unique appearance, neither man nor brute, although many survivors say ghouls prefer to use the corpses of women. Many ghouls can take on humanoid forms, such as a well-known member of a community (who can face lynching by paranoid neighbors). However, the ghoul is always detectable by its tracks — those of a donkey. Sometimes, when horror is its primary goal, a ghoul sprouts numerous heads and arms (of consumed victims) with which to grab prey.
Use of a banish invocation (see pages 110–111 of the D6 Fantasy Rulebook) or the presence of a holy person and holy symbol can disrupt the ghoul’s powers or cause it to flee. Killing a ghoul is difficult but possible with force of arms, burning, or drowning. (For example, a ghoul held underwater for 1D+1 rounds dissolves into foul ichors, destroying it and possibly contaminating the water source). Some legends say ghouls could only be vanquished by a single powerful blow (a second blow could bring it back to life!).
Ghoul reproduction is a matter of conjecture — some believe that those slain by ghouls arise as ghouls, their tortured spirits bound into dead flesh.
Others believe disembodied spirits can enter a corpse through a vile miracle or by powerful will. Those who claim to know aren’t talking.
Typical Ghoul
Agility 2D+2: dodge 5D+1, fighting 6D, jumping 4D, stealth5D+2
Coordination 2D
Physique 3D+2: running 4D+2
Intellect 1D: speaking 3D
Acumen 4D: disguise 3D+2, hide 5D+1, survival 6D+1, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 1D: bluff3D+2, intimidation 4D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 19
Wound Levels: 3
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Achilles Heel: Allergy (R4), 3D damage when exposed to holy symbols and ghoul must make a Moderate mettle roll to avoid fleeing
Special Abilities: Natural Armor: Undead Flesh (R1), +1D to damage resistance rolls with Ability Loss (R1), ineffective against magical weapons; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R2), +2D damage; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Teeth(R1), +1D damage. Optional Abilities (ghouls might have one or more of these in addition to the standard ones): Extra Body Part: Heads and Arms (R6), sprout a combination of up to six heads and arms of previous victims with Additional Effect (R2), hands can grab, and Additional Effect (R1), +3 to intimidation attempts; Longevity (R1), can only be permanently killed by a single blow dealing 90% of maximum Body Points or Wounds; Natural Ranged Weapon: Poisonous Blood (R1), 3D damage, range 5/10/20, with Ability Loss (R1), only works upon death; Paralyzing Touch (R1); Shapeshifting (R3), any three animals or humanoids with Additional Effect (R1), can change to normal animal size, and Side Effect (R1), always leaves tracks of a donkey.
Giang Shi
Known by many names, the Giang Shi is created when the base soul, the p’ai, lingers in a newly dead body. Victims of a violent death or suicide who are not buried quickly are prime candidates for this possession. An animal walking over a corpse can also frighten the p’ai into remaining in the body.
Giang Shi appear as walking corpses with stringy green or white hair all over its body. They have serrated teeth, sharp claws, and glowing red eyes. Older Giang Shi can develop the abilities to look Human, fly, and transform into wolves. If the Giang Shi does something only a vampire of its type would do, his Human guise melts away and his true self becomes apparent.
During the day, young Giang Shi hide in cemeteries, mausoleums, and graves. They prefer their own graves, but any underground burial chamber that isn’t exposed to the sun will suffice. Giang Shi are not harmed by the daylight, but because young Giang Shi haven’t mastered the power of changing form and fear being discovered, only older Giang Shi that can appear Human will travel during the day. They will go to great lengths to hide their true identity during the day.
Giang Shi do not openly socialize with others of their kind. They tend to be loners and give other vampires a wide berth. Older Giang Shi will respond to polite invitations from other vampire kin for reasons of mutual self-interest.
It is rumored that there is a secret society of very old Giang Shi who manipulate humans for their own purposes. Their agendas are clandestine and unknown to mortals.
The Giang Shi devours flesh and drinks blood, but only from living beings. These creatures cannot intake any other kind of nourishment. They heal their wounds by feeding, though they do not recover their injuries until the first light of the next full moon.
All Giang Shi have a foul-smelling “death breath” they can use to make opponents reel.
Typical Giang Shi
Agility 3D: dodge 5D, fighting 3D, melee combat 3D+2, stealth4D
Coordination 3D: throwing 4D
Physique 3D: lifting 3D+1, running 3D+2
Intellect 3D: reading/writing 3D+1, scholar 4D
Acumen 3D: hide 4D
Charisma 3D: intimidation 6D, mettle 4D+2
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 24
Wound Levels: 4
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel: Fire (R4), takes double damage from any fire-based attack; Achilles’ Heel: Garlic (R3), loses all actions in the first round exposed to the herb; Achilles’ Heel: Loud Noises (R3), must make a Moderate mettle roll or flee at the sound of any loud noise; Achilles’ Heel: Running Water (R3), unable to cross over running water; Achilles’ Heel: Special Barrier (R3), the creature cannot cross a line or circle of rice, iron fillings, or red peas; Infamy (R1), most people would hate the vampire if they knew he was one
Special Abilities: Hardiness (R2), +2D to damage resistance totals with Ability Loss (R3), does not work against attacks using salt; Longevity (R1); Increased Attribute: Physique (R3), +3 to related totals; Life Drain: Body Points/Wounds (R2), drains 6 Body Points/1 Wound level per successful biting attack with Restricted (R2), does not gain until next full moon, and Restricted (R2), can only be used to heal lost Body Points/Wounds; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R2), +2D damage; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Teeth(R1), +1D damage; Skill Bonus: Painless Wounds (R4), +12 to stamina totals
Older Giang Shi
Older Giang Shi have the following game characteristics in addition to or instead of the ones for the typical Giang Shi: skills: flying 4D, cultures 4D+1, reading/ writing 4D+1, scholar 6D, speaking 4D, trading 5D, disguise 5D, charm 4D, mettle 5D+2; Special Abilities: Flight (R1), flying Move 20; Shapeshifting (R1), Human with Ability Loss (R3), reverts to vampire form when does something vampire-like, such as bite; Shapeshifting (R1), wolf with Additional Effect (R1), can change to normal animal size Older Giang Shi often have various Contacts and sometimes a few ranks of Wealth.
The Giang Shi originally hail are from China.
Giant
Giants are humanoid but very large — an average Giant’s thumb is as large as a grown man. Though most Humans think all Giants are the same, they can actually be divided into four groups or clans: Air, Earth, Fire, and Water.
Air Giants
Air Giants are tall and slender, with blond or white hair and blue, green, or gray eyes. They typically wear loose robes or tunics and capes.
Contrary to some claims, Air Giants cannot fly. They do, however, live in the mountains, and their castles are carved from mountain peaks. Air Giants enjoy scaling cliffs and ranges and prefer the thin, cold air of the heights. They also enjoy looking down on the world, a habit that causes their earthy cousins to think them arrogant.
Air Giants live in households. Each household has a patriarch or matriarch, who rules the small group completely.
Below her are the house elders, then the adults, then the children. Age and wisdom are the important factors, not occupation — the household members share most tasks equally, though juniors are often given the less pleasant chores like scrubbing floors. Sometimes a Giant will demonstrate enough talent with one occupation that he is excused from any other duties and allowed to pursue that talent exclusively.
The Air Giants enjoy meat, though it is hard to find in quantity at high altitudes.
They send hunters lower into the mountains to find goats and sheep and, in forested areas, deer and bears. They also hunt wild birds, especially rocs, and have become expert archers. Of course they only pursue animals of a certain size, since rabbits and the like are too small to bother. Fruits and vegetables are also gathered, and most Air Giant households have vegetable gardens and small farms nestled in valleys just below the castle.
They drink cold mountain water and their own beer, ale, and wine.
Air Giants loathe visitors. They enjoy being above the world, watching from afar, but they do not appreciate being disturbed. Travelers who offer something useful, whether goods or information, might receive a grudging welcome. Anyone else is discouraged from climbing too high, and the Air Giants have no qualms about killing trespassers. Their favorite tactic is to drop rocks on intruders.
The Air Giants do derive great pleasure from art. Most of them paint or carve, and their castles are fantastically decorated. Others focus on cloth, weaving beautiful garments and fine rugs and tapestries. Music is likewise popular, and their castles are filled with the sounds of harps, flutes, and song.
A traveler who sings or plays an instrument receives a warmer welcome than anyone else, and she may be invited to stay more than one night, especially if she can teach the Giants new songs.
Typical Air Giant
Agility 3D+1 (+8): climbing 6D, dodge 4D+2, fighting 5D, jumping 5D, melee combat 7D
Coordination 2D+1 (+10): marksmanship 5D, throwing 5D
Physique 3D+2 (+9): lifting 5D, running 5D+2, stamina 6D+1
Intellect 2D+1: reading/writing 4D, devices 4D
Acumen 3D+1: artist 6D, crafting 4D, search 4D, survival 6D+1
Charisma 3D: charm 6D, intimidation 8D+1, mettle 6D
Strength Damage: 3D (+9)
Move: 50
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 31
Wound levels: 5
Advantages: Size: Large (R5), scale value 15; Wealth(R5)
Disadvantages: Devotion (R2), to mountain home; Hindrance: Arrogance (R2), +2 to bluff, charm, and persuasion difficulties
Special Abilities: Hypermovement (R20), +40 to base Move; Increased Attribute: Agility (R8), +8 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Coordination (R10), +10 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Physique (R9), +9 to related totals; Longevity (R1)
Equipment: long sword (damage +2D+2); longbow and quiver of arrows (damage +2D+2; range 10/100/200; 20 arrows)
Earth Giants
Earth Giants are sturdy and broad, with thick features, tanned skin, and brown or gray or black hair and eyes.
They were thick, sturdy clothing, mostly leathers and furs.
Wanderers by nature, Earth Giants travel widely, walking valleys and hills.
Most Earth Giants develop a set route, and walk that path for years with little deviation. They do not consider that land to be theirs, however, but simply the area they know. They are solitary creatures and rarely form permanent family bonds. Rather, a male and female Earth Giant will meet, mate, and then separate. They cross paths again every year to exchange news and so that the father can see his child’s progress. Once the young Giant is old enough to defend himself fully, he may wander off on his own, and he soon finds his own route.
Earth Giants rarely fight each other, since they never claim the land they walk, and whenever two or more cross paths, they stop, dine together, and exchange news. Most Earth Giants do have a home somewhere, but this is simply a rough log cabin or a modified cave where the Giant can leave his possessions while he wanders.
Earth Giants are fond of meat and hunt for their food. Most carefully take only what they need, and they often consider themselves game wardens, thinning herds to prevent overcrowding.
In their homes, Earth Giants brew beer and ale and mead, which they carry in flasks and skins as they walk, but they also drink water. The easiest way to win an Earth Giant’s favor is to offer him beer or ale or even wine.
Though feared for their size and strength, Earth Giants are rarely violent.
Those who live near an Earth Giant’s route learn quickly that, as long as they do not interfere with the Giant’s travels, they have little to worry about. Many actually welcome an Earth Giant’s passage — the Giant scares off or kills any predators foolish enough to attack him, and helps keep the entire area safe and secure. Plus, if he is offered food and drink, the Giant not only shares news about the region but sometimes even aids with simple tasks like removing a boulder from a field or downing a large tree for use as lumber.
The only times an Earth Giant becomes violent are when someone threatens him directly, or when they threaten the region he walks. Bandits and brigands are rarely tolerated because they can get in the Giant’s way and because such men rarely show respect for the land itself. Earth Giants also dislike anyone who tries to destroy the natural beauty of the land by cutting down all the trees and leveling the hills to create towns or cities.
Typical Earth Giant
Agility 3D: climbing 4D, dodge 4D+1, fighting 7D+1, jumping 4D, melee combat 6D
Coordination 2D (+9): marksmanship 4D, throwing 5D
Physique 4D+1 (+10): lifting 7D, running 6D, stamina 6D
Intellect 3D: cultures 5D, navigation 7D, reading/writing 4D, speaking 5D
Acumen 3D: search 3D+1, survival 6D+1, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 2D+2: animal handling 4D+2, intimidation 8D+1, mettle 6D, persuasion 5D
Strength Damage: 4D (+10)
Move: 50
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 32
Wound levels: 5
Advantages: Size: Large (R5), scale value 15
Disadvantages: Authority (R1); Contacts (R2), people in the walking region; Devotion (R2), to walking region; Fame (R1)
Special Abilities: Hypermovement (R20), +40 to base Move; Increased Attribute: Agility (R7), +7 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Coordination (R9), +9 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Physique (R10), +10 to related totals; Longevity (R1); Sense of Direction (R1), +1D to navigation and tracking
Equipment: club (damage +1D+1); hatchet (damage +1D+1); furs and hides (Armor Value +2)
Fire Giants
Fire Giants are powerfully built, with hair the color of flame, ruddy skin, and eyes of blue. They favor kilts or breeches, and rarely wear more than that.
The Fire Giants live deep below the ground, in large caves and caverns. They prefer volcanic regions, where homes can have lava flows nearby or even running through the chambers.
Fire Giants divide into small tribes, each of which has a tribal chief. A council of elders selects the chief based on wisdom and strength of character. The council advises the chief on matters, but the chief makes the final decisions.
Food is difficult to obtain below ground, and most Fire Giant tribes survive by trading with , or stealing from, Humans and other surface races.
Those who live near Dwarven societies may have trade agreements with them, but Dwarves and Giants often covet the same territory, so such arrangements are always strained.
The Giants hunt lizards, cast for fish and eel, and pursue any other underground animals they can find. They enjoy beer and wine, but must trade for it, because they don’t grow the grain or fruit to make it.
Best known for their metalworking, Fire Giants are master blacksmiths and compete with the Dwarves to make the finest armor and weapons. Fire Giants have a marked advantage, however, because they can endure heat more easily.
Their forges often use running lava, which is hotter than flame, and items can be dipped into the lava and then reshaped immediately. Fire Giant items are stronger and more durable than Dwarven goods, though not as handsomely crafted — the Giants care more about function than about ornamentation, and their items are plain though sturdy.
Fire Giants do not like visitors. They trade at set locations closer to the surface and attack anyone who tries entering their homes uninvited. They often roam deep beneath their homes, exploring caves and tunnels and charting the passages as they travel. They always return home, however, and the travel is more to make sure their homes are safe than to explore new areas.
Typical Fire Giant
Agility 3D (+6): climbing 5D, dodge 4D, fighting 4D+1, melee combat 6D+2
Coordination 2D+1 (+10): marksmanship 4D, throwing 6D+1
Physique 5D (+11): lifting 10D, running 5D+1, stamina 10D
Intellect 2D+2: devices 5D, speaking 3D, trading 5D
Acumen 3D: crafting 8D, search 3D+1, survival 6D+1
Charisma 2D: intimidation 8D+1, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 5D (+11)
Move: 50
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 40
Wound levels: 5
Advantages: Size: Large (R5), scale value 15
Disadvantages: Enemy (R1), Mynyd (Mountain Dwarves); Infamy (R1); Prejudice (R2), Mynyd (Mountain Dwarves)
Special Abilities: Attack Resistance: Energy Attacks (R2), +2D to related damage resistance rolls; Hypermovement (R20), +40 to base Move; Increased Attribute: Agility (R6), +6 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Coordination (R10), +10 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Physique (R11), +11 to related totals; Longevity (R1)
Equipment: broad sword (damage +2D+2); war hammer (damage +3D)
Water Giants
Water Giants are tall and slender, with green or blue hair, green-blue tints to their pale skin, and eyes of green, blue, gray, or black. They prefer loose robes.
Just as Fire Giants leave deep beneath the ground, Water Giants live beneath the waves. They make their homes in deep waters, claiming that region for their own. Water Giants and Wavelorn (Water Dwarves) often fight over territory, and the two races despise one another.
Water Giants build massive palaces from the stone and coral they find along the ocean floor. Thus, their homes are beautiful, with twisted columns and shimmering floors and open ceilings.
Water Giants live with their immediate family, but the extended family stays in the same region and gathers once each month to exchange news and renew family bonds. Family members are ranked by their age, with the oldest parent, the matriarch or patriarch, holding sway. Each smaller family keeps its portion of the family’s territory safe.
Beyond that, and the monthly gathering, each family can do as it likes in its own home.
Water Giants eat mostly fish and other marine creatures. They often raise schools of fish for food, but hunt other animals like sea turtles, eels, or squid. Kelp is the primary vegetable and cooked in a variety of ways. Water Giants do not drink with their meals — they have water all around them.
Water Giants are craftsmen, though they favor carving over painting. Most Water Giants collect coral and shells and craft them into fantastic items, belts, jewelry, and wall hangings. Some work on a larger scale, constructing family homes. Their weapons are made from the same materials — swords and spears of coral or bone and bows of whale cartilage with strings of woven kelp.
Water Giants are more territorial than most of their cousins, and they actively attack anyone who invades their realm.
This sometimes extends to the surface, and some Water Giants capsize any boat that passes overhead. Others do not bother with boats unless the sailors insult them or pollute the waters.
Typical Water Giant
Agility 3D+1 (+7): climbing 4D, dodge 7D, fighting 5D+1, melee combat 6D
Coordination 2D (+7): marksmanship 4D, throwing 5D+2
Physique 4D (+11): lifting 8D, stamina 10D, swimming 10D
Intellect 3D: navigation 5D, traps 4D
Acumen 3D: artist 7D, crafting 7D, search 3D+1, survival 3D+1: underwater +5D, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 2D+2: intimidation 6D+1, mettle 5D, persuasion 4D
Strength Damage: 4D (+11)
Move: 50
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 35
Wound levels: 5
Advantages: Size: Large (R5), scale value 15; Wealth(R3)
Disadvantages: Enemy (R2), Wavelorn (Water Dwarves); Infamy (R2); Prejudice (R2), Wavelorn (Water Dwarves)
Special Abilities: Environmental Resistance (R2), +6D to Physique to resist effects of extreme conditions; Hypermovement (R20), +40 to base Move; Increased Attribute: Agility (R7), +6 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Coordination (R7), +10 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Physique (R11), +11 to related totals; Longevity (R1); Water Breathing (R3), +3D to swimming
Equipment: trident (damage +2D+2)
Gnome
Gnomes are creatures of the middle.
They are not as dour and serious as the Dwarves, and neither are they as mercurial or aloof as the Elves. Gnomes contentedly occupy this middle, living lives of quiet happiness, usually far from large populations of other folk. When threatened, they fiercely defend themselves, their kin, and their property, but it is unusual to encounter a warlike or hostile gnome.
Gnomes are among the smallest of folk, with men seldom topping one meter and women often five to 10 centimeters shorter. Broad shouldered and thick in the middle, Gnome men are often called stout, while matronly is a common descriptor for gnomish women. Both sexes of Gnomes have coarse but handsome features, short but strong fingers, and largish feet. Men often grow neat beards or goatees, and the women usually wear their hair long but bound in a pony tail or other practical style. Skin tone is usually ruddy and brownish, like newly cut oak timbers.
Gnomish hair tends to be red or blonde, but all colors found in Humans are seen in Gnomes as well.
Gnomes are not great keepers of records, preferring to live day to day.
They immortalize their past with poetry and song, often greatly embellished from the truth. Some scholars believe the Gnomes came from blending of Dwarf and Fairy blood, while others insist that Gnomes came from Human and Fey. The Gnomes merely smile quietly to themselves, and if they do know the secret of their origin, they do not share it.
Natural sorcerers and magicians are common among Gnomes, and it is not unusual for any Gnome met to know at least a spell or two. All Gnomes posses a bit of magic, even if they never formally learn any spells.
They have a natural affinity for growing things and the softer crafts, like leatherworking, woodcarving, and tailoring. They also have a great curiosity for how things work, and a few have turned their inquisitiveness to creating intricate mechanical devices.
Gnomes occasionally delve beneath the ground, but usually they seek only metals for their strange devices. More often, they’ll simply trade their foodstuffs for Dwarven materials These small folk typically build villages in out of the way dells and valleys, steering clear of big folk and natural hazards.
A Gnomish village is a deceptively calm place when visited by outsiders. Children play quietly, old men talk in hushed tones on porches, and adults go about their business efficiently. If a visitor becomes friends with a group of Gnomes, he gets to see their true spirits, and their propensity for fun and frivolity, which is hidden from strangers.
These villages often look defenseless, but hidden traps, a few well placed defensive spells, and the fierce spirit of protection that most Gnomes have can send most invaders fleeing.
Gnomes live long lives, often reaching 200 years before they are truly old. They become adults in their late twenties or early thirties, and settle down in their fifties. Married couples seldom split, and large broods of children are common.
A village of Gnomes is often the extended family clan, with three to five generations of Gnomes industriously living together, crafting goods to trade with the big folk.
Typical Gnome
Agility 2D: fighting 2D+1, stealth3D
Coordination 3D: marksmanship 4D, throwing 4D
Physique 1D+2: stamina 3D
Intellect 2D+2: devices 3D+2, reading/ writing 3D
Acumen 3D: crafting 4D, hide 4D, know-how 3D+2
Charisma 2D: charm 3D+2, mettle 3D 
Magic 1D: alteration 1D+1, conjuration 1D+1
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 18
Wound Levels: 3
Advantages: Size: Small (R1), scale value of 3
Disadvantages: Hindrance: Short Stride (R1), 2 meter reduction to running, swimming and jumping Move
Special Abilities: Longevity (R1)
Golem
A golem is a magical construct, an unnatural creature created by extraordinary means for a specific purpose. A golem can be based on any number of different materials, and then are given the spark of life with magic. Golems are not sentient in any way, nor are they particularly intelligent. Some might be finely crafted works of art, while others are slapped-together shambling messes.
Golems have no will of their own and so only obey their creator and those he designates as controllers. They are immune to any magic that affects the mind and cannot be coerced or communicated with by anyone but their creator and his agents. Golems suffer no Wound penalties when injured — they will continue fighting at full strength until they are destroyed.
Flesh Golem
Flesh golems are horrible in appearance, composed of stitched-together corpses, often of several different species.
They are fast, strong, and deadly.
They normally carry a weapon of some sort, but some attack with bare hands and filthy teeth, depending on the instructions of their creator.
Typical Flesh Golem
Agility 5D: fighting 7D, melee combat 6D
Coordination 2D
Physique 5D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 1D
Charisma 1D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 12
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 18
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: claws (damage +1D); teeth(damage +1D); immune to disease, mind attacks, and poison; tough skin (Armor Value +1D); small size (scale value 1) Equipment: hand weapon (axe, sword, or spiked club; damage +2D+2)
Iron Golem
Iron golems are the toughest of all the golems, but they are also the most difficult to create. Most resemble humanoid statues forged from iron, with armor shield and weapons. The face is often detailed and quite frightening to behold.
Iron golems are slow and ponderous, because of their great weight, but their blows are strong enough to disable some adventurers with one hit. Iron golems are most often used to defend static positions where their slow speed is less of a hindrance.
Typical Iron Golem
Agility 2D: fighting 5D, melee combat 5D
Coordination 1D
Physique 7D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 1D
Charisma 1D
Strength Damage: 4D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 25
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: immune to disease, mind attacks, and poison; metal exterior (Armor Value +3D) Equipment: large weapon (axe, sword, or hammer; damage +3D+1)
Stone Golem
Stone golems are incredibly strong but slow. Most appear to be humanoid statues roughly hewn from raw stone, with little detail. They fight with gigantic stone fists and are sometimes used as siege engines, toppling castle walls and trampling through armies of weaker flesh beings.
Typical Stone Golem
Agility 2D: fighting 4D
Coordination 2D: throwing 3D
Physique 8D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 1D
Charisma 1D
Strength Damage: 4D Move: 6
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 21 Wound levels: 3 Natural Abilities: immune to disease, mind attacks, and poison; stone exterior (Armor Value +2D); stone fist (damage +2D)
Wood Golem
Wood golems exhibit the most variations in appearance of all golems. Some are detailed, carved statues resembling humanoids or magical beasts, while others are tree-like clumps of wood and branches. They are fast but weak and less durable. A wood golem is also one of the easiest to create, and some powerful wizards could field an entire war band or small army of these brutes.
Typical Wood Golem
Agility 5D: fighting 4D
Coordination 1D
Physique 3D: running 5D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 1D
Charisma 1D
Strength Damage: 2D Move: 14
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 18 Wound levels: 3 Natural Abilities: immune to disease, mind attacks and poison; wooden fist (damage +1D+1); wooden exterior (Armor Value +1D)
Gwyllion
The male and female Gwyllion are so unalike as to be considered two different species. Female Gwyllions feed on despair. These Gwyllions are most often encountered on roads shrouded in fog created by the female to disorient and confuse her prey. She can sit quietly for days, waiting for a traveler. She prepares for her attack by climbing to perch on top of a boulder or pile of stones situated by the roadside, looking like a bent old hag with horrible features and an unkempt appearance. If the traveler seems willing to ignore her, she calls for help with a pained voice, affecting a harmless-seeming demeanor to lull victims.
Anyone stopping to offer assistance, ask for directions or lingering too long becomes hopelessly lost in the fog. Victims that do not immediately attempt to drive the Gwyllion away and begin searching for the correct path are usually found dead on the road several days later, if they are found at all, their emaciated forms indicating death by starvation.
Gwyllions are immune to all weapons save a knife made of cold-forged iron.
Simply brandishing such a knife is not enough, however, for the wielder must also make a Difficult mettle or Charisma test to maintain composure while facing this hag. If the roll succeeds, the Gwyllion with draws with out further incident.
Anyone failing the roll (or trying to use another kind of weapon) becomes disoriented and lost. The Gwyllion creeps along behind her increasingly agitated victims at a distance, draining one Physique pip or one rank of Increased Attribute:
Physique per hour until the victim dies or is rescued by friends.
The male Gwyllion enjoys the comforts of home — someone else’s home, that is. He has standards and despises drafty mansions and castles. He will wander far to settle down in a simple cottage with a large fireplace, an inviting glow in the window, and at least one goat in the yard (which reminds him of a beloved Gwyllion female).
Gwyllions leave a house as unexpectedly as they move in, but some have been known to stay in one home for years.
Encounters with male Gwyllions almost always start with a faint entreaty at the threshold, followed by the unexplained unbarring, opening, and closing of the door. With out warning, a small figure suddenly appears standing by the fireplace along with one of the family’s goats, neither offering a clue as to how they entered with out detection. This unexpected guest appears to be a meter tall, middle-aged man with graying red hair, dressed in a white linen shirt, green vest, green formal jacket with tails, knee-length brown britches, white leggings, and shiny black shoes.
Gwyllions want only to sit by the fire and drink, but they do request that the family keeps its goats clean and well fed, comb their hair, and give each a nice ribbon bow to wear. As long as the Gwyllion remains happy in the residence, the family’s goats produce more milk and more offspring than any other goats in the area. Plus, Gwyllions often assist with chores while their hosts sleep. Male Gwyllions particularly enjoy making honey mead, which they share with their household. One mug of this magical drink refreshes the imbiber, removing all penalties associated with missing a night’s sleep. It is dangerous in large amounts, however, and cannot be used two days in a row with out inflicting painful headaches (+10 to all difficulties for 4D hours). It kills anyone drinking it three days straight.
Peasants know to make a male Gwyllion feel at home, for anyone insulting or mistreating a Gwyllion is cursed. If someone speaks rudely to a resident Gwyllion, relatively unimportant items begin to disappear. If the insults continue, useful items begin disappearing or breaking when used. Eventually, if the offending person does not reconcile with the slighted Gwyllion (or even worse, threatens him with injury), members of the household begin to suffer “accidents” ranging from sprained ankles to broken bones and even death, if the provocation was serious enough.
Typical Gwyllion
Agility 3D+2: acrobatics 4D+1, climbing 5D, dodge 6D, stealth6D+2
Coordination 3D+2: lockpicking 6D, sleight of hand 5D+1
Physique 2D+1: running 3D
Intellect 2D+2: cultures 4D+2, reading/ writing 5D, navigation 6D, speaking 4D, trading 4D+2, traps 4D+1
Acumen 2D+2: disguise 3D+2, hide 4D, search 4D+2, survival 5D
Charisma 3D: animal handling 4D+1, intimidation 3D+2, mettle 5D 
Magic 2D: alteration 2D+1, conjuration 2D+1
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 15
Wound Levels: 2 
Advantages: Equipment (R1), magical honey mead, removes all penalties associated with missing a night’s sleep (see text; males only); Size: Small (R1), scale value 3
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel (R2), cold-forged iron blade (see text; females only); Hindrance: Hideous (R2), +3 to charm and persuasion difficulties (females only); Hindrance: Short Stride (R1), 2 meter reduction to running, swimming, and jumping Move; Quirk (R3), exacts revenge for all slights against himself or his favorite goat (males only)
Special Abilities: Longevity (R1); Natural Armor: Magic (R6), +6D to damage resistance rolls (females only) with Magically Empowered (R2) and Ability Loss (R1), not usable against cold-forged iron; Confusion (R4), usable at up to 20 meters (females only)
Harpy
Harpies have the heads of shrewish, ugly, old women and the bodies of vultures with powerful talons. Harpies torment victims and try and carry them off to the underworld. There were three original Harpies (Aello, Podarge, and Ocypete), but they have since spawned a race of these foul fiends. They are always female, always vicious, and always ready to attack.
These creatures steal food from the wicked or those who offend their current master. If they’re feeling particularly malicious, they’ll instead defecate in the food and water, intentionally spoiling it. Harpies are amazingly fast and strong. Two Harpies can snatch up a full-sized Human and fly away with him with ease in a matter of seconds. Some of the creatures work for powerful evil beings or gods.
Harpies have a social structure similar to birds, but they will abandon their nest to a superior opponent to save their own skins. The creatures aren’t very intelligent, but they have an evil cunning.
They exploit any weakness they perceive, and they enjoy the suffering of lesser creatures. Harpies sometimes wield simple weapons or magical items that they’ve taken from previous victims. A few have a melodic voice that she can use to lure victims into a m b u s h e s or witless sea crews to their doom on the island shoals.
Although Harpies prefer the flesh of sinful humanoids, they can subsist on any meat. They prefer carrion over live, and they leave dead prey in a place to rot before consuming them. A victim that plays dead and bides his time may be able to escape a Harpy’s nest.
Harpies can be found in nearly any location, but they shun colder regions. Dead forests , cemeteries, crypts, a b a n d o n e d castles, rocky islands , and other remote places of death are ideal spots for harpy nests.
Typical Harpy
Agility 3D: dodge 5D, fighting 5D, flying 5D+1, jumping 3D+1, melee combat 4D+2, stealth4D
Coordination 3D: throwing 3D+2
Physique 2D: lifting 4D+1
Intellect 2D
Acumen 3D: search 3D+1, survival 3D+1, tracking 3D+2
Charisma 2D: intimidation 3D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 6
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 26
Wound Levels: 3
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Hindrance: Movement (R1), base running Move reduced to 6 and +1 to running difficulties; Learning Problems (R1)
Special Abilities: Flight (R3), flying Move 36; Skill Bonus: Snatching (R3), +9 to fighting totals with Ability Loss (R1), only while in flight
Equipment: dagger (damage +1)
In Earth mythology, Aello, Podarge, and Ocypete dwell in the Strophades, a series of small, remote islands in the Greek kingdom of Thrace. The original harpies are more powerful than average Harpies, having Increased Attribute (R3), add +3 to related totals, for each attribute.
Horse
Horses are found in a variety of breeds with nearly every culture, save those in the most inhospitable arctic regions.
Commonly, humanoids domesticate them for the purpose of pulling carts and wagons or using as mounts for travel and combat. A mounted horseman can move twice as fast as someone on foot for long journeys and is worth four or more infantryman on the field of battle. Horses, more than any other domesticated animal, have contributed most to the building of empires.
There are three primary types of horse used by Humans and other civilized races — the riding, draft, and war horse — though each type is the result of centuries of breeding to tailor the animal to the task. The riding horse is the most common, favored by travelers as the swiftest breed and needing the least amount of food and water when not being pressed to run great distances.
These horses are most often used for racing as well, sometimes as part of the team on chariots.
If an army cannot afford war horses, riding horses are the backbone of a mounted force and are referred to as light cavalry.
The next most encountered type of horse is the draft horse, which is the slowest of the three types. It can pull wagons great distances and has excellent stamina.
Both are eclipsed in size by the war horse, a mammoth animal that stands at 2.4 meters tall at the head and weighs in at nearly a metric ton. The war horse is used by the wealthiest of armies to smash through infantry lines and is the preferred mount of armored knights.
While a riding horse is swifter, it cannot sustain the weight of knight in full plate with shield and weapons.
In the wild, horses or mustangs will move in herds of about five to 15 and are the size of riding horses. Each herd consists of one stallion and several mares plus a few colts. Once a stallion reaches adulthood, he is forced from the herd, so they can seek a new herd of their own. It is not uncommon to find a lone stallion, though they sometimes travel together in small groups.
When these kinds of undomesticated horses are encountered, they are ornery and take any intrusion grievously. In herds, the mares lead the colts away from danger while the stallion fights off predators. If surrounded by wolves or hunters, the mares form a defensive circle around the colts.
Horses may attack the same target twice in one round with their hooves (two front or two back) with no penalty, or they may bite once. A rider using a lance or spear on a charging horse gains the horse’s Strength Damage to damage.
Typical Riding or Draft Horse
Agility 3D: fighting 4D, jumping 4D
Coordination 1D
Physique 4D: running 5D, swimming 4D+1
Intellect 1D
Acumen 3D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 3D, mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 25 (riding)/20 (draft)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 15
Wound levels: 2
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +2); hooves (damage +2); trample (damage +2D; must charge); large size (scale value 3)
Note: Draft horses have a stamina of 5D, lifting of 5D, and Strength Damage of 3D.
Typical War Horse
Agility 3D: dodge 5D, fighting 5D, jumping 4D
Coordination 1D
Physique 5D: running 5D+1, swimming 5D+1
Intellect 1D: navigation 2D+1
Acumen 3D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 4D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 4D Move: 22
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 1
Body Points: 22
Wound levels: 4
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +2); hooves (damage +1D); trample (damage +2D; must charge); large size (scale value 3)
Hydra
With many serpentine heads — each able to swallow a Human’s arm whole — and a body akin to a giant scaly dog or kimono dragon, the hydra strikes fear into even seasoned heroes. And, amazingly, its abilities actually exceed those of legends; adventurers who return with reports of these monsters have typically only done so against younger, weaker hydrae.
The hydra has a muscular, scaly body.
It typically keeps its four limbs on the ground, relying on its tail for ballast and balance. Its body is two to three meters long. Each head is at least as long again, with a toothy snake-like head as large as a tiger’s. The number of heads a hydra possesses seems to correspond with its age and power. Young mature hydrae have five heads, full adults have seven, and ancients possess nine or more.
Unless injured in a recent battle, hydrae always have an odd number of heads.
Solitary creatures, hydrae generally live in swamps, in caves by craggy ranges, and near seaside environments.
Being cold-blooded, they require warm climes to survive. Their efficient bodies, while reliant on meat, can subsist on one sheep-sized creature a week.
Sneaking up on a hydra is virtually impossible, since at rest its heads dart about independently, vigilant of its surroundings. In addition, even when asleep at least one head remains active and watchful.
Because they are asexual organisms, hydrae do not reproduce often. About once a decade, a hydra will slough off one of its heads, which regenerates in about a week; the detached head slithers away like a giant eel. Over the course of a year, the head will grow first a body, then five smaller serpentine heads. Once the new heads have sprouted, the old head withers and dies. Sages disagree over whether an unnaturally severed head generates a new being, too, although current thought suggests that a head chopped too close to the body can regenerate. Hydrae seem keenly aware of their environmental impact, and do not create offspring if they could not survive. A hydra reaches maturity in about a decade, although it continues to grow and seems to have an unlimited lifespan; some long-lived races report being plagued by the same giant monster, even centuries later.
Hydrae have an arsenal of abilities that make them formidable opponents.
Poison permeates its body, and its blood is a powerful toxin. Some brave (or foolhardy) adventurers have even sought out hydra blood to coat weapons or brew deadly concoctions. Their bodies possess remarkable regenerative abilities; even severed heads regrow quickly. There are only two proven ways to thwart this healing. First, cauterizing the wounds with fire, acid, or heat causes the regeneration to slow considerably. Second, it is possible that a large or organized attack can sever the heads quickly enough; if all its heads are decapitated before they regrow, the hydra dies. Contrary to some embellished records by survivors, hydrae do not generally spawn two heads for each that is felled. Fortunately, hydrae do not tend to wander, and will usually only attack if its (expansive) territory is violated.
Typical Hydra 
Agility 3D: fighting 4D
Coordination 2D
Physique 5D: lifting 6D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: search 3D, tracking 3D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 5D, mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 20
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 28
Wound Levels: 4 (with seven heads)
Natural Abilities: multiple attacks (a hydra may attack once for each head it has, at no penalty); multiple heads (determine the number of Wound levels a hydra has by dividing the number of heads by 2 (rounded up) while the number of Body Points a hydra has is represented by its number of heads times 7; every 7 Body Points of damage represents one head decapitated, and every Wound level represents two heads chopped off); toxic blood (damage 4D; on a successful attack against the hydra, attacker makes a Moderate dodge or Agility roll as a free action — failure indicates that the blood spattered on the attacker and does damage; Critical Failure with a failing total means that the attacker dropped her weapon, got blood in eyes and is blinded for 1D rounds, or similar fate); regeneration (every other round a hydra regenerates one head, adding 7 Body Points to its total or recalculating its Wound levels as required); vulnerability (a head removed with fire or acid will not regenerate); jaws (damage +2D); large size (scale value 6)
Kelpie
A kelpie looks like a magnificent white stallion, full of spirit and strength. But this is an illusion — its true form is that of a rotting, water-bloated horse, with a mane and tail of seaweed and hollow eye sockets.
Kelpies live at the bottom of lakes and bays. When they emerge from the surf, they use their magical abilities to change their appearance to one more appealing to people. It then gallops along the water’s edge, seeking a rider.
If a corrupt person approaches it, the kelpie allows him to ride until the next sunrise or sunset, whichever comes first. However, if an honorable person attempts to ride the kelpie, the creature dashes into the water, intending to drown her.
A kelpie is amphibious, but it must remain with in six kilometers of the shoreline of the body of water from which it emerged.
Typical Kelpie
Agility 3D+1: dodge 4D, fighting 4D, jumping 4D
Coordination 1D
Physique 4D+1: running 5D+2, swimming 5D+1, stamina 5D
Intellect 2D
Acumen 2D+1: hide: self only 3D
Charisma 3D+1: bluff4D+2, charm 4D, intimidation 5D, mettle 5D+2
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 25
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 19
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +1D); hooves (damage +2); trample (damage +2D; must charge); disguise self (when out of the water, can appear to be a white stallion; may be disbelieved with a Moderate Charisma or mettle roll); may breathe under water; large size (scale value 3)
Leprechaun
Leprechauns stand slightly under a meter tall and wear tunics, tights, and pointed or buckled shoes, all in shades of green. The males have been seen, sporting long brown beards and smoking pipes. The females have yet to be seen.
Typical Leprechaun
Agility 4D: acrobatics 5D, climbing 4D+2, dodge 5D+1, fighting 4D+2, jumping 4D+2, melee combat 4D+2, stealth5D+2
Coordination 2D: lockpicking 5D, sleight of hand 3D, throwing 2D+1
Physique 2D+1: running 5D
Intellect 2D+2: reading/writing 3D, speaking 4D+1
Acumen 3D+2: hide 4D, search 4D
Charisma 3D+1: bluff4D+1, charm 3D+2, persuasion 4D+1 
Magic 3D: alteration 5D+1, apportation 4D+1, divination 4D+2
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 6
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 12
Wound levels: 2
Advantages: Size: Small (R1), scale value 3
Disadvantages: Hindrance: Movement (R1), base running Move reduced to 6 and +1 to running difficulties; Quirk (R2), curiosity about what’s in someone else’s bag; Quick (R2), loves a good story
Special Abilities: None
Equipment: pipe; tobacco; small pouch of spell components Leprechauns are tricksters, often purchasing goods with gold they have created using a spell. They go away with tobacco and other treasures, leaving their unwitting victim with “gold” that will disappear in a matter of hours.
The Leprechaun’s weaknesses are his curiosity and love of gossip. Leprechauns are often captured while they are rummaging through the goods of travelers in the dark of the night.
They can be held enthralled by a good story. A tall-tale teller can be spared the tricks of a Leprechaun by spinning a good yarn.
Leprechauns are found primarily in the countryside. They will usually reside near a road or major thoroughfare, but never in crowded areas. They live in small burrows or abandoned houses.
Lizard
Although normally of a small size, the ubiquitous lizard comes in numerous forms, shapes, sizes and colors — a testament to the species’ ability to survive in its ecological niche. Normally, these creatures have cold blood and must spend much of their time sunning themselves to power their metabolism.
The lizards’ endless variety has resulted in subspecies with amazing strength, rapid movement, and incredible perception.
Some are the products (or victims) of mad wizards or cruel gods, increased to gigantic size and possessing dangerous natural and unnatural powers. For example, crimson sand kings are large, beautiful beasts covered in spikes and red-and-black scales and renowned for their awe-inspiring roar and fierce bite. Rider-lizards are enormous lizards bigger than a merchant’s house. Domesticated beasts, certain enclaves on the borders of warm wastelands use them as “ships of the land,” ferrying cargo and passengers across desolate or dangerous expanses.
When domesticated, giant lizards make impressive, albeit lethargic in cool weather, guards and mounts.
Many travelers are awed with an exotic padashah and his dual black-and-crimson sanding lizards, guarding his throne! Additionally, a properly killed lizard of sufficient size can provide such valuables as gorgeous scaled-hide clothing fit for a princess (Difficult artist roll to make such garments), chewy but wholesome meats (+1D to survival), and components for alchemists (Moderate scholar roll to harvest correctly).
Typical Crimson Sanding
Agility 2D+2: dodge 5D+1, fighting 6D, jumping 4D, stealth5D+2
Coordination 2D
Physique 3D: lifting 4D, running 4D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: hide: self only 5D+1, survival 6D+1
Charisma 2D: intimidation 4D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 19
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 14
Wound Levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +2D); scaled hide (Armor Value +2); cold-blooded (lethargic in cold; +7 to difficulties of all actions until warmed up); terrifying roar (+2D to intimidate); spiked hide (those grappling take an automatic 2D damage); Human size (scale value 0)
Note: If killed correctly (+5 to combat difficulty), the horns make excellent spear- and heavy-arrow tips (+1 to weapon’s normal damage)
Typical Rider-Lizard
Agility 1D+1: fighting 3D+1, jumping 3D
Coordination 1D
Physique 5D: lifting 14D, running 5D+1, stamina 13D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 1D: survival 4D
Charisma 1D: mettle 6D
Strength Damage: 7D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 35
Wound Levels: 5
Natural Abilities: cold-blooded (lethargic in cold; +7 to difficulties of all actions until warmed up); scaled hide (Armor Value +1D); stomp (damage +1D); extremely steady (+3D to lifting to resist being knocked over or falling down); large size (scale value 14)
Note: A rider-lizard platform may carry 20 to 30 passengers or up to 2,000 kilograms of cargo.
Typical Small Sand Lizard
Agility 3D+1: climbing 3D+2, dodge 7D+1, fighting 4D+1, jumping 7D, stealth5D+2
Coordination 2D
Physique 3D: running 4D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: hide: self only 5D+1, survival 2D+1, tracking 3D+2
Charisma 2D: intimidation 2D+2, mettle 3D+1
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 22
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 12
Wound Levels: 2
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +2); cold-blooded (lethargic in cold; +7 to difficulties of all actions until warmed up); gripping feet (+12 to climbing totals); scaled hide (Armor Value +1); small size (scale value 3)
Mermaid
While some suggest the Mermaid legend spawned from lonely sailors who witnessed frolicking manatees, those who have encountered the true maidens of the sea know there is no comparison.
Possessing the tail of a fish and the upper torso and head of a woman, Mermaids are (by most accounts) stunningly beautiful, captivating, and mysterious.
Mermaids live in small groups — called schools — of up to six who gather in loose regions, thus affording each other both personal privacy and group protection. When encountered out of water, however, a Mermaid will typically be with out her sisters. They often accompany pods of seals, and sailors view seal activity as a possible harbinger of the undersea maidens.
They are omnivorous, but prefer to eat small fish, crustaceans, and seaweed while underwater.
They typically live in temperate and warm bodies of water, but they can survive in any clime save the most frigidly cold. Although they usually dwell in oceans, they can sometimes live in large lakes or rivers. They must breathe water, but they can stay out of the sea for up to an hour; most love sunning themselves on rocks or frolicking above the waves.
While Mermaids seemingly share ties to Tritons, sages remain uncertain. The two are never seen together, and Tritons seem far too fond of Human women.
Mermaids are graceful, curious, and friendly yet mercurial. They can speak, but usually do not talk at length, preferring to sing. Mermaids have been known to entice sailors to join them undersea as mates. Some such men are heard to live the rest of their lives in bliss, while others have been reportedly drowned by their capricious lovers. Although sailors caution each other about the danger, many refuse to heed the warnings if presented with the choice. The union of a Mermaid and a Human will always produce a Mermaid. If there is a link between Tritons and Mermaids, such unions might only produce Tritons, or they may produce either creature.
Mermaids sometimes foretell the future, with premonitions of ships crashing on rocks or other aquatic calamity.
Scholars debate the Mermaids’ involvement in these “accidents”; do these creatures merely see misfortune, or actively cause it? The extent they can see the future beyond the realm of oceanic disasters is unknown, but some brave — or foolhardy — seafaring adventurers have sought the watery maidens’ wisdom.
A Mermaid often possess a comb and mirror; this may be more than mere vanity, as those skilled in the art of divination know mirrors can be powerful foci. Rumors tell of at least one Mermaid possessing the ability to transform her tail into legs, letting her walk on land for short periods; few choose to believe this tale.
Typical Mermaid
Agility 3D: acrobatics 4D, dodge 4D, stealth3D+2
Coordination 2D
Physique 2D: stamina 3D, swimming 4D
Intellect 2D: navigation 3D, scholar 3D, speaking 3D
Acumen 3D
Charisma 3D: charm 5D: singing +1D, persuasion 4D, mettle 4D 
Magic 1D: divination 4D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 10 (swimming)
Body Points: 12
Wound Levels: 2
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel: Environmental Incompatibility (R3), 2D damage per minute after one hour out of water; Hindrance: Atypical Movement (R1), can only “walk” (crawl) or climb 1 meter per round out of water
Special Abilities: Hypermovement (R3) +6 to base Move with Ability Loss (R1), only in water; Water Breathing (R1), +1D to swimming
Equipment: Comb (component for divination spells; Negative Spell Total Modifier -3); mirror (component for divination spells; Negative Spell Total Modifier -4).
Minions of Evil
For the most part, the typical Minions of Evil — Goblins, Gnolls, Bugbears, Ogres, Orcs, and their cousins — are not terribly clever and they have such a thirst for destruction that they would rather die in the attempt to get that one last blow than flee to wreak destruction on another day. Occasionally, one more intelligent than the rest arises to lead a band to more devastating chaos.
Goblins and Orcs are both roughly Human in appearance, generally with lean bodies. Goblins have rough (not hairy) green-tinted skin and pointed features (some more than others), while Orcs are pale or dusky (it’s difficult to tell under the dirt) with almost pig-like facial features and often covered in short, tough hair. Gnolls look like a cross between a dog and a Human (they are sometimes mistaken for werewolves), while Bugbears resemble a bear-Human mix. Ogres are large, hairy creatures with flat faces who walk somewhat hunched due to their long arms.
Goblins, Gnolls, and Orcs are around 1.5 to 1.8 meters tall, while Bugbears and Ogres are generally 1.8 to 2.1 meters or more in height. The majority of these monsters have dark brown to black hair, worn in a variety of styles and rarely ever washed. T hey prefer coarse clothing (in keeping with their coarse personalities), especially untreated hides, and decorations made from the bones of creatures they’ve killed. Their weapons are as likely to be sharp as not — how well-kept their weapons and armament are depends on how strongly their leaders can organize them for war.
Minions of evil are omnivorous.
Nonetheless, they prefer their food to have the taint of corruption on it, whether it be rotting vegetable, spoiled meat, or freshly killed corpses.
These monsters reproduce themselves by one of a few methods. One is through magical means by which another humanoid being is tortured into a new, misshapen form. Another is by taking women during their raids. The women generally don’t last through more than one pregnancy, due to the appalling living conditions.
All changed humanoids and offspring are male, regardless of their original gender. A third method is by burying dead or wounded members in magically enhanced ground.
Wizards and rulers who acquire the loyalty of these hordes would do well to ensure that always give them an outlet for their fury. Should they go more than a day or two with out harming someone or smashing something, they invariably turn on one another, until either they learn of another target or they wipe themselves out.
Typical Goblin, Gnoll, or Orc
Agility 3D: climbing 3D+2, fighting 4D, jumping 3D+1, stealth4D
Coordination 3D: marksmanship 4D, throwing 4D
Physique 3D: lifting 3D+1, running 4D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: hide 2D+2, survival 3D, tracking 3D
Charisma 1D: intimidation 2D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 12
Wound levels: 2
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Devotion (R3), killing and looting
Special Abilities: None
Typical Ogre or Bugbear
Agility 3D: climbing 3D+1, fighting 5D,
Coordination 3D: marksmanship 4D, throwing 5D
Physique 4D: lifting 5D+2, running 4D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: survival 3D+1, tracking 4D
Charisma 1D: intimidation 5D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 12
Wound levels: 2
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Devotion (R3), killing and looting
Special Abilities: None
Minotaur
Surprisingly, those who encounter a Minotaur and live to tell the tale do not cite the creature’s appearance as the most disconcerting thing about it.
Although the head of an ox atop a muscular Human body does invoke terror, people usually remember some other aspect as more frightening: the glint of a blood-stained axe; the hot, angry breath flaring through its nostrils; or the large, dark eyes too cunning to be animalistic yet too primal to be Human.
Regardless, all agree that a Minotaur is a terrifying creature and a fearsome opponent.
Antiquarians disagree on how the race of Minotaurs came into being. The most common myth cites an unknown king who, in his hubris, defied the gods; in turn, they exacted their revenge upon both his family and prize oxen. Another theory claims that they have existed as long as Humans and may have even been a precursor to humanity. Regardless, the exact circumstances of the race’s creation cannot be duplicated or imitated with out powerful magic. The offspring of the union of two Minotaurs will produce a Minotaur half the time, and a Human or ox the other half. A Human/Minotaur crossing has even odds of producing a Human or Minotaur, and an ox/Minotaur union will equally produce oxen or Minotaurs.
Minotaurs reach maturity by age nine and live to be around 50 years old. However, many die decades earlier because of their violent nature. Although omnivorous, Minotaur behavior seems somehow tied to diet; those who subsist entirely on humanoid flesh are much meaner and bestial than those who eat a more traditional oxen diet. All Minotaurs have horns, although females usually have smaller ones. Fur gradates from their heads to their mid-torso, below which they resemble nor mal — if exceptionally furry — Humans.
However, some have a bull-like fur covering their entire bodies.
Minotaurs can dwell most places that unaided Humans can inhabit, although their disdain for heavy clothing and most technology keeps them from living in extremely cold or inhospitable environments.
They prefer to live in caves, canyons, or other enclosed places — they love mazes — but can also build simple dwellings. If they are not living alone or as a mated familial herd, they form small villages or hamlets, led by one to five elder males, depending on the population.
Larger cities seem impossible, although some free-spirited Minotaurs love the maze-like structure of bustling urban life.
Individual Minotaurs can be quite open-minded, tolerant, and intelligent, though the obvious pun “bull-headed” applies to Minotaur society as a whole.
They are patriarchal and chauvinistic, and polygamous unions are the norm.
Non-Minotaur births are usually either killed, sold, or abandoned, although one bard tells the tale of a mother Minotaur who raised a Human son. While Minotaurs gravitate toward all weapons requiring more strength than finesse, the axe remains particularly popular.
Typical Minotaur
Agility 3D+2: fighting 4D+2, dodge 4D, melee combat 4D
Coordination 2D: throwing 2D+2
Physique 4D: lifting 5D, running 4D+2, stamina 5D
Intellect 1D+2: navigation 2D+1
Acumen 2D: survival 3D, tracking 4D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 4D, persuasion 2D+2, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 18
Wound Levels: 3
Advantages: Size: Large (R1), scale value 3
Disadvantages: Quirk: Bull-Headed (R2), +6 difficulty of all mental attribute– related attempts when enraged
Special Abilities: Natural Hand to- Hand Weapon: Horns (R1), +1D damage; Sense of Direction (R1), +1D to navigation and tracking
Equipment: large axe (damage +3D).
Mummy
Mummies are the carefully embalmed corpses of important humanoids. These creatures are animated either by a curse or magic specifically designed to revive them. The bodies are wrapped in bandages that have decayed very little considering their age. Likewise, the corpse, although a dried husk, will be in a remarkable state of preservation.
Mummies are always dressed in the finery they were buried in. Very often, they were wealthy nobles and pharaohs in life, so their jewelry and clothing reflect that.
All of a Mummy’s powers come from magic and the supernatural. If the Mummy had magical powers in life, these will be greatly enhanced when the Mummy rises. Even the dimmest of these creatures is dangerously cunning.
Mummies with minimum magic powers make up for it in warrior prowess.
Conversely, Mummies with minimum combat abilities have extremely powerful magic abilities.
Mummies use any weapons or equipment at their disposal to further their goals. They often carry several nonmagical personal weapons and a few magical ones. Those who aren’t under the control of someone else often have a legion of living followers who hope to gain power from their master.
Mummies do not eat. The very powerful ones look to bring themselves back to life. These Mummies may eat, but they do not get any sustenance from the act unless they manage to come back to life.
These creatures are often found in the tombs in which they were buried. In life, the Mummies were often rich, so the tomb will be full of treasures, traps and other guardian creatures. Sometimes, due to a curse or other circumstances, the Mummy will be forced to leave its tomb to obtain a relic, revive an old love, or to fulfill a curse.
Mummies regenerate at the rate of Humans, but the dried condition of their bodies makes them extremely vulnerable to fire.
Typical Mummy
Agility 2D: dodge 2D+1, fighting 5D, melee combat 3D
Coordination 2D
Physique 3D: lifting 5D+1
Intellect 4D: scholar 6D, speaking 4D+1
Acumen 3D
Charisma 3D: command 3D, intimidation 6D, mettle 8D 
Magic 2D: alteration 3D, conjuration 4D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 7
Body Points: 32
Wound Levels: 5
Advantages: Equipment (R3), various pieces buried with them or hidden in stashes, some of which are magical
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel: Fire (R4), takes triple damage from any fire-based attack; Devotion (R3), to whatever has cursed them to be reanimated; Hindrance: Hideous Appearance (R4), +5 to charm, con, and persuasion difficulties when not disguised
Special Abilities: Skill Bonus: Painless Wounds (R4), +12 to stamina totals with Ability Loss (R1) except against fire
Nymph
Nymphs are gentle souls who do not wish to cause harm, though they possess a natural ability that has been the ruin of untold legions of men. It is the curse of Nymphs to cause men to instantly fall deeply in love with them.
This power has been the cause of many tragedies, as mortals thus afflicted slowly go insane with jealousy, attacking anyone who keeps them from the company of their new love. Nymphs have no control over this power, and their grief at causing such calamity sometimes expresses itself as a lonely sounding, wordless song that carries for kilometers on the wind.
Nymphs appear as youthful-looking adult Human females possessed of unearthly beauty. They dress in tunics and artfully draped cloths that are modest yet still hint at the curvaceous, desirable body underneath. They often pile their black or blonde hair in elaborate coifs, but some wear it in loose, flowing tresses and ringlets.
Lone travelers that encounter a Nymph see a vision of their ideal mate, their ultimate desire made flesh. Even if the encounter is brief, they can become so smitten that they soon lose interest in other aspects of life, casting aside all duties to remain with the Nymph forever. Intimate physical contact with a Nymph is deadly to mortals, a fact that saddens Nymphs greatly, for their lives are lonely.
A Nymphs’ mortal lover feels no pain, and many go willingly (to some, even a simple caress from perfection incarnate is worth a thousand deaths), but all pay with their lives.
There are three types known so far — the Naiad, or water Nymph; the Dryad, or wood Nymph; and the Oread, or mountain Nymph.
Naiads are closely connected to water, and are loath to leave it for more than a few hours at a time. They can be found living in almost any source of fresh or salt water, but they choose to live with in 15 kilometers of a Human, Dwarvish, or similar settlement. Naiads are the shyest of the Nymphs. They can instantly disappear beneath the surface of their aquatic home when they sense a stranger approaching, making encounters with them that much more special to anyone interested in such things.
Dryads live only among the trees of a healthy forest, and they share a special bond with them, being able to animate and manipulate their branches at will. The gentle swaying of her tree’s branches, and the Dryad’s naturally suggestive body language have a subtle but dramatic effect on a mortal’s subconscious mind, and more often than not, even the strong-willed succumb to the Dryad’s curse. Dryads try to avoid being seen by mortals, and they can quickly escape into a hidden hollow tree trunk to hide. The trees actually are somewhat jealous of humanoid suitors, and they freely give their lives in her behalf.
However, if a Dryad’s grove of trees is ever destroyed, she too dies.
Oreads live in isolated mountain lakes, streams, ponds, and waterfalls.
They are the least shy of all Nymphs.
They cannot be surprised, but they pretend not to notice if someone secretly spies on them, for they enjoy this attention and make suggestive moves, such as stretching, posing, and tossing their long hair, in order to further entice their audience. Considering their lonely surroundings, the promise of company is a powerful lure. Oreads sometimes deliver on this promise if it suits their mood, but as with other Nymphs, intimate physical encounters between Oreads and mortals always end in death and never result in offspring.
Typical Nymph
Agility 3D+2: climbing 5D, dodge 5D+1
Coordination 2D
Physique 2D+2: swimming 4D+2
Intellect 3D: cultures 3D+2, healing 4D, reading/writing 4D, navigation 3D+1, speaking 5D
Acumen 3D+1: artist 4D, hide 6D, survival 5D+2
Charisma 4D (+6): charm 6D, persuasion 6D, mettle 7D 
Magic 2D: alteration 3D, conjuration 3D+2
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 18
Wound Levels: 3
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heal: Environmental Incompatibility (R3), must remain with in 2 kilometers of their home or lose 1D Body points/1 Wound level per day, which cannot be healed until they return home; Hindrance: Delicate (R2), -2 to damage resistance totals
Special Abilities: Fast Reactions (R3), +1D to initiative rolls plus 3 additional actions per adventure; Immortality; Increased Attribute: Charisma (R6), +6 to related totals with Ability Loss (R1), does not affect those with Immortality or Longevity; Natural Hand-To-Hand Weapon: Touch (R5) +5D damage with Magically Empowered (R5), Ability Loss (R1), does not affect those with Immortality or Longevity, and Ability Loss (R2), may not be used to intentionally harm anyone; Water Breathing (R1), +1D to swimming
Obayifo
In Earth mythology, the Obayifo appeared first in West Africa.
During the day, the Obayifo appears as a normal human with shifting eyes and an obsession with food. At night, the creature leaves his body in the form of a ball of energy. In this form, he drinks the blood of children, withers crops, and dries up the juice in vegetables and fruits.
The Obayifo is a solitary creature, but he will often live in a village amongst humanoids. He prefers to take jobs that would isolate him from the rest of the village, like shaman.
He will act normal in all respects, but he is obsessed with food, especially meat. Conversations about food can last a long time with the Obayifo, and he may become enraged if the speaker disagrees with him.
At night, when the creature leaves his body, he must hide it. If the vampire is prevented from returning to his body before the sun comes up, he is destroyed, the body instantly assuming its real age. The creature thus often employs a trained animal or Human follower to protect his body while he hunts. Obayifo often have magic power, but they keep this hidden from the rest of the village at all costs, if their chosen cover profession doesn’t allow them to perform magic.
These vampires can eat and digest food, but only food of the highest and freshest quality. He will stubbornly refuse to eat food prepared by anyone other than a master chef.
Serving an Obayifo a low-quality meal is the quickest way to get on its bad side.
Obayifo are created through witchcraft, either by other Obayifo or powerful shamans that place a curse on greedy individuals.
Typical Obayifo
Agility 3D: fighting 3D+1, stealth4D
Coordination 2D
Physique 3D
Intellect 3D: scholar 3D+2: food +1D, navigation 3D+1, trading 4D
Acumen 3D: hide 4D, investigation 3D+1, search 4D Charisma 3 D : intimidation 6D, persuasion 4 D, mettle 5D 
Magic 3D: alteration 4D, conjuration: curses 5D, divination 3D+2
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 26
Wound Levels: 3
Advantages: Contacts (R2), his village, Contacts (R3), animal or Human servant devoted to him
Disadvantages: Quirk (R2): Food Obsession (as described above), Infamy (R2)
Special Abilities: Flight (R1), flying
Move 20 with Ability Loss (R3), in vampire form only; Longevity (R1), can only die when body killed before spirit returns; Intangibility (R5), vampire form, +15D to damage resistance total versus physical attacks with Additional Effect (R10), can stay in form entire night, Ability Loss (R1), may only be used at night, Restricted (R2), spirit leaves body defenseless and may not return until dawn, and Side Effect (R1), glows when in vampire form; Life Drain: Body Points/Wounds (R2), drains 6 Body Points/1 Wound level by passing through any living creature or plant with Ability Loss (R3), in vampire form only
Equipment: tools needed to adequately perform cover job
Oni
Oni are large, hulking creatures have horns, one or more eyes, and no neck.
Skin color for Oni ranges from black to red, to purple. They are muscular creatures who wear crudely made, tiger skin outfits. An Oni will be armed with at least a club, but it may pick up more sophisticated melee weapons during its travels. They have large mouths, and long claws on their fingers.
Some Oni are good, but many are evil. Good Oni may have once been monks, transformed into the powerful monsters to protect a temple. Evil Oni represent aspects of evil: some are gluttons, others hunger for wealth, and some lie. They have a mishmash of equipment they stole from previous victims or found. They choose samurai weapons and armor over all other kinds.
Oni work together when they have common goals, but this is usually only for short times. Alternatively, they sometimes organize lesser creatures into armies based on humanoid troops.
Oni can be found in any region, but they prefer isolated locations, especially ruins and other places at the fringes of humanoid society. They especially like to occupy abandoned castles, but they have little skill in fixing such buildings.
Since the creatures can become invisible, the Oni spend most of their time in this state.
The creatures will eat almost anything, but evil Oni prefer to eat human flesh. Many male Oni like to emulate samurai, but despite their powerfully built bodies, they are poor at it. Evil Oni know nothing of honor, and good Oni do not engage in combat for others.
Very rarely, an honorable Oni who becomes a samurai will serve a master, but this is extremely rare.
Some Oni are well-educated, having spent previous lives as monks or having been taught by unwilling instructors.
Even uneducated Oni are shrewd, especially in combat. Evil Oni have a weakness for flattery and sometimes engage in contests because they believe they will easily win. Those who best an Oni in a contest must be wary not to upset the losing creature.
In Earth mythology, Oni are sometimes known as Japanese Ogres.
Typical Oni
Agility 3D: acrobatics 3D+1, climbing 3D+1, dodge 4D, fighting 5D, jumping 4D, melee combat 4D, stealth4D
Coordination 2D: marksmanship 2D+2, throwing 2D+2
Physique 4D: lifting 6D, running 4D+2, stamina 4D+1
Intellect 3D: cultures 3D+1, reading/ writing 3D+1, scholar 4D, speaking 4D
Acumen 3D: hide 4D, search 4D, survival 3D+1, tracking 3D+2
Charisma 3D: intimidation 4D, persuasion 4D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 40
Wound levels: 5
Advantages: Size: Large (R1), scale value 3
Disadvantages: Devotion (R3), to guard their temple (good Oni only); Infamy (R1); Quirk (R3), has an addiction that must constantly satisfy (evil Oni only)
Special Abilities: Invisibility (R2), +2 to dodge, stealth, and hide totals and +2 to related difficulties against Oni; Immunity (R1), +1D to stamina against poisons (including alcohol) and diseases; Fast Reactions (R3), +1D to initiative and 1 additional action up to thrice per adventure; Natural Armor: Hide (R1), +1D to damage resistance total; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: C laws (R1), +1D damage; Natural Hand to- Hand Weapon: Teeth(R2), +2D damage
Ooze
Oozes are giant, one-cell creatures that absorb their prey. They appear as shapeless blobs of protoplasm. Acid oozes are gray or black, suffocating oozes are white or yellow, and carnivorous oozes are blood red.
These amoebas are nearly mindless and have no social structure. They cannot be blinded or deafened. Oozes are incredibly sensitive to heat signatures that they use to track their prey. They will not, unless starving, attack another ooze.
Acid oozes drip with digestive juices that quickly eat away at any organic matter: wood, leather, flesh, bone, and the like. They tend to be the largest of the oozes (around three meters in diameter) and never vary greatly in size. An acid ooze cannot climb, but it can slide its way under doors or through the tiniest of openings.
Suffocating oozes are the smallest (about one meter in diameter). They can cling to any surface except glass. These oozes prefer hang themselves from a ceiling and wait for victims to walk underneath them. Alternatively, they conceal themselves in large jars, open barrels, or wide vases. At the first sign of a heat source or humanoid-like vibration, they drop down on victims’ heads or shoot out of containers in an attempt to fill the victim’s nasal passages, mouth, and ears. Their digestive juices are weak, and they must suffocate a victim to have time to absorb them.
Carnivorous oozes exist as the most dangerous of the three amoebas. A newly budded carnivorous ooze starts at about one meter in diameter, but they have the ability to grow to almost any size. Attracted by heat, blood, and vibration, these man-eaters crave warm flesh and will not consume wood, leather, and bone unless it’s to get at their prey. The ooze increase in size proportionally to the amount of flesh it has eaten, with in a few rounds of consumption.
Acid and suffocating oozes reproduce asexually, splitting in half when they have fed more than twice their body weight with in one week. Carnivorous oozes only split if they are over two meters in diameter and cannot find food. They continue to split until all offspring are about a meter in diameter.
Carnivorous oozes that have a continuous supply of meat can grow to monstrous proportions if left unchecked.
Oozes can be found in any climate except desert or arctic ones. Desert conditions make for poor hunting grounds, and arctic conditions make them sluggish. They prefer dark, dank places such as dungeons, castles, sewers, and the like. It is rumored that the first carnivorous ooze came from the stars.
Typical Ooze
Agility 1D: fighting 4D, stealth3D
Coordination 2D
Physique 3D (acid)/5D (suffocating, carnivorous)
Intellect 1D
Acumen 3D
Charisma 1D
Strength Damage: 2D/3D
Move: 3
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 20
Wound Levels: 3
Natural Abilities (Acid): acid attack (+2D+1 damage to organic materials); immune to mental attacks; vulnerability to cold (take double damage from cold attacks; all difficulties increase by +1 per minute exposed to cold; when difficulty modifiers from cold equal Body Points, ooze freezes but can recover if thawed)
Natural Abilities (Suffocating): suffocating attack (after a successful fighting attack, the ooze makes a Physique roll versus the victim’s Physique or lifting, which counts as an action for both participants; damage dealt increases by +1D per round as the ooze gets further into the victim); immune to mental attacks; vulnerability to cold (take double damage from cold attacks; all difficulties increase by +1 per minute exposed to cold; when difficulty modifiers from cold equal Body Points, ooze freezes but can recover if thawed)small size (scale value 3)
Natural Abilities (Carnivorous): acid attack (+1D damage to organic materials); gain size (for each Human sized victim consumed, with in 1D rounds, scale value increases by 1, Body Points increase by 5, and Wound levels increase by 1); immune to mental attacks; vulnerability to cold (take double damage from cold attacks; all difficulties increase by +1 per minute exposed to cold; when difficulty modifiers from cold equal Body Points, ooze freezes but can recover if thawed)
Owl
Owls are stealthy, nocturnal hunters common to most regions. They typically prey on rodents and other small game, holding a place of regard with humanoids as agents of pest control.
However, several societies hold many superstitions regarding this small predatory bird. For some, it is thought a symbol of wisdom, and others, a portent of death.
The common owl can be found in wooded areas, usually near fields or clearings, and open structures, such as barns, stables, and towers. There it perches, watching for a brave mouse to appear, when it swoops down upon the unsuspecting meal and snatches it up with its talons. The wings of the owl are lined with very soft feathers, which are virtually silent during flight. This makes the approach of the bird difficult to detect if not seen before it takes flight.
Coupled with amazing eyesight, any barnyard vermin, including snakes, find it difficult to survive for long in the open.
One owl can eat around 1,000 mice in a single year, making the presence of the owl in a barn a boon to a farmer.
They are generally encountered alone, sometimes in mated pairs near a nest.
The birds ignore adventurers who do not go out of their way to approach them.
They have no penchant for fighting, and they retreat from any threat as large or larger than themselves. For those who manage to capture an owl, they collect a high price from any wizard seeking a familiar. Aside from the ability to fly, owls are receptive to the rituals used to make a familiar and thus the magical components are not as complicated as with other species of bird.
Owls come in a variety of plumages, most often similar to their surroundings.
Snow owls are white and black while horned owls, which are generally tree dwelling, are brown and gray with reddish faces. These birds do not migrate, another asset to mages, instead maintaining their territory year-round.
Typical Owl
Agility 3D+2: fighting 4D+2, dodging 4D, flying 5D, stealth3D+2
Coordination 1D
Physique 1D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 3D: search 5D, tracking 5D+2
Charisma 1D: mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 32 (flying)/15 (gliding)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 7
Wound levels: 1
Natural Abilities: beak (damage +2); talons (damage +1D; may attack the same target twice per round with no penalty), night sight (no penalties in dim conditions); diving attack (+35 to flying total and +2D to initiative roll for 1 round when charging 1 target from sufficient altitude); quiet flying (+2D stealth to ambush by air); wings; small size (scale value 7)
Bird’s Eye Spell
Skill Used: Divination
Difficulty: 28
Effect: 20 (4D+1 Perception)
Range: 10 kilometers (+20)
Speed: +20
Duration: 10 minutes (+14)
Casting Time: 1 minute (-9)
Other Aspects: Components (-6): Avian (common), feathers from same avian type (common)
Gestures (-3): Hold avian (fighting difficulty of 11) while using feathers to trace avian and caster
Bird’s eye allows the caster to see through an avian’s eyes. The caster holds the bird and traces its body with feathers of the same type of avian. She then traces the feathers across her own face and eyes and releases the avian. The caster can see through the bird’s eyes if the Acumen die code given by the spell is greater than the avian’s Acumen. The caster uses the avian’s Acumen or search to view what the bird sees, but she cannot use her own vision at the same time. If the bird flies out of range, the spell ends.
Pegasus
A pegasus is a winged horse, believed to be a distant relative of the unicorn.
Like its horned cousin, the pegasus is a symbol of purity and honor, and a fierce fighter when roused.
Very little is known about the origins of the pegasus. Some believe they spring full-formed from the blood of certain slain monsters, but this has never been proven. They are known for their ability to maneuver while in flight, which gives them and their riders a distinct advantage when battling other creatures of the air, such as rocs.
The pegasus prefers high places for its home, and it can often be found in caverns on mountaintops. A pegasus remains with one mate all his life, and she gives birth to one foal, which accounts for the relatively small number of the beasts in existence. This is balanced somewhat by the fact that the pegasus is extremely long-lived, often surviving until the age of 1,000. Although the pegasus is a peaceful creature, it will challenge anything that threatens its nest, no matter what the odds.
The pegasus is also an extremely willful creature. It will not take part in any action it considers to be evil, and will buck its rider if he attempts to force it to do so.
Typical Pegasus
Agility 4D+2: dodge 5D+1, fighting 5D, flying 5D+2, jumping 5D
Coordination 1D
Physique 4D+1: lifting 4D+2, running 5D
Intellect 2D+1
Acumen 3D+1: tracking 4D
Charisma 3D: intimidation 4D+1, mettle 4D+1
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 25 (land)/30 (air)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 1
Body Points: 18
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +2); hooves (damage +2); sensitivity to good (dislike being near impure thoughts and people, and particularly vile people can cause them to become enraged and attack); can detect impure beings with an Easy tracking success; trample (damage +2D; must charge); wings; large size (scale value 3)
Peryton
The peryton is believed to be a distant relative of the pegasus, somewhat similar in appearance though nowhere near as benevolent in temperament.
The peryton is a reindeer-like creature with great brown wings, a carnivore that swoops down on sailing ships and plucks mariners from the decks.
The peryton stands 1.5 meters tall, with a wing span of three meters. It nests on mountain peaks, and travels in flocks of a dozen or more. The peryton is strictly a daytime hunter, preferring to dive from out of the sun and take its prey by surprise. Many abandoned ships that have crashed on shores have come to that sorry end due to the predations of the peryton upon their crew.
Attempts have been made to domesticate the peryton, with some success, particularly on the part of the Dwarves.
However, when the peryton has been too long with out a meal, it has no qualms about tossing its rider and devouring him. The peryton has even been known to pretend to be tame in order to lure a prospective rider/dinner with in reach.
An interesting aspect of the peryton is that the shadow it casts resembles that of a human man. Why this is so is unknown, but sailors have learned to fear the shade of a man cast on the waters.
Typical Peryton
Agility 3D+1: dodge 4D+1, fighting 4D+2, flying 5D, jumping 4D, stealth4D+1
Coordination 1D
Physique 6D: lifting 6D+1, running 6D+1
Intellect 1D+2
Acumen 3D: search 3D+2, tracking 4D
Charisma 3D+2: bluff4D+1, intimidation 5D, mettle 5D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 25 (land)/35 (air)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 19
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: antlers (damage +1D); bite (damage +1D); hooves (damage +2); hide (Armor Value +1); trample (damage +2D; must charge); wings; large size (scale value 3)

Pixie
Pixies are a little over a meter tall, somewhat chubby, jolly-looking humanoids that dress in homemade, practical clothing — droopy but pointed red caps, navy-blue sailor peacoats, straight-leg brown trousers, and black, curled-toe boots — and they always seem to have a small lantern at their disposal (if taken away from them, it magically returns whenever they desire it). Pixies are solitary by nature but prefer to live only in the largest cities (ones with thousands of inhabitants, which provide the anonymity that Pixies prefer, since they can pass for children in the streets and remain ignored by the general populace).
Pixies like to make their homes in storerooms. They prefer food shops, woodcarving shops, or shops dealing in books and scrolls. All they require is a barrel to conceal their possessions, a sack of flour or something soft to rest their heads on, and a few things to do to pass the time when they can’t risk appearing in the street.
Pixies do not like vermin and actively drive all rats, fleas, and other biting insects from their local environs. For this reason, shopkeepers who suspect that a Pixie has taken up residence in their store would be well advised to tie up their dogs at night. Woe to the proprietor that causes a Pixie’s death, for once word of the tragedy spreads, Pixies for miles around will lead thousands of rats and billions of fleas to the offending shopkeeper’s door.
Pixies have the ability to temporarily borrow any sentient being’s “voice” (something the typically laconic Pixies call a chatterbox) and use it to grant an object the power of speech. Pixies call this “freeing” an object. Rescued from the eternal night of thought with out expression, objects immediately begin to talk about every subject that comes to mind (the first few minutes of a newly freed object can be hard to comprehend, as the words of a lifetime of existence come spilling out in a torrent of enthusiastic babble). Subjects for discussion vary with the object, which is why Pixies truly enjoy this particular pastime.
Objects may answer questions, although they cannot provide details about things with which they have no practical experience. (For example, a barrel that has never held a liquid cannot describe such when asked to do so.
If shown an example, it might say that a liquid is a clear, flimsy item that has trouble standing on its own. This is why objects do not make reliable witnesses in criminal proceedings.) Freeing an object isn’t always a good thing, as many objects only complain about their lot in life, but some have entertaining tales to tell, and a very few excel at telling jokes. Pixies call these rare comedic objects “gifts” — when one is identified, a Pixie will do anything, even risk its own life, to ensure that the gift remains safe from damage (or disassembly, in the case of complicated devices such as clocks or siege engines).
Typical Pixie
Agility 2D+1: acrobatics 3D, climbing 2D+2, dodge 4D, jumping 4D, stealth5D+2
Coordination 3D: lockpicking 3D+2, sleight of hand 4D, throwing 3D+1
Physique 2D: running 3D+1 swimming 2D+1
Intellect 2D+2: cultures 3D+2, reading/ writing 4D, scholar 3D, devices 3D, trading 3D, traps 3D+2
Acumen 4D: artist 4D+1, hide 5D, streetwise 6D, survival 5D+1
Charisma 2D: animal handling 3D, charm 2D+2, persuasion 4D, mettle 3D+1 
Magic 2D: alteration 2D+1, conjuration 2D+1
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 15
Wound Levels: 2
Advantages: Equipment (R2), small lantern that always returns; Size: Small (R1), scale value 3
Disadvantages: Enemy (R1), vermin; Hindrance: Short Stride (R1), 2 meter reduction to running, swimming, and jumping Move; Quirk (R1), mischievous when bored
Special Abilities: None
Chatterbox Spell
Skill Used: Conjuration
Difficulty: 11
Effect: 15 (speaking at 5D)
Range: 2.5 meters (+2)
Speed: +2
Duration: 10 minutes (+14)
Casting Time: 1 round (-4)
Other Aspects: Components (-4): A nearby object (ordinary); a sentient being who can speak (common)
Gesture (-1): Touch the object (simple)
Other Condition (-2): Being whose voice was borrowed may not speak for duration of spell The Pixie touches an object and transfers the voice from a nearby humanoid into the object. The object may speak for up to 10 minutes as if it had the speaking skill at 5D. A successfully cast spell with a Critical Success indicates that the object also has a charm score equal to one-half of the result point bonus (round up, minimum of 1D), allowing it to tell entertaining stories and jokes.
Rakshasa
In their true form, Rakshasas are demonic creatures with long slits for eyes, long talons on its hands, hair of fire and flesh colored blue, green, yellow, or any combination of wild colors.
The creatures also are disgustingly fat.
Fortunately for them (and unfortunately for their victims), Rakshasas are shapechangers and can take the form of beautiful humans of either sex and any existing animal.
These creatures keep to their own kind, and their society mimics a rigid caste system.
Rakshasas are born into their social class, and they can never move from it.
It is frustrating for the lowest of these creatures, but they consider themselves above all other humanoids.
Most Rakshasas are extraordinarily polite, even to those that they consider beneath them. Any humanoid that bests a Rakshasa should watch his back because this would be a humiliating defeat for the creature that it could not live down.
Rakshasa live among humans in the most crowded cities. They can wield great magic power that can animate corpses. They also use their magic to pull elaborate and mean pranks on humanoids to humiliate them. Rakshasas particularly enjoy disrupting religious rituals and stealing horses.
Even the poorest of these monsters is rich by Human standards. Very rarely, one might take a liking to a humanoid and give away some of its wealth. However, is this always done with a mind to disrupting the local economy or making the humanoid’s friends insanely jealous.
Rakshasa society is extremely catty. Their squabbles are often petty social rivalries involving who slighted whom.
Rakshasas have almost any equipment they want, but they are notoriously under prepared. They tend to wait to the last minute to obtain important items. If given an inordinate amount of time to prepare for a battle, they come well-equipped. Rakshasa often have so many magic items that they loose track of them.
Rakshasas love to consume the flesh and blood of intelligent beings and horses. They can eat other food, but they prefer these delicacies. For especially scrumptious horses or people, the creatures have been known to trade valuable magic secrets.
Typical Rakshasa
Agility 2D: fighting 3D, melee combat 3D
Coordination 2D: charioteering 2D+2, marksmanship 3D, throwing 3D
Physique 4D: lifting 5D, running 4D+1
Intellect 2D: cultures 3D, reading/ writing 3D, scholar 3D, speaking 3D, trading 3D+1
Acumen 3D: disguise 5D, gambling 3D+1, streetwise 3D+2
Charisma 3D: bluff3D+1, command 4D, intimidation 4D, persuasion 3D+1, mettle 3D+1 
Magic 5D: alteration 7D, conjuration 7D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 35
Wound levels: 5
Advantages: Wealth(R4); Equipment (R4), various magical items; Contacts (R2), other Rakshasas
Disadvantages: Infamy (R3)
Special Abilities: Longevity (R1); Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R2), +2D damage with Additional Effect (R3), injects poison on a successful attack (take 3D damage per day) and Restricted (R1), poison neutralized by a Moderation stamina roll or the poisoning Rakshasa dies first; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Teeth(R1), +1D damage
Simple Shapechanging Spell
Skill Used: Conjuration
Difficulty: 16
Effect: 10 (Shapeshifting (R1) Additional Effect (R1), can change to normal animal size)
Range: Self (0)
Speed: 0
Duration: 1 hour (+18)
Casting Time: 1.5 seconds (-1)
Other Aspects: Focused (+5) By casting this spell with a quick thought, the magic user can change into any one form for one hour or more. Add any result point bonus to the duration value and look up the new time on the “Spell Measures” table.
Giant Rat
In the sewers and dungeons left unattended by civilization lurk many monstrous creatures including these rodents of unusual size. Many believe giant rats are the result of the accumulation of mystical components, potions, and untold magical waste making its way in the bowels of the cities and spawning mutations of the common rat.
Regardless, the origin of these creatures is considered relatively unimportant to the problem of their existence.
Like their smaller cousins, the giant rat is a scavenger living off of the refuse of people. Unfortunately, as one giant rat can eat 100 times or more than a typical rat, they quickly turn to predatory behavior to survive if food is not plentiful. They even eat other rats when starvation sets in.
The giant rat’s fur is thick and dirty, usually dark brown or black in color. It’s prized by goblins and other minions of evil, who use it for clothing. Each specimen is about 20 to 45 kilograms with a body about three-quarters of a meter, making them more than able to drag a child into the sewers. They often lie in ambush near underground entrances and snatch anything they can get their claws on and quickly drag it, alive, to a safe place for consumption. Unless the meal fights back effectively, a giant rat seldom takes the time to kill its meal before beginning to eat it.
Though fearsome in appearance and marginally intelligent, giant rats are not particularly brave. They have an instinctive fear of fire, and they avoid open flames and any creature affiliated with elemental fire.
When encountered on its home ground, swarms of common rats often surround the giant rat, which can direct them to attack by squealing an alarm.
It then attacks any intruder having difficulty handling the swarms. The giant rat prefers to bring its enemies to the ground before fighting them, biting at the legs or hunching back on its hind legs to tackle its foe. Once down, it thrashing. Survival, however, is always the primary goal of the giant rat, and it will retreat if it feels outmatched.
Many hunters consider this creature a “cowardly” fighter, sometimes trying to barrel past groups of attackers to escape, even when cornered.
Given a large enough food supply, the giant rat can become a great threat to any heavily populated areas. Packs of 100 or more have been recorded, but smaller groups of 10 to 20 are more common when their population goes unchecked.
In a pack, giant rats are far more clever and organized than the solitary rat.
Often one pack member will be forced to sacrifice himself as bait for hunters, while the others flank their attackers and ambush them from behind. The pack leader, the largest male, avoids combat in these situations and remains behind the bulk of his pack. If a hunter appears to be weakening, he attacks, hoping for first taste of a new meal.
Like normal rats, giant rats are widely believed to be carriers of disease — some even say they can transmit magical ailments with a single bite.
Typical Giant Rat
Agility 3D: acrobatics 3D+1, climbing 3D+2, dodge 4D+1, fighting 4D+2, jumping 4D+1, stealth5D+2
Coordination 1D
Physique 3D
Intellect 1D+2
Acumen 3D+1: hide: self only 4D, search 5D+1
Charisma 1D: intimidation 4D, mettle 2D+2
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 9
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 1
Body Points: 18
Wound Levels: 3
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +1D+2); claws (damage +1D); dark vision (no penalties in dim conditions), small size (scale value 3) claws and bites until the enemy stops
Roc
The largest of all raptors is the roc.
Legendary tales of these enormous avians recount them hauling away two and sometimes three elephants in their talons. The truth of it is that they can rarely make off with more than one elephant, but tales flow from river to ocean by the fire of the tavern.
The roc weights about 11 to 13 metric tons with a wingspan of 40 to 60 meters. The appearance, especially the plumage, of these creatures depends on their territory. Desert or mesa rocs are white or black, sometimes a mix of both.
Forest and mountain rocs are brown and gold, and jungle and tropical island rocs are the most colorful and varied with a flurry of blues, reds, and greens.
Despite their differences in appearance, they all generally attack and nest in the same fashion.
Unlike other raptors, which generally only make a diving pass or two at prey, a roc continues to fight if its quarry has been lucky enough to dodge its talons.
However, the roc generally avoids landing to fight, preferring to hover and rake at potential prey while keeping its body away from harm. Defenders with out ranged weapons will most likely not be able to hit the hovering roc, even with spears, as the bird hovers just out of range. Those using thrown or ranged weapons face a penalty of +10 to the difficulty to hit a roc, if shooting from below, due to the force of its wings buffeting. Additionally, if the roc’s prey battles on sand or loose dirt, they have a +5 penalty to all sight-based difficulties (including attacks) from the dust clouds the roc tends to kick up.
Besides the peril from having to face a hungry Roc swooping down on horses and meaty adventures, there is another threat the roc poses: nest building. To lure a mate, the male roc builds a large nest on top of mountains, hills, mesas, or sturdy tree canopies.
He collects lumber and rocks from many different sources, especially those that appear to have useful shapes or interesting colors. Many times, a roc snatches houses, barns, fences, towers, and — disturbingly too often — outhouses. Stories of entire villages disappearing can often be attributed to an amorous male roc keen on a matching set of cottages to ring his bachelor pad, with a handy wharf for a squatting perch. It is a macabre, though very alluring, hatchery for the female roc. Thankfully, the desire to mate strikes only every few years.
Typical Roc
Agility 3D: dodge 4D+1, fighting 6D+2, flying 5D
Coordination 2D
Physique 8D+2: lifting 12D
Intellect 1D+2: crafting: nest building 3D+2
Acumen 2D: search 4D, tracking 3D+1
Charisma 1D: intimidation 8D, mettle 6D
Strength Damage: 6D
Move: 60 (flying)/30 (gliding)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 65
Wound Levels: 7
Natural Abilities: beak (damage +2D); diving attack (+35 to flying total for and +2D to initiative roll for 1 round when charging 1 target from sufficient altitude); talons (damage +2D; two attacks to the same target per round with no penalty); large size (scale value 18)
Note: When soaring, using thermal layers in the air to stay aloft, a roc can fly for about 2,000 kilometers before requiring rest.
Sasquatch, Yeti
Sasquatch (or Bigfoot) and Yeti are ape-like humanoids with nearly Human faces. Fur covers them, brown or black for Sasquatch and white for Yeti. Yeti also have large fangs. Both types stand about 2.1 meters tall when fully grown.
Sasquatches are omnivorous, but Yetis are strictly carnivores.
Bigfoots live in small, close-knit family units. They are friendly, gentle creatures that only fight to protect their young. Their culture is only slightly more advanced than the Stone Age, so they may have simply made stone tools. They prefer the temperate clime of the forest. They often sleep under the stars or among the branches of very large trees.
The Sasquatch’s arctic counterparts, the Yeti, are more aggressive and may attack travelers that venture too close to their ice caves. Yetis are solitary creatures. Their family units break down as soon as the young are old enough to forage on their own. With their sharp fangs and strong hands, they don’t find tools necessary.
If approached in a friendly manner, the Sasquatch may respond to an offer of food, but they are extremely wary of outsiders. Their society is primitive, and even the wisest among will not understand the ways of outsiders. Still, they know their local forests well and are excellent guides if bribed with food.
Yetis will devour the food offered to them and then attack to find more.
Although they know much about the local terrain, they do not have the mental capacity to communicate their knowledge. The best strategy to escape these beasts is to drop fresh meat and flee.
Native peoples have a great respect for these noble creatures and give them a wide berth. Nonetheless, they consider slaying a Sasquatch or a Yeti to be a despicable act and can assuredly harm social relationships with such groups.
Typical Sasquatch
Agility 3D: fighting 3D+2, melee combat 3D+1, stealth4D
Coordination 3D: throwing 2D
Physique 3D: lifting 5D, running 6D+2
Intellect 2D: scholar: territory 4D
Acumen 3D: hide 6D, search 3D+2, survival 4D
Charisma 2D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 1
Body Points: 29
Wound Levels: 5
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Devotion (R1), to anything young and helpless; Learning Problems (R1)
Special Abilities: Endurance (R1), +3D to Physique when performing fatiguing actions; Natural Armor: Fur (R1), +1D to damage resistance total; Natural Hand-to-hand Weapon: Claws (R1), +1D damage
Typical Yeti
Agility 3D: fighting 5D, melee combat 4D, stealth4D
Coordination 3D: throwing 2D
Physique 3D: lifting 5D, running 5D+1
Intellect 1D:
Acumen 3D: hide 2D, survival 4D
Charisma 2D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 1
Body Points: 32
Wound Levels: 5
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Learning Problems (R1), Quirk (R3), easily provoked to attack
Special Abilities: Environmental Resistance (R2), +6D to Physique to resist effects of extreme conditions; Natural Armor: Fur (R1), +1D to damage resistance total; Natural Hand-to-hand Weapon: Claws (R1), +1D damage; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Fangs (R1), +1D damage
Satyr
Passionate and wild, mercurial and free, the Satyr is perhaps best symbolized by the whimsical fluttery jigs they often play on their panpipes. A Satyr possesses the upper half-body of a Human while the lower half consists of the haunches, legs, and hooves of a goat. Slightly shorter and smaller than Humans, most Satyrs possess extraordinary grace. Although their legs have goat-like fur, the rest of their bodies are typically less hairy than other half- Human crossings (such as Minotaurs and Centaurs), and they are generally quite alluring. They possess horns on their heads, which start as nubs in young Satyrs and can grow to dozens of centimeters long, especially on males; these are largely ornamental and are only used as piercing weapons in dire emergencies or as part of courtship play.
Satyrs, as a rule, devote themselves entirely to hedonistic pleasure. They take delight in alcohol, music, dance, frolicking , and physical dalliances.
Although Satyrs can only produce offspring with each other, that doesn’t stop most of them from attempting to seduce ... well, anything. Satyrs reach maturity at age 13 and live about as long as Humans; for some reason, their hard living lifestyles do not adversely affect their health.
Satyrs are omnivorous, although they favor light fare such as fruits, vegetables, and cheeses.
Satyrs prefer living in forests or mountainous regions, but are adaptable to other climes. As a whole, Satyrs tend toward laziness, and they often sleep outdoors in warm environments or with in simple huts in less hospitable areas. Satyr villages never have an organized power structure, although they will seek their elders’ wisdom in times of crisis.
Despite their simple way of life, Satyrs are not above the finer things — especially pleasurable possessions. Although some Satyrs delight in thievery, most prefer to barter for what they want, offering tunes, crafts, or diversions.
Despite their carefree ways, Satyrs possess a rich culture; besides having a penchant f o r b e v e r - age brewing and musical instruments (especially woodwinds), many Satyrs are accomplished writers, bards, and actors. In fact, they claim their hilarious burlesques of established social mores spawned the entire dramatic and narrative tradition of “satire.” Regardless, the anything-goes seasonal Satyrical performances often form the lynchpin of festivals and cultural events, much to the dismay of some prudish communities.
While most Satyrs revel in their baser instincts, a few have dedicated their lives to more intellectual or altruistic pursuits. Indeed, a small number have formed a loose guild, the Hirci Heroici, dedicated to helping others, mostly by providing advice or support for their kin who choose to adventure. Some cynical Satyrs claim these do-gooders merely use self-denial as a different kind of sensual experience, and predict the inevitable submission to their primal natures will prove explosive.
Typical Satyr 
Agility 3D: acrobatics 4D, dodge 3D+2
Coordination 2D+2, slight of hand 3D
Physique 2D: running 2D+1, stamina 2D+2
Intellect 2D; cultures 3D
Acumen 2D+1: artist 3D+1, know-how 3D, reading/writing 3D+1, scholar 3D
Charisma 3D+1: bluff4D, charm 5D+1, persuasion 5D+1
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 17
Wound levels: 3
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Devotion (R2) , debauchery ; Hindrance: Delicate (R1), -2 to damage resistance totals
Special Abilities: Skill Bonus: Charismatic (R1), +1 to bluff, charm, and persuasion rolls
Equipment: panpipes 
“I met a Satyr once. She handed me a bottle and said, ‘Here; drink this.’ My memories of the encounter get distinctively fuzz y after that point.” — Caelest the Sage
Scorpion
The dreaded scorpion, symbol of treachery in the desert lands, is renowned for its ability to kill with a quick, hidden sting. They are nocturnal predators, feeding on a variety of insects, snakes, lizards, and mice. They can be found in many climates, such as grasslands, savannahs, forests, jungles, and caves.
Study by druids and other naturalists has revealed that scorpions locate prey by sensing vibrations and touch. They also have two forward eyes and from two to five pairs of eyes located laterally along the head and forward body segments to sight nearby objects.
With life spans ranging from three to 15 years, scorpions can easily produce hundreds of offspring over their lifetime, which molt periodically as they grow to adulthood. In the case of giant scorpions, created by dark druids or insane wilderness magic, such scores of offspring can threaten entire towns.
Scorpions are generally solitary arthropods, but some species form temporary groups or even extended family nests.
The effects of the neurotoxin of scorpions depends on the subspecies. Gamemasters may substitute alternate effects for the ones listed with the typical descriptions here.
The unique neurotoxin of various scorpion subspecies is designed for both hunting and defense, usually to paralyze prey. In the case of giant scorpions, such as massive dose of toxin is easily enough to kill.
Typical Small Scorpion
Agility 2D: dodge 4D, fighting 4D, jumping 3D, stealth5D
Coordination 2D
Physique 1D: running 3D, swimming 2D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: hide 4D, survival 6D, search 2D+1 Charisma 1 D : intimidation 3D, mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 9
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 5
Wound levels: 1
Natural Abilities: chitin armor (Armor Value +2); pincer claws (damage +2D; +4 to grapple); vibration sensors (+2D to search for moving objects on or in ground); multiple eyes (+1D to search for nearby objects on sides or behind); stinger (damage +1D; venom injected when fighting success beats difficulty by 5 or more); venom (+5 to all difficulties for 10 minutes; Moderate stamina roll to resist; failure with Critical Failure on stamina roll means that the victim is paralyzed for 3D minutes); small size (scale value 12)
Typical Giant Scorpion
Agility 2D: dodge 4D, fighting 7D, jumping 6D, stealth2D+2
Coordination 2D
Physique 5D: lifting 8D, running 5D+2
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: hide 4D, survival 6D, search 2D+1
Charisma 1D: intimidation 8D, mettle 5D
Strength Damage: 4D
Move: 19
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 40
Wound Levels: 5
Natural Abilities: chitin armor (Armor Value +1D); pincer claws (damage +2D; +4 to grapple); vibration sensors (+2D to search for moving objects on or in ground); multiple eyes (+1D to search for nearby objects on sides or behind); stinger (damage +1D; venom injected when fighting success beats difficulty by 5 or more); venom (causes 10 points of damage every 5 minutes, until victim dies or is treated; Difficult stamina roll to resist); large size (scale value 7)
Sea Serpent
Long-time sailors realize that the sea embodies contradiction. The orderly rhythm of the ocean clashes sharply with the chaos of each individual wave.
Has that wave traveled halfway around the world, only to crash against our vessel? Will that wave reach our home shore, long before we do? And why does that wave coming at us have fins?! Sea serpents are probably the most well-known monstrous danger a sailing ship might encounter. Unlike harmless two-meter sea snakes that resemble their larger cousins from afar, true sea serpents can reach from 10 to 30 meters in length, with a mouth that can swallow a Human victim whole. They generally have dark green or gray skin that provides some camouflage, although sea serpents do not generally favor subtlety.
Sea serpents can survive in nearly any oceanic environments except the most frigid. Being omnivorous, they prefer to eat large fish and other aquatic fare, although they can supplement or even supplant their diet with seaweed.
Humans provide good nourishment for serpents; fortunately few have developed a taste for those land-bound morsels. Tales tell of at least one ferocious sea serpent that attacks anything Human-related it can find, in order to sate its desire for flesh.
Sea serpents are not particularly territorial, and some reports indicate that a dozen or more sea serpents can survive in seas that contain enough food. They generally live solitarily until they find a suitable partner, at which point they become mates for life. Such a couple produces offspring about once every three to five years; the female sea serpent protects its young eggs — lain in batches of three to six — in undersea grottoes. The young reach maturity in about three years, at which point it swims off on its own.
Sea serpents normally prefer to remain below the sea, although they have a natural curiosity that can attract them to the surface. They generally attack by biting, using their massive jaws and teeth to chop lesser prey into pieces.
They also know they have bulk on their side, and are not above bringing their full weight against victims or Human vessels. Despite having dexterous heads, in general they do not engulf and constrict their foes. Nonetheless, it is possible that some have adapted this giant-eel-like tactic to drag Human victims below the water, drowning them before eating them.
Most common in oceans, scholars believe that serpents can also live comfortably in large bodies of fresh water.
They theorize that such “lake serpents” grow slightly smaller than their sea dwelling cousins. The closed confines or lack of salt water likewise seem to make such creatures more docile, and some bards believe more than one lakeside community have such a reclusive giant lurking beneath its loch.
Sailors have learned to watch for the frothing waters that signal the approach of one of these or other great sea beasts, such as the giant squid and Water Giants.
Typical Sea Serpent
Agility 4D: fighting 5D
Coordination 2D
Physique 6D: swimming 7D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: search 3D, tracking 3D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 8D, mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 20 (swimming)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 26
Wound levels: 5
Natural Abilities: breathe in water; jaws (damage +3D); ramming attack (+7D damage against ships or other easy-to-target victims); thick hide (Armor Value +1D; can be bypassed through mouth); large size (scale modifier of 13) 
Skeleton
Skeletons are the magically or supernaturally animated bones of dead humans and animals. They sometimes wear the tattered remains of the clothes and armor they wore in life and often carry broken weapons. The eye sockets of skeletons sometimes glow with an eerie red light.
These undead creatures have no magical powers of their own, but they may wield simple magic items for attack purposes. However, skeletons can only be given simple commands of 20 words or less. They follow these instructions until their creator gives them another or they are destroyed. They will follow suicidal commands.
If left to their own devices, they attack any moving target (alive, undead, or otherwise) that crosses their path, except others who were animated with them, until they or it are destroyed. Sunlight does not damage them, but they tend to dwell in places of darkness.
Skeletons do not eat, although they will bite and scratch an opponent if no weapon is available to them. Having no flesh, they have no need for clothing to keep the skin in place. They carry the broken weapons and shields that they held in life. Sometimes, they have an item of value upon them, such as a necklace or crown. Very rarely, a necromancer or other commander of an undead army will better equip the creatures and direct them to operate siege weapons.
The bony nightmares dwell in dark places, especially crypts. In an undead army, they are the cannon fodder. Their masters sometimes bury them so that they can surprise opponents by bursting from the ground.
These creatures cannot be healed except through magic.
Typical Skeleton
Agility 2D: fighting 3D, melee combat 3D
Coordination 2D
Physique 4D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D
Charisma 1D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 12
Wound levels: 2
Advantages: Size (R1–R2), small scale value 3, large scale value 3, or large scale value 6 (some skeletons do not have this)
Disadvantages: None
Special Abilities: Skill Bonus: Mindless (R1), +3 to mettle totals; Skill Bonus: Painless Wounds (R1), +3 to stamina total
Equipment: short sword (damage +1D+1); small shield (Armor Value +2); valuable jewelry or belt (if formerly a commander)
Minor Raise Skeleton Spell
Skill Used: Conjuration
Difficulty: 35
Effect: 30 (3D command: undead for caster; +2D to Physique for skeleton; +1D to attribute for fighting and melee combat for skeleton; two rank 1 Skill Bonus Special Abilities for skeleton; attributes for skeleton based on result points)
Range: 1 kilometer (+10)
Speed: +10
Duration: 25 minutes (+16)
Casting Time: 1 minute (-9)
Other Aspects: Components (-9): Bone from the type of skeleton to be raised (common, destroyed); place with skeletons (common)
Gestures (-2): Break bone
Multiple Targets (+18): 6 targets
Other Alterant (+4): Unseen targets The caster traces the outline of the creature’s skeleton and smashes the bone. Any skeletons of that type with in the range of the spell are animated, and they stay animated until either the duration runs out or they leave the spell’s area of effect to chase after a target. The mage may direct the skeletons with the command skill that the spell provides.
The result points of the spell determine the attributes, Body Points, and Wound Levels of the skeletons. The attributes equal in dice the points above the difficulty. Body Points equal the result points plus 10. Wound levels equal the half of the result points (round up).
The Physique attribute also gets +2D to it, while fighting and melee combat each equal +1D above the Agility score.
This spell is for raising skeletons with a scale value of zero.
Snake
Another prolific creature with an amazing record of survivability and diversity, the limbless snake is a peerless hunter in its own environments. Normally too small to bother humanoids, except through attacks triggered by a defensive response, there are some species grown to enormous size and power.
Some even possess strange magical or unnatural abilities.
For example, the giant snake’s need for prey can quickly depopulate a jungle or forest. Such beasts are often worshipped by primitive humanoids, who feed it a steady diet of captives.
Typical Constrictor Snake
Agility 3D: climbing 5D, fighting 4D, stealth7D
Coordination 1D
Physique 2D: lifting: constriction 3D, running 5D, swimming 5D, stamina 4D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 1D: hide: self only 4D, survival 5D, search 3D
Charisma 1D: intimidation 3D, mettle 2D+2
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 8
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 11
Wound Levels: 2
Natural Abilities: cold-blooded (lethargic in cold; +7 to difficulties of all actions until warmed up); heat sensing (+3D to search); constriction (victim rolls vs. snake’s lifting: constriction to escape or suffer 2D damage per round); small size (scale value 3)
Typical Small Venomous Snake
Agility 4D: fighting 4D+1, stealth6D
Coordination 1D
Physique 1D: running 3D, swimming 4D, stamina 4D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 1D: hide: self only 4D, survival 5D, search 2D, track 2D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 3D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 18
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 7
Wound Levels: 1
Natural Abilities: cold-blooded (lethargic in cold; +7 to difficulties of all actions until warmed up); fangs (damage +1D; venom injected when fighting success beats difficulty by 5 or more); venom (causes 5 points of damage every 10 minutes until victim dies or is treated; Very Difficult stamina roll to resist); heat sensing (+3D to search); small size (scale value 9).
Note: Many have a rattle tail (+2D to intimidation).
Typical Giant Venomous Snake
Agility 3D: fighting 7D, stealth6D
Coordination 2D
Physique 5D: lifting 12D, running 5D, swimming 8D, stamina 12D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: hide: self only 4D, survival 5D, search 5D
Charisma 1D: intimidation 3D, mettle 2D+2
Strength Damage: 6D
Move: 14
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 25
Wound Levels: 5
Natural Abilities: cold-blooded (lethargic in cold; +7 to difficulties of all actions until warmed up); fangs (damage +1D; venom injected when fighting success beats difficulty by 5 or more); venom (causes 3D damage for 3 rounds; Very Difficult stamina roll to resist); heat sensing (+3D to search); large size (scale value 8)
Snake-Woman
This creature has the head of a woman and the body of a gigantic constricting snake, which puts it into the half-snake class of folk called naga. She can appear as a Human woman, but she prefers her snake form. When appearing as Humans, they often dress simply and sometimes sport tattoos that are suggestive of their true natures. Whether appearing as Humans or their true form, the creature can never change her facial features by shapeshifting.
Snake-women are social, but they avoid large populations. They enjoy the company of Human men and will sometimes promise them magic items to get the men to marry them. This is a dangerous proposition for the man for two reasons: If the Snake-Woman is evil, she will eat him at the first opportunity or whenever she grows bored of his company. If she is good, she will take the human to her lair for what seems like several years, but when he emerges, it will be hundreds of years later. If a Snake-Woman becomes pregnant, she will always birth another female of her kind. The creatures prefer educated males, especially those that practice magic and the arts.
The strange reptiles can be found in any desolate area, but they make their lairs at the bottom of deep bodies of water. Their actual living quarters contain air. These creatures are sometimes convinced to become guardians of magic portals, treasure vaults, or other important items. Occasionally, they guard the previous home of a former lover, friend, or tutor.
Snake-women have the same diet as large snakes, they prefer to make their lairs near places with fresh game to offer. Snake-women constrict their victims and swallow them whole. They eat a man-sized creature approximately once every three to six months.
These creatures have limited magical abilities, and they sometimes have several powerful magic items they have accumulated from their travels or previous victims. Even the most evil Snakewomen are level-headed individuals that can be reasoned with . However, they do not suffer fools gladly and will often kill and eat those they consider to be of low intelligence unless the potential victims can prove otherwise.
Typical Snake-Woman
Agility 3D: fighting 3D+1: constriction 4D, melee combat 3D+1, stealth4D
Coordination 3D
Physique 3D: swimming 4D
Intellect 3D: cultures 5D, reading/writing 3D+2, scholar 5D: arcane lore +1, speaking 5D
Acumen 3D: artist 4D+1, investigation 4D, mettle 3D+1
Charisma 3D: charm 5D 
Magic 2D: alteration 2D+1, conjuration 2D+1
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 24
Wound Levels: 3
Advantages: Size: Large (R1), scale value 3
Disadvantages: Advantage Flaw (R1), when using a shapechanging spell, cannot change facial features
Special Abilities: Longevity (R1); Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Constricting Body (R3), on a successful grab attempt, the Snake-Woman deals
Strength Damage +3D for each consecutive round she squeezes her victim; Shapeshifting: Human Female (R1) with Restricted (R1), cannot changer her face; Water Breathing (R2), +2D to swimming
Sphinx
Mysterious and alien, Sphinxes are as dangerous as they are inscrutable, and none but the bravest adventurers would face one willingly. Possessing the body of a lion, the upper portion of a Human, and large flowing wings, the Sphinx are frightening; in fact, some believe they are somehow an embodiment of fear.
Sages note that Sphinxes represent an odd juxtaposition of intellect and animalistic power and cunning, combined with wings that put them in regions and worlds where neither is expected.
Even the most learned of scholars know very little about Sphinxes. The average Sphinx is somewhat taller than a Human when sitting on all four legs, and its body extends about three meters. However, they can grow much larger. They seem unaging, and some reports state they can continue growing throughout their lives; one bard tells of a band of adventurers who struggled to climb a large sandy mound, only to discover they were atop a giant — and ill-amused — ancient Sphinx.
Sphinxes never sleep and do not seem to require food, although they can eat if they are so inclined; an irked Sphinx might scoop up a clueless adventurer and devour him whole, just to make a point. Although they can reside anywhere that can support their size, they most often live in deserts, labyrinths, or atop mountains, spending their time as guardians, oracles of hidden lore, or otherwise waiting ... waiting for what, sages can only nervously speculate. They are invariably solitaire, except for those remarkably rare occasions when a male and female Sphinx have been spotted high overhead, circling in a seeming courtship ritual of sharp angles and impossible altitudes. The results of these interactions — including offspring, if any — are the deepest mysteries of a secretive race.
When serving as guardians, Sphinxes have a code of behavior both honorable and mysterious. They present those they encounter with a challenge, sometimes as simple as a riddle or as complex as a maze of tests or series of trials. Although these tests may be difficult, they are always fair, and Sphinxes abide by the results.
As oracles, Sphinxes sometimes freely provide insight and knowledge, presumably to further their own goals. Other times they only reveal what they know in exchange for payment, such as a unique artifact or a seemingly impossible task (the purr of a cat, the first dawn of last spring, or the like). In this regard, they favor cleverness and intellect. While mystifying, Sphinxes still have their own personalities; some are talkative and affable (while still remaining vigilant to their duties), while others are gruff and quick to anger.
They are never known to attack at random or with out provocation, although several accounts have linked Sphinxes to focused violence and destruction. In all these cases, their mysterious devastation either ended as quickly as it began, or else clever adventurers determined what arcane goal the Sphinx sought to accomplish, and appeased it through some other means.
If attacked, a Sphinx responds with a dispassionate precision, using its claws to slash or strangle and its maw to mangle the prey. It uses its flight to its advantage and will pursue its victims.
However, its primary duty is always to its mission, and it will not abandon that under any circumstance.
Typical Sphinx
Agility 3D+2: fighting 5D, flying 4D+1
Coordination 2D
Physique 3D (+3) stamina 5D
Intellect 3D (+3): cultures 5D, reading/ writing 4D+2, scholar 6D, speaking 4D+2
Acumen 3D (+3): investigation 4D+2, search 4D+1, tracking 5D
Charisma 3D: intimidation 5D, mettle 5D
Strength Damage: 2D (+3)
Move: 26
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 5
Body Points: 22
Wound levels: 3
Advantages: Size: Large (R2), scale value 6
Disadvantages: Devotion (R3), to keeping her word and fulfilling her missions
Special Abilities: Combat Sense (R1), combat modifier from surprise is at -2; Fear (R3), +3 to intimidation and combat defense difficulties; Flight (R1), flying move of 52; Hypermovement (R8), +16 to base Move; Increased Attribute: Acumen (R3), +3 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Intellect (R3), +3 to related totals; Increased Attribute: Physique (R3), +3 to related totals (including Strength Damage); Longevity (R1); Natural Armor: Fur (R1), +1D to damage resistance rolls; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R1) +1D damage; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Teeth(R1), +1D damage
Giant Spider
Of the many types of giant spiders roaming mountain tunnels and dismal, dying forests, the jump spider and the tunnel spider exist as the most common.
The jump spider is roughly one meter in diameter, with eight legs one-third of a meter long. Its fur is a dingy brown in color, with yellow and black markings.
The jump spider is a solitary creature, highly territorial in nature. It is by nature afraid of folk, but has been known to attack children who wander into its domain.
The jump spider is not a web spinner, instead relying on its agility, stealth, and speed. It will remain in hiding until prey is very near, then jump out and attack (hence its name).
The ichor of a jump spider is highly prized by many sorcerers, who use it as a component in jump spells in place of frog or cricket legs (it is considered a very rare component).
Jump spiders live for approximately 10 years, and that mate twice in that span. The female has a three-month gestation period, laying 50 eggs at a time.
After the eggs hatch, the female abandons the young, leaving them to fend for themselves. Only about 10 percent of the litter survives to maturity.
They can be found in urban and rural areas, and prefer sewers and empty warehouses when living in cities.
The tunnel spider is about two meters in diameter with eight legs three-quarters of a meter in length. More aggressive and durable than the standard jump spider, a tunnel spider frequently attack Dwarves and Earth Giants. Tunnel spiders rely on their poisonous venom and their webbing to capture victims. The spider can spin nearly one square meter of webbing per round, and it often leaves prey in its sticky trap for days before coming to feed.
Tunnel spiders are carnivores, eating everything from small animals to large humanoids. Giant is a delicacy that tunnel spider rarely enjoys, as most giants are strong enough to snap its webbing.
Tunnel spiders dislike bright light, and if suddenly exposed to torches or the like, it becomes disoriented and unable to act for a few rounds. The spiders will usually try to attack from ambush and snuff out the light first before attacking its foes.
While some can be found in rural mountainous areas (especially on the outskirts of Dwarven and Giant settlements), they seem to prefer the sewers of cities, where prey is more plentiful.
Jump Spider
Agility 3D: climbing 4D+2, dodge 4D, fighting 3D+2, jumping 4 D, stealth4D+2
Coordination 1D
Physique 3D: lifting 3D+1, running 4D
Intellect 1D+2
Acumen 3D: hide: self only 4D, survival 3D+2, search 4D, tracking 4D
Charisma 1D+2: bluff4D, intimidation 3D+2, mettle 2D+2
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 12
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 10
Wound levels: 2
Natural Abilities: pincers (damage +1D+1); small size (scale value 3)
Tunnel Spider
Agility 4D+1: climbing 4D+2, dodge 4D+2, fighting 5D, jumping 4D+2, stealth5D
Coordination 2D: marksmanship: webbing 4D
Physique 3D+1: lifting 3D+2, running 4D
Intellect 1D+2: traps 2D
Acumen 3D: hide: self only 4D+1, survival 3D+2, search 4D, tracking 3D+2
Charisma 1D+2: bluff5D, intimidation 4D, mettle 2D+2
Strength Damage: 2D Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 12
Wound levels: 2
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +1; venom injected when bite attempt with fighting is successful); venom (causes 4D points of damage per round until victim dies or is treated; Very Difficult stamina roll to resist); heat sensing (+1D to search in dim/dark conditions); sticky webbing (Physique difficulty of 15 to break)
Sprite
Sprites are often mistaken for playful, harmless nature spirits sometimes encountered by travelers moving through rural areas. These fanciful images do a great disservice, for Sprites are mischievous, malicious entities with an unquenchable desire to lead victims astray. They appear as fantastically beautiful human women, paragons of physical desire dressed in sheer gowns trimmed in silver. Sprites can change their size at will, and can choose to be anywhere from several centimeters in height to almost two meters tall, if desired (those that shrink down to their smallest height gain the amazing ability to fly, but few Sprites see any benefit in this and choose to remain humanoid sized most of the time). Few people have ever seen a Sprite’s true form, as Sprites are hideous creatures that guard their real appearance with murderous zeal, hiding it under a potent glamour.
Water Sprites are never encountered far from the wells, streams, or other bodies of relatively calm water in which they live, and which potential victims always must cross in order to approach. When a likely victim comes into view, the wily Water Sprite engages in a craft that the chosen mark deems important, and pretends to be hard at work on a masterpiece.
To make her ruse convincing, she conjures up elaborate equipment, which often seems so wildly incongruous for the surroundings that the victim should immediately spot her true identity and intentions. However, at this point most victims are thoroughly charmed (lead a Human blacksmith to a nearly naked sex-goddess diligently working iron on a forge in the middle of nowhere, and his first thoughts are not likely going to be, “I wonder how she got her anvil here?”). Once her trap is sprung, the Water Sprite reaches into her victim’s mind and gives him a vision of a passionate embrace, all the while dragging him to his watery death. Victims of Water Sprites (strong and capable men, some of them) have been found drowned in puddles only centimeters deep, with no signs of struggle in evidence.
Fire Sprites sometimes choose to appear as Human female children, because their tactic is slightly different.
Like their name implies, Fire Sprites delight in fires — whether setting them, convincing others to set them, or simply watching a roaring blaze that happened to ignite by accident.
Fire Sprites find it easiest to lead children astray, so they often appear as a child in order to convince their targets to experiment with setting small fires “for the fun of it.” Naturally, she contrives to build these small fires where they will quickly get out of hand and cause the most damage, such as in a hay barn or on a ship at sea. Thankfully, Fire Sprites are among the rarest of their kind.
Earth Sprites enjoy crawling around in dark spaces, whether underground or under a stage in a theatre, seeking lost treasures. They would appear to share the goal of many adventuring groups except for one small detail — Earth Sprites want others to remain underground forever. They will use any ruse imaginable to convince their victims to enter that old abandoned mine, or rappel into the sinkhole that mysteriously opened up last week outside of town. Then, when her victims are well and truly cut off from outside help, she extinguishes their lights, cuts their rope, steals their maps, and otherwise does whatever is needed to confuse her victims while she works at collapsing the entrance or obscuring the exit, entombing everyone in darkness. She remains underground, gleefully watching from a distance while everyone struggles to fight off panic and escape. Once her victims finally stop moving, the Earth Sprite takes from them whatever baubles interest her, and then simply burrows out of the artificial tomb to begin seeking new victims.
Air Sprites are the most direct and least patient of all Sprites, for they cannot stand any delay in tormenting their victims. Once they spot a likely target, the Air Sprite draws up a whirlwind of handy debris — whether dust, sand, powdery glass, or even dandelion seeds — to sting the victims’ eyes and clog their noses and fill their lungs. It is very unpleasant to drown in dust, or the stories say.
Typical Sprite
Agility 5D: acrobatics 6D+1, dodge 6D+2, stealth6D+1
Coordination 2D: throwing 3D, sleight of hand 5D+1
Physique 2D+1
Intellect 2D+2
Acumen 3D: disguise 4D+1, hide 5D, know-how 5D+1, search 4D, survival 4D, tracking 5D+2
Charisma 3D: charm 4D+1, persuasion 4D+2, mettle 3D+2 
Magic 3D: apportation 3D+1, conjuration 3D+1
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 13
Wound Levels: 2
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Quirk (R3), mischievous and malicious
Special Abilities: Atmospheric Tolerance (R1), dust (Air only) or little air (Earth only); Attack Resistance: Nonenchanted Weapons (R6), +6D to related damage resistance rolls; Shapechanging: Size (R1), can alter size but not form with Additional Effect (R6), gain Flight (R1) when very small
Giant Squid
Most captains who return from long ocean voyages say ship-devouring giant squids are nothing but myths. Most sages point out that the captains who don’t return may have a different tale to tell.
In fact, while giant squids — or kraken — remain incredibly rare, almost no other single seafaring encounter poses a greater threat to a ship or its crew. The giant squid can grow 18 meters or larger, with a body four meters long, a head and eight arms extending another eight meters, and two vicious tentacles that can reach another six meters beyond that. Lesser sailors often panic at first sight of the head alone, with its two eyes the size of dinner plates and a parrot-like beak that can chop a man in half. Underwater, its skin glows with bioluminescence in order to find prey.
Outside of rare mating cycles, giant squids usually travel alone, far beneath the frigid seas at the poles. However, they occasionally wander briefly to more temperate regions. They might even emerge from the inky depths to breech the surface waves.
This happens if a kraken chases some particularly interesting prey, or if a ship foolishly attracts the attention of what lives in the waters below.
Giant squids are carnivorous, generally feeding on large marine animals. Its only natural predator is the giant sperm whale, and specimen tentacles recovered from whale stomachs provide the only physical evidence of the kraken’s existence to the surface world.
The giant squid attacks most prey by first catching it with huge clubs on the ends of its tentacles; suckers and vicious swiveling hooks along the clubs’ surface draw the victim close. Then it wraps its quarry in its other eight arms to ensure it can’t get away, and rips into it with the beak.
The most vulnerable point on the kraken is its eyes. If blinded, it will break offal attack and submerge, where it will eventually be slain by one of its own kind.
Encounters with Human ships progress similarly. First the kraken strikes the vessel with its tentacle clubs, damaging it so it cannot escape.
Then it wraps the ship with its arms, crushing it to pieces. Should it find resistance — usually in the form of terrified sailors — it attacks them by wrapping them in its arms and stuffing them into its maw.
Fortunately for those who brave the seas, the giant squid remains a rare phenomenon. However, it has been theorized that, should adventurers venture deep beneath the surface of the water, encounters with these creatures would become much more likely.
Typical Giant Squid 
Agility 4D: fighting 6D
Coordination 2D
Physique 5D: lifting 7D, stamina 6D, swimming 8D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: search 3D, tracking 3D
Charisma 2D: intimidation 7D
Strength Damage: 4D
Move: 26 (swimming)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 28
Wound levels: 5
Natural Abilities: bite (damage +1D); tentacle clubs (damage +7D); arms (damage +3D; successful tackle can continue applying damage each round as a free attack until victim breaks free; maximum of eight arms); tough skin (Armor Value +2; does not cover eyes); large size (scale value 15)
Note: Giant squids can attack once with its bite or tentacle club, or twice with its arms each round.
From a memo by Admiral Hiddedharder, Director of Special Projects to Professor Nakka Aquaregia, Gnomish Inventor I have reviewed your plans for a giant sealed “sub-ocean” vessel, to be lashed to a giant squid. While this would be a wonderful addition to the fleet, I note two problems. First, where would we find a group of adventurers crazy enough to go undersea to hunt the largest, most dangerous aquatic creature alive — even if your plans for the bathypelagic armored entangler designed to catch it do look feasible? Second, upon scrutinizing your plans for this sub-marine vessel, I note the cabin designated “Admiral’s Quarters” is a smidge too small.
Stympalian Bird
These annoying avian creatures appear to be a combination of stork and ibis with bronze or iron beaks, claws, and feathers. They are only slightly smarter than the average stork. Named for the swamps in which they were first encountered, these flesh-eating birds attack any living creature that wanders into their territory.
Stympalian birds prefer to attack as a group. Only by killing better than half of their number or making a loud racket can a combatant hope to rid themselves of the flying fiends. The birds defend their nests to the death if they have eggs or hatchlings in it. Otherwise, they flee until they think it’s safe to return.
These birds prefer fresh meat, but they have been known to eat carrion to survive. If a victim is injured, they may track the blood trail a short distance and wait a few hours for a creature to bleed to death.
These creatures only live in marshy and swampy areas where they can build their nests. They cannot survive in cold or arid regions.
The feathers from a Stympalian bird are highly valuable. Most merchants will pay handsomely for them. Wizards often use the feathers when concocting potions that allow the imbiber to fly.
Domesticating the birds is almost impossible. They are foul-tempered beasts that think nothing of literally biting the hand off that feeds them.
Typical Stympalian Birds
Agility 3D: fighting 5D, flying 3D+1
Coordination 3D: marksmanship: feathers 5D
Physique 6D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 3D
Charisma 2D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 4
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 21
Wound Levels: 3
Natural Abilities: beak (damage +1D); fear of noise (immediately attempt to fly away from any loud noise); feather burst (shoot burst of metal feathers for 3D damage to anyone with in 7 meters of the bird; once per day); metal feathers (Armor Value +2D); talons (damage +2D); vulnerable spot (the undersides of the wings have only an Armor Value of +1D; targeting them requires a called shot with +3 to the difficulty); small size (scale value 3)
Stympalian Flying Potion Spell
Skill Used: Conjuration
Difficulty: 13
Effect: 15 (Flight (R2) plus flying skill at +1D)
Range: Self (0)
Speed: 0
Duration: 1 hour (+18)
Casting Time: 1 round (-4)
Other Aspects: Charges (+2): 1 charge with ward to go off when potion is drunk
Components (-17): a few Stympalian bird feathers (extremely rare, destroyed), pure water (very common, destroyed ) , thick glass beaker (uncommon), small heating fire (ordinary, destroyed)
Gesture (-2) Stir together components in beaker while heating over a flame (fairly simple)
Focused (+6)
Variable Duration (+8): On/off switch By combining a few components in a glass beaker and heating them over an open flame, a wizard can create a draft that, when imbibed, allows the user to fly at a rate equal to 40 times her base Move. The key to the spells simplicity is a pinch of feathers from a rare Stympalian bird.
The result point bonus may be applied in one of two ways: Add any result point bonus to the duration value and look up the new time on the “Spell Measures” table. Or, for every six points in the result point bonus (rounded down), the user may increase the Flight Special Ability received by one rank. Thus, a result point bonus of 5 would permit no increase in Flight ranks, while a result point bonus of 6 to 11 would allow an increase of one rank. The bonus may not be split between the two options.
Swarms
Swarms, or plagues, of small creatures form for a number of reasons, but the more common is devastation of habitat.
Nests of rats, fleeing sewer flood waters, may combine and storm city streets, creating havoc and spreading disease.
Forest fires may drive wasps or bees from neighboring hives into one destructive unit. Once a swarm forms, it lasts as long as the food supply can sustain it or until it moves into a new area with abundant resources. Swarms may slip through any opening that several members of the swarm could fit in. Clever adventurers will seek ways to cause swarms to loose strength through starvation and survival, rather than by combat.
Unfortunately for most travelers, swarms most often are not detected until they are very close. With any kind of intervening terrain such as hills, trees, walls, and buildings, the sounds that a swarm makes are often muffled, if audible at all. When the path is clear to the swarm, they are easily spotted.
Should an adventurer stumble into a swarm unawares, the most effective tactic is to run. Swarms will not chase after a fleeing target if at least one other potential target remains in the area, nor does the swarm split to follow potential victims heading in different directions.
Instead, they go after the most injured or the weakest one.
Fighting a swarm with hand weapons, especially gunpowder arms, is pointless. A pass of a sword through a swarm may succeed in killing many of them, but it does not reduce their numbers significantly. Unless the character is impervious to the attacks of the swarm, it soon becomes obvious the combat is hopeless. The only effective way of doing damage to a swarm is with attacks that target areas rather than individuals, such as gunpowder bombs or spells with area effects. These attacks ignore the scale modifier completely, calculating the combat result and dealing damage as if the swarm had the same scale as the attacker. An area attack that misses means that no significant impact was made on the swarm — a few are dead, a few move out of the way, but the group remains basically whole.
In attacking a swarm can take as many actions per round as it has Wound levels with no multi-action penalty. (It will not take more than that number.) Swarms generally do not dodge, though magically enhanced ones might. To flee a swarm simply requires an opposed running roll, though the swarm can attack while on the move.
Small animal swarms are composed of creatures with a small scale value between 8 and 14. Insect swarms are made of bugs or other tiny critters with a small scale value of 15 to 22.
The game characteristics are for the swarm as a whole, not for the typical individual member.
Some creatures also have venom or poison, which is injected when the fighting total beats the difficulty by 5 or more. The venom or poison inflicts 1D or more damage (depending on the animal) every two minutes with a Moderate or higher stamina roll to resist.
When a swarm comes across something smaller than an individual member of the swarm — such as a Fairy trying to get through a group of bats — treat these situations as a stampede (see the introduction of this book for more information).
Injury to Swarms and Swarm Size
Use this char t to determine various characteristics related to injury for a swarm, as well as its approximate size. W hen using the Wound levels system, ignore the game mechanic effects of each level. When using the Body Points system, a swarm receives a damage resistance roll equal to its Physique score. The increasing number of Wounds and Body Points do not indicate an increased toughness but rather an increased resistance to dispersion. Once the swarm has no Body Points or receives one Wound beyond its maximum, too few members remain alive or unshaken to keep the group together. The remaining members flee.

Wound Levels	Body Points	Physique	Strength Damage	Scale	Number of Small Animals	Number of Insects	
2	14	2D	1D	6	5–20	50–200	
3	21	3D	2D	9	50–200	500–2,000	
4	28	4D	2D	12	500–2,000	5,000–20,000	
5	35	5D	3D	15	5,000–20,000	50,000–200,000	

Typical Small Animal Swarm
Agility 2D: fighting 2D
Coordination 1D
Physique (see chart)
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: search 4D+2
Charisma 1D: intimidation 5D, mettle 2D
Strength Damage: (see chart)
Move: 6 (ground) or 15 (flying)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: (see chart)
Wound Levels: (see chart)
Natural Abilities: claw/bite (damage +1); strength in numbers (+1D to mettle rolls per 7 Body Points/1 Wound level); swarm attack (+5 to fighting total per 7 Body Points/1 Wound level)
Note: Winged animals also have flying 4D, while ground animals have running 4D.
Typical Insect Swarm
Agility 1D: fighting 2D
Coordination 1D
Physique (see chart)
Intellect 1D
Acumen 1D: search 3D
Charisma 1D: intimidation 5D, mettle 2D
Strength Damage: (see chart)
Move: 1 (ground) or 5 (flying)
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: (see chart)
Wound Levels: (see chart)
Natural Abilities: pincers/sting/ bite (Strength Damage only); strength in numbers (+1D to mettle rolls per 7 Body Points/1 Wound level); swarm attack (+5 to fighting total per 7 Body Points/1 Wound level)
Note: Winged insects also have flying 2D, while ground insects have running 2D.
Insect Repellent Invocation
Skill Used: Favor
Difficulty: 18
Effect: 15 (intimidation: insects 5D)
Range: Self /touch (0)
Speed: 0
Duration: 10 minutes (+14)
Casting Time: 1 round (-4)
Other Aspects: Area Effect (+5): sphere with 1-meter radius
Focused (+5)
After the cleric performs the invocation according to his religious requirements, the target of the miracle is protected from insects for one meter around his person. (The target may move.) To find out if the invocation repels the insects, use the intimidation received with the spell versus the insect’s or swarm’s mettle. If the spell’s intimidation total is greater than the insect’s or swarm’s total, the creatures veer off to another, more tempting target. Otherwise, they attack as they had intended.
The result point bonus of the invocation skill roll may be added either to the intimidation total or to the duration value.
(If added to the duration value, look up the new measure on the “Spell Measures” table in the rulebook.) One possible component and gesture combination is for the cleric to wave a willow twig quickly through the smoke of a fire, until the twig becomes sooty.
The twig, which crumbles when the invocation ends, becomes the focus of the miracle. The components provide a -6 Spell Total modifier (or a -3 difficulty modifier), while the gestures of waving and holding it give a -3 Spell Total modifier (or a -2 difficulty modifier).
Gamemasters also can use this information for swarms that don’t bite, such as butterflies. As these creatures don’t have teeth or the like to speak of, they do not receive any Strength Damage bonus indicated in the natural abilities section. Instead of doing damage, the nonviolent swarms inflict difficulty modifiers. Making a fighting attack as normal, but halve the damage total for a successful attack (round up). This is the difficulty modifier that is applied to all of the target’s actions for the rest of the current round and into the next round, until the swarm’s turn in the new round.
Toad
“Eye of newt, tongue of toad ... where are my toads?!” is the oft-heard lamentation of the swamp witch, whose use of toads as components and companions makes for a curious mix. Toads, unlike their watery cousins the frog, have dry and warty skin and are not designed for jumping long distances. Most do not have teeth or long sticky tongues and must stalk their prey until they chance upon it, swallowing it whole.
Mystically, toads have many symbolic (and real) meanings. They are associated with damp weather and bringing rain, thunder, clouds, and, of course, warts. Some see the toad as the symbol of poison and concealed danger, good or bad luck, or even Demons (some Demon princes are definitely amphibian in appearance). An army of toads or rain of frogs is a common means of divine retribution, and some travelers say such horrible events do take place in distant lands.
Typical Small Toad
Agility 2D: dodge 3D, fighting 2D+1, stealth4D
Coordination 2D
Physique 2D: running 3D, swimming 6D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: hide: self only 3D, survival 3D, search 2D+1
Charisma 1D: mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 3
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 5
Wound levels: 1
Natural Abilities: claws (damage +2 ); wide-vision eyes (+1D to search); small size (scale value 12)
Note: Some toads (and frogs; generally, the brightly colored ones) have poison glands (contact poison; +5 difficulty of all action for 4 hours; Easy stamina roll to resist).
Typical Giant Toad
Agility 2D: dodge 4D, fighting 4D, jumping 3D, stealth5D
Coordination 2D
Physique 1D: running 3D, swimming 2D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: hide: self only 4D, survival 6D, search 2D+1
Charisma 1D: intimidation 3D, mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 1D Move: 13
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 15
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: dry warty skin (Armor Value +1); claws (damage +2), poison glands (contact poison; causes 3D damage for 3 rounds; Moderate stamina roll to resist); swallow whole (+5 to combat difficulty to attempt; may only be attempted against a target of smaller size; may swallow 1 target per 8 hours; if swallowed, target suffers 2D from suffocation and acid damage per round until cut free; target may only use daggers while inside the toad’s stomach); wide-vision eyes (+1D to search); large size (scale value 6)
Typical Frost Toad
Agility 4D: dodge 7D, fighting 5D, jumping 3D, stealth5D
Coordination 2D: marksmanship 5D
Physique 1D: running 3D, swimming 2D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 2D: hide: self only 2D, survival 8D, search 2D+1
Charisma 1D: intimidation 3D, mettle 3D
Strength Damage: 1D
Move: 9
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 5
Wound levels: 1
Natural Abilities: white-and-grey mottled skin (+1D to hide in snowy climes); dry warty skin (Armor Value +2); claws (damage +1D); swallow whole (+5 to combat difficulty to attempt; may only be attempted against a target of smaller size; may swallow 1 target per 8 hours; if swallowed, target suffers 2D from suffocation and acid damage per round until cut free; target may only use daggers while inside the toad’s stomach); wide-vision eyes (+1D to search); night vision (no penalties in dim conditions); cold resistance (may live in arctic climes; Armor Value +2D vs. cold-based attacks); frost breath(damage 4D; 3 times per day); small size (scale value 6)
Triton
Tritons take their name from the ancient god that created them as a race of servitors. Even though Triton was Human in appearance, he made his servitors in the form of half-man, half-fish. All Tritons, from the waist up, possess well-developed Human torsos with dark, curly hair (male Tritons do not possess facial hair). From the waist down, however, all possess the lower bodies of various fish-like sea creatures. Their Human-like features and physiques are well proportioned, well defined, and smooth.
At first glance, Tritons have a uniform appearance, but they actually differ in significant ways. From the waist down, one variant has the scaled body of a large fish, complete with ventral and dorsal fins and a broad tail. A second variant has, instead of a single fish tail, two serpent-like tails that end in needle-sharp spines. The third variant has a fish tail, like the first variant, but possesses fins running down his human forearms and back, and his fingers are webbed. All can maneuver on dry land almost as well as a Human, despite their apparent icthyian handicaps.
If male Tritons love anything more than lounging on a sandy ocean beach, drinking wine from amphorae, and eating figs and stuffed grape leaves, it must be the pursuit of human females. Triton created his servitors out of a sea-going people who turned their backs on land and offered themselves to the gods of the sea. Female Tritons found a paradise beneath the waves in their new forms, but it is said that male Tritons secretly regret the decision. Nowadays, whenever they get the chance, male Tritons go ashore in search of human female companionship.
One famous story tells the tale of a male Triton named Nikos who wooed and won the hand of a human female named Rina. Together they swam to an uninhabited island and lived their days in bliss, far from the world of men and fish. Many male Tritons dream of securing such a future for themselves, but the reality is much different — while Tritons are often considered alluring by Human females, Human males cannot abide the thought of such “unnatural” unions. Discoveries of terrestrial incursions by Tritons often leads to severe retaliation, and few Tritons escape back to the sea in one piece.
Triton society as a whole deems the victims of such punishments to have brought it upon themselves, and thus turn a blind eye. Occasionally, however, an overzealous (and jealous) group of land-dwellers gets it into their heads to capture and kill every Triton they can find, sending out special raiding boats armed with barbed nets. Often dozens of Triton are caught and killed before Triton society can muster its forces for a counterattack on the land-dwellers.
Tritons arm for war much the way Humans do, with large, round shields, Spartan-style helmets, and spears, all fashioned from bronze that almost glows green with verdigris from exposure to saltwater. Attacks on humanoid settlements begin at the height of storms, when the gods of the sea are at their strongest. Even though their wrath, once invoked, is legendary, Tritons don’t actually kill many people during such battles. It is said that they seek justice, not revenge, and can smell the blood of their kin on the hands of those responsible. Guilty individuals are dragged out to sea and pulled beneath the waves, never to be heard from again.
Typical Triton
Agility 3D+1: fighting 4D, dodge 4D+1, melee combat 4D+2
Coordination 2D+1: throwing 3D+1
Physique 4D: stamina 4D+2, swimming 6D
Intellect 2D+1: reading/writing 3D
Acumen 2D+1: crafting: carving 3D, know-how 3D+1
Charisma 3D+2: animal handling: sea creatures 4D, charm 4D+2, persuasion 4D, mettle 4D+1
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 3
Body Points: 32
Wound Levels: 3
Advantage: Cultures (R1), Human society
Disadvantage: Hindrance: Atypical Movement (R1), can only “walk” (crawl) or climb 1 meter per round out of water
Special Ability: Hypermovement (R4), +8 to base Move with Ability Loss (R1), only in water; Water Breathing (R1), +1D to swimming
Equipment: trident (damage +2D); short sword (damage +1D+2); amphorae of wine
Troll
Accounts vary widely about the abilities and descriptions of these horrible beasts. The version of the Troll recounted here exhibits some of the best and worst accounts, presenting a powerful adversary.
Trolls are humanoid, averaging two to three meters in height and 115 to 180 kilograms in weight. They have long spindly arms and legs and soft-looking pot bellies. Skin tone varies, ranging from nut brown to fish belly white, and most Trolls have little or no hair on their head or body. Despite their appearance of softness, Trolls are devilishly strong, with have powerful claws and teeth.
They are strictly carnivorous and require a lot of meat to fuel their heightened metabolism.
Most often found in dark caverns or deep forests, a Troll’s greatest weakness is the light of day. Each round of exposure to the daylight (even on an overcast day) causes a Troll harm, eventually hardening the Troll into stone. This damage is not regenerated and must be healed normally. Trolls that live on or near the surface world spend the daylight hours lurking under bridges, hiding in abandoned castles, or crouching in dark caves. They come out at night to hunt, and they eat any living thing they find, although they seem to prefer sentient creatures for food.
Trolls are usually solitary hunters, but they can be found as mated pairs occasionally. If food is plentiful, they may join together into packs, ruled by the strongest, oldest member. These packs seldom last long and often end in cannibalism as the stronger Trolls eat the weaker after they have devoured all the other food in an area.
Typical Troll
Agility 4D: fighting 6D, stealth5D
Coordination 2D: throwing 4D
Physique 5D: lifting 7D
Intellect 1D+2
Acumen 3D: hide 4D, survival 4D+1, tracking 4D+1
Charisma 1D: intimidation 4D
Strength Damage: 4D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 2
Body Points: 40
Wound Levels: 5
Advantage: Size: Large (R1), scale value 1
Disadvantage: Achilles’ Heel: Sunlight (R4), loses 8 Body Points/1 Wound level per round of exposure, turns to stone when reaches the Dead level; Hindrance: Ugly (R3), +3 to bluff, charm, and persuasion difficulties
Special Ability: Accelerated Healing (R2), +2D to natural healing rate with Ability Loss (R2), may not be used during the day; Natural Armor: Skin (R1), +1D to related damage resistance total, with Ability Loss (R2), may not be used during the day; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Claws (R2), +2D damage; Natural Hand-to-Hand Weapon: Teeth(R1), +1D damage
White Unicorn
Even when confronted with overwhelming evidence, some scholars steadfastly refuse to admit the existence of so-called “fantastic” creatures, dismissing them entirely as fictional embodiments of various fears. However, even they will grudgingly admit that at least one creature defies this mold, stemming not from a world of terror and despair, but one of honor, purity, and hope — the unicorn.
At a casual glance, it may be possible to mistake a white unicorn for an ordinary — if remarkably regal and beautiful — horse. Physically, the unicorn is quite similar to a fine equine specimen.
However, it also possesses a spiraling horn on its head; at a mere half-meter long, this outward appendage marks its true pedigree, as well as the source of all its power. unicorns also have goat-like beards and cloven hooves.
Naturalists debate the exact magical abilities of unicorns. At a bare minimum, all unicorns seem to possess healing and curative abilities, including the neutralization of poisons and disease.
Some unicorns, especially older ones, seem to possess other magical abilities, and many miraculous deeds have been attributed to them. Regardless, the hypnotic glow of a unicorn’s horn always signifies a moment of powerful good.
Unicorns are herbivores, subsisting on grass and other plants. They live almost exclusively in temperate forests, but tales have placed them rarely in cold mountain valleys or blistering deserts.
Although androgynous, a white unicorn is typically perceived as the gender most desirable to its viewer.
White unicorns are inexorably tied to purity and virtue, and they only approach the truly innocent.
They communicate telepathically, depending on the purity of its audience.
Thus a young maid could have full conversations and chaste embraces with a unicorn, while a noble father might be able to sense its mood and a vague, general message from afar. A cold and heartless killer might perceive it as nothing but a dumb animal with a valuable horn ... one he could lure with his unwitting young son.
They are usually encountered alone, although it is possible to encounter a group — called a blessing — in certain circumstances, especially during eminent threats to good and love. Most notably, bards speak of a meeting held once a decade called the Parliament of Virtue, where dozens or even hundreds of unicorns gather for one night; the purpose of this assembly — if true — is unknown, although one minstrel claims to have witnessed the Parliament bestowing some kind of boon on a Human, apparently summoned and charged with defending their virtues in places where unicorns cannot tread.
Scholars are unsure how the majestic beasts come into being, although they generally agree that unicorn numbers are dwindling. A popular hypothesis maintains that one in a million births among wild horses is actually a unicorn; another theory states that an act of great selflessness, love, or sacrifice might cause one to spontaneously come into being.
Typical White Unicorn
Agility 3D: fighting 4D, jumping 4D
Coordination 1D
Physique 5D: running 5D+2, stamina 5D+1
Intellect 4D: healing 6 D, reading/writing 4D+2, scholar 5D 4D+1, tracking 4D+2
Acumen 3D: investigation 4D, search
Charisma 4D: charm 5D, command 4D+1, intimidation 4D+2, mettle 5D, persuasion 6D
Miracles 2D: favor 5D
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 30
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 10
Body Points: 22
Wound levels: 3
Natural Abilities: sensitivity and devotion to good (dislike being near impure thoughts and people, and particularly vile people can cause them to flee or suffer 1D damage per round); cannot be surprised by impure beings; can detect impure beings with an Easy tracking success; bite (damage +2); horn (damage +2D; magical); hoof (damage +1D; magical); high intelligence (unicorns may not be controlled through the Animal Control or similar Special Ability); trample (damage +2D; must charge); large size (scale value 3)
Note: Unicorns can attack the same target twice in one round with their hooves (two front or two back) at no penalty, or they can bite or use their horn once. All invocations performed by a unicorn must involve touching the horn to the target of the invocation; beings of charitable or innocent natures and those who believe in the unicorn’s power can act as casual or confirmed believers of the unicorn’s faith(depending on the being’s goodness and his belief in unicorns).
O, unicorns and innocents — Both rarities in white.
Caught one of ‘em in my bed last eve, And I’m huntin’ horns tonight! — Antony the Lyre
Valkyrie
The Valkyries, immortal warrior-maidens, serve ruling and war gods by selecting warriors to aid them. They visit battlefields and carry off the heroes who died in battle — the name “Valkyrie” means “choosers of the slain.” These tall, powerfully built women have long golden hair, pale skin, and piercing gray or blue eyes. They dress for battle in scale or mail shirts and horned helmets. They dye their protective shirts, or corselets, the color of fresh blood. They wield throwing spears, swords, and axes, and carry shield for additional protection. Each Valkyrie also wears a white fur cape, with a clasp in the form of a white swan.
Though few claim to know their exact number, witnesses have seen only 13 Valkyries at one time. Thanks to their winged steeds and their own abilities, these women are enough to handle their tasks. The Valkyries consider themselves a sacred sisterhood and work closely together, living and fighting as a single unit. The eldest and strongest of the group acts as nominally the leader, but all of them answer directly to their sworn god. At times the god selects a particular Valkyrie for an assignment.
When he requests that they complete a task with out specifying which one should perform it, individual Valkyries can volunteer for the mission, and the leader only steps in when she feels someone else would be a better choice, or when two or more Valkyries want a task and no one will step down.
The Valkyries do not age and can heal most damage sustained in battle, but in every other way they are Human. They eat, drink, breathe, and sleep. Like most winterland warriors, their food consists of meat, bread, and some vegetables, and they drink ale or wine.
Valkyries are great lovers of combat, and they often fly to a battlefield just to watch the conflict. If any warrior demonstrates great valor and skill at arms, the Valkyrie may grant him added strength or stamina. If he dies, they claim his soul and bring him back to their god’s domain to join the other heroes there. The Valkyries also serve In Earth mythology, Valkyries serve the Norse king-god Odin. Brunhilde acts as their leader. They bring slain warriors to Valhalla.
as their god’s messengers, and they carry his commands and warnings to people all across the globe. They rarely interfere in mortal affairs unless directly ordered by the god himself, and so they are rarely seen directly except on the field of battle.
Typical Valkyrie
Agility 3D+2 (+4): fighting 6D+1, dodge 5D+1, jumping 5D+2, melee combat 6D, riding 7D+2
Coordination 3D (+4): marksmanship 5D, throwing 7D
Physique 3D (+4): lifting 5D, running 5D
Intellect 2D: cultures 3D, navigation 3D
Acumen 3D (+4): search 4D, survival 6D+1, tracking 8D+1
Charisma 3D+1: animal handling 4D, bluff4D+2, command 5D, intimidation 6D+1, mettle 5D
Miracle 2D: strife 5D
Strength Damage: 3D (+4)
Move: 30
Fate Points: 5
Character Points: 25
Body Points: 45
Wound Levels: 5
Advantages: Authority (R3); Equipment (R3), winged horse; Fame (R2); Patron (R3), her sworn god
Disadvantages: Devotion (R3), to her duty to her god and her sisters; Employed (R2), to her god; Enemy (R2), her god’s enemies
Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R1), +1D to natural healing rate; Immortality (R1), can only be killed at the end of time; Increased Attribute: Acumen, Agility, Coordination, Physique (R4 each), +4 to related totals. All Special Abilities have Debt (R1), owed to god.
Equipment: battle axe (damage +3D); fur cloak (Armor Value +1); mail shirt (Armor Value +2D); shield (Armor Value +2); spear (damage +2D); longsword (Damage +2D+2); winged horse (see pegasus entry on page 65 in this book)
Vampyr
Vampyrs were once Human, Elves, or another similar race who have trade their mortality for a near-immorality and all the fears and power that goes with it. Their skin is pallid and their canines are slightly longer. Some older Vampyrs have claws and animal facial features. Most Vampyrs were beautiful when they were alive, but their undead status adds treachery to that beauty.
Most Vampyrs prefer to dress in the same clothes they wore when they were alive. The older a Vampyr gets, the more lavish the creature’s taste in clothing and other luxury items.
These creatures follow complicated social structures based on what their sires were accustomed to when they were alive. These organizations range from tribes and clans to fifes and guilds to clubs and gangs. Most Vampyrs share the same view that they are superior to mortal creatures. Vampyrs treat their servants well, but they are ultimately expendable.
These creatures of the night often employ a cover persona to explain their nocturnal habits. They are well aware of their many weaknesses and often go to elaborate lengths to prove their humanity to the suspicious.
More often than not, a Vampyr uses intermediaries on all foes except those he wishes to feed upon.
The creatures tend to pick isolated lairs: castles, cemeteries, abandoned towns, ruins, manor houses, and the like. It is rare to find a Vampyr that does not have several dozen safe houses in place for emergencies.
Vampyrs usually live with in a short travel to highly populated, urban areas, as these locations make for the best hunting grounds.
Vampyrs cannot digest food, only blood from a living being. The creatures can subsist on animal blood, but the blood of intelligent beings tastes much better.
Vampyr
Agility 3D: dodge 5D, fighting 5D, flying 3D+1, stealth5D
Coordination 3D: marksmanship 3D+1, throwing 4D
Physique 3D (+3): infection 5D, lifting 5D+1, running 5D+2
Intellect 3D: scholar 4D, speaking 4D, trading 4D
Acumen 3D: hide 4D
Charisma 3D: intimidation 6D, persuasion 5D, mettle 7D
Strength Damage: 3D (+3)
Move: 10
Fate Points: 1
Character Points: 5
Body Points: 40
Wound levels: 5
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel: Blessed Weapons (R4), take double damage from holy items or items that are specially purified and blessed; Achilles’ Heel: Faith Aversion (R3), will not approach any true believer boldly holding a holy symbol of any major religion (gamemaster’s discretion on holder’s level of faith); Achilles’ Heel: Garlic (R3), loses all actions in the first round exposed to the herb; Achilles’ Heel: Fire (R4), takes double damage from any fire-based attack; Achilles’ Heel: Running Water (R3), unable to cross over running water; Achilles’ Heel: Sunlight (R4), loses 8 Body Points/1 Wound level per round of exposure, turns to ash when reaches the Dead level; Advantage Flaw: Infection (R3), passes on all Special Abilities and Disadvantages to target after having used Life Drain to bring the target to Mortally Wounded or less than 10% of Body Points; Advantage Flaw: Sunlight Weakness (R5), all scores, except Intellect, are at -1D from sunrise to sunset; Infamy (R1), most people would hate the Vampyr if they knew he was one; Quirk: Counting (R2), distracted by tiny items, such as grains of rice, beans, or tiny beads; must stop to pick them up and count them as long as he is not in combat; Quirk: No Reflection (R1), does not reflect in mirrors; Quirk: Day Sleep (R2), must sleep during the day and will not awaken unless physically attacked
Special Abilities: Animal Control (R1), +10 to animal handling to one of the following: rats, bats, wolves, and spiders; Flight (R1), flying Move 10 with Restricted (R4), 10-minute time limit and Move restricted to walking Move; Hardiness (R2), +2D to damage resistance totals; Increased Attribute: Physique (R3), +3 to Physique totals; Intangibility (R1), can turn to mist and pass through small openings, +3D to damage resistance totals vs. physical weapons, with Ability Loss (R1), can be trapped in an item that would collect mist, like a bellows or a bottle; Life Drain: Body Points/Wounds (R2), drains 6 Body Points/1 Wound level per successful biting attack; Longevity (R1); Shapeshifting (R2), wolf or bat with Additional Effect (R1), can change to normal animal size; Skill Bonus: Charming Gaze (R1), +3 to charm totals with Restricted (R1), limited to opposite sex; Skill Bonus: Invitation (R2), +6 to persuasion with Additional Effect (R3), inviting Human cannot exploit weaknesses, and Ability Loss (R1), only works on one Human inviting the Vampyr into a house; Skill Bonus: Painless Wounds (R4), +12 to stamina total with Ability Loss (R1), may not be used on Wounds from fire, sunlight, or holy items
Equipment: items required by his cover profession
Wendigo
The wendigo is an angry spirit-animal.
It’s so thin, the creature cannot be seen from certain angles. When it can be seen, it resembles a monstrous, five meter- tall creature covered in fur, with red eyes and enormous sharp teeth. It is semi-transparent and moves as fast as the wind.
It is said that the wendigo is created from the spirits of those driven insane by the wilderness. Native peoples greatly fear the monster, and those that report an encounter with it are considered either extremely lucky to be alive or extremely unlucky, as it is considered an omen of death and destruction.
A wendigo is always encountered alone and only by groups that venture into its territory, especially hunters and loners. It whispers and teases its victims, tracking them for days across desolate wastes. It hounds its prey until the victim returns to civilization or is caught and eaten. Preferring to attack during the cover of darkness, the wendigo waits until a victim is starving to death and alone to attack; this is the only time it will strike. Any creature killed by the wendigo is completely devoured, never to be seen again.
Many believe that the soul is devoured along with the flesh of the victim. Never more than one person of a group lives to tell the tale of sighting the wendigo.
The creature will leave behind the victim’s belongings as it has no use for equipment, magic items, or treasure. Some shamans can craft holy items that give a small measure of protection from the beast, but this is usually only enough so it will attack another target.
Typical Wendigo
Agility 3D: fighting 5D, stealth9D
Coordination 3D
Physique 10D
Intellect 2D
Acumen 3D: hide 9D
Charisma 3D: confusion 6D, intimidation 6D, mettle 7D
Strength Damage: 5D
Move: 50
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 45
Wound Levels: 5
Natural Abilities: claws (damage +2D); teeth(damage +4D); confusion (on a successful confusion attempt against the target’s Charisma or mettle, all difficulties for the target are at +5 for 6 rounds); intangibility (+6D to damage resistance roll against physical attacks; can stay intangible indefinitely); invisibility (+5 to dodge, hide, and stealth totals; +5 to all difficulties requiring seeing the wendigo); only magical or blessed weapons can harm the wendigo; large size (scale value 13) If a wendigo could somehow be killed, the remains would be of great interest to a magician, who could use them to craft wondrous — if dangerous — magical items, such as this one.
Cloak of the wendigo: This thick, furry cloak provides some of the abilities of the mythic creature, but at the risk of succumbing to the madness.
(Intangibility (R2), +6D to damage resistance against physical attacks; Hypermovement (R20), +40 to base Move. All Special Abilities have Burn-out (R1), can be lost or stolen; Restricted (R4), a Critical Failure while using the cloak’s abilities makes the wearer insane and at +5 to all difficulties for 6 rounds; Singularity (R2), can only use one ability at a time, takes an action to switch abilities.) One corpse could theoretically make four such cloaks.
Werewolf
Werewolves are Humans inflicted with lycanthropy, a mystical malady that causes involuntary transformation to and from a wolf. Lycanthropes have three distinct transformation phases: Human, wolf, and fusion. Their Human forms are identical to their pre-infectious states, and their wolf forms are similar to those of regular wolves, relying on instinct and animalistic cunning to survive. The fusion form is a terrifying carnivorous amalgam of Human and wolf. It stands erect on two feet, 2.5 meters or taller, with fur all over its body, talon-clawed hands, and a face with truncated wolf-like jaws. With the intelligence of a Human and the cunning and ferocity of a wolf, the fusion form is the vessel of a pure killer. Although legends indicate that lycanthropy can be transmitted from being wounded by a Werewolf, it seems that only the fusion form permits this.
While a being infected with lycanthropy creates a dangerous predator, a Werewolf also possesses a number of drawbacks. First, it lacks much of the self-control and reason of a Human; the hunting instinct proves too powerful for most victims to restrain. Second, while in fusion form, a Werewolf takes considerable damage from silver.
Third, it cannot fully control how it changes. Werewolves shift involuntarily to their fusion form at midnight two days before the full moon, and change again into that form every midnight until two days after the full moon, for a total of five days in a lunar month. Werewolves have a target of their killing fury, which they feel compelled to kill once they assume their fusion form.
This target varies from Werewolf to Werewolf; targets include family members, children, enemies of their faith, or all humanity. In general its goal is broad enough that the wolf has little fear of ever running out of quarry. Whether this savage goal is determined randomly, by subconscious desires of the victim, or some other means is unknown.
Until the Werewolf satisfies this bloodlust, it is apt to attack with out reason or remorse. Once it has slain one of its targets, the madness calms. For the rest of the evening, the Werewolf can shift between any of its three forms at will.
However, if the Werewolf is wearing its wolf form when the first rays of dawn strike it, it will retain that form until its next transformation. Otherwise sunlight reverts the Werewolf back to Human form, where it is likely to collapse in exhaustion and memory loss.
There is no certain way to rid someone of lycanthropy, although all mystics agree that it is possible. Cures have included rare plants (such as wolfsbane from certain regions or picked at certain times), slaying the Werewolf that infected the victim, and true love.
Death also reverts a lycanthrope to its breed form, although that is a less than helpful remedy for most.
Werewolves are always solitary, although bards tell of a group of likeminded Werewolves who worked together as a “pack.” If this story is true, it is unknown the final fate of this fearsome group. Sages posit that other sentient creatures can become infected with lycanthropy, especially older races. It is also suspected to be at least theoretically possible for a wolf to become infected and turn into a Human, although the implications are troublesome.
Typical Werewolf (Fusion Form)
Agility 3D: fighting 4D, dodge 3D+2
Coordination 3D
Physique 4D: infection 6D, running 5D
Intellect 1D+2
Acumen 3D: search 4D, tracking 6D
Charisma 3D: intimidation 5D, mettle 4D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 22
Wound levels: 3
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel: Vulnerability (R3), silver weapons deal +3D damage, and exposure to silver causes 3D damage in the first round; Advantage Flaw: Infection (R3), transfers all Disadvantages and Special Abilities to victim bitten by werewolf and successfully infected by him; Advantage Flaw: Devotion (R3), to irrationally killing member of chosen target
Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R1), +1D to natural healing rate with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in Werewolf form; Fast Reactions (R1), +1D to initiative rolls and one extra action per round thrice per adventure with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in Werewolf form; Natural Hand-to- Hand Weapon: Claws (R1), +1D damage with Ability Loss (R1), may be only used in Werewolf form; Shapeshifting: Wolf, Human (R2) with Additional Effect (R1), can alter size to that of a wolf, and Restricted (R4), involuntarily transforms into Werewolf during full moon, and into other form at dawn
Notes: Disadvantages do not transfer to wolf or Human form. Actual skills may vary from werewolf to werewolf.
Wolf
The term “wolf” actually refers to a type of animal that encompasses dozens of different subspecies. Powerful jaws, quickness, and pack instincts make the wolf one of the most fearsome of common predators. Naturalists note that wolves fill a niche at the top of the food chain, and the state of the wolf population in a region can often foretell the larger ecological picture.
Male wolves can grow up to 1.5 meters long (not counting their bushy tails) and one meter tall, and they weigh between 20 and 80 kilograms; female wolves are usually smaller, ranging from 15 to 55 kilograms. Wolves in cold regions grow heavier and larger than their kin in deserts or temperate areas. Thick fur covers their bodies, and many hunters covet wolf pelts. Wolves primarily eat meat — mostly herbivores and smaller animals — although if prey is scarce, they also can subsist insects, nuts, and berries.
As one anonymous scout put it: “I hadn’t noticed until I saw the glinting feral eyes and heard howling that the territory around me had been marked by wolf excrement.
In my haste to flee, I confess that I might have accidentally left markings of my own in my codpiece and tunic.” Wolves can live in most places that Humans can, provided there is adequate food. Arctic regions, deserts, forests, prairies, and mountains can all support wolves, as can the outskirts of villages and cities. They normally sleep outside, although they raise and protect their newborn cubs in dens consisting of caves, crevices, or underground holes they dig themselves.
A wolf pack’s territory can range from 100 square kilometers in regions with ample prey to 2,000 square kilometers or more in meager arctic lands.
Possessing a highly developed social structure, wolves most commonly form packs of between two and 12 members, although occasionally two dozen or more wolves can be part of a single pack.
The alpha male and female form the pack leadership (with a beta pair forming a “second in command”), and this strict hierarchy leads all the way down to the omega wolf, which is harried, starved, and kept at bay by the rest of the pack.
The pack social structure controls all wolf activities: what prey to attack, what the bounds of their territory are, and so on. Packs often break apart if the alpha pair dies.
Only the alpha pair is generally permitted to breed. Wolf litters consist of five or six cubs, which grow to physical maturity in their first year. Once a wolf pack has grown too large, members may splinter off to form their own packs in new territories. Wolves have a lifespan of around 10 years.
Although wolves traditionally only attack weak, frail, old, or young prey, they have been known to attack Humans, especially if they feel threatened.
The first sign most explorers who stumble across wolf territory have of their transgression is of fearsome howling, which wolves use to warn intruders, assemble the pack, or bond socially; those who have not previously formed respectful bonds with wolves would be wise to leave in that situation.
Typical Wolf
Agility 3D: fighting 5D, dodge 6D
Coordination 3D
Physique 4D: running 6D
Intellect 1D
Acumen 3D: search 4D, tracking 10D
Charisma 3D: command 4D, intimidation 5D, mettle 6D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 16
Wound Levels: 2
Natural Abilities: claws (damage +1D), teeth(damage +1D), thick fur (Armor Value +2)
Yara-Ma-Yah-Who
Yara-Ma-Yah-Who appear as short, red-skinned humanoid with oversized heads and toothless mouths. They have suckers on the bottom of their feet that can drain the victim of blood like a leech or a lamprey. They wear the tattered remains of the clothes they wore when they were human.
Yara-Ma-Yah-Who are solitary and live only to feed. They ignore creatures that do not have blood. The Yara-Ma- Yah-Who lies in wait in a fruit tree (preferably figs or other small fruit) for victims to pass by or stop to pick some food. It then jumps on the victim with its feet and begins draining the target dry.
Once it has sucked the victim dry, they drag them up into the tree in the shade of the leaves, where it swallows the corpse whole at its leisure.
These creatures always pick fruit trees in desolate areas as their favorite roosts.
They can go years with out feeding. The vampires do not have to feed from the tree that is their lair, but they prefer to do so. They are not harmed by the sun, but they prefer the darkness when possible.
Victims bitten by the vampire eventually turn into one if they are not eaten. An exorcism is needed to purge the victim of the vampire’s tainted bite (such as through a spell or miracle specifically designed to heal damage done by a Yara-Ma-Yah-Who). Alternatively, the victim must be the one to destroy the vampire. Certain natives are familiar with these creatures and will work to destroy them and cure their victims.
Those who know of the creature’s presence may leave crude drawings of the beast in and around its tree to warn off passers-by.
Yara-Ma-Yah-Who do not value treasure, but they sometimes use it to lure victims closer to their trees. If a vampire hunter manages to destroy its tree, but not the creature itself, the vampire will chase the hunter until one of them is killed.
Typical Yara-Ma-Yah-Who
Agility 4D: climbing 4D+2, fighting 4D+1, stealth4D+1
Coordination 3D
Physique 3D: lifting 5D, infection 5D
Intellect 2D
Acumen 3D: hide 6D
Charisma 1D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 10
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 21
Wound Levels: 3
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel: Stake in the Heart (R4): can be destroyed by driving through his heart a wooden stake made from the tree where he makes his lair; Advantage Flaw: Infection (R3), a victim bitten and successfully The Yara-Ma-Yah-Who is an Australian Aborigine vampire infected by the vampire but not drained turns into a Yara-Ma-Yah-Who, one characteristic (attribute, skill, or character option) alters by 1D or is replaced by another characteristic per hour until the victim’s characteristics resemble something similar to those of the typical Yara-Ma-Yah-Who
Special Abilities: Accelerated Healing (R4), +4D to natural healing rate; Skill Bonus: Spider Climbing (R2), +6 bonus to climbing totals; Longevity (R1), these creatures can go many years with out feeding.
Equipment: flashy pieces of treasure to lure victims to their doom
Zombie
Zombies are normal humanoid corpses that have become animated.
These creature can be in any state of decay and often still bear the fatal wounds that turned the living humanoid into a dead one. Also known as the Living Dead, Zombies almost always remain in the tattered clothes in which they were created. The longer a Zombie survives, the more tattered the clothes and the more decayed and rotting the body. Some creators graft armor and weapons onto their newly undead followers, making them more lethal.
Others try to make their Zombies carry weapons, but they drop them after their first successful feeding.
Ninety-nine percent of all Zombies are mindless, so they lack any noticeable social structure. Existing only to feed on the flesh of the living, Zombies can still somehow sense other undead and will not attack them. A tiny percentage of these creatures retain a dim recollection of other impulses that drove them when they were alive. These Zombies sometimes help living humanoids escape or use their knowledge to bypass more complex defenses. Only an extreme emotional state at the moment of death can create these smarter Zombies, and they are only dimly aware of these other impulses.
Zombies are divided into two subcategories: supernatural and diseased.
Supernatural Zombies are created by supernatural means, either through an ancient relic or powerful spellcaster.
or cleric These Zombies can only be stopped by destroying the magic or holy item or person who brought them to life. Short of complete obliteration by fire or extreme energy, these Zombies continue to return and attack. These Zombies do not create other Zombies unless that is part of the magic spell that initially created them.
Diseased Zombies are created through a fatal infection that turns the victim into a Zombie. It is the Zombie’s brain that keeps the creature moving, so severe trauma to that area or beheading destroys the creature. One bite from the diseased Zombie can slowly transform a victim into a Zombie unless the disease can be cured or the infected part of the body can be amputated before it spreads.
Zombies of all types do not gain sustenance from eating flesh, but some scholars theorize that this action somehow eases the pain of death. Some types prefer certain body parts, such as hearts or brains, possibly because of the greater concentration of life force there.
Zombies not preserved by extraordinary means will rot away to skeletons within a few weeks after their first death(not after they were resurrected).
Zombies with out direction or living creatures to hunt wander aimlessly until their flesh and muscles completely fall off, providing them with nothing to keep their bones together. In very rare instances, magical Zombies will turn into Skeletons. Only specially crafted magic or miracles can heal them, control them, and extend their ability to survive. Zombies never recover from physical damage on their own.
Typical Zombie
Agility 2D: fighting 3D
Coordination 1D
Physique 3D: infection 5D (diseased only)
Intellect 1D
Acumen 1D
Charisma 2D
Strength Damage: 2D
Move: 4
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 12
Wound Levels: 2
Advantages: None
Disadvantages: Achilles’ Heel: Means of Destruction (R4), destruction of the relic, cleric, or spellcaster may destroy all Zombies connected to it (supernatural) or decapitation (disease); Achilles’ Heel: No Healing (R4), Zombies cannot be healed except by magic or miracles; Advantage Flaw: Infection (R3), transfers all Disadvantages and Special Abilities to victim injured by a zombie and successfully infected by him; Hindrance: Movement (R1), base running Move reduce to 4; Reduced Attribute: Agility, Charisma (R4 each), -1D each; Reduced Attribute: Coordination, Intellect, Acumen (R7 each), -2D each
Special Abilities: Fear (R10), +10 to intimidation and combat defense difficulties with Ability Loss (R3), only when Zombies outnumber victim by several to one; Increased Attribute: Physique (R5), +4 to related totals; Natural Hand-to- Hand Weapon: Teeth(R1), +1D damage; Skill Bonus: Mindless (R5), +15 to mettle totals; Skill Bonus: Painless Wounds (R4), +12 to stamina total