Fantastical monsters

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Fantastical Monsters include a number of beings of legend, not often seen by humans and related species. They tend to make their homes in inaccessible areas where few men go. These species include: centaurs, chimeras, giant amoebas, gorgons, manticores, minotaurs, nagas, sphinxes, and unicorns. Due to their rarity, live specimens are usually of great value in the marketplace.

CENTAUR

Natural Habitat: Woods, Marsh, Rough, Caverns, Plains
Frequency: Uncommon
Number: 2-20 (4)
Description: Centaurs are half-man, half-horse. They are human down to the hips, but they join the body of a horse where the neck would normally be. Their lower half has hide, just as a horse's, while their top half is that of a normal man.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Centaurs can have all the abilities and skills of a human. Centaurs in general are good with bows and at hunting, and have an affinity for healing and the art of prophecy.
Movement Rates: Running: 600
PS 10-30 MD 5-20 AG 10-23 MA 5-23
EN 12-20 FT 20-30 WP 7-26 PC 10-30
PB 12-17 TMR 12 NA Hide absorbs 3 DP
Weapons: Centaurs use weapons as do men. They will usually have Rank in one or more of their weapons.
Comments: Centaurs cannot resist alcohol and become violent when drunk. Centaurs will only rarely let a human ride them, and only then at pressing need. They eat raw flesh (including human flesh), and will often abduct young maidens for food and other purposes.

CHIMERA

Natural Habitat: Woods, Rough, Caverns, Ruins
Frequency: Very Rare
Number: 1-3 (1)
Description: The chimera has the head of a goat, the foreparts of a lion, and the rear section of a dragon. Chimeras are large (up to 12 feet long) and breath fire. They are 3-hex monsters.
Talents, Skills and Magic: The chimera can breath a cone of fire. Other than that, it has no special skills or magical ability.
Movement Rates: Running: 500
PS 28-32 MD 25-28 AG 15-20 MA None
EN 20-22 FT 30-34 WP 14-19 PC 13-20
PB 3-7 TMR 10 NA Hide absorbs 8 DP
Weapons: The chimera has a fire breath that it can use in Ranged and Melee combat. The range of the cone of breath is 50 feet and at the base the cone is 20 feet in diameter. All within the cone suffer [D + 15] damage. A chimera must execute a Fire action to breath in this fashion. In Melee Combat and Close Combat, the chimera has a bite like that of a huge lion (Base Chance of 75% + 8 damage).
Comments: Chimera thrive on ruin, and the area surrounding one of their lairs will be a burned wasteland. In the area surrounding the lair, or occasionally in the lair itself, there may be victims with some treasure (25%, 1-6 bodies with 100-600 Silver Pennies, 25% each has something else of value), but otherwise chimera do not hoard wealth as do dragons.

GIANT AMOEBA

Natural Habitat: Caverns, Ruins.
Frequency: Uncommon
Number: 1-6 (1)
Description: A giant amoeba is a shapeless, flowing creature between 6 inches and 6 feet in diameter.
Talents, Skills and Magic: A giant amoeba can sense any organic material within 25 feet, and will move toward the closest such material that it can sense. Giant amoeba are able to cat anything they come in contact with. They can slip under doors and through very small cracks.
Movement Rates: Crawling: 50
PS None MD None AG 3-4 MA None
EN 10-12 FT 20-24 WP 6-8 PC 6-8
PB 3-5 TMR 1 NA None
Weapons: A giant amoeba does not attack, per se, but rather attempts to consume anything in its way. If a giant amoeba is ever in the same hex on the tactical display as any living creature, that creature takes 2 DP per Pulse until it leaves the hex occupied by the amoeba. Note that if a creature is fully consumed, any weapons and other non-organic materials will be left behind, although all bones will be consumed.
Comments: If a giant amoeba is reduced to 0 endurance as a result of the attacks of normal (non-magical) weapons, the amoeba merely splits into two amoebas, each with half the size, endurance, and fatigue of the original amoeba. Magical weapons and magical attacks affect the amoeba normally.

GORGON (MEDUSA)

Natural Habitat: Woods and Wilderness (lairs in caverns)
Frequency: Very rare
Number: 1-3 (1)
Description: Gorgons are physically humanoid, but boast a headful of writhing green snakes of a venomous nature. They also have hypnotic, burning red eyes. Gorgons like to appear as comely maidens and often wear the attire of human females. They have large brazen claws and hog-like teeth. They specialise in enticing males who they then turn to stone.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Gorgons possess no special skills or magic as a rule, but may learn human skills and magic. They have the special talent of turning those that look directly into their eyes to stone. Any character facing a Gorgon must roll four times Willpower or less each pulse that they face the beast or they succumb to her blandishments, looks into her eyes and is turned to stone.
Movement Rates: Running: 250
PS 10-13 AG 10-14 MD 12-15 MA 15-18
EN 10-14 FT 15-19 WP 16-20 PC 16-18
PB Always 0 TMR 5 NA None
Weapons: In addition to her eyes, the Gorgon may Melee Attack with claws (Base Chance of 50%, + 4 damage, Rank of 1-5) or Close Combat using claws, teeth and hair (Base Chance of 30%, [D + 0] damage, but possible poisoning as from an asp bite and no Rank). Gorgons may attack using hair, teeth and claws in the same pulse. The Gorgon may attempt to turn a character to stone any time.
Comments: The gorgon's eyes only become visible at a range of 100 feet and she cannot turn a character to stone beyond that range. The attempt to turn a character to stone is automatic whenever a character faces the gorgon's front and requires no action.

MANTICORE

Natural Habitat: Rough, Caverns
Frequency: Rare
Number: 1-6 (1)
Description: Manticores have the body of a lion, bat-like wings, and the head of a human, although larger to fit their bodies. At the tip of their tail they have up to 12 spikes, which they can launch as weapons.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Manticores have no magical properties, and no special abilities other than the ability to launch their tail spikes.
Movement Rates: Flying: 500; Running: 350
PS 28-32 MD 20-25 AG 26-30 MA None
EN 12-14 FT 20-25 WP 12-18 PC 12-18
PB 3-6 TMR 10/7 NA Fur absorbs 8 DP
Weapons: Manticores can use their tail spikes in Ranged Combat as if they were heavy crossbows. They are able to launch up to 6 of the spikes at any one time as long as the spikes are all aimed at spots within 6 feet of each other. In Melee Combat, the Manticore can attack with its two claws (Base Chance of 60%, [D + 5] damage). Once their tail spikes are exhausted (they regenerate in about a day) Manticores try to enter Close Combat as soon as possible, where they can use their claws.
Comments: Manticores like to hunt, and their favourite prey is man. They will lie in wait for a party, and then send their spikes whirling into it. If the Manticores lair is found, there is a chance (30%) that it will have dragged bodies with treasure on them into its cave.

MINOTAUR

Natural Habitat: Caverns, Woods, Rough.
Frequency: Very Rare
Number: 1-6 (1)
Description: Minotaurs are humanoid, with the head of a bull and a very hairy hide. They have a tail, just like that of a bull.
Talents, Skills and Magic: The Minotaur has no special magical abilities or talents. They are tool users and will sometimes use simple weapons.
Movement Rates: Running: 300
PS 22-26 MD 18-20 AG 14-17 MA None
EN 14-16 FT 22-25 WP 14-16 PC 18-20
PB 4-7 TMR 6 NA Hide absorbs 6 DP
Weapons: A Minotaur can attack by butting with his horns, biting, or attacking with a weapon. Butt: Base Chance of 40%, [D + 3] damage. Bite: Base Chance of 30%, [D - 1] damage. A Minotaur will hold Rank 1-5 with whatever weapon it uses. The Minotaur can use any combination of two of these attacks in any one pulse without penalty. in Close Combat the Minotaur can use only his bite, but the Base Chance goes up to 50%.
Comments: Minotaurs are particularly vicious, and will attack virtually anything that their dim intelligence tells them they have even a mediocre chance of beating. These beasts generally like the dark, and will only rarely be found in the open after sunup.

NAGA

Natural Habitat: Crypts, Marsh
Frequency: Very Rare
Number: 1-6 (1)
Description: Nagas are humanoid above the waist, and have the body of a serpent below. Male Nagas have the upper half Of a man, while female Nagas have the upper half of a woman. Both types will usually be 10-12 feet long.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Nagas are frequently (85%) members of one of the Colleges of Thaumaturgies. If a Naga is a magic-user, it will have Rank 2-8 with each of the General Knowledge spells, talents, and rituals, and will have Rank 1-5 with those Special Knowledge spells and rituals that they know (Usually 5-10 will be known). Nagas can also read the minds of any that they can see, understanding both the thoughts and intentions of the subject. This talent cannot be resisted.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 400; Crawling: 300
PS 20-25 MD 17-21 AG 12-16 MA 16-20
EN 25-32 FT 20-25 WP 20-24 PC 19-23
PB 13-17 TMR 8/6 NA Scales absorb 5 DP
Weapons: Naga will use ordinary edged weapons 50% of the time, and if they do use a weapon, they will have Rank 4-6 with it. If they do not use a weapon, they can attack with a bite or a constriction attack. The bite has a Base Chance of 55% and does [D + 4] damage, while the constriction has a Base Chance of 40% and does [D + 8] damage. The bite can be used in either Close or Melee Combat, while the constriction can only be used in Close Combat. If a Naga's bite penetrates an enemy's armour (i.e. does damage to the character's Fatigue or Endurance), then the victim takes 2 additional DP per Pulse for D10 Pulses because of the Naga's poison. Only an antidote specifically designed for Naga venom will neutralise this poison. A Naga can also spit this poison up to a range of 40 feet. The spittle has a Base Chance of 30% (modified for range as an ordinary hurled weapon) and does [D + 4] damage.
Comments: Nagas are often the guardians and keepers of knowledge. They seek to preserve powerful knowledge from the use of those who would not use it properly, and at the same time they try to deliver it to those who could best use it for the cause of good. This knowledge might be magical in nature, or of some other type. Nagas will use force to defend the knowledge that they guard (which will usually be in the form of a written tome) but will warn intruders beforehand, and allow them a chance to get away.

SPHINX

Natural Habitat: Rough, Woods
Frequency: Very Rare
Number: 1
Description: A sphinx has the body of a winged lion, with the head and breasts of a woman. A sphinx is usually about 12 feet tong. A sphinx has large, sharp teeth, and is a two-hex monster.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Most sphinxes are accomplished members of a College of Magic, usually one of the Thaumaturgies. They will know all General Knowledge spells at Rank 6-9, and will know all Special Knowledge spells at Rank 3-6. In addition, a sphinx will know D10 counterspells from other Colleges. Sphinxes also have excellent senses of smell. They will be able track as if they had Rank 8 in the Ranger ability, and they will be able to detect the presence of hidden or invisible characters 75% of the time.
Movement Rates: Running: 500; Flying: 600
PS 30-35 MD 22-24 AG 17-19 MA 12-22
EN 40-50 FT 60-75 WP 20-23 PC 17-19
PB 4-6 TMR 10/12 NA Hide absorbs 6 DP
Weapons: A sphinx can attack three times (once with a bite, and twice with its claws) in the same Pulse without penalty. The bite has a Base Chance of 75% and does [D + 8] damage. The claws have a Base Chance of 60% and do [D + 4] damage.
Comments: Sphinxes are proverbial riddle-lovers. They love to learn new riddles, and will sometimes let a passer-by live in exchange for a good one. They also like to ask riddles, however. When a sphinx asks a riddle, it will state what will happen to a character who does not answer the riddle successfully, and what reward (usually just free passage) will be given to those who do. A sphinx will always try to keep its word as to what it will do if the riddle is answered, although there is a 2% chance that it will simply kill itself if the riddle is answered correctly.

UNICORN

Natural Habitat: Woods, Plains
Frequency: Rare
Number: 1-8 (2)
Description: Unicorns are white equines with a single, long horn coming out of their forehead. They have a single black, 2 foot long horn set in a deer's head, very thick feet, and the tail of a boar.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Unicorns are immune to poison, and a character who possesses one of their horns is also immune. They are also almost impossible to trap as they are very intelligent and wary. They have 5 times the strength of an average human. They are unable to cast spells in the usual sense.
Movement Rates: Running: 600
PS 55-60 MD None AG 16-19 MA None
EN 25-30 FT 50-60 WP 20-25 PC 25-30
PB 18-20 TMR 12 NA Hide absorbs 4 DP
Weapons: In Melee Combat, a unicorn uses its horn (Base Chance of 60%, [D + 7] damage). In Close Combat, it can attack with its hooves as a War-horse.
Comments: Unicorns are virtually untameable by ordinary men, but a unicorn can occasionally be tamed by a virgin (40%) as unicorns love purity and innocence.