 October 30, 2015 - 8:44am | Inspired by Tch's work on black out Bat. Creature is basically harmless. However, when startled or disturbed it expels a small amount of gas like an octopus with ink or a pigeon with poop in the rush to get airboune. If only one were present for this effect it would merely fill an area with malodorous fumes inspiring characters to relocate to fresher air. Unfortunately these avians come in flocks and the combined effect of their gas discharge is similar to the effects of a smoke grenade as listed in the rules. Larger flocks produce larger diameter clouds. No laser fire and all characters in area of effect suffer the same ability and skill check penalty as the smoke grenade unless they are wearing a gas mask. If carrying a gas mask and caught in a sudden "cloud burst" RS check to save against suffering the effect- meaning you got your mask on fast enough. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
October 30, 2015 - 8:51am | The gas is merely a defense mechanism like the octopus' ink jet. It might also be a bit of "jet assist" in getting airborne quickly. One third rate human comedian famously added a captive one to his act and toured Inner Reach but was quickly blacklisted in the comedy clubs on inner reach and the avian was confiscated. It was latter returned to him on the condition he depart Inner Reach. Travelling to Outer Reach the avian was last seen in the possession of the Malthar and the comedian seems to have disappeared. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
October 30, 2015 - 8:59am | As for stats: its small to tiny in size with paltry STA, no attack other than its spec attack/defense. Another defense is that it's very adapt at hiding in underbrush (till a character nearly steps on one and the whole flock errupts airbourne). They don't even need to be very fast their spec attack/defense is enough that Native predators mostly leave them alone. Though there should be at least one predator in their ecosystem that is immune to the gas and keeps them from over populating. EDIT: very high IM stat to ensure they react faster than PCs. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
October 30, 2015 - 9:04am | Toying with the name stink pigeon but also referred to as stink bombs, however the official name from the explorer archive is Grouss' Pigeon as it was named after its discoverer. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 October 30, 2015 - 5:46pm | I love it... also the smell/spray should be like a skunks, lingers, gets on anything you can't get the smell out... useless to near useless folk baths that do other bad things... dye a person pink for example. Skunk + Bat = Skat? Pole Bat, Pole Bird, Stinkers, Skuab (skunk+squab/pigeon) ? lol, love the idea. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
November 3, 2015 - 4:11pm | Skat is also another word for animal feces- when tracking you look for skat. I like the lingering smell idea. After PCs are out of cloud Only half the penalty due to lingering smell. Until PCs wash with ? (Not tomato juice) perhaps some plant in the native environment that if boiled in water and the water cooled then you can wash away smell. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
November 3, 2015 - 7:40pm | Maybe something gross and slimy removes the smell. Like the spit of some herbavour or some slimy slug creature that eats skat poo or some sort of native pond slime. Lol. "Never fire a laser at a mirror." |
 November 3, 2015 - 9:51pm | I like Skuab. Urine removes pain from a jellyfish sting. How about that? |
November 4, 2015 - 7:28am | Slimey swamp mud, yazirian urine, ??? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 November 7, 2015 - 10:50am | I like the slug slime idea. Specifically because the slugs eat said creature's byproducts. Maybe the cure is not just the slim but activily letting the creature crawl all over you. Kinda like getting leech treatments for blood infections. -iggy |
