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DESCRITPION: Apvacs are gentle bacteriovores which scourmicroscopic plant and animal life from the soil, plants and even animal lifethey encounter as they wend their way through an area. They are quite climatologicallyversatile and can adapt to virtually any terrestrial environment as long as thereare microbes to feed upon. Apvac have eight legs and a brain stalk that looksvery much like a tail sticking skyward at the rear of their body.Each emaciated leg ends in a set of microscopic ‘mouths'which are constantly feeding on microbes. The brain stalk has long polypeptide ‘hair'filaments dangling from its crown. These filaments, which look much like ahorse's tail, are shed periodically. Dralasites often weave the long strands,which range from blue to dark red, into intricately designed blankets that areas useful as they are beautiful. Apvac flesh is considered a Dralasitedelicacy. Apvacs frequently cast off limbs, often after being frightened, and regeneratenew ones all without any sign of pain. Dralasite apvac-herders consume these ‘castings'with vigor. Animal behaviorists believe apvacs developed this behavior to allowthem to escape from hungry predators by sacrificing easily regrown (1 week perlimb) limbs.
Arphu
TYPE: Small OmnivoreNUMBER: 1 - 10MOVE: MediumIM/RS: 6/60STAMINA: 20ATTACK: 30 (Base Column +3)DAMAGE: 1d5 Peck/Claw+ Poison/ (5 Cobalt + Poison)SPECIAL ATTACK: NoneSPECIAL DEFENSE: Venomous Leg Spurs (S2/T5)NATIVE WORLD: Hum (Fochrik)- forestDESCRITPION: These four-legged fowl are found wild in theforests of Hum, but are also commonly kept as livestock in rural Hummacommunities, where they feed on insects and other pest animals. Their eggs area staple on many Humma worlds. Arphu will try to dig their venomous rear legspurs into any creature foolish enough to attack them.
Bolzeen (Metaweasels)
TYPE: Small OmnivoreNUMBER: 1-3MOVE: Medium (25 meters/turn)IM/RS: 6/60STAMINA: 30ATTACK: 30 (Base Column +3)DAMAGE: 1d10 Bite (10 Cobalt)SPECIAL ATTACK: NoneSPECIAL DEFENSE: NoneNATIVE WORLD: Hum (Fochrik) - forestDESCRITPION: These tiny creatures seem to be comprised oflittle more than legs, fur, and a disproportionately large appetite. Bolzeenare scavengers and will eat virtually anything. They have natural immunity toarphu venom, which is fortunate since their favorite food is arphu eggs. Themetallic green fur of day-sleeping bolzeen is often matted with broken eggshells, incriminating evidence from their nightly raids. Humma despise thesecreatures even as food, finding their tough meat hardly worth the effort. Theyoften adorn their battle gear with this critter's pelts to show theirappreciation for their raids on domestic arphu nests.
Balt (Snow Gators)
TYPE: Large CarnivoreNUMBER: 1MOVE: Medium (20 meters/turn)IM/RS: 4/40STAMINA: 250ATTACK: 60 (Base Column +6)DAMAGE: 2d10 Bite (20 Cobalt)SPECIAL ATTACK: +1 to IM due to natural camouflageSPECIAL DEFENSE: Will not be noticed if it does not attackNATIVE WORLD: Starmist (Sundown) - riftDescription: Snow Gators were not discovered during originalsurveys on Starmist. Built on a roughly crocodilian body scheme, these massivecollections of teeth on six legs, which reach an average four meters in lengthstalk Starmist's deepest rifts.Balts have adapted a hibernation/activity schedule thatallows them to survive Starmist's unforgiving rift environment. They arewarm-blooded and have thick layers of blubber and fur to keep them comfortableduring their active hunting phase. Balts give live birth and a clutch of twogenderless, precocial pups are every other spring. Pups are able to care forthemselves the moment they are born and instinctively depart their parent andsiblings to avoid being eaten. Keeping balt pups as pets has become the vogueon some planets. However, many owners find that the fully grown adults are morethan they can handle. Zoos have discovered that they have no need to fundexpeditions to collect these popular creatures. Several have even begunimposing fees for taking balts off their owners' hands while they still possessdigits.
Bumba
TYPE: Tiny Photosynthesis-UserNUMBER: 1-20MOVE: Very Slow (1 meter/turn)IM/RS: 1/10STAMINA: 10ATTACK: NoneDAMAGE: NoneSPECIAL ATTACK: None (See Description)SPECIAL DEFENSE: NoneNATIVE WORLD: Wonma (Osak) - forestDescription: Another widespread pet species, popular due totheir low maintenance, is the bumba. These creatures need only sunlight andwater in order to survive. Many beings who have managed to accidentally killevery other pet they have ever had, have had great success with bumbas. Bumbasaverage 10 centimeters in length, possess animal level intelligence and movefrom place to place by rolling and jumping. They have no apparent sensoryorgans otherthan their violet-hued skin, which is rough, rigid,wart-textured. They are easily 'house broken' and excrete only a few grams ofwaste dust every few weeks. Most Vrusk are highly allergic to bumba dander andwill sneeze uncontrollably from their spiracles as long as they are withinrange of one (5 meters), unless they pass a STA check. Failure means that thecharacter is allergic to that bumba or group of bumbas and will suffer a -1 toall IM rolls and -10% (-1 CS) to any necessary DEX checks as long as he remainsaround that bumba. Leaving the area provides immediate relief. A passed STAcheck means that this particular bumba's dander does not affect the character.No further checks are required (for that particular bumba-Vrusk relationshipthat is).
Clade
TYPE: Small CarnivoreNUMBER: 1-10MOVE: Medium (20 meters/turn)IM/RS: 7/70STAMINA: 50ATTACK: 60 (Base Column +6)DAMAGE: 1d10 Claws (10 Cobalt)SPECIAL ATTACK: 3 Attacks Per TurnSPECIAL DEFENSE: Immune to needlers due to chitinouscarapaceNATIVE WORLD: Kawdl-Kit (K'tsa-Kar) - jungleDescription: Clade are nasty customers resembling archaicbooks complete with pages and a sturdy cover. These 'pages' are actuallyrazor-edged claws and the 'cover' is a chitinous carapace. These hunters slinkabout in the tropical undergrowth of Kawdl-Kit feeding on small birds andmammals. They are perpetually hungry and will fearlessly attack species muchlarger than they are, if smaller fare is not available. Preferring moist, warmclimates, they have been known to crawl into air vents on atmospheric craft andsmaller, planet-falling starships that have landed in or near their junglehabitat. Clades easily rend vent screening filters with their claws and canenter a ship's ventilation system at their leisure, where they will continuetheir search for food. Their adaptive nature and proclivity for climbing intoship's vent systems has spread these unpleasant creatures to several worlds.They have also made routine inspections of ventilation systems more common,more thorough and alot more dangerous than they once were.
Clootseesi
TYPE: Small OmnivoresNUMBER: 1-20MOVE: Medium (20 meters/turn)IM/RS: 5/50STAMINA: 5ATTACK: 60 (Base Column +6)DAMAGE: 1 Point Per Collective AttackSPECIAL ATTACK: None (Foodborne Illness for Humans; SeeDescription)SPECIAL DEFENSE: NoneNATIVE WORLD: Kawdl-Kit (K'tsa-Kar) - jungleDescription: Cloots are cube-shaped, gelatinous creaturesnative to the jungles of Kawdl-Kit. These omnivorous scamps usually travel ingroups of 5 to 20 scavenging the jungle floor for bits of detritus. They are,in essence, nature's vacuum cleaners and if it isn't nailed down or alive, itwill likely be consumed by these voracious mites. They are innately curious,yet easily unnerved by unfamiliar creatures. They are believed to possesscollective intelligence which seems to increase up until a group reaches 20individuals. Addition of further cloots actually lessens their groupintelligence and the creatures are either cognizant of this or avoid forminglarge r group by instinct. Their intelligence ranges from basic survival asindividuals to understanding a limited set of voice commands and performing'tricks' as a collective of up to 20. Troutella are bacteria that live on cloots. These bacteriapose no threat to the cloots themselves or to non-Humans, but do causefoodborne illness in man. Any human touching a cloots must make a STA checkafter th e first 10 hours following contact and again at 20 hours to see ifthey become ill. Fever, vomiting and nausea will follow for any Humans failingeither of these checks. They will temporarily lose two STA points for two dayswhile they recover.
Dadakta
TYPE: Very Small Psi Energy FeederNUMBER: 1MOVE: Very Slow (1 meter/turn)IM/RS: 3/30STAMINA: 15ATTACK: Automatic Within 1 MeterDAMAGE: NoneSPECIAL ATTACK: Psionic Drain (See Below)SPECIAL DEFENSE: Detection Discipline Scramble (See Below)NATIVE WORLD: UnknownDadakta are fist-sized, arthropodian psionic scavengersthat appear to be drawn to persons possessing greater than average psionicability. Once a day, usually while its host sleeps, the dadakta takes a psionicmeal. It will draw 1d10 LOG (10 Cobalt) points from its host every day until itis either removed or the person loses their psionic abilities. The creature isharmless to non-psis and may be safely kept as a pet. If psionic energy is notavailable, dadakta feed on fruit sugars. The dadakta world of origin is still unknown and nomentalist disciplines have proven useful in solving this mystery. They alsohave an instinctive defense mechanism which scrambles any psionic attempt todetermine if they are the cause of local psionic drainage. This defense willmake anyone attempting to determine the source of t he psionicdrainage believethat one of his compatriots, often his closest friend, is the source of hisdeclining abilities. Since they appear to be harmless arthropods (and they areto the non-psi), and cause their hosts no apparent damage, many explorers keepthem as pets. They have been carried to a number of worlds and are still okayedfor export by UPF officials, much to the chagrin of mentally gifted personsthroughout the Frontier.
Dzelt (Flit-tails)
TYPE: Tiny CarnivoreNUMBER: 1-10MOVE: Fast ( 90 meters/turn)IM/RS: 9/90STAMINA: 15ATTACK: 90 (Base Column +9)DAMAGE: 1d5 Bite (5 Cobalt)SPECIAL ATTACK: NoneSPECIAL DEFENSE: NoneNATIVE WORLD: Exib (Yast (Athor) ) - peridomesticDescription: Dzelt are tiny arthropods that share manyYazirian houses on Exib. They are useful creatures as they hunt the harmfulsting flies that typically fill Exibian nights with their buzz and itch andwhich also carry Milo's Disease. Dzelt arebuilt somewhat like scorpions except they have wings, which they rarely use,and their tail ends not in a sting, but in a third pincer which they use forsecuring and subduing prey. They can scale walls and ceilings with ease andoften suspend themselves from such perches while they wait for their next meal. Dzelt are common pets among young Yazirians and becausethey keep sting fly populations in check, a myth surrounding the killing of adzelt has evolved. Yazirians killing a dzelt (accidentally or not) must leave asmall saucer of mulk (mulkis milk) out at night in apology to the deadcreature's family. The mulk actually draws sting flies, which in turn, drawsdzelts. The offender is assumed to be forgiven if the remains of sting fliesare found floating in the mulk. Failure to leave the mulk offering or if it isnot accepted supposedly bodes bad luck for the offending Yazirian.
Elposha Phorad
TYPE: Parasitic PlantNUMBER: 1MOVE: Very Slow (1/4 meter/turn)IM/RS: 1/10STAMINA: 20ATTACK: 50 (Base Column +5)DAMAGE: 10 Points STA DrainSPECIAL ATTACK: NoneSPECIAL DEFENSE: NoneNATIVE WORLD: Phri'sk (Kashra'sk)Description: S'sessu society attaches an oddly elevatedview of any of their kind who become host to this parasitic plant. Thiscreature maintains a constant drain on its host, leaving his STA 10 points lessthan its normal unaffected state. The plant also confers heightened insightability to any S'sessu thus parasitized. The creature will parasitize all characterraces except Dralasites.A special roll must be made to determine if the creaturewill parasitize a S'sessu. If the roll is equal to or less than a S'sessu's PERscore, the plant will accept that individual and blithely grow on his or herneck and shoulder area. Only successfully parasitized S'sessu derive thebenefit of heightened insight ability which is determined by rolling percentiledice. The result of this roll is added to the S'sessu's racial ability score orreplaces that score, whichever result is higher. Racial abilities may not beraised about 100 points. The same 10 point STA loss also applies to S'sessu,who will almost always be happy to accept such an honor.If the plant dies or is voluntarily excised the host willrecover its lost STA points normally and ability insight modifications areimmediately lost, returning the S'sessu to the score he or she had beforeparasitization. Reinfestation is always possible, but only one roll per hostseason (roughly 1 standard year) is allowed. Omnimycin is a suitable treatmentfor those wishing to remove the plant from unwilling hosts.
Elipherions (Space Cats)
Type: Medium Omnivorous Feline-like creatures similar to a caracal
Number: found in groups/packs of up to 10
Movement: Very fast (90 meters/turn)
IM/RS: 9/90
STA: 55
ATK: 2d10 (claws, can do two different attacks per turn), 3d10 (bite)
Special Attack: Ambush - if the cat is not detected by the enemy, any attack has a modifier of +7 to any damage rolled.
Native World: Zik-kit on the K'isk-Kar system
Description: These compact yet graceful cats were once plentiful on the rocky world of Zik-kit, as the terrain was a perfect place to find prey, bask in the light of the nearby star, or hide. However, once the planet was colonized, anyone on the planet was authorized to shoot these cats if they interfered with the mining work done by the Vrusk. This led to widescale destruction of the species, and many of the prey were being killed by the pollution. Lately, though, the species has been under the watchful eye of the ECGOCVH, a coalition of Vrusk and Human researchers aiming to conserve wildlife on many planets, and populations are on the rise. The species has a special bonding pattern that appears to occur when one of the major races saves the life of one of these cats. A prime example is the bond between the space cat Cloud's Edge and the explorer Alistair Ravenshade. They share a telepathic link that allows for communication, and this means that Cloud's Edge can accompany Ravenshade on his adventures and be able to contribute to the party's success. This was evidenced when Cloud's Edge was able to successfully leap onto the back of a Slither so that Ravenshade and his group could kill it while it was distracted.
Lifespan: about 35 years in the wild, about 45 in captivity, and about 50 with free reign (bonded)
Fiktif
TYPE: Small OmnivoreNUMBER: 1-5MOVE: Fast (80 meters/turn)IM/RS: 5/50STAMINA: 40ATTACK: 50 (Base Column +5)DAMAGE: 1d5 Bite (5 Cobalt)SPECIAL ATTACK: NoneSPECIAL DEFENSE: Sound MimicryNATIVE WORLD: Pale (Truane's Star) - forestsDescription: Depending on who you ask, fiktif are viewedas either wonderfully amusing creatures or the bane of all who come intocontact with them. These four-winged amphibian fliers have the ability toimitate virtually any speaker of larynx-based languages in the Frontier. Theycan recall long passages of speech, up to three minutes in length. Fiktifdeveloped this skill in the trees and rivers of Pale where they parrot predatorycalls to ward off their natural enemies. They are not overly bright and do notunderstand even the simplest spoken command. Other than this limited skill,fiktif seem relegated to flying and swimming in their cages.
Kalp
TYPE: Small CarnivoreNUMBER: 1-10MOVE: Fast (80 meters/turn)IM/RS: 7/70STAMINA: 100ATTACK: 60 (Base Column +6)DAMAGE: 1d5 Bite (5 Cobalt)SPECIAL ATTACK: NoneSPECIAL DEFENSE: Scent Gland: 70 (Base Column +7)NATIVE WORLD: Homeworld (Capella)Description: Kalp are favorite companion animals toIfshnits. They are so popular that the Capellan Free Merchants successfullylobbied for their export offworld without the usual reproductive restraintsthat accompany similar decisions about interplanetary transport of nativespecies. This means that kalp which are capable of reproducing are legallytransportable to any world in the Frontier. The creature's acquiescent nature,long reproductive cycle (20 years between litters) and low birth rates (averagetwo whelps per litter), doubtless, helped sway the decision makers.Kalp are the very definition of loyal companions, servingtheir owners until one or the other dies. They look very much like normal muttdogs except for their red to orange fur and double tails. Kalps are protectiveof their owners and will not hesitate to risk life and limb to defend them.Their faithfulness, affable nature and good companionship means that kalpwhelps fetch a high price throughout the Frontier. If threatened, kalp mayrelease a stream of noxious secretions at their enemy. The stench affects allraces except Humma causing a -10% (-1CS) for all actions in a five meter radiusof the spray victim. The scent and its effects lasts for 1 hour and will notwash off before that time. Gas masks and space suits are effective protectionagainst the spray. This gland is required to be removed from all kalp removedfrom Homeworld and also from whelps born outside the Capella System.
Kunyi
TYPE: Small OmnivoreNUMBER: 2-10MOVE: Fast (100 meters/turn)IM/RS: 9/90STAMINA: 40ATTACK: 50 (Base Column +5)DAMAGE: 1d10 Bite (10 Cobalt)SPECIAL ATTACK: NoneSPECIAL DEFENSE: Silicate Shell Provides 1/2 Damage fromMelee WeaponsNATIVE WORLD: Groth (Fromeltar)Kunyi are pack animals used chiefly by Dralasites. On someworlds, Dralasite apvac herders use kunyi to control their flocks while onothers, they are used as guard creatures for their master's homes. Kunyi havesilica-hardened shells or tests that protect their vulnerable interiors. Theymove about on a set of permanently formed pseudopod- like tentacles that may becompletely withdrawn inside the test, leaving only a small silicate set ofmandibles exposed for defense.Like their Dralasite masters, Kunyi have extremelywell-developed senses of smell and taste. They also have excellent vision, butsee only in the IR ranges. Kunyi reproduce sexually and do not perform well asindividual entities, becoming withdrawn if separated from fellow kunyi. Theywill refuse to eat in such cases and will lose 5 STA pts/day until they eitherhave a fellow Kunyi to consort with or they die. Anyone wishing to employ Kunyimust have at least a pair or them with four to six kunyi being the preferredgrouping size.
Medib (Sting Fly)
TYPE: Tiny CarnivoreNUMBER: 1-20MOVE: Fast (80 meters/turn)IM/RS: 5/50STAMINA: 5ATTACK: 50 (Base Column +5)DAMAGE: 1d5 Bite (5 Cobalt) + DiseaseSPECIAL ATTACK: NoneSPECIAL DEFENSE: NoneNATIVE WORLD: Exib (Yast (Athor) ) - peridomestic/forestDescription: Sting flies are the bane of any Yazirian onExib. These creatures not only leave a painful, itching wound when they bitethey also vector Milo's Disease in Yazirians(no other races are affected). Feeding during the night, male medib take bloodmeals from any mammalian host they can find. During feeding microscopicparasites that live in the fly's gut are often regurgitated into the wound. Ifa Yazirian victim fails a STA check, he will develop Milo'sDisease in 1d10 days.Milo's Disease is characterized by spiking fevers and a lossof dexterity (halve DEX scores). The only treatment is costly and does notprovide further immunity. Haltine is the drug of choice for treatment and whileit does negate the fever and dexterity loss, it does not cure the disease.Furthermore, should someone stop their routine haltine treatment, the symptomswill return within a day. Until a cure can be found, Yazirians with Milo's Disease remain infected for life.
Mulkis
TYPE: Large HerbivoreNUMBER: 1-5MOVE: Very Slow (10 meters/turn)IM/RS: 5/50STAMINA: 120ATTACK: 50 (Base Column +5)DAMAGE: 1d10 Kick (10 Cobalt)SPECIAL ATTACK: NoneSPECIAL DEFENSE: NoneNATIVE WORLD: Exib (Yast (Athor) ) - domesticDescription: The first Yazirians to explore Exib reportedfinding small herds of animals that "stupidly bleat-mooed" at them asthey stepped down from their spacecraft. Little has changed to change thatperception and no wild mulkis remains on Exib as they were all captured anddomesticated with relative ease inside of two years of the colonization effort.Mulkis are famously dull-witted creatures and a common insult among ruralYazirians is to claim that someone does not have the sense that nature gave amulkis. Yazirians use these creatures for pulling carts andsometimes plows if machinery is not available. Their violet milk, known asmulk, is used as a beverage and when cured makes a fine purple-hued cheese.They are perfectly useless as mounts due to their size and have wicked tempers,as many young Yazirians can attest, when attempts are made to ride them. Theyare also often the culprits in raids on grape-corn fields, their favorite treatfood. Many zoologists and ecologists have marveled at the series of events thatallowed mulkis to survive as long as they have. A relative lack of natural predatorscoupledwith their yearly foaling are two factors often cited to explain their otherwiseinexplicable survival.
Suskuh
TYPE: Medium CarnivoreNUMBER: 1-5MOVE: Fast (90 meters/turn)IM/RS: 7/70STAMINA: 250ATTACK: 50 (Base Column +5)DAMAGE: 3d10 Bite (30 Cobalt): 2d10 Tail (20 Cobalt)SPECIAL ATTACK: May Attack Two Opponents at Once NoPenaltiesSPECIAL DEFENSE: NoneNATIVE WORLD: Kischen (Talkis) - swampDescription: Suskuh are serpentine creatures that theSaurians brought with them from their homeworld. Their especially long tailsmake them look very similar to snakes, but they have a strong pair of frontlimbs which they use to move around. Suskuh have some mammalian aspectsincluding batwing-like external ears and a light coat of blue to purple furcovering the scales around their legs. The fur turns sandy or grayish as thebeast ages. While too small to be used effectively as mounts, Suskuh are loyalguard creatures. They are exceptionally fast and capable in melee situationsand are able to attack two opponents simultaneously. Most Saurians use them ashunting creatures relying on their keen sense of smell to track down quarry. Therewas very little room for Suskuh aboard the colony ships, but the Saurians(especially the Kamier who evolved from the swamp dwelling land dragon ofKischen) are doing an admirable job of transplanting the creatures here in theFrontier.
Telpa
TYPE: Small OmnivoreNUMBER: 1- 200MOVE: Very Fast (200 meters/turn)IM/RS: 9/90STAMINA: 10ATTACK: 50 (Base Column +5)DAMAGE: 1d10 Bite (10 Cobalt)SPECIAL ATTACK: See DescriptionSPECIAL DEFENSE: Reflective Skin (1/2 damage from lasers)NATIVE WORLD: Shridkai Belt (Tristkar)Description: Telpa are bizarre vacuum living creaturesthat have evolved to meet the rigors of space. Resembling miniature spaceshipswith four limbs, each ending in a small hydrogen 'engine', they are commonlyfound on the Shridkai Asteroids where they were first discovered. They alsofrequently show up on space stations, having hitched rides with passingstarships. They are capable of surviving Void transit, but are not fast orstrong enough to initiate or maintain the velocity necessary to enter the Voidby themselves. Telpa have an as yet unexplained means of metabolizing any metalthey devour into hydrogen, which they use to power their thruster-like limbs aswell as other life processes. They have developed exceedingly sharp mandiblesand claws which they use to dig for natural resources on asteroids orstarships, an obviously attractive food source of food as the processed metalis readily available. The only effective means of removing them from a starshipor station hull is to blast them off with lasers or other energy weapons.Fields and screens do not repel them or affect them in any appreciable way.
T'koom
TYPE: Large Herbivore
Description: T'koom are arthropodian animals domesticatedby the Vrusk on Ken'zah-Kit. They have six tree trunk-sized walking limbsspaced evenly about their bodies, giving them excellent traction in virtuallyany terrain. They are excellent draft animals. Steering a t'koom isaccomplished by dangling Vaykal flowers in the direction one wants the creatureto go. The scent of the delicious (to the t'koom) flower does the rest. IfVaykal flowers are not available, other vegetation will accomplish the job, butnot nearly as well. Normally docile creatures, t'koom will not idly stand by ifattacked or threatened and will first attempt to trample their opponents. Ifthis does not dissuade their attacker, they will use the sting in their tails,located in the center of their shells. T'koom venom causes lasting neurologicaldamage to a victim, resulting in a permanent strength loss. A STA check isallowed to completely negate the effect, but must be rolled for each time he ishit by the sting. STR loss per envenomation for any failed STA checks equals1d10 or (10 Cobalt).
