 December 1, 2011 - 6:54pm | Hey! :) I'm working on a project that I plan to submit to the webzine in the future and was hoping to get some feedback from the community about the flora and fauna on Evergloom (details listed below). Any feedback would be greatly appriciated! Thanks! Rollo ************************ Creatures specific to Evergloom: Below is a collection of some of the more interesting creatures to be found on Evergloom. The GM is encouraged to be creative when adding others during the course of play. For example, it can be noted that the encounter table provided has listings for average herbivores, carnivores and omnivores. Since this world is a dry, desert moon it is reasonable to think that rolling an average herbivore encounter might end up being a creature similar to an antelope. Or an average carnivore could be something similar to a snake. Keep in mind however, that this moon has a very harsh environment and many creatures on Earth found in a similar environment tend to be fairly small and poisonous. The various poisons utilized by the various creatures described below (unless otherwise noted in the creature’s description), can all be collected for use by someone other than the creature(s) in question and for uses other than the obvious toxicity but only in a laboratory setting (field or proper). For example, animal poisons are often used to synthesize antidotes and beneficial drugs (anesthetics to name but one medicinal use). In this game setting it is also logical to conclude that other things could be derived from poisons such as physiologically and psychologically augmentative drugs and even recreational drugs. It will be left up to the GM to determine these specifics, for the purposes of this adventure, it is enough that these possibilities are known so that the option is there to allow for expanded play in a medical (creating antitox on the fly in a makeshift field laboratory setting specific to the individual creatures on the moon for example) or mercantile direction (collecting poisons with the intention of selling them later for fame and fortune - perhaps even treating the moon as a 'mining' moon for the express purpose of collecting poison) if the GM chooses to do so. Name: Brown Racer Type: Small Carnivore Number: 1 Move: Very Fast IM/RS: +6/65 Stamina: 15 Attack: 60 Damage: 1d10 bite Special Attack: Poison (S5/T20) Special Defense: None Native World/Habitat: Evergloom. Any warm, sandy areas DESCRIPTION: The brown racer is a many-legged arachnid that is about a meter in diameter (if just the body were measured it would be about half a meter in diameter). It is a plain, light brown color that blends nicely with the coloration of the sandy soil of the moon. It sports two fangs that are 7.5 centimeters in length and that are capable of easily penetrating a leather boot and delivering a load of poison to the foot inside. They have no spinnerets and do not produce webs as they are strictly a terrestrial predator. They are very powerfully built; robust even, and depend upon their speed (very fast!), strength and highly toxic poison to subdue prey (a dose of Antitox will clear this right up). These spiders are extremely fearsome and exceptionally aggressive. Living in a harsh desert landscape, they lunge at the chance to feed on any prey item and will aggressively chase anything that they encounter. As a result of their harsh living conditions, their poison is also extremely toxic so that a single bite is generally capable of killing any creature twice the size of a human or smaller within moments of exposure. Any bite that manages to bypass the defenses of the brown racer’s victim and does at least one point of damage will inject a deadly toxin (S5/T20) into the victim. In addition to the damage inflicted by the poison, this toxin has a secondary effect: paralysis. Each turn that passes, the victim must roll against their STA stat with a cumulative -10% or become completely paralyzed. The victim will still be able to feel and breath, just not move or speak. Regardless of how much time passes, at the point at which the victim falls to the ground paralyzed, the spider will quickly approach and begin to feed…leaving the still-live victim to feel everything that the spider is doing while it contemplates its death. Generally this arachnid will rush at a victim, deliver a deadly bite and then back off quickly, relying on the poison to bring the prey down. This learned behavior works very well against standard animal prey as those creatures generally are not armored. However, PCs are often armored and as such may be able to withstand a blitz attack like this making encounters with these spiders seem rather mundane. The danger though, will be for those PCs that are not so armored or who rely on skeinsuits which will allow half the damage through, and thereby allow the PC to be poisoned. Also, these spiders don’t particularly care if the victim is walking around, ready for a fight - or asleep in the middle of the night; vulnerable and weak. Once a victim has been brought down, the brown racer will defend their kill viciously and without regard to personal safety. They will climb up on their prey, wave their two front legs about menacingly, while arching back and displaying their fangs and hissing loudly to warn off any trespassers. If any other creature were to approach a brown racer while it was defending its prey in such a manner and if that creature were to get to within 5 meters, the brown racer will spit a stream of venom at the eyes of the intruder with an attack score of 50. If the attack is successful, the new victim will suffer the same exposure to the toxin as if they had been bitten. Obviously if the victim has any kind of facial protection (that would cover the mouth and eyes) the poison will be nullified even if the attack is successful. The brown racer can only produce and store two loads of poison in a day. Producing this poison takes a lot of energy that is why it is so very potent. Once it is out of poison, a brown racer will seek a good hiding place (caverns, crevices and other similar dark places) to restore its supply before venturing back out to hunt. If killed (and not completely destroyed), the poison glands (one each, located directly behind the fangs - each containing 1 ounce of toxin) could be harvested and used in a variety of different ways. The liquid could be collected in a small vial, kept tightly sealed and later added to food as a potent and deadly assassination tool, the potency of which would be identical to having been delivered directly by the brown racer. It could also be applied to low tech, bladed melee weapons or to needler ammunition. Once dried it would last indefinitely but would be used up after one successful attack. Used in this manner, it would be half as effective (S5/T10 and the -10% Sta roll would not be cumulative). Brown racers are edible, but must be thoroughly cooked. Failing to do so could (25% after each meal) cause a parasitic infection (Sporekill will clear this right up) of grubs (each about 1/2cm in length and 1/8 cm in diameter) that live in the intestinal walls of the host, burrowing about and causing severe pain and bloody stools. This parasitic infection causes the decrease of all physical attributes by 10% (of the original base stat) per month until the host eventually dies (once their original base stats are at -100% or 10 months). When this happens the victim’s bowels will have been perforated enough by the burrowing grubs as to have been completely compromised thereby causing death by massive internal bleeding. The grubs will continue to feed on the decaying corpse until the rotting flesh degrades enough that they can break free of the husk. They will then pupate and mature over the course of 3 days, bursting from their shells as adult flies that are otherwise harmless, except to the brown racers upon which their life cycle depends. If properly prepared however, the flesh of a brown racer is similar to crab meat. Name: Dripper Type: Large Shrub Number: 1 Move: N/A IM/RS: N/A Stamina: 50 Attack: N/A Damage: 1d10 per hour and/or 1% per hour Special Attack: Acidic resin Special Defense: None Native World/Habitat: Evergloom. Anywhere DESCRIPTION: This is a large shrub that can reach a height of about 3 meters and it can become fairly bushy. Its limbs are woody in nature, though never get much thicker than 4 cm. The leaves are thick and leathery; cactus-like with long, sharp thorns. They grow to about half a meter in length and perhaps 4 cm wide and 1 cm thick. If examined closely small, clear beads (about the size of a BB) of resin can be seen dotting the surface of the leaves here and there. During the heat of the day this resin becomes less viscous and can drip off the leaves and onto the ground (or anything else) below. This resin is quite acidic and can cause damage to people and equipment if not careful. It is easy to identify these shrubs by the ‘melted’ and ‘glassy’ appearance of the sand around the base of the plant. Over time, the dripping resin will melt the sand leaving a slightly compressed depression covered in a glassy crust that encircles the shrub and helps to funnel rain water toward the base of the plant. In game terms the resin will cause 1d10 points of damage per hour to anyone beneath the shrub. If the resin is actually touched it will cause one point of damage each time a glob of it is handled. If equipment is left where the resin can drip onto it, the equipment will degrade by 1% per hour meaning that, after 100 hours of exposure, that piece of equipment will effectively be broken and useless. This 1% per hour figure has been applied for the sake of simplicity. If the GM wishes to apply different rates of degradation depending upon the size or mass of the equipment in question in order to achieve more realism, they are welcomed to do so. If a leaf is somehow damaged (like shooting it with a projectile weapon for example), the resin will drip rapidly from the ‘wound’. This could come in handy if an enemy were to take cover behind one of these shrubs. Simply shoot at the leaves overhead and wait for them to come running out! Assume the damage inflicted under this circumstance would be 1d10 per turn spent beneath the shrub. If, for whatever reason, someone would wish to collect this resin for later use, it can be easily contained in a glass container with no ill effects. Name: Lightning Bug Type: Tiny Herbivore Number: 1-1,000 Move: Fast IM/RS: +7/70 Stamina: 1 Attack: 40 Damage: 1 point or 2 points Special Attack: Daytime sting does 1 point of electrical damage, nighttime sting does 2 points Special Defense: Immune to electrical attacks Native World/Habitat: Evergloom. Any warm, dark areas DESCRIPTION: The lightning bug is a flying insect that is roughly 3cm in length. It is difficult to see the actual bug because of its brilliant blue glow. However, if an alternate light source is shining in the area of a lightning bug the insect will cease glowing and take refuge within their hive (which looks very similar to the hive of a paper wasp), or beneath a leaf or other similar structure to rest until the light gives way to darkness. During that period of inactivity a lightning bug may be viewed more closely. Upon closer inspection the bug is revealed to be jet-black save for a small deep red irregular blotch that covers only the top side of their thorax. Along the underside of the insect’s abdomen a small blue arc of electrical energy continuously dances even during daylight hours though at a greatly muted intensity. At night, this arc of electrical energy crackles along the entire insect and causes it to glow intently like the filament of a light bulb. If looking directly at a lightning bug when it is glowing the vision would be slightly impaired as if looking directly into a 15 watt light bulb. lightning bugs glow continuously during times of darkness - though they do blink rapidly during courtship. Generally these creatures are not dangerous unless handled or their hive is disturbed, but if left alone they will be no threat. If picked up they will automatically ‘sting’ (the simple act of touching the underside of the abdomen causes the effect). Like a wasp, these insects can sting repeatedly (stinging causes a soft, audible crackling, popping sound) with no ill effect to the lightning bug. As noted above, the intensity of the sting varies depending upon whether the bug is inactive (daytime) or active (nighttime). If dropped, the lightning bug would cease to be a threat. If however, the hive itself is disturbed, then the entire lightning bug population in the immediate area will actively swarm in defense of the hive (like Africanized bees) regardless of the intensity of light at the time. They will relentlessly attack, without regard to personal safety, anything within 10 meters of the hive after it has been disturbed and will continue swarming angrily for up to an hour after such a disturbance. Though they do very little damage as individuals, as a large group the damage potential is alarming! However, standard electrical defenses are effective at nullifying the effect (though it would take very little time for a swarm of lightning bugs to rip down a gauze screen). Similarly, simply wearing thick non-conductive clothing that covers all exposed body parts would effectively nullify the defensive mechanism of the lightening bug. Macerating the body of a lightning bug will produce a thick paste that is bio-luminescent and will glow with a dull blue light (10 such ground up lightning bugs would produce enough light to equal one LED). This glow will persist for about 5 hours. The larvae (each one is about 2cm in length and about 1cm in diameter) of the lightening bug also glow; each one equal to the intensity of a single LED. They glow naturally when alive so if collected and kept alive (feeding them honey produced by the adults), they would provide a reliable light source for several weeks before pupating and eventually transforming into adult lightening bugs. These insects produce a blue-grey honey which can be harvested from their hives. The honey is bio-luminescent and will glow dull blue continuously (seemingly indefinitely). Though not very bright, about 1 liter of the viscous liquid will glow enough to equal one LED. The honey never looses this glow. It also acts as a very weak battery to a degree - releasing a very weak electrical charge if handled (making a curiously pleasant sensation on the tongue if ingested). The marketing possibilities for this honey are quite interesting. Naturally glowing drinks sweetened with this honey for instance. The honey is also VERY palatable to vrusks and even intensifies the intoxicant affect of alcoholic drinks - even to the point of being a mild intoxicant by itself - for vrusks. To a human this honey would be very similar to honey we consume today, albeit very good quality honey to be sure. Though the honey could be collected and transported off-world for various uses (it even has medicinal uses as it is a very good anti-bacterial agent), the lightning bugs would not be able to produce their honey off-world. Aside from the unique characteristics of the insect, the honey’s properties also rely upon a specific flower that the lightning bugs feed on. Without that enclosed ecosystem the honey can not be replicated. Name: Luminous Hopper Type: Tiny Omnivore Number: 1-1,000 Move: Slow IM/RS: +6/60 Stamina: 1 Attack: N/A Damage: N/A Special Attack: None Special Defense: None Native World/Habitat: Evergloom. Any shrubby areas DESCRIPTION: Luminous hoppers are a small, flightless insect; about 10cm in length. They are similar in appearance to a cockroach and though they are called hoppers, suggesting that they hop, they actually do not hop. Instead, they cock their head back against their thorax, locking it in place. Then their bodily fluids are redistributed to that area, causing their head to ‘pop’ forward with a violent snap. Thus they can propel themselves through the air about half a meter from their starting point all in the span of a fraction of a second. This ’hopping’ ability works whether the insect is on its belly or back. This mode of transportation is secondary to simply crawling, which they do most of the time. Aside from their somewhat odd mode of locomotion, the luminous hopper has another fantastic ability; they glow. Much like other bioluminescent creatures, the luminous hopper emit’s a constant, soft cobalt blue glow; about one eighth as strong as a LED. In the case of the luminous hopper this is a defensive mechanism that helps ward of their main predators; the small nightwing and small nightblade (though the glow will hold the larger versions at bay just as well). To be effective however, the hoppers must swarm together and form a bright enough light to harm the predators and keep them at bay. A small group of hoppers will simply attract the predators and be eaten. But a large enough group (100 or more; of course the more the better!) will ward them off. These insects feed both on other small insects (primarily sand fleas!) and plant matter. When a large swarm of hoppers congregate, it is a certain bet that the sand flea population in the soil in and around the swarm is non-existent. Once the food supply is exhausted in one area, the hoppers will move on to another area to continue their cycle. Travelers looking for a safe place to rest away from sand fleas, nightblades and nightwings can find safety within a swarm of luminous hoppers. However, care must be taken not to disturb the swarm too much and cause them to scatter. By slowly approaching and sitting still; the hoppers will eventually crawl upon the creature and swarm around it, protecting it indirectly. It is not at all uncommon to find certain animals taking advantage of this protection as well; such as the sand strider. Macerating the body of a luminous hopper will produce a thick paste that is bio-luminescent and will glow with a soft cobalt blue light (8 such ground up hoppers would produce enough light to equal one LED). This glow will persist for about 5 hours. Name: Nightblade Type: Small, Medium & Large Carnivore (Strictly Nocturnal) Number: 1-100, 1-20 & 1-5 Move: Fast, Medium & Medium IM/RS: +6/60, +6/55 & +5/50 Stamina: 20, 65 & 120 Attack: 50, 60 & 70 Damage: Bite or claws: 1d10+3, 2d10+6 & 3d10+9 Special Attack: Entanglement: See below Special Defense: None Native World/Habitat: Evergloom. Any warm, dark areas - though mostly subterranean areas DESCRIPTION: These voracious and utterly vicious beasts are flightless versions of nightwings, though more brutish and powerful. Their skin is a mottled dark brown/black color and is covered with very fine scales. Their heads resemble that of a pterosaur (tri-angular in shape but with a very short, powerful beak that is filled with sharp teeth). They have two legs and two arms (all of which sport very sharp claws: 4 toes on the feet and 4 fingers plus an opposable thumb on their hands). They use diagonal locomotion (like a dog) thus they are fast and graceful creatures. They have long (equal in length to their bodies from beak to rump), prehensile tails which are used for climbing (they are very good climbers - able to scale sheer rock walls with ease and even traverse the ceiling of a cavern with half their movement rate) and to great effect when in combat, grappling with and entangling their prey. On any even roll that hits its target, the beast is able to entangle its prey with its tail and enjoys a +10% chance to hit with any subsequent attack while the target remains entangled. Meanwhile, the target receives a -10% to any physical action while it remains entangled. A successful strength check will allow the target to break free. When carrying off prey, slivers use their tails to grapple the victim so that it can be carried off to be torn up later. They can carry anything that is 75% of their own weight or smaller. Similar to bats, nightblades use echolocation to locate prey - they eat anything smaller than themselves but are capable of killing larger prey when they pack together to do so. If hunting alone they will fearlessly charge into groups of victims, singling out and carrying off an individual. Sonic attacks will temporarily ‘blind’ (1d10 turns) any slivers within the area of effect. These beasts are active exclusively at night and operate equally well in total darkness (subterranean areas) or starlit nights. They are however physically injured by any light source (whether natural or artificial) greater than starlight (even the soft light of the full moon will cause pain and physical damage: 1 point of damage per second exposed). When they are exposed to light their skin will rapidly desiccate with a hissing sound and an obvious release of vapor. In game terms this means that any light-based attacks (laser, flame throwers, etc) will cause double damage to these creatures and a simple flashlight will cause 1 point per second exposed. If an area is illuminated these beasts will avoid going into the lit area unless desperate for food (in which case sprinting through the area, grabbing a victim and sprinting back out in the span of a couple seconds would be the tactic used). There are three different sizes associated with these creatures - all three sizes are identical in appearance and vicious demeanor. The only real difference (beside size of course) is the tactics used when hunting. The smaller variety forms ‘packs’ in order to bring down larger prey as a collective. After the kill however, it is not at all uncommon for fighting to break out amongst the creatures over the meal. They are about 20kg and 1m in length, with their tail adding another 1m to total length. Medium-sized nightblades tend to hunt in smaller groups (less competition after the kill!) and rely more on raw power to kill their intended meals. They are about 75kg and 1.5m in length, with their tail adding another 1.5m to total length. The larger ones are often found hunting alone and almost completely rely on stealth (attacking quietly from the darkness) and raw power to kill their prey. They are about 150kg and 2.5m in length, with their tail adding another 2.5m to total length. It is not at all uncommon for these beasts to kill and consume their own kind - especially in regard to larger ones killing smaller ones. As a curiosity, the blood of these creatures is bio-luminescent and will glow a faint cobalt color - though the glow is faint enough that it has no adverse effect on the beasts. This bio-luminescence persists for as long as the blood is kept liquid and not allowed to dry out. Name: Nightwing Type: Small, Medium & Large Carnivore (Strictly Nocturnal) Number: 1-100, 1-20 & 1-5 Move: Fast, Medium & Medium IM/RS: +6/60, +6/55 & +5/50 Stamina: 20, 65 & 120 Attack: 50, 60 & 70 Damage: Bite or claws: 1d10, 2d10 & 3d10 Special Attack: Entanglement: See below Special Defense: None Native World/Habitat: Evergloom. Any warm, dark areas - including subterranean areas DESCRIPTION: These voracious and utterly vicious beasts resemble large reptilian bats. Their skin is a mottled dark brown/black color and is covered with very fine scales. Their heads resemble that of a pterosaur (tri-angular in shape but with a very short, powerful beak that is filled with sharp teeth). They have two legs and two arms (all of which sport very sharp claws: 4 toes on the feet and 4 fingers plus an opposable thumb on their hands), with a leathery membrane that stretches between their wrists and ankles (similar to a yazirian). This wing configuration allows them to fly with incredible speed and agility. Similar to bats, they are fairly clumsy on the ground. They have long (equal in length to their bodies from beak to rump), prehensile tails which are used as stabilizers while flying and for gripping solid objects when roosting. They dangle upside down as a bat does when they rest. They can also use their tails to great effect when in combat, grappling with and entangling their prey. On any even roll that hits its target, the beast is able to entangle its prey with its tail and enjoys a +10% chance to hit with any subsequent attack while the target remains entangled. Meanwhile, the target receives a -10% to any physical action while it remains entangled. A successful strength check will allow the target to break free. When carrying off prey, nightwings use their tails to grapple the victim so that it can be carried off - then they can tear at it in mid-flight with their claws. They can carry anything that is 75% of their own weight or smaller. Similar to bats, nightwings use echolocation to locate prey - they eat anything smaller than themselves but are capable of killing larger prey when they pack together to do so. If hunting alone they will fearlessly swoop into groups of victims, singling out and carrying off an individual. They are extremely capable flyers and can snatch flying targets from the sky. They do not restrict themselves to hunting airborne prey however as they are equally capable of swooping down upon terrestrial targets. Sonic attacks will temporarily blind (1d10 turns) any nightwings within the area of effect. These beasts are active exclusively at night and operate equally well in total darkness (subterranean areas) or starlit nights. They are however physically injured by any light source (whether natural or artificial) greater than starlight (even the soft light of the full moon will cause pain and physical damage: 1 point of damage per second exposed). When they are exposed to light their skin will rapidly desiccate with a hissing sound and an obvious release of vapor. In game terms this means that any light-based attacks (laser, flame throwers, etc) will cause double damage to these creatures. If an area is illuminated these beasts will avoid going into the lit area unless desperate for food (in which case swooping through the area, grabbing a victim and swooping back out in the span of a couple seconds would be the tactic used). There are three different sizes associated with these creatures - all three sizes are identical in appearance and vicious demeanor. The only real difference (beside size of course) is the tactics used when hunting. The smaller variety forms ‘packs’ in order to bring down larger prey as a collective. After the kill however, it is not at all uncommon for fighting to break out amongst the creatures over the meal. They are about 20kg and 1m in length, with their tail adding another 1m to total length. Medium-sized nightwings tend to hunt in smaller groups (less completion after the kill!) and rely more on raw power to kill their intended meals. They are about 75kg and 1.5m in length, with their tail adding another 1.5m to total length. The larger ones are often found hunting alone and almost completely rely on stealth (attacking quietly from the darkness - swooping in from altitude, etc) and raw power to kill their prey. They are about 150kg and 2.5m in length, with their tail adding another 2.5m to total length. It is not at all uncommon for these beasts to kill and consume their own kind - especially in regard to larger ones killing smaller ones. As a curiosity, the blood of these creatures is bio-luminescent and will glow a faint cobalt color - though the glow is faint enough that it has no adverse effect on the beasts. This bio-luminescence persists for as long as the blood is kept liquid and not allowed to dry out. Name: Sand Flea Type: Tiny Carnivore Number: 1-10 Move: Fast IM/RS: +6/60 Stamina: 1 Attack: 85 Damage: 1 Special Attack: Poison (S1/T1) and Disease (-10/D*Special) Special Defense: Tiny arachnid - very difficult to see Native World/Habitat: Evergloom. Common in any warm, dry, sandy areas DESCRIPTION: Though not at all related to a flea as the name suggests, these arachnids are more similar to a tick. Still, they do have a couple things in common with fleas. They are very tiny and therefore, extremely difficult to see. And they subsist on blood. Their usual prey is the nightblade and/or nightwing. Nightblades and nightwings possess an immunity to the poison and the disease effects of sand flea so they aren’t particularly bothered by these tiny arachnids. Sand flea concentrations are extremely dense in the underground dens of nightblades and nightwings (increase the Number category from 1-10 to 1-50 when traveling within the confines of a nightblade or nightwing den). Generally these creatures are harmless as they live in the sandy soil of the moon and would not usually come into ready contact with sentient beings. If however, a victim were to lay on the ground for a short period of time, crawl through tight caverns or in some other way come into contact with the dirt against their bare skin, that could give these arachnids the access they need to attack the host and come away with a blood meal. Once the sand flea bites and gets its fill of blood, it drops off the victim with no further effect. In game terms, the Attack number listed above represents the chance that one of these creatures will successfully strike their intended victim once they have crawled onto their target. The GM should only roll once for the attack (GM’s choice if they wish to roll for each sand flea’s attack or just once for a group). On a roll of 86 or higher the sand flea(s) has bitten into clothing or has been unknowingly brushed away and can not attack again. The bite of the sand flea is painless as they exude a poison during the course of the attack that numbs the area being bitten. Aside from causing a single point of damage, this poison (S1/T1) causes no other ill effects of note but to deaden the pain and keep the host from realizing it is being attacked. There is however, a side effect that comes about as a result of the poison breaking down in the body of the host; severe itching (can be treated with Antitox or Aller-tabs). This itching is nothing more than an annoyance that lasts about 3 days. The itching starts about 20 minutes after the initial bite. The itching is severe enough to keep the victim from sleeping adequately and as well, the scratching that results can cause infection if not properly treated (can be treated with Omnimycin). In game terms, this lack of adequate sleep penalizes any DEX/RS, INT/LOG and PER/LDR related rolls by -10% (this effect *IS* cumulative with the disease effect listed below if the victim happens to be affected by both effects simultaneously) but only after the second day. It should be noted that if a victim is bitten on one day, their itching starts within 20 minutes and lasts for 3 days - and if bitten again on the next day, this new batch of bites will effectively extend their sleepless, itch-filled nights by a day, etc. The resulting disease (-10/D*Special) affects the victim’s entire body, causing severe joint pain, lethargy, fever and extreme dry mouth (resulting in an irrational need to drink fluids on a continual basis which poses a danger if water supplies are limited). Though not deadly by itself, the disease does significantly reduce the physical and mental prowess of the victim. In game terms this amounts to a -10% to *ALL* stat-related rolls indefinitely (can be treated with Antibody Plus). Meaning, this effect will persist for the life span of the victim or until the victim is treated with Antibody Plus, whichever comes first. This disease is not automatically contracted, but once contracted it starts to inhibit the victim within 24 hours. There is a cumulative 1% chance to contract this disease from each exposure. Meaning, each time the victim is bitten the GM will note the number of bites that the victim has acquired and secretly roll a percentage equaling the number of bites (20 bites = a 20% chance to get the disease, etc). This secret roll is made after each group of exposures. Example: The victim sleeps on the ground the first night and is bitten 5 times - they now have a 5% chance of getting the disease and the GM rolls once for that 5% (*NOT* 5 individual rolls at 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and then 5%). The GM’s roll is a 96, the victim does not contract the disease. The next night the victim sleeps on the ground again and gets bitten 8 times leaving their percentage now at 5+8=13%. The GM’s secret roll is a 57, the victim does not contract the disease. The next day the victim covers himself in sand as camouflage to avoid a confrontation with an animal and gets bitten 10 more times leaving his percentage at 13+10=23%. This time the GM’s secret roll is a 20 meaning that the victim has now contracted the disease and all the aforementioned penalties apply. The GM should use some common sense when using these creatures against players. These are extremely tiny creatures. If the victim is wearing a protective screen (like an inertia screen for example) that protects against physical attacks - as long as the screen has power these creatures will not be able to contact the skin of the victim and will not, therefore, be able to bite the victim. Similarly, full suits like space suits or environmental suits will keep the sand fleas at bay. Name: Sand Strider Type: Medium Herbivore Number: 10-100 Move: Very Fast IM/RS: +5/55 Stamina: 85 Attack: 50 Damage: 1d10 kick (hind legs - usually executed if being pursued and after having already used its Special Defense) Special Attack: Poison spit (S10/T1) Special Defense: Poison offal (S10/T1) Native World/Habitat: Evergloom, arid plains, especially near water sources DESCRIPTION: The sand strider is a mid-sized creature (175 kg and about 2.5 meters long, 1.5 meters at the shoulder and about 2 meters tall if seated in a feeding position) that resembles a cross between a large dog and a kangaroo. It has a thick cow-like tail and four legs. The feet of the hind legs resemble those of a kangaroo while the feet of the fore legs resemble those of a dog except with elongated, finger-like toes. The toes on both the hind and fore feet are webbed (which enable it to stay aloft on soft sandy soil sort of like snowshoes). The head, snout and ears are also similar in appearance to a kangaroo. When feeding on the local shrubbery, the sand strider sits on its rump like a dog, thereby elevating its snout and forelegs to within easy reach of the tender new growth at the tops of the shrubs that make up its diet. It uses its finger-like toes on its forelegs to grasp the branches and pull them closer so that the leaves may more easily be accessed and eaten. They are covered in a light brown fur that blends nicely with the colors of the landscape. The individual hairs that make up their coats are long and hollow and tend to give them a somewhat shaggy appearance. Due to the hollow nature of the creature’s hair, it provides an excellent thermal barrier, thereby keeping the creature cool. It also creates a natural buoyancy; making them excellent swimmers. If near water and in danger, they will not hesitate to enter the water to escape. Sand striders are ruminants, meaning they have four-chambered stomachs and they regularly regurgitate and ’chew their cud’ like cows. The plants that they feed on contain natural toxins that the sand striders use as a defensive mechanism. If startled, the sand strider can accurately expectorate a bolus of macerated plant pulp and saliva (about the size of a ping pong ball) similar to the ability of camels. They can easily hit a target the size of a grapefruit at 15 meters and always aim for the face. If the plant pulp/saliva mixture (poison spit S10/T1) manages to strike a target in the eyes it will cause immediate burning (10 points of damage) and temporary blindness (-20% to all actions for 30 minutes or until rinsed out of the eyes with copious amounts of water), allowing the sand strider to sprint to safety. The area of the face of the victim which was ’splattered’ with spit will be stained black. This stain will persist for about 3 days before fading (a RS check can be made to completely avoid this effect). After spitting and then turning to flee, the sand strider has one last defensive mechanism that may help it avoid predators. They can explosively expel the contents of two anal glands (just below and on either side of the tail) while running at full gallop and use their tail, sweeping back and forth rapidly, to ’spread’ a curtain of watery, flying offal in a 45 degree arch behind them. This is a blind attack that has a possibility (25% chance) of striking any target within 45 degrees of the hind end of the sand strider and within 2 meters. If the target is struck then treat it as if it had been successfully spat upon as detailed above. The anal glands only contain enough material to execute this ability once but will naturally refill after a couple hours and a meal. Though edible, the sand strider is not terribly palatable (by human standards) as the flesh takes on the pungent creosote-like flavor of the plants that it consumes. Name: Shade Type: Medium Carnivore Number: 1-2 Move: Medium IM/RS: +6/60 Stamina: 80 Attack: 75 Damage: 2d10 claws or teeth Special Attack: Ambush - If able to stealth to within striking range, damage is doubled for the first attack Special Defense: Camouflage - 80% to remain unnoticed at night until it moves to strike; 60% during the day Native World/Habitat: Evergloom. Any rocky or shrubby areas DESCRIPTION: The shade is a medium-sized carnivore that weighs 50kg and can reach lengths of up to 2 meters (plus half a meter for their tails), but standing only about 30cm tall. It is a mammal and is covered in dense, jet-black fur which provides it with extremely good camouflage on Evergloom. The creature is adept at the fine art of stealth and can often sneak to within 2 meters of its intended victim before springing forth and delivering a fatal bite to the back of the neck. They look similar to a river otter, sleek and long, but with a fox-like face. They have four legs, each of which has four toes that end in wicked claws. Shades are built very low to the ground, with their bellies often scraping along. They move in a fashion very similar to lizards, a sort of side-to-side gait. Though it looks ungainly it is not. It allows them to ‘slither’ forward slowly and silently and, if need be; to burst forth with alarming speed. It is not uncommon for them to work in pairs, even going so far as to coordinate their initial assault on the same target simultaneously in order to maximize their chance of killing their prey quickly and with the least effort. Their preferred prey are sand striders, though they will prey upon anything that is roughly that size or smaller. Their favored tactic is to sneak to within 2 meters of their target and then leap upon its back, biting down upon the back of the creature’s head or neck. Thus anchored, the shade will then proceed to rake the back of the victim with its claws until it ceases struggling. Name: Stinging Snail Type: Small Herbivore Number: 1 Move: Very Slow (1m) IM/RS: +1/10 Stamina: 05 Attack: 40 Damage: 1d2 Sting Special Attack: Poison (S1/T75) Special Defense: None Native World/Habitat: Evergloom. Common in any warm, moist or wet areas DESCRIPTION: The stinging snail is a small (about 3kg) terrestrial mollusk. It lives around water sources, scraping algae off the shoreline while at the same time keeping itself moist. Though it can survive if submerged in water for up to an hour; and often can be seen grazing on the floor of a body of water close to the shore, it prefers to stay above the water line most of the time. It carries a thick, multi-colored triangular shell on its back that is produced naturally by the snail. The multi-colored pattern is unique to each individual but is always some mix of different shades of brown; from light to very dark, configured in a barred pattern. Located just above the rim of the shell’s entrance/exit are a series of four small holes situated side-by-side laterally; parallel to the rim. Just barely protruding from these small holes are thin, very sharp, barbed spikes (1 per hole) that are no more than 1/2cm in length. Using hydraulic pressure, the stinging snail can ‘shoot’ these small spikes about 15cm with enough force to pass through a layer of clothing (or fur) and imbed in the skin of the target. These spikes remain attached to the snail via a nearly-invisible cord through which poison (S1/T75) is pumped, quickly making its way via hydraulic action into the spike and then the victim. These small cords are then severed (though the venom sac and the pumping organ remain attached and continue to push venom into the victim) as the victim pulls away, leaving the barbed spike embedded in the skin. This poison is an extremely potent neurotoxin that is fast acting. 3 minutes after having been stung the victim must make a STA check. Upon failing the STA check, the victim will fall into unconsciousness, and begin to convulse; taking 1 point of damage each turn until the victim dies or takes 75 points of damage, whichever comes first. Passing the STA check means there is no damage taken. Similarly if the sting attack fails to pass through whatever defenses the target possesses, then the poison will have failed to be injected and no poison damage is applied. Administering a does of Antitox will negate the poison and administering an Aller-tab will reduce the effectiveness of the poison by 50% (1 point/rnd for 37 rnds). Multiple stings have a cumulative effect; 2 stings would be 2 pts/rnd for 75 rnds, etc. If the snail is handled it will reflexively use its sting as a defensive measure. If it is immediately dropped and left alone it will not try to sting again. If however, it is handled further, it will sting again up to a maximum of 4 times. Once it has used all of its stings, it will be left completely defenseless, except for its hard shell, until it can re-grow its spikes and venom sacs (about 5 days). When deploying its spikes there is a small puff of fluid that is easily seen, but the spikes and cords are small enough that they can go unnoticed. If the spikes are avoided and if the snail is thoroughly cooked (thereby destroying the poison left in its venom sacks - undercooking [or eating raw] could result in poisoning by all remaining venom sacks!), the stinging snail is edible and very palatable (by human standards), tasting similar to a scallop. Most of the snail’s weight comes from it’s shell. But once the shell is broken away, the adult specimens can easily provide 1kg of edible flesh. Name: Weed Rat Type: Small Herbivore; aquatic mammal Number: 1-10 Move: Medium IM/RS: +6/60 Stamina: 15 Attack: 35 Damage: 1d10/2 (die roll of 1 = 1) Special Attack: Poison (S1/T10) Special Defense: None Native World/Habitat: Evergloom, any water sources DESCRIPTION: The weed rat is a small (about 15kg), furry mammal that lives exclusively in the water bodies that occur on the moon of Evergloom. They have the distinction of being the largest organism living in the waters of Evergloom. Though they can leave the water if they desire, they very rarely do as they are ungainly and clumsy on land. Their fur is a dark brown color, with a black belly. Their snouts are short and broad and contain dull, flat teeth suitable for scraping algae from the rocks that grows in their aquatic environment. They have short, stubby, thick tails that serve no real purpose. They have four feet that consist of six webbed toes each which enable them to speed effortlessly through the water with powerful strokes. They give birth to live young (4-6 pups per litter) on rafts of aquatic weeds that they gather to form semi-solid platforms used as floating sleeping mats. They usually lodge these mats against rocks or debris to hold them in place if they have made their home on a flowing water source. Otherwise, in the case of calm waters, they tend to simply allow their weed platforms to float languidly wherever they may. They are timid and shy creatures that prefer to avoid other creatures by simply swimming away and maintaining their distance. However, if caught and handled, they can deliver a painful attack with a claw located on the inside ankle of each hind leg. Though minuscule as an attack by itself, the claw is hollow in nature and provides an avenue along which poison can flow and be injected into their attacker. This attack is used strictly as a defensive measure. As long as their claw is able to penetrate the defenses of their target and inflict at least one point of damage, the weed rat’s poison will be injected. This poison is fairly mild (S1/T10) as it does not generally cause death. Rather it is an extremely effective deterrent as it causes extreme discomfort upon contact. Following a failed STA roll, any character affected by this poison will experience severe system-wide pain (represented by a reduction of all stats by 75% for a 5 hour period). During that period the victim will experience severe dizziness, weakness and vomiting (all of these effects can be counteracted with Antitox or Aller-tabs). Weed rats are edible as long as the rear feet are disarticulated at the ankle joint and discarded (thereby removing the venom sacks), or the rear feet are thoroughly cooked. I don't have to outrun that nasty beast my friend...I just have to outrun you!  |
