An Unofficial Bestiary for GURPS 4th Edition

1 Table of Contents

2 INTRODUCTION

3 CHAPTER 1: ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

ANIMAL TRAITS ADVANTAGES Foot Manipulators Perks This is simply the limitation from Extra Arms applied to the two ‘default’ arms (GURPS Basic Set p.53). Limited Camouflage Quirks See GURPS Power-Ups 2 (p. 11). FEATURES Tuck It! Semi-Aquatic You can either retract your head and limbs into your shell or Your legs are more suited to moving in water than on land. roll into a ball. To do so takes a Change Posture maneuver, The game effects are the same as No Legs (Semi-Aquatic) after which your extremities, face, limbs, neck, and skull need except that you actually have legs, which can be attacked and an additional -5 penalty to hit (if using Random Hit Location, kick. any hit to those locations hits the Torso instead on a roll of 2+ on 1d). However, while in this posture you cannot use your MODIFIERS limbs or mouth and must take Do Nothing maneuvers in combat. Aura Any ability with this modifier can be further restricted to DISADVANTAGES only cover a specific hit location. Use the rules for Partial Bad Sight Damage Resistance (GURPS Basic Set p. 47). See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 12) for the Low Resolution and No Fovea versions of this disadvantage.

4 Descriptions Reading Animal Stats This supplement divides into chapters, categories, This supplement uses simplified stat blocks for ease of use, and entries. Every chapter is roughly equivalent to a single rather than full racial templates. biological class (but chapter 5 lumps a few classes together, ST, DX, IQ, HT, HP, Will, Per, FP, Speed: Basic attributes and chapter 6 covers several phyla). Categories correspond to and secondary characteristics which follow the usual biological orders or families. A category often ends with a GURPS rules. meta-trait which covers all the common traits found in its Move: Basic move. If air, land, and water move are not entries. An entry describes a specific or (or specified, then this is either water move (for aquatic sometimes a few less closely related species which are very species) or land move (for all others). Note that this does similar, or individual sub-species if they are distinctive not include any Enhanced Move. enough). Each entry starts with the following information: SM: Size Modifier. Note that this is already accounted for in Diet: Animals are classed as carnivores (who eat mostly meat), the reach of attacks. herbivores (who eat mostly plants), or omnivores (who eat Dodge: This already includes any modifiers which always a mixed diet). A preferred type of food is noted in brackets. apply, such as Combat Reflexes and Enhanced Dodge. Most animals are able and willing to eat other food when Parry: This is based on the better of Brawling or DX and they have to. unless specified as a striker is subject to the usual rules for Distribution: This is simply where in the world the animal can Parrying Unarmed (GURPS Basic Set pp. 376-377). be found. For prehistoric species, the time period when DR: The natural DR of the creature, covering all locations they lived is also given. except the eyes. A (TS) after this number means that it has Habitat: The type of terrain that it lives in. Categories are the the Tough Skin limitation. same as specialties for Survival skill and an animal with Attacks: The most common methods the creature uses to harm that skill will know it at the given level for every specialty others. A number in brackets after the attack name indicates which matches its habitats. effective skill, accounting for modifiers, such as penalties Niche: When the creature is active and how it feeds. The from Bad Sight. Damage already accounts for ST and former can be cathemeral (active both day and night), modifiers from traits, skills, etc. Reach already accounts for crepuscular (active around dawn and dusk, sleeping during SM, etc. Details in brackets are usually enhancements or the day and night), diurnal (active during the day), or limitations. Any attack with ‘bite’ in its name can also nocturnal (active at night). Feeding patterns are browsers grapple and worry (GURPS Martial Arts p. 115). (steady consumption of abundant food, such as grass or Traits: A list of important advantages, disadvantages, and plankton), foragers (which wander in search of food, like features. Note that DR and any traits which affect attacks bugs, carrion, or fruit, which needs little effort to take it are not listed here, as they are accounted for elsewhere in once found), ambush predators (which wait for food to the description. Many other traits are also omitted for the come to them), and pursuit predators (which actively hunt sake of brevity, notably all Appearance, Lifespan, and Sleep their prey). related traits and any Wealth. Size: A rough measurement of the size and weight of an Skills: Skills of a typical adult. Note that Survival covers each average adult. specialty of the animal’s habitat.

5 USE AND RE-USE One set of rules can cover many different species. Close Relatives Almost every species has (or once had) relatives which closely resemble it. Usually this is simply a case of an entry title being a genus rather than a species, but in some cases a note at the end of the description is given to spell out which animals are covered. Similar features often evolve independently in different species. In many cases, distantly related animals can end up looking and acting very similar to each other. Many examples are noted in text boxes next to the relevant profile, but they are far from a complete list. Minor Variants Sometimes a few details need to be changed to make one of the above options work. In many cases, this is simply a case of adding, altering or removing an attack, skill, or trait. MYTHICAL ANIMALS Chapter 10 has a selection of non-existent animals from folklore, but many real animals have been described in fanciful ways too. Examples of the most interesting stories are given in text boxes, along with rules for some of them.

6 CHAPTER 2: AMPHIBIANS The first vertebrates to conquer the land, amphibians flourished in the and until reptiles TRIPPING ON TOADS evolved to replace them as the dominant large animals. Despite Amphibians often have poison glands in their skin and being cold-blooded, amphibians do better than reptiles in the there are many stories of people using the toxins extracted from them for recreational purposes. For example, dried cold, allowing them to occupy different ecological niches. cane toad skins are said to be smoked, and live ones licked, Those that survived were small, but are still numerous, both in while fire salamanders are used to make Slovenian individuals and species. salamander brandy. Amphibians have a complex life cycle, with slimy eggs While there are rare species which can give a pleasant hatching into soft-bodied, aquatic tadpoles before developing psychedelic experience, those described in this supplement legs, lungs, and a rigid skeleton. A typical adult has a wide are likely to cause confusion, painful muscle spasms, panic, mouth, bulging eyes, broad neck, sprawling legs, loose skin, and shortness of breath alongside any hallucinations and can be lethal. and webbed feet.

AMPHIBIAN PROFILES DIADECTIDS FROGS The first large animals fully adapted to life on land were The most successful group of modern amphibians. Adult bulky herbivores with powerful jaws to chew through tough frogs have no tails, instead using powerful hind legs to hop or plants. With their erect stance, scaly skin, and possibly laying swim. eggs with shells, they were very different to modern Frog: Amphibious; Bad Sight (No Fovea); Born Biter 2; Cold- amphibians. It isn’t clear if they were ancestors to the reptiles, Blooded (50°); Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen Absorption); synapsids, or neither. Night Vision 3; Peripheral Vision; Quadruped; Weak Bite; Diadectes Wild Animal. Diet: Herbivore (ferns). Cane Toad Distribution: West Pangaea, Early Permian. Diet: Carnivore (any). Habitat: Swampland, Woodlands. Distribution: Central, North, and South America. Invasive Niche: Diurnal browser. species in Australia, Caribbean, and Pacific Islands. Size: 7’ long; 200 lbs. Habitat: Plains, Woodlands. A hulking brute with buck teeth, stumpy legs, and a plump Niche: Nocturnal forager. torso. It relied on thick hide and sheer bulk to protect it from Size: 5” long; 3 lbs. carnivorous pelycosaurs (p. 00). A large ground frog with lumpy, dry skin. Tough enough to ST: 12 HP: 12 Speed: 5.50 survive in dry areas, quick-breeding, and happy to eat almost DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 3 any animal small enough to fit in its mouth, it was deliberately IQ: 2 Per: 10 introduced to many countries as a form of pest control. While HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: ±0 the toads ate vermin, they were a disaster for their new ecosystems. Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 2 ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 5.50 Bite (8): 1d-1 crushing. Reach C. DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 1 (ground) Traits: Bad Sight (No Fovea); Cold-Blooded (50°); Night IQ: 2 Per: 10 1 (water) Vision 1; No Depth Perception; Peripheral Vision; HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -7 Quadruped; Wild Animal. Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 0 Skills: Brawling-12; Survival-12. Bite (9): 1d-7 crushing. Reach C.

7 Poison Glands: 1d toxic (Blood Agent; Cyclic, 10 Minutes, 3 Diplocaulus Cycles; Resistible, HT; Side Effect, Hallucinating). Anyone Diet: Carnivore (fish). touching the toad’s torso is hit automatically. Distribution: North Gondwana and West Pangaea, Late Traits: Frog; Limited Camouflage (Woodlands); Reduced Carboniferous to Permian. Consumption 1 (Cast-Iron Stomach). Habitat: Fresh Water Lake, River/Stream. Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-12; Survival-12. Niche: Cathemeral ambush predator. Minor Variants Size: 3’ long; 20 lbs. Other large ground frogs like the African Bullfrog have a The largest lepospondyl, Diplocaulus had a flattened body, a similar profile, but are usually less poisonous. Either remove long, flexible tail, short legs, and a bizarre boomerang-shaped poison glands entirely or add a bonus to the resistance roll. head. It lurked at the bottom of lakes or rivers, then rose up to Poison Dart Frog grab prey swimming overhead. Diet: Carnivore (insects). ST: 5 HP: 5 Speed: 5.00 Distribution: Tropical Central and South America. DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 5 (ground) Habitat: Jungle, Swampland. IQ: 2 Per: 10 5 (water) Niche: Diurnal ambush predator. HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: -2 Size: 2” long; 0.1 lbs. Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 0 Colorful little tree frogs, used to poison blowgun darts. They do not produce the poison themselves, but get it from insects Bite (9): 1d-4 cutting. Reach C. they eat; captive frogs fed on other prey are harmless. Traits: Lepospondyl; Quadruped. ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 5.00 Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-12; Survival-12. DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 2 (ground) Phlegethontia IQ: 2 Per: 10 2 (water) Diet: Carnivore (insects). HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: -9 Distribution: Central Pangaea, Late Carboniferous to Early Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 0 Permian. Habitat: Swampland. Bite (9): 1d-8 crushing. Reach C. Niche: Cathemeral ambush predator. Poison Glands: 1d toxic (Blood Agent; Cyclic, 1 Second, 60 Size: 3’; 3 lbs. Cycles; Resistible, HT-5; Side Effect, Paralysis) or (Contact Agent; Cyclic, 10 seconds, 6 cycles; Resistible, This creature’s legless, elongated body makes it look a lot HT-2; Side Effect, Paralysis). Anyone touching the frog’s like an eel (p. 00) or snake (p. 00). torso is hit automatically. ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 5.50 Traits: Clinging; Frog; Super Jump 2. DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 3 (ground) Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-10; Survival-12. IQ: 2 Per: 10 3 (water) Minor Variants HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: -9 Many small and medium-sized frogs are basically similar but Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 0 either lack poison or have something much weaker (use the rules for cane toads). Less poisonous species are generally less Bite (10): 1d-5 cutting. Reach C. colorful, some of them having Limited Camouflage and most Traits: Lepospondyl; Peripheral Vision; No Depth Perception; improving Stealth. Remove clinging for those that don’t climb Vermiform. trees. Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-14; Survival-12. LEPOSPONDYLS SALAMANDERS A diverse which lived alongside the larger Fairly typical amphibians, with large tails. All of them are temnospondyls, ranging from purely aquatic forms to poisonous, although only a few are dangerous to humans (at specialized land animals. least ones who don’t eat them). Their ability to heal from Lepospondyl: Amphibious; Bad Sight (No Fovea); Born Biter severe injuries is remarkable, with even amputated limbs and 1; Cold-Blooded (50°); Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen destroyed organs capable of regrowing. Absorption); Hard of Hearing; Night Vision 1; Slippery 1; Salamander: 360° Vision; Amphibious; Bad Sight (No Vibration Sense (Water); Wild Animal. Fovea); Born Biter 1; Cold-Blooded (50°); Doesn’t Breathe

8 (Oxygen Absorption); Hard of Hearing; Night Vision 3; No Poison Spray (6): 1d toxic (Blood Agent; Cyclic, 10 Minutes, Depth Perception; Rapid Healing; Regrowth; Quadruped; 3 Cycles; Jet, Range 1; Resistible, HT; Side Effect, Slippery 2; Vibration Sense (Water); Wild Animal. Hallucinating). Emperor Newt Traits: Salamander. Diet: Carnivore (insects). Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-12; Survival-12. Distribution: South-West China. Minor Variants Habitat: River/Stream, Woodlands. Numerous other species of salamander are similar, but usually not capable of spraying poison. Many are less Niche: Nocturnal ambush predator. poisonous (reduce damage and improve resistance rolls). Size: 8” long; 0.1 lbs. When threatened, this black and orange newt can rotate its LEGENDARY SALAMANDERS ribs to push through poison glands in its skin, giving it a row Since antiquity, European folklore credited salamanders of sharp bone spikes on each side. with magical abilities. They were said to live in fire, which ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 5.50 did not harm them but rather sustained them (replacing the need for food and drink). Other accounts said that they DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 2 (ground) could extinguish flame, were so poisonous that anything IQ: 2 Per: 10 2 (water) they touched became deadly, or had poisonous breath (and HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -9 could only be killed by trapping it in an enclosed space so that it would poison itself). Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 0 A typical legendary salamander would be a fire Sharp Ribs: Anyone grappling the newt is automatically hit salamander with Damage Resistance 6 (Limited, Burning), for 1d-2 impaling with a 1d toxic follow-up (Blood Agent; Restricted Diet (Fire), and Temperature Tolerance (Heat). Cyclic, 10 Seconds, 6 Cycles; Resistible, HT-2). TEMNOSPONDYLS Traits: Salamander. The most likely ancestors of modern amphibians looked Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-12; Survival-12. somewhat like crocodiles (p. 00) with broad, triangular heads, Minor Variants short legs and long tails. They were often protected by scales Iberian ribbed newts use the same trick with their ribs, but and bony plates, limiting the oxygen they could absorb through are far less poisonous (change damage to 1 point, resistance their skin. roll to HT+2). Temnospondyl: Bad Sight (No Fovea); Born Biter 3; Cold- Fire Salamander Blooded (50°); Hard of Hearing; Night Vision 1; Diet: Carnivore (insects). Quadruped; Wild Animal. Distribution: Central, South, and West Europe. Eryops Habitat: River/Stream, Woodlands. Diet: Carnivore (amphibians). Niche: Nocturnal ambush predator. Distribution: North-West Pangaea, Late Carboniferous to Size: 8” long; 0.1 lbs. Early Permian. Black and yellow markings warn potential predators away, Habitat: River/Stream, Swampland. but if they are not deterred, this salamander can spray poison Niche: Cathemeral ambush predator. from glands on its back. Size: 10’ long; 200 lbs. ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 5.25 Better adapted to the land than most of its relatives, Eryops DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 2 (ground) was a sturdy creature with a large head, long snout, short tail, IQ: 2 Per: 10 2 (water) and sprawling posture. HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -9 ST: 12 HP: 12 Speed: 5.50 DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 2 (ground) Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 0 IQ: 2 Per: 10 2 (water) Poison Glands: 1d toxic (Blood Agent; Cyclic, 10 Minutes, 3 HT: 12 FP: 11 SM: ±0 Cycles; Resistible, HT; Side Effect, Hallucinating). Anyone touching the salamander’s torso is hit automatically. Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 1 Bite (9): 1d-1 cutting. Reach C. Traits: Amphibious; Temnospondyl.

9 Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-11; Survival-12. ST: 21 HP: 21 Speed: 5.00 Minor Variants DX: 9 Will: 10 Move: 1 (ground) Other mid-sized temnospondyls were generally more at home IQ: 2 Per: 10 5 (water) in the water. Change Amphibious to Semi-Aquatic, land move HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: +3 to 1, and water move to 5. Dodge: 6 Parry: 6 DR: 1 Mastodonsaurus Bite (8): 2d impaling. Reach C. Diet: Carnivore (fish). Traits: Semi-Aquatic; Temnospondyl; Vibration Sense Distribution: East Laurasia, Mid-. (Water). Habitat: Fresh-Water Lake, River/Stream. Skills: Brawling-11; Stealth-11; Survival-12. Niche: Nocturnal ambush predator. Minor Variants Size: 16’ long; 1,100 lbs. A few other temnospondyls, like koolasuchus and A colossal beast with a huge head and legs too weak to prionosuchus, were just as large, but had less ridiculous teeth support its weight, forcing it to slide on its belly when out of (change bite damage to cutting). the water. Two of its teeth were so long that they stuck up through holes in its upper jaw.

10 CHAPTER 3: ALBATROSSES Habitat: Plains. Long-winged seabirds, which can cover vast distances Niche: Diurnal forager. without landing. Their strong legs work well on land and Size: 18” long, 3’ wingspan; 1 lb. water, but their weight makes take-off difficult, so they often ST: 2 HP: 2 Speed: 6.00 rest on the surface until wind conditions are favorable. DX: 13 Will: 11 Move: 15 (air) Nesting in large colonies on remote islands, albatrosses IQ: 5 Per: 11 2 (ground) generally return to their own birthplace to breed, despite the HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -4 epic solitary journeys they make during their long lives. Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 0 Albatross Peck (13): 1d-7 large piercing. Reach C. Diet: Carnivore (fish and squid). Traits: Crow; Enhanced Move 1 (Air Speed 30). Distribution: Pacific and Southern Oceans. Skills: Intimidation-11; Survival-14. Habitat: Island/Beach, Open Ocean. Close Relatives Niche: Diurnal forager. This profile is also suitable for other mid-sized crows, Size: 3’ long, 7’ wingspan; 8 lbs. jackdaws, and magpies. Rooks should add Chummy to their ST: 4 HP: 4 Speed: 5.50 traits. DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 3 (ground) IQ: 3 Per: 10 8 (air) 3 (water) A MURDER OF CROWS HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -2 While individual crows are rarely aggressive, they get a lot bolder in numbers. A flock will often gang up to drive Dodge: 6 Parry: 6 DR: 0 off predators. Peck (12): 1d-5 large piercing. Reach C. It takes about a dozen crows to form a one-hex swarm (GURPS Basic Set p. 461). Such a swarm does 1d large Traits: Amphibious; Enhanced Move 2 (Air Speed 32); Flight piercing per turn (armor gives normal protection) and is (Cannot Hover; Winged); No Fine Manipulators; Peripheral dispersed by 6 HP of damage. Vision; Wild Animal. PECK OUT YOUR EYES! Skills: Brawling-12; Navigation (Air)-12; Survival-12. When feeding on dead (or helpless) animals, crows are CROWS said to eat the eyes first. Cinematic crows will take the eyes A family of birds which includes many species noted for out of more lively victims! Give such birds Brawling-15 and Eye-Pluck-11 (GURPS Martial Arts p. 72). their great intelligence, including tool use. Many of them are highly social, even forming communal nests housing Raven thousands of birds. They are also notorious for collecting shiny Diet: Omnivore (carrion). items. Distribution: Asia, Europe, North Africa, and . Most crows have black with an iridescent sheen, Habitat: Plains, Woodlands. although hooded crows are gray on their torso, magpies have Niche: Diurnal forager. bold black-and-white markings, and some smaller species are very colorful. Size: 2’ long, 4’ wingspan; 3 lb. Crow: Bad Grip 1; Bestial; Curious (12); Disturbing Voice; The largest of the crow family, less social than their smaller Foot Manipulators; Ham-Fisted 1; Flight (Winged); cousins. Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Ultravision. Carrion Crow Diet: Omnivore (carrion). Distribution: Western Europe.

11 ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 6.00 Close Relatives DX: 13 Will: 11 Move: 12 (air) Woodward’s eagle was another species of similar size which IQ: 5 Per: 12 2 (ground) lived in North America during the late Pleistocene. HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -4 FALCONS Although they look superficially similar to hawks (p. 00) and Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 0 eagles (p. 00), falcons are only distantly related to them. Peck (13): 1d-6 large piercing. Reach C. Unlike other raptors, they prefer to kill with their beaks rather Traits: Crow; Enhanced Move 1 (Air Speed 24); Temperature than their feet. Lightly-built but extremely fast, they specialize Tolerance 2 (Cold). in taking small prey, either from the ground or the air. Skills: Intimidation-11; Survival-14. Falcon: Acute Vision 1; Foot Manipulators; Ham-Fisted 2; DOVES Flight (Winged); Pressure Tolerant Lungs (Thin); Reduced Consumption 1 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Telescopic Vision 1; A diverse family of birds with bulky bodies and short beaks, Wild Animal. which mainly feed on fruit and seeds. Dodo Gyrfalcon The largest falcon, with white plumage flecked with brown A flightless which occupied the island of Mauritius in or gray, darker on the back than the underside. Its striking the Indian Ocean until hunting and invasive species drove it to appearance and rarity made it highly prestigious. In medieval extinction in the 17th century. Europe, it was reserved for royalty. To the East, Tianzou of Close Relatives Liao’s excessive demands for gyrfalcons as tribute contributed The Rodrigues solitaire was a similar bird (which suffered a to the rebellion which destroyed his empire. similar fate) from a nearby island. Kestrel Pigeon Small falcons, which often hunt small land animals by Strong fliers, and phenomenal navigators. Pigeons were the hovering low over open ground. According to the Book of St. first birds to be domesticated and have been bred for food, Albans, children, servants, and knaves could only use kestrels sport, and carrying messages. for falconry. EAGLES Merlin Larger relatives of hawks, famed for their excellent eyesight. Also known as the pigeon hawk, the merlin is an agile mid- Eagles are apex predators, capable of killing prey many times sized falcon. their own weight with their powerful talons. Close Relatives Eagle: Acute Vision 2; Foot Manipulators; Ham-Fisted 2; Most falcons are very similar to the merlin. Flight (Winged); Reduced Consumption 1 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Telescopic Vision 2; Wild Animal. FALSE-TOOTHED BIRDS Golden Eagle Long after the last of the true toothed birds (p. 00) went extinct, a family of Miocene seabirds evolved sharp bone A big dark-brown bird with gold plumage on its neck. It is spikes on their beaks to help grasp slippery fish and squid. The the most widespread eagle and the most commonly used in rest of their skeletons were delicate, allowing them to grow falconry. very large without getting too heavy to fly. Traits: Eagle; Enhanced Move 2 (Air Speed 60); Pressure Tolerant Lungs (Thin); Temperature Tolerance 3. Osteodontornis Close Relatives A huge bird with a fearsome beak bristling with spikes and This profile can be used for most mid-sized to large eagles. long, thin wings. During flight, it would have had to tuck its Small ones would use the goshawk’s (p. 00). heavy head far back between its shoulders for balance. Takeoff would only be possible with favorable winds, so it may have Haast’s Eagle preferred to take its prey from the sea surface while gliding to A massive eagle, specialized in hunting moa (p. 00). It went spend as much time as possible in the air. extinct along with its prey, shortly after the arrival of humans in the 14th century. GAMEFOWL A large family of birds with plump bodies, small heads, and short wings. Most of them are clumsy in the air and prefer to

12 stay on the ground when possible. Males often have Goshawk spectacular plumage, especially their tail feathers. Sharp spurs A large but agile hawk, which makes good use of on the back of the legs are used for fights over females or concealment when hunting, often maneuvering to put defense. Thanks to being common, easy to hunt, and fleshy, vegetation between it and its quarry or attacking from blind gamefowl are often eaten by humans. spots. Chicken MIHIRUNGS Thousands of years of selective breeding turned the wild The dromornithids, less formally known as mihirungs, junglefowl into a bulky, flightless creature optimized to thunder birds, or demon ducks were a family of colossal produce eggs and meat. flightless birds related to waterfowl (p. 00). They went extinct Peafowl shortly after humans arrived in Australia. As a result of runaway sexual selection, peacocks (male The lightly-built ilbandornis resembled an ostrich (p. 00) and peafowl) have beautiful iridescent feathers and huge tails could use its profile, but the more famous members of the which can be raised in an impressive display. family were bigger and scarier. Pheasant Genyornis One of the most hunted birds in the world, pheasants are Genyornis was heavily built, with a deep beak, vestigial often bred in captivity and have been introduced to many wings, and hoof-like claws on its feet. places specifically to be hunted. OSPREYS Close Relatives Close relatives of eagles (p. 00) and hawks (p. 00) which As a fairly average member of its family, the pheasant’s specialize in hunting fish. They typically cruise above the profile suits many medium-sized gamefowl such as grouse and surface until spotting a suitable target, hover briefly, and then guineafowl. plunge feet-first into the water to seize their prey. Turkey nests are very large, consisting of a pile of sticks and The largest gamefowl, with an ugly, bald head. Wild turkeys seaweed as much as 2 yards across and weighing 300 lbs. are strong fliers, but domestic breeds grow too heavy to fly in Nests built on utility poles have caused fires and power adulthood. Turkeys are occasionally aggressive, willing to outages. fight animals up to human size, especially to defend their Osprey young or nest. OWLS HAWKS Few birds are nocturnal, but owls have become supremely Like their close relatives, the eagles, hawks use their sharp adapted to hunting in the dark. They have huge, immobile eyes to locate prey before grabbing it in a high-speed dive. eyes, and flattened facial plumage which channels sound to They are split into two sub-families, true hawks who mostly their sensitive ears. Although this concentrates their senses in a hunt in woodlands and buzzards who prefer open ground. narrow arc, their flexible necks allow them to turn their heads Falcon: Acute Vision 2; Foot Manipulators; Ham-Fisted 2; in any direction. To help them take prey unaware, their flight Flight (Winged); Reduced Consumption 1 (Cast-Iron feathers are shaped to minimize noise. Stomach); Wild Animal. Barn Owl Buzzard An opportunistic hunter, the buzzard usually waits on a perch Eagle Owl until it spots prey, at which point it swoops down for the kill. PARROTS They are more likely to eat carrion than most birds of prey, but While not quite as clever as crows, parrots are better at prefer fresh meat. imitating human speech, which makes them very popular as The term ‘buzzard’ can also mean a , especially the pets. They have short, curved beaks, capable of exerting great (p. 00). force but also sensitive, and nimble feet, a combination well Close Relatives suited to manipulating objects. This profile fits most small hawks. Parrot: Bestial; Foot Manipulators; Ham-Fisted 1; Ultravision. Pet parrots have Social Stigma (Valuable Property) instead of Bestial.

13 Hercules Parrot Giant Moa A hefty flightless bird which used its beak and claws to climb Diet: Herbivorous (leaves). trees. Distribution: New Zealand. Traits: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Cannot Speak; Catfall; Habitat: Woodlands. Discriminatory Smell; Night Vision 2; Parrot. Niche: Diurnal browser. Macaw Lacking even vestigial wings, the moas were fully adapted to Macaws are the most iconic parrots, with long tails and a flightless lifestyle. Although they had the long legs and necks colorful plumage. Some species have bald faces with complex typical of ratites, they kept their heads low unless reaching for patterns of short feathers, unique to the individual. high foliage. Traits: Enhanced Move 0.5 (Air Speed 18); Flight (Winged); Their only natural predators were huge eagles (p. 00) but Parrot. once humans arrived they were hunted to extinction. Parakeet Ostrich Also known as budgerigars, the most popular pet parrots are SEAGULLS small birds with fluffy plumage and an overbite which hides Gull their lower beak when closed. Wild parakeets have black and yellow heads and wings, and green torsos, while domesticated Convergent Evolution breeds have a wide variety of colors. Skua PENGUINS SECRETARY BIRDS These flightless birds seem awkward and comical on land, Secretary Bird but are agile predators underwater. Banded Penguin Giant While penguins are usually associated with the frigid waters of the antarctic, the smaller species live in warmer climates Marabou Stork further north. Named for the stripes running around their White Stork bellies, they are also known as jackass penguins due to their braying calls. SWALLOWS Giant Penguin Swallow King Penguin TERATORNS PUFFINS Aiolornis Puffin RATITES TERROR BIRDS Most birds of this family are large and flightless with long Titanis legs and necks. TOOTHED BIRDS Elephant Bird Enantiornis Diet: Herbivorous (fruit). Distribution: Madagascar. Hesperornis Habitat: Jungle or Woodlands. Niche: Nocturnal forager. There are actually two families of bird known as vultures. The heaviest birds ever known had thick legs and no visible Both are large carrion-eaters with little or no plumage on their wings. They shared their island with humans for millennia heads, which travel long distances to find food. The main before dying out during the medieval period. Their huge eggs difference is that old-world vultures rely only on sight to locate are believed to have inspired the legend of the rukh (GURPS corpses, while new-world vultures can also find them by smell. Fantasy p.50).

14 WATERFOWL A big new-world vulture which relies on columns of warm Falcon: Amphibious; Flight (Winged); No Fine Manipulators; air to stay aloft for hours. mainly feed on the corpses Pressure Tolerant Lungs (Thin); Wild Animal. of large mammals, and often follow smaller which Duck they can drive away from their meal. Goose Swan Turkey Vulture

15 CHAPTER 4: DINOSAURS

ANKYLOSAURS Ankylosaurus CERATOPSIANS Triceratops IGUANADONTS Iguanadon Parasaurolophus SAUROPODS Brontosaurus Diplodocus STEGOSAURS Stegosaurus THEROPODS Velociraptor Tyrannosaurus Rex

16 CHAPTER 5: FISH BARRACUDAS Size: 2’ long; 12 lbs. Slender but brutal-looking fish with jaws featuring a complicated array of sharp teeth. They usually hunt alone near the surface of deep water, but will sometimes come close to shore or form shoals. Some barracudas will even herd other fish into shallow waters when gorged and guard them until they feel hungry again. Attacks on humans are rare and usually the result of confusion due to poor visibility. BILLFISH CATFISH EELS LOBE-FINNED FISH Rhizodus PIKE PIRANHAS PLACODERMS RAYS Torpedo SHARKS STURGEON

17 CHAPTER 6: INVERTEBRATES ARACHNIDS Few creatures inspire as much fear in humans as arachnids, despite the fact that the vast majority are harmless. Something about the combination of eight many-jointed legs, clusters of tiny lidless eyes, and bristly hair trigger a deep revulsion for many people. Arachnid mouth-parts, called chelicerae, are large and take elaborate forms, such as the hollow fangs of spiders or the pinching claws of scorpions. Fat-Tail Scorpion As the name suggests, these scorpions have large stingers, which deliver a dangerous mix of toxins. They also have fairly big pincers and an alarming tendency to attack anything that gets too close. Phoneutria Most big spiders rely more on brute force than venom to subdue their prey, so they aren’t very toxic. The Brazilian wandering spiders are an exception. Their bites are potentially fatal and their nomadic lifestyle can easily lead to them sheltering for the day in places where they may encounter people, such as inside clothing, food storage, and vehicles. CNIDARIANS Simple creatures, mostly made of lifeless jelly surrounded by living cells, with no circulatory system, or , and only rudimentary digestive tracts. Their life cycles are often very complex, with different forms being used both for different stages of development in each animal, but also in different generations (even alternating between sexual and asexual reproduction). Many are immobile, such as sea anemones and corals, but the most dangerous are free-swimming forms which can often be encountered in shallow water. Portuguese Man o’ War Sea Wasp CENTIPEDES CRUSTACEANS Coconut Crab Lobster OCTOPUSES SOCIAL INSECTS Few insects are individually capable of threatening a large animal, except as disease carriers. However some insects don’t act as individuals but as hives. Generally, a hive contains only a single queen, who lays all the eggs, sometimes a few fertile males, but numerous sterile workers. Ants Only fertile ants have wings and they lose them soon after mating. Otherwise, they get about by crawling, leaving pheromone trails for each other to follow. Different species eat a variety of foods, some farming fungus, others being voracious carnivores. Many of them engage in warfare against other ants, even taking their workers as slaves. Some species have specialize soldier castes in addition to workers, which are generally larger and armed with more formidable mandibles. The most dangerous to humans are ones which also have venomous stings in their abdomens.

18 Honey Bees Nectar gathered from flowers is processed by bees into honey for storage. Honey is a valuable resource for them, but such a store is a tempting target for other animals, so the bees must defend it. They do so with barbed stings, which tear out of the bee when embedded in the soft tissue of a large animal, killing the bee but leaving its venom glands attached to the stinger. Bees are farmed by humans, not just for their honey but also for the beeswax used to build the interior of their hives (see GURPS Low-Tech Companion 3 p. 11). Wasps SQUID Humboldt Squid

19 CHAPTER 7: MAMMALS ANTELOPES A poorly defined group of animals, related to cattle (p. 00), goats (p. 00), and sheep (p. 00). All of them have thin but powerful legs, short fur, and horns (although the females of some species are hornless). Gnu Also known as wildebeest, these ungainly but fast-running creatures look a little like skinny cattle with horses’ tails. Females form herds of a few dozen, while mature males are driven out into all-male herds. The strongest bulls leave the herds and establish their own territory, where a female herd will form his harem. Impala Resembling a deer (p. 00) with double-curved horns instead of antlers, impalas have a similar social structure to gnus, although the female herds are larger. Females are hornless. Springbok Niche: Crepuscular browser. A small, elegant antelope with a long neck and horns which curve back and inwards. Herds may be all-female, all-male, or a dominant male and a handful of females. They are popular in game farms, where wild animal populations are contained in protected areas and then hunted. APES Closely related to monkeys (p. 00) although apes have no tails and tend to be larger and smarter. Chimpanzee Sharing a recent ancestor with humans, chimps can be as vicious and unpredictable as us. They are usually found in small groups led by a dominant male, but each group is part of a larger community of related animals. Chimps spend most of the day on the ground, but retreat into trees at night. They can easily be taught many tricks and were popular for entertainment and research until ethical concerns made people wary of exploiting such intelligent animals. Box – Bili Ape Gibbon Gigantopithecus Although closely related to orangutans (p. 00), this giant ape would have had to live on the ground like a gorilla (p. 00). Gorilla Too big to climb most trees, gorillas rely on their strength for defense. They live in small groups led by the strongest male, who will usually protect them aggressively. Orangutan BADGERS Closely related to otters (p. 00), weasels (p. 00), and wolverines (p. 00), badgers are chunky burrowing animals with short legs, pointed faces, and thick hides. They are famous for their toughness and tenacity, but will generally only fight if cornered.

20 BATS BEARS BEAR-DOGS CANINES CAMELS CATS Dinofelis CATTLE CREODONTS DEER DINOCERATANS DOLPHINS ELEPHANTS EMBRITHOPODS Arsinoitherium ENTELODONTS EQUINES FOXES GOATS HARES HIPPOS HYENAS Pachycrocuta Spotted Hyean KANGAROOS Procoptodon KOALAS MONKEYS Baboon Big, ground-dwelling monkeys, with dog-like muzzles, close-set eyes, short tails, and hairless buttocks, which live in large troops of around 50. They are omnivores and will kill animals for food if they can. When threatened, the females will usually free to the safety of trees or rocks, but males may try and fight. Given the opportunity they will not hesitate to steal food from humans, even breaking into cars and houses, or snatching it directly from them.

21 OTTERS OXYAENIDS PINNIPEDS RABBITS RACCOONS RHINOS Elasmotherium Paraceratherium RODENTS Beaver Rat SWINE WEASELS WHALES WOLVERINES

22 CHAPTER 8: REPTILES CROCODILIANS With long jaws overflowing with teeth and skin covered with thick scales, even the smallest members of this are scary. The largest are downright terrifying. Although often considered primitive relics, crocodilians didn’t evolve their modern form until the and have adapted to numerous roles besides the archetypal river bank ambush predator. American Alligator Nile Crocodile Convergent Evolution: Phytosaurs ICHTHYOSAURS MOSASAURS SNAKES PLESIOSAURS PLIOSAURS PTEROSAURS Hatzegopteryx THALATTOSAURS TURTLES VARANIDS Water Monitor (Varanus Salvator)

23 CHAPTER 9: SYNAPSIDS

DICYNODONTS Lisowicia PELYCOSAURS

24 CHAPTER 10: TALL TALES Grown in the Telling A classic tall-tale animal is simply a bigger version of a real one. Arachnids, catfish, crocodiles, sharks, and snakes are all popular subjects for this treatment. In most cases, this can be represented by simply using the profile of a larger species of the same family. If there isn’t a convenient species of appropriate size, then enlarging one isn’t difficult: for every doubling of size, double DR, HP, and ST, and add 2 to SM. Recalculate attack damage based on the new ST and reach based on SM. Killer Swarms When animals are too feeble to seem like a threat even when enlarged as far as plausible, they can still become monstrous by joining up in a weirdly aggressive group. This is popular for animals which are already known to be social, such as ants. The swarms in the GURPS Basic Set (p. 461) fit this idiom. Living Fossils Almost as soon as people realized that there had been many species which died out before recorded history, they began to speculate about them surviving to the modern day. Dinosaurs (chapter 4) and plesiosaurs (p. 00) caught the public imagination best, but cryptozoologists have proposed numerous extinct animals as explanations for folk stories. Stories of encounters with such creatures often feature details which are suspiciously close to popular culture depictions or scientific theories of the time. Dinosaur-like animals spotted in the early 20th century, for example, were often swamp-dwelling tail-draggers (p. 00). Mish-Mash Monsters As every RPG writer, taxidermist, and mad wizard knows, an easy way to make a monster is to just stick parts of one animal onto another. In some cases, these stories may have been the result of people trying to describe unfamiliar animals in terms of better known ones. In others, it seems to have been a matter of pure whimsy. To create such a hybrid, take traits from one animal and transfer them to another. This may require recalculating some figures, especially for attacks.

CRYPTID PROFILES AFANC DEATH WORMS DOBHAR-CHÚ DROP BEARS EL CUERO Also known as a rumtifusel, this strange creature looks like a blanket or animal hide. GLAWACKUS GUMBEROO Looking a bit like a bloated, hairless bear with smooth rubbery skin, this ravenous beast spends its life alternating between hibernation and constant eating. Its hide is impervious to most weapons, but its chemical composition makes it extremely vulnerable to fire. HAIRY HUMANOIDS Stories of nearly-human primates have always been popular across the globe, but the concept of living fossil (p. 00) ape-men really caught the public imagination at the start of the 20th century.

25 Agropelter Ahool Yeti HIDEBEHINDS Also known as behinders, these creatures are named for their skill at keeping behind trees whenever their prey turns to look for them. They are a species of bear which has evolved an upright posture and predatory habits. HODAGS LAKE MONSTERS Long-Necked Seal NANDI BEARS SEA SERPENTS SNOLLYGOSTERS

26 CHAPTER 11: WILD SPECULATION

Cosmetic Alterations A fictional world often needs fictional species to populate it. In many cases this requires no more than slightly altering the description of an animal while keeping the same rules. If you tell people that a lake shore is full of brightly colored waterfowl with distinctive vocalizations called scarlet sneezers, they probably aren’t going to know or care that they use the same rules as geese.

27 CHAPTER 12: ANIMALS IN PLAY

28 INDEX

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