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CREATURE FEATURE: THE HYDRA

By Shane Lacy Hensley Art by Bryan Syme

Savage Worlds, Weird Wars, all unique characters, creatures, and locations, artwork, logos, and the Pinnacle logo are © 2013 Great White Games, LLC; DBA Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Produced under license by Studio 2 Publishing, Inc. The Studio 2 logo is a trademark of Studio 2 Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to print for personal use. Creature Feature: The Hydra THE HYDRA original legend. It should most likely be found only in Lake Lerna in Argos. Mythology states that the Greek goddess The powerful creature is best used as a Hera created the hydra specifically to plot device or campaign goal (see The challenge Hercules. The demigod and Sleeper Awakens for one idea) rather his companion, Iolaus, battled the beast than as an isolated encounter. at Lake Lerna in Argos as part of the Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6(A), “Twelve Labors of Hercules.” Spirit d10, Strength d12+8, Vigor d10 It was said to have poisonous breath Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d12, and numerous heads—from five to 100 Notice d10, Stealth d8 depending on the teller of the tale. Most Pace: 4; Parry: 7; Toughness: 19 (4) terrifying, when a head was cut off, two Special Abilities more would grow back in its place! • Aquatic: The hydra can swim at its Hercules defeated the beast by Pace. cauterizing the stumps of the thing’s • Armor (+4): The beast has thick, heads with blazing brands—perhaps rubbery skin. burning trees given the legendary hero’s • Fangs/Claws: Str+d8. great strength, or perhaps torches carried • Breath Weapon: Lernaean hydras can by Iolaus—until only the central head forgo their Fighting attacks to make a remained. This head, it was said, was noxious breath attack using the Cone immune to the usual weapons of man, Template. Anyone caught inside the but Hercules lopped it off with a magical area of effect must make a Vigor roll or sword he’d been given by Athena. be Shaken. Every child in Rome knows the myth of • Fear –6: The hydra is a massive, the hydra. Toys of the monster are carved terrifying supernatural creature, with from wood, ivory, or bone, and adorn black rubbery skin, nine heads, and their shelves—along with the figures slavering teeth. of Hercules, gladiators, Alexander, and other champions of the age. • Hardy: Multiple Shaken results do not cause a wound. Sometimes, the myth takes holdSample in the file conscience of men. In desolate swamps • Huge: Due to the creature’s massive or lakeshores red with the blood of size, attacks against it are made at +4. battle, men imagine they hear the multi- • Invulnerability: The Lernaean hydra headed terror in the darkness, screaming is a creature straight out of myth and with rage from its vast, fang-filled maws. can only be killed in an equally mythic manner. To defeat the beast, its extra HYDRA VARIATIONS heads must be removed first. Cutting On the following pages are three off a head requires a Called Shot to the different types of hydra you can use in head (getting +4 damage as normal) your Weird Wars Rome campaign; from doing at least one wound. Until all but powerful sea and mountain beasts to the one head is removed, the creature can Lernaean hydra, named after the lake in be Shaken but not wounded by any which it was originally said to dwell. attacks. • Multiple Heads: A hydra can attack wwLERNAEAN HYDRA different targets with each of its heads This legendary version of the creature is at no multi-action penalty. It can by far the most deadly, and represents a also attack one target with two of its creature most mortals have little chance heads, treating it as a single action like of defeating. It has nine heads, poisonous Improved Frenzy. blood, and is inspired directly by the 2 Creature Feature: The Hydra

• Poisonous Blood: The first time a normal action for the creature, applying character causes a wound to the hydra multi-action penalties if combined with in melee, everyone adjacent to it when other attacks or actions. he does so must make an Agility roll • Weakness (Fire): Wounds caused by at –2. Failure means the character is fire-based attacks (or sealed with fire hit with poisonous blood and must before they can heal) do not benefit make a Vigor roll (see Lethal Poison from Fast Regeneration (but may heal in Savage Worlds). If this ability is normally), nor do the creature’s heads known (at least after the first wound), spawn two new ones if severed by a the Agility roll no longer suffers the fire-based attack. The fire must bea -2 penalty. Any attack that prevents a significant source, such as a magical head from regenerating (such as fire), attack or blazing inferno. A simple also prevents the creature’s blood from torch isn’t enough unless purposefully spraying on adjacent targets. extinguished when making the attack. • Regeneration (Special): The hydra w has fast regeneration on its body. If a wHYDRA Hydras like this one might be found head is cut off, two more grow in its throughout the dark swamps and place. Between encounters, the hydra waterways of the ancient world. Perhaps chews off the extra heads and returns they are spawn of the original Lernaean to its usual nine heads. hydra. A list of variants off this basic • Size +8: Lernaean hydras are massive template is found on the following pages. creatures. They stand 8’ high at the Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6(A), shoulder and are 30’ long from breast Spirit d10, Strength d12+6, Vigor d10 to the end of their 10’ long tail. Each Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d12, neck and head is 10’ long. Notice d10, Stealth d8 • Tail Lash: Hydras can sweep all Pace: 5; Parry: 7; Toughness: 15 (2) opponents in their rear facing in a 3” Special Abilities long by 6” wide square. Make a Fighting • Aquatic: The hydra can swim at its roll for the hydra. Each opponent must Pace. beat the total with his AgilitySample or be file • Armor (+2): Thick rubbery skin. smashed for Str –2. This counts as a • Claws/Fangs: Str+d6

3 Creature Feature: The Hydra • Fear –4: The hydra is a massive, HYDRA VARIANTS terrifying supernatural creature, with black rubbery skin, five heads, and BLACK HYDRA slavering teeth. Black hydras get their name from their pitch black coloration, but their most • Hardy: Multiple Shaken results do frightening aspect is their intelligence. not cause a wound. Of the rare people who know of them, • Improved Frenzy: All five of the none know why this variant can think hydra’s heads can attack at once. Only and speak as men. Sages theorize on the two heads may attack the same target influence of the gods or perhaps darker in the same round, however. beings. • Large: Attackers add +2 to their attack Regardless, black hydras are extremely rolls when attacking a hydra due to its dangerous, not just for their natural large size, and hydras are at -2 to attack abilities, but their ability to intelligently normal sized targets. deal with their foes. Some say it’s even • Multiple Heads: A hydra can attack possible to reason with the creatures, different targets with each of its heads though it’s best done from a position of at no multi-action penalty. Most hydras strength. Black hydras are rumored to have five heads, though a rare few may know much about the occult, including have up to eight. Only the Lernaean how to create a healing poultice from hydra has nine (or more) heads. Hydras hydra blood (even their own). can also attack one target with two of Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d10, its heads, treating it as a single action Spirit d10, Strength d12+8, Vigor d10 like Improved Frenzy. Additional Skills: Faith d10, Fighting • Regeneration (Fast): The hydra makes d10, Intimidation d12, Knowledge a Vigor roll to regenerate wounds each (Occult) d10, Notice d10, Persuasion d10, round. It does not instantly regrow Streetwise d10, Stealth d8, Taunt d10 heads like the Lernaean hydra, but can Additional Special Abilities: do so if given enough time to heal (one • Magic: Black hydras have access to head every two days). Samplemagic file with earth and death trappings, • Size +6: Hydras stand 6’ high at the using Faith to activate their powers and shoulder and are 24’ long from breast being Shaken if they roll a 1 on their to the end of their 8’ long tail. Each neck Faith die. The have 20 Power Points and head is 8’ long. which recharge at 1 per 15 minutes, • Tail Lash: Hydras can sweep all and the following powers: barrier opponents in their rear facing in a 3” (a wall of earth and bone), deflection long by 6” wide square. Make a Fighting (ghostly spirits block attacks), healing roll for the hydra. Each opponent must (earth sprinkled over the wound), beat the total with his Agility or be speak language (ghostly translator), and smashed for Str –2. This counts as a zombie. normal action for the creature, applying • Smooth Talker: Black hydras have +2 multi-action penalties if combined with Charisma and gain the benefits of the other attacks or actions. Strong Willed Edge (+2 to Tests of Will • Weakness (Fire): Wounds caused and resisting them). by fire-based attacks (or sealed with fire before they can heal) and flaming CAVE/MOUNTAIN HYDRA Cave and mountain hydras share weapons are not healed by the thing’s the same abilities but live in different Regeneration ability. They do heal environments. One obviously prefers normally, however. dank and humid caverns while the other 4 Creature Feature: The Hydra high rocky terrain. They both ambush ADVENTURES their prey by hiding among the rocks. Additional Special Abilities: • Chameleon: Cave / mountain hydras THE SLEEPER AWAKENS can change their skin color to match This tale works best for the Lernaean hydra. stone and rocks. They gain +2 to Stealth War has erupted somewhere around a in those environments. lake or swamp, preferably somewhere • Wall Walker: Cave / mountain hydras in Greece, or even better, Argos. The can walk on vertical surfaces at their legendary hydra, dormant in Hades normal Pace (and may run as well). these long centuries since it was defeated by Hercules, senses the blood of great SEA HYDRA heroes and begins to stir. Despite their name, sea hydras can Signs and portents are found throughout be found in any deep water location, the region: including large lakes. Primarily though, • Children collect, paint, and obsess over they live along the coasts, threatening toy hydras. fishermen and other seafarers. Such • The waters of the local lake boil on beasts can be hard to permanently stop occasion. An old fisherman who was since they can simply return underwater caught in the occurrence swears he if badly wounded to heal. Defeating the smelled brimstone seeping from creature usually requires trapping it in Hades itself. some way or limiting its movement. • When the lake boils, fish, frogs, and Additional Special Abilities: other aquatic creatures leap into • Aquatic: Sea hydras can swim at fisher’s boats or nets, almost as ifto twice their basic Pace and can breathe escape the waters. underwater. This replaces the base Aquatic ability for hydras. • The boiling occurs at twilight each day, but seems to last longer each day. SWAMP HYDRA It started with only a few seconds, and Swamp hydras slither and glide through builds to a lengthy five minutes over the worst muck and mud in the marshesSample the file course of a month. unhindered. In their own environment, • The locals (including the player they can easily run down prey that characters) begin having dreams of would normally be much faster than monsters. Some dream of the hydra as them, including Roman soldiers. it figures in their local legends. Others Special Abilities: dream of their worst foes with multiple • Muck-Dweller: Swamp hydras suffer heads. Some dream of fire and flood. no Difficult Ground penalty in mud or The common themes are the hydra and shallow water. ruin. THE QUEST At the end of 30 days, the Lernaean hydra will arise. The heroes should gradually realize what’s happening while dealing with whatever military or other threat they’re already present to fight. Sometime after the group has proved themselves against some other supernatural threat, they’re approached 5 Creature Feature: The Hydra

by a contact in the Twilight Legion or somehow get to the champion and Cult of Mithras. The legion or cult agrees defeat him, persuade him to give them the hydra will rise and must be defeated. his cherished blade, or even join them But how to defeat such a creature? for the good of all. Fortunately, a Greek sage knows the fabled location of Hercules’ sword, a THE BLOOD OF HEROES magical blade that might be able to This tale works for either the Lernaean hydra remove the hydra’s heads without them or any type of hydra that fits the location. growing back. A great hero has been mortally Acquiring the weapon is only slightly wounded in the last battle. It might be a less deadly than facing the hydra, of beloved legatus, a senator, a prophet, or course. To stay in the mythological a figure as prominent as Caesar himself. theme, perhaps it lies at the inner room of The heroes should already be known a vast labyrinth patrolled by a minotaur, for their prowess and competency (of or in the high nest of a roc, or a group of Seasoned Rank, at least), and have been vile harpies. contacted by the Twilight Legion. For a more military approach, the The legion contact asks the heroes to weapon is wielded by one of the army’s venture to a lake or swamp no more foes—perhaps a great and well-known than two days distant, kill the hydra champion in their army. They must rumored to live there, and bring back its regenerative blood to save the dying hero. If the creature is a Lernaean hydra, the THE SWORD OF heroes must simply wound it and bring back a few drops of its blood in a glass HERCULES container. Otherwise, the creature is a This is the blade with which regular hydra. It must be slain and one Hercules himself once defeated of its snarling heads brought back to the hydra. Samplethe file hero’s camp (it can survive for up to It grants +2 to its owner’s seven days like this). There the head is Fighting rolls and causes fed raw horse meat, causing it to bleed Str+2d6 damage. As a magical once more into a container of some sort. blade, it can harm any entity, In either case, the blood is mixed into a including ethereal creatures poultice (see the Hydra Blood sidebar) and the like. and spread over the hero’s wounds. It has a special use against The man lives and grants the heroes Hercules’ mythic enemy, any reasonable favor they ask for, and the hydra. Should a head be enough treasure for a single Spoil each. wounded with this blade, the head does not regenerate (or THE THING IN THE grow two heads). SWAMP This tale works best for the swamp hydra. A local village at the edge of a swamp or river delta claims a “sea monster” has risen within it. The thing has already claimed the lives of several fishermen as well as a hunting party of their own warriors who went out to defeat it. 6 Creature Feature: The Hydra

The village lies along the legion’s supply path. If the creature can be slain, villagers will provide the army with provisions for HYDRA BLOOD the duration of the conflict. If their pleas are ignored, not only do they become With proper preparation, fresh partisans, secretly working against the hydra blood can be made into a Romans, but the creature—a hydra— poultice that can heal wounds— eventually leaves the swamp to rampage and even bring the dead back against the legions’ rear as well. from Pluto’s dark realm! The poultice requires a gallon BLOOD IN THE WATER of hydra blood no less than 24 This tale works best for the sea hydra. hours old; or a few drops of The army awaits resupply by sea. Lernaean hydra blood no more Several of the ships dock on schedule, than a month old. but one carrying crucial grain and other Mixing the poultice requires a foodstuffs was lost in a storm and ran recipe found only with strange aground further down the coast. types such as hermits, witches, The heroes’ contubernium and support sages, or oracles, and an troops (roll on the Support Table of the assortment of common herbs. Adventure Generator) are dispatched Each poultice lasts for one hour to find the ship and bring the supplies once made. Ten minutes after back to the legion. They are given three application, it heals a living wagons pulled by mules or oxen (as being of all wounds and Fatigue. appropriate to the theatre of war), and If it is applied to the dead three teamsters to drive them as well. within one week of his demise, The ship, a bireme, lies half-beached he returns to the living instead, in an overgrown lagoon. The prow is though with three wounds that broken open upon the rocks while the must heal naturally. stern lies submerged to the mid-decks. The bodies of dozens of rowersSample are file scattered about the beach and float in the lagoon. As the heroes watch they see sharks pulling lazily at the bobbing corpses. Bright red blood runs like unloading on the wagons. Standing in ribbons through the crystal blue water. the water is dangerous, however, as the Much of the supplies remain intact, sharks are still thick. They can be driven sealed in water-tight barrels or crates off easily as most are already full, but for the ocean voyage. Many float in the legionaries must discover this for the lagoon and require some caution themselves. to retrieve from the voracious sharks. A wagon could also be made into Fortunately, those beasts are mostly a makeshift boat with a little work sated at this point, and curiously seem (Survival or Repair roll at –2 for lack of to avoid the half-sunken hull of the ship. proper tools and 1d4 hours of work). Or Getting to the ship requires some the group could send a scout to the local ingenuity. The prow lies about 20’ off village about four miles further down the sandy shore, is in 4’ of water, and the coast to procure a rowboat. From a the prow is 12’ high. Makeshift grapples boat, a hero can climb through one of should work, and there is some rope the oar-holes into the rower’s deck of the and other basic supplies for loading and bireme with little effort. 7