An Unofficial Bestiary for GURPS 4th Edition Volume 1 Living

1 Table of Contents

2 INTRODUCTION This is not a comprehensive guide to the kingdom. Numerous important and interesting creatures are completely absent. There are no beetles, starfish, or worms detailed in these pages. Rather, it is a compilation of animals which may be significant to characters during an adventure. In other words, animals which can threaten people or be of use to them. Unusually aggressive, large, intelligent, or venomous beasts feature far more prominently than harmless ones, despite the fact that the vast majority of animals pose no danger to humans. Likewise, the description of each animal emphasizes entertainment over education. Although I have tried to be as accurate as possible, I am no zoologist, and the material presented here will no doubt contain many errors.

3 CHAPTER 1: ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

ANIMAL TRAITS ADVANTAGES Lateral Line See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 22). Detect Detect Light with the Precise enhancement (GURPS Locational Hearing Template Toolkit 2: Races p. 26) represents simple eyes, such See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 20). as those of many invertebrates. Passive Electroreception Doesn’t Breathe See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 17). It is possible to combine the special limitations of this Seismic Sense advantage, using the rules for Either/Or Limitations (GURPS See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 22). Power-Ups 8: Limitations p. 6). Notably, Gills and Oxygen Storage combine to increase the amount of time that you can Thermal Sense survive in air or poorly oxygenated water. See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 15). Slippery Whiskers This can represent not just slime, but also loose skin or easily 9 points shed , which make it hard to get a grip on an animal. You have sensory hairs which pick up air movement. Soaring Statistics: Vibration Sense (Air; Short-Range 1, -10%) [9]. This is the Soaring enhancement (GURPS Powers: Totems Perks and Nature Spirits p. 6) applied to Basic Move. Euryhaline Super Climbing Being able to drink only fresh water or only salt water is See GURPS Powers (p. 79) for rules on how this advantage simply a zero point feature and it can be assumed that animals benefits those without Clinging. are able to drink the water in their normal habitat without Abilities issue. This perk allows you to drink both without harm. If you have Doesn’t Breathe (Gills) it also allows you to Active Electroreception breathe in both fresh and salt water. See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 17). Limited Camouflage Augmented Pinnae See GURPS Power-Ups 2 (p. 11). Unless specified, assume See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 20). animals are camouflaged to match their normal habitat. Cutaneous Chemical Sense One-Task Wonder See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 8). See GURPS Power-Ups 2 (p. 17). This can represent the instinctive abilities of some animals. Feelers See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 22). Pressure Tolerant Lungs See GURPS Bio-Tech (p. 211). Hunting Sonar See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 19). Sails See GURPS Template Toolkit 2: Races (p. 45). Infrasonic Hearing See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 20).

4 DISADVANTAGES META TRAITS Bad Sight Avian See GURPS Powers: Enhanced Senses (p. 12) for the Low See GURPS Template Toolkit 2: Races (p. 9). Note that not Resolution and No Fovea versions of this disadvantage. all have this meta-trait. Blindness Cancroid with simple eyes combine Blindness with Detect See GURPS Template Toolkit 2: Races (p. 10). Light (Precise) as described in GURPS Template Toolkit 2: Races (p. 26). Domestic Animal This is only used for species which are rare in the wild. Many Cannot Kick wild species can be tamed: simply replace the Wild Animal See Extra Legs (GURPS Basic Set p. 55). meta-trait with this one. Conversely, some can turn feral, in which case replace Domestic Animal with Wild Animal. Extra-Flexible Arms See Extra Arms (GURPS Basic Set p.53). Fish Fish share enough common features that it makes sense to Foot Manipulators define them as a meta-trait. See Extra Arms (GURPS Basic Set p.53). Fish: Doesn’t Breathe (Gills only); Icthyoid; Lateral Line; Long Arms Wild Animal. See Extra Arms (GURPS Basic Set p.53). Icthyoid No Legs See GURPS Template Toolkit 2: Races (p. 10). See GURPS Template Toolkit 2: Races (p. 46) for the Octopod Aquatic, Passive limitation. See GURPS Template Toolkit 2: Races (p. 10). No Skull DR Serpentoid See GURPS Template Toolkit 2: Races (p. 29). See GURPS Template Toolkit 2: Races (p. 10). Quirks Simple Eyes FEATURES -30 points Born Biter Your eyes are more elaborate than crude light-sensitive spots, but not as developed as the complex camera eyes of some See GURPS Martial Arts (p. 115). mollusks and vertebrates. Long Neck Statistics: Blindness [-50]; Detect Light (Precise, +100%) [20]. Your reach with bites and headbutts is calculated as if they Vespertilian were punches with a bonus to effective SM (Size Modifier and Reach, GURPS Basic Set p. 402) equal to your level of Long See GURPS Template Toolkit 2: Races (p. 10). Neck. Apply the same bonus to hit your neck! For example, a MODIFIERS SM 0 character with Long Neck 2 would be able to bite at reach 1, but attacks on their neck would be at -3 instead of -5. Limited Use Most venomous animals limited reserve of venom and adjust Semi-Aquatic the amount they use with each attack in to not waste it. Your legs are more suited to moving in water than on land. For the sake of simplicity, the rules in this supplement just list The game effects are the same as No Legs (Semi-Aquatic) a number of uses per day and let any variation in dose be reflected by the outcome of damage and resistance rolls. except that you actually have legs, which can be attacked, and Such a creature can choose to deliver a non-venomous (‘dry’) used to attack, or to walk while supported by water. bite or sting as a warning before resorting to envenoming, but when confronted with an apparent threat on their life they may not feel like being so subtle!

5 Animal Descriptions Reading Animal Stats This supplement divides animals 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 species (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 unarmed parrying (GURPS Basic Set pp. 376-377). be found. DR: The natural DR of the creature, covering all locations Habitat: The type of terrain that it lives in. Categories are the except the eyes. A (TS) after this number means that it has same as specialties for Survival skill (plus Urban, the Tough Skin limitation. corresponding to the Urban Survival skill) and an animal Attacks: The most common methods the creature uses to harm with that skill will know it at the given level for every others. A number in brackets after the attack name indicates specialty 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), pursuit predators (which actively hunt their sake of brevity, notably all Appearance, Lifespan, and Sleep prey), and pack hunters (which form groups to hunt). 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.

6 SEXUAL DIMORPHISM Many animals have significant differences between the sexes. They may be different sizes (typically the male is larger in species which bear live young, the opposite for those which lay eggs) or one sex (usually the male) may have special anatomy for display or competition. If they require different rules, the standard profile represents the male while females have a modified version. USE AND RE-USE One set of rules can cover many different species. Close Relatives Almost every species has relatives similar enough to use the same profile. 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. 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 Many real animals have been described in fanciful ways. Examples of the most interesting stories are given in text boxes, along with rules for some of them.

7 CHAPTER 2: AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES Both amphibians and reptiles are cold-blooded and (usually) Reptile eggs have shells, either hard or leathery, and their lay eggs, but they are only distantly related. young are usually miniature versions of the adults. Their skin Amphibians have a complex life cycle, with slimy eggs is covered in hard, impermeable scales which help retain hatching into soft-bodied, aquatic tadpoles before developing moisture, but mean they can only breathe through their lungs. legs, lungs, and a rigid skeleton. A typical adult has a wide These adaptations let them thrive in a wide range of mouth, bulging eyes, broad neck, sprawling legs, and webbed environments, from deserts to the sea, and consequently they feet. Their skin is permeable, making them vulnerable to water come in many shapes and sizes. pollution and dehydration, but also allowing them to absorb oxygen through it.

AMPHIBIAN AND REPTILE PROFILES CROCODILIANS American Alligator With long jaws overflowing with teeth and skin covered with Diet: Carnivore (fish). thick scales, even the smallest members of this order are scary. Distribution: South-eastern United States. Crocodilians never quite stop growing and can live as long as Habitat: Fresh-Water Lake, Swampland. humans, so some get very large, and very scary. Niche: Cathemeral ambush predator. They are most dangerous in the water, where they can Size: 10’ long; 400 lbs. conceal themselves effectively by lurking just below the A big reptile with a broad snout, and dark gray or black surface with only their high-set eyes and nostrils protruding. scales on its back, fading to white on the belly. They will eat a On land they usually walk slowly with their bodies low to the wide variety of prey, taking it both in the water and on land. ground, but they can rise into a ‘tall walk’ or even a gallop. Some have even learned to lure birds by balancing sticks on Although their bites are very powerful, the muscles which their snouts. They are timid (despite having no natural open their jaws are much weaker and can be held shut by a predators as adults) and generally avoid humans, but attacks do human. They cannot chew, so they roll their bodies to subdue happen, often by alligators which have been fed by people and anything that survived the initial bite and break food into learned to associate them with food. pieces that can be swallowed. Males prefer open water such as lakes, while females dig Female crocodilians are protective of their young, spending large holes in swampy ground and build their nests at the months or years guarding them from predators, including edges. others of their own kind. Babies may even be carried gently in ST: 15 HP: 15 Speed: 6.00 their mother’s mouth. DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 4 (ground) Crocodilian: Amphibious; Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born IQ: 3 Per: 12 7 (water) Biter 3; Discriminatory Smell; Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: +2 Storage, ×50); Limited Camouflage; Night Vision 3; Peripheral Vision; Rapid Healing; Reduced Consumption 1 Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 4 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Resistant to Disease (+3); Striking ST Bite (14): 2d cutting. Reach C. 4 (Bite only); Quadruped; Wild Animal. Tail Lash (14): 1d+2 crushing. Reach C, 1. Rear only. Traits: Cold Blooded (50°); Crocodilian; Fearfulness 2; Low Empathy. Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-15; Survival-13; Wrestling-13. Sexual Dimorphism Females are 8’ long, 160 lbs. Change ST and HP to 11, SM to +1, DR to 3, bite damage to 1d+1, and tail lash damage to 1d.

8 Nile Crocodile Saltwater Crocodile Diet: Carnivore (antelope, carrion, and fish). Diet: Carnivore (large mammals). Distribution: Central, eastern, and western Africa. Distribution: Eastern Indian and western Pacific oceans. Habitat: Fresh-Water Lake, River/Stream, Swampland. Habitat: River/Steam, Salt-Water Sea. Niche: Nocturnal ambush predator. Niche: Nocturnal ambush predator. Size: 14’ long; 770 lbs. Size: 15’ long; 1,100 lbs. These exceptionally aggressive crocodiles are responsible for Like other crocodiles, the ‘saltie’ can live happily in fresh hundreds of human deaths every year. They will kill more than water, but it prefers brackish estuaries and is the only crocodile they can consume in one meal, storing the excess underwater. which will regularly make long journeys by sea. While females By reptile standards they are sociable, sharing basking spots are comparable in size to other large crocodiles, the males are and even food. Their social hierarchy is based on size. When larger than any other living reptile. preying on fish, they use their tails to gather them together Each individual may occupy several hundred yards or even a before eating, even cooperating with each other to do so. few miles of territory, driving off same-sex rivals with threat In colder environments they may dig tunnels for shelter and displays or actual violence. the small population on Madagascar live in caves. ST: 21 HP: 21 Speed: 6.00 ST: 18 HP: 18 Speed: 6.00 DX: 12 Will: 12 Move: 4 (ground) DX: 12 Will: 12 Move: 4 (ground) IQ: 3 Per: 12 7 (water) IQ: 3 Per: 12 10 (water) HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: +3 HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: +3 Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 5 Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 4 Bite (14): 2d+3 cutting. Reach C. Bite: 2d+1 cutting. Reach C. Tail Lash: 2d+2 crushing. Reach C-2. Rear only. Tail Lash: 1d+3 crushing. Reach C-2. Rear only. Traits: Cold Blooded (65°); Crocodilian; Euryhaline; Loner; Traits: Cold Blooded (65°); Crocodilian; Euryhaline. Low Empathy; Resistant to Poison (+3). Skills: Brawling-14; Fishing-12; Intimidation-12; Stealth-14; Skills: Brawling-14; Intimidation-12; Navigation (Sea)-10; Survival-12; Wrestling-13. Stealth-14; Survival-12; Wrestling-13. Sexual Dimorphism Sexual Dimorphism Females are 10’ long; 250 lbs. Change ST and HP to 13, SM Females are 10’ long; 220 lbs. Change ST and HP to 12, SM to +2, DR to 3, bite damage to 1d+2, tail lash damage to 1d+1, to +2, DR to 3, bite damage to 1d+1, tail lash damage to 1d, and reach to C, 1. and reach to C, 1.

9 FROGS The most successful group of modern amphibians. Adult frogs have no tails, instead using powerful hind legs to hop or swim. Prey are captured with long, sticky tongues. Frog: Amphibious; Bad Sight (No Fovea); Born Biter 3; Cold- Blooded (50°); Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen Absorption); Night Vision 3; Peripheral Vision; Quadruped; Weak Bite; Wild Animal. Cane Toad Diet: Carnivore (any). Frog Illustration Distribution: Central, North, and South America. Invasive species in Australia, Caribbean, and Pacific Islands. Habitat: Plains, Woodlands. Niche: Nocturnal forager. Size: 5” long; 3 lbs. A large ground frog with lumpy, dry skin. Tough enough to survive in dry areas, quick-breeding, and happy to eat almost any animal small enough to swallow, it was deliberately introduced to many countries as a form of pest control. While they ate many vermin, their new ecosystems suffered badly. ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 5.50 Poison Dart Frog DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 1 (ground) Diet: Carnivore (insects). IQ: 2 Per: 10 1 (water) Distribution: Tropical Central and South America. HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -7 Habitat: Jungle, Swampland. Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 0 Niche: Diurnal ambush predator. Bite (9): 1d-7 crushing. Reach C. Size: 2” long; 0.1 lbs. Poison Skin: 1d toxic (Blood Agent; Cyclic, 10 Minutes, 3 Colorful little tree frogs, used to poison blowgun darts. They Cycles; Resistible, HT; Side Effect, Hallucinating). Anyone do not produce the poison themselves, but get it from insects touching the toad is hit automatically. they eat; captive frogs fed on other prey are harmless. Traits: Frog; Limited Camouflage; Reduced Consumption 1 ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 5.00 (Cast-Iron Stomach). DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 2 (ground) Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-12; Survival-12. IQ: 2 Per: 10 2 (water) Minor Variants HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: -9 Other large ground frogs like the African Bullfrog have a Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 0 similar profile, but are usually less poisonous. Either remove poison glands entirely or add a bonus to the resistance roll. Bite (9): 1d-8 crushing. Reach C. Poison Skin: 1d toxic (Contact Agent; Cyclic, 10 seconds, 6 TRIPPING ON TOADS cycles; Resistible, HT-2; Side Effect, Paralysis). Anyone Amphibians often have poison glands in their skin and touching the frog is hit automatically. there are many stories of people using the toxins extracted Traits: Clinging; Frog; Super Jump 2. from them for recreational purposes. For example, dried Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-10; Survival-12. cane toad skins are said to be smoked, and live ones licked, while fire salamanders are used to make Slovenian Minor Variants salamander brandy. Many small and medium-sized frogs are basically similar but While there are rare species which can give a pleasant either lack poison or have something much weaker (use the psychedelic experience, those described in this supplement rules for cane toads). Less poisonous species are generally less are likely to cause painful muscle spasms, and potentially colorful, some of them having Limited Camouflage and most lethal respiratory failure alongside any hallucinations. improving Stealth. Remove clinging for those that don’t climb.

10 LIZARDS Water Monitor A large and diverse group of reptiles. Lizards typically have Diet: Carnivore (carrion, fish, eggs, lizards, and rodents). big tails, long bodies, and wide necks. Their scaly skin is Distribution: South and south-east Asia. sloughed off in patches as they grow. Although some lizards Habitat: Jungle, Swamplands. are cunning hunters, their social behavior is generally limited Niche: Diurnal pursuit predator. to mating and maintaining individual territory. Size: 6’ long; 35 lbs. Lizard: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 1; Low Empathy; Peripheral Vision; Quadruped; Wild Animal. He lives most upon the Land, but will take Gila Monster the water and dive under it: hath a long Diet: Carnivore (eggs and rodents). blue forked tongue like a sting, which he Distribution: Southern United States and northern Mexico. puts forth and hisseth and gapeth, but doth not bite nor sting, tho the appearance of Habitat: Desert, Woodlands. him would scare those that knew not what Niche: Crepuscular forager. he was. Size: 15” long; 1 lb. Robert Knox The largest lizard native to the United States is a bulky, slow An Historical Relation of the Island creature with boldly patterned black and orange skin, covered Ceylon in the East-Indies in bead-like scales. Their excellent and powerful digging claws are perfect for digging up small animals’ nests, Muscular, highly active lizards, with vertically flattened tails, so that the monster can eat their eggs or young. triangular jaws full of slicing teeth, and forked tongues. They will eat almost animal small enough to subdue and supplement When threatened, they may bite and hold on tenaciously. As their diet with carrion (including digging up human corpses). they are one of the most venomous lizards, this can be an unpleasant experience! Plunging the lizard into water may A monitor lizard can handle almost any terrain. They dig force it to release its grip to avoid drowning. burrows, climb trees, swim, and even break into buildings to eat pets and livestock. MYTHICAL GILA MONSTERS ST: 7 HP: 7 Speed: 5.75 DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 6 (ground) As with other venomous animals, the deadliness of the Gila Monsters bite was frequently exaggerated (increase IQ: 3 Per: 12 6 (water) damage to 1d). It was also claimed that it could spit venom HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: ±0 (like a spitting cobra, p. 00) or that its (foul smelling, but in reality harmless) breath could incapacitate or kill. Dodge: 9 Parry: 11 DR: 1 Deadly Breath (12): 1 point toxic (Respiratory Agent; Bite (14): 1d-3 cutting. Reach C, 1. Symptoms, ⅓ HP, Nausea). Jet (Range 2). Claw (14): 1d-2 crushing. Reach C. ST: 2 HP: 2 Speed: 5.50 Tail Lash (14): 1d-1 crushing. Reach C, 1. DX: 10 Will: 12 Move: 2 (ground) Traits: Amphibious; Breath Holding 4; Burrower; Cold- IQ: 3 Per: 12 Blooded (65°); Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Smell; HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -4 Lizard; Long Neck 1; Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast Iron Stomach); Resistant to Disease (+3); Super Climbing 2. Dodge: 9 Parry: 11 DR: 0 Bite (14): 1d-6 cutting with a 1 point toxic follow-up (Symptoms, ⅓ HP, Severe Pain; Onset, 1 minute; Resistible, HT). Reach C. Follow-up usable ten times a day. Traits: Acute Smell 2; Burrower; Cold-Blooded (65°); Discriminatory Smell; Lizard. Skills: Brawling-12; Climbing-12; Tracking-18; Wrestling-12. Close Relatives Mexican beaded lizards are larger, found further south, and have paler scales, but are otherwise very similar.

11 SALAMANDERS Amphibians which superficially resemble lizards (p. 00). All of them are poisonous, but few are dangerous if not eaten. Their ability to recover from injury is remarkable, regrowing even amputated limbs and destroyed organs. Salamander: 360° Vision; Amphibious; Bad Sight (No Fovea); Born Biter 1; Cold-Blooded (50°); Doesn’t Breathe (Oxygen Absorption); Hard of Hearing; Night Vision 3; No Depth Perception; Rapid Healing; Regrowth; Quadruped; Slippery 2; Vibration Sense (Water); Wild Animal. Fire Salamander Illustration Emperor Newt Diet: Carnivore (insects). Distribution: South-West China. Habitat: River/Stream, Woodlands. Niche: Nocturnal ambush predator. Size: 8” long; 0.1 lbs. When threatened, this black and orange newt can rotate its ribs to push through poison glands in its skin, giving it a row of sharp bone spikes on each side. Fire Salamander ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 5.50 Diet: Carnivore (insects). DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 2 (ground) Distribution: Central, South, and West Europe. IQ: 2 Per: 10 2 (water) Habitat: River/Stream, Woodlands. HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -9 Niche: Nocturnal ambush predator. Size: 8” long; 0.1 lbs. Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 0 Black and yellow markings warn potential predators away, Sharp Ribs: Treat as Short Spines doing 1d-2 impaling with a but if they are not deterred, this salamander can spray poison 1d toxic follow-up (Cyclic, 10 Seconds, 6 Cycles; from glands on its back. Resistible, HT-2). Follow-up usable once per day. ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 5.50 Traits: Salamander. DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 2 (ground) Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-12; Survival-12. IQ: 2 Per: 10 2 (water) Minor Variants HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -9 Iberian ribbed newts use the same trick with their ribs, but are far less poisonous (change toxic damage to 1 point, Dodge: 6 Parry: 7 DR: 0 resistance roll to HT+2). Poison Skin: 1d toxic (Blood Agent; Cyclic, 10 Minutes, 3 Cycles; Resistible, HT; Symptoms, ⅓ HP, Hallucinating). YTHICAL ALAMANDERS M S Anyone touching the salamander is hit automatically. European folklore claimed the salamander could live in fire, being sustained rather than harmed by it. Some Poison Spray: 1d toxic (Blood Agent; Cyclic, 10 Minutes, 3 accounts said that it could extinguish flame, poisoned Cycles; Resistible, HT; Symptoms, ⅓ HP, Hallucinating). everything it touched, or had deadly breath (and could only Anyone within two yards of the salamander is attacked as be killed by trapping it in an enclosed space so that it for Bombardment at effective skill 8. Blood Agent works as poisoned itself). Area Effect. Usable only once per day. Use a fire salamander without its usual attacks and add Traits: Salamander. Damage Resistance 6 (Limited, Burning) and Temperature Tolerance 10 (Heat) to allow surviving in fire. See Mythical Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-12; Survival-12. Gila Monsters (p. 00) for killer breath and add Unkillable 2 Minor Variants (Achilles Heel, Suffocation). The poison tree frog (p. 00) Numerous other species of salamander are similar, but has a suitably lethal touch and Create Fire 3 (Destruction usually not capable of spraying poison. Many are less only) covers putting out fires. poisonous (reduce damage and improve resistance rolls).

12 SNAKES Black Mamba Legless predatory reptiles, snakes’ elongated forms are not Diet: Carnivore (birds and rodents). only well suited to slithering through undergrowth, but also Distribution: Sub-Saharan Africa. climbing trees, wriggling through water, and pursuing prey Habitat: Woodlands. down burrows. Contrary to popular accounts, snakes do smell Niche: Diurnal pursuit predator. with their noses, but also transfer scent to special organs in the Size: 8’ long; 3 lbs. roofs of their mouths with their forked tongues. Large, aggressive, fast, and extremely venomous, the black Like many reptiles they can’t chew their food, but they can mamba is the most feared snake in its range. dislocate their jaws to swallow things wider than themselves. They are usually dark gray with a pale belly, although their Fear of snakes (ophidiophobia) is a very common although scales may have a yellow tint or purple sheen. The name most are harmless to humans. However, a few are genuinely comes from their black mouths. Their bodies are slender, but dangerous and it can be hard to distinguish one from the other, they can expand their neck as a threat display, almost forming especially when surprised! a hood like a cobra. The bite is nearly painless, with some Snake: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Born Biter 2; victims not even realizing they had been bitten. Discriminatory Smell; Hard of Hearing; Peripheral Vision; ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 6.00 Seismic Sense; Serpentoid; Wild Animal. DX: 12 Will: 12 Move: 5 (ground) Adder IQ: 2 Per: 12 Diet: Carnivore (lizards and rodents). HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: +1 Distribution: Asia and Europe. Dodge: 10 Parry: 11 DR: 0 Habitat: Niche: Diurnal ambush predator. Bite (14): 1d-5 impaling with a 1d toxic follow-up (Cyclic, 1 Size: 2’ long; 0.1 lbs. hour, 10 Cycles; Resistible, HT-4; Symptoms, ½ HP, A small viper with a wide body (by snake standards, at least). Drowsiness). Reach C. Follow-up usable four times a day. The females are tan with dark-brown diamond-shaped Traits: Cold-Blooded (65°); Combat Reflexes; Snake. markings, while males are pale gray with black markings. Skills: Brawling-14; Climbing-14; Survival-12. Melanism (entirely black color) is common in females. They are timid but, due to their large numbers in populated areas, bites to humans are quite common. Their venom is relatively mild, only likely to kill children or the elderly.

MYTHICAL ADDERS The adder had an exaggerated reputation for deadliness in Europe, probably due to confusion with more dangerous foreign species. Use venom from a black mamba or krait to represent this.

ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 5.00 DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 2 (ground) Snake Illustration IQ: 2 Per: 10 HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: -3

Dodge: 8 Parry: 9 DR: 0 Bite (12): 1d-6 impaling with a 1 point toxic follow-up (Cyclic, 1 hour, 12 Cycles; Resistible, HT-2) and follow-up affliction (HT-2; Moderate Pain; Extended Duration, ×100). Reach C. Follow-ups usable four times a day. Traits: Cold-Blooded (50°); Snake. Skills: Brawling-12; Survival-12; Swimming-12.

13 Krait Grapple (12): Effective ST 8 for attempts to break free, choke, Diet: Carnivore (snakes). or strangle. Reach C. Distribution: South Asia. Squeeze: Only on a grappled foe of SM +2 or less. Quick contest, effective ST 8 vs. higher of victim’s ST or HT. Habitat: Jungle, Plains. Does crushing damage equal to margin of victory and Niche: Nocturnal pursuit predator. suffocation. Size: 3’ long; 0.25 lbs. Traits: Cold-Blooded (65°); Limited Camouflage; Thermal Generally regarded as the most dangerous snake in India Sense; Snake. (home of many dangerous snakes) the common krait is blue- Skills: Brawling-12; Climbing-12; Survival-12; Swimming- black with a pale belly and banding. Passive during the day, it 15; Wrestling-12. becomes aggressive after dark. This makes it likely to bite when disturbed by a human who didn’t see it. Worse, they can Minor Variants seek shelter inside houses and bite people in their sleep. Many A small anaconda or large boa constrictor can also be victims die without even knowing they have been bitten. represented with this profile if Thermal Sense is replaced by ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 6.00 Night Vision 3. DX: 12 Will: 11 Move: 3 (ground) Spitting Cobra IQ: 2 Per: 11 Diet: Carnivore (rodents). HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -2 Distribution: South and south-east Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa. Dodge: 10 Parry: 11 DR: 0 Habitat: Jungle, Plains. Niche: Nocturnal pursuit predator. Bite (14): 1d-6 impaling with a 1 point toxic follow-up (Cyclic, 1 hour, 8 Cycles; Resistible, HT-4; Symptoms, ⅔ Size: 4’ long; 0.5 lbs. HP, Choking). Reach C. Follow-up usable only four times a Cobras are active hunters, famed for the hoods which they day. can inflate as a threat display. If the warning isn’t enough, Traits: Cold-Blooded (65°); Combat Reflexes; Night Vision 3; some species have an additional defense they can use before Snake. resorting to a bite. A stream of venom is projected out of the snake’s mouth at the target’s eyes. Skills: Brawling-14; Climbing-12; Survival-12; Swimming-14. ST: 2 HP: 2 Speed: 5.75 Rock Python DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 4 (ground) Diet: Carnivore (rodents). IQ: 2 Per: 13 Distribution: South and south-east Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa. HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -1 Invasive species in . Habitat: Jungle, Plains, Swampland. Dodge: 10 Parry: 11 DR: 0 Niche: Nocturnal ambush predator. Bite (14): 1d-6 impaling with a 1d toxic follow-up (Cyclic, 10 Size: 10’ long; 30 lbs. minutes, 3 Cycles; Resistible, HT-4). Reach C. Follow-up A hefty non-venomous snake with an irregular pattern of usable four times a day. brown patches. A sluggish animal, especially after feeding, Spit (10): 1d toxic (Blood Agent; Resistible, HT-2). Jet (Range although its bite is quick and difficult to escape from. Once it 2). Always performed as an All-Out Attack (Double) at the has a hold on its prey, it coils around and crushes it until the eyes (hit location penalty already included in effective struggling stops. skill). One use per day. Being fairly docile, needing little care, and looking quite Traits: Cold-Blooded (65°); Combat Reflexes; Night Vision 3; impressive, they make popular pets. The same qualities lead to Snake. them being farmed for skin to make clothing and accessories. Skills: Brawling-14; Climbing-12; Survival-12; Swimming-14. ST: 6 HP: 6 Speed: 5.25 Techniques: Targeted Attack (Spit/Eyes)-10 DX: 10 Will: 11 Move: 2 (ground) IQ: 2 Per: 11 HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: +2

Dodge: 10 Parry: 11 DR: 1 Bite (12): 1d-4 cutting. Reach C.

14 TURTLES Loggerhead Turtle The hard scales of these reptiles have merged with their rib- Diet: Carnivore (cnidarians and shellfish). cages, creating protective shells. Although they hamper Distribution: Warm oceans and seas worldwide. movement, the shells provide excellent defense from predators. Habitat: Reef, Salt-Water Sea, Open Ocean. Turtle: Cold-Blooded (50°); Damage Resistance 2 (Body Niche: Diurnal browser. only); Hard of Hearing; Wild Animal. Size: 4’ long; 300 lb. Brown Tortoise Big sea turtles with hard brown shells and green scales Diet: Herbivore (Leaves). elsewhere. They mostly feed on the sea bed in shallow water, Distribution: South Asia. grabbing slow-moving prey, but also take jellyfish in open Habitat: Jungle, Woodlands. water. Niche: Crepuscular grazer. ST: 13 HP: 13 Speed: 5.00 Size: 22” long; 60 lbs. DX: 9 Will: 10 Move: 1 (ground) Also known as the Asian forest tortoise, this is the only turtle IQ: 3 Per: 10 5 (water) which defends its eggs, which are laid in a mound of dead HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: leaves. If a predator can not be driven off with ramming and Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 2 biting, the tortoise simply crouches over her eggs, shielding them with her shell. Bite (9): 1d-1 crushing. Reach C. ST: 8 HP: 8 Speed: 4.75 Traits: Breath Holding 6; Enhanced Move 1 (Water Move 10); High Pain Threshold; No Fine Manipulators; No Legs DX: 8 Will: 10 Move: 1 (ground) (Semi-Aquatic); Resistant to Poison (+3); Temperature IQ: 3 Per: 10 Tolerance 10; Turtle. HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -2 Skills: Navigation (Sea); Survival. Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 2 Snapping Turtle Bite (8): 1d-4 crushing. Reach C. Diet: Omnivore (carrion and small animals). Ram (8): 1d-3 crushing. A slam at Move 1. Distribution: Eastern North America. Traits: Quadruped; Turtle. Habitat: Fresh-Water Lake, River/Stream, Swampland. Skills: Survival-11. Niche: Diurnal browser. Diamondback Terrapin Size: 20” long; 13 lb. Diet: Carnivore (shellfish). A heavyset creature with a hooked beak, long tail, and Distribution: Eastern coast of North America. extendable neck. They are famously aggressive, possibly encouraged by the knowledge that few opponents can Habitat: Island/Beach, Swampland. penetrate their shells. Niche: Diurnal browser. ST: 5 HP: 5 Speed: 5.00 Size: 7” long; 1.5 lbs. DX: 9 Will: 10 Move: 1 (ground) A small turtle with a brown shell and mottled black and gray IQ: 3 Per: 10 4 (water) skin. Once commonly eaten, they are now a protected species. They are often kept as pets, despite being prone to biting. HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -2 ST: 2 HP: 2 Speed: 5.00 Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 2 DX: 9 Will: 10 Move: 1 (ground) Bite (11): 1d-4 crushing. Reach C. IQ: 3 Per: 10 4 (water) Traits: Amphibious; Bad Temper (12); Burrower; Loner; HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -5 Reduced Consumption 1 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Quadruped; Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 1 Turtle. Skills: Brawling-11; Navigation (Land); Survival. Bite (11): 1d-6 crushing. Reach C. Traits: Amphibious; Euryhaline; Quadruped; Turtle. Skills: Brawling-11; Survival-11.

15 CHAPTER 3: BIRDS feathers are complex structures, both providing insulation like mammals’ fur, and forming the lifting surfaces of their wings. Maintaining them requires constant preening and birds can often be seen doing just that. Less obvious features which contribute to their success are extremely efficient lungs, good eyesight, and clever minds.

BIRD PROFILES ALBATROSSES Long-winged seabirds, which can cover vast distances without landing. Their strong legs work well on land and water, but their weight makes take-off difficult, so they often rest on the surface until wind conditions are favorable. Nesting in large colonies on remote islands, albatrosses generally return to their own birthplace to breed, despite the epic solitary journeys they make during their long lives. Albatross Diet: Carnivore (fish and squid). Distribution: Pacific and Southern Oceans. Habitat: Island/Beach, Open Ocean. Niche: Diurnal forager. Size: 3’ long, 7’ wingspan; 8 lbs. ST: 4 HP: 4 Speed: 5.50 DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 3 (ground) IQ: 3 Per: 10 8 (air) 3 (water) HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -2

Dodge: 6 Parry: 9 DR: 0 Peck (12): 1d-5 large piercing. Reach C. Traits: Amphibious; Enhanced Move 2 (Air Speed 32); Flight (Cannot Hover; Winged); No Fine Manipulators; Peripheral Vision; Wild Animal. Skills: Brawling-12; Navigation (Air)-12; Survival-12.

Great albatross!—the meanest birds Spring up and flit away, While thou must toil to gain a flight, And spread those pinions grey Charles G. Leland Perseverando

16 CORVIDS A MURDER OF CROWS The crow includes many species noted for their great While individual corvids are rarely aggressive, they get a intelligence, including tool use. Most of them are highly social. lot bolder in numbers. A flock will often gang up to drive They do well living alongside people, despite often being off predators. killed as pests, and can recognize individual humans. It takes about a dozen birds to form a swarm (GURPS Although they are technically songbirds, their hoarse cries Basic Set p. 461). They do 1d large piercing per turn are grating to most people. They can learn to make a variety of (armor gives normal protection) and are dispersed after sounds if they want to, including speech. losing 6 HP. Most corvids have black feathers with an iridescent sheen, Raven although hooded crows are gray on their torso, magpies have Diet: Omnivore (carrion). bold black-and-white markings, and the small jays are very Distribution: Asia, Europe, North Africa, and North America. colorful. Habitat: Plains, Woodlands. Corvid: Avian; Bad Grip 1; Bestial; Curious (12); Disturbing Niche: Diurnal forager. Voice; Ham-Fisted 1; Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast-Iron Size: 2’ long, 4’ wingspan; 3 lb. Stomach); Ultravision. The largest corvids, less social than their smaller cousins. PECK OUT YOUR EYES! ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 6.00 When feeding on dead or helpless animals, crows are said DX: 13 Will: 11 Move: 12 (air) to eat the eyes first. Cinematic ones will take the eyes out IQ: 5 Per: 12 2 (ground) of more lively victims! Give such birds Brawling-15 HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -4 (raising effective skill by 2 and damage by 1 for all attacks) and Eye-Pluck-11 (GURPS Martial Arts p. 72). Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0 Carrion Crow Claw (11): 1d-5 cutting. Reach C. Diet: Omnivore (carrion). Peck (13): 1d-6 large piercing. Reach C. Distribution: Western Europe. Traits: Corvid; Enhanced Move 1 (Air Speed 24); Habitat: Plains. Temperature Tolerance 2 (Cold). Niche: Diurnal forager. Skills: Intimidation-11; Survival-14. Size: 18” long, 3’ wingspan; 1 lb. OOH, SHINY! Despite the name and reputation, carrion crows eat a wide Although collecting shiny items is a habit most associated variety of food, including fruit, nuts, and small invertebrates. with magpies, some individuals from most corvid species Although they have individual nests, they are highly social and seem to share it. The objects are usually kept in a secret will cooperate to drive predators away, either in defense or to hiding place, to be taken out and played with only in steal food. Young crows may remain with their parents for private. If they discover evidence that another bird or a some time, helping to raise their younger siblings. human has found their stash, they will move it to a new location. The reasons for this behavior are mysterious. ST: 2 HP: 2 Speed: 6.00 DX: 13 Will: 11 Move: 15 (air) IQ: 5 Per: 11 2 (ground) HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -4

Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0 Claw (11): 1d-6 cutting. Reach C. Peck (13): 1d-7 large piercing. Reach C. Traits: Corvid; Enhanced Move 1 (Air Speed 30). Skills: Intimidation-11; Survival-14. Close Relatives This profile is also suitable for other mid-sized crows, jackdaws, and magpies. Rooks should add Gregarious to their traits.

17 DOVES ST: 4 HP: 4 Speed: 6.00 A family of birds with bulky bodies and short beaks. DX: 12 Will: 11 Move: 15 (air) Pigeon IQ: 3 Per: 12 2 (ground) HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -2 Diet: Omnivore (seeds). Distribution: Worldwide. Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0 Habitat: Island/Beach, Urban. Peck (14): 1d-5 large piercing. Reach C. Niche: Diurnal browser. Talon (12): 1d-4 cutting or impaling. Reach C. Size: 13” long, 26” wingspan; 0.75 lbs. Traits: Eagle; Enhanced Move 2 (Air Move 60); Pressure Pigeons were the first birds to be domesticated and have been Tolerant Lungs (Thin); Temperature Tolerance 3. bred for food, sport, and carrying messages. The ancestral wild Skills: Brawling-14; Survival-12. rock doves prefer to nest in sea cliffs, but feral pigeons find Close Relatives buildings to be a perfect substitute. This profile can be used for most eagles. ST: 2 HP: 2 Speed: 6:00 DX: 12 Will: 12 Move: 9 (air) He watches from his mountain walls, IQ: 3 Per: 10 1 (ground) And like a thunderbolt he falls. HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -4 Alfred Tennyson The Eagle Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0 Peck (11): 1d-7 crushing. Reach C. White Tailed Eagle Traits: Avian; Bad Grip 2; Enhanced Move 1 (Air Move 18); Diet: Carnivore (fish and seabirds). Ham-Fisted 2; No Depth Perception; Peripheral Vision; Distribution: Northern Asia, northern Europe. Wild Animal. Habitat: Island/Beach, Swampland, Woodlands. Skills: Navigation (Air)-12; Survival-12; Urban Survival-12. Niche: Diurnal ambush predator. Close Relatives Size: 3’ long, 7’ wingspan; 12 lbs. Many other doves, such as wood pigeons, are very similar. A sea eagle with plumage which varies from near black at the EAGLES wingtips, to pale brown on the body, and white on the tail. They mate for life and build very large nests, usually in trees Larger relatives of hawks, eagles are apex predators, capable but sometimes on cliffs. of killing prey much heavier than themselves. Most will also Their distribution overlaps with that of the golden eagle and scavenge dead animals, including the kills of any predator they conflicts between the two species occur. Although closely can drive away. As a threat to livestock, eagles were often matched, the golden eagle usually dominates due to its greater killed by humans and many species are now endangered. aggression. Eagle: Acute Vision 2; Avian; Ham-Fisted 2; Reduced ST: 5 HP: 5 Speed: 5.50 Consumption 1 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Telescopic Vision 2; Wild Animal. DX: 11 Will: 10 Move: 11 (air) IQ: 3 Per: 12 2 (ground) Golden Eagle HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -2 Diet: Carnivore (small mammals). Distribution: Asia, Europe, North America. Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0 Habitat: Mountain, Plains. Peck (13): 1d-4 large piercing. Reach C. Niche: Diurnal pursuit predator. Talon (11): 1d-3 cutting or impaling. Reach C. Size: 3’ long, 7’ wingspan; 10 lbs. Traits: Eagle; Enhanced Move 1 (Air Move 22); Good Grip 1; A dark-brown bird with gold plumage on its neck. It is the Temperature Tolerance 3. eagle most commonly used in falconry. Skills: Brawling-13; Survival-12. They mate for life and the pair sometimes cooperate when Close Relatives hunting. Otherwise they are antisocial and each couple The famous American is extremely similar, maintains a large territory where no other raptors are tolerated. differing mostly in plumage and distribution. Other large eagles can also use this profile.

18 FALCONS Kestrel Although they look superficially similar to hawks (p. 00) and Diet: eagles (p. 00), falcons are only distantly related to them. Distribution: Unlike other raptors, they kill with their notched beaks rather Habitat: than their feet. Lightly-built but extremely fast, they specialize Niche: in taking small prey, either from the ground or the air. Size: Falcon: Acute Vision 1; Avian; Ham-Fisted 2; Pressure Small falcons, which often hunt by hovering low over open Tolerant Lungs (Thin); Reduced Consumption 1 (Cast-Iron ground. According to the Book of St. Albans, children, Stomach); Telescopic Vision 1; Wild Animal. servants, and knaves could only use kestrels for falconry. Gyrfalcon ST: HP: Speed: Diet: Carnivore (small mammals). DX: Will: Move: Distribution: Arctic. IQ: Per: Habitat: Arctic, Mountain, Plains. HT: FP: SM: Niche: Diurnal pursuit predator. Dodge: Parry: DR: Size: 22” long, 4’ wingspan; 3 lbs. The largest falcon, with white plumage flecked with brown Claw (12): 1d-5 cutting. Reach C. or gray, darker on the back than the underside. Its striking Peck (14): 1d-6 large piercing. Reach C. appearance and rarity made it highly prestigious. In medieval Traits: Enhanced Move ? (Air Move ??); Falcon. Europe, it was reserved for royalty. To the east, Tianzou of Skills: Brawling-14; Survival-12. Liao’s excessive demands for gyrfalcons as tribute contributed Peregrine Falcon to the rebellion which destroyed his empire. Diet: Carnivore (birds). ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 6.00 Distribution: Worldwide. DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 17 (air) Habitat: Desert, Plains. IQ: 3 Per: 12 1 (ground) Niche: Crepuscular pursuit predator. HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -3 Size: 18” long, 3’ wingspan; 2 lbs. Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0 Famed for its speed, the peregrine is popular for falconry due to being easily trained and highly capable. They take prey in Claw (12): 1d-4 cutting. Reach C. the air, crippling a wing with a talon before grabbing and Peck (14): 1d-5 large piercing. Reach C. carrying it (if small enough) to a suitable spot to kill and eat. Traits: Enhanced Move 1 (Air Move 34); Falcon. ST: 2 HP: 2 Speed: 6.00 Skills: Brawling-14; Survival-12. DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 25 (air) Close Relatives IQ: 3 Per: 11 1 (ground) The saker falcon is extremely similar but lives further south. HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -4

Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0 Claw (12): 1d-5 cutting. Reach C. Peck (14): 1d-6 large piercing. Reach C. Traits: Enhanced Move 2 (Air Move 100); Falcon. Skills: Brawling-14; Survival-12. Minor Variants Reduce Enhanced Move to 1 (Air Move 50) for most mid- sized falcons, such as hobbies, merlins, and prairie falcons.

19 GAMEFOWL Sexual Dimorphism A peacock lacks Enhanced Move. A large family of birds with plump bodies, small heads, and short wings. They are clumsy fliers and prefer to stay on the Pheasant ground; domestic breeds are often too heavy to fly at all. Males Diet: have brighter plumage and sharp spurs on their ankles to Distribution: defend their flock, both against predators and rivals. Habitat: Gamefowl: No Depth Perception; No Fine Manipulators; Niche: Peripheral Vision. Size: Chicken One of the most hunted birds in the world, pheasants are Diet: Omnivore (insects and seeds). often bred in captivity and have been introduced to many Distribution: Worldwide. places specifically to be hunted. Habitat: Jungle, Woodlands. ST: HP: Speed: Niche: Diurnal DX: Will: Move: Size: 10” long, 2’ wingspan; 3 lbs. IQ: Per: Selective breeding turned wild junglefowl into creatures HT: FP: SM: optimized to produce eggs and meat, but barely able to fly. Dodge: Parry: DR: ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 5.00 Peck (??): DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 4 (air) Traits: IQ: 2 Per: 10 4 (ground) Skills: HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: -5 Close Relatives Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 0 As a fairly average member of its family, the pheasant’s Peck (10): 1d-6 crushing. Reach C. profile suits many medium-sized gamefowl such as grouse and Traits: Domestic Animal; Enhanced Move 1 (Air Move 8; junglefowl. Handling Penalty, -2); Flight (Winged; Cannot Hover; Turkey Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Gamefowl. Diet: Sexual Dimorphism Distribution: Roosters have Brawling-12 and Penetrating Voice. Their Habitat: beaks do 1d-5 crushing and their spurs 1d-5 cutting, reach C. Niche: Peafowl Size: Diet: Omnivore (insects and seeds). The largest gamefowl, with a fat body and an ugly, bald head. Distribution: South Asia (introduced worldwide). Turkeys are occasionally aggressive, willing to fight animals Habitat: Woodlands. up to human size, especially to defend their young or nest. Niche: ST: HP: Speed: Size: DX: Will: Move: As a result of runaway sexual selection, peacocks (male IQ: Per: peafowl) have beautiful iridescent feathers and huge tails HT: FP: SM: which can be raised in an impressive display. Dodge: Parry: DR: ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: Peck (??): IQ: Per: Traits: HT: FP: SM: Skills:

Dodge: Parry: DR: Peck (??): Traits: Flight (Winged; Cannot Hover) Skills:

20 HAWKS Peck (??): Like their close relatives, the eagles, hawks use their sharp Traits: eyes to locate prey before grabbing it in a high-speed dive. Skills: They are split into two sub-families, true hawks who mostly Close Relatives hunt in woodlands and buzzards who prefer open ground. This profile suits many large hawks and small eagles. Falcon: Acute Vision 2; Foot Manipulators; Ham-Fisted 2; OSPREYS Flight (Winged); Reduced Consumption 1 (Cast-Iron Close relatives of eagles (p. 00) and hawks (p. 00) which Stomach); Wild Animal. specialize in hunting fish. They typically cruise above the Buzzard surface until spotting a suitable target, hover briefly, and then Diet: plunge feet-first into the water to seize their prey. Distribution: nests are very large, consisting of a pile of sticks and Habitat: seaweed as much as 2 yards across and weighing 300 lbs. Niche: Nests built on utility poles have caused fires and power outages. Size: An opportunistic hunter, the buzzard usually waits on a perch Osprey until it spots prey, at which point it swoops down for the kill. Diet: They are more likely to eat carrion than most birds of prey, but Distribution: prefer fresh meat. Habitat: The term ‘buzzard’ can also mean a , especially the Niche: (p. 00). Size: ST: HP: Speed: ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM: HT: FP: SM:

Dodge: Parry: DR: Dodge: Parry: DR: Peck (??): Peck (??): Traits: Traits: Skills: Skills: Close Relatives This profile fits most small hawks. Goshawk Diet: Distribution: Habitat: Niche: Size: A large but agile hawk, which makes good use of concealment when hunting, often maneuvering to put vegetation between it and its quarry or attacking from blind spots. ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM:

Dodge: Parry: DR:

21 OWLS Eagle owls mate for life, but engage in courtship every year. Few birds are nocturnal, but owls have become supremely ST: HP: Speed: adapted to hunting in the dark. They have huge, immobile DX: Will: Move: eyes, and flattened facial plumage which channels sound to IQ: Per: their sensitive ears. Although this concentrates their senses in a HT: FP: SM: narrow arc, their flexible necks allow them to turn their heads Dodge: Parry: DR: in any direction. To help them take prey unaware, their flight feathers are shaped to minimize noise. Peck (??): Owls do not build nests, instead occupying those of other Traits: birds, or natural shelters such as rock crevices, caves, or Skills: hollow trees. Owl: Bad Sight (Farsighted); Flight (Winged); Foot Manipulators; Ham-Fisted 2; Locational Hearing; Night Vision 3; Silence 2. Barn Owl Diet: Distribution: Habitat: Niche: Size: A common, mid-sized owl with brown and white plumage. Their pale faces, dark eyes, and shrieking cries (unlike the hooting of most owls) make them quite disconcerting to encounter. They have been known as death owls or ghost owls and associated with witchcraft. In reality, they are almost harmless to anything too large to eat. If threatened they may lie on their back and flail with their talons to discourage predators. ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM:

Dodge: Parry: DR: Peck (??): Traits: Skills: Eagle Owl Diet: Distribution: Habitat: Niche: Size: As the name suggests, this is a large owl, about the size of an eagle. A tuft of feathers above each eye combined with facial plumage resembling a frowning brow give it an angry appearance.

22 PARROTS PENGUINS While not quite as clever as crows, parrots are better at These flightless birds seem awkward and comical on land, imitating human speech, which makes them very popular as but are agile predators underwater. pets. They have short, curved beaks, which are sensitive but Banded Penguin capable of exerting great force, and nimble feet, a combination Diet: well suited to manipulating objects. Distribution: Parrot: Bestial; Flight (Winged); Foot Manipulators; Ham- Habitat: Fisted 1; Ultravision. Pet parrots have Social Stigma (Valuable Property) instead of Bestial. Niche: Size: Macaw While penguins are usually associated with the frigid waters Diet: of the antarctic, the smaller species live in warmer climates Distribution: further north. Named for the stripes running around their Habitat: bellies, they are also known as jackass penguins due to their Niche: braying calls. Size: ST: HP: Speed: Macaws are the most iconic parrots, with long tails and DX: Will: Move: colorful plumage. Some species have bald faces with complex IQ: Per: patterns of short feathers, unique to the individual. HT: FP: SM: ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: Dodge: Parry: DR: IQ: Per: King Penguin HT: FP: SM: Diet: Dodge: Parry: DR: Distribution: Habitat: Peck (??): Niche: Traits: Enhanced Move 0.5 (Air Speed 18); Parrot. Size: Skills: ST: HP: Speed: Parakeet DX: Will: Move: Diet: IQ: Per: Distribution: HT: FP: SM: Habitat: Niche: Dodge: Parry: DR: Size: Also known as budgerigars, the most popular pet parrots are small birds with fluffy plumage and an overbite which hides their lower beak when closed. Wild parakeets have black and yellow heads and wings, and green torsos, while domesticated breeds have a wide variety of colors. ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM:

Dodge: Parry: DR: Peck (??): Traits: Skills:

23 PUFFINS SEAGULLS With their upright stance, short wings, webbed feet, and black and white plumage, puffins show many of the same Call him a ghoul, rather, for the Western adaptations that penguins (p. 00) do. Like penguins, they nest Gull is cruel of beak and bottomless of in large colonies and spend much of their time in the water. maw. Pity, with him, is a thing unknown; Unlike penguins, they retain the power of flight. and when one of their own comrades dies, Puffin these feathered jackals fall upon him without compunction… Diet: William Leon Dawson Distribution: Birds of California Habitat: Niche: Gull Size: Diet: ST: HP: Speed: Distribution: DX: Will: Move: Habitat: IQ: Per: Niche: HT: FP: SM: Size: Noisy, aggressive, and bold, seagulls are often considered a Dodge: Parry: DR: nuisance by humans. No doubt they are unpopular with other RATITES species too, especially fish. They do manage to get along with each other though, forming large colonies, despite their Most birds of this family are large and flightless with long eagerness to steal each others food, or even eat each others legs and necks. chicks. Ostrich ST: HP: Speed: Diet: DX: Will: Move: Distribution: IQ: Per: Habitat: HT: FP: SM: Niche: Size: Dodge: Parry: DR: ST: HP: Speed: Convergent Evolution DX: Will: Move: Skua look and act a lot like gulls, but somehow even worse. IQ: Per: They drive larger animals away from their food through sheer HT: FP: SM: belligerence.

Dodge: Parry: DR: An ostrich’s neck and head have no contour feathers, exposing the hair-like down. Their muscular legs lack plumage altogether and terminate in two-toed feet. Their tail feathers, however, are large and highly sought after. Exceptionally large eyes (shaded with long lashes) make them good at spotting predators. When threatened they may attempt to hide by crouching low, run away, or defend themselves by kicking. During winter, they travel alone or in pairs, but in summer they form nomadic flocks, led by a dominant female. They often travel with other grazing animals such as antelope (p. 00) or zebra (p. 00). They can be ridden, although only by a light rider, or used to draw carts, and are farmed for feathers, leather, and meat.

24 SECRETARY BIRDS ST: HP: Speed: Relatives of the eagles (p. 00), hawks (p.00), and (p. DX: Will: Move: 00), but with a very different look and lifestyle. They are long- IQ: Per: legged birds which spend a lot of time on the ground. Their HT: FP: SM: usual prey are small animals, which they subdue with kicks Dodge: Parry: DR: before swallowing whole. Larger animals may be torn apart with their beaks, which are well suited to the task. SWALLOWS Secretary Bird Small birds, specialized in catching flying insects in the air. Diet: They are highly streamlined, with long, pointed wings. Their Distribution: eyes are as keen as a hawk’s (p. 00), while their feet are Habitat: optimized for perching (and so, gripping) rather than walking. Niche: It's not a question of where he grips it! It's Size: a simple question of weight ratios! A five ST: HP: Speed: ounce bird could not carry a one pound DX: Will: Move: coconut. IQ: Per: Monty Python and the Holy Grail. HT: FP: SM: Swallow Dodge: Parry: DR: Diet: Distribution: Leggy wading birds with large bills. Although evolved for Habitat: fishing in shallow water, storks are adaptable and will take Niche: many kinds of prey, including carrion and terrestrial animals. Size: Marabou ST: HP: Speed: Diet: DX: Will: Move: Distribution: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM: Habitat: Niche: Dodge: Parry: DR: Size: ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM:

Dodge: Parry: DR: White Stork Diet: Distribution: Habitat: Niche: Size:

25 VULTURES On the sick or wounded bison, There are actually two families of bird known as vultures. But another vulture, watching Both are large carrion-eaters with little or no plumage on their From his high aerial look-out heads, which travel long distances to find food. The main Sees the downward plunge, and follows; difference is that old-world vultures rely only on sight to locate And a third pursues the second… corpses, while new-world vultures can also find them by smell. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow The Song of Hiawatha Diet: ST: HP: Speed: Distribution: DX: Will: Move: Habitat: IQ: Per: Niche: HT: FP: SM: Size: Dodge: Parry: DR: A big new-world vulture which relies on columns of warm air to stay aloft for hours. mainly feed on the corpses of large mammals, and often follow smaller which they can drive away from their meal. ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM:

Dodge: Parry: DR: Diet: Distribution: Habitat: Niche: Size: ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM:

Dodge: Parry: DR: Turkey Vulture Diet: Distribution: Habitat: Niche: Size: Turkey vultures are drawn to the smell of mercaptan, which is produced by fresh corpses. Because it is also an additive for commercial natural gas, the circling vultures can be used to locate leaks in gas pipes!

Never stoops the soaring vulture On his quarry in the desert,

26 WATERFOWL Distribution: As the name implies, these are distant relatives of gamefowl Habitat: (p. 00) adapted to swimming. They are distinguished by the Niche: combination of webbed feet and blunt, flattened bills. They Size: generally have rounded bodies, short, pointed wings, long ST: HP: Speed: necks, and bad attitudes. Many species are farmed or hunted DX: Will: Move: by humans for their rich, fatty meat, soft down feathers, or IQ: Per: flavorful eggs. HT: FP: SM: Waterfowl: Amphibious; Flight (Winged); No Fine Manipulators; Pressure Tolerant Lungs (Thin); Wild Dodge: Parry: DR: Animal. Swan Duck Diet: Diet: Distribution: Distribution: Habitat: Habitat: Niche: Niche: Size: Size: ST: HP: Speed: ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM: HT: FP: SM: Dodge: Parry: DR: Dodge: Parry: DR: Goose Diet:

27 CHAPTER 4: FISHES Aquatic vertebrates with fins and gills, fishes are found Not all fish lay eggs, but those which do can lay thousands almost everywhere on Earth, from the ocean depths to (or millions) of tiny ones. After hatching, the tiny larvae often mountain streams. They can be divided into three classes; depend on their yolk sac for nutrition until they transition into cartilaginous and jawless fish have skeletons made entirely of fry which can feed themselves. Further development involves cartilage, while bony fish have true bones (often a great many the growth of scales and a full set of fins, after which the fish small ones). is known as a fingerling, a miniature version of its adult form.

FISH PROFILES BARRACUDAS Habitat: Slender but brutal-looking fish with a complicated array of Niche: menacing teeth. They usually hunt alone near the surface of Size: deep water, but will sometimes come close to shore or form Like their relatives, the barracudas (p. 00), swordfish usually shoals. Some will even herd other fish into shallow water when hunt alone near the surface of deep water, but are highly gorged and guard them until they feel hungry again. Attacks on adaptable. Although cold-blooded, they keep their and humans are rare and usually the result of confusion due to poor eyes warm, giving them keen vision and fast reflexes. visibility. ST: HP: Speed: Barracuda DX: Will: Move: Diet: IQ: Per: Distribution: HT: FP: SM: Habitat: Dodge: Parry: DR: Niche: Size: 2’ long; 12 lbs. BLUEFISH ST: HP: Speed: Highly social fish which form large schools. Those who can’t find a school will associate with billfish (p. 00) or sharks (p. DX: Will: Move: 00) instead. A school of bluefish can enter a feeding frenzy, IQ: Per: where they attack anything they can reach, killing more than HT: FP: SM: they can eat. Dodge: Parry: DR: Bluefish BILLFISH Diet: Distribution: A loosely-related group of fishes which share a common body plan, including distinctive blade-like snouts. These ‘bills’ Habitat: are used to slash at prey and sometimes stab in defense against Niche: sharks (p. 00). They have prominent dorsal fins which can be Size: 2’ long; 4 lbs. retracted into grooves on their backs when moving at high ST: HP: Speed: speed. Commonly fished for food and sport, billfish can be DX: Will: Move: dangerous prey, potentially causing serious injury with their IQ: Per: bills while thrashing. They can also puncture boat hulls in HT: FP: SM: accidental collisions. Swordfish Dodge: Parry: DR: Diet: Distribution:

28 CATFISH Electroreception; Peripheral Vision; Pressure Support 1; Vibration Sense (Water); Wild Animal. Chinese folklore credits catfish with the ability to predict earthquakes. They can certainly detect extremely low Bull Shark frequency vibrations, which may mean there is some truth to it. Diet: Carnivore (fish). Traits: Cutaneous Chemical Sense. Distribution: Warm coastal waters worldwide. EELS Habitat: Fresh-Water Lake, River/Stream, Salt-Water Sea. Niche: Cathemeral pursuit predator. LAMPREYS Size: 8’ long; 250 lbs. PIKE Known by many local names such as the Lake Nicaragua PIRANHAS shark and the Zambezi shark, due to its willingness to swim far inland. Populations are also found in the Amazon, Ganges, Like most schooling fish, piranhas congregate as a defense Mississippi, and Tigris rivers. The muddy water they prefer against predators, rather than to kill large prey as portrayed in makes them hard to spot. fiction. They will only attack big land animals when stressed, starving, or defending their young. Nevertheless, each one is a They are stout sharks with broad snouts and aggressive serious predator with powerful jaws, and if they do attack en temperaments. Although only the largest crocodiles and sharks masse they are easily capable of killing people. prey on adult bull sharks, juveniles are more vulnerable and so stick to fresh water where big predators are less common. AYS R ST: 13 HP: 13 Speed: 6.00 Torpedo DX: 12 Will: 12 Move: 6 (water) Diet: IQ: 3 Per: 12 Distribution: HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: +1 Habitat: Dodge: Parry: DR: 1 Niche: Size: Bite (14): 1d+1 cutting. Reach C. ST: HP: Speed: Traits: Bad Sight (Nearsighted); Bad Temper (12); Cold Blooded (50°); Enhanced Move 1 (Water Move 12; Costs DX: Will: Move: Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Euryhaline; Nictictating Membrane IQ: Per: 1; No Depth Perception; Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast- HT: FP: SM: Iron Stomach); Shark; Striking ST 2; Stubbornness. Dodge: Parry: DR: Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-14; Survival-12; Tracking-16. SHARKS Cookiecutter Shark Diet: Carnivore (fish and marine mammals). Distantly related to rays, sharks have elongated oval bodies, large fins (including their famous triangular dorsal fins, which Distribution: Warm oceans worldwide. can sometimes be seen above the surface), and skin covered in Habitat: Open Ocean. sharp denticles which both reduce drag and discourage Niche: Nocturnal ambush predator. parasites. Their light, flexible skeletons and fatty livers give Size: 15” long; 1 lbs. them close to neutral buoyancy without the need for swim This bug-eyed little monster demonstrates that even small bladders, although they will sink slowly if they stop sharks can be horrifying. It is found near islands with swimming. sufficiently deep water to hide during the day (up to two miles Shark teeth are embedded in their gums rather than fixed to down), rising near the surface at night. the jaw, so they are easily lost. Rows of replacement teeth lie Faint green luminescence on its belly makes it near invisible behind the main ones, moving forward when needed. in dark water. Unseen, it approaches larger animals, latches Although often described as idiotic eating machines, most onto them with sucking lips, and then carves out a chunk of sharks have large brains and display complex behavior. flesh with its saw-blade teeth before swimming away, leaving Shark: Born Biter 2; Colorblindness; Discriminatory Smell; its victim with a gruesome circular wound. They will attack Doesn’t Breathe (Gills only); High Pain Threshold; humans and soft inanimate objects such as submarine fittings. Ichthyoid; Injury Tolerance (No Neck); Passive

29 ST: 2 HP: 2 Speed: Niche: Cathemeral pursuit predator. DX: Will: Move: Size: 9’ long; 160 lbs. IQ: 2 Per: Also known as the lesser white shark, easily recognized by HT: FP: SM: -4 its long, rounded, and white tipped fins. They are solitary, gathering only where food is abundant. Dodge: Parry: DR: They usually swim close to the surface, often trailing schools Bite (14): 1d-6 cutting. Reach C. of prey, or groups of predators they can scavenge scraps from. Traits: Bad Sight (Nearsighted); Chameleon 2 (Accessibility, Sometimes they follow ships, which can provide food in the Only underwater); Cold Blooded (50°); Enhanced Move 1 form of garbage, bycatch, whale carcasses, and occasionally (Water Move 16; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Night Vision unlucky sailors. They may actually be responsible for more 3; Shark. human deaths than great whites, although most would have Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-12; Survival-14. gone unrecorded far from land. Great White Shark ST: 11 HP: 11 Speed: DX: 12 Will: 12 Move: 8 (water) Diet: IQ: 3 Per: 12 Distribution: HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: +1 Habitat: Niche: Dodge: Parry: DR: 1 Size: Diurnal pursuit predator. Bite (14): 1d-1 cutting. Reach C. Great whites are fussy eaters; if the taste or texture of Traits: Bad Sight (Nearsighted); Cold Blooded (50°); Curious whatever they bite doesn’t match their usual prey, they will (12); Enhanced Move 1 (Water Move 16; Costs Fatigue, 1 reject it. This means that a human may only need to survive a FP/second); Gluttony (12); Low Empathy; Night Vision 3; single bite (although one is usually more than enough)! Nictictating Membrane 1; No Depth Perception; Reduced ST: HP: Speed: Consumption 2 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Shark. DX: Will: Move: Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-12; Survival-14; Tracking-16. IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM: I don't know how many sharks, maybe a thousand. I don't know how many men. Dodge: Parry: DR: They averaged six an hour. Skills: Navigation (Sea). Sam Quint (Robert Shaw) Hammerhead Shark Jaws Diet: Tiger Shark Distribution: Diet: Habitat: Distribution: Niche: Habitat: Size: Niche: Nocturnal pursuit predator. Capable of parthenogenesis. Size: ST: HP: Speed: A larger relative of the oceanic whitetip. DX: Will: Move: They will eat almost anything, including indigestible metal IQ: Per: and plastic items, leading them to be called ‘swimming HT: FP: SM: garbage dumps’. Dodge: Parry: DR: ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: Skills: Navigation (Sea). IQ: Per: Oceanic Whitetip Shark HT: FP: SM: Diet: Carnivore (fish and squid). Dodge: Parry: DR: Distribution: Tropical waters worldwide. Habitat: Open Ocean. Bite (): nd cutting. Reach C.

30 Traits: Acute Detect 4; Shark. SAWFISH Skills: Brawling-10; Survival-10. STURGEON TIGERFISH

31 CHAPTER 6: INVERTEBRATES Spineless animals are far more common than vertebrates, but Those which are large or dangerous enough to notice are most of them are so small that they are easily overlooked, so often viewed with disgust and fear, thanks to their alien humans pay less attention to them. appearance and habits.

INVERTEBRATE PROFILES ARACHNIDS Fat-Tail Scorpion Few creatures inspire as much fear in humans as arachnids, Diet: Carnivore (insects and lizards). despite the fact that almost all are harmless. The combination Distribution: North Africa, the Middle East, and central Asia. of eight many-jointed legs, clusters of tiny lidless eyes, and Habitat: Desert. bristly hair trigger a deep revulsion for many people. Niche: Nocturnal ambush predator. Arachnid mouth-parts (chelicerae) tend to be highly Size: 3” long; negligible weight. specialized, such as hollow fangs or tearing claws. As the name suggests, these scorpions have large stingers, Arachnid: Clinging; Cold-Blooded (50°); Extra Legs (Eight which deliver a dangerous mix of toxins. They also have fairly Legs); Injury Tolerance (No Head; No Neck); Simple Eyes; big pincers and an alarming tendency to attack anything they Whiskers; Wild Animal. perceive as a threat (which, given their eyesight and intellect, Brazilian Wandering Spider means anything large moving nearby) or food (anything small Diet: Carnivore (amphibians and insects). moving nearby). Ruined buildings are a favorite shelter. Distribution: Central and South America. ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 6.00 Habitat: Jungle. DX: 12 Will: 12 Move: 1 (ground) Niche: Nocturnal pursuit predator. IQ: 1 Per: 10 Size: 6” across; 0.1 lbs. HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -8 Most big spiders aren’t very toxic. Members of the genus Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 0 phoneutria are an exception. Their bites are potentially fatal and their nomadic lifestyle can easily lead to them sheltering Pinch (14): 1d-6 crushing. Reach C. for the day in places where they may encounter people, such as Sting (14): 1d-5 piercing with 1 point toxic follow-up (Cyclic, inside clothing, food storage, and vehicles. 1 Hour, 24 Cycles; Resistible, HT-2) and follow-up affliction (HT-2; Severe Pain; Extended Duration, ×100). ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 5.50 Reach C. Follow-ups usable only four time a day. DX: 10 Will: 12 Move: 1 (ground) Traits: Arachnid; Good Grip 1; Ham-Fisted 2. IQ: 1 Per: 12 Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-12; Survival-12. HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -5 Close Relatives Dodge: Parry: DR: 0 Many species of scorpion are just as nasty. Bite (12): 1d-6 impaling with 1d toxic follow-up (Cyclic, 1 CENTIPEDES Hour, 6 Cycles; Symptoms, ½ HP, Moderate Pain; If there’s anything people hate more than arachnids (p. 00) Resistible, HT-2). Reach C. Follow-up usable only four and snakes (p. 00), it’s these creatures which seem to combine times a day. the worst features of both! With their long, slithery bodies, Traits: Arachnid; Horizontal; No Fine Manipulators. many legs, segmented exoskeletons, and venomous fangs they Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth 12; Survival-12. look truly hideous. They have two long antennae on their Minor Variants heads and two modified legs serving a similar purpose on the Change follow-up to Affliction (HT-2; Moderate Pain; rear end. Despite the name, no centipede has exactly 100 legs; Extended Duration, ×30) for a typical tarantula. the number varies by species, with some adding more as they grow. Fortunately, most centipedes don’t grow very large…

32 Giant Centipede Echizen Jellyfish Diet: Carnivore (Amphibians, Insects, and Lizards). Diet: Carnivore (plankton). Distribution: South America. Distribution: North-west Pacific. Habitat: Jungle. Habitat: Open Ocean. Niche: Nocturnal pursuit predator. Niche: Cathemeral grazer. Size: 10” long; 0.1 lbs. Size: 6’ across; 400 lbs. Small centipedes are bad enough, but these horrors get as Rhizostome jellyfish have a domed bell which contracts to long as a human forearm and prey on small vertebrates. Due to drive them through the water and eight ‘arms’ which branch lacking the waxy cuticle of most centipedes, they live in moist into numerous small tendrils to sting and draw prey into the undergrowth to avoid dehydration. central mouth. ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 5.50 DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 1 (ground) The real world is in a much darker and IQ: 1 Per: 10 deeper place than this, and most of it is occupied by jellyfish and things. HT: 10 FP: 10 SM: -5 Haruki Murakami Dodge: 8 Parry: 10 DR: 0 The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle Bite (14): 1d-6 cutting with 1 point toxic follow-up (Cyclic, 1 Echizen jellyfish, also known as Nomura’s Jellyfish, are Hour, 12 Cycles; Resistible, HT-1) and follow-up affliction among the largest and most dangerous. Population blooms (HT-2; Severe Pain; Extended Duration, ×30). Reach C. (which have been increasing in recent years) can deplete fish Follow-ups usable only four times a day. stocks and make fishing difficult; a trawler was once capsized Traits: Clinging; Extra Legs (42 or 46 Legs; Cannot Kick); trying to haul in a net full of Echizen. They are edible, but not Feelers; Flexibility; Hard of Hearing; Injury Tolerance (No the tastiest jellyfish and careless preparation can cause Neck); No Fine Manipulators; Numb; Simple Eyes; poisoning. Vulnerability (Dehydration); Wild Animal. ST: 15 HP: 15 Speed: 5.00 Skills: Brawling-14; Survival-12. DX: 8 Will: 10 Move: 1 (water) CNIDARIANS IQ: 1 Per: 8 Simple creatures, mostly made of lifeless jelly surrounded by HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: +2 living cells, with no circulatory system, or , and only Dodge: - Parry: - DR: 0 rudimentary digestive tracts. Their life cycles are complex, with different forms being used not only for different stages of Stinging Tendrils: 1d toxic (Cyclic, 1 Hour, 3 Cycles; development in each animal, but also in different generations Symptoms, ⅓ HP, Severe Pain; Armor Divisor (0.5); (even alternating between sexual and asexual reproduction). Resistible, HT). Anything in the water within 1 yard of the Many are immobile, such as sea anemones and corals, but the jellyfish’s body is attacked as for Bombardment at effective most dangerous are translucent free-swimming forms which skill 12. are hard to spot in water. They often have long tendrils Traits: Cnidarian; No Legs (Aquatic). covered in tiny barbs called cnidocytes. If these penetrate the Minor Variants skin, they will deliver a dose of painful venom. More typical jellyfish are far smaller and less venomous than A cnidarian’s tendrils are not considered body parts for the the echizen, but are otherwise similar. An average one might purpose of attacks. They are too small and numerous to be be 6” across and weight 1 lb. Change ST and HP to 2 and SM practical to destroy, and continue to sting long after being to -4. The stinging tendrils have an effective skill of 8 and only detached from the body. do 1 point of toxic damage, but otherwise use the same rules. Cnidarian: Blindness; Chameleon 2 (Accessibility, Only underwater); Cold-Blooded (50°); Deafness; Doesn’t Jellyfish Swarm Breathe (Oxygen Absorption); Injury Tolerance (No Head; It is possible for a number of small jellyfish to be treated as a No Neck; No Vitals); Invertebrate; No Manipulators; Wild swarm (GURPS Basic Set p. 461). They will not pursue, but Animal. anyone swimming through them takes 1d toxic damage, Resistible with a HT roll, with Severe Pain as a Symptom at ⅓ HP. They are dispersed after losing 12 HP.

33 Portuguese Man o’ War DECAPODS Diet: Carnivore (plankton). Crustaceans with ten legs, the first two often adapted into Distribution: Tropical waters worldwide. grasping claws. They also have four long antennae and a Habitat: Salt-Water Sea, Open Ocean. bewildering array of smaller appendages, mostly mouth-parts. Niche: Cathemeral grazer. Most of them are bottom-dwelling marine scavengers, but are Size: 1’ long, 24’ tendrils; 10 lbs. able to survive some time out of the water. Some species are Each Man o’ War is a collection of zooids, which aren’t quite entirely terrestrial as adults, although their young are aquatic. animals in their own right but are more distinct than the organs Decapod: Cancroid; Feelers; Injury Tolerance (No Head; No of a single animal. Each zooid takes on a specialized role and Neck); Numb; Reduced Consumption 3 (Cast-Iron they can not survive without each other. Together, they form a Stomach); Regrowth; Simple Eyes; Wild Animal. gas-filled body which floats near the surface, an fleshy ‘sail’, Brown Crab and many thin tendrils which hang below to capture prey. Diet: Carnivore (shellfish). ST: 4 HP: 4 Speed: 5.00 Distribution: North-east Atlantic. DX: 8 Will: 10 Move: 0 (water) Habitat: Salt-Water Sea. IQ: 1 Per: 8 Niche: Nocturnal ambush predator. HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -3 Size: 9” across; 1.5 lbs. Dodge: - Parry: - DR: 0 A common crab which lives in shallow water, burying itself in sand during the day and hunting at night. Its carapace Stinging Tendrils: 1d toxic (Cyclic, 1 Hour, 3 Cycles; resembles a pie-crust with a scalloped edge. One of the most Symptoms, ⅓ HP, Severe Pain; Armor Divisor (0.5); popular crabs for human consumption, it is also a favorite of Resistible, HT). Anything in the water within 8 yards of the the common octopus (p. 00). Man o’ War’s body is attacked as for Bombardment at ST: 2 HP: 2 Speed: 5.25 effective skill 8. DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 1 (ground) Traits: Cnidarian; No Legs (Aquatic, Passive); Sails. IQ: 1 Per: 10 Sea Wasp HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -4 Diet: Carnivore (fish). Distribution: South-west Pacific. Dodge: 8 Parry: 9 DR: 1 Habitat: Open ocean. Pinch (12): 1d-5 crushing. Reach C. Niche: Diurnal ambush predator. Traits: Burrower; Decapod; Doesn’t Breathe (Gills only; Size: 1’ across, 12’ tendrils; 4 lbs. Oxygen Storage, ×300). Box jellyfish are named for their roughly cube-shaped bell. Skills: Brawling-12; Survival-12; Wrestling-12. At the corners of the bell, four clusters of stinging tendrils trail Coconut Crab behind it. These tendrils contract for high-speed swimming and Diet: Omnivore (carrion, fruit, and nuts). extend to catch prey. Each side has a cluster of eyes, including Distribution: South Indian and Pacific oceans. some which are very complex for a creature with no brain. Habitat: Island/Beach. The sea wasp is a large box jellyfish with powerful venom, Niche: Nocturnal forager. responsible for more human deaths than any of its relatives, although most stings are not fatal. Size: 2’ across; 3 lbs. As the name suggests, these crabs have powerful claws (the ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 5.00 left one is a little bigger than the right) which can tear open DX: 9 Will: 10 Move: 2 (water) coconuts, although they eat a wide variety of food, including IQ: 1 Per: 8 live prey. They are notorious for breaking into human food HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -3 stores (and sometimes making off with food-scented cutlery), Dodge: 8 Parry: - DR: 0 leading to the nickname ‘robber crab’. Adult crabs usually hide in burrows while molting, but smaller ones use coconut shells. Stinging Tendrils (9): 1d toxic (Cyclic, 1 Minute, 5 Cycles; In their natural habitat, adults have no predators apart from Armor Divisor (0.5); Resistible, HT-1; Symptoms, ⅓ HP, larger coconut crabs, but humans, along with their dogs (p. 00) Severe Pain). Reach 1-4. and pigs (p. 00), are a great threat to them. Traits: Cnidarian; Detect Light (Precise); No Legs (Aquatic).

34 ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 5.00 OCTOPUSES DX: 9 Will: 12 Move: 2 (ground) Aquatic mollusks with soft bodies and eight arms. The inner IQ: 1 Per: 10 side of each arm is covered with adhesive suckers and the rest HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -3 of their skin can change color and texture. Octopuses have poor proprioceptive sense and so need to be able to see their Dodge: Parry: DR: 1 body parts to understand their position. An octopus can Pinch (11): 1d-3 crushing. Reach C. squeeze through extremely small gaps, limited only by the size Traits: Arm ST 2; Decapod; Discriminatory Smell; Loner. of its eyes and beak. They are all venomous, but in most Skills: Brawling-11; Climbing-12; Survival-12; Wrestling-11. species it is harmless to humans. European Lobster An octopus usually moves by crawling along with it arms, but can also swim or propel itself quickly through the water Diet: Omnivore (carrion, shellfish, mollusks, and worms). with jets from a siphon below its mouth which can also squirt a Distribution: North-east Atlantic and Mediterranean sea. cloud of ‘ink’ (a mixture of mucous and melanin) to confuse Habitat: Salt-Water Sea. predators. Niche: Nocturnal forager. Octopuses have some of the largest brain-to-body-mass ratios Size: 15” long; 4 lbs. among invertebrates, greater than many vertebrates. However, Crawling across the sea bed in shallow water, lobsters eat the majority of their neurons are not in their brains, but in their whatever they can find. If anything threatens to eat them, they arms, which can keep moving even after being severed. can swim quickly backwards with their tails, or threaten back Octopus: Clinging; Cutaneous Chemical Sense; Cold-Blooded with powerful claws. (65°); Doesn’t Breathe (Gills only; Oxygen Storage, ×25); Their claws are asymmetrical; the crusher is slightly larger, Double-Joined; Good Grip 2; Ham-Fisted 1; Injury but blunt, while the pincher is sharp (which claw is which Tolerance (Independent Body Parts, No Reattachment; No depends on the lobster, and a few rare mutants have two of one Neck); Loner (12); No Skull DR; Obscure 10 (Vision; type). Together, they can crack open many different types of Drifting; Only in Water; Persistent; Takes Recharge, 1 shell and tear out the meat inside. When lobsters defend Hour); Octopod; Peripheral Vision; Pressure Support 2; themselves they usually use their pincher, but in contests with Regrowth (Limbs Only); Semi-Aquatic; Temperature each other they favor the crusher. Tolerance 10 (Cold); Wild Animal. ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 5.50 Common Octopus DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 1 (ground) Diet: Carnivore (shellfish). IQ: 1 Per: 12 5 (water) Distribution: Warm and temperate coasts worldwide. HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -4 Habitat: Reef, Salt-Water Sea. Dodge: Parry: DR: 1 Niche: Crepuscular ambush predator. Crusher Claw (12): 1d-4 crushing. Reach C. Size: 3’ long; 10 lbs. Pincher Claw (12): 1d-5 cutting. Reach C. A fairly average octopus, mostly notable for its large population. It is the octopus most commonly eaten by humans Traits: Amphibious; Decapod; Doesn’t Breathe (Gills only; (and Conger Eels p. 00) and the most studied by science. Oxygen Storage, ×50). Skills: Brawling-12; Survival-12; Swimming-14; Wrestling- ST: 4 HP: 4 Speed: 6.00 12. DX: 13 Will: 10 Move: 1 (ground) IQ: 4 Per: 10 4 (water) Close Relatives American lobsters are almost identical. HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -3 Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0 Bite (13): 1d-6 large piercing. Reach C. Grapple With All Arms (27): Effective ST 18 for attempts to break free, choke, or strangle. Reach C. Traits: Chameleon 3; Color Blind; Move (Water) +8 (Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Octopus. Skills: Stealth-15; Wrestling-15.

35 Pacific Giant Octopus Ants Diet: Carnivore (crustaceans). Only fertile ants have wings and they lose them soon after Distribution: mating. Otherwise, they get about by crawling, leaving Habitat: Reef, Salt-Water Sea. pheromone trails for each other to follow. A few are nomadic, but most live in underground tunnels. Different species eat a Niche: Cathemeral ambush predator. variety of foods, some farming fungus, others being voracious Size: carnivores. Many of them engage in warfare against other ants, The largest known octopus lives in temporary dens, usually even taking their workers as slaves. small underwater caves which it fortifies with rocks and Some species have specialize soldier castes in addition to debris. From there it emerges for short hunting trips several workers, which are generally larger and armed with more times a day. formidable mandibles. The most threatening to humans are ST: HP: Speed: ones which also have venomous stings in their abdomens. DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: CINEMATIC ANTS HT: FP: SM: In fiction, dangerous ants don’t just cause shallow bites aggravated with venom, they chew their victims down to Dodge: Parry: DR: the bone! A cinematic ant swarm does 1 point of corrosion Bite (00): 00 large piercing. Reach C. damage per turn. They usually infiltrate unsealed armor rather than destroying it, but will eat their way through Grapple With All Arms (): Effective ST 00 for attempts to seals. break free, choke, or strangle. Reach C. Traits: Chameleon 2; Color Blind; Move (Water) +8 (Costs Honey Bees Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Octopus. Nectar gathered from flowers is processed by bees into honey Skills: Stealth-15; Wrestling-15. for storage. Honey is a valuable resource for them, but such a SOCIAL INSECTS store is a tempting target for other animals (especially bears p. 00, and honey badgers p. 00), so the bees must defend it. They Few insects are individually capable of threatening a large do so with barbed stings, which tear out of the bee when animal, except as disease carriers. However some insects don’t embedded in the soft tissue of a large animal, killing the bee act as individuals but as colonies. Generally, a colony contains but leaving its venom glands attached to the stinger. only a single queen, who lays all the eggs, numerous sterile workers, and sometimes a few fertile male drones. Bees are farmed by humans, not just for their honey but also for the wax used to build the interior of their hives (see In combat, social insects form swarms (GURPS Basic Set p. GURPS Low-Tech Companion 3 p. 11). 461). A highly venomous species would do 1 point of toxic damage per turn, Resistible with a HT roll, with Severe Pain as Wasps a Symptom at ⅓ HP. A less dangerous one might only have an Looking like sleek, evil versions of bees (or colorful, winged Affliction (HT; Severe Pain). All of them infiltrate unsealed ants), wasps have a bad reputation for individual aggression, armor (in 5 seconds) and clothing (2 seconds) to get directly to they will usually only attack large creatures en masse if the skin. defending their nest. However, they are prone to consider Ants crawl at Move 1, while bees and wasps can fly at Move anything approaching their home a threat. 6. Any of them are dispersed after losing 12 HP. They are attracted to any food rich in sugar, such as rotting fruit, but also prey on other insects, even raiding bee hives. DETAILED STINGS Close Relatives Many stinging creatures in this supplement have attacks Hornets are basically big wasps. Each one is harder to kill which cause Severe Pain as a Symptom after loss of ⅓ HP. and carries more venom, but there are fewer of them in a This makes the effect simple to manage in play but if you swarm, so the rules remain the same. prefer more detail it can be changed to Moderate Pain at ⅓ HP, Severe Pain at ½ HP, and Terrible Pain at ⅔ HP. Against any opponent they can’t damage, they will be able to cause an Affliction (HT; Moderate Pain; Secondary Severe Pain) instead.

36 SQUID Humboldt Squid Like octopuses, squid are intelligent aquatic mollusks with Diet: Carnivore (fish and squid). eight arms covered in suckers, color changing skin, mildly Distribution: Eastern Pacific. venomous beaks, and ink sacs. Unlike octopuses, they have a Habitat: Open Ocean. rudimentary skeleton (a single bone), fins, two long tentacles, Niche: Nocturnal pack hunter. and a streamlined form suited for jet-propelled swimming Size: 5’ long; 50 lbs. rather than crawling. Gathering in groups several hundred strong, these squid seem Squid: 360° Vision; Chameleon 1 (Accessibility, Only in dim threatening, due to their large size, clawed suckers, and light); Cold-Blooded (50°); Color Blind; Doesn’t Breathe alarming habit of jumping out of the water. However, there (Gills only; Oxygen Storage, ×100); Extra Arms 6 (Extra- have been no confirmed human fatalities and most injuries Flexible); Extra Arms 2 (Extra-Flexible; Long 2); Extra- happen either from interrupting feeding or when capturing Flexible Arms 2; Good Grip 2; Ham-Fisted 2; Injury them. Attacks on each other are a regular occurrence, however, Tolerance (Independent Body Parts, No Reattachment; No as they are enthusiastic cannibals. Neck); Invertebrate; No Depth Perception; No Legs Humboldt squid are also known as red devils since they can (Aquatic); No Skull DR; Obscure 10 (Vision; Drifting; change their skin from white to red (which looks black in Only in Water; Persistent; Takes Recharge, 1 Hour); moonlight or deep water). During the day, they hide in cold, Pressure Support 2; Regrowth (Limbs Only); Slippery 1; deep water, often the ‘oxygen minimum zone’ between 700’ Temperature Tolerance 15 (Cold); Wild Animal. and 1,500’, where predatory fish can’t follow. At night, they Giant Squid rise to feed near the surface. Diet: Carnivore (fish and squid). ST: 7 HP: 7 Speed: 6.00 Distribution: Worldwide. DX: 11 Will: 11 Move: 7 (water) Habitat: Open Ocean. IQ: 4 Per: 11 Niche: Cathemeral pursuit predator. HT: 13 FP: 13 SM: -1 Size: 36’ long; 330 lbs. Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0 A poorly studied species, due to spending most of its time in deep water. Most giant squid encountered by humans are either Bite (13): 1d-3 large piercing. Reach C. dead or dying. Grapple with all Arms & Tentacles (29): Effective ST 25 for In the dark depths of the ocean, their huge eyes allow them to attempts to break free, choke, or strangle. Reach C. spot prey well before they are spotted. The only creature large Tentacle Strike (13): 1d-3 cutting. Reach C, 1. and capable of diving deep enough to hunt them is a sperm Traits: Night Vision 4; Signals (Color Changes); Squid; Super whale (p. 00). Jump 1. ST: 14 HP: 14 Speed: 6.00 Skills: Aquabatics-12; Brawling-13; Stealth-11; Wrestling-13. DX: 10 Will: 12 Move: 6 (water) IQ: 4 Per: 12 HT: 14 FP: 14 SM: +3

Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 1 Bite (12): 1d large piercing. Reach C. Grapple With All Arms & Tentacles (26): Effective ST 30 for attempts to break free, choke, or strangle. Reach C–2. Tentacle Strike (12): 1d cutting or impaling. Reach C–5. Traits: Night Vision 8; Squid. Skills: Brawling-12; Stealth-10.

37 CHAPTER 7: MAMMALS Warm-blooded creatures, which give birth to live young, and feed them with milk. Most mammals have furry pelts, upright postures, external ears, and thin tails.

MAMMAL PROFILES ANTELOPES Impala A poorly defined group of animals, related to cattle (p. 00), Diet: Herbivore (grass). goats (p. 00), and sheep (p. 00). All of them have thin but Distribution: Eastern and southern Africa. powerful legs, short fur, and horns (on adult males at least). Habitat: Woodlands. Antelope: Chummy; Damage Resistance 2 (Skull only); Niche: Diurnal grazer. Discriminatory Smell; Fearfulness 2; Parabolic Hearing; Size: 4’ long; 140 lbs. Peripheral Vision; Temperature Tolerance 1 (Heat); Resembling a deer (p. 00) with double-curved horns instead Quadruped; Ultrahearing; Wild Animal. of antlers, impalas have a similar social structure to gnus, although the female herds are larger. MYTHICAL ANTELOPE ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 6.00 Medieval bestiaries described the antelope as a deer-like DX: 13 Will: 10 Move: 5 (ground) animal with saw-blade horns to cut down trees. Despite IQ: 3 Per: 12 this, it would often become entangled by the herecine (GURPS Fantasy p. 47). Use the profile of an impala with HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -1 its horns’ damage type changed to cutting. Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 1 Gnu Kick (11): 1d-2 crushing. Reach C, 1. Diet: Herbivore (grass). Horns (13): 1d-1 impaling. Reach C. Distribution: Southern Africa. Traits: Antelope; Enhanced Move 2 (Ground Move 20). Habitat: Plains. Skills: Jumping-14; Survival-12. Niche: Diurnal grazer. Sexual Dimorphism Size: 6’ long; 400 lbs. The hornless females are 100 lbs. Reduce ST and HP to 9 and Also known as wildebeest, these ungainly but swift creatures remove horns attack. look a little like skinny cattle with horses’ tails. Females form Springbok herds of a few dozen, while mature males are driven out into Diet: Herbivore (shrubs). all-male herds. The strongest bulls leave to establish their own Distribution: Southern Africa. territory, each with a female herd as his harem. Habitat: Desert, Plains. ST: 15 HP: 15 Speed: 5.25 Niche: Crepuscular browser. DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 4 (ground) Size: 4’ long; 75 lbs. IQ: 3 Per: 12 A small, elegant antelope with a long neck and horns which HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: ±0 curve back and inwards. Herds may be all-female, all-male, or Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 1 a dominant male with a small harem. They are popular in game farms, where wild animal populations are contained in Gore (10): 1d+2 impaling. Reach C. protected areas and then hunted. Kick (8): 1d+1 crushing. Reach C, 1. Traits: Antelope; Enhanced Move 2 (Ground Move 16). Skills: Survival-12.

38 ST: 8 HP: 8 Speed: 6.00 DX: 13 Will: 10 Move: 7 (ground) IQ: 3 Per: 12 HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -1

Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 1 Kick (11): 1d-3 crushing. Reach C, 1. Horns (13): 1d-2 crushing. Reach C. Traits: Antelope; Enhanced Move 2 (Ground Move 28); Reduced Consumption 1 (Water only). Skills: Jumping-14; Survival-12.

39 APES They hunt smaller primates for food and even carry out murderous raids against other chimp groups. Closely related to monkeys (p. 00) although apes have no tails and tend to be larger and smarter. All apes have keen eyes ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 6.00 protected by bony sockets, flat nails rather than claws on their DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 7 (ground) fingers and toes, and expressive faces. Non-human apes have IQ: 6 Per: 10 powerful arms and dexterous feet, well suited to climbing. HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -1

Apes are called simie in Latin because of Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 1 the many similarities between their Bite (12): 1d-3 cutting. Reach C. mentality and that of humans. Grapple (13): Effective ST 14. Reach C. The Aberdeen Bestiary Traits: Ape; Arm ST 3; Brachiator; Chummy; Super Climbing They can easily be taught many tricks and were popular for 2. entertainment and research until ethical concerns made people Skills: Acrobatics-13; Climbing-15; Intimidation-12; Survival- wary of exploiting such intelligent animals. Although capable 12; Wrestling-13. of basic tool use, in the wild they make nothing more complex Gibbon than sharpened sticks for gathering food. In combat they favor Diet: Omnivore (fruit, insects, and leaves) grappling and biting over striking. Distribution: South-east Asia Ape: Born Biter 1; Foot Manipulators; Ham-Fisted 1; Semi- Habitat: Jungle. Upright; Wild Animal. Niche: Diurnal forager. MYTHICAL APES Size: 2’ tall; 13 lbs. In European stories, apes were said to imitate humans. The ‘lesser apes’ are smaller and less intelligent than their Taking advantage of this, a hunter could fool them by relatives. They are more agile however, spending most of their pretending to cut his own throat with a knife or wash his lives swinging between trees. They do not make nests but eyes with a solution of quicklime. Having observed this, an instead sleep crouched on branches. ape would then carry out the action for real, injuring or Unlike most apes, they form long-term monogamous killing itself. Allegorically, apes represented sinners, fooled couples. They are extremely vocal, especially in the morning, into damning themselves by the devil. and often perform ‘duets’ where they sing to each other. Chimpanzee MYTHICAL GIBBONS Diet: Omnivore (Fruit). Found only in remote areas and more often heard than Distribution: Central and western Africa. seen, gibbons are mysterious creatures in Chinese folklore, Habitat: Woodland. with many magical powers including taking human form. Niche: Diurnal forager. ST: 5 HP: 5 Speed: 6.00 Size: 4’ tall; 110 lbs. DX: 13 Will: 10 Move: 6 (ground) Sharing a recent ancestor with humans, chimps can be as vicious and unpredictable as us. They are usually found in IQ: 4 Per: 12 small groups led by a dominant male, but each group is part of HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -3 a larger community of related animals. Chimps spend most of Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 0 the day on the ground, but retreat into trees at night. Each adult makes a fresh nest in a new location every night, with infants Bite (13): 1d-5 cutting. Reach C. sharing their mother’s nest. Traits: Ape; Arm ST 1; Brachiator; Enhanced Move 2 (Brachiating Move 12); Perfect Balance; Super Climbing 5. ...staring into the eyes of a chimpanzee, I Skills: Acrobatics-15; Climbing-16; Jumping-14; Survival-12. saw a thinking, reasoning personality Gorilla looking back. Diet: Herbivore (fruit and leaves). Jane Goodall Distribution: Central Africa. Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey Habitat: Jungle, Woodlands. Niche: Diurnal forager.

40 Size: 5’ tall; 400 lbs. Sexual Dimorphism Too big to climb most trees, gorillas rely on their size and Females are 4’ tall, 80 lbs. Reduce ST and HP to 9. Change strength for defense. They live in small groups led by the bite damage to 1d-3. Reduce Arm ST to 3. strongest male, who will protect them aggressively. Young females leave their group and join another to mate. Rather than occupying a fixed territory, they strip an area of food and move, returning when the vegetation has recovered. ST: 15 HP: 15 Speed: 6.00 DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 7 (ground) IQ: 6 Per: 10 HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: ±0

Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 1 Bite (12): 1d cutting. Reach C. Grapple (14): Effective ST 19. Reach C. Traits: Ape; Arm ST 3; Bad Temper (12); Chummy. Skills: Climbing-13; Intimidation-13; Stealth-12; Survival-12; Wrestling-14. Sexual Dimorphism Females are 4’ 6” tall, 200 lbs. Reduce ST and HP to 12. Change bite damage to 1d-3 and effective grappling ST to 16. Remove Bad Temper from traits. Orangutan Diet: Herbivore (fruit). Distribution: Borneo and Sumatra. Habitat: Jungle. Niche: Diurnal forager. Size: 4’ 6” tall; 165 lbs. The only solitary apes, orangutans arrange the spacing of their territories through hooting calls. Spending most of their lives in the trees, they have a waddling walk more suited to branches than flat ground. They have long, sparse, red hair covering most of their bodies, hiding their small ears. A dominant male orangutan has distinctive fatty cheek flanges, which attract females. Other males in the same area will not grow them, but once he has grown too old to fight rivals, his cheeks will shrivel and another male’s will develop as he expands his range. ST: 11 HP: 11 Speed: 5.50 DX: 11 Will: 10 Move: 4 (ground) IQ: 6 Per: 11 HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: ±0

Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 1 Bite (11): 1d-2 cutting. Reach C. Traits: Ape; Arm ST 4; Brachiator; Enhanced Move 1 (Brachiating Move 4); Super Climbing 5. Skills: Climbing-15; Survival-12.

41 BADGERS ST: 6 HP: 6 Speed: 6.00 Closely related to otters (p. 00), weasels (p. 00), and DX: 11 Will: 13 Move: 4 (ground) wolverines (p. 00), badgers are stocky burrowing animals with IQ: 4 Per: 11 short legs and thick, loose hides. HT: 13 FP: 13 SM: -2 Badger: Berserk (12); Bloodlust (12); Born Biter 1; Burrower; Dodge: 10 Parry: 10 DR: 2 Colorblindness; Discriminatory Smell; Flexibility; High Pain Threshold; Quadruped; Slippery 2; Whiskers; Wild Bite (13): 1d-4 cutting. Reach C. Animal. Claw (11): 1d-3 crushing. Reach C. American Badger Traits: Badger; Temperature Tolerance 1 (Cold). Skills: Brawling-13; Survival-12; Swimming-12. DSiet: Carnivore (small mammals and snakes). Distribution: North America. Minor Variants Change Temperature Tolerance to (Heat) and add Resistant to Habitat: Plains. Poison (+3) and Climbing-12 for the notorious honey badger Niche: Nocturnal pursuit predator. or ratel found in Africa, the Middle East, and southern Asia. Size: 2’ 3” long; 17 lbs. American badgers have a thick coat of grizzled brown fur, BATS with dark patches on the face and a white stripe running down The only mammals capable of powered flight. Most hunt their back. They are solitary animals which generally hunt flying insects, using sonar to locate them even in complete below ground, digging tunneling prey out of their homes. darkness. Larger species are fruit-eaters and the famous They will sometimes cooperate with coyotes (p. 00) when vampire bats drink the blood of large animals. hunting. If the prey flees underground, the badger will follow. Like other nocturnal flying creatures (such as owls, p. 00), If it makes a run for it, the coyote will give chase. bats are associated with magic, death and misfortune. Although feared by many, no bat is a threat to humans except as a ST: 5 HP: 5 Speed: 6.00 disease carrier. DX: 11 Will: 13 Move: 4 (ground) Bat: Bad Sight (Low Resolution); Night Vision 3; IQ: 4 Per: 11 Ultrahearing; Vespertilian; Wild Animal. HT: 13 FP: 13 SM: -2 Common Noctule Dodge: 10 Parry: 10 DR: 1 Diet: Carnivore (insects). Bite (13): 1d-4 cutting. Reach C. Distribution: Central Asia and Europe. Claw (11): 1d-3 crushing. Reach C. Habitat: Woodlands. Traits: Badger; Temperature Tolerance 1 (Cold). Niche: Nocturnal pursuit predator. Skills: Brawling-13; Escape-15; Survival-12; Tracking-15. Size: 5” long, 16” wingspan; 0.1 lbs. Close Relatives An unremarkable little bat with pale brown fur. Its short Asian badgers are similar. snout lacks the grotesque forms seen in some echolocating European Badger species, so it looks fairly pleasant except for the wings. Diet: Omnivore (carrion, cereal, fruit, insects, worms). They roost alone in tree holes, though females form colonies to raise their pups. Distribution: Europe. Habitat: Woodlands. ST: 1 HP: 1 Speed: 6.00 DX: 13 Will: 10 Move: 9 (air) Niche: Nocturnal browser. IQ: 3 Per: 12 1 (ground) Size: 3’ long; 25 lbs. HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -7 Dignified looking animals with sharp black and white stripes on their tapered heads. The rest of their fur is gray, darker on Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 0 the legs and pale on their short tails. Bite (15): 1d-6 crushing. Reach C. They live in small groups, in a communal set. Sets are Traits: Bat; Enhanced Move 1 (Air Move 18); Sonar (Air occupied by successive generations and can get very large and only). sometimes also host rabbits (p. 00) and red foxes (p. 00). Badgers who die in their set may be entombed as their relatives Skills: Brawling-15; Climbing-14; Stealth-13; Survival-12. seal them in an unoccupied chamber.

42 Close Relatives All insect-hunting bats (and those like the spectral bat, which MYTHICAL BEARS prey on birds and other bats) have a similar profile. Bears’ ability to walk upright, combined with their Minor Variants human-like diet, intelligence, and the threat they pose have Vampire bats have Discriminatory Smell rather than Sonar led to them having a prominent place in folklore as the wild and lack Brawling but have Tracking-16. counterpart to men. Their habit of spending winter in torpor and then re-emerging in spring also gave them an air of Indian Flying Fox mystery. Many cultures were wary of even speaking their Diet: Herbivore (fruit and nectar). name, instead referring to them by euphemisms such as Distribution: South Asia. ‘cousin’, ‘four legged man’, or ‘great hairy one’. Even the Habitat: Jungle, Swampland. word ‘bear’ may be derived from such a euphemism, since Niche: Nocturnal browser. its Indo-European root may have been the word for ‘brown’ Size: 8” long, 3’ 6” wingspan; 2.5 lbs. or ‘wild animal’. Named for their orange fur and canine faces, these fruit-bats Since bears are uncommon and retiring animals, studying live in large treetop colonies. them presented great challenges for early scholars, so a ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 5.50 great many misconceptions persisted for centuries. In keeping with the theme that bears were closer to man than DX: 11 Will: 10 Move: 4 (air) other animals, it was believed that they mated lying face-to- IQ: 3 Per: 12 1 (ground) face. Noting that bears killed in the fall showed no signs of HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -6 pregnancy, Pliny the Elder concluded that they mated in Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 0 winter. It wasn’t until 1963 that scientists showed that a fertilized bear egg implants five months after mating. Pliny Bite (11): 1d-5 crushing. Reach C. also claimed that bear cubs were born formless and licked Traits: Bat; Discriminatory Smell; Enhanced Move 1 (Air into shape, and that they sustained themselves in winter by Move 8). licking fat from their feet. Skills: Climbing-14; Survival-13. Minor Variants Black Bear Numerous other fruit-bats could use the same profile. Diet: Smaller species have ST and HP of 1 or 2 and reduce bite Distribution: damage to 1d-6. Habitat: BEARS Niche: Bulky animals with rounded ears, short tails, and shaggy fur. Size: Bears can look cute, but they have long teeth and claws, Black bears will normally retreat if they feel threatened. combined with colossal strength, keen senses, and quick wits, Attacks on humans are usually a result of hungry bears making them extremely dangerous. Only their relatively low engaging in deliberate predation, targeting those that seem speed prevents them from being apex predators; most of the vulnerable. They can often be dissuaded by a show of force, meat they eat is stolen from others. even from creatures considerably smaller than them. If captured young, a bear can be tamed and trained to ST: HP: Speed: perform many tricks, including serving as a draft animal. DX: Will: Move: Bear: Discriminatory Smell; No Fine Manipulators; Semi- IQ: Per: Upright; Wild Animal. HT: FP: SM:

Dodge: Parry: DR: Claw (n): xd+y Cutting. Reach C, 1. Brown Bear Diet: Distribution: Habitat: Niche:

43 Size: Small bears with long hair, floppy ears, and a shambling gait. Unlike black bears, brown bears react to danger with They have black (sometimes dark-brown) fur and a white aggression, so they are difficult to frighten off. They will chase patch on their chests. Their long tongues and prominent lower those who flee, so the standard advice for anyone encountering lips are well suited to sucking up insects, after the bear has torn one unexpectedly is to lie face down to appear as open their nest. Like other bears, they also like fruit and honey. nonthreatening as possible. Such incidents can often be Despite their appearance and diet, they are still dangerous. avoided entirely by simply making enough noise to warn the Tigers (p. 00) and leopards (p.00) will hunt them, but will flee bears from a distance. Brown bears will avoid humans unless if the bear notices and confronts them. Asian elephants (p. 00) they smell food or have been habituated to being fed by them. and Indian rhinos (p. 00) however will charge them without ST: HP: Speed: provocation. Since their best defense against predators is DX: Will: Move: aggression, attacks on humans are common. They rarely try to IQ: Per: intimidate, preferring to simply attack directly. HT: FP: SM: ST: 12 HP: 12 Speed: 6.00 DX: 11 Will: 12 Move: 7 (ground) Dodge: Parry: DR: IQ: 4 Per: 10 Claw (n): xd+y Crushing. Reach C, 1. HT: 13 FP: 13 SM: 0

Polar Bear Dodge: 9 Parry: 9 DR: 2 Diet: Claw (13): 1d-1 Crushing. Reach C. Distribution: Traits: Bad Temper (12); Bear. Habitat: Skills: Brawling-13; Survival-12. Niche: Size: BISON The most dangerous bear, happy to hunt man and difficult to Diet: Herbivore (grass). scare off. Polar bears have long necks and narrow heads, ideal Distribution: Northern Asia, Europe, and North America. for snatching seals through holes in the ice. The only creature Habitat: Plains. they seem to fear is the walrus (p. 00), and they still prey on Niche: Diurnal grazer. their pups given the opportunity. Size: 10’ long; 1,700 lbs. Their translucent fur traps heat so effectively that they are Also known in America as buffalo (although they shouldn’t almost invisible to thermal imaging, but absorbs ultraviolet be confused with their relatives, water buffalo p. 00) or in light, making them stand out to anyone who can see in that part Europe as wisent or zubr. Whatever the name, they are big, of the spectrum. They are so well insulated that they suffer hairy beasts with massive heads and forequarters, slimming a heat exhaustion in freezing temperatures and swim in icy water little towards the rear. to cool off. They form herds centered around mature cows with their ST: HP: Speed: young. Bulls form small ‘bachelor’ groups or live alone, until DX: Will: Move: 6 (ground) breeding season when they compete for territory and attach IQ: Per: 3 (water) themselves to herds. HT: FP: SM: Few predators risk attacking a bison herd, although wolves (p. 00) will try to pick off young or sickly individuals. They Dodge: Parry: DR: will defend themselves by charging and can easily maim or kill Claw (n): xd+y Cutting. Reach C, 1. most animals, including humans. They were almost hunted to Traits: Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 12); Temperature extinction by the early twentieth century, but since then Tolerance 2 (Cold); Terrain Adaptation (Ice). conservation efforts have helped their population grow to a Sloth Bear few thousand wild animals and over half a million in commercial herds. It is just about possible to domesticate them Diet: Omnivore (ants and termites). for use as steeds or draft animals, but few have done so. Distribution: South Asia. Habitat: Woodlands. Niche: Nocturnal forager. Size: 5’ long; 210 lbs.

44 ST: 23 HP: 23 Speed: 5.5 CATS DX: 9 Will: 12 Move: 5 (ground) One of the most successful families of predator, cats are IQ: 3 Per: 12 masters of stealth, quick, agile, and armed with formidable HT: 13 FP: 13 SM: +2 natural weapons. They have short muzzles, long tails, and tongues covered in tiny barbs. Unlike most carnivores, cats Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 2 have trouble digesting anything but meat. Gore (11): 2d+5 impaling. Reach C. Traits: Augmented Pinnae; Catfall; Combat Reflexes; Ram (11): A full-speed slam for 5d+5 crushing, usually Discriminatory Smell; Limited Camouflage; Quadruped; followed by 1d+1 crushing overrun. Silence 1; Ultrahearing; Whiskers; Wild Animal. Trample (11): 2d+5 crushing. Only against SM ±0 or smaller Cat (SM +1 if prone). Diet: Carnivore (birds and rodents). Traits: Bad Temper (15); Damage Resistance 2 (Skull only); Distribution: Enhanced Move 2 (Ground Speed 20); Quadruped; Wild Habitat: Animal. Niche: Skills: Brawling-11; Survival-12. Size: Sexual Dimorphism Females are 8’ long; 1,100 lbs. Change ST and HP to 21, Despite thousands of years of living with humans, domestic gore and trample damage to 2d+4, and ram damage to 4d+4 cats are still very much like their wild ancestors. They have the with 1d overrun. Replace Bad Temper with Chummy. nervous disposition of many small predators, concerned that they may easily become prey. Anything new in their territory is CAMELS carefully investigated and, if found to be threatening, avoided. With their fatty humps, sinuous necks, scrawny legs, and big They may tolerate other cats in their territory and even form feet, camels look ridiculous, but they are perfectly adapted to colonies where they share shelter, but they are solitary hunters. life in an arid climate and highly valued by desert people. Cats will hunt even when well fed and enjoy playing with Humans have domesticated camels for thousands of years. In their food before killing it. When introduced to new areas they fact, most wild camels are descended from domesticated have a huge impact on prey populations, resulting in extinction animals. They can be ridden, used as beasts of burden, milked, for dozens of species. eaten, sheared, or skinned for leather. While not the best ST: HP: Speed: animal for any of those purposes, their versatility and the fact DX: Will: Move: that other livestock can’t survive in deserts mean they are still IQ: Per: popular. HT: FP: SM: Spit it out! Dodge: Parry: DR: Camels are notorious for spitting. They don’t just spit saliva, but also semi-digested cud. This is done to discourage anything Cheetah they feel threatened by, but also as a form of social behavior. Diet: Dominant camels spit on their lower status individuals to Distribution: reinforce their hierarchy. Habitat: Arabian Camel Niche: Bactrian Camel Size: Dromedary Cheetahs are built for speed and it shows in their lean bodies. They typically hunt small antelope (p. 00), stalking, then ...the dromedary is a high-bred camel, and sprinting to close the distance, tripping their quarry, and finally the camel a low-bred dromedary, exactly strangling it with their jaws. Even after a kill, cheetahs may be the same distinction which exists between denied a meal, as hyenas (p. 00) or lions (p. 00) often steal it. a race-horse and a hack… Female cheetahs live alone with their cubs, but males may William Gifford Palgrave form small groups for hunting and defending territory. A Year’s Journey through Central and Eastern Arabia

45 ST: HP: Speed: wolves (p. 00) will steal the kill and eat the lynx if they do not DX: Will: Move: flee fast enough! IQ: Per: ST: 7 HP: 7 Speed: HT: FP: SM: DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: Dodge: Parry: DR: HT: FP: SM: -1 Cougar Dodge: Parry: DR: Diet: Carnivore (large mammals). Distribution: Traits: Cat; Temperature Tolerance 6 (Cold); Terrain Adaptation (Snow). Habitat: Niche: Minor Variants Canada and Iberian lynx are slightly smaller. Reduce ST and Size: HP to 6, change bite and claw damage to 1d-4. Also called the mountain lion or puma, the cougar is even The American Bobcat is smaller still. Reduce ST and HP to sneakier than most cats. It stalks close enough to jump onto its 5, SM to -2, change bite and claw damage to 1d-4. target, leaps onto their back, and kills with a bite to the neck. It favors mid-sized prey like goats (p. 00) but will take almost Lion anything, including moose (p. 00), livestock, and even humans. Diet: They are solitary animals. One large animal can feed a Distribution: cougar for several weeks, although this will require storing it Habitat: in a hiding spot and returning periodically. Niche: ST: HP: Speed: Size: DX: Will: Move: Very large, heavyset cats with pale gold fur, rounded ears, IQ: Per: and thin tails ending in distinctive tufts. A pride of lions HT: FP: SM: consists of one or more males and a larger number of females with their cubs. Male lions have distinctive manes of hair Dodge: Parry: DR: around their throats and are notoriously lazy, letting their Close Relatives females do most of the hunting. Males with no pride live alone This profile is also suitable for a jaguar or leopard. The or in small coalitions, often wandering long distances, while former lives in the jungles of Central and South America, the prides have set territories. latter occupies forests in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian ST: HP: Speed: Peninsula, and south Asia. DX: Will: Move: Minor Variants IQ: Per: The African caracal is smaller, but otherwise similar. Reduce HT: FP: SM: ST and HP to 6, change bite and claw damage to 1d-4. Dodge: Parry: DR: Eurasian Lynx Diet: Carnivore (carrion, deer, and small mammals). Tiger Distribution: Northern Asia and Europe. Diet: Habitat: Mountain, Plains, Woodlands. Distribution: Niche: Nocturnal pursuit predator. Habitat: Size: 40” long; 43 lbs. Niche: Lynx have distinctive tufted ears and short tails. Their coats Size: are brown in summer and silver in winter, with black spots. The largest living cats, with distinctive black-striped orange They are secretive and solitary, avoiding humans but and white fur. They are solitary, but allow their territories to sometimes preying on livestock. overlap and are friendly to their neighbors (even sharing food). They often squabble with eagle owls (p. 00), foxes (p. 00), Tigers prefer to strangle large prey, but will happily take golden eagles (p. 00), and wild boar (p. 00) over kills. More smaller animals, dispatching them with a bite to the spine or formidable beasts like bears (p. 00), wolverines (p. 00), and swipe of their claws.

46 ST: HP: Speed: ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM: HT: FP: SM:

Dodge: Parry: DR: Dodge: Parry: DR: CATTLE Close Relatives This profile also fits the Andean fox or culpeo, which looks Cow like a fox (p. 00) but is more closely related to the coyote. Diet: EER Distribution: D Found in forests throughout the world, deer have large, Habitat: mobile ears, small tails, short, coarse fur, and thin legs to step Niche: easily through undergrowth. An adult male deer is known as a Size: buck, hart, or stag, while a mature female is a doe or hind, and ST: HP: Speed: a juvenile of either sex is a fawn. Their meat is venison and DX: Will: Move: leather made from their hides is buckskin (even if it comes IQ: Per: from a doe). HT: FP: SM: Deer have been hunted enthusiastically by humans ever since we first encountered them. Antlers make excellent tools, Dodge: Parry: DR: especially for pressure flaking (GURPS Low-Tech p. 18), and Yak their meat and hides are especially good. Diet: Antlers Distribution: The branching antlers found on the males of most species are Habitat: unique to deer. Antlers are shed and regrown annually, getting Niche: larger and more elaborate with age. They can be used to defend Size: against predators, but mostly serve to compete for mates. A ST: HP: Speed: buck will usually intimidate any rival with smaller antlers. If DX: Will: Move: the challenger doesn’t back down, then they may engage in a IQ: Per: contest of strength, locking their antlers together. Although the HT: FP: SM: structure of the antlers reduces risk, these fights can be deadly. Antlers usually start growing immediately after the previous Dodge: Parry: DR: pair was shed. At first they are relatively soft (mostly cartilage), blunt, and covered in soft skin known as ‘velvet’. As COYOTES breeding season approaches, the velvet is shed, revealing hard Close enough to dogs (p. 00) and wolves (p. 00) that they can bone spikes, ready for combat. When they are no longer interbreed. Coyotes are smaller and slimmer than wolves, with needed, they break off and a new set starts growing. Curiously longer ears, shorter fur, and narrower muzzles. a deer which suffers severe injury while growing antlers will They thrive in many environments, take many types of prey, have a malformed set that year. and adapt their social behavior to local conditions. Most live in The antler rules in deer profiles are for fully developed ones. small family groups, or larger, looser, unrelated packs. They For still-growing ones, change damage type to crushing and usually hunt alone, or in partnership with American badgers (p. reduce damage by one point per die. 00), but will team up to take down bigger animals. Considered a pest by humans, due to hunting livestock and pets, coyotes still manage to do well in populated areas.

47 MYTHICAL DEER MYTHICAL MOOSE The annual growth of fresh antlers was a powerful Moose were believed to be prone to epilepsy, but able to symbol of the cycle of seasons and associated with healing cure themselves by putting a hoof in their ear. Moose hoof and rebirth in many cultures, so powdered antler was used was also supposedly able to treat the disease in humans. to treat a wide variety of ailments. The deer themselves This may possibly have been based on seeing moose were credited with long lifespans. A common story tells of scratch themselves, or wounded animals flailing their legs a deer being caught wearing a collar placed there by a long- in defense. Stranger still, moose were claimed to vomit dead historical figure. boiling water to defend themselves. 17th century physician Ole Worm described them as so timid that the sight of their Caribou own blood would cause them to die of fright. Diet: Although calves may be eaten by bears (p. 00), cougars (p. Distribution: 00), and wolves (p. 00) a healthy adult moose is a challenge Habitat: for any of them. The only natural predator that can easily take Niche: one is an orca (p. 00) lucky enough to catch it swimming. Size: Moose can be tamed and used for milking, or trained to serve The most social deer, living in herds of up to 100 and as mounts or draft animals. Cossack leader Yermak migrating in gatherings several thousand strong. Successful Timofeyvich was so intimidated by moose-riders that he had males have a harem of females. Female caribou are unique in the practice banned on pain of death. Charles XI of Sweden having antlers. They keep them later than males and use them established a successful courier service of moose-drawn to get the best drinking spots for their offspring. sleighs, but failed in his attempt to field moose cavalry. The domesticated caribou of Asia and Scandinavia are known as reindeer. They are mostly herded for milk and Toward the south, though they are found in slaughter, but can be trained as draft animals. large numbers in the great forests, still, on ST: HP: Speed: account of a royal edict they are not used, DX: Will: Move: lest traitors employ them, by reason of their speed, which greatly exceeds the IQ: Per: speed of horses, to expose the interior of HT: FP: SM: the kingdom to the enemy. Dodge: Parry: DR: Olaus Magnus, Archbishop of Uppsala History of the Northern People Moose Diet: ST: HP: Speed: Distribution: DX: Will: Move: Habitat: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM: Niche: Diurnal browser. Size: Dodge: Parry: DR: Moose antlers are flat and wide, and their noses broad and pendulous. Below their chins they have a hanging dewlap, and Red Deer above their shoulders they have distinctive hump of muscle. Diet: Herbivore (grass and shrubs). Unlike other deer, they are solitary. They break most of the Distribution: Central Asia, Europe, and North Africa. rules of deer terminology; males are bulls, females cows, and Introduced to Australia, western South America, and New young calves. European moose are called elk, although that Zealand. name is shared by different species in other places. Habitat: Mountain and woodlands. Niche: Crepuscular grazer. Size: 7’ long; 380 lbs. Big deer, with orange-brown pelts. Males have a mane of thicker hair and fairly straight antlers. They live in single-sex herds outside of the mating season, when each stag will attempt to form a harem of does. If threatened, the largest

48 members of a herd may try to drive off predators through DOGS bellowing or even attacking. They are frequently the prey of wolves (p. 00), and sometimes brown bears (p. 00). Fawns can Bloodhound be killed and eaten by lynx (p. 00) wild boar (p. 00). Bulldog Red deer were the most desirable and prestigious animals to Collie hunt in Medieval Europe. When populations declined due to over-hunting, nobles established deer parks and forbade Dingo commoners from hunting them. Red deer can be tamed and Dhole populations kept in deer parks are often semi-domesticated, Labrador gathering for feeding when called. Mastiff ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: Terrier IQ: Per: DOLPHINS HT: FP: SM: Dolphin Dodge: Parry: DR: Diet: Roe Deer Distribution: Habitat: Diet: Herbivore (grass and shrubs). Niche: Distribution: Europe and the Middle East. Size: Habitat: Woodlands. ST: HP: Speed: Niche: Crepuscular grazer. DX: Will: Move: Size: 4’ long; 80 lbs. IQ: Per: These little deer spend most of their time hidden in forests, HT: FP: SM: but will venture out to eat at night. They are fussy eaters, refusing to eat grass soiled by livestock. Their antlers are small Dodge: Parry: DR: and they have dull brown fur except for their white rumps, where the hair is long enough to entirely hide their short tails. Orca When startled, they usually make a barking sound and flee. Diet: Any predator larger than a fox is a threat to them, especially Distribution: lynx (p. 00) and wolves (p. 00). Habitat: They live alone, or in small family groups, except in winter Niche: when they gather into modest herds. They are territorial, but Size: with overlap between the territories of opposite sexes. ST: HP: Speed: ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: DX: Will: Move: IQ: Per: IQ: Per: HT: FP: SM: HT: FP: SM: Dodge: Parry: DR: Dodge: Parry: DR: ELEPHANTS EQUINES

49 FOXES Red Fox Foxes resemble petite coyotes (p. 00) or jackals (p. 00) with Diet: Omnivore (fruit and rodents). large ears, eyes, and tails, although they are only distant Distribution: Northern hemisphere. relatives. Their movement is reminiscent of cats’ (p. 00) as are Habitat: Mountain, Plains, Urban, Woodlands. their slit pupils and semi-retractable claws. Niche: Crepuscular pursuit predator. Fox: Augmented Pinnae; Born Biter 1; Combat Reflexes; Size: 3’ long; 13 lbs. Discriminatory Smell; Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Move Despite the name, red foxes come in a wide variety of colors 14); Night Vision 3; Quadruped; Ultrahearing; Whiskers; besides the classic orange and white. They can be brown, Wild Animal. black, blonde, or gray. Incredibly versatile animals, they thrive in a huge variety of environments. MYTHICAL FOXES They will kill or steal food from smaller predators and even Medieval writers claimed that a fox could catch crows by ones as big as a striped hyena (p. 00). They are in turn feigning death. victimized by animals such as eagle owls (p. 00), golden Fennec Fox eagles (p. 00), lynx (p. 00), and wolves (p. 00). Diet: Omnivore (fruit, insects, and lizards). A prince must imitate the fox and the lion, Distribution: North Africa. for the lion cannot protect himself from Habitat: Desert. traps, and the fox cannot defend himself Niche: Nocturnal pursuit predator. from wolves. One must therefore be a fox Size: 2’ long; 3 lbs. to recognize traps, and a lion to frighten An adorable little animal with huge ears. Unlike most foxes wolves. they form packs, each consisting of several family groups of Niccolo Machiavelli two adults and their young all living together in interconnected The Prince. dens. When hunting, however, they act alone. ST: 5 HP: 5 Speed: 6.00 Despite looking a bit more feline than the typical fox and even purring, they are actually one of the closest to canines. DX: 13 Will: 11 Move: 7 (ground) IQ: 4 Per: 12 ST: 3 HP: 3 Speed: 6.00 HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -2 DX: 13 Will: 10 Move: 7 (ground) IQ: 4 Per: 12 Dodge: 10 Parry: 11 DR: 0 HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -3 Bite (15): 1d-4 cutting. Reach C. Dodge: 10 Parry: 11 DR: 0 Traits: Fox; Temperature Tolerance 1 (Cold). Skills: Brawling-15; Jumping-16; Stealth-12; Survival-12; Bite (15): 1d-5 cutting. Reach C. Swimming-12. Traits: Acute Hearing 2; Fox; Limited Camouflage; Reduced Consumption 1 (Water only); Temperature Tolerance 2 Close Relatives (Heat). This profile can represent most foxes, including the distantly related North American gray fox, South American crab-eating Skills: Brawling-15; Stealth-12; Survival-12; Tracking-15. and pampas foxes, and the raccoon dog or tanuki of East Asia. Close Relatives Minor Variants The North American kit fox is similar. Add Limited Camouflage, increase Temperature Tolerance to Minor Variants 10, and add Terrain Adaptation (Snow) for an arctic fox. Change Temperature Tolerance to (Cold) for the Afghan fox and corsac fox of the central Asian steppe. Change ST and HP to 4 for the southern African silver-backed fox, Bengal fox, North American swift fox, or South American hoary fox. Change ST and HP to 4 and Temperature Tolerance to (Cold) and add Pressure Tolerant Lungs (Thin) for the Tibetan sand fox.

50 GOATS HARES HIPPOS

51 HYENAS Although characterized as cowardly scavengers spotted hyenas are bold, active predators. They bite chunks out of their Much maligned animals, resembling dogs (p. 00) with short prey until it collapses from blood loss, then eat them alive. muzzles, big ears, hunched shoulders, short hind legs, and a They will eat carrion and steal food. Size and numbers let them mane of long hair running along their sloping backs. drive off most animals, but lions (p. 00) may steal their kills. They can be trained like dogs if taken young. They live in large ‘clans’, organized as nepotistic Hyena: Augmented Pinnae; Born Biter 1; Combat Reflexes; matriarchies, with dominant females and their cubs having Discriminatory Smell; Long Neck 1; Night Vision 3; high status. They talk to each other using a wide range of Quadruped; ; Reduced Consumption 1 (Water only); Wild sounds, including their famous ‘laugh’. Animal. ST: 10 HP: 10 Speed: 5.75 Aardwolf DX: 12 Will: 12 Move: 9 (ground) Diet: Carnivore (insects). IQ: 4 Per: 12 Distribution: Eastern and southern Africa. HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: 0 Habitat: Plains. Niche: Nocturnal browser. Dodge: 9 Parry: 11 DR: 1 Size: 3’ long; 22 lbs. Bite (14): 1d cutting. Reach C, 1. Unlike its bone-cracking relatives, the aardwolf lives almost Traits: Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Move 18); Hyena; Reduced entirely on termites, which it licks off the ground. Its jaws are Consumption 2 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Striking ST 3 (Bite consequently weaker, although still capable of vicious bites. only). Otherwise it resembles a small, slender striped hyena. Skills: Brawling-14; Intimidation-12; Stealth-12; Survival-12; They live in monogamous couples, but forage alone. Each Tactics-6; Tracking-15. family will have several dens in their territory, moving from Striped Hyena one to another to avoid depleting the local termite population. Diet: Carnivore (carrion). ST: 6 HP: 6 Speed: 5.75 Distribution: East and North Africa, Central and South Asia, DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 9 (ground) and the Middle East. IQ: 4 Per: 12 Habitat: Plains. HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -2 Niche: Nocturnal browser. Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 0 Size: 4’ long; 80 lbs. In many ways the stereotypical hyena; a timid Bite (12): 1d-5 cutting. Reach C. which lives alone, or in a small family group. Bulky animals Traits: Hyena. with shaggy, striped pelts, they fluff up their mane to look Skills: Intimidation-11; Stealth-12; Survival-12. bigger or feign death to avoid predators. MYTHICAL HYENAS Although able to handle a single wolf (p. 00) they cannot face down an entire pack and are often driven from their food Ancient sources state that hyenas are hermaphrodites, confused by the unusual genitals of female spotted hyenas. by them. On rare occasions, a wolf pack may accept a hyena Their body parts are considered to have magical powers, and share a den or even hunt together. especially the anus and genitals, which are used in love ST: 9 HP: 9 Speed: 5.75 charms. In Africa, they are said to be witches’ familiars, or DX: 12 Will: 10 Move: 9 (ground) have magical powers of their own. Stories say that they can IQ: 4 Per: 12 imitate human speech and mesmerize people and dogs. For such an a creature, raise IQ to 8, replace Wild Animal with HT: 11 FP: 11 SM: -1 Bestial, and add Mind Control (Magical; Puppet). Dodge: 9 Parry: 10 DR: 1 Spotted Hyena Bite (12): 1d-2 cutting. Reach C. Diet: Carnivore (large mammals). Traits: Hyena; Reduced Consumption 2 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Distribution: Sub-Saharan Africa. Striking ST 3 (Bite only). Habitat: Plains, woodlands. Skills: Intimidation-12; Stealth-12; Survival-12. Niche: Nocturnal pack hunter. Close Relatives Size: 4’ long; 110 lbs. This profile also fits the brown hyena of southern Africa.

52 JACKALS ST: HP: Speed: DX: Will: Move: KANGAROOS IQ: Per: KOALAS HT: FP: SM:

LLAMAS Dodge: Parry: DR: MONKEYS Traits: Baboon RODENTS Diet: An extremely diverse and successful order, distinguished by Distribution: their large and continuously growing incisor teeth. Most of Habitat: them are small, with tapered heads, long whiskers, rounded Niche: bodies, short limbs, and dexterous paws, all features which Size: help with burrowing and moving through dense cover. Big, ground-dwelling monkeys, with dog-like muzzles, Beaver close-set eyes, short tails, and hairless buttocks, which live in Diet: Herbivore (bark and water plants). troops of several dozen animals. When threatened, the females Distribution: Northern Europe, North America, and Russia. will usually flee to the safety of trees or rocks, but males may Habitat: Fresh-Water Lake, River/Stream. try and fight. Given the opportunity they will not hesitate to Niche: Nocturnal forager. steal or kill for food. Size: 4’ long; 50 lbs. ST: HP: Speed: Strange, highly specialized animals with paddle-shaped tails DX: Will: Move: and webbed hind feet to propel them through water. Their fur IQ: Per: is dense, oily, and water repellent (making it excellent for HT: FP: SM: felting into hats) and their orange teeth are even stronger than Dodge: Parry: DR: other rodents’. Their most remarkable feature however is not their anatomy, but their construction skills. OTTERS Beavers either make burrows in riverbanks or build ‘lodges’ PINNIPEDS from mud, stones, branches, and other natural materials. In either case, the entrance is several feet underwater to prevent Seal intrusion by predators. If there is no convenient body of water Sea Lion large enough to protect their home, they will dam a stream to Walrus create one. A typical beaver dam is five yards long and one yard thick, but large ones can be hundreds of yards long. The RABBITS water behind it will be about two yards deep, enough to RACCOONS submerge the entrance to the lodge without risk of it being blocked by ice in winter. A store of branches are kept RHINOS underwater so that when the surface freezes, the beavers will White Rhino have a food supply. Diet: Each beaver burrow or lodge houses a monogamous pair of Distribution: adults and their young (typically two litters, one year apart in Habitat: age, 3-6 in total). Although their usual response to danger is to flee to their ponds, a cornered beaver will bite and can kill a Niche: man. Size: Description

53 Traits: MYTHICAL BEAVERS Squirrel Having hunted their beavers to extinction, medieval Europeans formed some strange beliefs about them. Diet: Illustrations show a creature resembling a dog with a fish Distribution: tail and tusks. Their testicles were said to have healing Habitat: properties, and a hunted beaver might castrate itself to Niche: avoid capture. Size: ST: 7 HP: 7 Speed: 5.50 Description DX: 10 Will: 10 Move: 5 (land) ST: HP: Speed: IQ: 4 Per: 12 2 (water) DX: Will: Move: HT: 12 FP: 12 SM: -1 IQ: Per: Dodge: 8 Parry: 8 DR: 0 HT: FP: SM: Bite (10): 1d-4 cutting. Reach C. Dodge: Parry: DR: Traits: Bad Grip 1; Bad Sight (Nearsighted); Born Biter 1; Traits: Breath Holding 4; Cannot Kick; Ham-Fisted 2; One-Task SWINE Wonder (Dam Building); Semi-Upright; Temperature Tolerance 1 (Cold); Wild Animal. Pig Skills: Swimming-14. Diet: Porcupine Distribution: Diet: Habitat: Distribution: Niche: Habitat: Size: Niche: Description Size: ST: HP: Speed: Description DX: Will: Move: ST: HP: Speed: IQ: Per: DX: Will: Move: HT: FP: SM: IQ: Per: Dodge: Parry: DR: HT: FP: SM: Traits: Dodge: Parry: DR: WATER BUFFALO Traits: WEASELS Rat WHALES Diet: Distribution: WOLVERINES Habitat: WOLVES Niche: Possibly the best pack hunters on land, wolves are optimized Size: for long chases, but they are smart enough to be adaptable and Description will use whichever strategy works to get their next meal. They ST: HP: Speed: are not fussy eaters, being happy to take carrion or vegetables. DX: Will: Move: They are very closely related to dogs (p. 00) and coyotes (p. 00). Compared to their relatives they are usually larger, with IQ: Per: thicker fur, yellow eyes, short, pointed ears, and long muzzles. HT: FP: SM:

Dodge: Parry: DR:

54 WOMBATS

55 CHAPTER 8: ANIMAL CHARACTERS

56 INDEX

57