Saturday, July 7, 2012

Bestiary: Abuca

 Since I need to populate Kimatarthi with things to kill PCs (or at least make things more interesting), I decided to run with some of the ideas I brought up in my previous post about artistic renderings of prehistoric animals. So, here's a first shot at attaching D6F stats and a description to a critter. I figured I might as well make it something that will ruin your night.

Abuca 

Few beasts in Kimatarthi strike as much fear into the hearts of travelers as the abuca. Also known as "Night Stalker" and "King of the Shadows," this fearsome beast hunts in the dead of night, and is rarely seen in the light. Silent and quick, the abuca has been known to snatch individuals from the midst of their camp, should they but stray too far into the shadows.

The Abuca: King of the Shadows (DiBgd)
The abuca shuns light and can usually be kept at bay by keeping a fire burning all night long. Unfortunately, hungry specimens have been known to overcome that fear without much difficulty. Indeed, few people can give an accurate description of one since nearly every encounter with an abuca is in darkness... and such encounters are usually as short as they are violent.

With its heavy paws and powerful jaws the abuca is a fearsome predator. An abuca will patiently stalk its prey, waiting for the right moment to strike. It will almost always strike at the back of its victim's neck in an effort to demobilize it and snap its neck with a violent shake. A victim that is successfully hit by this sneak attack will have to make a roll against the abuca's Fighting skill. Failure means that the beast has a solid hold on the victim's neck and will shake him until dead beginning the next round.

Number appearing: 1
Fighting: 5D+2
Dodge: 3D
Stealth: 7D
Wound levels: 3

Damage: Bite (5D+2); Claws (3D+1)
Special attack: Neck snap (6D) - automatic damage the round after a sneak attack, unless victim beats the abuca's Fighting roll. This damage will recur each round until the victim is dead or the abuca is compelled to release him.

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