Monday, June 17, 2013

Beasts of Samardan: 'Astral Entity' to 'Danrakkom'...

Good Afternoon, All:

After detailing lairs, a quick glance at the list of steps to build out the World of Samardan Campaign Setting lets me know that I now need to create my bestiary. In this section, I'll provide the details for the creatures I have introduced earlier in this process. My original hopes were that I would create around fifty monsters for this section, so I have a lot of variety in my arsenal as a Referee. I may not create that many, but I'll see what I can do. My first selection starts here:

Astral Entity

Under moments of extreme stress, the psychic essence of a particularly strong mystic can become detached from the mystic's body. Under certain circumstances, the psychic essence is unable to reattach to its body, and so wanders aimlessly as an astral entity. Among the more superstitious, such entities are called ghosts or apparitions. The appearance of the astral entity often resembles the mystic's physical body, but there are occasions where the form is altered by the mystic's perception of themselves. Astral entities cannot interact with the physical world and thus are generally only affected by energy and psychic attacks. These entities possess a weak psychic blast, and generally possess the abilities of a 3rd level Mystic, although more powerful astral entities have more hit dice, gaining a level of Mystic ability with each additional hit die.

Astral Entity: DEF: 14; HD: 5; ATK: psychic blast (1d4+2); ST: +4; SP: Astral form (no physical interaction, only affected by energy and psychic attacks), powers as 3rd level Mystic; SPD: 6 (fly); CL: 4; XP: 900.

Automaton

Durable constructs of various sizes and configurations, automatons were primarily used by the Ancient Ones for security, defense and combat. Due to their mechanical nature, automatons are immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion.

Security Automaton: DEF: 14; HD: 3; ATK: by slam (1d6) or crystal pistol (1d8); ST: +3; SP: Immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion; SPD: 7; CL: 2; XP: 450.
Defense Automaton: DEF: 18; HD: 7; ATK: by slam (1d6) or heavy crystal rifle (3d6); ST: +5; SP: Immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion; SPD: 5; CL: 3; XP: 600.
Combat Automaton: DEF: 20; HD: 11; ATK: by slam (1d8) or crystal rifle (2d8); ST: +7; SP: Immune to all mental attacks and abilities, poison, disease and physical exhaustion; SPD: 9; CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Bandrak

The bandrak is a small winged serpentine creature common to the jungles and dense forests of Samardan's lowland regions. These winged creatures average about three feet in length, with a wingspan of up to five feet. These creatures often attack first from a distance using their acidic spittle (1d8, Rng 6/12/24), before closing in to bite their prey. Flocks of winged serpents will often work together against larger prey. Bandraki are particularly attracted to shiny, sparkling objects, collecting such items for their nests.

Bandrak: DEF: 13; HD: 3; ATK: by acidic spittle (1d8, Rng 6/12/24) or bite (1d4); ST: +3; SP: Immune to acid; SPD: 8 (fly); CL: 1; XP: 300.

Bershun

Native to swamps, ponds and other watery regions, the bershun is a dying species on Samardan. A huge reptilian creature easily thirty-five feet long or longer, the bershun has a broad head with a tapering snout and massive jaws capable of devouring a human in one bite. This six-legged beast is protected by a thick outer covering of bony plates. Primarily a nocturnal animal, the bershun is a carnivorous predator that attacks creatures that enter their watery home. When food is scarce, the bershun has been known to travel up to six miles from their lairs in search of large game to devour. If the bershun hits with a natural attack roll of 20, man-sized or smaller prey will be swallowed whole. Being swallowed whole inflicts 3d6 points of acid damage per round, and the swallowed victim cannot breathe (beware of suffocation). The victim can, however, attack the bershun from within, using a dagger-sized weapon against DEF 15. If the victim can inflict 11 points of damage or more from within the beast, they can cut themselves free, and the bershun cannot swallow another creature whole until the damage is healed.

Bershun: DEF: 20; HD: 12; ATK: by bite (3d6) or tail slap (3d8); ST: +8; SP: Swallow whole (3d6 acid damage, DEF 15, 11 hp); SPD: 5, 6 (swim); CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Danrakkom

Segmented black, red, brown, or yellow social insects the size of a small dog, danrakkomi possess large heads with two sets of mandibles: inner jaws for chewing and outer jaws for carrying and digging. These creatures live in highly organized colonies containing wingless female workers, a winged queen, and, during breeding seasons, winged males. Some species of danrakkomi have been noted by scholars for engaging in warfare, making slaves of other races, and the cultivation of food sources.

Danrakkom, Worker: DEF: 13; HD: 2; ATK: bite (1d6+poison); ST: +3; SP: Poison (1d6/round, Fort DC 13 ends); SPD: 8; CL: 1; XP: 300.
Danrakkom, Male: DEF: 14; HD: 3; ATK: bite (1d8); ST: +3; SP: None; SPD: 8, 6 (fly); CL: 1; XP: 300.
Danrakkom, Queen: DEF: 20; HD: 10; ATK: bite (2d6+poison); ST: +7; SP: Poison (2d6/round, Fort DC 17 ends); SPD: 4, 6 (fly); CL: 5; XP: 1,200.

Enjoy,
Flynn

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