Spandrels From Mythic Beasts

This week, another sneak peek at some kinds of magical "treasure" that animal PCs can earn and effectively turn into Species Traits.

The following spandrels are based on rumored abilities of some lesser-known mythical beasts.

Bonnacon’s Hide (Pre-requisite: Must be a herd animal) 

You gain the burn-resistant ability of the legendary bonnacon, a herd beast with powers of acidic excrement.  This spandrel grants you resistance to acid and fire attacks; you only take half damage from such attacks, or one-quarter damage on a successful saving throw.

Bonnacon’s Scorching Dung (Pre-requisite: Must be a herd animal) 

The bonnacon is a mythical species of herd animal with a unique defense mechanism: when fleeing attacks, the bonnacon excretes a trail of acidic dung that scorches pursuers like fire. Some legends say a bonnacon could expel this dung in a stream or cone while passing gas, as well.

This spandrel grants you an area attack that spews from your anus, in a manner similar to a skunk’s musk attack.  It forms a 30 ft. by 30 ft. area of effect; all targets within this area must make Blast saves or suffer an amount of damage equal to your maximum HP on the first round of exposure.  Those who fail this initial saving throw must then make successful Tough Trauma save each round thereafter, or suffer the same damage again. This damage continues each round until the target makes a successful save. 

Targets who fail these saves can do nothing else on their turn except flail about in agony, until they succeed on a save.

Horns Of The Jackalope (Prerequisite: Must be a rabbit or other lagomorph) 

Three times per day, the rabbit can cause a pair of antlers, similar to those of a male deer, to appear on his or her forehead.  These antlers will behave in every way as though they were a normal part of the rabbit’s anatomy.  They inflict 1d7[1d8] hp of damage.  As long as the antlers are manifested, the rabbit can use them as her preferred arrack form, even if she chose another such attack for herself at the time of character creation.  In addition, Warriors can use the antlers as their specialized attack form, even if they normally use another attack form for this purpose.  The antlers manifest for 1 turn per Total Level of the rabbit.

Once per round, the bearer of the horns of the jackalope can emit a bone-chilling scream, like that of a human woman in agony.  Characters who fail an Average save vs. paralysis become so frightened by the sound of this scream that they suffer a –2 penalty on all core dice rolls for the next 1d5 [1d6] rounds.

Pantere’s Flowery Breath (Pre-requisite: Must be a cat of SZ Medium or above) 

You gain an unusual breath weapon, first displayed by the great cat of legend who served as a riding mount for decadent gods.  This spandrel enables you to belch forth a cloud of sweet-smelling gas that occupies a 30 ft. by 30 ft. space.  Any animal within this area of effect must  make a Challenging Charm save, or become enamored of you in a manner identical to the classic fantasy spell charm  person. This effect lasts for 24 hours.  You may use the flowery breath spandrel once per day for every 3 Total Levels you have achieved, to a maximum of three times per day.

Featured Creature -- Panda

Pandas are to their fellow bears as cheetahs are to other cats: technically a relative, but "weird" enough compared to them that they stand apart. Unlike other bears, they do not hibernate for the winter, and almost never eat meat. They also have strange "thumbs" that have become legendary among those who study the history of life.

Pandas are serene and ponderous (other bears say, "lazy"), and have an even greater association with meditative and spiritual practices than their cousins in other lands. Almost purely vegetarian, they are peace-loving and playful to a fault, but still capable of handling themselves in a fight if necessary.

     AC: 6  
     AT (Dam): 1 bite (1d5 [1d6]), 2 claws (1d3)
     Beginning HP: 7 [8]
     Habitat: Temperate forest and mountains
     MV: 6
     SZ: Medium

Species Traits:

• Calming Presence: Pandas inspire stillness in others.  Simply being in their presence grants other animals a +2 bonus on Seer checks or other lore checks that involve concentration, and a +1 bonus on Fear saves and other rolls to resist a forced shift in Attitude.
• Low-Light Vision
• Panda's Thumb: Pandas have a "mutant" radial sesamoid bone that functions almost like a thumb, and makes them better at grasping small objects than other bears.  They get a +1 bonus on all lore checks that involve tool use or manipulation of objects (but not trap-springing, sleight of paw, or other uses that mimic the use of true hands).
• Scent
• Still Mind: It's difficult to get a panda riled up.  Storyteller lore checks attempting to shift their Attitude in a more hostile direction suffer a -2 penalty.  Pandas also get a +2 bonus on Fear saves. 
• Unique Diet: Pandas are the only bears naturally capable of eating bamboo, their favorite and almost only food.  They get a +2 bonus on all Herbalist lore checks involving the use of bamboo, and with a successful Challenging Healer lore check, can boost their natural healing capability by 50% per day by eating a dose of bamboo. 
• +2 bonus on all lore checks that involve climbing.  This becomes +4 if climbing rocks or trees.
• Suitable Niches: Guardian, Healer, Herbalist, Seer

Progress Report

The manuscript for the Great & Small "core rules" has now reached 100 pages and nearly 44,000 words (all in 12 pt Times New Roman, single spaced between lines with a space at the end of each paragraph).  Some of that is material that I will probably split off from the main document and offer as "web enchancements" or something like that when I go to offer hard copies + art versions for sale.

I'm also teaching myself how to use Scribus, since I haven't done any graphic design or page layout stuff since I was 1st level or so. I'm envisioning the book/PDF as a digest size product, similar to LotFP's stuff, or Elf Lair Games' Spellcraft & Swordplay. I plan to produce an artless PDF layout for free distribution, and hope to raise money to take care of artists and publishing fees for a paid PDF/print version of the game. That's what any crowd-funding will cover, assuming I don't win a lottery between now and then.

Once again, thanks to everyone for all the support. As you can see from today's flurry of new posts, I am hard at work on this project again.

Featured Creature -- Snake (Venomous)

Venomous snakes are far more dynamic than their constrictor kin, and often greatly more feared by others, as well.  For while constrictors are a lethal threat only to animals smaller than them, venomous snakes have the potential to kill opponents much larger than themselves. This gives them a much eviler reputation among non-snakes, and some venomous varieties embrace this perception and lead lives devoted to cruelty and terror.

Nonetheless, like constrictors, they are also regarded as symbols of change and wisdom, and tend to deliberate for as much time as they can before committing to an action.

     AC: 6

     AT (Dam.): bite (1d3)

     Beginning HP: 7 [8]

     Habitat: Temperate to Tropical (any)

     MV: 4; crawling, climbing, swimming 

     SZ: Tiny

 

Species Traits:

All venomous snakes share the following abilities in common.

• Diminished Profile 
• Low-Light Vision 
• Natural Armor: Improve AC by 1 point at 1st, 3rd, and 5th Total Levels. 
• Niche Restriction:  Because they lack limbs, snakes cannot choose Herbalist as their niche. 
• Spit Venom: Some venomous snakes have an additional use for their poison attack. Instead of delivering their poison through a bite, they can choose to spit their venom as a ranged attack.  On a successful hit, the target must make an Average Poison save or become blinded.  The blindness lasts for 1d5 [1d6] turns, but only if it gets cleaned out within 1d5 [1d6] minutes.  Otherwise, the blindness is permanent.
• Steady Growth: Venomous snakes can increase in SZ once per level, but can never grow larger than Large SZ without the aid of magic or other exceptional means.  They cannot skip a level of growth and resume it later, however; once they stop at a particular SZ, it remains their natural length until death. 
• Stealthy:  +1 bonus on Trickster lore checks to hide in shadows and move silently.  
• Threat Display: Some of the most famous venomous snakes (cobras, rattlers) have some natural method of making themselves seem more menacing or threatening, especially towards those larger than them.  This gives these snakes a +2 bonus on all lore checks to frighten or intimidate foes. 
• Venom Attack: Venomous snakes can make an envenomed Bite attack a number of times per day equal to 3x their Healer lore level, to a minimum of three times per day. Victims of a SZ category two larger than the snake or smaller must succeed on a Challenging Poison save or die within 1d10 turns. For creatures one SZ category larger, the save is Tough; for two categories larger, the save is Average; and at three or more categories larger, the save is Easy. 
• Suitable Niches: Healer, Runner, Scout, Seer, Trickster, Warrior.

Featured Creature -- Eagle

There's a dearth of avians and sea creatures here at the G&S HQ, so let's remedy that with this week's entry.  And since it's still 4th of July week in the U.S., I'll do my patriotic duty and stat out our national dinosaur bird.

Eagle
Among the noblest and most majestic of raptor birds, eagles range most of the world and prey on all manner of species.  They have even been known to attack prey larger than themselves, and are in fact one of the physically strongest flying birds in all the animal kingdom.

In fantasy realms, eagles often ally with elves and other fey creatures, especially in times of war against goblins, orcs, and the twisted worg wolves who serve them.

To small terrestrial species, eagles are a nightmare from the sky, but they are also respected for their courage.  Potential prey approaching an eagle would do well to shower the bird with flattery, as eagles are quite susceptible to their own self-image as the kings of the birds.

     AC: 7
     AT (Dam): 2 claws, 1 bite (1d2/1d2/1d4)
     Beginning HP: 5 [6]
     Habitat: Sub-arctic to sub-tropical
     MV: 2; flying 12
     SZ: Small

Species Traits:

• Excellent Vision: Eagles can see three times better than a longpaw under normal conditions, granting them a +4 bonus on all lore checks to spot hidden objects or track moving targets on the ground from great heights. 
• Flyby Attack
• Great Strength: Eagles are among the strongest flying birds in existence; some have been known to lift targets three times their own body weight into the air.  They get a +2 bonus on all lore checks involving airborne feats of strength made against targets on the ground.
• Low-Light Vision
• Spatial Awareness: Like other flying birds and most sea creatures, eagles can easily think and fight in three dimensions. They suffer no penalties in "aerial" combat against land-dwelling creatures who enter their habitat.
• Swoop: Eagles can mount a flying charge attack against creatures at a lower altitude.  This gives them a +2 to hit and lets them inflict double damage on their target.  However, it imposes a 2-point penalty on their Armor Class.
• Ultravision
• +6 bonus on all move silently checks while airborne
• Suitable Niches: Herbalist, Runner, Scout, Warrior

Featured Creature -- Rats!

Rats are living paradoxes: individually fastidious, but notorious as plague-carriers; brave when facing bigger opponents, but always willing to run and hide when not being watched; adorable, yet feared by many species.

Rats exploit their reputations for skullduggery and deceit for maximum effect, and some even embrace the role of thugs towards smaller rodents like mice.  Nonetheless, they are exceedingly loyal to those who see past this veneer to their true selves, and will think nothing of rushing into battle in defense of their friends, no matter how fearsome the opponent.

They typically live in large communities, and are experts in the geography of longpaw settlements.

     AC: 9
     AT (Dam): 1 bite (1d6 + disease)
     Beginning HP: 3 [4]
     Habitat: Any
     MV: 4 (3 climbing, 2 swimming)
     SZ: Tiny

Species Traits:

• Courageous: Rats are notoriously brave (some would say foolhardy) when facing foes larger than themselves.  They get a +2 bonus on all Fear saves.
• Disease Carrier:  Though not individually unclean, rats are widely known as disease carriers by other species.  When a rat character is first created, the BM should make a secret core dice roll (2d10); on a result of 2 (or 1, if using the classic 1d20), the rat character carries a disease of the BM's choice that does not affect the rat herself, but can infect other animals.  Anyone bitten by such a rat must make a Poison save against the disease's listed Threat Level, or become infected.  Diseases commonly carried by rats include leprosy, plague, and rabies.  Note that a rat PC does not necessarily know that she is a disease carrier; if and when she finds out, she can take any actions she chooses to be healed of the affliction.
• Iron Stomach: Consummate omnivores, rats are highly resistant to the effects of spoiled food, and can often eat things that are totally inedible to other species.  Rats get a +2 bonus on all Poison or other saves against the effects of spoiled foods, and with a successful Healer check, can eat an object or substance that other species find impossible to digest.
• Low-Light Vision
• Natural Climber: +1 bonus on all climbing checks.
• Primitive Hands
• Scent
• Sneaky: Rats get a +2 bonus on all Scout or Trickster checks that involve hiding or moving silently.
• Suitable Niches: Herbalist, Scout, Seer, Trickster

Re-Introducing The Blog

Financial difficulties have been consuming me lately, eating up a great of my free time as I scramble to make ends meet and try to improve my work situation.  Nuff said.

I've decided to put myself on a weekly writing schedule: one new entry here every Thursday.  It will usually be a Featured Creature, possibly other snippets from the larger manuscript as I develop it, and/or occasionally some 5e material.  Now and then, I'll review an animal fantasy work (novel, movie, etc.) that can serve as an inspiration for a Great & Small character, adventure, or campaign.

I hope to be ready with the final manuscript by the end of this year. Please stay tuned, and thank you for your interest and support.

And apologies for the long absences.

Return of the Blog! + Featured Creature -- Manta Ray

Apologies for my long absence.  This project is still alive and well.  Meatspace commitments and problems drew me away for a while, but I hope to keep this on track until it's ready to go to crowd-funding and beyond.

Incidentally, hiccups like this are the reason I didn't start with a crowd-funding; if you go into crowd-funding on something like this without having a huge portion of the work done beforehand, you're running a bigger risk of an uncompleted project and wasted money.  Doesn't seem fair to anyone involved to impose that risk, so I'm holding off on the crowd-funding step until the entire manuscript has been written, edited, and laid out without art.  That document will be a PDF available for free on the crowd-funding site, and the fundraising will be, first, to hire and pay some artists; and second, to produce and distribute hard copies and PDFs with art for distribution.

So, without further ado, I'll re-launch with a modest entry: another Featured Creature from the pages of the old Rules Cyclopedia, the manta ray!

This one presents kind of a conundrum.  The RC monster entry for manta rays is biologically inaccurate, attributing to them behaviors (hiding on the sea floor) and natural abilities (poisonous stingers) they don't possess in real life.  So, do I convert this monster as is and just call it a sting ray, or create an entirely new, and more accurate, entry for mantas and leave the sting rays for another time?

I split the difference with this entry. Since many of the RC version's stats are for an animal roughly the size of a real manta ray, I kept them intact.  But I added in Species Traits closer to what real mantas are like.

Manta Ray
One of the most fearsome-looking animals in the sea is also one of the most docile.  Manta rays, sometimes called "devil fish" by land-dwellers because of their "horns," are gentle filter-feeders with little interest in or talent for violence.  Often, they are as playful as dolphins or whales, and are known to breach the ocean's surface like those animals, too.  Mantas give birth to live young, who are left to their own devices once emerging from the mother's oviduct.

Manta rays are also one of the smartest sea species in the world, and are renowned among fishes as keepers and teachers of knowledge ancient and new.  Their reputation among fish is similar to that of whales among sea-dwelling mammals: wise, gentle, and honorable to a fault.

     AC: 6
     AT (Dam):  1 slam (1d3 [1d4])
     Beginning HP: 7 [8]
     Habitat: Temperate, tropical, or sub-tropical oceans
     MV: 8
     SZ:  Small

Species Traits:

• Brain Power: Manta rays have the largest brain-to-body mass ratio of any fish species, making them among the most intelligent animals in the sea.  They get a +2 bonus on all lore checks involving complex problem-solving or tactical thinking.
• Cold Resistance:  Mantas possess a mammal-like network of blood vessels in their brain called the retia mirabilia, which helps keep them warm.  This grants them a +1 bonus on all saving throws to resist magical or natural cold.
• Growth Spurt: Mantas become Medium in SZ at 4 Total Levels
• Pressure Tolerance: Mantas can dive to depths of up to 2000 m (roughly 6500 ft) without suffering any MV penalties due to increased water pressure.
• Scent
• Spatial Awareness: Like birds and most sea creatures, manta rays think and fight in 3 dimensions.  They suffer no penalties in "aerial" combat against land-dwelling creatures who enter their natural habitat.
• Suitable Niches: Any.

Defending Your Territory

One of the chief ways animals communicate with and defend their territory or belongings against other animals is through scent marking. This involves rubbing objects or creatures with scent glands, urination, defecation, and other methods of leaving one’s distinct smell on the target. Every species language includes scent as a component, and no one learning another species’ language can truly understand it without knowing that species’ repertoire of scent messages. 

When an object or area becomes contested between two or more animals, a scent battle can ensue. Scent battles are a sort of non-lethal conflict by proxy, but follow different rules, since the parties are usually not both present at the same time. One party marks a target with her scent, then the other character comes along later and tries to overwhelm the previous scent. This can go on for days, sometimes months, without the two characters ever actually meeting. This does not imply, however, that scent battles are unwinnable, or fought by attrition. Victory can be achieved depending on the difference in Hit Dice/Total Levels between the two animals involved. 

Table 4.4 Scent Battle Resolution Matrix shows one way to resolve the conflict. It is based on the original fantasy game cleric’s ability to “turn the undead.” A player consults the column on the left, “PC Level,” to find her own current Total Levels. She then cross-references it with her opponent’s Hit Dice or Total Levels to the right. The number shown is the modifier to her core dice roll when trying to win a scent battle against that opponent; that is, the number she adds to her roll. A * indicates victory without rolling. The opposing character will simply give up the fight and move on to other prospects. 

NPCs who fail three consecutive Scent Battles will also give up and move on to another area. 

Note that this is the only modifier applied to your core dice roll during a Scent Battle, unless you have the Guardian niche.  Guardians can add their niche die roll result to a Scent Battle check.

                                        Opponent's Hit Dice/Total Levels

              

PC Lvl	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
1	+7	+3	+1	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
2	+9	+5	+2	+0	No	No	No	No	No	No
3	+11	+7	+3	+1	No	No	No	No	No	No
4	+13	+9	+5	+2	+0	No	No	No	No	No
5	+15	+11	+7	+3	+1	No	No	No	No	No
6	+17	+13	+9	+5	+2	+0	No	No	No	No
7	+18	+15	+11	+7	+3	+1	No	No	No	No
8	*	+17	+13	+9	+5	+2	+0	No	No	No
9	*	+18	+15	+11	+7	+3	+1	No	No	No
10	*	*	+17	+13	+9	+5	+2	+0	No	No

5e Animal PC -- Baboon Warlock

Because why not, that's why.

Baboon Warlock
Small beast, Chaotic neutral

Armor Class 12 
Hit Points 8 (1d8) 
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. 

STR 8 (-1) DEX 14 (+2) CON 11 (+0) INT 10 (+0) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 15 (+2)

Skills Deception +2, Intimidation +2
Senses passive Perception 11
Languages Common
Saving Throws Wisdom, Charisma  

Cantrips This baboon warlock knows the chill touch and eldritch blast cantrips.
Otherworldy Patron This baboon warlock serves the Archfey. 
Fey Presence This baboon warlock can cause each creature within 10 feet of it to make a Wisdom save against its spell save DC of 12, or become charmed or frightened by the baboon until the end of their next turn.
Pack Tactics The baboon warlock has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the baboon's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and isn't incapacitated.
Spells This baboon warlock knows the 1st-level spells ray of sickness and witch bolt. 

Actions
Bite Melee weapon attack: +1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit 1 (1d4-1) piercing damage

My next project...

I'm entering the home stretch on the writing of Great & Small's extended rules.  I should be finishing the final draft in a couple of weeks, then moving into laying it out.  After that, I will go forward with some kind of crowd-funding effort to pay some artists and get it available for sale in hard-copy and PDF (with art), but with an art-free PDF version always available at no charge.

Anyway, since my brain feels like the end is in sight with this project (which it's not; I'm gonna maintain this blog indefinitely, adding support material, reviews, etc.), it's starting to let some of the other ideas down in my creative dungeon scratch at the door, demanding to be the Next Big Thing.

The one that's scratching loudest is one I've wanted to try for a long time, but just seemed too... niche, I guess: a musical horror fantasy setting inspired by vintage monster rock songs. 

To scratch that itch, I wrote up a little ditty and started a second blog, so I could have a foundation in  place if the idea proves popular.  You can read about here: Tales from the Haunted Jukebox.

Hope you like it.  If it grows some legs, I'll add more over there intermittently, but Great & Small remains my top priority.