Tuesday, November 30, 2010

"M" is for "Mawauro"

Mawauro

No. Enc.:  0 (1)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  90' (30')
Armor Class:  6
Hit Dice:  16
Attacks:  2 or 1 (2 bludgeons, or 1 bite)
Damage:  3d4 / 3d4, or 3d10
Save:  L9
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  VI, VII, XVI
XP:  7,800

Mawauros are ambulatory, carnivorous cacti of gigantic size (20'-25' tall), rugged endurance, and rapacious appetite.  They stalk the deserts and badlands in a never-ending search for food, hunting by sight and with uncanny hearing.

Due to their spiky exteriors, attacking a mawauro bare-handed results in 1d6 damage on a successful hit.

Mawauros successfully excecute the Swallow maneuver on rolls of 16-20, and consumed victims take 1d12 damage per round until they die at the end of 6 rounds (or cut their way out beforehand).  And thanks to their highly specialized metabolisms, mawuaros don't excrete, so the belongings of consumed victims acculmulate in their body cavities.

In some tribal cultures, surviving an encounter with a mawauro is a rite of passage into adulthood.

Mutations:  Animal Organs (Eyes), Carnivore, Free Movement, Full Senses (Echolocation), Full Senses (Increased Hearing), Natural Vegetal Weapons (Thorns), Reflective Cellular Structure (Fire/Heat)

Monday, November 29, 2010

"S" is for "Skultch"


Skultch  ("Zombird")

No. Enc.:  0 (2d4)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  30' (10')
          —Fly:  90' (30')
Armor Class:  7
Hit Dice:  3
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 peck)
Damage:  1d4 / 1d4 / 1d6
Save:  L4
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  140

Resembling decomposing birds of prey, skultches are foul creatures that stand 3'-4' tall with 9'-12' wingspans.  Taught skin reveals their internal musculature, and bony spurs jut through their feathers.  They reek of corruption and decay.

Skultches are primarily scavengers, but they also have a particularly insidious method of hunting live prey:  they spit (up to a distance of 15', or sprayed downward while airborne) an oily fluid that, upon failure of a Saving Throw Versus Poison, causes the target to acquire the Prey Scent Physical Mutation Drawback.  They then take to the air and patiently circle high above their victims, awaiting larger predators to bring them down...whereupon the skultches descend to steal the spoils.  And flocks have been known to outright attack vulnerable targets.

They are immune to all known toxins and forms of disease.

Mutations:  Dermal Poison Slime (Class 4), Epidermal Susceptibility (Fire) [D], Regenerative Capability, Toxic Weapon ("Prey-Spray")

Sunday, November 28, 2010

"G" is for "Glowbra"


Glowbra

No. Enc.:  1 (1d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  75' (25') 
Armor Class:  6
Hit Dice:  6
Attacks:  1 (bite)
Damage:  1d6 + poison
Save:  L5
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  1,320

Glowbras are thick, muscular serpents that reach lengths of 12'-15' long, and they continually emanate a cobalt-blue light.  Resilient creatures, they thrive in the most polluted and toxic environs.

The bite of a glowbra is one of the deadliest in all the Mutant Future, as it injects a lethal radioactive venom.  A victim must make a successful Saving Throw Versus Poison, or die 1d4 turns later (from the Class 20 poison, with delay).  Even if the Save is made, the victim still suffers a permanent loss of 1d6 CON.

Glowbra eggs are highly prized amongst those sects of Mutant Humans that worship radiation, as ingesting the raw yolk bestows 1d3 random Mutations.

Mutations:  Accumulated Resistance (Pollutants), Optic Emissions (Radiation), Reflective Epidermis (Radiation), Toxic Weapon (Venom)

Saturday, November 27, 2010

"K" is for "Krillgrim"

Krillgrim

No. Enc.:  1d6 (3d6)
Alignment:  Lawful
Movement:  60' (20')
     —Swim:  90' (30')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  3
Attacks:  4 or 3 (4 claws, or 2 claws, 1 weapon)
Damage:  1d4 / 1d4 / 1d4 / 1d4 or 1d4 / 1d4 (and by weapon)
Save:  L3
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  XIX
XP:  125

The Krillgrim are sentient, 10-limbed crustaceans that reach 5'-7' tall.  They are a proud, generous, and kind people, being both strong-willed and charismatic (average WIL 16; average CHA 17).

Krillgrim live as missionaries, priests, healers, and traders that all promulgate an eccentric religion, The Ingestion Gospels.  The tenets state that all organisms are united through unbreakable cosmic ties, and it is the overall dutyand greatest spritual joy—for every living thing to be devoured by a larger entity so as to maintain the pure cycle of existence.  Krillgrim priests lead bands of followers up from the briny depths and march as deep landward as they can, with the overall goal of reaching the domains of large predators...where they lay down their arms and await the sweet embrace of death.

This is not to say that they are strictly pacifists, however.  Krillgrim believe that they can only advance into the Afterlife if they are killed and eaten by something larger than themselves.  This means that they will actively defend against attacks by equal-sized or smaller beings and creatures.

For obvious reasons, many in the Mutant Future fail to see the allure of The Ingestion Gospels...but because they are so persuasive, Killgrim missionaries never suffer a lack of converts; any group will be accompanied by 3d6 followers and retainers consisting of all character races but Androids.  And because they are skilled healers, most communities welcome Killgrim bands with open arms.

Ironically, Killgrim are photosynthetic, and have no need themselves to eat.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Gills and Lungs), Empathy, Epidermal Photosynthesis, Increased Willpower, Natural Armor (Extreme)

Friday, November 26, 2010

Why I Love Mutant Futures, Gamma Worlds, and Assorted Post-Apocalyptic Wastelands

Thanks to a random Googling, I found this Gamma World essay/retrospective by Jared von Hindman.  He lovingly goes through the history of the game, and hits each and every note as to why I adore the genre so very, very much.

The article is called Gamma World: Over 30 Years Of I Have No Idea What Is Going OnIt's well worth the read.

(And I, too, was in the same GenCon 2010 seminar which prompted the entire piece.  His recollections about the the griping are dead-on.)

Thursday, November 25, 2010

"S" is for "Squalrus"

Squalrus

No. Enc.:  0 (3d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  18' (6')
      Swim:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  6
Attacks:  1 (bite)
Damage:  2d8
Save:  L3
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  1,320

While ungainly on land, the stocky, blubbery squalruses are perfectly suited to life at sea, and they are equally at home in both the waters of the frigid poles and the tropical coasts.  They reach lengths of 12'-15' long, and can weigh between 1 and 2 tons.

Squalruses hunt in organized packs, using rows of razor-sharp teeth and piercing tusks to bring down prey...and their highly-developed minds make them even more dangerous.  They have been known to attack water vessels.

Unlike most mammals, squalruses lay small clutches of 1d6 eggs.  These eggs are highly prized amongst coastal and seafaring tribes, as hatchlings can be trained to serve as loyal guards, hunting companions, and trackers.

Young squalruses are a favorite prey of polar molebears.

Mutations:  Combat Empathy, Increased Sense (Smell), Metaconcert, Reflective Epidermis (Cold)

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

"V" is for "Vark"

Vark

No. Enc.:  0 (4d10)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  7
Hit Dice:  4
Attacks:  1 (heatbutt)
Damage:  1d8
Save:  L5
Morale:  6
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  135

Varks are migratory herd animals that stand between 5'-6' tall, reach lengths of 12' (nose to stumpy tail), and weigh about a ton.  Relatively docile herbivores, they normally flee from predators; however, larger males may try to protect the females and young.  (In any big group, there are 4 females/young per male.  Adult males have 1d4 more hit points than normal, and all young have half the standard adult hit points.)  A fleeing herd, or aggressive male, may perform the Trample maneuver.

Domesticated varks are raised for their meat and milk, and used as beasts of burden.

Varks are one of the hardiest and most adaptable species in the Mutant Future, and the harsh and twisted environmental conditions have spawned several subspecies, including:  aarborvarks, chaarvarks, haardvarks, haarmvarks, and shaardvarks.
Mutations:  Dual-Headed

"O" is for "Owlig"

Owlig

No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d10)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  60' (20')
          Fly:  150' (50')
          Swim:  90' (30')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  3 or 1 (2 talons, 1 bite, or 1 tail-slap)
Damage:  1d4 / 1d4 / 1d8 or 1d6
Save:  L4
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  VI
XP:  950

Owligs are resilient, 5' tall nocturnal carnivores that nest and hunt in a varitety of environs:  forests, swamps, rivers, overgrown ruins, and abandoned sewers.  They are ambush predators, and equally adept at attacking from land, water, and the air (frequently using the Dive maneuver); in almost every instance, the last thing a victim sees is the luminous glow of an owlig's bulbous eyes.

Hours after feeding, owligs cough up large, gory pellets containing the undigestible portions of their prey...making scrounging for their "treasure" an unpleasant endeavor.  

Mutations:  Optic Emissions (Bright Eyes), Natural Armor (Extreme), Night Vision, Regenerative Capability, Unique Sense (360-Degree Vision)

Monday, November 22, 2010

"M" is for "Molebear"


Molebear

No. Enc.:  1 (1d2)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  75' (25')
  —Burrow:  150' (50')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  10
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  1d10 / 1d10 / 1d6
Save:  L5
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  VI, VII
XP:  3,800

Molebears are voracious omnivores that reach over 6' tall at the shoulder, and over 15' when standing on their hind legs.  Their enormous front paws allow them to tunnel through even the densest earth, and they lair in subterranean dens and caves.

A molebear's preferred method of hunting is to burst forth from the ground beneath an unsuspecting target.  The speed and ferocity of this maneuver grants the molebear +1 to both Surprise and Initiative rolls, and a +2 To Hit bonus.  They attack with claws and bite, and if both paws successfully strike in the same round, the molebear then crushes its prey in a hug for an additional 3d6 damage.

Molebears use the unique sense organs on their snouths to effortlessly track prey both below and above the ground...and even if a target flees, it isn't safe for very long.  Once a molebear tastes the blood of a particular victim, it relentlessly stalks the escapee across the wastelands, no matter how long it takes.  Stories suggest that not even vast bodies of water can keep a molebear from its prey.

Mutations:  Increased Sense (Smell), Increased Caloric Needs [D], Unique Sense (Detect Vibrations), Unique Sense ("Prey-Sense")





Molebear — Polar Molebear

No. Enc.:  1 (1d2)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  75' (25')
  —Burrow:  150' (50')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  13
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  2d6 / 2d6 / 1d8
Save:  L7
Morale:  11
Hoard Class:  VI, VII
XP:  6,000

Found in frigid climes, polar molebears are bigger and more vicious than the standard variety.

Their squeeze does an additional 3d8 damage.

Mutations:  Increased Sense (Smell), Increased Caloric Needs [D], Reflective Epidermis (Cold), Unique Sense (Detect Vibrations), Unique Sense ("Prey-Sense")

Saturday, November 20, 2010

"M" is for "Mooze"


Mooze

No. Enc.:  1 (1d3)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  60' (20')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  8
Attacks:  1 or 2 (gore, or 2 pseudopods)
Damage:  1d8, or 1d6 / 1d6 + enzymes
Save:  L4
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  2,060

Moozes are fleshy, amorphous creatures that reach sizes of 10'-15' in diameter.  They can be found in almost any environment except those with the most extreme temperatures.  They crawl along vertical surfaces and ceilings with ease, and can squeeze through even the narrowest openings.

Moozes are indescriminate omnivores that absorb plant and animal matter alike.  When encountering prey, they lash out with sticky, club-like pseudopods, and each successful strike means that particular psuedopod has adhered to the target.  Their digestive enzymes dissolve through cloth, wood, and leather in 1 round, and concrete and plastic in 1 turn.  After eating through armor, contact with bare flesh does 2d8 continual damage per round.  Moozes can attack two different targets, and apply damage accordingly.

They are immune to damage from conventional weapons, and only take damage from fire, cold, and energy attacks.

If more than 1 mooze is encountered, the others will be smaller, antler-less "moozelings" with 3 Hit Dice.  These smaller specimens do 1d3 damage with their psuedopods, and 1d6 damage per round with their secretions.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Amorphousness), Toxic Weapon (Digestive Enzymes)

"O" is for "Oscreech"

Oscreech

No. Enc.:  0 (2d8)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  240' (80')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  1d8 / 1d8 / 1d6
Save:  L3
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  950

Oscreeches are 8' tall, flightless predators that stalk the praries and grasslands of the Mutant Future.  They are quick and cunning pack hunters, and often herd unsuspecting prey into ambushes.

Some believe that their constant squawking and chattering indiciates that they possess a language all their own, and may be sentient.

Mutations:  Increased Sense (Vision), Reflective Epidermis (Sonics), Shriek (Greater) (x3)

Friday, November 19, 2010

"F" is for "Fanghen"

Fanghen  ("Poulraña")

No. Enc.:  2d6 (4d10)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  105' (35')
      —Swim:  60' (20')
Armor Class:  7
Hit Dice:  4 hp
Attacks:  1 (bite)
Damage:  1d4+1
Save:  L1
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  6

A fanghen (pronounced fān-ghen) is a 1' tall, flightless carnivore festooned in both bright feathers and scales.  They are equally at home on land or in fresh water.  Fanghens typically hunt small prey, but large broods will attack creatures many time their size.

Despite their nasty dispositions, fanghens and their highly nutritious eggs are staple food sources in many settlements.  Domestic fanghens are often allowed to roam free, so as to keep gardens, fields, and dwellings free of vermin.  Young children who fancy all their digits learn to stay away from them, however.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Gills and Lungs)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

"B" is for "Babloon"


Babloon

No. Enc.:  0 (5d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
         —Fly:  75' (25')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  3
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  1d3 / 1d3 / 1d4
Save:  L2
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  XVII
XP:  110

Babloons are 3' tall, 50-75 pound primates that congregate in savannahs and low hills, feeding off insects, rodents, fruits, and tubers. 

While technically terrestrial, babloons possess the unique ability to "inflate" their bodies so as to soar skyward, and they use their tails as makeshift rudders.  While airborne, they skillfully utilize their weather-controlling abilities both offensively and defensively.

Some settlements worship troops of babloons as divine beings, leaving tributes of food, material goods, and artifacts in hopes for favorable weather and bountiful harvests.  The creatures have no use for anything beyond the food, however.

Mutations:  Control Weather, Energy Ray (Electricity), Know Direction, Psionic Flight

"L" is for "Leafbleeder"

Leafbleeder  ("Octosloth")

No. Enc.:  0 (1d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  45' (15')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  4
Attacks:  1 or 3 (vines, or 2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  1d10 + drain, or 1d3 / 1d3 / 1d4
Save:  L3
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  VII
XP:  300

Leafbleeders, ill-tempered and surly beasts with an insatiable craving for blood, are one of the more bizarre predators in the Mutant Future.  They are squat, 2' long mammalian / vegetable hybrids with bark-like skin, matted fur, and 2d4 long, leafy tendrils sprouting from their backsides.  The unique symbiotic physiology makes them highly resistant to Mental Attacks.

Leafbleeders lurk in the branches above well-traveled trails and roads, and then drop their tendrils on unsuspecting prey.  A successful Attack roll means that the vines latch on with razored suckers, which do 1d10 damage and 1d10 Hit Points each successive round until either the leafbleeder or target is dead.  If knocked to the ground, they attack with claws and fangs.

Drained prey are dragged upwards into the foliage and hidden in hollowed out tree trunks, so acquiring a leafbleeder's "treasure" involves significant effort.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Tendrils), Mental Barrier, Natural Armor (Extreme)

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

"M" is for "Meen'go"

Meen'go

No. Enc.:  1d8 (5d8)
Alignment:  Lawful
Movement:  75' (25')
         —Fly:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  8 (or by armor)
Hit Dice:  4
Attacks:  1 or 2 (1 kick, or by 2 weapons)
Damage:  1d4, or by 2 weapons
Save:  L4
Morale:  7
Hoard Class:  XV
XP:  355 (+55 per additional Mental Mutation)

The Meen'go are gregarious, loquacious bipeds with delicate, slender builds and bright pink plumage.  They average 6'-7' tall, and possess 3 arms that end in dextrous clawed hands adept at manipulating and repairing Ancient technology.

The Meen'go are are consummate tinkerers, traders, and barterers, and traveling bands explore and scavenge Ancient ruins and installations, peddling the spoils from settlement to settlement.  They also establish permanent villages near waterways, which invariably become thriving hubs of aquaculture and commerce.

There is a 30% chance that any given Meen'go enountered will have 1d3 additional beneficial Mental Mutations.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Extra Limbs), Complete Wing Development, Increased Sense (Touch), Intellectual Affinity (Bartering), Intellectual Affinity (Tinkering)

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

"B" is for "Blastat"

Blastat

No. Enc.:  1d10 (4d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  30' (10')
          —Fly:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  3
Attacks:  1 (bite)
Damage:  1d6
Save:  L4
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  110

Blastats are nocturnal omnivores that stand 2'-3' tall with wingspans reaching 6'-8' wide.  Their bodies pulsate with a scintillating, multi-hued light that can be quite entrancing...right up until the point it's focused through the crystalline structures on their snouts into a destructive energy beam.  Groups of 5 or more blastats can also Confuse targets by swarming.

Blastats make their home in caves and Ancient ruins, particularly abandoned power plants.  They are drawn to areas of high radioactivity, and for the traveler, circling swarms of blastats often serve as advance warning for upcoming hazardous environmental conditions.

Mutations:  Echolocation, Energy Ray (Radiation), Reflective Epidermis (Radiation)

"H" is for "Horpo"

Horpo ("River Demon")

No. Enc.:  0 (1d6)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
      —Swim:  45' (15')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  10
Attacks:  3 (3 heads)
Damage:  2d8 / 2d8 / 2d8
Save:  5
Morale:  12
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  3,100

The semi-aquatic horpo is a territorial, aggressive beast that inhabits rivers and lakes.  While herbivorous, the massive 15' long, 3 ton creature is a terror of the waterways, often attacking transports and riverside settlements.

Horpos secrete a reddish fluid that serves as a natural sunscreen, which also makes them immune to light-based attacks and laser weapons.  This substance is highly valuable not only for its reflective properties, but also for use in dyes and pigments (not to mention its difficulty to procure).

As horpos mature, their hide thickens to such a degree that they lose the ability to feel pain...meaning they never retreat from a fight, and battle until death.

Mutations:  Pain Insensitivity [D], Reflective Epidermis (Lasers/Light), Triple-Headed

"G" is for "Girantula"

Girantula

No. Enc.:  1 (1)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  210' (70')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  15
Attacks:  1 (bite)
Damage:  4d6 + poison
Save:  L8
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XV, XXII
XP:  4,200

Girantulas, 25'-30' tall beasts with long necks, arachnoid bodies, and dripping fangs, are one of the most terrifying predators in the Mutant Future.  They dig earthen burrows near oases and caravan routes, and feast on the hapless travellers and their mounts.  Their bites inject a Class 15 poison.

While capable of chasing down even the fastest prey, girantulas prefer to attack from ambush.  They cover the landscape around their dens with sticky layers of nigh-invisible webbing, and then emerge when their targets are panicked and sufficiently entangled.  Engtangled creatures can't move, but can break loose depending on their STR score.  Any being with an effective STR of 18 or less can break free in 2d6 turns, while those with higher scores and/or bladed weapons can break free in 6 rounds...and anyone wielding Vibro or Warp-Field weapons can escape in 1 round.  Girantula webs are flammable, and all creatures within flaming webs take 1d8 damage for 4 rounds, after which the survivors are free of the strands.

Girantula lairs are reputed to be littered with valuables...although no one has ever survived being inside one.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Spinnerets), Toxic Weapon (Venom), Unique Sense (Detect Vibrations)

Monday, November 15, 2010

"A" is for "Antzee"

Antzee

No. Enc.:  3d6 (5d10)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  150' (50')
  Burrow:  15' (5')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  3
Attacks:  2 (1 bite, 1 sting)
Damage:  1d6 / 1d4 + poison
Save:  L2
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  VI
XP:  95

Antzees are agile, 3' tall creatures with bulbous insectoid heads, ape-like bodies, and stinging barbs (which inject a Class 4 poison) on their hindquarters.  They are equally at home in arboreal treetops and subterranean environs, and they build large, mounded nests with vast tunnel systems.

Antzees are drawn to food stockpiles, and often raid settlements looking for sustenance.  Their inquisitive nature and chittering, chirping communications indicate that they might be semi-intelligent.

Rumors persist that each mound has an "antzee king" and/or "antzee queen" at its center.

Mutations:  Increased Sense (Smell), Metaconcert, Toxic Weapon (Venom)