Tuesday, December 7, 2010

"P" is for "Poxie"

Poxie  ("Leprokaun")

No. Enc.:  1d10 (8d8)
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  45' (15')
          Fly:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  2
Attacks:  2 or 1 (2 claws, or 1 bite, or 1 mini-spear)
Damage:  1d3 / 1d3, or 1d6, or 1d2
Save:  L8
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  XVII
XP:  56

Poxies are a race of tiny, winged humanoidsmales average 6-8" tall, females 9"-1' tallthat make up for their lack of size with an overabundance of nastiness, cruelty, and selfishness.  Base creatures, they live in squalor and filth, eschewing clothing and social niceties.  They are matriarchal (for what little organization they have), and a Poxie queen is a malevolent force, indeed.

The creatures swarm with all manner of contagions, parasites, and toxins (making them naturally immue to all poisons and forms of disease).  Any Poxie scratch or bite attack has a 50% chance of infecting a victim with a random sickness [see pages 48-49 of the Mutant Future Core Rules] upon the failure of a Saving Throw Versus Poison.   [Such illnesses are just the default options; the Mutant Lord should feel free to design his own, with a variety of effects:  Ability loss, induction of Mutation Drawbacks, etc.]  Even close physical contact with them is harmful.

Poxies tend to nest near isolated settlements so as to extort food, wealth, and other tribute from the residents—unless their demands are met, the creatures will befoul the water supply, contaminate food stores, infect livestock, and target children.  And the bullying imps are too cunning, too cruel, and too lazy to eradicate the villagers they target, as they have no desire to procure their own food, and relish in dragging out terror and torment.   Besieged communities have been known to hire adventures to eradicate Poxie hives.

Mutations:  Dermal Poison Slime (Class 5), Dwarfism, Toxic Weapon ("Viral Bite")