"C" is for "Crawdog"

Crawdog

No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d8)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
   —Burrow:  18' (6')
      —Swim:  60' (20')
Armor Class:  6
Hit Dice:  3
Attacks:  3 (2 pincers, 1 bite)
Damage:  1d3 / 1d3 / 1d4
Save:  L1
Morale:  7
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  80

Crawdogs are 2' tall, 3'-4' long crustaceans with red carapaces, beaked jaws, and multiple elongated antennae.  They travel in small packs, and communicate with chirp-like vocalizations.  Hardy, adaptable, and suited to terrestrial and aquatic environs, crawdogs are found in all but the hottest and coldest climes.  They feed on almost anything organic, but fancy rotting vegetation, rodents, and fish.

A crawdog's pincers have atrophied significantly from those of its Ancient ancestors, and are capable of only clumsy grasping and ineffective pinching.

Crawdogs are affectionate, loyal, and obedient, and many families in the Mutant Future keep them as beloved pets.  Shepherds also use them to tend flocks.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Gills and Lungs), Increased Sense (Smell)

"E" is for "Eegahl"

Eegahl  ("Brutebird")

No. Enc.:  1d6+1 (3d10)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  45' (15')
          —Fly:  150' (50')
Armor Class:  7
Hit Dice:  7
Attacks:  2 (1 bite, 1 weapon)
Damage:  1d8, and by weapon
Save:  L5
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  XX
XP:  2,540

Eegahls are a race of winged, 5' tall avians with bulky bodies covered in grubby white, brown, and gold feathers.  Two antennae (the source of their Energy Rays) sprout from their foreheads, and their legs end in prehensile, ape-like feet.  They make their lairs in caves and Ancient ruins, and are usually encountered in hilly or mountainous terrain.

Primitive and brutish, Eegahls form loose tribes led by the dominant female (who possesses +1 Hit Die and -1 Armor Class from the norm).  They normally attack from the air using the Dive maneuver while wielding clubs, spears, or heavy rocks (which do 2d6 damage upon impact).

Eegahls communicate through guttural grunts and squawks, making interactions difficult.  Some claim to have appeased Eegahl hunting parties with gifts of meat, trapped live prey, and shiny trinkets.

An Eegahl can Metamorph into any of the following three forms:  an albino ape [per p.60 of the Mutant Future Core Rules], a cave bear [p. 61], or a giant tuatara [p. 81].

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Prehensile Feet), Atrophied Cerebellum [D], Energy Ray (Heat), Metamorph (x3)

Mutants In The News — Slithering Terror Edition

Courtesy of The Orlando Sentinel, the Everglades python invasion continues apace.

"Almost nothing stops them," said Dan Thayer, the water management district's director of vegetation and land management in a statement. "It tells us they're tough and rugged. The survival of an invasive species often depends on its ability to endure extremes. The Burmese python is overcoming a wide range of conditions in Florida, including extreme colds and a water shortage."

--

Hythons come ever closer to reality!

"T" is for "Thermouse"

Thermouse

No. Enc.:  3d10 (1d10)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  75' (25')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  1d2 hit points
Attacks:  1 (bite)
Damage:  1d2
Save:  L4
Morale:  5
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  10

Thermice are tiny rodents found in Ancient ruins, particularly those of a "high-tech" bent:  laboratories, hospitals, factories, military installations, and the like.  They are rarely encountered in the open outdoors.  While they prefer vegetation and Ancient foodstuffs, they can and will ingest fabric, electrical wiring, insulation, and discarded chemicals (meaning they are immune to all toxins).

There are two breeds of thermouse:  cryomice and pyromice.  Each variety is just as common as the other, but they only congregate with their own kind; in fact, they fight to the death on sight.  Cryomice are pale blue and covered with frost crystals and icicles, and they freeze liquids instantly; pyromice are reddish-orange in coloration, and the small flames that continually race across their bodies ignite nearby combustibles.  Picking up any thermouse bare-handed causes 2d4+1 damage per round of contact (before any extra damage, like a cryomouse's "ice spines").

Thermice are highly valued by residents of the Mutant Future.  While too dangerous to serve as pets, the creatures can be kept and bred in special enclosures that harness their abilities—pyromice are used in makeshift ovens, kilns, forges, and incubators, and cryomice in refrigerators and cooling systems.

Woe be to any village that allows their thermice to escape.

Mutations:  Cryomouse—Energy Ray (Cold), Reflective Epidermise (Cold), Spiny Growth (Small); Pyromouse—Energy Ray (Heat), Reflective Epidermis (Heat), Thermal Vision 

"U" is for "Umbrelk"

Umbrelk

No. Enc.:  0 (3d6)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  165' (55')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  6
Attacks:  1 (gore or trample)
Damage:  1d12 or 1d10
Save:  L3
Morale:  7
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  1,570

Umbrelk (both singular and plural) are massive nocturnal herbivores that stand 8' tall at the shoulder.  Woolly blue-black fur coats their frames, and majestic antlers sprout from their skulls.  They migrate through marshlands, dense forests, and cold, mountainous regions.

Thick waves and tendrils of "living darkness" whirl around an umbrelk's body.  From a distance, the creatures are all but invisible, but upon closer contact, the murk suppresses all ambient light (including man-made light sources) in a 30' diameter and Blinds anyone lacking enhanced visual senses.  The creatures strike from these shadows, Surprising opponents on a roll of 1-5 on a 1d6 and following up with goring attacks or Tramples.  Umbrelk are not affected by their own darkness, or that of others of their kind.

And while umbrelk can disrupt laser fire, they suffer +3 damage per die when actually struck by such attacks.

Like most herd animals, umbrelk are led by the largest male (who possesses an additional 1d12 Hit Points).  Each group is comprised of 4 females/young per male, and all young have half the standard adult Hit Points.

Mutations:  Control Light Waves, Force Screen, Frailty (Lasers/Light) [D], Night Vision

"N" is for "Nox"

Nox  ("Zombeef")

No. Enc.:  0 (1d8)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  8
Hit Dice:  5+2
Attacks:  2 or 1 (1 gore and 1 bite, or 1 trample)
Damage:  2d4 / 1d6 or 2d6
Save:  L8
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  2,060

To satisfy their all-consuming appetites, The Ancients devised all manner of methods—chemical and pharmacological additives, radiation treatments, genetic manipulation—to process and manufacture their "frankenfoods".  The noxen are the results of such experimentation gone hideously, horribly, and altogether disgustingly awry.

Noxen are large, hairless bovines with two sharp horns and raw, angry skin covered in suppurating lesions and swollen tumors.  They reek of spoilt meat, and their bellows are labored and phlegmy.  Noxen can consume grasses, vegetation, and carrion, but they prefer to hunt and devour living prey.

Noxen are prone to Charging and Trampling.  Anyone gored and/or bitten by a noxen must make a Saving Throw Versus Poison, or become infected with "nox-rot", an aggressively disfiguring skin disease that lasts 1d3+2 weeks.  The victim takes 1d6 damage per day from weeping sores and bulging nodules (called "moomurs"), and suffers a temporary loss of -2 DEX, -1 CON, and -5 CHA.  After the disease passes, survivors still endure a permanent reduction of -3 CHA due to scarring.

Bare contact with a nox's skin causes Class 3 poison damage.

The cancers that ravage their bodies provide noxen with astounding regenerative abilities.  Not only do they take half damage from all physical attacks, but they also heal back 5 hit points per round.  And anyone successfully striking a nox with a melee weapon must immediately follow up with an Ability Check Versus Strength [per p. 51 of the Mutant Future Core Rules], with failure indicating that the weapon has become embedded in the creature's ever-healing mass.  Noxen cannot regenerate damage from fire or acid, and they take an additional +2 per damage die from cold-based attacks.

While noxen have solid skeletons, they can spend two rounds shifting into a more amorphous form so as to flow through cracks and crevices.  They must spend another two rounds afterwards to become solid again.

As if noxen weren't formidable enough, they can manipulate the body chemistries and hormones of others, resulting in radical physical alteration.  They are considered to have a WIL of 1d6+4 for this ability.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Amorphousness), Bizarre Appearance [D], Density Alteration (Others), Frailty (Cold) [D], Dermal Poison Slime, Regenerative Capability, Toxic Weapon ("Nox-Rot")

"Z" is for "Zephrog"

Zephrog  ("Tornatoad")

No. Enc.:  0 (1d6)

Alignment:  Neutral

Movement:  30' (10')
          —Fly:  240' (80')

Armor Class:  2

Hit Dice:  2

Attacks:  2 (1 bite + gusts)

Damage:  1d3 + see below

Save:  L1

Morale:  7

Hoard Class:  VI, VIII

XP:  95

Zephrogs are blue-gray amphibians about the size and weight of Ancient housecats, and they inhabit environs ranging from tropical wetlands to open savannahs to cool mountain ranges.  Active hunters, they rarely make contact with the ground, and instead divebomb unsuspecting insects and rodents, or dart after birds.

Zephrogs control winds and air pressure at a localized level, and each is encased in a miniature cyclone of swirling dust and debris (causing all incoming missile attacks to suffer a -3 To Hit penalty).  They attack by expanding their cyclones to encompass an area 30' in diameter, and all caught within the gusts take an automatic 1d6 damage per round while surrounded, and must also make a Saving Throw Versus Energy Attacks or be Blinded for the duration.  Zephrogs can also focus their winds to move objects a la Neural Telekinesis, with weights determined as if they had WIL scores of 10+1d8.

Mutations:  Neural Telekinesis, Psionic Flight

Zephrog—Nephrog  ("Thundertoad")

No. Enc.:  0 (1d4)

Alignment:  Neutral

Movement:  45' (15')
          —Fly:  270' (90')

Armor Class:  2

Hit Dice:  4

Attacks:  2 (1 bite + gusts)

Damage:  1d4 + see below

Save:  L3

Morale:  8

Hoard Class:  VII, VIII

XP:  575

Larger, stockier, and darker than their cousins, nephrogs also evince greater control over atmospheric conditions.  Their bodies arc with static electricity.

Continually surrounded by a roiling grey nimbus, all attacks made against a nephrog suffer a -4 To Hit penalty.  And they, too, can harness blinding winds as above; however, their area of effect expands to 50' in diameter, and damage increases to 1d8+2 per round.  Nephrogs can also generate electrical bolts and claps of disorienting thunder, and given time, influence the weather on a grander scale.

Mutations:  Control Weather, Energy Ray (Electricity), Neural Telekinesis, Psionic Flight, Shriek (Greater) (x2)

"K" is for "Kabloom"

Kabloom

No. Enc.:  0 (2d12)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  0' (0')
Armor Class:  9
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  2 (2 seed pods)
Damage:  2d6 + radiation / 2d6 + radiation
Save:  L3
Morale:  None
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  800

Kablooms are woody, tree-sized plants with distintive day-glo coloration, sporting blue bark, neon-green leaves, and pinkish-orange flowers and fruit.  They are found in jungles, forests, and wetlands, and they feed off of moisture and nutrients in the earth.

Each kabloom has 3d10 highly explosive fruit-pods that not only deal 2d8 damage to all within a 15' blast radius, but also release a 15' burst of radiation (intensity determined randomly).  And while immobile, a kabloom can detect movement within 40', and launch its pods up to the same distance away.  The plant is hardy enough to resist damage from pods (and other explosives) that land close to its trunk.

Every 10 Hit Points of damage inflicted on a kabloom detonates 1d4 pods.  Those caught in the blast radius are struck automatically by the blast wave, but may make a Saving Throw Versus Energy Attacks to dodge its affects; a separate Save is still needed against the radiation, however.

Shamans and healers use kabloom extracts in their poultices and remedies, particularly those that treat heart conditions.

Mutations:  Accumulated Resistance (Concussion Damage), Full Senses (Motion Detection), Grenade-Like Fruit, Reflective Cellular Structure (Radiation)

"W" is for "War'Thog"

War'Thog

No. Enc.:  1d4 (2d10)

Alignment:  Lawful
Movement:  150' (50')
Armor Class:  7 (or by armor)
Hit Dice:  10
Attacks:  1 (gore or weapon)
Damage:  1d10 or by weapon
Save:  L10
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XIV, XV
XP:  2,400

The War'Thog are a race of porcine humanoids with wrinkly orange hides criss-crossed with scars.  Their large heads sport prominent snouts and tusks, and wiry manes run from their scalps down their backsides.  They are adept at using all weapons and armor, and have a fondness for Ancient garb and technology.

All War'Thogs age prematurely, and their truncated life spans lead to hedonistic excesses—they over-imbibe, they brawl, and they carouse; truly, they make the most of their extra Hit Points (as granted by their Increased Physical Attribute based on CON scores of 14+1d6).  Despite their conditions, War'thogs are pleasant of disposition and quick to laugh, as their "live fast, die young" ethos leaves little time for angst and animosity.  The War'Thog make excellent hirelings and adventuring companions, as they are always looking for new thrills and excitement.

It is a grievous insult to call them "Pigmen" [from p.88 of the Mutant Future Core Rules] or confuse them with that vile race of creatures.

Each War'Thog band is led by the male with the most, as they say in the Mutant Future vernacular, "boss" facial hair.

Mutations:  Increased Physical Attribute (Constitution), Pituitary Deformation [D]

"J" is for "Javeleen"

Javeleen  ("Quillpig")


No. Enc.:  0 (1d6)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  150' (50')
Armor Class:  7
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  1 (bite or projectile-volley)
Damage:  1d6 or 2d6 per projectile
Save:  L3
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  500

Javeleens are porcine creatures encountered in deserts, scrublands, and wastelands.  They closely resemble their ancestor species, with two glaring exceptions:  indigo fur and 1d4+1 spear-like spurs protruding from their backsides.

Made of hyper-regenerating ivory, javeleens launch these projectiles at enemies at a range of up to 120' with unerring accuracy (getting +3 To Hit per missile).  Each javeleen can launch a total of 20 per day.

Weaponsmiths prize javeleen bones, and use them to create fine arrowheads, spears, and lances that grant +1 To Hit and +2 Damage.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Bone-Spears), Increased Sense (Vision)

"I" is for "Idguana"

Idguana

No. Enc.:  1 (1)

Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  5
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 tail-slap)
Damage:  1d3 / 1d3 / 1d4
Save:  L5
Morale:  7
Hoard Class:  VII, IX, XV, XIX, XXII
XP:  1,100

The race of creatures known as Idguanas are scaly, slender lizards that reach total lengths of 3'-5' and stand about about 1' off the ground.  They appear almost exactly like their Ancient ancestors, except for possessing distended, over-sized craniums.

Idguanas have vast mind-controlling abilities.  Any sentient being—including Androids and Mutant Plants—entering within 50' of an Idguana must make a Saving Throw Versus Stun, with failure indicating that the subject is hypnotized and forced to do the creature's bidding.  The victim gets bonuses to the Save, based on the higher of their Wisdom or Charisma scores as follows:

) 13-15:  +1
) 16-17: +2
) 18-21: +3

During every waking hour, those hypnotized are allowed another Saving Throw, with success meaning that they are (temporarily) free and can't be controlled again for another 1d4 Hours. 

Those with Mental Barrier are completely immune.

Idguanas are wretched beings.  Besides being greedy, hedonistic, and gluttonous, they thrive on sowing disharmony and misery.  Their individual methods vary, but an Idguana's standard modus operandi is to invade a small, isolated settlement and systematically corrupt it.  Some Idguanas lurk in the shadows, subtly influencing the residents to unleash their worst tendencies and darkest desires, culminating in bloodlust and  carnage.  Some present themselves as kindly gurus and sages, gradually turning the village into a cult-like compound full of devout zealots.  Other Idguanas just blatantly enslave the populace, and live like decadent emperors.

On those rare instances when they are overthrown, Idguanas direct their remaining brain-slaves to destroy the town and each other, and in the chaos, they assert Parasitic Control over a poor individual and flee with their "mount" into the wastes.

Idguanas can comprehend and speak all known languages.

Mutations:  Empathy, Mental Barrier, Parasitic Control, Prehensile Tail

"C" is for "Cricken"

Cricken


No. Enc.:  2d8 (5d6)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  105' (35')
Armor Class:  6
Hit Dice:  1d4 hit points
Attacks:  1 (1 bite)
Damage:  1d3
Save:  L1
Morale:  5
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  5

Domesticated by settlements throughout the Mutant Future, crickens are small, 18'' tall creatures with six legs, beaked mandibles, and chitinous exoskeletons blanketed by brown feathers.  They are prized for their meat as well as eggs (which they lay in clusters of 4d8).

Capable of leaping great distances vertically as well as horizontally, crickens scatter wildly when confronted by predators; as such, breeders tend to keep them in coops with secure roofing.

As some poor souls have discovered, crickens and fanghens cannot be raised together, as the two species interbreed at an uncontrollable rate to create ravenous, bounding, swarming, razor-toothed horrors called jawhoppers.

A trite answer to a question frequently asked at Mutant Future barbeques is, "Tastes like cricken!"

Mutations:  None

"P" is for "Psiwinder"

Psiwinder

No. Enc.:  1 (1d3)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
          —Fly:  45' (15')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  4
Attacks:  1 (bite or tail-lash)
Damage:  1d4 + drain, or 1d6
Save:  L6
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  VI
XP:  520

Found in arid climates, psiwinders are 8' long, pinkish-brown serpents that glow with an unearthly blue radiance.  They locomote by slithering across the sands, or by slowly levitating over the landscape.  Their tails end in barbed rattles.

Not only do psiwinders possess vast mental powers, but they are also intangible, existing in a different vibrational state out of phase with reality.  This makes them immune to all attacks except those from Mental Mutations, advanced-class firearms, and warp-field weaponry (in fact, they suffer double damage from warp-tech).  Psiwinders blink in and out of corporeality only to strike with fangs or tail.

The creatures feed off of raw mental energy, and attack those with the highest WIL scores and/or largest number of Mental Mutations.  Those bitten permanently lose 1d6 points of WIL, and anyone reaching a score of 2 or less enters a vegetative coma.

Mutations:  Disintegration, Frailty (Warp-Field Weaponry) [D], Mental Barrier, Mind Reflection, Mind Thrust, Plane Shift, Psionic Flight, Unique Mutation (Intangibility)

"C" is for "Catermaul"

Catermaul

No. Enc.:  1d2 (1d4)

Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  7
Attacks:  5 (2 punches, 1 bite, 2 claws)
Damage:  1d3 / 1d3 / 1d6 / 1d8 / 1d8
Save:  L7
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  VII
XP:  1,140

Catermauls are large, tail-less felines that inhabit savannahs, forests, jungles, and Ancient ruins.  Their coloration ranges from jet black to tan to tawny gold, and dark spots fleck their fur.  Their tracks are distinctive, due to their unusual feet.  Male catermauls have prominent manes.

Each catermaul has four tentacular limbs sprouting from its backside—one pair ends in manipulative digits (useful for opening doors, pulling levers, etc.), and the other in hooked claws, snapping pincers, serrated spurs, or the like.  Though lacking the strength to handle any weapons heavier than daggers, their fingered hands are extremely nimble and skilled at delicate tasks, like picking locks or disarming boobytraps (70% success rate).  [The Mutant Lord should ensure that each catermaul's appendages are unique in appearance, while maintaining the 2 "hands"/2 "claws" ratio.]

In addition to being incredibly stealthy (Surprising on a roll of 1-4 on 1d6), catermauls are cruelly devious and treacherous.  They prowl villages at night, and break into residences to devour the slumbering occupants.  They can also mimic human voices, to better lure unsuspecting prey into ambushes.

Caterwauls relish the taste of Ancient processed meat-snacks (which are still edible in the Mutant Future) almost as much as live prey...and they always keep their word if jerkies are involved.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Tentacles), Aberrant Form (Vocal Cords) 

"R" is for "Rampire"

Rampire

No. Enc.:  1d3 (1d10)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  120' (40')
          —Fly:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  4+4
Attacks:  1 (bite or head-butt)
Damage:  1d6+3 or 1d6
Save:  L5
Morale:  11
Hoard Class:  VIII, XX
XP:  740

Rampires are abhorrent nocturnal creatures that nest in caves and Ancient ruins.  Although similar in size and build to their ancestor species, they sport bat-like wings and prominent fangs.  Weeping wounds cover their bodies, staining their shaggy bluish fur with blood.

To compensate for their continual blood loss, rampires have a gluttonous need to replenish it...by draining it from living victims.  A successful bite from a rampire injects a Class 11 paralytic toxin, and then the creature clamps down with its fangs, doing an additional 1d6 drain damage per subsequent round while guzzling the lifeblood.  They Dive when attacking by air (but can only carry off child-sized or smaller targets), and Charge when on the ground.

Those that suffer a bite from a rampire must make a Saving Throw Versus Poison, or acquire the Hemophilia Physical Mutation Drawback themselves.

Hushed rumors claim that rampires not only interact with (if not outright control and command) groatches, night goats [see p. 86 of the Mutant Future Core Rules], carnivorous sheep [p. 94], and spidergoats [p. 98], but also freely interbreed.  The specific natures and appearances of these terryifying hybrids are, if they exist at all, unknown.

Mutations:  Echolocation, Empathy, Hemophilia [D], Shriek, Toxic Weapon ("Hypno-Spit")

"C" is for "Crudbug"

Crudbug

No. Enc.:  2d6 (5d8)
Alignment:  Neutral

Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  2
Hit Dice:  3
Attacks:  1 (bite)
Damage:  1d6
Save:  L3
Morale:  12
Hoard Class:  VII, XVI, XVIII
XP:  50

Crudbugs are 3' long, yellow-orange insects that nest anywhere but the coldest climes.  They are aggressive and territorial, and fight intruders to the death.

With adhesive saliva, crudbugs incorporate random scraps of metal, plastic, glass, and garbage onto their carapaces.  They also build giant colony mounds out of the detritus of The Ancients, which sport enormous "towers" and "chimneys" of junk.  Their "treasure" consists of not only the items stuck to their bodies, but also all the debris used to construct their nests.

Mutations:  None

Crudbug—Clunkbug  ("Humbug")

No. Enc.:  1 (1)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  60' (20')
Armor Class:  -3
Hit Dice:  15
Attacks:  1 (bite or trample)
Damage:  4d8+2 or 5d10
Save:  L8
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XXI, XXII
XP:  2,400

A clunkbug is a crudbug specimen grown to horrifyingly immense size, reaching heights of over 13' tall and total lengths of 18' or more.  They, too, cover themselves with junk...but instead of random pieces of garbage, they inhabit the rusting hulks of Ancient automobiles.  Like hermit crabs of old, the creatures crawl inside the frame of a disused car, and "wear" it in such a fashion that only their heads and legs extend from the metal shell, with tires and assorted parts hanging off in disarray, and doors splayed looking like so many "wings".

Clunkbugs attack with crushing mandibles, or by Trampling foes beneath their bulk.

For some unknown reason, these creatures favor a particular brand of military-style SUV vehicles, hence the nickname "Humbugs".  [Any four-wheeled vehicle will do, however, so the Mutant Lord should feel free to adjust the Armor Class accordingly.  The -3 AC is only for the versions with densest metal plating.]

Mutations:  Gigantism

"C" is for "Cactopus"

Cactopus


No. Enc.:  0 (1)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  60' (20')
Armor Class:  8
Hit Dice:  8
Attacks:  8 (8 tentacles)
Damage:  1d6 + drain (per tentacle)
Save:  L4
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  VII
XP:  3,560

Cactopi are secretive creatures that inhabit desolate wastes and badlands, scuttling across the sands and lurking in rocky outcroppings.  Their dun-colored, pulpy bodies are covered in small spines, and each of their eight tentacles ends in a spear-like woody barb.  Their central mass is about 3'-4' in diameter, and their tentacles can elongate to lengths of 10'.

Lacking mouths, cactopi draw liquid sustenance through their tentacles...and given their habitats, they primarily drain it from living prey.  They hide just beneath the surface of the sands, and then lash out and plunge their barbs into unsuspecting victims.  Each successful hit not only does the initial piercing damage, but also an additional 1d4 dessication damage each subsequent round as the target's fluids are drained away, ultimately leaving only a withered husk.  Furthermore, for each tentacle constricting in this fashion, the victim suffers a cumulative attack penalty of -1.  A tentacle can be severed if a total of 8 points or more damage is done with one blow.

Able to detect even the most trace amounts of moisture within a mile radius of their locations, cactopi always focus their attacks on adventurers carrying the greatest quantity of bottles, flasks, and/or water/wineskins.

When combat goes against it, a cactopus discharges a 20' diameter cloud of spores that induces a severe hacking and coughing allergic reaction [treat as a Class 11 paralytic poison].  The creature flees during the confusion.

Due to their spiny bodies, anyone successfully striking a cactopus bare-handed sufferes 1d4 damage.

Mutations:  Spiny Growth (Small), Thermal Sensitivity (Cold) [D], Toxic Weapon ("Spore-Spray"), Unique Sense (Detect Moisture)

"G" is for "Gullverine"

Gullverine

No. Enc.:  0 (1d6)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  150' (50')
      —Swim:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  4
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  1d6 / 1d6 / 1d10
Save:  L2
Morale:  12
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  190

Gullverines are predators the size of large Ancient canines, with stocky, muscular bodies, dingy feathers, clawed, webbed feet, and toothy, beaked snouts.  They are never found far from coastal waters, and are equally comfortable in both tropical and arctic climes.

Tenacious and bloodthirsty, gullverines get +4 to all To Hit rolls.  And 4 times per day, they can regurgitate an odious mixture of saliva and undigested prey that coats a cone 20' long and 15' wide at its endpoint.  Targets failing a Saving Throw Versus Energy Attacks are not only blinded for 2d6 rounds, but also suffer a loss of 2d6 points of Charisma for 2d4 days.

Some Clamazon tribes breed gullverines as both hunting and combat companions, and often unleash the beasts on unwary villages prior to a raid.  Such trained specimens are kept in surface caves and pens, and tended by particularly brutal Clamazon wranglers (who have +1 Hit Die above the standard).

Mutations:  Toxic Weapon ("Gore-Goo")

"K" is for "Karkadillo"

Karkadillo

No. Enc.:  1 (1d4)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  30' (10')
   —Burrow:  45' (15')
Armor Class:  -2
Hit Dice:  8
Attacks:  3 or 1 (2 claws, 1 bite, or 1 tail-slap)
Damage:  1d6 / 1d6 / 2d6 or 1d10
Save:  L4
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  2,060

Karkadillos are ornery predators the size and shape of Ancient compact automobiles.  Three "fins" jut from their bony shells, and a fourth protrudes from their pointed heads.   Their tails end in studded, spiked masses.

Slow and ponderous, karkadillos primarily burrow after prey they can catch (giant worms, grubs, and the like), but they also ambush convenient topside prey by exploding forth with slashing claws and snapping jaws.  And while too heavy to swim, their gills allow them to trundle along the beds of both fresh and saltwater bodies to devour giant crustaceans and mollusks.

Natural enemies, karkadillos and molebears fight to the death when one crosses the other's territory.  These subterranean battles often create small localized tremors.

Mutations:  Aberrant Form (Gills and Lungs), Increased Sense (Smell), Unique Sense (Vibrations)

"V" is for "Vinosaur"

Vinosaur


No. Enc.:  1d2 (1d6)

Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  105' (35')
Armor Class:  7
Hit Dice:  7
Attacks:  4 (1 tendril grab, 2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  2d6 / 1d6 / 1d6 / 1d8
Save:  L4
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  VI, XIV
XP:  2,890

The savage vinosaurs are ambulatory, bipedal plants that reach heights of 7'-9' tall.  They have four prehensile tendrils (which can elongate to 20'), two scythe-like claws, and maws of razored fangs.  Lichens, mold, and fruiting bodies cover their exteriors.

In combat, vinosaurs first lash out with their vines.  A successful hit inflicts 2d6 constriction damage, and the beasts then tear into their prey with claws and fangs.  Once a victim is struck by the initial tendrils, no additional Attack Rolls are required—the flurry of damage is sustained each subsequent round until either the target or the vinosaur is dead.

Vinosaurs are dormant during the day (with their resting forms taking on a rigid, tree-like appearance), and only come alive under the cover of darkness.  Many an unwary adventuring band has unknowingly camped out in a glade of inert vinosaurs, and later awakened to...unpleasantness.

Mutations:  Carnivore, Free Movement, Full Senses, Night Vision, Nocturnal [D], Prehensile Tendrils (Constrictive)

"L" is for "Lohbim"

Lohbim  ("Cerebrute")


No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d8)

Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  75' (25')
Armor Class:  0
Hit Dice:  12
Attacks:  2 or 1 (2 claws, 1 trample)
Damage:  2d8 / 2d8 or 2d10
Save:  L12
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  V, VIII, IX, XIX, XXI, XXII
XP:  9,200

The richest, most famous, and most powerful of The Ancients never knew the fear of decay and death, as they remained eternally youthful by transplanting their minds into brand-new, beautiful, bioengineered bodies.  But during the Apocalypse, something went...awry...with the cryogenic cerebro-storage process, and those damaged cortex-tanks birthed a hideous and terrifying new race:  the Lohbim.

The Lohbim are 12' tall beings with spherical, bipedal bodies covered in thick, grayish-purple nodules—to describe them as "giant armored brains on legs" would be wholly accurate.  And while each Lohbim possesses immense physical and mental strength (with STR and WIL scores averaging 15+1d6), their actual intelligence fluctuates wildly between extremes of cretinousness (INT of 3+1d4) and brilliance (INT score of 15+1d6).

Lacking mouths, how—and what—they eat is unknown.

Their combat techniques (or lack thereof) explain why the Lohbim are known colloquially as "Cerebrutes".  They wade into battle, crushing and Trampling, and they intentionally target those with the highest Charisma scores.  Anyone struck by a Lohbim's freezing Energy Ray must also make a Saving Throw Versus Stun, or be Paralyzed for 2d6 rounds.

The Lohbim raid communities of Pure Humans and Mutant Humans, capturing all residents and dragging them off for mysterious, insidious purposes; because of this behavior, some hypothesize they are the driving force behind the Tripods [see p. 100 of the Mutant Future Core Rules].  The smarter Lohbim have also been known to pool their knowledge and resources with the Labwraths.

But all Lohbim hate—and maybe even fear—the Brain Lashers [see p. 63], as the latter consider them a delicacy like no other.

Their unique physiologies make them particularly vulnerable to electrical attacks.

Mutations:  Energy Ray (Cold), Epidermal Susceptibility (Electricity) [D], Force Screen (Greater), Mental Barrier, Metaconcert, Mind Thrust, Neural Telepathy, Reflective Epidermis (Cold), Temperature Control (Cold)

"Y" is for "Yinsect"

Yinsect  ("Friar Bug")


No. Enc.:  1 (1)

Alignment:  Lawful
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  10
Attacks:  4 (2 punches, 1 kick, 1 bite)
Damage:  2d4+3 / 2d4+3 / 2d6+3 / 1d6+3
Save:  L10
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  XIV, XVII
XP:  5,900

In the Mutant Future, many insectoid organisms behave as their ancestors did in Ancient times—they form colonies, divide the labor according to strict class heirarchies, and communicate and function as if they were one collective entity.  Some specimens, though, mutate and metamorphose beyond the rigid structure of The Hive or The Swarm, and become distinct, sentient, humanoid individuals.  These beings are the Yinsects.

Yinsects are solitary warrior-philosophers that seek to explore the mysteries of both The Self and the world around them, and they wander the ravaged wastelands in search of knowledge in all its forms.  They gladly interact with other sentient beings, and often bring aid and comfort (food, medical supplies, useful Ancient artifacts and tools, brute protection) to isolated communities.  They have been known to join with adventuring parties.

Yinsects abhor violence, yet realize the Mutant Future is frought with danger; consequently, they train their minds and bodies to perfection.  Each Yinsect has an Intelligence and Willpower score of 11+1d8, and they attempt to talk their way out of conflicts...but when words fail, they resort to their mastery of martial combat.  They strive to avoid killing at all costs, and pull their blows to give their foes ample opportunities to yield.  As a last resort, Yinsects will utilize their "nerve pinch" (Parasitic Control) to subdue particularly troublesome opponents.

Valuing autonomy and individuality, they revile slavers and those that oppress the weak.  And valuing life in all its myriad forms, all Yinsects are strict vegetarians.  (They are deeply troubled, though, by the hypocritical implications inherent in the existence of Mutant Plants.)

While each is unique in both appearance and personality, they are generally linked to a particular species.  To determine the "breed" of Yinsect encountered, roll 1d6 on the chart below.  Each type has two additional Physical Mutations common to its kind.  Determine all relevant combat effects by rolling randomly on the appropriate tables.

1:  Ant—Increased Sense (Smell), Toxic Weapon
2:  Bee—Complete Wing Development, Spiny Growth
3:  Cockroach—Increased Physical Attribute (Constitution), Reflective Epidermis (Radiation)
4:  Locust—Complete Wing Development, Increased Sense (Vision)
5:  Termite—Increased Physical Attribute (Strength), Increased Sense (Taste)
6:  Wasp—Complete Wing Development, Toxic Weapon


Mutations:  Body Adjustment, Combat Empathy, Mental Barrier, Mind Reflection, Parasitic Control