"C" is for "Crotaloid"

Crotaloid  ("Rattleman")

No. Enc.:  1d3 (1d6)
Alignment:  Any
Movement:  120' (40')
Armor Class:  5
Hit Dice:  8
Attacks:  2 or 1 (2 bites, or 2 claws, or 1 weapon)
Damage:  1d8 + poison / 1d8 + poison, or 1d6 / 1d6, or by weapon
Save:  L8
Morale:  9
Hoard Class:  XIX
XP:  6,020

Crotaloids are gregarious serpent-men that always have an angle, and they're so slick they could sell a broken lightbulb to a luminoid.

Crotaloid eyes crackle with cobalt radioactivity [Class determined at random], and each head can target separate foes (essentially doubling the standard use of the Energy Ray mutation).  And their bites are venomous [Class also random].

Before teleporting, crotaloids rattle their tails at freakish speeds.  It is hypothesized that mimicking this frequency via technology could unlock newfound ways of traversing the cosmos!

Mutations:  Dual Cerebellum, Dual-Headed, Energy Ray (Radiation) (x2), Intellectual Affinity (Bartering), Plane Shift, Teleport, Toxic Weapon (Venom) (x2)

"S" is for "Splicesaur — Spinetitan"

Splicesaur — Spinetitan

No. Enc.:  0 (1)
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  150 (50')
Armor Class:  1
Hit Dice:  26
Attacks:  3 or 1 (2 claws, 1 bite, or 1 tail, or 1 stomp)
Damage:  2d8 / 2d8 / 5d12, or 3d10, or 5d8
Save:  L13
Morale:  11
Hoard Class:  XXII x2
XP:  39,500

Spinetitans are four-eyed, building-sized (30'-40' tall) horrors that terrify the mightiest beasts of the Mutant Future; even the monstrous trirannosaurs give them a wide berth.

In addition to their crushing jaws, jabbing thumb-claws, and spiked tails, spinetitans discharge bolts of electricity from their cranial horns that inflict 8d6 damage.  Furthermore, any and all individuals wearing metal armor within 30' of a struck target suffer 4d6 arcing damage.

Spinetitans perceive not only the full electromagnetic spectrum, but also the ordinarily invisible energies surrounding those with Mental Mutations.  Consequently, the creatures always target psionicists first.

Spinetitans freakishly vocalize via clicks, whirrs, and chirps.

Mutations:  Echolocation, Enhanced Vision (Night, Thermal, Ultraviolet), Neural Telekinesis, Pain Insensitivity [D], Unique Sense ("Mento-Vision", X-Ray Vision)

Mutants In The News — "Fire Burn, And Cauldron Bubble" Edition

This is sooooooo very cool.

UK Scientists have re-created a millennium-old recipe from Bald's Leechbook (a leatherbound, Old English collection of unguents reputed to be one of the earliest-known medical tomes) that seemingly eliminates that modern super-scourge, MRSA.

The concoction calls for garlic, onions (or leeks), wine, and bovine bile to be boiled in a brass vessel, then left to stand for nine days before being strained through a cloth.  I'm sure "during an eclipse" and "while chewing dandelions plucked from a bishop's grave" are in the mix somewhere.

—

Just think what this means for denizens of the Mutant Future.  Thee Olde Wayes (am I doing that right?) just may contain the secrets for combating bioweapons and hyper-germs!

"S" is for "Splicesaur — Kylon"

Splicesaur — Kylon (Female)

No. Enc.:  1d4
Alignment:  Any
Movement:  60' (30')
Armor Class:  1
Hit Dice:  15
Attacks:  1 (tail, or by weapon)
Damage:  2d8, or by weapon
Save:  L15
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  XXII
XP:  6,900

Kylons are ponderous, 14' tall bipeds that weigh well over a ton.  Their blue-scaled, bony bodies are covered in assorted nodules, spikes, and plates.

The females rule the species, and any given tribe's temperament is governed by its leaders' Alignment.  Chaotic-natured kylons (the most common encountered) lean towards decadence, indulgence, and corruption, and grow fat on the spoils plundered from neighboring sentients.

Kylons can use Ancient technology, but require modifications for their bulk.

Mutations:  Energy-Retaining Cell Structure, Mental Phantasm, Metaconcert, Neural Telepathy, Pain Insensitivity [D], Teleport

Splicesaur — Kylon (Male)

No. Enc.:  4d6

Alignment:  Any

Movement:  105' (35')

Armor Class:  3

Hit Dice:  10

Attacks:  1 (gore, tail, or weapon)

Damage:  2d8, or 2d6, or by weapon

Save:  L12

Morale:  11

Hoard Class:  XXII

XP:  2,400

Male kylons are the smaller of their species, averaging 9' tall (though appearing much larger with their antlers) and weighing over a half-ton.  These imbeciles barely possess two brain cells to rub together, but compensate with a gleeful propensity for stabbing, stomping, and bludgeoning.

Male kylons serve as worker drones for their females, and forage, guard, and attack as commanded.

Mutations:  Atrophied Cerebellum [D], Energy-Retaining Cell Structure

"A Telephant Never Forgets"

Secret Santicore has delivered his presents, and you can find the adventure I submitted right here!

Regretfully, my images didn't get attached, so I'm posting them.  Damn those pesky elves!

Mutants In The News — "...And Old, Old, Old, Freakin' OLD Lace" Edition

Our impending future overrun by super-mutants grows ever closer, as scientists just discovered a population in the Andes Mountains that has acclimated to high concentrations of environmental arsenic.  This is the first documented instance of human adaptation to a toxic substance.

The village's drinking water contains around 20 times more arsenic than what is considered safe.  Apparently, the residents metabolize arsenic not only faster than most people, but also convert it into a less deadly form.

Mummies from the region—dating between 4,000 and 7,000 years old—also have high levels of the hazardous metal, indicating the development of the natives' resistance has been a long-term process.

The original journal article is here.

Neat.  Just neat.

Party At Ground Zero

Thanks to NukeMap, you can simulate nuclear detonations—plus the requisite damage, fallout, and casualties!—on your favorite cities.

Here's what happens when you drop a 20 kiloton "Fat Man" on downtown Houston, TX.

Hours of fun for the whole family!

Mutants In The News — "Your Body Is A Temple...A Disgusting, Filthy Temple" Edition

In a fascinating research study, scientists are mapping the microbial ecosystems of the New York City subway system.  The results are mindboggling, and involve snazzy tidbits like Antarctic germs and fish DNA and bubonic plague and the bacterial powers of pizza and hummus.

Related (and lazily truncated) news popped up over the last week about the study, focusing on "50% unidentified material" and CHUD jokes and such.  But the whole thing is worth a read, as is the Cell journal article.

Seriously.  It's totally cool.

I've Always Been A "Signs As Shields" Guy Myself...

...but I'm now a convert for weaponizing them, thanks to this thing of beauty.

Presenting the stop-ax, by artist Brandon Challies, via Larping.Org.

Mutants In The News — "Mo' 'Squitos, Mo' Problems" Edition

To combat the dengue fever and chikungunya viruses, the FDA is considering the release of millions of genetically-modified mosquitos (made by your friends at Oxitec!) into Florida swamplands.  The modified critters—all males—carry a "suicide gene" and will theoretically mate and pass on the same trait to their offspring, thereby eliminating huge chunks of the blood-sucking population.

While successfully tested in other countries, the FDA option is under heavy scrutiny, with many headlines clearly going for the hysteria angle.

If only there were some way to release mosquitos that feed on pythons....

And what a great origin concept for Gamma World's own soul besh, aka "skeeters"!

Mutants In The News — "#2 On 'The Plagues Of Egypt Hit Parade'" Edition

Tap, tap, tap.  Is this thing on?

—

Researchers have discovered a unique species of fanged frog—yep, fanged frog!—that not only utilizes internal fertilization ("doesn't lay eggs"), but also gives birth to live young.

There are three awesome mutastic things right there in that very sentence!

—

Will resume with the regular radioactivity soon-ish.

Home Mutant Future campaign turning weird (looks like half the party is going to (pretty deservedly, truth be told) take out the other half) + Halloween burnout + holly, jolly holidaze + Savage Worlds diversions = distracted me.  And, oh, yeah...that whole newborn thang.

Ugh—whining about stuff-not-done is a cardinal writing sin.  My bad, blog-bros!

Devastation Drive-In: The Final Cut — 'At The Earth's Core' (1976) (Part 2)

Mahar

No. Enc.:  0 (5d6)
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement:  75' (25')
        —Fly:  180' (60')
Armor Class:  4
Hit Dice:  7+2
Attacks:  3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage:  1d6 / 1d6 / 1d8
Save:  L7
Morale:  8
Hoard Class:  XV
XP:  2,500

The Mahar (singular and plural) are a race of man-sized, winged, spiky reptiles that dwell in subterranean ruins.  They are powerful and sinister psionicists [all with WIL scores of 15+], and their eyes glow green when using their abilities.  All mahar are female, and reproduce via arcane, volcanic clone-crucibles.

The Mahar dine exclusively on the flesh of other sentient beings, and practice an elaborate feeding ritual.  Hungry groups of mahar gather in an underground amphitheater that rings terrified captives.  Mahar use their Mental Mutations to cow their victims into submission, then swoop down to carry them off to be eaten alive!  The creatures are maneuverable enough to use Dive [p. 58] attacks against able foes in the close confines of their cave networks.

The Mahar also enjoy cruel sport, and often make their captives battle to the death amongst themselves and / or against mutant beasts.

As they avoid the surface world, the Mahar command legions of pigmen [Mutant Future Core Rules, p. 88] to procure food-captives.  These pigmen also serve as sentries and tenders of the incubation vats.

Mutations:  Beguiling, Empathy, Metaconcert, Neural Telepathy

Devastation Drive-In: The Final Cut — 'At The Earth's Core' (1976) (Part 1)

Brontog

No. Enc.:  1d2 (1d2)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  150' (50')
Armor Class:  3
Hit Dice:  15
Attacks:  3 or 1 (2 claws, 1 bite, or 1 gore)
Damage:  1d8 / 1d8 / 2d10, or 4d6
Save:  L8
Morale:  10
Hoard Class:  None
XP:  2,400

Via their mole-machines, The Ancients discovered, beneath their very feet, an amazing world of breathtaking beauty and unknown wonders...

...AND A MALEVOLENT MENAGERIE OF MONSTERS MOST MURDEROUS!!!

Brontogs are mighty, 15' tall bipeds with massive heads, toothy jaws, piercing horns, and shaggy crests.  They have a particular fondness for Pure Human meat, and target such PCs first in combat.

If a brontog strikes successfully with both claws in the same round, it gains a free bite attack (no To Hit roll required) not only that round, but each round thereafter.  The victim must make an Ability Check Vs STR to break the hold.

Highly territorial, brontogs attack each other on sight, and frequently attempt to steal their fellows' kills.  They always fight to the death.

Mutations:  None

—

Ignitroad

No. Enc.:  1d4 (1d4)

Alignment:  Neutral

Movement:  90' (30')

Armor Class:  5

Hit Dice:  4

Attacks:  1 (bite)

Damage:  1d6

Save:  L3

Morale:  9

Hoard Class:  None

XP:  245

Ignitroads are bovine-sized beasts that thrive in volcanic environs.  Every other round, they can exhale 20' long, 10' wide conical gouts of flame that do 5d6 damage to all targets.

Immediately upon dying, an ignitroad erupts in an 10d6 explosion with a 30' radius area of effect.  Those caught in the blast may make a Saving Throw Vs Energy for half damage.

Mutations:  Reflective Epidermis (Fire / Heat)