In collision course with Giants

One thing that I don't like about the increasingly amazing Internet is that it makes it hard to name a new creature. Of course I like to check, when I come up with a name, if that name is already taken, in one or several inappropriate ways... and of course, it usually is. Soon, I think, every utter-able word will be used, if not for some exotic shampoo, then for one of the many life forms of World of Warcraft, or some other MMORPG that I have never even heard of. So far I have not dared to enter into any of these never ending worlds of digital fantasy, but I now hear 'Elder Scrolls 5 – Skyrim' will be released before the end of the year! Remembering how I completely lost myself in 'Oblivion', I already fear the future...

Kotaku.com mentioned and recommended this blog a few days ago, which severely increased the number of visitors for a while. That was very welcome. Thanks, Kotaku! In the aftermaths of that rocket, RPG-Creatures have been mentioned in a few more blogs and forums, in Germany and Brazil, for example. That kind of exposure is very good for my motivation, and makes me push myself even harder when it comes to making new creatures. Here is the Mehrog now! ...and more on the way. : )


≡MEHROG≡




------GENERAL-----------------------------------------
CATEGORY: Mammal
TERRAIN: Plains and grasslands
FOOD: Carnivore
AGGRESSION: High
SIZE: 7-20 feet long (2-6 m)
NUMBERS: 1-20


------CHARACTERISTICS-----------------------------
STRENGTH: 20-40
AGILITY: 6-10
ENDURANCE: 8-13
INTELLIGENCE: 1-2
MENTAL RESILIENCE: 1-2
CHARM: 13-20
(If stats of a human ranges from 3 to 18)

SPEED: Running x 3
(Multiple is times human speed)

MAGIC POWER: 0
(Ranges from 0-100)

HIT POINTS: 20-50
(If a human commoner has about 11 hit points)


------PROTECTION-------------------------------------
AVERAGE: 9 (+2 for mud)
BODY: 12
HEAD: 10
FRONT LEGS: 8
LEGS: 6
TAIL: 7
BELLY: 5
(If Full Plate Armour is 10)

The Mehrog is well protected by unusually tough hide. On top of that is a shield of pointy hard bone. This is sometimes strengthened further by thick layers of clay and mud, which build up and stick between the plates when the creature rolls around in the soil.


------ATTACKS/DAMAGE---------------------------
1 CHARGE: 1-6
2 KICKS: 1-6 (+2 when stomping)
1 BITE: 2-6
1 CHARGE: 2-8
(If a Long Sword makes a damage of 1-8)

The Mehrog depend a lot on its sheer size and strength when hunting. It can move fast over short distances, and like to take down its prey by running straight into it. Once the prey is stunned or lying, the creature starts stomping. It never kicks with its hind legs, mostly uses its mouth for eating, and the tail is only applied to fend off rear attackers.


------POWERS/EFFECT-------------------------------
BREATH OF FOG: Inside the huge lungs of the Mehrog an unusual process takes place. Some of the moist in the air is extracted and and collected in special chambers. Once a week this water can be mixed up with the out-breath of the creature to create a fog. When there is no wind a cover slowly builds up, large an dense enough to greatly improve the creature's chances of a surprise attack. When there are many Mehrogs involved, large areas can be covered with fog.



------DESCRIPTION------------------------------------
Heavily armoured, the Mehrog can still pick up some speed. It is not clumsy, but far from agile, and it gets tired quickly. It prefers to lie silent, in the long grass, or hidden in the mist. From there it charges and smashes hard into its target. Once the prey is down, the creature rears up on its hind legs and stomps the victim into a mash, before it eats. The teeth of the Mehrog are long and sharp, but its jaws are not very strong.

The creature has a unique structure to its lower legs. A series of jointed bones, that can be locked in and out of position, make its hooves very flexible, and extremely sensitive to vibrations in the ground. Completely blind and deaf, the Mehrog rely exclusively on this sensitivity, and smell, to coordinate group attacks and to make out the direction of possible prey. It can lie down, belly flat on the plain, and still keep its hooves firmly on the ground. This ability gives the Mehrog a quick start, and makes it alert to the surrounding events, even when completely hidden. Toppled over, it is prone to danger, and loses its sense of aim.

The Mehrogs vary a lot in size. They are born at the height of a large dog, and continue to grow during their entire lives. At the age of 40 they can as big as an elephant, and become a true terror to the life forms of the plains. Some animals have come to shun fog like death itself, and run away at the mere sight of it. Others have not gained that wisdom. When large animals are hard to find, the Mehrogs kick down into the earth to pick out the rodents and frogs, easily made out by their sensitive hooves.

Moving around in families of up to 20 creatures, the Mehrogs keep to large but limited hunting areas. They tend to stay close to lakes and water holes, but never venture into the water itself. They like rolling in the mud, but only do so when they are certain of safety. Being deaf they use no vocal sounds, but an occasional burp and hiss can sometimes expose them. The creatures make lousy steeds, but have been occasionally been used as guard beasts.



© Copyright 2011 - Nicholas Cloister

Faeries voice the Will of Nature

A new year, and a new creature. As I write this the year looks uncertain. It may be that I'll be offered a teacher's position in a couple of weeks or so, and it might be that I have to agree to the offer. If that happens RPG-creatures will slow down considerably, for quite some time. Nothing is decided right now, and in any case, this isn't the last creature.

We are entering into the strange realms of elves and faeries this week, and try to retain some of the dangerous and mysterious aspects of the deep woods. I can't bare it when these spiritual powers are reduced into sex icons and ball-dress butterfly beauties of fashion. Busty babes with long ears are almost worse than bare bodied tattooed rock stars with angelic wings. Try to savour the last pieces of dignity in folk-lore and fantasy. Then we can have sex and a party afterwards... Well, perhaps I'm just getting old?... : )



≡NI-OTH≡




------GENERAL-----------------------------------------
CATEGORY: Faerie
TERRAIN: Forest
FOOD: Sunlight and water
AGGRESSION: Controlled
SIZE: 10 inches tall (25 cm)
NUMBERS: 1


------CHARACTERISTICS-----------------------------
STRENGTH: 1
AGILITY: 12-15
ENDURANCE: 11-13
INTELLIGENCE: 5-15
MENTAL RESILIENCE: 18-22
CHARM: 13-20
(If stats of a human ranges from 3 to 18)

SPEED: Flying (Eagle x 0,2)
(Multiple is times human speed)

MAGIC POWER: 5-30
(Ranges from 0-100)

HIT POINTS: 1-2
(If a human commoner has about 11 hit points)


------PROTECTION-------------------------------------
AVERAGE: 0
BODY: 0
LEAF WINGS: 0
(If Full Plate Armour is 10)

The Ni-Oths are thin and delicate constructions without any natural armour to speak of. They rely on magical illusions for their protection.


------ATTACKS/DAMAGE---------------------------
1 TENTACLE BURN: 1-6 of acidic damage
(If a Long Sword makes a damage of 1-8)

The Ni-Oths are equipped with several burning tentacles and pointy ends to protect them from being captured. These are used for defence only, and they normally affect only one enemy at a time.


------POWERS/EFFECT-------------------------------
VENTRILOQUISM: The Ni-Oths are master ventriloquists. They can mimic any sounds they have ever heard, and make them appear as if coming from any spot within 100 yards from their location. This is a natural magical ability of the Ni-Oths, who may produce such tricks at will, but they cannot distort the natural volume of mimicked sounds into painful levels.

ILLUSORY PROJECTION: The Ni-Oths can project an illusory version of themselves, that may be up to 20 feet (6 m) tall. This illusion lasts for up to five minutes, and may be projected up to 30 feet (10 m) away from the real Ni-Oth. The projected image moves and acts just like the Ni-Oth itself, but has no real body or weight. This power can be used once a day.



------DESCRIPTION------------------------------------
Every once in a while, when conditions are right, and a considerable age has been reached, it comes to pass that specific parts of a forest awaken to consciousness. This can happen to a grove, a glade, a pond, or any other special location, that makes itself distinct from the rest of the wood-land. As this occurs the place emanates a sacredness that can be sensed by sensitive minds, and a Ni-Oth is born from the soil among the undergrowth. Initially it grows, attached to the ground, like any other plant. But as it matures, it lets go and takes it first flight under the stars of night.

The Ni-Oth is the voice of the sacred location. It speaks and acts on behalf of the conscious place that raised it. It has no will on its own but is merely an animated tool, or extension, of its parent. Whatever power the Ni-Oth wields is actually the power of the grove, glade, pond, or place itself. If the location is burnt or otherwise destroyed, so is the Ni-Oth.

These creatures can move about at day-time, but normally fly during the night. They hover above the sacred ground and tend to it in secret and mysterious ways. Once in a while they leave their homes to fly slowly through the woods, and communicate silently with other faerie powers. They thus brings back tidings, and are kept alert to the events of the larger forest.

The look and colour of any Ni-Oth may vary substantially, but they all have wing-like leaves and tentacles. An eerie glow surrounds them when they act, and they never fly above the tree-tops. All Ni-Oth can cast spells of illusion, but apart from their natural power of ventriloquism and projection, these vary. The might of these spells depend on the power and size of their home location.

Once it is parted from the ground, the Ni-Oth drinks water through its mouth. It requires sunlight to live, and can last no more than a week without it. The creature has no need of food, and live for as long as the sacred location remains. Desecration, in the form of black magic or blasphemous rites, may kill the Ni-Oth's source of power. If only the Ni-Oth itself is slain, the consciousness of the forest location produces a new Voice. This takes about six months.

Scholars speculate about if these creatures might the first signs of a greater forest consciousness. If so, some ask, would there be more powerful Ni-Oths, or other forms of life, produced to speak for the forest as a whole? Some Ni-Oths know only elven, or similar faerie languages. Others seem able to convey their message in the language known best to the target of communication. Some kind of mind-reading ability is therefore suggested.


© Copyright 2011 - Nicholas Cloister

Polar panic as ice bursts open

RPG creatures celebrated its first year of existence on the 12th of December 2010. With this creature included it makes for a little less than one new creature every two weeks. That is not bad, though two new creatures per week is more of the speed I'd like to see on this.
26 457 visits was registered during year one, and 9 415 of those are from revisiting users.

No one can tell what 2011 holds in store, but I hope to find the time and resources to keep this bestiary growing. In line with the theme of the snow and ice here in Sweden I'm ending this first year with a polar creature. This one deserved a visual background and context, not only to fill up the page, but also to make the thing believable. When interacting with a world and put in realistic lightning even the strangest of forms can come to life... with some luck, and a lot of your imagination. ;)

Happy New Year! To all of you.

/N Cloister



≡BHORDA≡




------GENERAL-----------------------------------------
CATEGORY: Mammal
TERRAIN: Cold water (salt and brackish)
FOOD: Carnivore
AGGRESSION: Normal
SIZE: 23 - 30 feet long (7-9 meters)
NUMBERS: 1


------CHARACTERISTICS-----------------------------
STRENGTH: 30-45
AGILITY: 10-12
ENDURANCE: 18-22
INTELLIGENCE: 1-2
MENTAL RESILIENCE: 3-5
CHARM: 1
(If stats of a human ranges from 3 to 18)

SPEED: Running (Crawling) x 0,5 Swimming x 8
(Multiple is times human speed)

MAGIC POWER: 0
(Ranges from 0-100)

HIT POINTS: 40-50
(If a human commoner has about 11 hit points)


------PROTECTION-------------------------------------
AVERAGE: 5
HEAD: 2
BODY: 5
FLIPPER ARMS: 5
(If Full Plate Armour is 10)

Underneath the hardy skin of the Bhorda is a thick layer of blubber, keeping it warm and protecting its vital parts. The creature is insensitive to cuts and damages to this outer layer of fat. Daggers and short axes will do little or no harm to it, unless directed specifically at the head and eyes.


------ATTACKS/DAMAGE---------------------------
1 BITE: 2-8
2 FLIPPER MAULS: 2-12
(If a Long Sword makes a damage of 1-8)

The Bhorda's favourite way of hunting is to swim with full speed from below to crash through the ice with its bony flipper ends first. The prey, surprised and often stunned by the attack, is then mauled unconscious and usually swallowed whole.


------POWERS/EFFECT-------------------------------
ICE BREAKING SONG: In areas where the ice is too thick for the Bhorda to penetrate, the creature can apply a deep and extended bellowing roar to create cracks in the ice and break it open. The vibrations of this sound are powerful but must work on the ice for some time before it comes apart. Surface instability can be felt from above, and a deep eerie song is audible even through thick layers of ice.

JET OF WATER: As the Bhorda surfaces it can apply a single jet of water to throw down prey fleeing from the scene. Out of the water the creature is slow, and the jet is often its only chance to bring down prey still standing after its initial strike. The creature can not keep the water inside while breathing, or eating. It must be shot out as a jet or simply let out, before any serious manoeuvres are undertaken on land. The jet can reach up to 30 feet (10 meters) from the Bhorda. If the water is icy cold the shock itself might bring the target to the ground. In either case a successful agility roll is needed to stay on foot. The jet is shot out through the inner and very pliable mouth of the creature.


------DESCRIPTION------------------------------------
Though the head and flippers of this creatures are very unlike the rest of the family, the Bhorda is a great seal. Huge and monstrous it can crush and consume a walrus without much problem, and hunts basically all life-forms on and underneath the ice. It spends most of its time in the cold polar waters but may venture anywhere in search for food. It will survive no more than a week outside of water, and must breath air at least once an hour.

Bhordas have occasionally treated ships as if they were ice, and swam straight into them, breaking great holes in the hull. The inner worm-like mouth can be extended 10 feet (3 meters) from the creatures, and have ripped out members of the crew before anyone really knew what happened. As the Bhorda leaves, cold water starts flooding the vessel, normally resulting in a lot more food for the seal.

In all cases, the element of surprise is the Bhorda's main tactics. The back flippers of this creature have merged completely into a large fin and it can generate impressive speed under water. Once on land it is comparatively clumsy and will only leave the ocean to pursue wounded, or confused animals, out of reach from the shore or hole.

The clawed tentacles on top of the creature's head can be moved to some extent, and are used mainly to ward off birds from the head when the Bhorda basks a few hours in the seasonal sunlight. Its skin ranges from red to black and is often speckled. Its scent is similar to that of other mammals of the sea, and the grunts and roars let our when on land have a complainant tone.

The Bhorda live for over 500 years and mate only once a century. The long life span has granted it a special reputation in folk medicine, claiming the rich fat to hold life-extending powers and to preserve the youthful qualities in skin. It may seem absurd in the ugly face of this beast, but some queens have ordered great hunts on the Bhordas and had royal alchemists produce anti-wrinkle ointments of beauty from their blubber.

Apart from the rare events of reproduction the Bhordas move about alone, and stay well away from other members of their species. They are nevertheless feared greatly by the seamen of the North and tend to keep ice skaters away from frivolous escapades on the open sea.


© Copyright 2010 - Nicholas Cloister