BLOODWORT (#18/31, #18/365) [TTHA]
Appearance: This weird-looking shrub appears as a tangled mass of long scarlet vines, like giant snakes, all clustered around a central stalk. In the centre of the vines is a proboscis-like feeding tendril.
Distribution: Forests and jungles across Titan, including tropical and sub-tropical islands.
Effects: Also known as Hell's Bloodwort, this is a giant carnivorous plant that uses its serpent-like vines to restrain a victim before draining them of blood with the proboscis-tendril used for feeding (see below for more information). Interestingly, these tendrils (of which each plant only has one), when dried, can be used as healing poultices. When applied to a wound during first aid (see Advanced Fighting Fantasy, p. 75), using a Bloodwort tendril-poultice will allow the healer to deduct one from the dice roll when testing their Healing Special Skill. Some claim the tendrils can be used in Necromantic magic as well, though these are dark arts best not speculated upon.
Cost: City 4gp, Town 6gp, Village 8gp (per feeding proboscis-tendril)
Availability: Rare
Notes: A large clump of Bloodwort was believed to have slain the pirate Captain Crow in the wilds of Snake Island.
BLOODWORT (#19/31, #19/365) [OOTP IV]
SKILL:0 (see below)
STAMINA: 9
ATTACKS: 1
WEAPON: Tendril (see below)
ARMOUR: None
DAMAGE MODIFIER: None
HABITAT: Islands, Forests, Jungles
NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-2
TYPE: Plant/Monster
REACTION: Hostile
INTELLIGENCE: None
Also
known as Hell's Bloodwort, BLOODWORT is a giant carnivorous plant that snares its victims with its long red vines, which wrap around limbs like giant snakes, making escape virtually impossible. With its prey unable to move, a Bloodwort will then forces its long, proboscis-like tendril down a victim's throat to suck their blood from inside their body! One adventurer who nearly succumbed to the plant, described the whole horrific process thusly:
"As I turned to head back to the beach, a thick vine wrapped itself around my ankle, and another crept out from under the dense foliage to wrap around my other leg. I tried hacking at the vines with my sword, but more vines slid out and ensnared my arms. The vines tightened and I was unable to move as a long tendril uncoiled itself from the Bloodwort hidden in the undergrowth and hovered in front of my face. I screamed in terror as it inched towards my mouth and plunged down my throat. The fibrous texture was too tough to bite through, and I started to choke. I felt a violent pain as the tendril began to drain my stomach and suck the life from my body..."
Because of its many entangling vines, the Bloodwort is difficult to fight by conventional means. Instead, its targeted victim must Test their Strength special skill to break free of the vines every Attack Round, with a cumulative -1 penalty to their Attack Strength from the second Attack Round onwards as more vines ensnare them. If they are not free within the same number of Attack Rounds as their SKILL score, the plant will begin draining their STAMINA at the rate of 1-6 points per Attack Round until they are dead or someone has freed them. The feeding proboscis has a STAMINA score of 9 due to its tough fibrous texture, and can only be damaged with edged weapons. Bloodwort is found on islands, such as Snake Island, where there apparently is quite a lot of it, as well as forests and jungles across Titan.
(More Bonus Content!)
Bolt of Decimation (#20/31, #20/365) [EA:V2] (Artefact)
Also known as Electron's Lightning Bolt (for more information on Electron, see below), this appears as a tiny metallic bolt of lightning, that crackles with harmless crystalline colours of red, yellow and blue. Occasionally gifted to favoured or chosen mortals by Electron himself (one of which included Lothar the Warlock-Prince of Gundobad), the Bolt of Decimation will annihilate anything it is hurled against. It may be used in combat once only, and whatever foe it is thrown at, will be utterly and instantly destroyed, regardless of how many STAMINA points they may possess.
A Test for Luck or magical protection may offer some protection against the Bolt of Decimation; those who are successful in Testing their Luck or casting a protective spell will only suffer damage equal to a Lightning Blast (although any survivors wearing metal armour would take double damage due to electrocution). The Bolt of Decimation can also be used on non-living targets such as houses, boats, walls and so on. When hurled at one of these structures, it will cause 4-14 BATTLE/SHIP STAMINA points of damage (successful magical protective spells may reduce this by half, and an Armour Roll is allowed for the structure if applicable).
APE MAN (#21/31, #21/365) [POT]
SKILL: 8
STAMINA: 7
ATTACKS: 1
WEAPON: Club
ARMOUR: None
DAMAGE MODIFIER: None
HABITAT: Forests, Jungles, Wilderness, Deserts
NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-2 or 2-7
TYPE: Humanoid
REACTION: Hostile
INTELLIGENCE: Average
"Life in the thick forests of Allansia and beyond is not restricted to ground level. High in the trees live many agile creatures which moved upward originally to escape predators. In time however, the predators followed them, and the tree-tops are as dangerous as the ground. From huts built on platforms in the crooks of large branches, brutish APE MEN, the largest predators in the trees, swing far and wide on vines rigged up like ropes, on the trail of food.
They are huge hair-covered humanoids, related to Neanderthals and Cavemen, and usually dressed in little more than an animal-hide loincloth; they carry a large bone club. They are omnivorous, eating the meat of small forest creatures as well as fruit and berries, depending on what they can find as they travel about their leafy domain. Ape Men are very agile and can swing on the thinnest of branches or hang by one hand. Anyone who tries to fight them while perched up a tree, however, must reduce their Attack Strength by 2 points to account for the precarious surroundings. In an Ape Man's lair, typically a tree-house woven from branches and carpeted with grass, there will be many bones and rotting fruit. There may also be a few cheap, brightly sparkling trinkets, for like most primitive creatures Ape Men are attracted to objects that sparkle in the light."
Recent research by the adventurer Zofia of Shazaar, among others, has revealed that the brutal subhuman primitives known as Ape Men also
stalk marginal lands, such as the arid borders of the Desert of Skulls and elsewhere, driven from more fertile territory by
technologically advanced neighbours. Out here in the wilderness they eke out a
tenuous paw-to-maw existence, hostile to all newcomers but especially the
humans who torment them and the Caarth who kidnap them as captive workers. Their lair will be a series of caves tunneling through a rocky
outcrop, strewn with refuse and the bones of their victims.
These red-haired humanoids occasionally band together in larger groups of 2-7 creatures, although even larger tribes are known. They are followers of P'Thekwa the God of Primates (whose symbol is a yellow monkey), who is believed to watch over all Apes, Monkeys, Baboons and other such creatures across Titan. One of the most infamous of Ape Men from recent times was Balinac, a servant of the wizard Erasmus, who dwelt for a while upon Bone Island, and who could speak the common tongue!
If a group of 2-7 Ape Men are encountered in a small treetop settlement, one will be a noted individual of the following type:
1 Great Warrior: This mighty champion has +2 SKILL, +2 STAMINA, +1 to the Damage Roll, a Bone Battleaxe, a Bone Horn (summons 2-7 more Ape Men), Bone Armour (as per Breastplate), and a leather bag with 1-6 sharpened throwing Rocks.
2 Berry Gatherer: As per a normal Ape Man, but has the following skill: Herb Lore 2, and 2-12 special berries or fruits (Roll: 1 Bloodberry, 2 Bilberry, 3 Redberry, 4 Blimberry, 5 Slumberberry, 6 Bomba Fruit).
3 Priest of P'Thekwa: This shaman has +2 STAMINA, DEVOTION 8, and the following Priestly Powers: Animal Command, Bravery, Commune, Incite. They also have a Staff and a Holy Symbol (a yellow agate monkey).
4 Vine Weaver: As per a normal Ape Man, but has the following skills: Herb Lore 2, Crafting (Weaving) 2, and 1-3 special vines and creepers (Roll: 1-2 Ghost Vines, 3-4 Gluevines, 5-6 Leech Vines).
5 Trinket Trader: As
per normal Ape Man, but has the following skills: Common Speech 1-3,
Bargain 2, Con 1, Evaluate 1, and trinkets for sale (Roll: 1 a copper
Bracelet of Skill, 2 a Golden Owl Trinket, 3 a Bone Monkey Charm, 4 a
Scorpion Brooch, 5 an Eye of Amber, 6 a Yokka Egg), along with a pouch
containing (2-12SP).
6 Fungus Forager: As per a normal Ape Man, but has the following skill: Herb Lore 2, and 2-7 special Fungi (Roll: 1 Green Mushroom, 2 Mix-Up Mushroom, 3 Oyster Mushroom, 4 Growth Mushroom, 5 Edible Toadstool, 6 Mountain Mushroom).
For groups of 2-7 Ape Men from the desert wastes and rocky outlands, one will have special characteristics as follows:
1 Great Warrior: (as above)
2 Cactus Collector: As per a normal Ape Man, but has the following skill: Herb Lore 2, and 2-7 special Cacti (Roll: 1-2 Hurscht, 3-4 Barbthorn, 5-6 Green Spikeball).
3 Priest of P'Thekwa: (as above)
4 Stone Shaper: As per a normal Ape Man, but has the following skill: Crafting (Stones) 2, and 2-7 special stones (Roll: 1 Glowstones, 2 Energy Crystals, 3 polished stones, 4 flint Throwing Daggers, 5 Fire Rocks, 6 Regeneration Crystals).
5 Trinket Trader: As per normal Ape Man, but has the following skills: Common Speech 1-3, Bargain 2, Con 1, Evaluate 1, and trinkets for sale (Roll: 1 a copper Bracelet of Skill, 2 a Golden Owl Trinket, 3 a Bone Monkey Charm, 4 a Scorpion Brooch, 5 an Eye of Amber, 6 a Yokka Egg), along with a pouch containing (2-12SP).
6 Freed Captive of the Caarth: As per normal Ape Man, but has the following skill: Caarth Speech 1-3, and a stolen Caarth treasure (Roll: 1 Brass Telescope, 2 a vial of Blade Venom, 3 a Scimitar, 4 Caarth Armour (counts as Medium Armour and consists of a lightweight leather and metal cuirass), 5 a Brass Statuette of Sith (worth 10-60GP), 6 a pet GIANT LIZARD (SKILL 8 STAMINA 9, Large Bite, Light Armour)).
BONUS BONUS CONTENT! (Priest's Companion: New Gods)
ElectronLord of the Storm
Specific Power: Thunderclap: Once per day, usually during combat, the Priest can
bring their fists together to create a sonic boom. All opponents must lost 1-6
STAMINA points and reduce their SKILL by 2 for the rest of the combat owing to
their disorientation.
General Powers:
-
Bravery
-
Incite
-
Smite vs Demons and non-Air Elementals
Electron is the Lord of Thunder, a demiurge of Sukh, and, like his
sister Thyra Migurn, given to materializing on Titan and harassing lone
wanderers, accompanied by his malevolent hulking Thunder Beasts. Both Electron
and his accomplices appear as creatures of living electrical flame, armed with
coruscating tridents, and if his Thunder Beasts are defeated, Electron will
challenge the survivor(s) to a riddling contest. Those who successfully answer
the riddles of Electron are rewarded with powerful trinkets such as the Bolt of
Decimation, or other boons (those who fail are typically blasted with a
lightning bolt). Electron dwells in a great cloud palace on the Magical Plane
of Air with his hordes of Thunder Beasts and is the eternal enemy of both
Lightning and Storm Demons, who occasionally mount raids on his stronghold. The
sacred colour of Electron is dark grey, and his holy symbol is a cloud. He is
not worshipped so much as placated, by Tribesmen, Amazons, and others who dwell
on the plains and in the uplands of north-eastern Khul.
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