Shriek that horn!

HORNED SHRIEKER (#11/31, #285/365) [OOTP IV]
SKILL: 7
STAMINA: 9
ATTACKS: 2
WEAPON: Large Bite or Claws and Horn (as per Lance)
ARMOUR: Light
DAMAGE MODIFIER: None
HABITAT: Deserts, Wilderness, Plains
NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-2
TYPE: Reptile
REACTION: Unfriendly-Hostile
INTELLIGENCE: Low

One of the dangers of the Khulian wilderness, particularly among the arid plains and near-inhospitable deserts of the south, is the dreaded HORNED SHRIEKER. These fearsome ambush predators bury themselves in the sand or lurk behind large boulders, ready to ambush any unwary travellers in their constant quest for fresh meat to consume. Revealing themselves at the last moment, the Horned Shrieker will rear up, uttering a terrifying howl and attack!

In appearance, they are fearsome-looking monsters and very tall, with tough, scaly lizard-like skin that ranges in colour from green to yellow to orange. They stand on two legs and have a long spiked tail, while their large hands end in curved claws. Horned Shriekers have an ugly visage, with narrow red eyes and a huge blunt horn sticking out of their forehead, as well as a wide mouth full of razor-sharp pointed teeth.

They attack by lowering their head to point their horn at their victim and charge at full-speed, screaming loudly all the while. Anyone fighting a Horned Shrieker in combat must wear ear plugs or deduct 1 from their SKILL score due to the hideous noise. If the Horned Shrieker wins its first Attack Round it has knocked its victim over and they must spend the following Attack Round attempting to scramble to their feet, unable to defend themselves against the monster's claws and teeth. Should they prevail and slay the beast however, it is always worth inspecting the Horned Shrieker's lair, whether a shallow pit in the sand or a dank hole between the boulders, as they often collect sundry trinkets from the corpses of those unfortunate wayfarers they have previously slain and feasted upon.