In the lands of the long black cloud...

THUNDER BEAST (#23/31, #23/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 9

STAMINA: 6

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Trident

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: +1 to Damage Roll and see below

HABITAT: Plains, Hills, Mountains

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Magical creature

REACTION: Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: High

From the rolling lowlands that form the Pikestaff Plain in north-eastern Khul, and the misty hills and mountains that abut them, come harrowing tales of the creatures of torment known only as THUNDER BEASTS. Appearing as ferocious-looking supernatural beings of living flame, they descend to the ground on forks of lightning, setting fire to the surrounding grasses (thus being responsible for many of the region's savage brush-fires) and waylaying any unfortunate travellers who have been caught out in the open. With a roar like thunder they will leap forward and attack their victims with tridents of pure electricity (these do Double Damage to anyone wearing metal armour). If three Thunder Beasts are encountered, only two will fight, while the third and largest creature stands back and watches the proceedings. If its companions are defeated, the remaining Thunder Beast will reveal itself as Electon, Lord of the Storm, a minor weather deity of these parts. Electron will be impressed by his victim's prowess and offer them a chance to live, usually in the form of a riddle or conundrum.

An example of which would be the following:

ESCAPE

Strongest I am,

But no faster than the rest.

Hasten towards me

and I disappear.

To weaken me

retreat.

(The victim is surrounded by red, yellow and blue spinning bands of electricity; touching the blue band is the correct answer in this case.)

If they guess the wrong answer, or do not know the answer at all, Electron will vaporize them with several hundred million volts of electricity, have a good laugh at their expense, and fly back into the clouds. If they guess the right answer, they will be allowed to live, and perhaps even receive a gift. For example, during the Trial of Kingship practices by the noble house of the city-state of Gundobad, the Warlock-Prince Lothar guessed correctly and was rewarded with a Bolt of Decimation - a tiny metallic bolt of lightning that weighed no more than a feather (when hurled against a creature during however, and the Bolt would cause its instant annihilation, regardless of how many STAMINA points it possessed). At least, this is the tale told by Lothar when asked about the bolt-shaped charm that hangs from around his neck!

Suffice to say, when fierce storms boil out of the northern mountains of Krill Garnash, and sweep down across the Pikestaff Plain, the local goat-herders and nomadic tribes know that their only option is to seek cover!