#fantasy organisms that live on the abyssal plain

[matrixtronx]

it’s easy to forget, so I’ll remind y’all: you can make fantasy versions of anything. yes even things you might not think about. like soil types. I am thinking of fantasy soil types right now

[thecreaturecodex]

Aarnz Hound

Image © Kenzer and Co., by Anthony Carpenter.

[Hackmaster 5e is actually Hackmaster 2e, as part of the joke of the original Hackmaster was that it was the 4th edition of a long running and beloved RPG, a parallel universe version of D&D. Unlike the original Hackmaster, Hackmaster 5e is mostly an attempt to be a serious RPG; it’s less a parody of D&D than an attempt to make a better D&D, like so many fantasy heartbreaker RPGs. As such, the first Hacklopedia is mostly clones of traditional D&D monsters combined with the author’s personal preferences (true intelligent dragons are rare and don’t show up until Volume 2, and bestial drakes, wyverns and lindwurms fill in the space here).

That said, there are a few original monsters in Volume 1, as well as interesting takes on original Hackmaster monsters. Like the aarnz hound here. The original didn’t stand out to me, mostly because of the art; it didn’t have any of the supposed simian characteristics. This art, on the other hand, convincingly looks like a dog/monkey hybrid. The mechanics are still nothing special, but I added signature abilities based on the flavor text (and Hackmaster 2e has a lot more flavor text; most monsters are two-page spreads)]

Aarnz Hound CR 4 NE Magical Beast This man-sized creature combines features of wolves and monkeys, with a simian face, fierce teeth and nimble paws. Its eyes have a glint of savage desperation, and spittle oozes from its mouth.

Aarnz hounds are hybrids of canine and simian aspect. Woe betides the explorer who mistakes them for mere animals, as they are the creations of the cult of Angazhan the Ravenous King. This grants them a dim intelligence and a feral evil, and they are much more likely to attack humanoids above other prey if given the chance. An aarnz hound patrol will stalk prey for days at a time, waiting for them to be worn down by other monsters or terrain hazards before closing in for the kill.

An aarnz hound is shockingly fast, able to move through the trees as fast as a man can walk over open ground. They prefer to pounce from above, with multiple members of the patrol attacking the same target and felling it before moving onto their next victim. The exception is if a creature tries to flee—the motion of fleeing prey and the scent of fear attracts the attention of the cruel beasts, and causes aarnz hounds to peel away from the main group in pursuit.

Although they were originally artificial creatures, aarnz hounds breed true and are found in the wild. Aarnz hounds live in packs of mixed sex, with a dominant male who controls access to breeding rights. Fights for position are common in the pack, but rarely fatal. Aarnz hounds are territorial, ranging out from a centralized nest, which is often constructed above ground in the branches of a large tree. Patrols on the hunt, however, may range far from this territory in pursuit if their blood is up. Even wild aarnz hounds cooperate with charau-ka and other servitors of Angazhan, although they have been known to rise up and devour a master who shows weakness.

Aarnz Hound          CR 4 XP 1,200 NE Medium magical beast Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +9, scent Defense AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural) hp 38 (4d10+16) Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +2; Immune fear Offense Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft. Melee 2 claws +8 (1d4+4), bite +7 (1d8+3) Special Attacks fear frenzy, magic claws, pounce Statistics Str 16, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 10 Base Atk +4; CMB +7; CMD 20 (24 vs. trip) Feats Dodge, Mobility Skills Acrobatics +10 (+19 when jumping), Climb +11, Perception +9, Stealth +10, Survival +6 (+10 tracking by scent); Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth, +4 Survival (+8 tracking by scent) Languages Abyssal (cannot speak) Ecology Environment warm forests and plains Organization solitary, patrol (3-7) or pack (8-20) Treasure none Special Abilities Fear Frenzy (Ex) An aarnz hound gains a +2 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls against creatures suffering from a fear effect Magic Claws (Su) An aarnz hound’s claw attacks have a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls, and overcome damage reduction as magic weapons, as if it had a permanent magic fang effect.

[headspace-hotel]

Fantasy cloud shapes

Fantasy types of storms

fantasy kinds of stars

fantasy periodic table

fantasy kinds of fungi

fantasy fruits

fantasy months of the year

fantasy dairy products

fantasy kingdoms of life

fantasy food groups

fantasy biomes

fantasy moons

fantasy candies

fantasy condiments

fantasy performance arts

fantasy kinds of musical instrument

fantasy geological eras

fantasy cryptozoology

fantasy architecture

fantasy rude gestures

fantasy sports

fantasy organisms that live on the abyssal plain

fantasy stages of grief (the 6th one is werewolf)

fantasy crimes

fantasy conspiracy theories

fantasy subcultures

fantasy body modifications

fantasy music genres

fantasy political viewpoints

fantasy technological revolutions

fantasy drugs

fantasy symptoms of mental illness

fantasy laws of thermodynamics

fantasy verb tenses

fantasy branches of mathematics

it’s easy to forget, so I’ll remind y’all: you can make fantasy versions of anything. yes even things you might not think about. like soil types. I am thinking of fantasy soil types right now