Nyroc
Climate/Terrain: Anywhere Dark
Frequency: Very Rare
Organization: Solitary or Cluster
Activity Cycle: Night
Diet: Carnivore
Intelligence: Semi- (2-4)
Treasure: See Below
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
No. Appearing: 1-10
Armor Class: 3
Movement: 12, Fl 24 (B)
Hit Dice: 10 + 5
Thac0: 11
No. of Attacks: 1 or 2
Damage/Attacks: 1-4 / 1-6
Special Attack: Venom
Special Defense: Urticating Hairs
Magic Resistance: Nil
Size: S (3' long)
Morale: Average (8-10)
XP Value: Common: 4,000; Psionic: 6,000
Psionic Summary
Level: 5
Dis/Sci/Dev: 2/3/10
Attack/Defense: -/ M-, MB, TS
Score: 14
PSPs: 72
Psychometabolic: Shadow-form, Adrenalin Control, Cause Decay, Displacement, Flesh Armor
Psychoportation: Teleport, Time Shift
Nyroc
Nyrocs are three foot long arachnids with wings. They are often called winged spiders, but are not true spiders. Nyrocs do not spin webs.
Nyrocs are brown, with black markings. They are also covered in light, sandy brown hair. They have four eyes and two large fangs.
An average adult nyroc weighs fifteen pounds. Psionic nyrocs appear identical to non-psionic nyrocs.
Combat
Nyrocs attack any target they think they can kill. They are cruel and seem to enjoy causing pain and suffering to their victims.
The nyrocs favorite way to attack a target is from behind. They fly above their targets and then swoop down onto their backs. This initial attack causes 1d4 points of damage and the nyroc latches onto the targets back, grappling its victim. A nyroc attached to a target sacrifices some of its defense when being attacked by non-grappled combatants, granting a bonus of +2 to strike a grappling nyroc. However, the grappled target is granted a -2 penalty to strike the grappling nyroc and may only use small or natural weapons to strike it.
The nyroc may bite its victim in the same round it grapples them, causing 1d6 damage. In addition, the bite injects a venom with a poison class P, although the onset time is only 2 rounds. Every round the nyroc is attached to its victim, it will bite.
It will not release its victim, unless it is damaged to half of its hit points, or unless a victim succeeds on an opposed strength check or an escape bonds check. The nyroc's strength is considered 16 for opposed strength checks.
If the nyroc fails a morale check, or flees for any other reason, it will throw some of its hairs at a pursuing target, as a free action. If struck, the target is impaled by one of the hairs. The hairs cause skin irritation and general discomfort. This distraction causes the target to attack with a -1 penalty. These penalties are cumulative with each attack. A successful healing check will remove the hairs.
Habitat/Society
Nyrocs live in caves and underground lairs. They live in small groups of ten adults, called a cluster. If a nyroc cluster ever grows beyond ten, the cluster will split in half and one cluster will find a new lair to call home.
Nyrocs mate once per year, during the end of low sun. The female will lay 2d6 eggs after one week and the eggs will hatch three weeks later. Young nyrocs cannot fly and have 1 hit die. They will gain 1 hit die every month, until they reach their maximum hit dice. They are able to fly at 3 hit dice and gain venom at 6 hit dice. Young nyroc live in their lair for six months.
Nyroc lairs are filled with victims and their possessions. In addition to common items, a lair may have 1d4 x 1000 bits, 1d4 x 100 ceramic pieces, 1d6 x 10 silver pieces, 1d8 gold pieces, 1d4 gems, and 1d6-2 magical items.
Ecology
Nyrocs feed on the creatures they kill. They are feared by intelligent creatures. Intelligent creatures either flee from the area of a nyroc lair, or gather in a large group to drive them away.
A nyroc's chitin is useful for making high-quality, low weight shields. Reduce the weight of a nyroc chitin shield by 1/3. Nyroc poison may be extracted with great difficulty, increasing the difficulty of removing the glands by 3. Nyroc venom remain potent for 1d6 days.
Nyrocs may not be eaten, rotting in a similar fashion as kanks.
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