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The Vorpal Tribble
2009-03-03, 10:18 PM
Animal Kingdom
http://drzeus.best.vwh.net/MoleRat.jpg
Let the waters abound and let birds fly. Bring forth the living creature: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth...

Forget dragons and demons, magic and myth, folklore and fancy. This month we pay homage to the common beast, the simple animal. Be they companion and guardian, servant and provider, predator or pursued, animals are a intrinsically linked to all our lives. They may be great as the cachalot or small as a shrew. They are the natural creatures of the worlds upon which they fly, run, burrow, cling and crawl. Will your creation be stubborn as a mule, terrorizing as a tyrannosaur, have the loyalty of a dog, or be quiet as a mouse? Let out your inner animal...

_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/

The contest begins with the posting of this thread and will continue until Midnight of March 20th (EST).

Soon after a poll will be opened for everyone to vote for their favorite that will last until the last day of the month.



Rules

1. You will be creating a D&D animal. It may be a real world creature (extinct or living) or as fictional as you can consider, but it must be of the animal type (no vermin), with an intelligence no more than 2, and no supernatural abilities, though stories of special powers may abound about the creature. It may have the extraplanar subtype however.


Example
Dire Duck-billed Platypus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52088)
Gamecock (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2519985&postcount=3)
Longhorse (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=30992)
Peafowl (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2519921&postcount=1)


2. The entry must include name, complete stat-block, physical description, basic background information, and detailed combat behavior if any. A plot hook or similar in addition is optional. Incomplete entries will be disqualified upon the deadline.

3. Entries must be 3.5 edition, using the standard format listed below (not that new one seen in the Monster Manual IV, except for a lore section which is encouraged).

4. Post all entries on this thread. Do not post conversation here. Any and All Comments and discussions will take place on a separate thread here (this is a link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5578957#post5578957).

5. One entry per participant. No double-teaming.

6. Entries copied from some other source (splatbook, alternate website, etc) will be disqualified. All entries must be a new creation, not one already posted. Merely adding class levels or templates to an already published or posted creature does not count as a new monster.

7. No reserving posts. Feel free to post a creature and tweak it, but you have to have the basic beast already done.

The Vorpal Tribble
2009-03-05, 05:15 AM
Vorpal Tribble's Guide To Making Monsters (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43009)

As well, here is the standard 3.5 monster format. Only complete entries will be accepted. If there are any questions feel free to ask me or post queries in the GITP Contest Chat Thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5578957#post5578957).

-=-=-=-

Name

<Size> <Type>
Hit Dice:
Initiative:
Speed: (# squares)
Armor Class: (), touch, flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple:
Attack:
Full Attack:
Space/Reach:
Special Attacks:
Special Qualities:
Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
Abilities: Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha
Skills:
Feats:
Environment:
Organization:
Challenge Rating:
Treasure:
Alignment:
Advancement:
Level Adjustment:

Description/background/characteristics

Combat

Ability descriptions

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

- Optional -

Lore

Plot Hook/Story if any

BisectedBrioche
2009-03-05, 03:57 PM
I have finally found what I'm looking for, the mawstingers' mating ground. Mawstinger's are a relatively common sight in forests...or they would be if they were easier to see. They spend their days lazily waiting for prey to pass by. They rarely reach maturity, but I hope to encounter an adult Mawstinger, or Greatmaw as they are known. Due to the abundance of data on younger mawstingers I have neglected to sketch them. - Unknown Explorer's notes, ante-penultimate page. Recovered from corpse.

Mawstingers
Size/Type: Tiny Animal
Hit Dice: 2d8 (9 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 15ft. (3 squares)
Armor Class: 13, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 size, +1 dex)
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-7
Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6 +3) / Sting +4 ranged (1d2+4)
Full Attack: Bite +3 (1d6+3), 2 Stings -1 (2d4+4)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Animal Traits, Paralysing Venom, Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Skill Bonuses
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Climb +12, Jump +12, Hide +11, Grapple +10
Feats: Multiattack
Environment: Forest
Organization: Solitary, Brood (1-3, plus 1-2 Greatmaws)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral

Mawstingers are the infant forms of creatures known as Greatmaws. They consist of a large mouth, a body with two stubby clawed legs (which aid in climbing) and two stingers (which can be launched from a distance or used as a secondary pair of legs to aid in jumping) at the rear. It typically spends most of its time in the trees, using its large jaw to clamp itself onto branches, its body coloring makes it resemble a branch with a few leaves on the end. It feeds by stinging prey as it passes below, causing paralysis, before dropping down to claim its meal. It will not attack medium or larger creatures and will ignore small creatures unless it is especially hungry.

Animal Traits
An animal is a living, nonhuman creature, usually a vertebrate with no magical abilities and no innate capacity for language or culture.
Traits
An animal possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).

Intelligence score of 1 or 2 (no creature with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher can be an animal).
Low-light vision.
Alignment: Always neutral.
Treasure: None.
Proficient with its natural weapons only. A noncombative herbivore uses its natural weapons as a secondary attack. Such attacks are made with a -5 penalty on the creature’s attack rolls, and the animal receives only ½ its Strength modifier as a damage adjustment.
Proficient with no armor unless trained for war.
Animals eat, sleep, and breathe.


Paralysing Venom (Ex) If the mawstinger hits with an attack from its sting it injects the victim with venom. Primary damage is paralysis for 1d4 rounds, secondary damage is paralysis for another 1d4 rounds. If the victim fails either save they must make another save after the stated duration (they may make one saving throw per round) before it wears off. The save DC is 10 (con based).

Improved Grab (Ex) If the Mawstinger hits with its bite attack on a creature one size lower or smaller then it may start a grapple as a free action. The Mawstinger has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use the part of its body it used in the improved grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a -20 penalty on grapple checks, but is not considered grappled itself; the creature does not lose its Dexterity bonus to AC, still threatens an area, and can use its remaining attacks against other opponents. When this happens, the Mawstinger pulls the opponent into its space. This act does not provoke attacks of opportunity. It can even move (possibly carrying away the opponent), provided it can drag the opponent’s weight.

Skill Bonuses (Ex) The Mawstinger gains a +10 racial bonus to climb, jump, hide and grapple checks. It may take 10 when jumping or climbing even when threatened.

Combat

A Mawstinger will rarely attack PCs, unless it is particularly hungry. On the rare occasions it does, it will paralyze them as they walk below it with a sting and attempt to eat them.

Lore

{TABLE=head]DC|Lore

10|This is a Mawstinger. A relatively common animal in some forests.
15|It hides in trees and paralyses small creatures which walk below it.
20|When fully grown it becomes a creature known as a Greatmaw.[/TABLE]


We have encountered fully grown Mawstingers. They appear much more violent and prefer to live on the forest floor. Further research may prove dangerous however I will attempt to sketch one. I cannot allow this trip to go to waste - Penultimate page of the explorer's log. The final page consisted of a half finished sketch and blood.

Greatmaw
Size/Type: Medium Animal
Hit Dice: 10d8 (45 hp)
Initiative: 0
Speed: 30ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 16, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+6 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+10
Attack: Bite +10 melee (2d6+3)
Full Attack: +10/+5
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Animal Traits, Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Skill Bonuses
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +4
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +15, Grapple +14, Spot +14, Listen +14
Feats: Multiattack, Power Attack, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun
Environment: Forest
Organization: Solitary, Brood (1-2, plus 1-3 Mawstingers)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral

As a Mawstinger becomes older it grows into a Greatmaw. Greatmaws lose their venomous sting, climbing and jumping abilities, their sting and legs having grown into four heavily built legs to support its massive jaws. However they make up for this with much more powerful jaws, significantly improved strength and thicker armour. They also retain their ability to hide, their camouflage changing to resemble a pile of dead leaves and dirt. They also become much more aggressive as they mature, ambushing any creature that comes near.

Animal Traits See entry for Mawstinger.

Improved Grab See entry for Mawstinger.

Skill Bonuses The Greatmaw has a +10 racial bonus on all Hide, Grapple, Spot and Listen checks.

Combat

A Greatmaw is much more aggressive than it was as a Mawstinger. It typically hides by disguising itself on the forest floor and attacks any creature which comes within 10 feet. It typically opens combat by knocking its prey over by over-running them. If its prey runs it will give chase, unless it has already made a kill.

Lore

{TABLE=head]DC|Lore

10|This is a Greatmaw. A fully grown Mawstinger.
15|It will attack anything which gets close enough.[/TABLE]

Plot Hooks


The PCs are asked to recover the journal of an explorer who disappeared many years ago, seeking to find an adult Mawstinger.
The PCs are passing through a forest. They are warned a shortage of food has made the local Mawstinger population more aggressive...
A druid has asked for the PC's help in capturing a live Greatmaw for research purposes.

NakedCelt
2009-03-07, 06:15 AM
Sabretooth

Large Animal
Hit Dice: 8d8 + 27 (63 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armour Class: 15 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+17
Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d6+10)
Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d6+10) and 2 claws +7 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Pounce, rend
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +6, Hide +4, Jump +9, Listen +3, Move Silently +8, Spot +3
Feats: Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Temperate and warm plains
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9—12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

This enormous feline has grizzled fur, a bull-thick neck with a short, horse-like mane, and — most pertinently — a pair of immense, curved fangs in its upper jaw. Its mouth gapes unnaturally wide...
Sabretooths are 15 feet long and weigh 3,500 pounds.

Combat
Sabretooths ambush prey, preferring to leap from high rocks. A sabretooth's mouth is so finely tuned as a weapon that its eating functions are compromised. Sabretooths therefore hunt the largest prey possible, in order to maximize the amount of food available from each kill.
When fighting for territory or to protect their cubs, sabretooths threaten their foe with a dramatic roar, displaying their terrifying fangs to full advantage. If the foe stands its ground, the next move is a charge.

Pounce (Ex): If a sabretooth charges a foe, it can make a full attack.
Rend (Ex): A sabretooth which deals damage with its bite attack and hits with at least one claw attack in the same round tears its opponent's flesh and deals an additional 4d6+15 damage.
Skills: Sabretooths have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Hide, and Move Silently checks.

Bhu
2009-03-07, 06:54 AM
work in progress

Legendary Crocodile
Huge Animal
Hit Dice: 30d8+210 (345 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft (8 squares), Swim 50 ft.
Armor Class: 25 (-2 Size, +2 Dex, +15 Natural), touch 10, flat-footed 25
Base Attack/Grapple: +22/+42
Attack: Bite +32 melee (2d8+24/19-20) or Tail Slap +32 melee (1d12+24)
Full Attack: Bite +32 melee (2d8+24/19-20) or Tail Slap +32 melee (1d12+24)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved Grab
Special Qualities: Hold Breath, Low Light Vision
Saves: Fort +24, Ref +19, Will +20
Abilities: Str 36, Dex 15, Con 25, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +6, Listen +13, Spot +13, Swim +28
Feats: Alertness, Cleave, Devastating Critical (Bite), Endurance, Great Cleave, Improved Critical (Bite), Overwhelming Critical (Bite), Power Attack, Power Critical (Bite), Skill Focus (Hide), Weapon Focus (Bite)
Environment: Warm Marshes or Aquatic
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always Neutral
Advancement: 31-60 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -----

”Herbert...thet thar ain't no tree a'floatin' in thet water...”


Sometimes a local villager will perform a crime so hideous the Gods demand he be punished. If his fellow villagers do not do this, a crocodile of enormous power is sent to plague them until they do so. A living curse called down by the Gods who will exact punishment and enforce their will one way or the other.


Improved Grab (Ex) If the Legendary Crocodile succeeds with it's Bite attack, it can make a Grapple check as a Free Action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it succeeds it attempts to pin it's victim underwater drowning it, or it does Bite damage each round.

Hold Breath (Ex): A Crocodile can hold it's breath for 4 times it's Constitution modifier in rounds before it risks drowning.

Saving Throws (Ex): A Legendary Animal has all Good Saves.

Skills: Crocodiles have a +8 Racial Bonus to Swim checks, and may always Take 10 on a Swim Check even if distracted or endangered. It may use the Run action while swimming in a straight line. Crocodiles also have a +4 Racial Bonus to Hide Checks in water, and if they lie submerged with only their eyes and nose showing they gain a +10 Cover Bonus to Hide Checks.

Combat: Legendary Crocodiles fight like most Crocs, ambushing anything that gets too close to the waters edge, and dragging it under. Their bite is incredibly deadly, sometimes snapping men in half, and they will always attempt to use it over their tail when possible.


-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Nature) can learn more about Legendary Crocodiles. When the character makes a skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

{table]DC|Lore
35|Legendary Crocodiles are guardians of swamps that periodically emerge to terrify local waters.
40|Legendary Crocodiles are normal crocs enhanced by the power of a deity to some purpose.
45|Legendary Crocodiles are created by the Gods to dissuade people from entering certain places, or to punish cities that have performed transgressions against the deities themselves. [/table]

Plot Hook
Local tribal chieftain Nephren has murdered his daughter in full view. Since the warriors are loyal to him, no one has been willing (or able) to bring him to justice. As punishment the Gods have created a Legendary Crocodile to harass the tribe until he is slain as the law decrees. Nephren has hired the PC's to kill the Croc, but the local Priests constantly seem to hinder their efforts for no reason they know of...
Queen Nitocris has ordered the drowning of her court in a fit of pique, and had them fed to the crocodiles in the river. The crime hasn't been discovered let alone punished, and in revenge the gods have turned all the rivers crocodiles into incredibly bloodthirsty Legendary Crocodiles. Nitocris has hired the PC's to put the crocs down, but visions keep warning them when they try to do their job.
The PC's are ambushed by crocodiles which pursue them into a small village. The headmaster welcomes them, but says sadly they can never leave as the crocodiles eat anyone trying to leave. As they try to figure out whats special about the village the crocs leave clues near their hut at night implicating that the headmaster and his much younger wife are something other than they appear. But why would animals do that? Have they been made to? And by who?

Stycotl
2009-03-08, 01:38 AM
Aadar Llwach

http://nightmare.org/dnd/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=14210&g2_serialNumber=1

Aadar Llwach
Medium Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hit points)
Initiative: +10
Speed: 10 feet, fly 100 feet (good)
Armor Class: 20 (+6 dex, +4 natural armor); touch 16; flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+5
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3/18-20) or Claw +1 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3/18-20) and 2 Claws +1 melee (1d4+1; plus rend if possible)
Space/Reach: 5 feet/5 feet
Special Attacks: Pounce, rend
Special Qualities: Clever beast, low-light vision, out of the sun, scent
Saves: Fort +6, Reflex +9, Will +9
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 22, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 18, Cha 10
Skills: Balance +7, Bluff +14, Hide +8, Intimidate +3, Listen +10, Spot +14, Survival +10
Feats: (B) Iron Will, (B) Weapon Focus (Claws), Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative
Environment: Forested mountains and seaside cliffs
Organization: Solitary, pair, or aerie (3-6 adults and 2-8 chicks)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Half standard (any awakened raptors have full standard)
Alignment: N (though many of them display clearly chaotic tendencies)
Advancement: 4-9 hit dice (Large); 10-18 hit dice (Huge); 19+ hit dice (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: –

A large eagle with silver and gray plumage alights on a craggy ledge. Large, golden eyes reflect the light of the sun as it tilts its head this way and that, watching the ground so many hundreds of feet below for prey animals. A long-feathered crest gives it an imperial mien, regal and intimidating–and this demeanor is only accentuated by its razor-edged black beak, and long, rough-shinned legs with thick scales and curved talons.

The aadar llwach are large raptors, closely related to dire eagles. These birds are fierce hunters, and are extremely intelligent–capable of imitating the vocal patterns of other creatures, even humanoids, and understanding rudimentary language skills. Far smarter even than the most brilliant crows, an aadar llwach is a prized companion to anyone that appreciates such majesty, hunting prowess, and animal intelligence.

Common legend states that the aadar llwach were created by the Queen of the fey in order to serve as scouts and guardians to her noble knights. One of her knights was renowned for having won the service and favor of an entire aerie of aadar llwach through his diligence to the Queen. These birds protected him as they would their own chicks, and served him loyally for many long years, until the day that he betrayed his Queen's trust in exchange for petty revenge and monetary wealth. His disillusioned aadar llwach family tore him to shreds and flung his remains into the sea.

The raptors of that aerie are said to be the direct ancestors of all wild aadar llwach living today. Any raptors still in the service of their Queen are likely to be awakened and civilized (to the extent that the wild creatures of fey magic can be civilized). Indeed, legend states that many aadar llwach still serve the Queen of the faeries, and that these birds are more intelligent than humans, and larger than horses.

These birds can live for decades if they are not killed in fierce battles with larger predators. As they age, they continue to grow; in fact, the faerie courts often boast that their Queen rides atop an aadar llwach the size of an ancient dragon.

These animals are not sentient in the humanoid sense, and do not speak any languages. However, as smart as they are, even the wild ones have learned a scattering of words in the local tongues, and can mimic these words, and often, they can even understand their most general meaning.

Combat

Aadar llwach are cunning predators. They are also violently and fearlessly territorial, and an angered aerie of aadar llwach has been known to drive off even wyverns and drakes from their cliff faces. They will eat anything that they can kill–and humanoids and other sentient races are as likely to be targeted as are deer, seals, and other animals. They use pack tactics when possible, but are deadly hunters even when solitary.

Pounce (Ex): If an aadar llwach dives or charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including a rend attack if applicable.

Rend (Ex): If an aadar llwach hits the same creature with both claws in the same turn, it latches onto the body and tears the flesh, dealing an additional 1d4+4 damage.

Clever Beast (Ex): Aadar llwach as exceptionally intelligent animals, and indeed, some think that the raptors have a near-sentient level of awareness. An aadar llwach is treated as having an Intelligence score 10 points higher than it really is for the purpose of determining skill points (for racial hit dice only) and trainable tricks (through the use of Handle Animal).

Generally, an animal is capable of learning 3 tricks per point of Intelligence. In the case of the aadar llwach, mimicking certain words or other animal sounds counts as a trick (generally on a one for one basis). The aadar llwach gains a +8 competence bonus to Bluff checks in order to mimic a sound or word that it has learned as one of its many tricks. This does not count as actually knowing or understanding a language, though the birds have been known to learn the meanings of a select few words in the tongues of humanoids and monsters.

Out of the Sun (Ex): Aadar llwach have a very definite understanding of angles and distances. They also well understand the blinding quality of the sun above them, and are very skilled at ambushing their prey from seemingly out of the sun–appearing suddenly in a flurry of rending claws and fearsome bites. If the sun is out and visible to the raptor's foes, it gets a +6 circumstance bonus on Hide checks during its approach, and takes no penalties to the check due to moving at a high speed. This bonus is not effective versus foes with blindsense or blindsight.

Skills: All aadar llwach receive a +4 racial bonus to Listen and Survival checks. They also receive a +8 racial bonus to Spot checks.

Strategies and Tactics

Aadar llwach are furious combatants, and their willingness to enter close combat with any foe has made so that few of the wild birds ever reach venerable age, size, or intellect. They fear nothing, and consider prey anything that they can kill. If they know their prey far in advance, they can actually orchestrate ambushes, relying on their vocalization to mimic sounds that would attract their targets. In battle, these raptors pounce on their foes in a lethal rush, dropping from the sun like feathered angels of death. They use guerrilla warfare to extreme effectiveness, swooping, striking, and then dancing away again before their foes can return the assault.

Training an Aadar Llwach

Aadar llwach can be trained like other animals with the use of the Handle Animal skill. Riding an aadar llwach requires an exotic saddle built for a small rider.

Aadar llwach eggs are worth 5,500 gp apiece, while chicks fetch upwards of 8,000 gp each. Professional trainers charge 400 gp to rear or train an aadar llwach chick.

Note that an awakened aadar llwach ceases to learn tricks through Animal Handling, as it is now a sentient being.

Aadar Llwach as Animal Companions

An aadar llwach may be selected as an animal companion by a druid of 4th level or higher. Treat the druid's level as three lower than normal for the purpose of determining the companion's characteristics and special abilities.

Aadar Llwach Lore

Characters with ranks in Knowledge (nature) can learn more about aadar llwach. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.

15 This creature is called an aadar llwach, creations of the fey courts. These birds are exceptionally intelligent animals, and are gifted with legendary hunting prowess. They are caable of learning many tasks and many tricks, and can even learn to parrot words, as a crow or a parrot can. They use this mimicry skill to ambush prey.

20 The aadar llwach ambush their prey by diving out of the sunlight, which assures that any foe suspicious enough to be searching the skies for them will be blinded and dazed. Though most of these birds live but a score of years, if left to die of old age, they often exceed 200 years. These large raptors are often larger than dire eagles, and some have been known to prey upon horses and even elephants.

25 Aadar llwach are noble birds, though they are still animals, and the magic that once created them gives them a strong familial tendency, and a strong desire to serve. If charmed through one's skill with animals and the wild, they have been known to attach themselves to that individual, and to protect and venerate them.

30 Aadar llwach that have achieved venerable age have been rumored to awaken to true sentience. Whether this is a magical side effect of their creation, or is merely the result of decades of exceptional intelligence and experience, no one that can say for sure has.

Sample Encounters

Individual (EL 4): A single aadar llwach has taken up residence in the crumbling attic of a village chapel. The bird seems to be sick, and attacks any passersby on sight. Putting the bird out of its maddened misery might be the only realistic solution, though one with the capability to calm and heal the beast might earn a lifelong friend.
Aerie (EL 9-14): The cliffs above the bay are famous for its aerie of aadar llwach. Currently, seven of the raptors reside there, and they have been the apex predators of the ecosystem for many years. The people in the port below love the birds, and see them as an auspicious sign when the majestic birds are glimpsed fishing in the sunlight. This afternoon, however, one of the birds became tangled in the fishing net of a known pirate ship, and the entire aerie jumped to the offensive when the ruffians began torturing the snared raptor. A quick skirmish ended in the deaths of two of the birds, and the wounding and capture of another. Now the three remaining aadar llwach circle the moored ship, desperate to find a way to rescue their two wounded family members. The city is in an uproar, and has demanded that the birds be released. An envoy sent by the mayor was turned back not only by the harsh words and projectiles of the pirates, but also by the frenzied attacks of the three tiring raptors.

Ecology

Aadar llwach are not natural animals by the strictest definitions, but they were created as a part of their wild environments, and have long ago adapted to their lives as wild animals.
Environment: Aadar llwach are fond of mountains and craggy cliffs–places that they can secure a large aerie from predators and other dangers. They are sufficiently intelligent to choose locations that are close to their primary food source, be that the fish of a great river or the livestock of a well-traveled trade route.
Typical Physical Characteristics: The average, young adult aadar llwach has a 10-foot wingspan, and weighs in the neighborhood of 200 pounds. Chicks are fairly large, often the size of chickens. Though legends of titanic raptors abound, the largest documented sightings in humanoid lands have described aerie elders that stretched over 30 feet from wingtip to wingtip, and probably weighed close to 2,000 pounds.
Alignment: As animals, unawakened aadar llwach are neutral. Older, awakened aadar llwach can choose any alignment that fits their ideology, though most of them tend to remain neutral, or become chaotic neutral.

Typical Treasure:

Aadar llwach don't collect treasure for the sake of colelcting treasure, though there is always a large scattering of debris beneath their aeries. Generally, the longer the aerie has been established, the higher the chance of coins and other goodies being found below. Some of the raptors have developed a taste for shiny metals though, and it has been reported that some of the aadar llwah have become fond of decorating–or indeed, fabricating–their nests with gaudy fabrics and polished metals.

The eldest of the raptors are certainly aware of the value of trade goods, and have certainly gone out of their way to amass gold and magical items. These birds have occasionally been known to trade with other creatures for further wealth, though they more often simply take what they wish.

The Vorpal Tribble
2009-03-22, 09:57 AM
This month's contest has come to a close. A voting thread has been posted here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5911427#post5911427).

Good luck!