Ancient Animals I've put together a generic bestiary for Barbarians of Lemuria. I know the system is so simple as to allow almost anything to be made up on the fly but I wanted to have a basic toolkit available for those occasions when I don't feel quite so creative. I'm limiting the scope of the bestiary because I want to avoid the usual D&D-influenced range of giant versions of modern animals or insects, the polyglot mix of creatures from a range of mythical backgrounds (though I do have a fondness for Greek myth), dinosaurs and the familiar mix of near human races and bizarre creatures. They don't feature in the S&S fiction I read so they're not in the bestiary. While I've decided to exclude dinosaurs I've included a range of life forms from the last 50 million years on earth, such as sabre-toothed cats, mammoths and flightless carnivorous birds. These creatures seem to me to be a better fit for S&S, being historical yet with the right ante-diluvian feel, though I know there are anachronisms as man didn't meet all of them and they are from a wide range of time periods and climate zones. I have retained the names we use now for these creatures but would suggest the GM uses local names when describing them, less scientific and more in keeping with their particular setting. Personally I probably will include some modern animals such as hunting dogs and horses but the GM is free to decide for themselves. A note about the system While I might include some “normal” animals I would rarely determine stats for these unless it was likely to come up in a game. For example a dog might be used for hunting or as a guard whereas a domestic cat isn't included. Similarly a horse may need to be controlled or broken or a falcon's hunting skill tested. The abilities of each animal could be generalised into a "Nature", the equivalent of careers, which lets the GM wrap a whole series of features into one score. Hence a vanilla riding horse might have "Horse 1" whereas a fierce, battle-trained stallion might have "Horse 4" Any rolls regarding the horse's reactions, skills (or whatever the GM wants) can be made against their Nature. Abilities and specific attack types, skills, flaws etc. can be customised for that creature using the standard character and fauna rules. This system could be applied to the animals belowshould the GM so desire. Dave Bell Blaydon August 2009
The text for these notes is in part adapted from rules originally written for the GURPS system and from information related to the BBC Television series Walking with Beasts. Images are used without permission from two very useful websites should further information be required. These are http://planet.uwc.ac.za/nisl/biodiversity/karen/index.htm and http://www.abc.net.au/beasts/evidence/ No challenge is intended to the rightful owners.
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Aurochs Wt: 1,000-2,500 lbs. Habitats: Plains, Forest The aurochs was the ancestor of modem domestic cattle. Well-known by primitive humans, it was hunted and domesticated extensively. Treat aurochs like any other herd herbivore - they will flee if threatened. Males protect the herd, and will attack like bull cattle by charging and trampling. Attributes Strength Agility Mind Combat Abilities Attack - Horns Attack - Trample Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
4 -1 -2
+0 / D6 +2 / D6 0 1 20
Bear-Dog, Giant Weight: 1-1 1/2 tons Habitats: Jungle, Forest, Plains Andrewsarchus is the scientific name of this animal of 50 million years ago. Although called a giant bear-dog, it was related to neither bears nor dogs. It stood about 6 feet at the shoulder and was 11 feet long - its head alone was more than a yard long. Judging from its teeth, it was carnivorous. From its size, it couldn't have been very fast; however, the Eocene had many slowmoving herbivores for it to prey upon. Little is known of its habits; assume that it will attack fearlessly, with intent to devour. Attributes Strength Agility Mind
5 2 0
Combat Abilities Attack - Bite
+4 / D6+2
Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
3 1 30
2
Cave Bear Weight: 1,200-1,600 lbs. Habitats: Mountains, Forest Cave bears of the Pleistocene were about the same size as modem polar bears and Kodiaks. They were almost completely vegetarian, and went into caves only during their winter hibernation. It seems early humans hunted them frequently - many cave bear remains showsigns of consumption by humans. Attributes Strength Agility Mind Combat Abilities Attack - Bite Attack - Claws Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
5 2 1
+4 / D6+2 +2 / D6+2 3 2 30
Cave Lion Weight: 500-700 lbs. Habitats: Mountain, Plains These large cats lived during the Pleistocene and were frequently hunted by humans. It was 25 percent bigger than lions today and was up to about 11.5 ft (3.5 m) long. Little is known about their habits. Assume that they behave similarly to modem lions, although it is likely that they do not fear humans. Attributes Strength Agility Mind Combat Abilities Attack - Bite Attack - Claws Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
3 2 0
+3 / D6 +1 / D6 3 1 20
3
Crocodile, Giant Weight: 1-2 tons Habitats: Forest Wetlands, Swamp These animals lived throughout the age of dinosaurs. They grewto a length of 50 feet and were true crocodiles in all respects. As far as tactics go, treat them like their modem relatives. Attributes Strength Agility Mind Combat Abilities Attack - Bite Attack - Tail Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
8 1 -1
+2 / 2D6-1 +2 / 2D6-1 0 3 40
Dinohyus Weight: 1,600-2,000 lbs. Habitats: Forest Dinohyus is a giant warthog-like hoofed mammal that flourished 25 million years ago. It is only distantly, if at all, related to the modern pig. This herbivore (it ate plants, including roots) had a long skull, a small braincase, a pair of knob-like protrusions on the back of the lower jaw(in the cheek area), blunt incisors, and wide, strong canine teeth. Its long legs probably made it a fast runner. The neck was short and stout and there was a hump on the shoulders formed by spines along the backbone. It was about 12 feet long and 6 feet high at the shoulder. Its head was 3 feet long. Treat it as a wild boar doing damage by trampling or a tusk-slash. Attributes Strength Agility Mind Combat Abilities Attack - Tusk Attack - Trample Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
7 -2 -2
+2 / 2D6 +0 / D6+2 0 2 40
4
Dire Wolf Weight: 150-250 lbs. Habitats: Plains, Mountain, Arctic, Forest The dire wolf is the sturdy but slowprecursor of the modern wolf. Dire wolves are active both day and night, traveling in packs ranging from 4 to 40 animals. Scavengers by nature, dire wolves prey upon animals in distress - the injured, the old, the abandoned young. They often attack animals trapped in mires, rock slides and tar pits. Dire wolves have no fear of humans. The wolves will attack using pack tactics. They will not be driven off until they have suffered at least 50% casualties. Attributes Strength Agility Mind
3 2 1
Combat Abilities Attack - Bite
+4 / D6
Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
3 1 20
Elasmotherium Weight: 3-5 tons Habitats: Plains Elasmotherium is an extinct type of rhinoceros, even larger modem rhinos, with a very long horn. It stands 13 feet tall at the shoulder and is about 7 yards long. The horn is over two yards long. Like the modem rhino, it is a solitary animal, active from dawn to dusk. It will flee humans unless wounded or protecting young. Treat it as a rhinoceros in all respects not otherwise covered tens. Attributes Strength Agility Mind Combat Abilities Attack - Horn Attack - Trample Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
9 -3 -2
+2 / 2D6 +0 / 2D6-1 0 4 40
5
Glyptodont Wt: 1,500-2,500 lbs. Habitats: Plains The glyptodont was a prehistoric animal, related to the armadillo. Glyptodonts were of many sizes, the largest being represented here. This creature is 6 feet high, 15 feet long (4 feet is tail!), and 6 feet wide in the body. It resembles armored dinosaurs like the ankylosaurus, but is a true mammal. The skull is broad, more like a turtle's than an armadillo's. Glyptodonts will never attack. If threatened, their usual reaction is to withdraw into their shells and swing their tails until left alone. They are solitary nocturnal animals. They have powerful claws (used only for digging) and only molars - no biting teeth. Attributes Strength Agility Mind
5 1 -2
Combat Abilities Attack - Tail
+1 / D6+4
Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
0 4 30
Megaloceros (Irish Elk) Weight: 1,000+ lbs. Habitats: Forest Megaloceros is often confusingly called the 'Irish Elk', although it was technically a deer rather than an elk. Its closest living relative is the Fallowdeer, and like this animal it probably spent much of its time in open woodland. This giant member of the deer family died out just a fewthousand years ago; humans were probably a leading cause of its extinction. It stood 6 feet at me shoulder and bad enormous antlers, with spreads up to 10 feet being common. Like all deer, Irish elk were undoubtedly shy of humans, but may have been dangerous in the fall, their mating season. Attributes Strength Agility Mind Combat Abilities Attack - Antlers Attack – Rear Kick Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
3 2 -1
+2 / D6 +0 / D6 2 1 10
6
Mammoth Weight: 4-7 tons Habitats: Plains, Forest, Arctic Mammoths were Ice Age ancestors of the elephant, common to North America, Europe and Asia. Some species were covered with a thick, woolly hair. They were about 11.5 feet long, 9.5 feet tall at the shoulder. They originated some 7 million years ago, and were hunted to extinction by humans who used the meat, tusks and hide extensively. There is no evidence that they were ever domesticated; assume that they can be, using the same techniques used on modem elephants. Mammoths evolved from mastodons, and were larger, with higher skulls, shorter jaws and heavier hair. They also were found in a wider range of habitats. Their hard, high-crowned molars were designed to chewup prairie grasses and other tough vegetation that the mastodon could not eat. Mammoths attack by trampling or swinging their long tusks. Some tusks were straight, some were curved; the longest were up to 13 feet long. Attributes Strength Agility Mind
11 -2 -1
Combat Abilities Attack - Tusk Attack - Trample Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
+1 / 2D6 +0 / 2D6 0 4 50
Megatherium Weight: 7-9 tons Habitats: Jungle, Forest Megatherium was a giant ground sloth that lived during the Ice Age. It was a huge, bulky, slowmoving herbivore (plant-eater), the size of an elephant. It had peg-like teeth, powerful jaws, and a thick, short tail and had three hook-like claws on each hand. It was primarily a quadruped (walked on four legs). It may have eaten leaves from the tops of trees 20 feet off the ground while standing upright on its hind legs, using its tail to balance. It had no biting teeth, only molars, but say have used its claws to defend it from sabertoothed tigers and other carnivores. It was most likely a solitary animal, occasionally found in pairs. It will leave humans alone, possibly even fleeing from them. If attacked, however, it will defend itself, swinging with its claws.
Attributes Strength Agility Mind
10 0 0
Combat Abilities Attack - Claws Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
+2 / 2D6 1 4 60
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Phorusrhacos Habitats: Plains, Forests, Deserts The first Terror Birds date back to the Eocene era. Then, however, they were chicken-sized. In South America, though, they became fierce predators, and moved into North America when the two continents collided. They stood about 8 feet tall, with a head as large as a horse's. They were decidedly carnivorous, and from the fossil remains, seem to have hunted in groups. Their wings are small for the birds'size - about a foot long each - and are quite useless. The feet are used for kicking like an ostrich, but the main weapon is undoubtedly the beak. Attributes Strength Agility Mind Combat Abilities Attack - Beak Attack - Kick Defence Protection - Feathers Lifeblood
3 3 0
+1 / D6 ++0 / D6+1 2 1 20
Smilodon Weight: 400-600 lbs. Habitats: Plains, Forest, Desert The sabertoothed tiger, known scientifically as the smilodon, did not really resemble a tiger in anything but size. Its skeleton more closely resembles that of a lion, but the stabbing cats diverged from the biting cats so long ago that sabertooths are not closely related to any modem animal. Sabertooths knewearly humans, and were hunted by them. They probably returned the favor - some human skulls have been found with sabertooth-sized holes in them! It is believed that the sabertooth hunted the great mammals. Their teeth (which sometimes measured 11 inches long) are serrated and were adapted for stabbing through the thick skin to the jugular rather than slashing. They are more solitary than lions, and will bite repeatedly rather than biting and holding. Attributes Strength Agility Mind Combat Abilities Attack - Bite Attack - Claws Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
6 1 0
+3 / D6+2 +0 / D6++ 3 2 30
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Wisent (European bison) Wt.: 1,000-3,000 lbs. Habitats: Plains, Forest The wisent is a European bison. The more common Ice Age species, often represented in neolithic cave drawings, was a plains dweller (now extinct); another species lived in forests. Treat it as a bison for all purposes. Attributes Strength Agility Mind Combat Abilities Attack - Horns Attack - Trample Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
5 -1 -2
+2 / D6 +0 / D6 0 1 20
Woolly Rhinoceros Weight: 1-2 tons Habitats: Arctic, Plains The woolly rhino was a common figure in prehistoric cave an. It stood about 4 yards long and 6 feet at the shoulder, with long shaggy far. It was a solitary animal, probably active from dusk through dawn. For all practical purposes treat it as a modern rhino other than it inhabits a much colder climate. It will usually flee humans, but occasionally one will charge - especially a mother or wounded animal. Attributes Strength Agility Mind Combat Abilities Attack - Horns Attack - Trample Defence Protection - Hide Lifeblood
7 -1 -2
+2 / D6+1 +0 / D6+1 0 2 30
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