GearAscendancy.com

Gastropteron 722

—

by

Dale
in

The Gastropteron 722 is a bizarre, feral predator found in the high-humidity zones of Saṃsāra. This creature is a biological fusion of four distinct classes from the Animalia Kingdom: Gastropoda (Giant Leopard Slug), Aves (Peregrine Falcon), Reptilia (King Cobra), and Mammalia (Star-Nosed Mole).

  • Original Life Forms Combined
    • Class Gastropoda: Giant Leopard Slug (Limax maximus)
    • Class Aves: Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
    • Class Reptilia: King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
    • Class Mammalia: Star-Nosed Mole (Condylura cristata)
  • Appearance
    • The creature possesses the elongated, muscular, and boneless body of a giant slug, coated in a thick, toxic mucus that shimmers with an iridescent sheen.
    • Protruding from its midsection are two powerful, feathered wings capable of carrying its substantial weight in short, terrifying bursts of speed.
    • The head features a hooded neck similar to a cobra, but instead of eyes, the face is dominated by twenty-two pink, fleshy sensory tentacles arranged in a star pattern, which twitch constantly to “see” vibrations and magical ebbs.
    • It lacks a traditional beak or jaw, instead possessing a retractable radula (a tooth-covered tongue) that can strike forward like a serpent’s lunge.
  • Size
    • Length: 8 feet when fully extended.
    • Wingspan: 12 feet.
    • Weight: 140 lbs.
  • Speed
    • Slither: 15 feet.
    • Flight: 60 feet (Burst only; can only maintain flight for 3 rounds before needing to rest on a surface).
  • Stat Modifiers
    • Strength: +2 (Crushing muscular body).
    • Dexterity: +5 (Extreme aerial precision and striking speed).
    • Constitution: +3 (Resilient, rubbery flesh and toxic coating).
    • Intelligence: -4 (Purely instinctual).
    • Wisdom/Perception: +6 (Touch-based “sight” ignores darkness and invisibility).
  • Skills
    • Vibrational Identify: Using its star-nose, the creature can “Identify” the tier and health of any avatar within 30 feet by sensing their heartbeat and magic flow.
    • Toxic Slime Trail: Leaves a residue that acts as an “Unsafe” area for anyone stepping in it, halving their AC due to the burning distraction of the acid.
    • Stoop Strike: When diving from a height, it can triple its movement speed for one strike.
  • Behavior
    • A “wait-and-strike” predator that hangs from the ceilings of dark cave systems or the undersides of floating city foundations.
    • It is hyper-sensitive to “Magic Circuits” and will often attack avatars carrying high-tier glowing gear first, as it mistakes the magical hum for the vibration of large prey.
  • Diet
    • Liquivore. It uses its radula to rasp through armor and skin, then injects a digestive enzyme to liquefy the internal organs of its prey.
  • Emotions
    • Primarily driven by Nervousness. Because it is blind to light, it is easily startled by sudden loud noises or “Silent” spells that move the air.
    • Displays extreme Territorialism; it will coat its preferred perch in thick mucus to warn off other feral creatures.
  • Environment Where Found
    • Found in Normal to Deathly areas, specifically humid metropolises, dark cave systems, and the damp mechanical rooms of megacity Skyscrapers.
  • Tags
    • Feral, Monstrosity, Flier, Blind-Senses, Toxic, Tier 1, Ambush, Gastropod, Hybrid, Acidic, Aerial, Blind-Senses, Gliding, Hooded, Hyper-Sensitive, Iridescent, Liquivore, Mucus-Coated, Vibrational

Life Cycle and Ecology of the Gastropteron 722

The biological development of the Gastropteron 722 is a synthesis of rapid avian growth and the slow, deliberate maturation of the gastropod.

  • Larval Stage (The Mucus-Pod):
    • Born as a translucent, wingless slug-like entity roughly the size of a human hand.
    • These pods cling to the underside of steam-vent pipes in megacity skyscrapers, absorbing the heat and magical runoff.
    • During this six-month phase, the pod is blind and relies entirely on the star-shaped nasal tentacles to detect predatory insects.
  • The Feathering (Metamorphosis):
    • Upon reaching two feet in length, the creature enters a state of estivation, secreting a hardened, leathery shell.
    • Inside, the avian skeletal structure and wing muscles develop over a period of three weeks.
    • If the shell is broken during this time, it releases a cloud of caustic, vaporized mucus as a final defense.
  • Adulthood:
    • The Gastropteron 722 reaches full maturity within one year.
    • It remains in a state of constant, slow growth throughout its life, with some ancient specimens in the deepest cave systems reportedly reaching lengths of fifteen feet.

Mating and Propagation

  • The Vibrational Dance:
    • Mating occurs in the dark, humid “Normal” areas of the 73 island countries.
    • Males use their wings to create a rhythmic, low-frequency thrumming that mimics the sound of a steady steam engine.
    • Females are attracted to the most consistent and powerful vibrations, responding by flaring their cobra-like hoods and emitting a pale green bioluminescence from their mucus.
  • Hermaphroditic Heritage:
    • While they engage in courtship, the gastropod ancestry allows any two individuals to produce eggs.
    • They deposit gelatinous clusters of up to fifty eggs in “Deathly” areas where the lack of AC ensures that few predators can survive long enough to disturb the nest.

Combat Tactics and Actions

The Gastropteron 722 is a vertical-space specialist that exploits the three-dimensional nature of skyscrapers and caverns.

  • The Silent Stoop (Ambush):
    • The creature hangs by its adhesive tail from a height. When it senses a “Magic Circuit” or heartbeat below, it releases its grip and falls.
    • Halfway down, it snaps its wings open to steer, performing a high-speed dive that ignores the target’s Dexterity bonus for the first strike.
  • Radula Lunge (Action):
    • The creature’s tooth-covered tongue strikes out with the speed of a cobra.
    • This attack ignores mundane leather or cloth armor. On a hit, it inflicts “Liquefaction,” a debuff that deals 1d4 damage every ten minutes (similar to the Divine Pain mechanic) as the enzymes begin their work.
  • Hood Flare (Action):
    • The Gastropteron 722 expands its neck hood and vibrates its feathers.
    • This forces all sentient beings within 10 feet to succeed on a Wisdom check or be Frightened and Disoriented by the subsonic frequency, effectively cutting their AC in half for 2 rounds.
  • Mucus Slap (Reaction):
    • When struck by a melee weapon, the creature can flick its muscular tail to coat the attacker in toxic slime.
    • The slime burns the skin and eyes, imposing a penalty on any further attacks made during that session unless washed off with elemental water.

Other Interesting Information

  • Sensitivity to Magic Flow:
    • The star-shaped nose is so sensitive that it can “see” a spell being chanted before the words are finished.
    • It will often target a “Ritual” caster over a “Silent” caster because the greater magical attention drawn by the ritual creates a larger vibrational “silhouette.”
  • Adhesion and Steam:
    • The creature’s mucus acts as a natural sealant.
    • In some fringe island countries, engineers have attempted to “farm” Gastropteron 722 slime to seal high-pressure steam valves in mechanical power transmission systems, though the toxicity makes this a high-risk occupation.
  • The Blindness Paradox:
    • While the creature is light-blind, it is completely unaffected by “Illusion” magic that relies on visual deception.
    • An avatar using a magical disguise or invisibility will still be perceived clearly by the 722 as a vibrating heat-source and magic-conduit.
  • The Sellers’ Market:
    • The star-nose tentacles are a Tier 1 alchemical ingredient.
    • When dried and ground, they are used in the creation of “Seer’s Snuff,” a powder that allows an avatar to use a limited version of the Mind’s Eye without a conduit for 10 minutes.

A party of adventurers in the world of Saṃsāra would likely find their fates intertwined with the Gastropteron 722 for reasons ranging from high-stakes urban maintenance to the pursuit of forbidden alchemical knowledge. Their presence is often a signal that the environment has shifted from “Normal” to “Unsafe” or “Deathly.”

1. Urban Infrastructure Clearance

Because these creatures are hyper-sensitive to heat and vibration, they frequently migrate into the ventilation shafts and mechanical rooms of Metropolitan Skyscrapers.

  • The Problem: Their caustic mucus corrodes brass steam pipes and gunk-up mechanical power transmission gears, leading to city-wide “Magic Flow” brownouts.
  • The Encounter: A party is hired as “Pipe-Stalkers” to delve into the humid, cramped service tunnels where standard city guards refuse to go, tasked with clearing a nesting pair that is currently liquefying the skyscraper’s primary steam gaskets.

2. Alchemical Harvesting for “Seer’s Snuff”

The star-nosed sensory tentacles are one of the few biological organs capable of perceiving the “Magic Flow” without the need for a crafted conduit.

  • The Search: High-tier Alchemists in the Sellers’ Market offer significant bounties for intact, fresh “Star-Noses.”
  • The Purpose: These are ground down to create “Seer’s Snuff” or “Vibrational Elixirs,” which allow avatars to detect invisible “Rule Breakers” or find hidden treasure caches by sensing the heartbeat of the land.

3. Rescue and Recovery (The “False Hero” Phenomenon)

The Gastropteron 722’s pheromonal and vibrational mimicry is a deadly trap for the unwary.

  • The Encounter: A party might be searching for a missing dignitary or a wealthy merchant’s child who was lured away by the “sound” of a familiar voice or the “vibration” of a rescue signal.
  • The Reality: The adventurers find the victim not in the arms of a savior, but trapped in a leathery “Mucus-Pod,” being slowly prepared for liquefaction.

4. Navigational Hazards for Airships

While the Gastropteron is primarily a crawler, its “Stoop Strike” and flight bursts make it a menace to low-flying Zeppelins and Airships.

  • The Encounter: During a voyage between island countries, a Gastropteron may latch onto the exterior hull of the ship, drawn by the engine’s vibration.
  • The Conflict: The party must climb onto the exterior rigging—a high-altitude “Unsafe” zone—to dislodge the creature before its acidic slime eats through the buoyancy cells.

5. Biological “Identify” Dampeners

In some “Deathly” zones, the 722 is used as a natural guardian.

  • The Search: An ambitious “Rule Breaker” or a dark cult may have captured a Gastropteron to guard their lair.
  • The Mechanics: Because the creature is blind and ignores visual illusions, the party cannot use standard “Invisibility” or “Disguise” magic to sneak past. They must find a way to silence their heartbeats or mask their “Magic Circuits” to bypass the beast.

The anatomy of the Gastropteron 722 is a complex intersection of avian, reptilian, and gastropod biology, providing a wealth of materials for the industrious survivor or the opportunistic merchant in a sellers’ market. Because these creatures are feral and do not possess the soul-spark of a previously lived life, their physical forms remain behind upon death rather than dissipating into the atmosphere.

  • Vibrational Star-Nose (Sensory Organ) The most sought-after component is the twenty-two-point fleshy star located on the face. It must be severed with a silver-bladed knife to prevent the rapid decay of the magical nerves. Once dried, it acts as a compass for finding high-pressure steam leaks or hidden magic circuits. Alchemists grind this into a fine powder that, when inhaled, allows a person to perceive heartbeats and mechanical vibrations through thick walls for several minutes.
  • Caustic Mucus Glands These internal sacs contain the concentrated enzymes the creature uses to liquefy its prey. The fluid must be stored in lead-lined or high-purity glass vials to prevent it from eating through standard brass containers. It is highly sought after by locksmiths and those looking to bypass heavy mechanical power transmission locks, as it can dissolve industrial-grade iron in a matter of seconds.
  • Iridescent Gastropod Hide The leathery, rubbery skin of the creature is naturally resistant to acid and extreme humidity. When cured in elemental water, the hide can be fashioned into protective aprons or gloves for workers in the deep-level steam tunnels. Because of its shimmering, leopard-spotted pattern, it also fetches a high price in the markets of the floating cities as a luxury material for durable, exotic clothing.
  • Peregrine Wing Feathers The feathers of the Gastropteron 722 are coated in a thin layer of the creature’s mucus, making them waterproof and heat-resistant. These are often used as fletching for bolts designed to be fired in humid jungle environments or as components in high-speed cooling fans for mechanical engines. They retain a faint magical hum even after the creature has perished.
  • Radula Teeth (Rasping Tongue) The tongue is covered in thousands of microscopic, razor-sharp chitinous teeth. When removed and mounted onto a wooden or metal handle, it creates a “biological file” capable of smoothing out the roughest brass castings or even carving into low-purity gemstones.
  • Cobra-Hood Membrane The thin, expandable skin of the neck can be dried and used as a drumhead for instruments that produce subsonic frequencies. Musicians in the larger island countries use these drums to create atmospheric music that can be felt by the audience as a physical vibration in their chests, mimicking the creature’s own disorienting display.
  • Liquefaction Enzymes Beyond the caustic nature of the glands, the specialized enzymes responsible for turning internal organs into liquid can be harvested. These are used in medical research to break down necrotic tissue or by individuals looking to dispose of biological waste in the dark alleys of the metropolitan skyscrapers.
  • Adhesive Tail Secretion The tip of the tail produces a different variety of mucus that is incredibly sticky rather than acidic. This substance is used as a permanent industrial adhesive for mounting heavy brass filigree onto the exterior of airship hulls, where the wind resistance would normally strip away lesser glues.
  • Neural Vibration Knots Located along the spine of the slug-body are several nerve clusters that process vibrational data. These are often harvested by magitech engineers to act as “sensors” in early-warning systems for earthquakes or mechanical failures in the great gear-works of the 73 island countries.
  • Feathered Bone Marrow The hollow bones of the wing structures contain a marrow that is rich in aerial mana. When boiled down, it creates a thick paste used to lubricate the pulleys and belts of airship steering mechanisms, reducing friction and allowing for the extreme precision seen in falcon-like maneuvers.

The value of these items is entirely dependent on the desperation of the buyer and the rarity of the kill in that specific region. Those who hunt the Gastropteron 722 must remember that avatars gain nothing from a short rest, and the extraction of these materials should be performed quickly before other scavengers are drawn to the scent of the open glands.

Sky-Slithering Star-Face and Great Engine of Sorrow

In the cycles of the world before the seventy-three islands were counted by the fingers of the kings, when the clouds were yet thick with the unbreathed steam of the deep-earth, there was a city of brass and glass known as Ouroboria. This city was built upon a mountain of magnetic ore, and its people lived by the turning of a single, massive gear that rotated with the heartbeat of the world itself. Because the magic flow in Ouroboria was as heavy as the rains of the southern jungles, the avatars who dwelled there were gifted with the sight of the Mind’s Eye from the moment of their first possession.

Among these people was a seeker of the second tier named Valerius, whose soul carried the heavy memories of a weaver from a land where the thread was made of sunlight. Valerius was tasked with the guarding of the primary steam-gasket, a task of great boredom but immense necessity. One evening, as the moons were eclipsed by the passing of a great migratory air-herd, Valerius felt a vibration that did not come from the great gear. It was a nervous, twitching rhythm, like the heartbeat of a frightened god.

Valerius looked into the humid shadows of the ceiling, where the brass pipes sweated with the heat of the world-engine. He saw there a hanging shape, a thing that had no bone but had the wings of a thunder-bird. It was the Gastropteron 722, known in the ancient, unreadable glyphs as the Mucus-King of the High Rafters. The creature had no eyes, but its face was a blossoming star of twenty-two pink fingers, each one tasting the air for the hum of the steam-valves.

The Gastropteron had been drawn by the vibration of the Ouroboria gear, for it mistook the mechanical rotation for the pulse of a gargantuan prey. As it hung there, it leaked a slime of such caustic purity that the brass pipes began to weep green tears of corrosion. Valerius, sensing the “Unsafe” nature of the environment through his Mind’s Eye, reached for his conduit—a rod of etched silver.

But the Gastropteron was faster than the thought of a weaver. It performed a Stoop Strike, dropping from the ceiling with its wings folded tight against its iridescent slug-flesh. It did not strike with talons, for it had none. It struck with its radula, a tongue of ten thousand teeth that rasped against Valerius’s armor with the sound of a thousand saws. The seeker felt the “Liquefaction” enzyme enter his veins, a cold fire that began to turn his marrow into soup.

Valerius knew that he could not rest, for an avatar gains nothing from a short rest in the face of the feral hunger. He used his vocal cords to shout a ritual of “Binding Cold,” but the creature flared its cobra-hood and let out a subsonic scream. The vibration was so intense that Valerius’s Mind’s Eye was clouded with static, and his Wisdom failed him. He fell to his knees, his HP flickering like a candle in a gale.

Yet, the soul of the weaver was strong. In his mind, he remembered how to bind a thread that will not break. He reached out and grabbed the star-nose of the beast. The creature, being blind to light but sensitive to the touch, recoiled in a fit of extreme nervousness. Valerius used this moment to drag the beast toward the great rotating gear of the city.

The Gastropteron 722 tried to fly, its feathered wings beating against the humid air, but the caustic slime it had produced made the floor too slick for its own slithering escape. It slid toward the teeth of the world-engine. As the gear turned, the creature’s wings were caught in the mechanical power transmission. There was a sound of rending chitin and feathered bone, and the beast was pulled into the grinding heart of Ouroboria.

As the creature perished, it did not leave behind a cloud of sparks, for it was a thing of the physical earth. Its body was crushed, and its star-nose was severed by the very brass it had sought to dissolve. Valerius, though dying from the liquefaction of his own organs, crawled to the remains and harvested the sensory star. He held it to his own face and, for a brief moment, he saw the world not through the light of the sun, but through the vibration of the entire universe. He saw the island countries as a single, beating heart.

Valerius passed into the next life shortly after, his soul crystal found by the city guards the next morning. The star-nose he had harvested was used to create the first Seer’s Snuff, so that the people of Ouroboria would never again be surprised by the hunters in the rafters. The great gear continued to turn, but it carried a slight wobble, a reminder of the night the slug-bird tried to eat the world.

The Moral of the Story: The seeker who looks only for the light will be consumed by the shadow that feels the heat, for the star that guides the wise is often the same star that feeds the hunger of the blind.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Unique Name: The Mucus-Crowned Sky-Slug

  • Description: A boneless, feathered nightmare that hangs from the industrial rafters of a city. It lacks eyes, relying instead on a twitching, star-shaped sensory organ to “see” the electrical impulses of terrified investigators.
  • Characteristics:
    • STR: 70
    • CON: 80
    • SIZ: 75
    • DEX: 90
    • INT: 30
    • POW: 40
    • HP: 31
    • Build: 2
    • Move: 6 / 12 Flying
  • Attacks per Round: 2 (Radula Strike or Mucus Slap)
    • Radula Strike: 60% (30/12), damage 1D8 + Build. On a hit, the target must succeed on a Extreme CON roll or begin suffering 1D4 damage every 10 minutes from liquefaction enzymes until treated with a specialized antidote.
    • Stoop Strike (Dive): 45% (22/9), damage 2D8 + Build. Only usable if the creature begins its turn at least 20 feet above the target.
  • Armor: 3-point rubbery hide.
  • Skills: Stealth 85%, Vibration Sense (Ignores all visual penalties) 95%.
  • Sanity Loss: 1/1D10 Sanity points to see the star-nose twitching in the dark.
  • Syntax: Mythos Monster; Armor 3; Liquefaction (CON check); Vibration Sense.

Blades in the Dark

Unique Name: The Star-Nosed Gutter-Hawk

  • Description: A feral horror that haunts the humid vents of the Coalridge district. It is attracted to the vibration of heavy machinery and the rhythmic heartbeats of scoundrels.
  • Tier: II (Large and resilient).
  • Threat Level: Dangerous (Increases the cost of resisting consequences by 1 Stress).
  • Attributes:
    • Quality: Tier II.
    • Scale: Small Group (Equal to 3-6 people).
  • Abilities:
    • Blind-Senses: The creature ignores any darkness or invisibility. Any attempt to use Prowl to hide visually automatically fails if the character is moving or has a heartbeat.
    • Caustic Trail: Anyone attempting to engage the creature in melee combat must contend with the Acid-Burned consequence (Level 2 Harm) unless they have specialized protection.
    • Stoop Strike: The creature has Potency when attacking from a height.
  • Clock: Liquefaction of the Vitals (6-segment clock). Once filled, the victim is incapacitated.
  • Syntax: Feral Threat; Tier II; Potency (Diving); Blind-Senses (Vibrational).

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Unique Name: Gastropteron 722

  • Description: Large monstrosity, unaligned. A bizarre fusion of bird, snake, and slug that hunts by sensing the rhythmic vibrations of its prey.
  • Armor Class: 15 (Natural Armor).
  • Hit Points: 85 (10d10 + 30).
  • Speed: 15 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover).
  • Stats: STR 15 (+2), DEX 20 (+5), CON 17 (+3), INT 3 (-4), WIS 16 (+3), CHA 6 (-2).
  • Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (Blind beyond this radius), Passive Perception 13.
  • Abilities:
    • Blind Senses: The creature is immune to the Blinded condition and ignores invisibility and cover within its blindsight radius.
    • Adhesive Tail: The creature can hang from ceilings and remains attached even if it is incapacitated.
  • Actions:
    • Multiattack: The creature makes two attacks: one with its Radula Strike and one with its Mucus Slap.
    • Radula Strike: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) acid damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned. While poisoned in this way, the target takes 3 (1d6) acid damage at the start of each of its turns.
    • Hood Flare: Action: Each creature within 10 feet of the Gastropteron must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened for 1 minute.
  • Syntax: Large monstrosity; AC 15; Blindsight 60ft; Radula Strike (Acid).

Knave (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Star-Slug

  • Description: A blind, winged slug that tastes the air with its face. Its slime dissolves steel and flesh alike.
  • Level: 5 (HD 5, HP 22).
  • Armor: 13 (Rubbery Skin).
  • Movement: Fast (Flying), Slow (Land).
  • Attacks: 2 (Radula +5 or Slime Spray +5).
  • Abilities:
    • Liquefaction: Any hit from the radula forces a CON Save. Failure means the victim loses 1 HP every 10 minutes until they receive a surgical or magical intervention.
    • Acid Slime: Any weapon that hits the Star-Slug must make a Quality Check or be permanently damaged by the corrosive mucus.
    • Star-Nose: The creature always acts first in darkness or fog.
  • Morale: 8.
  • Treasure: 2d6 Gear Slots of star-nose sensory tissue or acid glands.
  • Syntax: HD 5; AC 13; 2 Attacks; CON Save (Liquefaction); Acid Slime.

Fate Core

Unique Name: The Star-Nosed Sky-Slug

  • Description: A multi-classed nightmare of chitin and muscle. It senses the electrical pulse of your thoughts before you even see its compound eyes glowing in the rafters.
  • Aspects:
    • High Concept: Feral Gastropod-Bird-Cobra Hybrid
    • Trouble: Overwhelmed by Intense Vibration
    • Location Aspect: Invisible in the Humid Shadows
    • Sensory Aspect: Vibrational Sight Ignores Illusions
  • Skills:
    • Great (+4): Athletics, Stealth
    • Good (+3): Notice, Physique
    • Fair (+2): Fight, Will
    • Average (+1): Provoke
  • Stunts:
    • Stoop Strike: Once per scene, when the creature enters a zone from a higher elevation, it may make a single Fight attack with a +2 bonus. If successful, the hit also applies the Acid Burned situation aspect with one free invoke.
    • Radula Rasp: When the creature succeeds on a Fight attack with style, it can forgo the boost to apply a Liquefaction consequence to the target, causing 1 physical stress every time the target takes a move action until the end of the scene.
  • Stress: Physical [ ][ ][ ], Mental [ ][ ]
  • Syntax: NPC; Skills (Athletics +4); Stunt (Stoop Strike); Stress 3/2.

Numenera & Cypher System

Unique Name: Gastropteron 722

  • Description: A level 5 creature that clings to the underside of ancient ruins. Its wide head scans for the energy signatures of explorers.
  • Level: 5 (Target Number 15)
  • Health: 20
  • Damage Inflicted: 5 points
  • Movement: Short (Land), Long (Flying)
  • Armor: 2 (Rubbery Flesh)
  • Modifications: Stealth and Perception as Level 7; Speed Defense as Level 4 due to its bulk.
  • Combat:
    • The Gastropteron 722 utilizes its star-nose to sense prey. It treats all targets as visible regardless of darkness, invisibility, or cover.
    • Radula Strike: The creature lunges with its tongue. If the attack hits, the target takes 5 damage and must make a Might defense roll. If they fail, they take 2 additional points of damage every 10 minutes until they receive specialized medical care.
    • Mucus Trail: Any melee attack against the Gastropteron that is not a “Mighty Success” results in the attacker being splashed with acid, taking 2 points of ambient damage.
  • Syntax: Creature (Level 5); Stealth/Perception (Level 7); Armor 2; Liquefaction (Might Defense).

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Gastropteron 722

  • Description: Creature 5, N, Large, Animal, Monstrosity. A terrifying fusion of deep-sea and subterranean predators.
  • Perception: +15; Blindsight (Vibrational) 60 ft.
  • Skills: Acrobatics +13, Athletics +11, Stealth +15 (+17 in humid environments).
  • Str +3, Dex +5, Con +4, Int -4, Wis +3, Cha -2.
  • AC: 22; Fort +13, Ref +15, Will +10.
  • HP: 75.
  • Speed: 15 feet, fly 60 feet (hover).
  • Melee [one-action]: Radula +15 (Finesse, Reach 10ft), Damage 2d8+3 piercing plus 1d6 acid.
  • Melee [one-action]: Tail Slap +15 (Agile), Damage 2d6+3 bludgeoning plus Mucus.
  • Abilities:
    • Liquefaction Enzyme: A creature hit by the Radula must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save or take 1d6 persistent acid damage. While taking this damage, the creature is Sickened 1.
    • Stoop Strike [two-actions]: The creature flies up to double its speed in a straight line downward. If it ends within reach of a target, it makes a Radula attack. On a hit, the target is knocked Prone.
  • Syntax: Creature 5; N Large; AC 22; HP 75; Liquefaction (DC 22).

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Unique Name: Star-Nosed Sky-Slug

  • Description: A feral monstrosity that utilizes its star-nose to sense prey through solid brass and stone.
  • Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d8, Vigor d10.
  • Skills: Athletics d10, Fighting d8, Notice d12, Stealth d10.
  • Pace: 3 (Land) / 12 (Flight); Parry: 6; Toughness: 10 (3).
  • Edges: Flyer, Extraction.
  • Special Abilities:
    • Armor +3: Thick, rubbery hide.
    • Blind-Senses: Ignores all penalties for darkness, invisibility, or visual illusions within 12″.
    • Radula Strike: Str+d6. If the attack causes a Wound, the victim is afflicted with Liquefaction (Vigor roll at -2 every 10 minutes or take another Wound).
    • Acidic Mucus: Anyone grappling the creature or hitting it with an unarmed strike takes 2d4 acid damage.
  • Syntax: Wild Card (Optional); Toughness 10 (3); Blind-Senses 12″; Liquefaction (Vigor -2).

Shadowrun (6th World Edition)

Unique Name: Awakened Star-Wurm

  • Description: An awakened hybrid found in the humid sub-basements of Neo-Tokyo or the overgrown ruins of the Chicago Containment Zone. It tracks the bio-electrical signatures of runners through layers of concrete and steel.
  • Attributes:
    • BOD: 5
    • AGI: 6
    • REA: 5
    • STR: 4
    • WIL: 3
    • LOG: 1
    • INT: 6
    • CHA: 1
    • EDG: 1
    • ESS: 6
    • MAG: 3
  • Initiative: 11 + 1D6
  • Defense Rating: 8
  • Condition Monitor: 11
  • Armor: 2 (Rubbery Hide)
  • Skills: Athletics 5, Close Combat 6, Perception (Vibration) 8, Stealth 7.
  • Powers:
    • Blind-Sight: The creature is entirely blind to light but ignores all penalties for invisibility, smoke, or darkness within 30 meters. It perceives the world through the “Vibrational Sense” of its star-nose.
    • Radula Rasp: (Close Combat Attack). On a hit, the target takes (STR + 3)P damage. The target must succeed on a Body + Willpower (3) test or suffer 1 box of unresistible acid damage every 10 minutes until treated.
    • Stoop Strike: If the creature drops from a height of at least 5 meters, it gains +2 Attack Rating and +1 Damage for that strike.
  • Syntax: Awakened Critter; Armor 2; Blind-Sight 30m; Radula Rasp (Liquefaction).

Starfinder (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Gastropteron 722

  • Description: Level 5, N, Large, Animal, Mutation. Often found clinging to the exterior of orbital stations or within the overgrown bio-domes of Castrovel.
  • Perception: +15; Blindsight (Vibration) 60 ft.
  • AC: 22; Fort: +13, Ref: +15, Will: +10.
  • HP: 75.
  • Speed: 15 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover).
  • Melee [one-action]: Radula +15 (Finesse, Reach 10ft), Damage 2d8+3 P plus 1d6 acid.
  • Melee [one-action]: Tail Slap +15 (Agile), Damage 2d6+3 B plus Mucus.
  • Abilities:
    • Liquefaction Enzyme: A creature hit by the Radula must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save or take 1d6 persistent acid damage. While taking this damage, the creature is Sickened 1.
    • Stoop Strike [two-actions]: The creature flies up to double its speed in a straight line downward. If it ends within reach of a target, it makes a Radula attack. On a hit, the target is knocked Prone.
    • Vibrational Sensitivity: The creature takes a –2 penalty to AC and saving throws against effects with the Sonic trait.
  • Syntax: Level 5 Creature; N Large; AC 22; HP 75; Liquefaction (DC 22).

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Star-Nosed Glider

  • Description: A biological anomaly often encountered in the humid maintenance shafts of TL 12+ starports or on jungle worlds with high atmospheric pressure.
  • Characteristics:
    • STR: 9 (+1)
    • DEX: 14 (+2)
    • END: 11 (+1)
    • INT: 1 (-2)
    • INS: 12 (+2)
    • PAK: 2 (-1)
  • Armor: 4 (Thick Rubbery Skin)
  • Skills: Athletics (Dexterity) 3, Melee (Unarmed) 2, Recon 4, Stealth 3.
  • Attacks:
    • Radula Lunge: 2D6+1 damage. If the damage exceeds the target’s Armor, the target takes an additional 1 point of damage to a random physical characteristic every 10 minutes until medical aid (Medic 8+) is provided.
    • Stoop Strike: If the creature has a height advantage, it adds DM+2 to its next attack and +4 damage.
  • Special: Vibration Sense: The creature detects any movement or heartbeat within 25 meters regardless of visual conditions. It ignores DM penalties for darkness or smoke.
  • Syntax: Animal (Hunter/Flyer); Armor 4; 2D6+1 Radula; Vibration Sense (25m).

Warhammer (Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition)

Unique Name: The Star-Faced Terror of the Grey Mountains

  • Description: A creature of legend whispered about by miners and engineers. It is a blind hunter that thrives in the humid, dark tunnels beneath the world.
  • Characteristics:
    • M: 3 / 8 (Flying)
    • WS: 40
    • BS: 05
    • S: 45
    • T: 55
    • I: 60
    • Agi: 50
    • Dex: 15
    • Int: 10
    • WP: 30
    • Fel: 05
  • Wounds: 24
  • Traits:
    • Armour 2 (Rubbery Hide)
    • Bite +8 (Radula)
    • Flight (8)
    • Sixth Sense (Vibration): The creature perceives all movement within 20 yards perfectly. It ignores all penalties for being Blind and cannot be Surprised.
    • Tail Slap +7 (Entangle)
    • Vomitive (Acid): The creature can spit caustic mucus (Range 4). Targets must make a Challenging (+0) Dodge Test or suffer a hit with a Damage of 6 that ignores Armor.
  • Special: Liquefaction: Any Wound caused by the Radula requires a Challenging (+0) Endurance Test. Failure results in the target gaining 1 Fatigued Condition every 10 minutes as their internals begin to soften.
  • Syntax: Elite Monster; Armour 2; Sixth Sense (Vibration); Liquefaction (Endurance).