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Porcubatrachid 114

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by

Dale
in

The Porcubatrachid 114 is a volatile, feral life form that thrives in the high-pressure, humid subterranean vaults of Saṃsāra. This creature is a biological amalgamation of four distinct classes from the Animalia Kingdom: Actinopterygii (Longspine Porcupinefish), Mammalia (Vampire Bat), Amphibia (Axolotl), and Diplopoda (Giant African Millipede).

  • Original Life Forms Combined
    • Class Actinopterygii: Longspine Porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus)
    • Class Mammalia: Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus)
    • Class Amphibia: Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)
    • Class Diplopoda: Giant African Millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas)
  • Appearance
    • The creature possesses a long, segmented, serpentine body supported by hundreds of small, rhythmic legs that allow it to traverse pipes and uneven stone with ease.
    • Its torso is covered in a pale, translucent skin that reveals the pulsing magic flow within, but this skin is densely packed with retractable, hollow quills.
    • The head features the feathery, external gills of an amphibian, flanking a wide, toothless maw designed for suction.
    • Attached to the fore-segments are leathery, clawed wings that allow for clumsy, erratic flight when the creature launches itself from high ledges.
  • Size
    • Length: 6 feet.
    • Width: 1 foot (3 feet when inflated).
    • Weight: 85 lbs.
  • Speed
    • Scuttle: 30 feet.
    • Climb: 30 feet.
    • Flight: 20 feet (Clumsy).
  • Stat Modifiers
    • Strength: -1 (Relies on propulsion and spikes rather than muscle).
    • Dexterity: +3 (Exceptional climbing and wall-clinging).
    • Constitution: +4 (High regenerative capabilities and defensive inflation).
    • Intelligence: -4 (Purely instinctual and reactionary).
    • Wisdom/Perception: +4 (Echolocation and external gills sense vibrations in the air).
  • Skills
    • Regenerative Stasis: If the creature takes damage but is not killed, it can regenerate lost limbs or segments over the course of 24 hours.
    • Echolocation: Ignores all penalties for total darkness.
    • Defensive Inflation: As a reaction to being struck, the creature can gulp air or steam, doubling its size and locking its quills into an outward position.
  • Behavior
    • A reactive scavenger that clings to the undersides of heavy machinery and steam-pipes. It spends much of its time in a dormant state, sensing the vibrations of the island’s mechanical power transmission.
    • When threatened, it does not flee but instead inflates rapidly, turning itself into a spiked sphere of leathery wings and hundreds of legs.
  • Diet
    • Hematophagous Scavenger. It uses its suction-based mouth to latch onto larger feral creatures or unwary avatars, drawing out fluids and mana-rich blood.
  • Emotions
    • Primarily driven by Panic. It is a high-strung creature that views any sudden change in light or vibration as a lethal threat, triggering its inflation reflex immediately.
  • Environment Where Found
    • Found in Unsafe to Deathly subterranean areas, specifically damp steam tunnels, abandoned mine shafts, and the dark spaces behind the gears of metropolitan skyscrapers.
  • Tags
    • Feral, Monstrosity, Segmented, Regenerative, Spiked, Echolocation, Tier 1, Scavenger, Hybrid, Amorphous-Flight, Aquatic-Breather, Barb-Haired, Blood-Sucker, Elastic-Flesh, Gilled, Multi-Legged, Reactive-Spiker, Segmented-Chitin, Subterranean-Scrambler

The value of the Porcubatrachid 114 in a sellers’ market is found primarily in its hollow quills, which can be harvested to create lightweight, toxin-resistant needles for alchemical injectors. Avatars searching for these creatures must remain vigilant; while the creature’s offensive capabilities are low, its defensive spikes can easily puncture standard leather armor, and the regenerative nature of its flesh means it can survive encounters that would slay other Tier 1 entities. Remember that avatars gain nothing from a short rest, so any wounds sustained from the quills must be addressed with proper medical gear or magic circuits before moving deeper into the tunnels.

Life Cycle and Ecology of the Porcubatrachid 114

The biological progression of the Porcubatrachid 114 is defined by extreme physical transformation and high-speed regeneration, blending the metamorphic nature of the amphibian with the segmented growth of the millipede.

  • Larval Stage (The Gill-Wurm):
    • Hatched in the condensation pools beneath heavy steam-valves, the young are entirely aquatic.
    • They possess only the first ten segments and the feathery axolotl-gills.
    • During this stage, they are translucent and highly vulnerable, feeding on the magical runoff and mineral deposits found in the industrial “Normal” zones.
  • Segment Accumulation (Juvenile):
    • As the creature matures, it adds two new segments and four pairs of legs every lunar cycle.
    • The leathery wing-flaps begin to sprout from the third and fourth segments, though they remain pinned to the body until the first successful “Panic” inflation.
  • Adulthood and Regeneration:
    • An adult Porcubatrachid 114 can live for decades in the dark.
    • If a predator or an avatar severs a portion of its body, the creature can “drop” the trailing segments to distract the threat.
    • The head-segment will then retreat into a narrow pipe and regrow the lost length within twenty-four hours, provided it has access to a mana-rich fluid source.

Mating and Propagation

  • The Echolocation Hum:
    • Mating occurs in the “Deathly” subterranean depths where the vibrations of the world-gears are loudest.
    • Individuals emit a high-pitched, melodic clicking that reflects off the damp walls.
    • When two compatible frequencies meet, the creatures entwine their segmented bodies, locking their quills together in a communal “Spike-Ball” that can weigh hundreds of pounds.
  • Spore-Egg Deposition:
    • They do not lay traditional eggs but rather secrete a gelatinous, spiked mass that contains thousands of microscopic embryos.
    • This mass is adhered directly to the underside of rotating shafts or moving mechanical power transmission belts, ensuring the offspring are distributed throughout the skyscraper or cave system as the machinery moves.

Combat Tactics and Actions

The Porcubatrachid 114 is not a hunter by choice but a reactive defender that punishes anything that interrupts its dormancy.

  • Panic Inflation (Reaction):
    • When the creature takes damage or is touched, it gulps air or steam.
    • Its size triples instantly. Any creature within 5 feet must succeed on a Dexterity check or be struck by 1d8 hollow quills.
    • These quills remain embedded, causing “Bleed” and “Mana Drain” until removed.
  • Suction Latch (Action):
    • The creature launches its head-segment at a target.
    • On a hit, it latches its toothless maw onto exposed skin or a magic circuit.
    • It begins to drain 1d6 HP per round. To remove it, the target must succeed on a Strength check, though doing so while the creature is inflated causes additional quill damage.
  • Erratic Flight (Movement):
    • While not capable of sustained flight, the creature can expel the air from its inflated body to “rocket” itself away from a threat.
    • This movement is unpredictable; it moves 20 feet in a random direction, potentially colliding with other avatars and dealing bludgeoning damage.

Other Interesting Information

  • Mana-Sensitive Gills:
    • The feathery external gills do more than breathe; they taste the “Magic Flow.”
    • If a high-tier avatar is nearby, the gills will glow with a faint violet light, alerting other subterranean predators to the presence of a “Possessed” soul.
  • The Sellers’ Market for Quills:
    • The hollow quills are naturally treated with an anti-coagulant.
    • In the 73 island countries, these are cleaned and sold to doctors and alchemists as high-precision needles.
    • Because the quills are biological and magically resonant, they are preferred for injecting potions directly into an avatar’s magic circuits without causing a “Divine Pain” rejection.
  • Industrial Camouflage:
    • When dormant, the segmented body and many legs often resemble a discarded, rusted cooling-hose or a frayed cable.
    • Even with the Mind’s Eye, an adventurer might mistake a resting Porcubatrachid 114 for part of the mechanical infrastructure unless they look for the pulsing rhythm of the gills.
  • Dietary Needs:
    • While they prefer blood, they can survive for months by “drinking” the steam from high-pressure leaks.
    • This habit makes them a nuisance in metropolitan skyscrapers, as their suction-latched mouths can slowly widen small cracks in pipes, leading to catastrophic steam failures.

Avatars encountering this creature should note that its high Constitution and regenerative stasis make it a difficult target to dispatch permanently. Since avatars gain nothing from a short rest, the persistent bleed damage from a failed encounter with the quills can lead to a slow depletion of resources long after the creature has scuttled back into the shadows.

The reasons for a party of adventurers to seek out or inadvertently stumble upon a Porcubatrachid 114 are deeply rooted in the industrial and alchemical demands of the 73 island countries. Their presence often serves as both a biological resource and a significant mechanical hazard.

  • Extraction of Specialized Alchemical Hardware The primary reason for a deliberate search is the harvesting of the creature’s hollow quills. In a sellers’ market, these are the preferred material for creating high-precision medical injectors. Because the quills are biologically compatible with the “Magic Flow,” they allow for the administration of potions or mana-restoratives directly into an avatar’s circuits without the risk of “Divine Pain” rejection that often accompanies brass or iron needles.
  • Infrastructure Maintenance and Steam Loss In metropolitan skyscrapers, a Porcubatrachid 114 is considered a high-priority pest. Their habit of latching onto high-pressure steam pipes with their suction-based maws can slowly degrade the structural integrity of the brass. A party may be contracted by a skyscraper administrator to clear a “Deathly” subterranean vault where several 114s are causing localized pressure drops, threatening the mechanical power transmission of an entire district.
  • Recovery of Stolen Bio-Mana Because the creature is hematophagous and mana-sensitive, it often latches onto livestock, valuable feral mounts, or even unconscious avatars. A party might be hired to track a Porcubatrachid 114 that has “stolen” the mana-rich blood of a high-tier experimental creature, requiring the adventurers to capture the 114 alive to reverse the drainage process.
  • Navigational Hazards in Dark Zones Adventurers navigating through abandoned mine shafts or deep-level steam tunnels will frequently encounter these creatures as passive obstacles. Their “Industrial Camouflage” makes them difficult to spot without a high-tier Mind’s Eye, often leading to accidental contact. A single misstep can trigger a “Panic Inflation,” turning a narrow corridor into a localized zone of spiked hazards that can deplete a party’s health before they reach their primary objective.
  • Harvesting of Regenerative Glands The axolotl-derived regenerative properties of the Porcubatrachid 114 are highly prized by scholars. The external gills and the head-segment contain unique proteins that are used in the creation of “Regrowth Salves.” Adventurers may be tasked with collecting “fresh” head-segments, a difficult feat given the creature’s ability to sever its own body and escape through narrow ventilation gaps.
  • Sentinels of the “Magic Flow” Because their feathery gills glow in the presence of high-tier magic, some “Rule Breakers” or subterranean cults use the Porcubatrachid 114 as a natural alarm system. Adventurers infiltrating a hidden lair might encounter a “Spike-Wall” of these creatures, intentionally placed to detect the vibrational and magical signature of intruders.
  • Scientific Study of Hybrid Evolution On the world of Saṃsāra, the sudden appearance of such a disparate hybrid is often a subject of intense study for those interested in the “Ebb and Flow” of life forms. A party might be commissioned by a metropolitan university to observe the creature’s mating “Spike-Ball” or to collect a “Gill-Wurm” larva for observation in a controlled magical environment.

Whenever a party encounters a Porcubatrachid 114, they must manage their resources carefully. The “Panic Inflation” and “Suction Latch” can cause persistent damage that lingers long after the fight, and since avatars gain nothing from a short rest, a single encounter with this feral creature can jeopardize the success of a longer delve into the island’s depths.

The biological harvesting of a Porcubatrachid 114 is a delicate process requiring specialized tools to handle the reactive nature of its anatomy. Because this feral creature is a physical manifestation of diverse Animalia classes, its remains offer a variety of industrial and alchemical applications within the sellers’ market of the 73 island countries.

  • Hollow Anticoagulant Quills The most valuable harvestable items are the primary quills located along the creature’s dorsal segments. These are naturally hollow and contain a trace amount of anticoagulant residue.
    • Usage: Cleaned and sharpened, they are used as “Sovereign Injectors” for medical practitioners.
    • Effect: They allow for the delivery of high-tier potions directly into an avatar’s bloodstream or magic circuits with minimal resistance or “Divine Pain” response.
  • Feathery External Gills The external gills of the head-segment are highly sensitive to the “Magic Flow.”
    • Usage: When preserved in a saline solution of elemental water, these gills can be fashioned into a “Mana-Compass.”
    • Effect: The gills will twitch or glow in the presence of concentrated magical energy, helping adventurers locate hidden conduits or leaks in metropolitan steam systems.
  • Regenerative Blastema Tissue The tissue found at the joints where the creature can sever its own segments is rich in regenerative proteins.
    • Usage: This tissue is processed into “Regrowth Salves” by high-tier alchemists.
    • Effect: It is used to treat severe lacerations or to accelerate the mending of bone in environments where magical healing is restricted by “Unsafe” atmospheric conditions.
  • Vampiric Suction Maw The muscular structure of the mouth and the associated throat-sac can be removed intact.
    • Usage: Often repurposed by plumbers and steam-workers as a “Biological Siphon.”
    • Effect: It is utilized to draw out stagnant fluids or hazardous magical runoff from narrow pipes where mechanical pumps cannot reach.
  • Elastic Dermal Platelets The skin of the Porcubatrachid 114 is capable of extreme expansion without tearing.
    • Usage: This material is used to create gaskets for high-pressure steam valves.
    • Effect: These gaskets can withstand the sudden “Panic” surges of pressure within a mechanical power transmission system that would burst standard leather or rubber seals.
  • Segmented Chitinous Legs The hundreds of tiny legs are surprisingly durable and possess a natural “grip” for vertical surfaces.
    • Usage: They are harvested and bundled to create “Climber’s Brushes” or specialized cleaning tools for the intricate gears of a skyscraper’s core.
    • Effect: The natural hooks on the legs allow for the removal of carbon buildup and metallic dust from hard-to-reach mechanical components.
  • Echolocation Vocal Cords The specialized throat structure used to emit high-pitched clicks for navigation.
    • Usage: Alchemists use these to craft “Silent-Whistles.”
    • Effect: These tools produce a sound that is inaudible to most sentient beings but can be used to signal companions or animal mounts that possess high Wisdom or specialized hearing.
  • Luminescent Nerve Bundles The nerves that reveal the creature’s internal magic flow.
    • Usage: These are often used as “Live-Wire” filaments in low-tier magical lamps.
    • Effect: They provide a steady, dim violet light that does not require a constant ritual chant, making them ideal for long delves into “Deathly” subterranean areas.

The price for these materials varies significantly based on the proximity to the metropolitan centers where such industrial components are in high demand. Buyers must be cautious, as the regenerative nature of some tissues means that poorly preserved gills or blastema can become necrotic, losing their value entirely. Since avatars gain nothing from a short rest, the speed at which these items are harvested and treated is critical for maintaining the profit margin of a delve.

Many-Footed Spike-Hose and Sorrow of Deep Valve

In the cycles of the world before the seventy-three islands were sundered by the hammer of the sky-gods, when the steam was yet a wild spirit untamed by the brass of the kings, there was a city of stone and shadow known as Uruk-Gera. This city was built within the hollow of a great mountain, and its people lived by the breathing of the earth-pipes, which gave the warmth of the deep fire to the cold of the mountain air. Because the magic flow in Uruk-Gera was as thick as the mud of the great river, the avatars who dwelled there were gifted with the ears of the bat and the skin of the fish.

Among these people was a watcher of the first tier named Enkidu-Garn, whose soul carried the heavy memories of a tender of beasts from a land where the grass was made of emerald. Enkidu-Garn was tasked with the silence of the primary steam-vault, a place where the mechanical power transmission of the ancients turned with a sound like the grinding of teeth. One evening, as the moons were hidden by the smoke of the great forge, Enkidu-Garn heard a clicking that did not come from the gears. It was a nervous, erratic rhythm, like the heartbeat of a trapped bird.

Enkidu-Garn looked into the damp shadows of the copper pipes, where the moisture gathered into pools of condensation. He saw there a crawling shape, a thing that had the body of a thousand-legged worm but the face of a pink-gilled river-beast. It was the Porcubatrachid 114, known in the ancient, unreadable scrolls as the Spine-Balloon of the Metal Veins. The creature had no eyes, but its head was crowned with feathery gills that tasted the magic flow of the steam.

The Porcubatrachid had been drawn by the vibration of the Uruk-Gera pipes, for it mistook the heat of the steam for the blood of a gargantuan prey. As it clung there, it began to suction the brass with its wide, toothless maw, seeking the mana-rich fluids within. Enkidu-Garn, sensing the “Unsafe” nature of the corruption through his Mind’s Eye, reached for his hook of iron.

But the Porcubatrachid was as reactive as the lightning of the summer storm. It sensed the footfall of the watcher through its many legs. In a moment of extreme panic, the creature gulped the escaping steam of the vault. Its body tripled in size, the translucent skin stretching until the magic flow within glowed like a dying star. From its back, hundreds of hollow quills erupted, locking into place with the sound of snapping bone.

Enkidu-Garn, though a watcher of the first tier, knew that he could not flee, for the steam-vault was the life of the city. He struck the creature with his hook, but the metal only triggered a greater inflation. The quills pierced his leather tunic, entering his flesh with a cold, blood-draining hunger. The watcher felt his mana departing, his strength becoming as water in the desert.

Yet, the soul of the beast-tender was strong. In his mind, he remembered how to calm a creature that knows only fear. He did not strike again. Instead, he reached out and touched the feathery gills with a hand of peace. The Porcubatrachid, being sensitive to the “Magic Flow” and the vibration of the heart, felt the stillness of the man. Its panic receded like the tide from the shore. The inflation collapsed, the quills retracted into the pale flesh, and the creature became once more a many-legged scavenger of the shadows.

Enkidu-Garn did not slay the beast. He guided it to a secondary pipe, a leak of lesser importance where the creature could drink its fill without breaking the heart of the city. He harvested but a single quill from his own wound, using it to stitch the story into the hide of a desert goat. He lived for many years after, though he always walked with a limp from the puncture of the 114, for he knew that avatars gain nothing from a short rest and the wounds of the spike-hose are long in the mending.

The Fragmented Tablet ends here, but the elders of the 73 island countries still sing the song of the watcher when they enter the deep steam-vaults. They carry with them a sprig of damp moss to soothe the gills of the hungry, for they remember the night the city was saved by a touch of quiet.

The Moral of the Story: The hand that strikes the balloon only invites the needle, but the hand that stills the breath may find the path through the thorns; for in the dark places of the world, fear is the only armor that truly bites.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)

Unique Name: The Bloated Quill-Wurm

  • Description: A pale, multi-legged horror that clings to the undersides of industrial machinery. Its external gills twitch in the dark, sensing the electrical impulses of the investigators’ hearts.
  • Characteristics:
    • STR: 45
    • CON: 90
    • SIZ: 50
    • DEX: 65
    • INT: 20
    • POW: 40
    • HP: 14
    • Build: 0
    • Move: 7 / 5 Flying (Clumsy)
  • Attacks per Round: 1 (Suction Latch or Quill Burst)
    • Suction Latch: 40% (20/8), damage 1D4 + Build. The creature attaches to the target and automatically drains 1D6 HP at the start of each subsequent round until forcibly removed (requires a Hard STR check).
    • Quill Burst (Reaction): When struck in melee, the creature inflates. Anyone within 5 feet must succeed on a Dodge roll or take 1D8 damage from hollow quills.
  • Armor: 2-point rubbery skin.
  • Special: Regeneration: The creature recovers 2 HP at the start of every combat round unless it has been reduced to 0 HP.
  • Sanity Loss: 0/1D6 Sanity points to see the creature inflate into a spiked sphere.
  • Syntax: Mythos Monster; Armor 2; Regeneration (2/round); Quill Burst (Reaction).

Blades in the Dark

Unique Name: The Steam-Pipe Sticker

  • Description: A feral pest found in the damp infrastructure of the Silkshore district. It is a biological hazard that reacts violently to the presence of scoundrels.
  • Tier: I (Small but incredibly difficult to kill).
  • Threat Level: Risky (Engaging in melee carries the risk of the Spiked consequence).
  • Attributes:
    • Quality: Tier I.
    • Scale: Individual or Small Group.
  • Abilities:
    • Reactive Inflation: When the creature is threatened or physically struck, it instantly fills its body with steam. This creates a Desperate position for anyone in melee range as hundreds of quills lock into place.
    • Mana-Drain Latch: The creature can latch onto a target, causing Level 2 Harm (Drained). This harm cannot be recovered through a standard recovery action until the specific anti-coagulant is neutralized.
    • Regenerative Stasis: If the creature is not completely destroyed (e.g., burned or crushed by heavy machinery), it will regrow its entire body within a day.
  • Clock: Siphon Steam Pressure (4-segment clock). If filled, the local mechanical power transmission fails.
  • Syntax: Feral Threat; Tier I; Reactive Inflation (Desperate); Regenerative Stasis.

Dungeons & Dragons (5th Edition)

Unique Name: Porcubatrachid 114

  • Description: Small monstrosity, unaligned. A segmented, many-legged scavenger that utilizes defensive quills and rapid regeneration to survive in hostile subterranean environments.
  • Armor Class: 13 (Natural Armor).
  • Hit Points: 45 (6d6 + 24).
  • Speed: 30 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (clumsy).
  • Stats: STR 8 (-1), DEX 16 (+3), CON 18 (+4), INT 2 (-4), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 5 (-3).
  • Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (Echolocation), Passive Perception 12.
  • Abilities:
    • Regeneration: The Porcubatrachid regains 5 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
    • Panic Inflation (Reaction): When the Porcubatrachid takes damage, it inflates. Each creature within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or take 4 (1d8) piercing damage from its quills. While inflated, the Porcubatrachid’s AC increases to 16, but its speed is halved.
  • Actions:
    • Suction Latch: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4 + 3) piercing damage, and the Porcubatrachid attaches to the target. While attached, it can’t make Suction Latch attacks against other targets. At the start of each of the Porcubatrachid’s turns, the target takes 7 (2d6) necrotic damage as its fluids are drained.
  • Syntax: Small monstrosity; AC 13 (16 Inflated); Regeneration 5; Blindsight 60ft.

Knave (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Quill-Slug

  • Description: A many-legged worm that blows itself up like a bladder when poked. Its skin is pale and its gills are pink and feathery.
  • Level: 3 (HD 3, HP 14).
  • Armor: 12 (15 when inflated).
  • Movement: Normal (Land/Climb), Slow (Flight).
  • Attacks: 1 (Bite +3 or Quill Spray).
  • Abilities:
    • Inflation: When hit, it doubles in size. Everyone nearby must make a DEX Save or take 1d8 damage.
    • Regrow: If not killed outright, it regains 1 HD of health every hour.
    • Blind-Sense: It ignores darkness and fog due to its sensitive gills.
  • Morale: 7 (It is very nervous).
  • Treasure: 1d4 Gear Slots of medicinal quills or regenerative tissue.
  • Syntax: HD 3; AC 12; 1 Attack; DEX Save (Inflation); Blind-Sense.

Fate Core

Unique Name: The Reactive Spine-Balloon

  • Description: A segmented, pale horror that clings to the undersides of heavy machinery. It possesses a nervous temperament, reacting to any physical contact by swelling into a mass of hollow, blood-draining spikes.
  • Aspects:
    • High Concept: Feral Segmented Spiker-Scavenger
    • Trouble: Overwhelmed by Sudden Light and Noise
    • Location Aspect: Invisible Among the Rusted Pipes
    • Physiology Aspect: Highly Regenerative Segmented Body
  • Skills:
    • Great (+4): Physique (Constitution/Inflation)
    • Good (+3): Stealth, Athletics
    • Fair (+2): Notice, Will
    • Average (+1): Fight
  • Stunts:
    • Panic Inflation: Once per scene, when the Porcubatrachid takes physical stress, it can automatically create the Wall of Quills advantage with two free invokes on itself. While this is active, anyone attempting to use Fight against it in melee takes 2 physical stress on a failed or tied roll.
    • Regenerative Stasis: At the start of every exchange, the creature can clear its lowest-level physical stress box.
  • Stress: Physical [ ][ ][ ][ ], Mental [ ][ ]
  • Syntax: NPC; Skills (Physique +4); Stunt (Panic Inflation); Stress 4/2.

Numenera & Cypher System

Unique Name: Porcubatrachid 114

  • Description: A level 3 creature (target number 9) that resembles a cross between an axolotl and a massive, winged millipede. It thrives on the mana-rich steam of ancient ruins.
  • Level: 3
  • Health: 12
  • Damage Inflicted: 3 points
  • Movement: Short (Land/Climb), Short (Clumsy Flight)
  • Armor: 1 (3 when inflated)
  • Modifications: Stealth and Perception as Level 5; Speed Defense as Level 2 due to its erratic movements.
  • Combat:
    • Defensive Inflation: When attacked, the creature inflates. The target number to hit it in melee remains the same, but the attacker must make a Speed defense roll or take 3 points of damage from the quills.
    • Siphon Latch: On a successful attack, the creature latches on. The target takes 3 points of damage each round (ignores Armor) as its fluids are drained. Escaping requires a Might-based task.
    • Regeneration: The creature regains 2 points of health per round unless it is reduced to 0.
  • Syntax: Creature (Level 3); Stealth/Perception (Level 5); Armor 1/3; Regeneration.

Pathfinder (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Porcubatrachid 114

  • Description: Creature 3, N, Small, Animal, Monstrosity. A skittish subterranean hybrid that feeds on the vital fluids of larger organisms.
  • Perception: +10; Blindsight (Echolocation) 60 ft., Tremorsense (Gills) 30 ft.
  • Skills: Acrobatics +9, Athletics +7 (+11 to Climb), Stealth +11.
  • Str -1, Dex +4, Con +5, Int -4, Wis +2, Cha -3.
  • AC: 19 (21 when inflated); Fort +12, Ref +9, Will +7.
  • HP: 45; Regeneration 5.
  • Speed: 30 feet, climb 30 feet, fly 20 feet (clumsy).
  • Melee [one-action]: Suction Maw +11 (Finesse, Agile), Damage 1d6+3 piercing plus Grab.
  • Abilities:
    • Panic Inflation [reaction]: Trigger The Porcubatrachid takes damage or is touched. Effect The creature inflates. Each creature in an adjacent square must succeed at a DC 20 Reflex save or take 1d8 piercing damage. While inflated, the creature’s Speed is halved, its AC increases by 2, and any creature that hits it with an unarmed melee attack or Grapples it takes 1d6 piercing damage.
    • Blood Drain [one-action]: Requirement The Porcubatrachid has a creature Grabbed. Effect The creature drains blood and mana. The target takes 1d8 persistent bleed damage and is Enfeebled 1 for as long as the bleed persists.
  • Syntax: Creature 3; N Small; AC 19/21; HP 45; Regeneration 5.

Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)

Unique Name: Quill-Batrachid

  • Description: A multi-legged scavenger that is common in the steam-filled under-levels of the island cities.
  • Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d10.
  • Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d6, Notice d8, Stealth d10.
  • Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 9 (2).
  • Edges: Wall Walker, Extraction.
  • Special Abilities:
    • Armor +2: Rubbery, translucent skin.
    • Echolocation: Ignores penalties for Dim or Dark lighting.
    • Regeneration: Makes a Vigor roll every round to heal a Wound, even if Incapacitated (unless the killing blow was Fire or Acid).
    • Panic Inflation: When struck by a melee attack, the creature inflates. Everyone in an adjacent Small Burst Template must make an Agility roll or take Str+d6 damage. While inflated, its Parry is reduced by 1 but its Toughness increases by +2.
    • Suction Latch: Str+d4. If the creature hits, it Grapples automatically. On its next turn, it begins draining Vigor, causing an automatic Level of Fatigue each round until removed.
  • Syntax: Resilient Extra; Toughness 9 (2); Regeneration (Vigor); Panic Inflation.

Shadowrun (6th World Edition)

Unique Name: Quilled Pipe-Stalker

  • Description: An awakened subterranean hybrid often found nesting near geothermal vents or high-pressure steam conduits in the sprawl. It is highly reactive to the bio-electrical signatures of cyberware.
  • Attributes:
    • BOD: 6
    • AGI: 4
    • REA: 3
    • STR: 2
    • WIL: 3
    • LOG: 1
    • INT: 4
    • CHA: 1
    • EDG: 1
    • ESS: 6
    • MAG: 2
  • Initiative: 7 + 1D6
  • Defense Rating: 8 (11 when Inflated)
  • Condition Monitor: 11
  • Armor: 2 (Rubbery Flesh)
  • Skills: Athletics 4, Close Combat 3, Perception (Echolocation) 5, Stealth 5.
  • Powers:
    • Reactive Inflation: When the creature takes damage or is touched, it gulps air as a reflex. This increases its Size by 1 and grants +3 to its Defense Rating. Any character in Close Combat range must succeed on a Reaction + Intuition (3) test or take 3P damage from the quills.
    • Regeneration: The creature heals 1 box of damage at the end of every Combat Round unless the damage was caused by Fire or Acid.
    • Siphon Latch: (Agility + Close Combat). On a hit, the creature attaches. It drains 1 point of Essence or 2 boxes of Physical damage per minute until removed with a Strength + Body (4) Test.
  • Syntax: Awakened Critter; Armor 2; Regeneration; Reactive Inflation (3P Damage).

Starfinder (2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Porcubatrachid 114

  • Description: Level 3, N, Small, Animal, Mutation. A segmented scavenger that thrives in the maintenance corridors of space stations and the humid under-levels of Absalom Station.
  • Perception: +9; Blindsight (Echolocation) 60 ft., Tremorsense (Gills) 30 ft.
  • AC: 18; Fort: +11, Ref: +8, Will: +6.
  • HP: 40; Regeneration 5 (except Fire/Acid).
  • Speed: 30 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (clumsy).
  • Melee [one-action]: Suction Maw +10 (Finesse), Damage 1d6+2 P plus Grab.
  • Abilities:
    • Panic Inflation [reaction]: Trigger The creature takes damage. Effect The creature inflates. Adjacent creatures take 1d8 P damage (DC 18 Basic Reflex save). While inflated, its AC is 20, its Speed is 15 ft., and any creature that touches it or hits it with a melee unarmed attack takes 1d6 P damage.
    • Fluid Siphon [one-action]: Requirement The creature has a target Grabbed. Effect The target takes 1d6 persistent bleed damage and is Sickened 1 until the bleed is stopped.
  • Syntax: Level 3 Creature; Small Mutation; AC 18/20; Regeneration 5.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Unique Name: Segmented Spiker

  • Description: A multi-legged scavenger found in the humid, dark crevices of TL 10+ starport maintenance shafts.
  • Characteristics:
    • STR: 5 (-1)
    • DEX: 9 (+1)
    • END: 12 (+2)
    • INT: 1 (-2)
    • INS: 10 (+1)
    • PAK: 3 (-1)
  • Armor: 3 (Rubbery Skin)
  • Skills: Athletics (Dexterity) 2, Melee (Unarmed) 1, Recon 2, Stealth 3.
  • Attacks:
    • Suction Maw: 1D6 damage. On a hit, it latches. The victim takes 2 damage automatically at the end of every round until a successful STR check (9+) is made to pull it off.
    • Quill Inflation (Reaction): When attacked, the creature inflates. Anyone in melee range takes 1D6+2 damage.
  • Special: Regeneration: The creature heals 2 points of damage to its Characteristics every hour. Echolocation: Ignores all DM penalties for darkness.
  • Syntax: Animal (Scavenger/Walker); Armor 3; 1D6+2 Quill Damage; Regeneration.

Warhammer (Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition)

Unique Name: The Gilled Spine-Worm

  • Description: A pale, segmented monstrosity found in the sewers of Nuln or the damp depths of the Grey Mountains. It reacts with violent inflation to the presence of intruders.
  • Characteristics:
    • M: 4 / 2 (Flying)
    • WS: 35
    • BS: 05
    • S: 25
    • T: 55
    • I: 45
    • Agi: 40
    • Dex: 20
    • Int: 10
    • WP: 35
    • Fel: 05
  • Wounds: 18
  • Traits:
    • Armour 2 (Rubbery Flesh)
    • Bite +5 (Suction)
    • Echolocation: Treats all Perception tests in the dark as Easy (+40) and ignores all combat penalties for darkness.
    • Regenerate: At the start of each round, makes a Toughness Test to heal 1d10 Wounds.
    • Quill Inflation: When the creature takes a Wound, it inflates. All creatures in melee must make a Challenging (+0) Dodge Test or suffer 6 Damage that ignores non-plate Armour. While inflated, its Movement is halved but its Armour increases to 4.
  • Syntax: Elite Monster; Armour 2/4; Regenerate; Quill Inflation.