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Pristiguline Brachonus 73

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by

Dale
in

Original Life Forms

  • Class Mammalia: Wolverine (Gulo gulo)
  • Class Gastropoda: Cone Snail (Conus geographus)
  • Class Insecta: Bombardier Beetle (Brachininae)
  • Class Chondrichthyes: Sawfish (Pristidae)

Appearance The Pristiguline Brachonus possesses a powerful, low-slung mammalian body reminiscent of a wolverine, covered in thick, coarse fur that ranges in color from dark brown to black, often matted with mud and grime. Its fur secretes a foul-smelling oil that makes it highly water-resistant. Instead of a standard snout, its face is hardened and tapers to a durable, chitinous point from which it can rapidly extend a flexible, fleshy proboscis. This proboscis is tipped with a barbed, venom-injecting harpoon made of a substance similar to tooth dentin. The creature’s most striking feature is its long, muscular tail, which is flattened vertically and measures nearly as long as its body. Both edges of this tail are lined with a series of sharp, jagged, bony protrusions, identical in appearance and function to the rostrum of a sawfish. Near the base of this formidable tail are two noticeable, pulsating glands that serve as its defensive chemical spray weapon. Its legs are short but incredibly powerful, ending in wide paws with semi-retractable claws well-suited for both digging and rending flesh.

Size This is a medium-to-large creature, significantly larger and heavier than its wolverine ancestor. An adult typically stands between 2.5 to 3 feet tall at the shoulder. Its body length averages 5 to 6 feet, with its serrated tail adding another 4 to 5 feet to its total length. Due to its dense musculature and heavy, bony tail, a mature Pristiguline Brachonus weighs between 250 and 400 pounds.

Speed On land, the creature moves with a lumbering but surprisingly quick gait, capable of short, ferocious bursts of speed to close the distance on prey or intruders, but it is not built for sustained chases. Its true agility is revealed in water, where it uses its powerful, saw-toothed tail for propulsion, sculling through wetlands and rivers with considerable speed and grace. It is also an exceptionally skilled burrower, capable of excavating large amounts of soil and mud with its powerful claws to create lairs or ambush points.

Stat Modifiers

  • Strength: High
  • Dexterity: Moderate
  • Constitution: Very High
  • Intelligence: Low (Animal Cunning)
  • Wisdom: Moderate
  • Charisma: Very Low

Skills This creature possesses a high degree of skill in Survival for tracking prey and navigating its wetland environment. Its Perception is keen, honed to detect the slightest movement both above and below the water’s surface. It has a formidable Athletics skill, which applies to its swimming, climbing, and burrowing capabilities. It is highly proficient in Intimidation, using a combination of deep guttural hisses, threat displays with its saw-tail, and the release of small, acrid puffs of gas from its chemical glands. Its unique methods of attack are also specialized skills: one governing the precise, close-range strike of its venomous proboscis, and another for the brutal, sweeping arcs of its serrated tail.

Behavior The Pristiguline Brachonus is a solitary and intensely territorial predator. It marks the boundaries of its domain with a pungent chemical secretion that warns off rivals and other creatures. It is an ambush hunter by nature, often submerging itself in murky water or burying its body in mud near game trails, leaving only its sensory organs exposed. It waits with immense patience for prey to come within striking distance. When a target is in range, it lunges, using its venomous harpoon for a swift, debilitating strike. The saw-tail is used both defensively to parry attacks and create space, and offensively to maim or cripple larger foes with powerful, sweeping blows. If surprised or threatened, it can unleash a boiling, noxious chemical spray from its abdominal glands, aiming for the eyes and sensitive membranes of an aggressor to cover its escape. These creatures do not form packs and will react with extreme aggression towards any other member of their species outside of a brief, violent mating season.

Diet Strictly carnivorous, the Pristiguline Brachonus has a varied diet dependent on its territory. It preys on large fish, amphibious reptiles, and any land-dwelling creatures, up to the size of small bovines, that venture too close to the water’s edge. Its venom is fast-acting, allowing it to take down prey significantly larger than itself. It is also an opportunistic scavenger, using its aggressive nature and formidable weaponry to drive other predators away from their kills. It will consume every part of a carcass, using its powerful jaws to splinter bone and its serrated tail to tear apart tough hides.

Emotions The emotional landscape of this creature is primitive and centered on survival. It operates on instinct, primarily displaying unbridled aggression towards any perceived threat or competitor. Hunger is a constant, driving motivation for its patient and cunning hunting strategies. When cornered or severely wounded, its aggression can escalate into a state of blind fury, causing it to attack relentlessly until either it or its opponent is slain. It is capable of experiencing fear, which typically manifests as a tactical retreat accompanied by defensive chemical sprays. It shows no capacity for social bonding, empathy, or any higher emotions, viewing all other living things as either a potential meal, a threat, or an obstacle.

Environment Where Found This creature thrives in dark, wet, and muddy environments. It is most commonly found in sprawling mangrove swamps, freshwater marshes, the deltas of large rivers, and the boggy, lightless depths of vast cave systems with underground waterways. It requires a habitat that provides both access to a significant body of water for hunting and soft, silty earth or mud for burrowing and creating its lairs. These lairs are typically excavated into the sides of riverbanks, beneath the massive root systems of ancient trees, or in secluded, water-filled grottos deep underground.

Tags Feral, Beast, Amphibious, Carnivore, Venomous, Territorial, Digger, Solitary, Ambush Predator, Chemical Defense, Durable, Mutilator, Noxious, Oily Hide, Stalker

Pristiguline Brachonus 73

Age and Life Cycle

The lifespan of a Pristiguline Brachonus in the wild is typically between 25 and 30 years, though some exceptionally durable individuals have been known to live longer. Their life is marked by distinct stages of development and brutal competition.

A female gives birth to a litter of one or, rarely, two pups after a lengthy gestation period. The pups are born live within a secluded, deeply excavated den, usually far from the territory’s main water sources. At birth, they are blind and covered in a fine, downy fur. While their proboscis and chemical glands are present, the venom they produce is weak and the defensive spray is little more than a foul-smelling irritant. The serrations on their tails are merely soft cartilage nubs.

For the first full year, the pups are completely dependent on their mother. She hunts for them, bringing back portions of kills to the den. During this time, the pups grow rapidly, their tail serrations begin to ossify and sharpen, and the potency of their venom and chemical spray increases. The mother is fiercely protective, as cannibalism by rival adults who discover the den is a primary cause of infant mortality.

After the first year, the juvenile is forced out of the maternal den to fend for itself. This juvenile stage, lasting from age one to four, is the most perilous phase of its life. Young creatures must travel, often for great distances, to find an unclaimed territory or challenge and displace an older, weaker individual. They are smaller, less experienced, and face constant threats from established predators, including their own kind. Most do not survive this period.

Upon reaching full physical maturity around the age of four, the creature is considered an adult. It will have established its own territory, typically spanning a significant stretch of swamp or riverbank. Its weapons are fully developed, its hunting skills are honed, and it is at the peak of its physical prowess. An adult will live a solitary existence, only seeking out a mate for a brief and violent encounter once every few years before driving them away.

Creatures that survive past 20 years enter an elder stage. While their raw speed and physical strength may begin to wane, they compensate with immense experience and cunning. Their territories are often the most desirable, and they defend them with a deep understanding of tactics and environmental exploitation. The hides of these elders are typically covered in scars, and their saw-teeth are often chipped and worn from a lifetime of conflict.

Tactics

The tactics of the Pristiguline Brachonus revolve around ambush, territorial control, and the efficient use of its unique biological weapons. It is a creature of patience and brutal calculation.

Its primary hunting strategy is the submerged or buried ambush. The creature will dig itself into the mud, silt, or thick undergrowth at the edge of a body of water, leaving only its eyes and the tip of its hardened snout visible. It can remain motionless in this state for hours, sensing the vibrations of approaching creatures through the ground and water. When suitable prey ventures within range to drink or forage, the Pristiguline Brachonus erupts from its hiding place with surprising speed. Its initial goal is a single, decisive strike with its venomous proboscis, aiming for the neck or torso.

For larger or more dangerous adversaries, it employs different tactics. It may stalk a target for a time, learning its patterns before setting up an ambush in a more advantageous location, such as a narrow ravine or a thicket of mangroves that restricts movement. Against a foe it cannot safely engage in melee, it will utilize hit-and-run tactics, lunging from cover to deliver a venomous strike before retreating back into deep water or a network of burrows, allowing the fast-acting venom to incapacitate the target from a safe distance.

Territorial defense is paramount. It constantly patrols the borders of its domain, marking trees, rocks, and game trails with a pungent, oily secretion from glands on its neck and back. This scent serves as a potent chemical warning to other creatures. If an intruder is detected, the creature first engages in an escalating threat display. This begins with deep, guttural hisses and growls, followed by raising its massive saw-tail high in the air. If the intruder does not retreat, it will release small, acrid puffs of its defensive spray as a final warning before committing to a full attack.

Actions

The creature has a range of specific actions it can employ for hunting, defense, and environmental interaction.

  • Rending Claws: The creature’s most basic attack involves lunging forward and swiping with the long, durable claws on its front paws. This action is powerful enough to tear through thick hide and flesh and is also its primary tool for rapid digging and excavation.
  • Venomous Harpoon Strike: This is its signature killing action. From its snout, it fires its barbed proboscis with incredible speed at a nearby target. Upon impact, the barb hooks into the flesh and a muscular contraction injects a potent neurotoxin. The venom causes localized paralysis that spreads rapidly through the victim’s system. This action requires precision and is only used when the creature is confident in its strike.
  • Saw-Tail Sweep: The creature performs a broad, horizontal sweep with its long, serrated tail. This action is not designed for a killing blow but to maim and control the battlefield. It can strike multiple targets in an arc, causing deep, ragged lacerations, crippling limbs, and forcing opponents to keep their distance.
  • Caustic Jet: As a defensive measure, the creature can contract the muscles around its abdominal glands to release a 15-foot cone of a boiling, noxious chemical spray. This substance is intensely irritating to skin and is especially effective at blinding and disorienting attackers by targeting their eyes and respiratory systems. The glands require time to recharge, making this a limited-use ability.
  • Terrifying Roar: By forcing air through its unique vocal structures while simultaneously releasing a trace amount of its chemical spray, the creature can emit a terrifying roar. The combination of the deep, rattling sound and the foul, threatening stench is used to intimidate rivals and cause prey animals to panic and flee, often driving them towards a prepared ambush point.
  • Submerge: In any body of water deep enough to cover its body, the creature can completely submerge itself. Its oily fur and powerful tail make it an efficient swimmer, able to hold its breath for extended periods while moving silently beneath the surface.

Other Interesting Information

The Pristiguline Brachonus is a keystone predator, and its presence fundamentally shapes its local environment. The network of burrows and dens it creates aerates the soil and, once abandoned, provides shelter for a wide variety of smaller animals. The potent chemical markers it leaves behind can inhibit the growth of certain types of flora, creating distinct clearings around the creature’s most frequented areas.

Its sensory apparatus is highly specialized for its habitat. Its vision is relatively poor, especially in bright light, but its eyes are well-adapted to the dim light of its swampy home and the darkness of its dens. It compensates with an exceptional sense of smell and a unique form of mechanoreception, feeling the subtle vibrations of movement through the soles of its paws and its submerged body. The tip of its extendable proboscis is also covered in chemoreceptors, allowing it to “taste” the air and water currents for the scent of prey or intruders.

Several materials harvested from a slain Pristiguline Brachonus are considered valuable, though obtaining them is a perilous task. The venom, if carefully extracted and alchemically stabilized, is a highly sought-after paralytic agent. The serrated denticles from its tail are harder than steel and do not rust, making them exceptional materials for crafting durable daggers, arrowheads, or specialized carving tools. The thick, oily hide is naturally waterproof and puncture-resistant, but it is notoriously difficult to cure and tan, and it will always retain a faint, musky odor.

A party of adventurers might find themselves encountering or actively searching for a Pristiguline Brachonus for a multitude of reasons, ranging from desperate necessity to the pursuit of wealth and glory. The creature’s unique and dangerous nature makes it the focal point of many potential conflicts and quests within the remote wetlands it inhabits.

Contracts for Harvested Materials

The most common reason for a deliberate search is the acquisition of the creature’s rare and valuable biological components. Various influential figures and organizations are willing to pay exceptionally well for materials that only the Pristiguline Brachonus can provide, sending adventurers into its dangerous domain.

  • Alchemical and Medicinal Demands: A city’s chief physician or a secluded order of healers might be faced with a baffling new ailment, perhaps a magical curse or a neurological disease that causes violent, uncontrollable spasms. Standard remedies are ineffective, but ancient texts or alchemical theories suggest that a potent, fast-acting neurotoxin could be reverse-engineered to create a curative agent or a stabilizing serum. The venom from the creature’s proboscis is the perfect candidate. A party would be hired to procure a sample of the venom, a difficult task requiring them to get dangerously close to the beast, or to bring back the venom gland itself.
  • Master Artisans and Weapon-smiths: A legendary weapon-smith, known for creating arms for heroes and nobles, may receive a commission to forge a blade that can never dull or a set of armor that cannot be pierced. The smith knows that the bony denticles lining the creature’s tail are composed of a unique bio-ceramic material that is incredibly dense, rust-proof, and holds a razor edge. They would post a contract for adventurers to hunt a mature specimen and bring back its saw-tail intact, offering a king’s ransom or a piece of their masterwork gear in exchange. Similarly, a shipwright building a specialized airship for polar exploration might seek the serrations to line the vessel’s prow, believing them to be the only material capable of sawing through the magical ice of the frozen north.
  • Military and Strategic Applications: A military commander or a spymaster might learn of the creature’s defensive chemical spray. The ability to project a short-range cone of a boiling, noxious substance is a powerful strategic tool. A party of adventurers with a reputation for discretion and skill would be hired to venture into the swamps and retrieve a live specimen for study, or at the very least, to harvest the creature’s chemical glands before the volatile contents degrade. The goal would be to replicate the compound for use in siege warfare, defensive fortifications, or covert operations.

Threat Elimination and Protection

Often, adventurers are called upon not to find the creature, but to end its existence. When the territorial and aggressive nature of the Pristiguline Brachonus intersects with the lives of ordinary people, it falls to skilled parties to resolve the conflict.

  • Defense of a Settlement: Imagine a small village or a new settlement established on the edge of a vast mangrove swamp. For a time, there is peace. Then, livestock begins to vanish from the water’s edge. A fisherman is found horribly maimed on the riverbank. A child playing near a stream disappears entirely. The terrified locals realize they have settled within the hunting grounds of a Pristiguline Brachonus. The village elders pool their resources to hire a party of adventurers to track the beast to its lair and put an end to its reign of terror before it claims another life.
  • Securing Trade and Travel Routes: A major river serves as a vital economic artery, allowing trade barges to move goods between inland cities and coastal ports. Suddenly, the route becomes a death trap. A massive, aggressive creature begins attacking and sinking vessels that pass through a certain stretch of the river. Reports speak of a beast with a tail like a saw that rips through hulls and a venomous sting that leaves sailors paralyzed in the water. The local Merchant’s Guild or the regional governor, facing economic ruin, would issue a substantial bounty for the head of the creature, drawing numerous adventuring parties to the region to compete for the prize and the glory.

Investigation and Unraveling a Mystery

Sometimes, an encounter with the creature is not the objective itself, but an unavoidable step in solving a larger and more complex problem. The creature’s behavior can be a clue that something is deeply wrong with the environment.

  • Ecological Imbalance: A party might be hired by a circle of naturalists or a magical warden to investigate a strange phenomenon. The water in a particular wetland is turning acidic and foul, and the local wildlife is either dying off or fleeing the area. All signs of this blight seem to emanate from a central point within the swamp. As the adventurers navigate the dying ecosystem, they would eventually discover that the source of the corruption is the lair of a Pristiguline Brachonus. The creature itself may not be the cause, but may have built its den on top of a leaking magical ruin or a corrupted node of natural magic, its own powerful biology being the only thing capable of surviving the toxic environment. To cleanse the land, the party must first deal with its fearsome guardian.
  • Unnatural Frenzy: A Pristiguline Brachonus, normally a reclusive creature that sticks to its deep-swamp territory, suddenly appears much closer to civilized lands, acting with uncharacteristic and indiscriminate rage. It attacks travelers on roads far from any major water source and seems to kill for sport rather than sustenance. A sage or scholar might theorize that the creature is not acting on its own volition but is being magically controlled or driven mad by a cursed artifact it has unearthed and keeps in its lair. The adventurers would be tasked with tracking this rampaging beast not just to kill it, but to find the source of its madness, which could be a relic of a forgotten evil that now threatens the entire region.

Tests of Skill and a Rite of Passage

For some, seeking out such a dangerous creature is a voluntary act, undertaken to prove one’s own strength and courage or to gain profound knowledge.

  • The Hunter’s Trial: In a society that values strength and prowess in combat above all else, a trial of initiation for its most elite warriors might involve hunting a truly legendary beast. A young adventurer seeking to join the ranks of a renowned mercenary company or a clan of monster hunters might be tasked with bringing back a specific trophy that cannot be faked: a still-venomous barb from the proboscis of a Pristiguline Brachonus, or a matching pair of serrations from its tail. This would lead them to purposefully seek out the creature’s territory for a life-or-death confrontation.

From the corpse of a Pristiguline Brachonus 73, a skilled harvester with the correct tools and knowledge can acquire a number of rare and valuable ingredients. The creature’s unique fusion of mammalian, piscine, and insectoid biology makes its body a treasure trove for alchemists, artisans, and enchanters.

Pristine Saw-Tail Denticles

These are the individual, bony protrusions that line the creature’s formidable tail. They are not made of simple bone, but rather a dense, bio-ceramic material that is ivory-white at the core with dark, iron-like edges. Each denticle is incredibly hard, capable of resisting chipping and shattering even under extreme force, and they will not rust or corrode.

  • Uses: Master weapon-smiths prize these denticles above nearly all other natural materials for crafting blades. A single large denticle can be fashioned into the blade of a dagger that will never lose its edge. Smaller denticles are used as arrowheads or crossbow bolt tips that can punch through steel plate. When a series of them are inlaid along the edge of a greatsword, they create a devastating serrated weapon. Beyond armaments, their durability makes them ideal as tips for specialized tools used to carve stone or bore through rock in mining operations. They can also be magically ground into a fine powder used in enchanting formulas to bestow properties of sharpness or durability onto an item.

Brachonus Venom

Harvested from the gland at the base of the creature’s proboscis, this venom is a milky, slightly viscous fluid. It is highly unstable once exposed to air and will lose its potency rapidly unless immediately stored in a magically treated, airtight vial. The process is perilous, as the slightest skin contact can lead to numbness, paralysis, and swift death.

  • Uses: In its raw form, it is one of the most sought-after poisons in the underworld, favored by assassins for its speed and efficacy. However, its true value lies in alchemy and medicine. When carefully processed, it is the only known base ingredient for creating a universal anti-paralytic potion. In carefully administered micro-doses, physicians can use it to temporarily still the muscles of a patient suffering from violent seizures or to calm a body afflicted with a magical dancing plague, allowing other treatments to take effect. Enchanters also use the venom to imbue weapons with a powerful paralyzing effect.

Caustic Gland Secretion

The creature has two separate glands near the base of its tail, each containing a different, seemingly inert chemical. One is a clear, oily fluid, while the other is a thick, black sludge. Only when these two substances are mixed do they react, flash-boiling and producing a highly corrosive and noxious spray. Harvesting requires two separate, specialized containers and extreme caution.

  • Uses: The secretions are a powerful tool for demolition and industry. When combined and weaponized in alchemical projectors or glass grenades, they create a devastating military weapon that can melt through wooden shields and leather armor. In a more controlled application, engineers use the substance as an industrial solvent to clear rockfalls or to etch complex patterns into metal plates for the construction of steam-powered machinery. Magically, the caustic fluid is a key reagent in rituals designed to physically dissolve magical barriers and wards.

Wolverine-Class Hide

The pelt of the Pristiguline Brachonus is thick, tough, and saturated with a natural, foul-smelling oil. This oil makes the hide incredibly difficult to tan using traditional methods and imparts a permanent musky odor that can never be fully washed away. However, it also makes the hide naturally waterproof and resistant to cold.

  • Uses: For those who can tolerate the smell, the treated hide creates an exceptionally durable and flexible form of leather armor. It is highly valued by monster hunters and adventurers who operate in swamps and other wet environments. Tailors and leatherworkers craft the hide into waterproof cloaks, boots, satchels, and gear covers that can endure the harshest conditions. The oil itself can be carefully rendered from the hide and skin. This rendered oil is a high-grade lubricant used for the internal mechanisms of steam-driven constructs and factory engines, particularly those exposed to high levels of moisture and pressure.

Chitinous Proboscis Barb

This is the harpoon-like tip of the creature’s proboscis. It is a cone of blackened chitin, harder than steel, with a needle-sharp point and a series of backward-facing serrations near its tip. The barb is naturally hollow, as it serves as the delivery mechanism for the creature’s venom.

  • Uses: The barb is often repurposed as a specialty armament. Mounted on a spear or javelin, it creates a fearsome weapon that is difficult to remove from a wound. Artificers can incorporate it into a crossbow bolt, filling its hollow interior with poison or alchemical fluids to be delivered on impact. Due to its hollow, durable nature, it also serves as a perfect, naturally formed needle for alchemical and medical syringes, capable of punching through the tough hides of magical beasts.

Vibratory Sinew

Along the creature’s spine and connected to the base of its skull are several long, silvery tendons. These specialized sinews are what allow the creature to sense minute vibrations in the ground and water. Even after death, they retain a strange resonance, humming softly when disturbed.

  • Uses: These sinews are prized by bards and instrument makers. When used as strings on a cello, bass, or similar instrument, they produce tones of incredible depth and resonance that can be felt in the listener’s bones. In a more practical application, they can be used in the construction of communication devices, stretched taut within a frame and paired with a magical amplifier to send and receive coded vibrational messages through the ground over several miles. They are also used in defensive wards; when strung around a perimeter, they will vibrate audibly if anything heavier than a small animal crosses the boundary.

Proud Joric and Serpent-Tailed Wolf

Lo, and it was in the age when the steam was but a whisper and the islands were not yet fully counted, there stood a man, Joric, whose arm was strong and whose eye was a true-flying arrow. His dwelling was filled with the hides and horns of great beasts, and the songs of his hunts were sung loudly in the halls of mead. But Joric’s heart-organ was swollen with the wind of pride, and he looked upon his trophies, and he found them small.

One evening, by the light of the fire-magic, he struck his chest with his hand-plate and made a great sound. “I have felled the great tusk-boar of the jungle,” he proclaimed to all who had ears. “I have climbed the peaks to steal the egg of the Griffon. There is no creature walking or flying whose spirit I cannot send on its next journey. My name is the sharpest spear in all the lands!”

His wife, whose name was Lyra and whose wisdom was a deep, cool well, looked upon him with eyes that saw the shadow behind the man. She spoke, and her voice was a low hum against his loud drum-beating. “Husband, your words fly too high. There are places where the foot of man should not tread. There are things born of the deep mud and ancient despair. Do not seek the thing in the swamp, the one they call the River’s Tooth. Its ways are not our ways.”

Joric laughed, a sound like rocks falling. “You speak with the tongue of fear, woman! The River’s Tooth, the Serpent-Tailed Wolf, what are these but names to frighten children? It is but flesh and bone, and my spear will find it. I will bring back its saw-tail to be the ridge-beam of our house, and all will know that Joric fears nothing.”

And Lyra said, “Its tail is not for a house, but for the ending of stories. Its venom is not poison, but the dream from which there is no waking. Its breath is not air, but the hot anger of the swamp itself. Do not go.” But the ears of a proud man are plugged with his own boasting, and he did not hear.

So it was, that Joric took up his finest spear, its head forged with steam-hammer and magic, and a long knife of sharpened obsidian. He journeyed to the great wetlands, the place where the water is dark and does not move, and the trees weep with green moss. The air was thick, a heavy blanket that smelled of rot and old silence. For days he walked, his boots sinking into the grasping mud. He saw tracks, not of wolf nor bear, but of a heavy thing with claws that dug deep, and he followed.

He came to a place where the water was black as a starless night, and the land was a confusion of mud-islands and twisted roots. He saw the beast. It was as the whispers had said, yet more. It had the body of a great wolverine, low and thick with muscle, and its fur was the color of wet earth. Its face was a hard mask, and from it came a mouth-tube, a pale worm of flesh that quivered. But its tail, lo, its tail was a long, flat horror of bone, and it was edged with teeth like a great saw.

The Serpent-Tailed Wolf was drinking from the black water. Joric, his heart now a drum of war, raised his spear. He was the hunter. This was the moment that would be sung of for all time. He cast the spear, and it flew with the knowledge of his arm. But the beast, it did not startle like a deer. It moved with a sideways flowing, like water itself, and the spear which had slain dragons struck only mud.

From the mud, the beast rose. It made no roar, only a deep hiss like a kettle of plague. It spewed from its rear parts a cloud of hot foulness, a steam that was not of fire and water, but of pure agony. Joric, quick as he was, threw himself aside, and the boiling mist struck a great tree, and the bark peeled and wept black tears.

Then the beast lunged, and the worm-mouth shot forth, a needle of sleep at its end. Joric parried with his knife, the obsidian ringing against the venom-barb. He was a great dancer in the battle, his feet sure even on the treacherous ground. He dodged and struck, his knife opening a long cut along the creature’s flank. Dark blood, thick as tar, welled forth. The beast hissed again, a sound of pain, and retreated into the dark water, its saw-tail stirring the mud.

Joric raised his knife to the sky and let out a victory cry. “You see!” he shouted to the silent trees and the foul sky. “You bleed like any other! You are just meat for Joric’s fire!”

His pride was a blindfold upon his eyes. He waded into the shallows to claim his kill, to take the great tail he had promised. The water was murky, and he saw the beast lying there, its movements slow, its breath coming in gasps. He approached, his knife held high for the final gift of death.

But the beast was not dying. It was waiting. When Joric stood but a spear’s length away, its great muscles coiled. The water exploded upwards as the saw-tail, the bone-saw of the river, came around not in a sweep, but in a low, vicious arc. It was not aimed for his heart or his head. It was aimed for his foundation.

The jagged teeth caught his leg, and the sound was of a great tree branch cracking under the weight of winter. Pain, pure and white, bloomed in Joric’s world. He fell, screaming, into the black water. His leg was a ruin, a thing of shattered bone and torn sinew.

The Serpent-Tailed Wolf did not press its attack. It looked upon him with eyes that held no anger, no malice, only a cold and ancient understanding of the world. Then, with a quiet ripple, it submerged and was gone, leaving Joric alone with his broken body and his shattered pride.

He did not die. He dragged himself from the swamp over seven days and seven nights, a long crawl of agony and regret. He returned to his village not a hero, but a broken thing that leaned upon a crutch. His hunting days were over. He never again stood tall, and the songs of his great deeds turned to ash in his mouth. He would sit by the fire, and when the children asked of the great scar and the twisted leg, he would only stare into the flames, silent.

The Moral: The world has teeth in places you cannot see, and the truest wound is not to the body, but to the pride that led it there.

Suggested conversions to other systems:

Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition

Pristiguline Terror Large monstrosity, unaligned

Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 136 (13d10 + 65) Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft., swim 40 ft.

STR 20 (+5) DEX 14 (+2) CON 20 (+5) INT 3 (-4) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 7 (-2)

Saving Throws Str +8, Con +8 Skills Perception +5, Stealth +5, Athletics +8 Damage Resistances poison Condition Immunities poisoned Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 15 Languages — Challenge 8 (3,900 XP)

Amphibious. The pristiguline terror can breathe air and water.

Ambush Predator. The terror has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.

Actions

Multiattack. The terror makes two attacks: one with its Claw and one with either its Venomous Proboscis or its Saw-Tail.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 5) slashing damage.

Venomous Proboscis. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the target is poisoned for 1 minute. While poisoned in this way, the target is also paralyzed. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.

Saw-Tail. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d10 + 5) slashing damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or have its speed reduced by 10 feet until it regains at least 1 hit point. This reduction is cumulative.

Caustic Jet (Recharge 5–6). The terror spews a boiling chemical in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw, taking 27 (6d8) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. A creature that fails its save is also blinded until the end of its next turn.

Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition

The Saw-Tailed Fen Stalker A territorial predator from the darkest wetlands, a nightmarish fusion of mammal and aquatic horror.

STR 95 CON 90 SIZ 85 DEX 65 INT 20 POW 60 HP 17 Move 7 / 9 swimming Damage Bonus: +1D6 Build: 2

Attacks Fighting (Claw) 55%, 1D6+1+db Fighting (Saw-Tail) 45%, 1D10+db, can hit all investigators in melee. Fighting (Venomous Barb) 65%, 1D8+db plus venom. Dodge 32%

Armor: 3 points of thick, oily hide and dense muscle.

Abilities and Attacks Saw-Tail Sweep: The Fen Stalker can attack all investigators within its melee reach in a single action with its tail. Anyone wishing to avoid the attack must make a successful Dodge roll. On a fumbled Dodge roll, the investigator suffers an impaling wound as the tail’s bony spurs catch and tear.

Venomous Barb: On a successful hit, the victim must make a Hard CON roll. Failure means the victim is overcome by a fast-acting neurotoxin, losing 1D4 rounds paralyzed and helpless. If the Fen Stalker impales a victim (an extreme success on its attack roll), the victim automatically fails the CON roll and is paralyzed for 1D6 rounds.

Caustic Spray: Once per combat, the creature can spray a boiling, noxious chemical from glands near its tail. This affects a cone 5 yards long. All investigators in the cone must make a successful DEX roll or take 1D4 damage and be blinded for 1D3 rounds. A successful First Aid roll can clear the victim’s eyes in 1 round.

Sanity Loss: 0/1D6 Sanity points for seeing the Saw-Tailed Fen Stalker. 1/1D8 Sanity points upon being injected with its venom.

Blades in the Dark

The Duskwater Grindylow A savage, territorial beast that lurks in the polluted canals and forgotten waterways beyond the city’s edge. Its body is a nightmarish fusion of powerful mammal and spined fish, reeking of chemicals and rot.

Threat Level: Dangerous, solitary, Tier III creature. Instinct: To drag victims into its murky lair.

Qualities:

  • Savage: Fights with brutal, overwhelming ferocity.
  • Amphibious: Equally at home in the black, greasy water and on slick cobblestones.
  • Terrifying: The sight of its chittering proboscis and saw-toothed tail can break the nerve of the most hardened scoundrel.
  • Armored Hide: Its skin is unnaturally tough and oily.

Moves:

  • Whip its serrated tail: Inflict grievous harm on one or more targets in melee (Level 3 Harm: “Mangled,” “Severed Limb”).
  • Drag them under: Grab a target and pull them into the canal. Begin a 4-segment clock labeled “Drowning in Filth.”
  • Spit boiling chemicals: Unleash a spray of hot, noxious fluid. All in its path suffer debilitating effects (Level 2 Harm: “Blinded,” “Chemical Burns”) and the area becomes a hazardous zone.
  • Inject paralytic venom: A lightning-fast strike with its facial proboscis. The target is paralyzed (cannot act) and you start a 4-segment clock labeled “Venom Spreads,” with the final tick representing death or permanent injury.

Knave 2nd Edition

Gulo-Pristis (Saw-Gulo) A large, wolverine-like beast with a long, bony, saw-toothed tail and a venomous, trunk-like snout. It burrows into the mud of swamps and riverbanks.

Level 6 Armor 15 (Tough, oily hide) HP 30 Attacks 2 Claws (d8) or 1 special attack Morale 11 Will 13

Traits

  • Amphibious: Suffers no penalties for acting in water.
  • Ambush: On the first round of combat, if the Saw-Gulo surprises its targets, it gets a free Saw-Tail Sweep attack before initiative is determined.
  • Terrifying: When first encountered, PCs must save vs. Will or be stunned by fear for the first round of combat, unable to act.

Special Attacks

  • Paralytic Proboscis (d8 piercing): Instead of its claw attacks, the Saw-Gulo can strike with its snout. A PC hit by this attack must save vs. poison or be paralyzed for d4 rounds, unable to move or take actions.
  • Saw-Tail Sweep: The Saw-Gulo makes one attack against all PCs within 10ft. PCs must save vs. dodge or take d10 damage. Any PC that fails the save also has their worn armor damaged, reducing its armor value by 1 until repaired.
  • Caustic Geyser (Recharges on a 6): The Saw-Gulo sprays a 15ft cone of boiling chemicals. PCs in the cone must save vs. breath. On a failure, they take d8 damage and are blinded for d4 rounds.

Loot & Lore

  • 1d10 Saw-Gulo Teeth: Worth 20s each. A weaponsmith can fashion 10 of them into a brutal saw-sword (d12 damage).
  • Venom Gland (1): Can be used to coat a weapon with a single dose of paralyzing poison (as the Proboscis attack). An alchemist can refine it into 1d4+1 doses.
  • Caustic Sacks (2): Can be thrown as a grenade. Replicates the Caustic Geyser in a 10ft radius area.

Fate Core

The Saw-Maw of the Sinking Fen

High Concept: Terrifying Amphibious Apex Predator

Trouble Aspect: Blinded by Territorial Rage

Other Aspects:

  • My Swamp, My Rules
  • A Tail Like a Flesh-Ripping Saw
  • A Kiss of Paralytic Venom

Skills

  • Superb (+5): Physique
  • Great (+4): Fight
  • Good (+3): Athletics, Intimidate
  • Fair (+2): Notice, Stealth
  • Average (+1): Will

Stress: [ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]

Consequences:

  • Mild (2):
  • Moderate (4):
  • Severe (6):

Stunts

  • Saw-Tail Sweep: Because I have A Tail Like a Flesh-Ripping Saw, I can spend a Fate point to make a Fight attack against every other character in my zone.
  • Paralytic Proboscis: When I Succeed with Style on a Fight attack, I can choose to attach the situation aspect Paralyzing Venom to my target with a free invocation, instead of taking the usual boost.
  • Caustic Spray: Once per scene, I can use my action to Create an Advantage by spraying boiling chemicals. This automatically places the situation aspect Blinding, Noxious Fumes on the entire zone.
  • Swamp Ambusher: Because it’s My Swamp, My Rules, I get a +2 to Stealth rolls when I am in murky water or deep mud.

Numenera & Cypher System

Guloform Abomination This aggressive predator is a bizarre fusion of biological traits, blending a powerful mammalian chassis with the weaponry of venomous invertebrates and saw-toothed fish. It is a territorial hunter found in swamps and toxic wetlands.

Level: 6 (target number for all tasks is 18) Health: 30 Damage: Inflicts 7 points of damage. Armor: 2 Movement: Short; Immediate when swimming or burrowing through mud.

Modifications:

  • Perception tasks are level 7 (due to keen smell and vibration sense).
  • Stealth tasks in its native swamp environment are level 7.

Combat: The Guloform Abomination attacks without hesitation, using its powerful claws (7 points of damage). In addition to this, it has several specialized and more dangerous forms of attack.

Its long, serrated tail can strike multiple targets. As its entire action, it can make a separate attack roll against two different player characters who are within immediate range. A hit inflicts 7 points of damage.

The venom from its facial proboscis is a level 6 poison. Any character who takes damage from the proboscis must make a Might defense roll. On a failure, they are paralyzed and cannot take physical actions for one minute. A character can spend their action to attempt a new Might defense roll on their turn to end the effect early.

GM Intrusion: The abomination rears back and unleashes its Caustic Jet. A noxious, boiling spray erupts from glands near its tail. The character the intrusion is applied to is automatically targeted and must make a Speed defense roll. On a failure, they take 4 points of damage that ignores Armor and are blinded (a debilitating state in which all tasks are hindered by two steps) for one round. Other characters within immediate range must also succeed on a Speed defense roll or be blinded for one round.

Loot: The creature’s tail-teeth can be fashioned into sharp, durable tools (assets for crafting or repair tasks). Its venom gland can be processed by an expert to create 1d6 doses of level 6 paralytic poison.

Pathfinder 2nd Edition

Mire-Wolverine Creature 8 Uncommon, N, Large, Amphibious, Beast

Perception +18; darkvision, tremorsense (imprecise) 30 feet Skills Acrobatics +16, Athletics +19 (+22 to Swim), Intimidation +15, Stealth +18 Str +7, Dex +4, Con +5, Int -4, Wis +4, Cha +1

AC 26; Fort +19, Ref +16, Will +16 HP 145; Resistances poison 10

Aquatic Ambush [Reaction] Trigger A creature within 10 feet of the mire-wolverine uses a move action or an action with the manipulate trait. Effect The mire-wolverine makes a Jaws Strike against the triggering creature.

Fearsome Presence (aura, emotion, fear, mental) 30 feet, DC 22

Speed 30 feet, burrow 20 feet, swim 40 feet

Melee [one-action] Jaws +20 [+15/+10], Damage 2d10+10 piercing plus Pristiguline Venom Melee [one-action] Claw +20 [+15/+10] (agile), Damage 2d8+10 slashing

Caustic Spew [two-actions] (acid, primal) Frequency once per minute; The mire-wolverine spews a cone of boiling chemicals. It deals 5d8 acid damage to all creatures in a 15-foot cone (DC 26 basic Reflex save). A creature that fails its save is also blinded for 1 round.

Saw-Tail Sweep [two-actions] The mire-wolverine sweeps its tail, dealing 4d8 slashing damage to all creatures in a 15-foot cone (DC 26 basic Reflex save). A creature that critically fails its save also takes 1d6 persistent bleed damage.

Pristiguline Venom (incapacitation, injury, poison, virulence) Saving Throw DC 26 Fortitude; Maximum Duration 6 rounds; Stage 1 clumsy 1 and slowed 1 (1 round); Stage 2 clumsy 2 and paralyzed (1 round).

Savage Worlds Adventure Edition (SWADE)

Saw-Tailed Slough Creeper This powerfully built predator is fiercely territorial and relentlessly aggressive. It combines the ferocity of a wolverine with the aquatic weaponry of something far more ancient and terrifying.

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d12, Vigor d10 Skills: Athletics d10, Fighting d10, Intimidation d8, Notice d8, Stealth d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 11 (2) Edges: Berserk (when Wounded, its melee damage increases by +2).

Special Abilities

  • Armor +2: Thick, rubbery hide.
  • Aquatic: Pace 8 in water.
  • Burrow (2”): Can move through mud and loose earth.
  • Claws: Str+d6.
  • Low Light Vision: Ignores penalties for Dim and Dark light.
  • Paralytic Barb: A successful Fighting attack with a Raise using its proboscis forces the target to make a Vigor roll opposed by the creeper’s Spirit. On a failure, the victim is Paralyzed. A Paralyzed victim is Shaken and may not move or take any actions. They may attempt a Vigor roll on subsequent turns as an action to break free.
  • Saw-Tail: Str+d8, AP 2. As a Sweep, it can attack all adjacent foes in a single action with a -2 penalty to the Fighting roll.
  • Caustic Spray: Once per encounter, as an action, the creeper can spray a Cone Template. All targets in the cone must make an Agility roll opposed by the creeper’s Athletics. Failure results in 2d8 damage and the victim becomes Vulnerable. Success results in half damage.
  • Size 2: Normal creature size.
  • Terrifying: Anyone who sees the creeper must make a Fear Test at -1.

Shadowrun, Sixth World

Mire-Gulo (Awakened Predator / Paracritter) This heavily-built mammalian predator has adapted to polluted and magical swamps. Its most notable features are a long, saw-edged tail and a fleshy proboscis that extends from its snout to inject a paralytic toxin. It is notoriously aggressive and territorial.

Attributes Body: 7 Agility: 5 Reaction: 4 Strength: 7 Willpower: 4 Logic: 1 Intuition: 4 Charisma: 2 Edge: 2

Derived Stats Initiative: 8 + 1d6 Physical Condition Monitor: 12 Stun Condition Monitor: 10 Composure: 6 Judge Intentions: 6 Memory: 5

Skills Athletics: 5 Close Combat: 6 Perception: 4 Stealth: 5

Powers & Qualities

  • Armor: 6
  • Amphibious: The mire-gulo is at home in the water, able to breathe indefinitely and suffering no environmental penalties for acting while submerged.
  • Low-Light Vision
  • Paralyzing Venom: When the mire-gulo succeeds on a Close Combat attack using its proboscis and scores 3 or more net hits, the victim must resist the venom with a Body + Willpower test. On a failure, they suffer a -2 dice pool penalty to all actions involving Agility or Strength. This penalty is cumulative with subsequent failed resistance tests.
  • Caustic Spray: Once per combat scene, the gulo can spend a Major Action to spray a chemical agent in a cone template originating from it. This is a Close Combat + Agility [Accuracy] attack resisted by Reaction + Intuition. A successful hit inflicts 8P damage with AP -4 and the Blinded status effect for one combat round.
  • Weapons:
    • Claws / Saw-Tail: Attack Rating: 13, Damage: 9P, AP: -2
    • Venomous Proboscis: Attack Rating: 11, Damage: 8P, AP: -1, includes Paralyzing Venom.

Starfinder

Gulorax Stalker Creature 8

XP 4,800 N Large magical beast Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +16

Defense EAC 20; KAC 22 Fort +12; Ref +12; Will +9 HP 125 Resistances poison 10

Offense Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft., swim 40 ft. Melee venomous proboscis +19 (1d12+12 P plus paralysis) or claw +19 (2d6+12 S) Multiattack claw +13, saw-tail +13 (2d8+12 S) Offensive Abilities caustic spray

Statistics STR +4; DEX +4; CON +5; INT -4; WIS +2; CHA +0 Skills Acrobatics +16, Athletics +21, Stealth +16 Other Abilities amphibious

Ecology Environment temperate or warm swamps and marshes on newly terraformed or fringe worlds. Organization solitary

Special Abilities

  • Amphibious (Ex): A gulorax stalker can breathe both air and water.
  • Caustic Spray (Ex): Once every 1d4 rounds as a standard action, the gulorax can spray a 15-foot cone of boiling acid. Creatures in the area take 7d6 acid damage (Reflex DC 16 half). A creature that fails the save is also blinded for 1d4 rounds.
  • Paralysis (Ex): A creature that takes damage from the venomous proboscis must succeed at a DC 16 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds.

Traveller (Mongoose 2nd Edition)

Saw-Tail Mauler UPP-Style Profile: 9A9676-A A large, semi-aquatic predator found in the dense swamps of backwater worlds. It is a powerfully built creature with a thick, oily hide, a viciously serrated tail, and a venomous facial appendage.

Traits

  • Hits: 25
  • Armor: 4 (Tough Hide)
  • Skills: Athletics (swimming) 2, Melee (natural) 2, Recon 1, Stealth 2
  • Pace: 8m (12m swimming)
  • Attacks: Claw x2 (2d6+4), Saw-Tail (3d6, AP 2), Venomous Barb (2d6 + Poison)
  • Behavior: Predator, Territorial Ambusher.

Game Mechanics

  • Ambush: The Mauler is a patient hunter. If it attacks from hiding (requiring a successful Stealth vs. Recon check), its first attack is made with a DM+4.
  • Paralytic Poison: A character that takes damage from the Venomous Barb attack must make an END 10+ check. On a failure, the character is paralyzed and unable to move or take any significant action for 1D6 minutes.
  • Caustic Burst: Once per encounter, the Mauler can use its entire action to spray a 5-meter cone of boiling chemicals. Anyone caught in the cone must make a DEX 8+ check or take 3D6 damage and be blinded for 1D6 rounds.
  • Sweep Attack: As its main action for a round, the Mauler can attack all adjacent targets with its Saw-Tail. It makes a single Melee (natural) check; any target whose Parry score is lower than the attack roll is hit.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th Edition

Mirebrute (Bog-Wolverine) These foul beasts are thankfully rare, lurking only in the most cursed and forgotten bogs and marshes of the Old World. Scholars who have survived encounters describe them as a nightmarish fusion of a great wolverine and a river predator, a creature of immense strength and vile cunning. They are solitary hunters, jealously guarding their territory against all intruders.

Profile M 6; WS 55; BS -; S 5; T 5; I 40; Ag 35; Dex 30; Int 10; WP 40; Fel – Wounds: 28

Traits

  • Amphibious: The mirebrute can breathe water and suffers no penalties for acting in it.
  • Armour: 2 (Tough Hide, All Locations)
  • Fear 2
  • Night Vision
  • Size: Large
  • Swamp-Strider: The mirebrute ignores all movement penalties for moving through mud, marshes, and similar difficult terrain.
  • Weapon+8 (Claws/Jaws)
  • Venom (Paralytic): A character taking damage from an attack with this quality must make a Challenging (+0) Endurance Test or gain 1 Paralyzed Condition.

Actions

  • Attack (Claws): WS 55, Damage 8.
  • Attack (Proboscis): WS 55, Damage 9, Qualities: Impale, Venom (Paralytic).
  • Attack (Saw-Tail): WS 45, Damage 10, Qualities: Dangerous, Vicious. The mirebrute may use this attack to hit all opponents in its front arc. This requires the use of a full action.
  • Caustic Spew: Once per combat, as a full action, the mirebrute can spray a cone of boiling fluid. Characters within the cone (Medium Template) must make a Difficult (-10) Dodge Test. Failure results in a hit with a Damage of 4 that has the Ablaze (Acid) quality and also inflicts one Blinded Condition.