Fantasy Creatures

[Golan2072]

Originally posted by rancke:
If I had to come up with a Traveller medusa or basilisk, I'd probably end up with a gaze attack that put people into comas. Not a perfect analogy, but not impossibly far from it either.

Would the knock-out gaze use psionics (I'm actually thinking about a new psi-power capable of knocking out a person), or would it use thrown/spitted poison darts?

Also, you could always have the critter first knock out the hapless victim and then infect him with a fast-acting version of the desease describes by far-trader...

 

[far-trader]

Well think about the story of Medusa a bit. Here is a woman, beautiful but for the bad hair day she's been cursed with.

Seems to me that anyone stumbling into her lair might be paralyzed simply by fear long enough for her to saunter up and have her venomous doo bite the victim injecting a quick acting neuro-muscular toxin that will totally paralyse them while also causing a FOP like disease.

Then similar to a spider and some other insects she simply harvests blood and such from her victim while they live on, frozen in place until they eventually die and rot leaving behind a largely calcified body. Voila, myth made.

 

[Blue Ghost]

Originally posted by Employee 2-4601:
Good Ol' Firebreathers? Here you go!

DRAGON Flying Killer, 800kg, hits 24/10*, Cloth, Teeth+2 (5D damage), Claws+2 (5D damage), As Flamethrower**, A3, F9, S3.

The Dragon is a large airbourne predator native to a SIZE-3, ATM-8 world. Its firebreathing capabilities stem from the fact that it could siphon and filter methane from its digestive tract and store it in two large sacks at its belly. The gas is then pumped through its mouth and ignited by a bio-electric spark-generating organ in its thorax. The Dragon carries enough methane in its sacks for 2D6 rounds of breathing fire; they will refill after a good meal and 6D6 hours of rest.

A Draon's skin is strong, scaly and very light. A suit of armor may be made from this skin, requiring a Craft/DEX/-2 UGM task and 4D6 days of work. This armor will be similar to Jack in shape and weight, but will provide the protection of a Cloth armor.

* Every time a Dragon is hit with an explosive or incendiary weapon, roll 9+ for its methane sacks to catch fire, painfully killing the creature and setting it on fire. Ofcourse, if all of the methane in the sacks has been used up, ignore this rule.
** Flamethrowers are described here.

Employee; you rock!

Now... where's my GM screen

 

[Icosahedron]

Originally posted by rancke:
Well, petrification stares I can't figure out a Traveller version of,

The paper JTAS had adventures (or was it amber zones?) about both vampires and werewolves.

If I had to come up with a Traveller medusa or basilisk, I'd probably end up with a gaze attack that put people into comas. Not a perfect analogy, but not impossibly far from it either.


Hans

A simple solution would be a psionic/hypnotic 'you are a statue, unable to move' type suggestion. Forceful hypnosis could be an interpretation of the 'threatening' variety of sent thoughts described in the telepath skills of Book 3.

You stress 'paper' JTAS. Isn't everything included on the CD? I've used vampires and werewolves (see the 'scariest monster' thread) but I've not read the article.

 

[Space Cadet]

Originally posted by rancke:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by Space Cadet:
Then its more of a plague than a creature. You'll have authorities trying to contain the contageon with quarantines, and anybody in a space suit is immune to the medusa. Not the same thing, certain things are impossible to replicate or not worth trying, A ghost for example.

Well, petrification stares I can't figure out a Traveller version of, but ghosts are a snap. I actually have a half-finished adventure about a haunted house on the back burner.

The paper JTAS had adventures (or was it amber zones?) about both vampires and werewolves.

If I had to come up with a Traveller medusa or basilisk, I'd probably end up with a gaze attack that put people into comas. Not a perfect analogy, but not impossibly far from it either.


Hans </font>[/QUOTE]Now that I think about, there is one sorrt of ghost you can have in Traveller, that would be "the ghost in the machine." Somebody would have had to literally upload his mind into a computer. A destructive brainscan of a low passage passenger while he's frozen might accomplish this with the right technology. Basically something like a laser would vapourize cross section by cross section one thin layer at a time while successively scanning the successive layer and entering the data into a computer that simulates a human body with all the relevant physics simulated, that would be a "ghost in side a machine" as you would have a person without a body inside the memory core. With the right software, you could simulate a ship's bridge around the simulated body and reprogram the ship's computer to direct commands from the ship's command to the actually starship so that it looks like no one's piloting it. Electronic ghosts are probably the only realistic ghosts you can expect in Traveller, other things having to do with psionics are a little more speculative.

Demons are a cinch, especially D&D demons as they are physical creatures mostly, not spirits. You can have a creature that looks like Such and such a demon as found in the monster manual, whether that demon would have the same abilities is another matter.

 

[atpollard]

C.S. Lewis briefly explored Sci-Fi with real metaphysical beings (angels and demons). Some very different stuff, but (obviously) dated since it hails from the dinosaurs on Venus Era of Sci-Fi.

 

[Space Cadet]

S.M. Stirling wrote a recent dinosaurs on Venus science fiction book, its not dated if you make it clear that its a "what if" novel. There are alot of things that aren't so, but which could have been, and I think that's a legitimate avenue of science fiction. Harry Turtledove wrote a "What if Mars were bigger novel" and he wrote a "what if homo erectus survived in North America novel". In the category of "what ifs", their are more likely "what ifs" and less likely "what ifs". For example a "what if there were dinosaurs on Venus" is more likely that a "What if magic existed there" One can come up with explainations as to why there are dinosaurs on Venus when there shouldn't be, and usually this leads to some conclusion of intelligences at work in the case of Venus.

Angels and demons are simply aliens, or perhaps genetically modified constructs or even robots. There might be a reason a certain humanoid has wings sprouting from her shoulders. All sorts of magic can be explained away as super-advanced technology.

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by Space Cadet:
...For example a "what if there were dinosaurs on Venus" is more likely that a "What if magic existed there"...

Agree with the ranges of "what ifs" out there but disagree that dinos on Venus is more likely than magic. In fact I'd go the opposite quite affirmatively. There are too many unexplained bizarre phenomena that can be called "magic" even if later explanations demystify them to dismiss magic as impossible. It is however quite easy to dismiss the likelyhood of dinosaurs, or any Earth-like lifeforms on Venus.

 

[Space Cadet]

They would be Earthlike because some intelligent species transplanted them from Earth to Mars, not because of some sort of parallel Evolution, that is what's hinted at in that novel.

 

[rancke]

Originally posted by Icosahedron:
You stress 'paper' JTAS. Isn't everything included on the CD? I've used vampires and werewolves (see the 'scariest monster' thread) but I've not read the article.

I said paper to distinguish it from JTAS Online (http://jtas.sjgames.com/). The werewolves were in "The Werewolf Disease" by Anders Blixt. The vampires was in an amber zone by John M. Ford. Neither were, of course, 'real' mythological monsters.


Hans

 

[Space Cadet]

Beware of creatures that rapidly transform from one form to another and violate the conservation of mass.

It would be hard for a vampire not to have a reflection in the mirror.

A vampire changing into a bat would violate conservation of mass.

A werewolf is a rapid form changer, some kind of nanotechnology would have to be employed for it to change form so rapidly, also the wolf form would have to be the same mass and the human form and the hybrid form. Why someone would be "infected" with this form of nanotechnology would be a mystery. Being bullet proof except for silver bullets would be possible to achieve, but there's no reason for the nanotechnology to be especially vulnerable to silver.

 

[Blue Ghost]

This is Space 1899 territory. New thread?

Anyway, thanks for the conversion guys. Once certain things hit the market I'm revved up to write some serious fiction, and run some serious games

 

[Space Cadet]

A werewolf is quite plausible if you assume an advanced nanotechnology, a werewolf can even spread its curse through its bite as the nanotech replicates in the bloodstream, the only thing to remember is the wolf form and the intermediate form would have to be the same mass as the human form, and this would make for a larger than normal wolf, but hey its a werewolf.

A human werebear wouldn't work so well since the bear would have to weigh the same as the human, this would mean either a diminuative bear or a larger than normal human.

A human wererat is a bit of a problem in Traveller as a 180 lb human would make a 180 lb rat, not a normal one.

 

[Anthony]

Originally posted by Space Cadet:
A werewolf is quite plausible if you assume an advanced nanotechnology, a werewolf can even spread its curse through its bite as the nanotech replicates in the bloodstream, the only thing to remember is the wolf form and the intermediate form would have to be the same mass as the human form, and this would make for a larger than normal wolf, but hey its a werewolf.

Let's call that Magical Nanotech. You've got some pretty serious thermodynamic problems there.

 

[Space Cadet]

You mean the werewolf will cook as it transforms?

 

[Kharum1]

Check out Vargr Bigfcat1a

http://web.mac.com/kharum

 

[Jame]

Originally posted by Employee 2-4601:
(SNIP!) Now, on to the critters:

ORC 978521, Brawling-1, Spear-1; Chain, Spear, 2d6 gold coins.

ORC ARCHER 978521, Brawling-1, Short Bow-1, Blade-0; Chain, Short Bow, 20 arrows, Blade, 2d6 gold coins.

ORC LEADER 978521, Brawling-2, Spear-2, Leader-1, Tactics-1; Chain, Spear, 6d6 gold coins.

GOBLIN 585411, Blade-1 Spear-1; Jack, Blade, 1d6 gold coins.

KOBOLD 4A4871, Dagger-1, Spear-1, Recon-2, Mechanical-1; Jack, Dagger, 1d6 gold coins.

KOBOLD CROSSBOWMAN 5A4871, Dagger-0, Recon-2, Sporting Crossbow-1; Jack, Dagger, Sporting Crossbow, 20 arrows, 1d6 gold coins.

HOBGOBLIN A79762, Pike-1, Sword-1; Chain, Pike, Sword, 3d6 gold coins.

HOBGOBLIN ELITE A7A762, Pike-2, Sword-2; Plate, Pike, Sword, 4d6 gold coins.

BUGBEAR C7A540, Broadsword-2; Chain, Broadsword, 6d6 gold coins.

OGRE F5F310, Cudgel-2; Chain, Cudgel, 2d6x5 gold coins. NOTE: Ogres are so big targets that they grant a +1 bonus to hit them in combat.

DWARF 778777, Axe-2, Craft-1, Mechanical-1; Chain, Axe, 3d6 gold coins.

ELF 797778, Short Bow-2, Foil OR Sword-1, Recon-2 Hunt OR Craft-1; Elven Chain, Short Bow, 20 arrows, Foil, 3d6 gold coins.

I would add:

ORC CIVILIAN 865421 Brawling-1 Mechanic OR Farming OR Craft-1*; Appropriate tools, 1d4+1 Gold coins**

Orc Bard 874531 Blade-1 Music-1; Instrument, Blade, 2d6 Gold

Goblin Civilian 575411 Hunting OR Farming OR Craft-1 Blade-0 1d4+1 Gold

Goblin Shaman 585441 Cudgel-2 Philosophy-2 Medic-1 [Possible Psionic powers]; Jack, Cudgel, 2d6 Gold

Goblin Leader 585631 Blade-2 Spear-1 Leader-1 Jack, Spear, Blade, 3d6 Gold

Kobold Civilian 484761 Hunt OR Farm OR Craft-1, Dagger-1; Dagger, tools, 1d4+1 Gold

Kobold Cleric 4A4881 Philosophy-2 Leader-1 Cudgel-1 Medic-1 [Possible Psionic powers]; Cudgel, Jack, 2d6 Gold

Hobgoblin Civilian 778751 Blade or Spear-1, Hunt OR Farm OR Medic OR Craft-1; Blade or Spear, Tools, 1d4+1 Gold

Hobgoblin Archer 7A9762 Bow-2 Dagger-2 Recon-1; Jack, Short Bow, 20 Arrows, 3d6 Gold

Hobgoblin Bard 874771 Blade-1 Music-1; Instrument, Blade, 3d6 Gold

Hobgoblin Cleric A79872 Cudgel-1 Philosophy-2 Leader-1; Mace, Chain, 4d6 Gold

Dwarf Cleric 778897 Philosophy-3 Cudgel-2 Leader-1 Axe-1 Craft-1; Mace, Plate, 3d6 Gold

Elf Leader 797889 Bow-2 Foil OR Sword-2 Recon-2 Leader-1 Tactics-1; Elven Chain, Foil OR Sword, Short Bow + 20 Arrows, 4d6 Gold

Elf Healer 797888 Medic-3 Philosophy-1 Bow-1 Blade-1; Dagger, Healer's Kit, 3d6+2 Gold

Halfling 494776 Sling-2 Blade-1 Stealth-1 Craft OR Mech-1 Farm OR Hunt-1 OR Medic-1; Jack, Sling, 40 stones, 2d6 Gold

Halfling "Merchant" 494886 Trader-2 Admin-1 Mech-2*** Stealth-1 Broker-1 Bribery OR Forgery-1 Dagger-1 Sling-1; Jack, Dagger, Trade Goods (low tech, maybe imports), some mechanical tools, 4d6 Gold

Halfling Warrior Sling-2 Blade-2 Stealth-1 Leader-1 Tactics-1; Jack, Blade, Sling + 40 Stones, 3d6 Gold [Outriders add Equestrian-1]

Gnome 585776 Mech-3 Craft OR Music-2 Blade-1 Trader-1; Crafting Tools OR Instrument, 3d6 Gold

Gnome Warrior 686776 Blade OR Cudgel-2 Craft-1 Sling OR Bow-1 Tactics-1; Jack OR Chain, Blade OR Mace****, Sling OR Short Bow and ammunition, 2d6 Gold

Gnome Priest 585887 Philosophy-3 Leader-1 Medic-1 Cudgel-1; Mace, Holy Text, 2d6 Gold

*:Craft includes such various tasks as Blacksmithing, carving or carpentry as well as other similar tasks.
**:"Gold" here also includes copper, silver and possibly other D&D coinage that would add up to any amount of Gold.
***:Mechanical can also be used for defeating mechanical (and only mech.) locks, just like Electronics can be used for defeating Electronic (and only Elec.) locks.
****:Maces are pretty much Cudgels except for: TL-1, Damage 2d+2, stats as Cudgel+1.

 

[Blue Ghost]

Kharum1; very cool

Jame; you also rock!

 

[Jame]

Originally posted by Blue Ghost:
Kharum1; very cool

Jame; you also rock!

*Starts playing a guitar*

EDIT: Two things.

First, there's a more touched-up version of this at the Avenger Enterprises Forum which (I think) is more organized.

Second, I've made a word document out of all of this; if you want a copy or want to host it online, just contact me.

 

[Golan2072]

A semi-formatted version of the creatures presented in this discussion is now available here.