DEPARTMENTS

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Mutant Menaces - Flex Your Mussels

So, the creations of beasties for Mutant Future is really addictive. The lingo used in post-apocalyptic science fantasy is very catchy and a quick mental mispeak can spontaneously generate another denizen of the aftermath. I also find that many of my creations seem to tie in, somehow, with the local flavor and spirit of the region where I come from - the northwestern USA. This means a lot of green mountains, coastal splendor and seafood. Somehow the seafood seems to make it into my monsters a lot.

You'll see...


G’Duc

No. Enc.: 2d6 (6d6)
Alignment: Lawful
Movement: 60’ (20’), 120’ (40’) swimming.
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 1
Attacks: 1
Damage: Toxic spray 4d6) or by weapon
Save: L6
Morale: 9
Horde Class: XIII

Long before the cataclysm, the muddy tidal flats had been under a constant deluge of pollution and toxification from both natural and manmade sources. Much of the life that made its home there was killed off but the various clams and mussels survived to one degree or another. One species of clam seemed to take it personally and when mutated by the post-apocalyptic fallout, the gooey duck clams rose up to stake their territory and defend it undyingly.

With the new powers of manipulation and mobility, they ventured into the ruins left behind by the human oppressors and gathered materials and equipment, forming the League of Ivar, named for the single human who ever made any attempt to celebrate and glorify their kind. Now, the League has sworn to defend its muddy home to the death, cordoning off vast areas of mud flats, tidal backwater and beach as sovereign territory. They defend it using weapons built and gathered by their own hands or acquired through trade with other mutants. They do not trust Pure Humans at all and will kill them on site in most cases.

The G’duc look like huge long-shelled clams oriented vertically. The front of the shell parts to allow a single, bi-lobed foot to protrude at the bottom which they use like feet, shuffling along on land or as a flipper in water. The opening in their shell also allows the protrusion of their now modified tongue parts which they are able to work as tentacle arms for manipulating tools, though they do lack fine manipulation as they have no fingers. The most profound mutation of these clams, beyond that of sentience, is two eyes that protrude along with a collection of sensitive hairs from the topmost part of their shell. When threatened, a G’duc can tuck all its limbs and “head” into its shell and hold it shut with incredible strength (Str 18). G’duc do have a natural weapon in the form of a spray of toxic chemicals accumulated from their environment that they can squirt out of valve in their “head” at a single target at a time.

Mutations: Regenerative Capability, Toxic Weapon, Sensory Deficiency – Hearing, Sensory Deficiency – Sight.



Tidal Jelly

No. Enc.: 1d4 (1d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: None
Armor Class: 9 (immune to physical attacks)
Hit Dice: 5
Attacks: 3 tentacles or 1 engulf
Damage: 1d6 + Class 5 poison (5d6) or engulf
Save: L5
Morale: N/A
Hoard Class: IV

Tidal jellies are a species of mutant jellyfish that has evolved to a stationary existence in the tidal regions along the coast. Rather than floating on the tides or undulating their way through the oceans, these jellies take up residence in holes that they clear out in the sand. Once in place, they will live their lives in that same place, widening the hole as they grow.

Tidal jellies do not move about seeking prey but lash out at it with their tentacles when they blunder near or engulfing those creatures that manage to step onto them. The tentacles strike out and deliver a wicked blow accompanied by numerous nematocyst poison darts delivering a flood of poison. One the victim succumbs to the venom they will be dragged into the central mass and digested. Digestion occurs at a rate of 1d4 damage per round.

Mutations: Toxic Attack - Class 5 Poison


6 comments:

  1. Tidal Jellys. Wow. The lowest form on the food chain and those buggers are potent!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yeah, they are indeed. But I felt their lethality was balanced by their lack of movement. You pretty much have to fall into one.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the compliment. It is not all that easy to make a clam into a bipedal mutant and still have it look like it began as a clam.

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  4. League of Ivar, indeed!

    I will be treading softly the next time I'm at Pike Place Market...

    ReplyDelete
  5. At last a local who gets the joke!

    Ivar Hagland is/was a local celeb, business man, hero who is famous for a chain of fish houses that offer fast food with good quality and fair prices as well as some fine dining locations.

    He was particularly noted for his clams and his "acres of clams". He ran an add campaign for years featuring people in clam costumes engaged in various activites. These same clam costumes showed up in local parades, fairs and other events.

    There, now everyone can get the joke :)

    -Eli

    ReplyDelete

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