Aquatics

[Back to Contents]
Aquatics include only species described in this Section, though other species may have the ability to swim or breathe water. All aquatics except Dolphins and Whales can breathe water indefinitely. Dolphins and Whales can remain submerged for 5 to 20 minutes only before having to rise to the surface for air. Fish must move at least once per minute or take [D - 3] damage to Fatigue due to suffocation. All aquatics move within the water the same way that avians move through the air.

Fish

Fish include barracuda, manta rays, pike, piranha and sharks. All fish except piranha are found in an oceanic environment. Piranha tend to be found in streams, rivers, marshes and lakes. Fish must keep a steady flow of water over their gills in order to breathe. They are non-intelligent, but very hostile.

BARRACUDA

Natural Habitat: Ocean
Frequency: Uncommon
Number: 1-6 (1)
Description: Barracuda are predatory fish about 6 feet long.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Barracuda possess no magical abilities or other special skills or talents.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 350
PS 12-14 MD None AG 17-20 MA None
EN 6-8 FT 11-14 WP 8-10 PC 14-16
PB 4-7 TMR 7 NA 4 DP
Weapons: Barracuda attack with their bite (Base Chance of 50%, [D + 1] Damage).
Comments: Barracuda will not generally attack man unless threatened or particularly hungry. They might, however, mistake a person carrying jewellery or making quick movements for another fish and attack for that reason.

MANTA RAY

Natural Habitat: Ocean
Frequency: Uncommon
Number: 1-100 (15)
Description: Manta rays are large, flat ocean creatures. Their bellies are white, while the top is dark blue. They are triangular in shape, and reach sizes more than 20 feet across, weighing up to 3000 pounds. The eyes are set forward in front of the body on two foot long protuberances, between which rests the mouth. They have a long, very thin tail.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Manta Rays possess no special talents, skills or magic.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 200
PS 35-40 MD None AG 13-15 MA None
EN 16-19 FT 24-28 WP 10-12 PC 12-14
PB 5-8 TMR 4 NA Skin absorbs 4 DP
Weapons: Manta Rays can deliver killing blows with their massive fins in Melee Combat, crushing the ribcages of swimmers, and breaking in the sides of boats. Base Chance for the Manta: 65%, [D + 14] Damage.

PIKE

Natural Habitat: Ponds, Lakes, Rivers, Streams, Marsh
Frequency: Common
Number: 1-30 (1)
Description: Pike are 2 to 4 foot long fish which specialise in the solitary hunting of other fish. They have needle-like teeth and spiky fins and are covered with tough scales. Though usually not a danger to humans, they can be called in large numbers by Nixies and will attack at the Nixies' command.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Pike have no skills, magic, or talents.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 300
PS 8-11 MD None AG 20-25 MA None
EN 5-10 FT 10-15 WP 6-8 PC 14-16
PB 5-6 TMR 6 NA 1 DP
Weapons: Pike attack in Close Combat with a Base Chance of 30%of doing [D - 4] Damage. In schools, each group of 5 attacks with a Base Chance of 70% of doing [D + 2] Damage.

PIRANHA

Natural Habitat: River
Frequency: Rare
Number: 1-200 (50)
Description: Piranha are small fish with very sharp teeth and a vicious temper.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Piranha have no magic abilities, talents or skills.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 300
PS 1-2 MD None AG 20-23 MA None
EN 1 FT 1-2 WP 4-5 PC 15-16
PB 5-6 TMR 6 NA None
Weapons: Piranha attack in schools. Every group of ten gets one attack (Base Chance of 80%, [D + 4] Damage). They can only attack in Close Combat.
Comments: Piranha are voracious. They can devour an elephant in minutes, and will immediately attack anything edible (primarily meat-bearing) which falls into the water with them.

SHARK

Natural Habitat: Ocean
Frequency: Uncommon
Number: 1-50 (5)
Description: Sharks are long fish with very sharp teeth and tough skin. A shark's colour varies from light blue to white to orange, depending on the waters that they are swimming in. Sharks reach sizes in excess of 40 feet, at which point they are threats to boats as well as to swimmers. Sharks are normally two-hex monsters.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Sharks can detect the presence of blood in the water from extremely long distances, and they will gather around the blood, working themselves up into a killing frenzy. They can also sense motion in water, especially in the form of the types of disturbances caused by swimmers.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 350
PS 35-45 MD None AG 12-16 MA None
EN 25-30 WP 8-10 FT 40-50 PC 9-12
PB 6-8 TMR 7 NA Skin absorbs 7 DP
Weapons: Sharks attack via their bite (Base Chance of 40%, [D + 8] Damage).
Comments: As soon as blood is drawn in waters containing sharks (most waters do) there is a 60% chance that 10-60 sharks will be attracted. Sharks teeth are fairly valuable (a set might go for 100 Silver Pennies) as charms.

Aquatic Mammals

Aquatic mammals include dolphins, great white whales killer whales, and merfolk. They are generally moderately intelligent and neutral, or even friendly, to adventurers. Except for merfolk, they cannot remain submerged indefinitely. Merfolk must keep a steady flow of water over their gills in the same manner as fish.

DOLPHIN

Natural Habitat: Ocean
Frequency: Common
Number: 1-20 (4)
Description: Dolphins are mammals of the sea. They grow to 12 feet in length and are basically fish-like in form (although their bodies are more cylindrical than most fish). They have long, thin snouts, and are generally greyish in colour. Dolphins are two-hex monsters.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Dolphins have no talents, skills or magic.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 400
PS 25-30 MD None AG 24-26 MA None
EN 12-15 FT 20-25 WP 15-17 PC 14-17
PB 12-15 TMR 8 NA Skin absorbs 4 DP
Weapons: Dolphins attack in Melee Combat by ramming with their snouts with a Base Chance of 40% and [D - 1] Damage.
Comments: Dolphins will sometimes aid humans in need, and will remember with a vengeance those humans who have harmed them in the past. They will never attack humans unless provoked.

GREAT WHITE WHALE

Natural Habitat: Ocean
Frequency: Very Rare
Number: 1
Description: These creatures are the largest mammals found on sea or on land. They reach lengths of 200-300 feet, and are a truly spectacular sight when they rise three-quarters of the way out of the water, sending spray hundreds of yards in all directions. These whales are pure white in colour.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Great white whales cannot use magic and have no special talents or skills.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 700
PS 700-1000 MD None AG 8-9 MA None
EN 300-400 FT 500-600 WP 8-10 PC 12-15
PB 4-6 TMR 14 NA Hide absorbs 8 DP
Weapons: Rather than doing actual damage to most creatures, the great white whale simply swallows them alive (Base Chance 50%). If a creature is swallowed alive, it is presumed dead unless it is somehow magically saved. If a creature is large enough so that it cannot be swallowed by the creature's 30 foot wide gullet, then the whale does [D + 10] Damage. The great white whale can only attack in Melee Combat.

KILLER WHALE

Natural Habitat: Ocean (generally arctic waters)
Frequency: Rare
Number: 1-25 (20)
Description: Killer whales are black on top and white on their bellies. They have fins on either side of their body, as well as one fin which sticks up from their back much like the fin of a shark. Large males reach 30 feet in length. Killer whales are 14-hex monsters.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Killer whales have no special talents, skills, or magic.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 400
PS 40-45 MD None AG 13-15 MA None
EN 35-40 FT 60-70 WP 12-13 PC 15-17
PB 10-12 TMR 8 NA Hide absorbs 3 DP
Weapons: Killer whales can attack either in Melee or Close Combat with their bite (Base Chance of 50%, [D + 10] Damage).

MERFOLK (SEA PEOPLE)

Natural Habitat: Ocean
Frequency: Rare
Number: 1-100 (1)
Description: Merfolk are half human, half fish, the top half being the human half. Merfolk lose 3 points of Fatigue (and Endurance when Fatigue is exhausted) for each hour they remain out of water.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Merfolk get along very well with the indigenous life of the sea, and they can summon fish of various types, although they will only rarely summon the larger predators. Some merfolk will have powerful magic, while others will be ignorant of magic. All breathe both air and water.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 350
PS 10-25 MD 14-25 AG 16-21 MA 13-23
EN 12-14 FT 20-24 WP 13-18 PC 14-20
PB 18-30 TMR 7 NA Skin absorbs 2 DP
Weapons: The merfolk ride seahorses and can use weapons underwater. They prefer pole-type weapons (especially tridents) and stabbing knives and swords. They will wear fish-skin armour (similar to leather armour) or laminated seashell armour (similar to lamillar armour) when going to war.
Comments: Merfolk will often sit on a beach, waiting to ensnare a human of the opposite sex, whom they will then bring down into the deeps with them as lovers. They give the human a cap woven of gold which has magical properties which allow the human to live and breath under water. Down under the sea, the merfolk will have cities and societies much like those on the surface, with wars, diplomacy, trade, etc. Great treasure will often be found in the sea-peoples' underwater lairs, often including gold from sunken wrecks. The merfolk are not usually hostile to man, but they will occasionally force a boat to turn back if it is trespassing on water they consider sacred or otherwise not appropriate for man.

Others

This section includes eels, Kraken, octopi, and squids. These creatures are often intelligent and usually hostile to adventurers.

EEL

Natural Habitat: Ocean
Frequency: Uncommon
Number: 1-4 (1)
Description: Eels are long, thin, greyish fish up to 7 feet in length.
Talents, Skills and Magic: Eels have no special talents, skills, or magic.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 300
PS 18-20 MD None AG 14-17 MA None
EN 8-10 FT 14-16 WP 10-11 PC 17-20
PB 6-8 TMR 6 NA Skin absorbs 3 DP
Weapons: An eel attacks with its bite (Base Chance of 50%, [D + 2] Damage), which it can only use in Close Combat.

KRAKEN

Natural Habitat: Ocean
Frequency: Very Rare
Number: 1-2 (1)
Description: Kraken are huge, black, fierce octupoids. They have a pointed beak and large, red eyes. A Kraken's body is 30-40 feet long, and its 8 tentacles are about as long as its body. Their hide is thick and horny and they are 14-hex monsters.
Talents, Skills and Magic: The Kraken's most fearsome attribute is its ability to rip ships apart with its hideously strong tentacles. It can usually handle ships up to 40 feet in length, shredding and then entirely consuming them and their contents within (D + 2) minutes after it emerged from the depths. In addition, a Kraken can use the maelstrom spell from the College of Water Magics at rank 8-10.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 600
PS 100-200 MD 15-20 AG 12-14 MA 12-15
EN 60-80 FT 80-100 WP 25-30 PC 17-20
PB 1-3 TMR 12 NA Hide absorbs 6 DP
Weapons: In any given Pulse a Kraken can attack with up to 5 of its 8 tentacles. It has two options as to what it can do with these tentacles: it can either try to damage a character with the tentacles themselves at a Base Chance of 70%, and Damage of [D + 4], or it can attempt to draw the adversary towards its beak at a Base Chance of 30%, and [D + 15] Damage. Either option can be taken with any of the tentacles.
Comments: Krakens typically live by the shores of large, saltwater bodies, pulling swimmers and small vessels down to their demise. If a Kraken's lair is found, it will frequently (80%) have a large treasure (25,000-35,000 Silver Pennies in value) stockpiled. Krakens tend to be unintelligent, but grow larger and more intelligent in cold water.

OCTOPUS

Natural Habitat: Ocean
Frequency: Uncommon
Number: 1-6 (1)
Description: Octopi are small bags of flesh with eight long thin tentacles attached. They rarely grow to larger than 6 feet, from tentacle-tip to tentacle-tip. Their colour shifts with their surroundings to provide the maximum camouflage. The body is highly malleable, and can usually fit into small cracks in coral beds. Rare species of giant octopi may grow to 3 times normal size.
Talents, Skills and Magic: When frightened, octopi can squirt a jet of dark substance into the water, obscuring vision while they make their escape.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 150; Climbing on Rocks: 75
PS 8-12 AG 14-16 MD 15-17 MA None
EN 5-6 WP 6-8 FT 10-11 PC 17-19
PB 5-7 TMR 3/1 NA Skin absorbs 2 DP
Weapons: In Close Combat, an octopus can attack once using its tentacles (Base Chance of 80%, - 2 Damage).

SQUID

Natural Habitat: Ocean
Frequency: Rare
Number: 1-10 (1)
Description: These creatures are bullet-shaped, with 10 tentacles streaming from the base of the bullet. They grow to 50 feet in length, and their colour changes according to the waters that they inhabit. The Squid also has a beak and large, round eyes. Squids are 14-hex monsters.
Talents, Skills and Magic: The squid has no magic or special skills or talents.
Movement Rates: Swimming: 600
PS 60-70 MD 25-30 AG 10-13 MA None
EN 50-60 FT 65-70 WP 10-12 PC 10-12
PB 6-8 TMR 12 NA Hide absorbs 5 DP
Weapons: Squids attack with their tentacles, drawing their prey in toward their beak. A squid can make up to 5 attacks each pulse using its tentacles, but the first time that it hits something, it must cease attacks for that pulse as it can only bite one thing at a time. The Base Chance for each attack is 25%, with [D + 12] Damage. The squid can also choose not to attempt to bite and merely squeeze with its tentacles, in which case the Base Chance is 50%, and Damage [D - 1]. It can score up to 5 hits in this way.
Comments: Large squid generally prefer very deep water, and will rarely be found at the shallower depths. Squid are carnivorous, and will eat almost any meat (including man) that they can find.