barbarians of lemuria - ancient animals.pdfbarbarians of lemuria - ancient animals

8/10/2019 Barbarians of Lemuria - Ancient Animals.pdfBarbarians of Lemuria - Ancient Animals

1/9

1

Ancient Animals

I've put together a generic bestiary for Barbarians of Lemuria. I know the system is so simple as to allow almostanything to be made up on the fly but I wanted to have a basic toolkit available for those occasions when I don'tfeel quite so creative.

I'm limiting the scope of the bestiary because I want to avoid the usual D&D-influenced range of giant versionsof modern animals or insects, the polyglot mix of creatures from a range of mythical backgrounds (though I dohave a fondness for Greek myth), dinosaurs and the familiar mix of near human races and bizarre creatures.They don't feature in the S&S fiction I read so they're not in the bestiary.

While I've decided to exclude dinosaurs I've included a range of life forms from the last 50 million years onearth, such as sabre-toothed cats, mammoths and flightless carnivorous birds. These creatures seem to me to bea better fit for S&S, being historical yet with the right ante-diluvian feel, though I know there are anachronismsas man didn't meet all of them and they are from a wide range of time periods and climate zones. I have retainedthe names we use now for these creatures but would suggest the GM uses local names when describing them,less scientific and more in keeping with their particular setting. Personally I probably will include some modernanimals such as hunting dogs and horses but the GM is free to decide for themselves.

A note about the systemWhile I might include some normal animals I would rarely determine stats for these unless it was likely tocome up in a game. For example a dog might be used for hunting or as a guard whereas a domestic cat isn'tincluded. Similarly a horse may need to be controlled or broken or a falcon's hunting skill tested.

The abilities of each animal could be generalised into a "Nature", the equivalent of careers, which lets the GMwrap a whole series of features into one score. Hence a vanilla riding horse might have "Horse 1" whereas afierce, battle-trained stallion might have "Horse 4" Any rolls regarding the horse's reactions, skills (or whateverthe GM wants) can be made against their Nature. Abilities and specific attack types, skills, flaws etc. can becustomised for that creature using the standard character and fauna rules.

This system could be applied to the animals below should the GM so desire.

Dave BellBlaydonAugust 2009

The text for these notes is in part adapted from rules originally written for the GURPS system and from

information related to the BBC Television series Walking with Beasts. Images are used without permissionfrom two very useful websites should further information be required. These arehttp://planet.uwc.ac.za/nisl/biodiversity/karen/index.htmand http://www.abc.net.au/beasts/evidence/No challenge is intended to the rightful owners.
http://planet.uwc.ac.za/nisl/biodiversity/karen/index.htmhttp://www.abc.net.au/beasts/evidence/http://www.abc.net.au/beasts/evidence/http://planet.uwc.ac.za/nisl/biodiversity/karen/index.htm


2/9

2

AurochsWt:1,000-2,500 lbs.Habitats:Plains, ForestThe aurochs was the ancestor of modemdomestic cattle. Well-known by primitivehumans, it was hunted and domesticatedextensively. Treat aurochs like any other

herd herbivore - they will flee if threatened.Males protect the herd, and will attack likebull cattle by charging and trampling.

Attributes

Strength 4Agility -1Mind -2

Combat Abilities

Attack - Horns +0 / D6Attack - Trample +2 / D6Defence 0

Protection - Hide 1Lifeblood 20

Bear-Dog, GiantWeight:1-1 1/2 tonsHabitats:Jungle, Forest, PlainsAndrewsarchusis the scientific name of thisanimal of 50 million years ago. Althoughcalled a giant bear-dog, it was related toneither bears nor dogs. It stood about 6 feetat the shoulder and was 11 feet long - itshead alone was more than a yard long.

Judging from its teeth, it was carnivorous.From its size, it couldn't have been very fast;however, the Eocene had many slow-moving herbivores for it to prey upon. Littleis known of its habits; assume that it willattack fearlessly, with intent to devour.

Attributes

Strength 5Agility 2Mind 0

Combat Abilities

Attack - Bite +4 / D6+2

Defence 3Protection - Hide 1Lifeblood 30


3/9

3

Cave BearWeight:1,200-1,600 lbs.Habitats:Mountains, ForestCave bears of the Pleistocene were about the samesize as modem polar bears and Kodiaks. They werealmost completely vegetarian, and went into cavesonly during their winter hibernation. It seems early

humans hunted them frequently - many cave bearremains show signs of consumption by humans.

Attributes


Combat Abilities

Attack - Bite +4 / D6+2Attack - Claws +2 / D6+2Defence 3Protection - Hide 2

Lifeblood 30

Cave LionWeight:500-700 lbs.Habitats:Mountain, PlainsThese large cats lived during the Pleistoceneand were frequently hunted by humans. Itwas 25 percent bigger than lions today andwas up to about 11.5 ft (3.5 m) long. Little isknown about their habits. Assume that they

behave similarly to modem lions, although itis likely that they do not fear humans.

Attributes

Strength 3

Agility 2Mind 0

Combat Abilities

Attack - Bite +3 / D6Attack - Claws +1 / D6Defence 3Protection - Hide 1Lifeblood 20


4/9

4

Crocodile, GiantWeight:1-2 tonsHabitats:Forest Wetlands, SwampThese animals lived throughout the age ofdinosaurs. They grew to a length of 50 feet andwere true crocodiles in all respects. As far astactics go, treat them like their modem relatives.

Attributes

Strength 8Agility 1Mind -1

Combat Abilities

Attack - Bite +2 / 2D6-1Attack - Tail +2 / 2D6-1Defence 0Protection - Hide 3Lifeblood 40

DinohyusWeight:1,600-2,000 lbs.Habitats:Forest

Dinohyus is a giant warthog-like hoofed mammalthat flourished 25 million years ago. It is onlydistantly, if at all, related to the modern pig. Thisherbivore (it ate plants, including roots) had along skull, a small braincase, a pair of knob-likeprotrusions on the back of the lower jaw (in thecheek area), blunt incisors, and wide, strongcanine teeth. Its long legs probably made it a fastrunner. The neck was short and stout and therewas a hump on the shoulders formed by spinesalong the backbone. It was about 12 feet long and6 feet high at the shoulder. Its head was 3 feetlong. Treat it as a wild boar doing damage by

trampling or a tusk-slash.

Attributes


Combat Abilities

Attack - Tusk +2 / 2D6Attack - Trample +0 / D6+2Defence 0Protection - Hide 2Lifeblood 40


5/9

5

Dire WolfWeight:150-250 lbs.Habitats:Plains, Mountain, Arctic, ForestThe dire wolf is the sturdy but slow precursor of themodern wolf. Dire wolves are active both day andnight, traveling in packs ranging from 4 to 40animals. Scavengers by nature, dire wolves prey

upon animals in distress - the injured, the old, theabandoned young. They often attack animals trappedin mires, rock slides and tar pits. Dire wolves haveno fear of humans. The wolves will attack using packtactics. They will not be driven off until they havesuffered at least 50% casualties.

Attributes


Combat Abilities

Attack - Bite +4 / D6


ElasmotheriumWeight:3-5 tonsHabitats: PlainsElasmotherium is an extinct type of rhinoceros, evenlarger modem rhinos, with a very long horn. It stands13 feet tall at the shoulder and is about 7 yards long.The horn is over two yards long. Like the modemrhino, it is a solitary animal, active from dawn to dusk.It will flee humans unless wounded or protectingyoung. Treat it as a rhinoceros in all respects nototherwise covered tens.

Attributes


Combat Abilities

Attack - Horn +2 / 2D6Attack - Trample +0 / 2D6-1Defence 0Protection - Hide 4Lifeblood 40


6/9

6

GlyptodontWt:1,500-2,500 lbs.Habitats:PlainsThe glyptodont was a prehistoric animal, relatedto the armadillo. Glyptodonts were of many sizes,the largest being represented here. This creature is6 feet high, 15 feet long (4 feet is tail!), and 6 feet

wide in the body. It resembles armored dinosaurslike the ankylosaurus, but is a true mammal. Theskull is broad, more like a turtle's than anarmadillo's. Glyptodonts will never attack. Ifthreatened, their usual reaction is to withdrawinto their shells and swing their tails until leftalone. They are solitary nocturnal animals. Theyhave powerful claws (used only for digging) andonly molars - no biting teeth.

Attributes

Strength 5Agility 1

Mind -2

Combat Abilities

Attack - Tail +1 / D6+4


Megaloceros (Irish Elk)Weight:1,000+ lbs.Habitats:ForestMegaloceros is often confusingly called the'Irish Elk', although it was technically a deerrather than an elk. Its closest living relativeis the Fallow deer, and like this animal itprobably spent much of its time in openwoodland.This giant member of the deer family diedout just a few thousand years ago; humanswere probably a leading cause of itsextinction. It stood 6 feet at me shoulderand bad enormous antlers, with spreads up

to 10 feet being common.Like all deer, Irish elk were undoubtedly shyof humans, but may have been dangerous inthe fall, their mating season.

Attributes

Strength 3Agility 2Mind -1

Combat Abilities

Attack - Antlers +2 / D6Attack Rear Kick +0 / D6



7/9

7

MammothWeight:4-7 tonsHabitats:Plains, Forest, ArcticMammoths were Ice Age ancestors of theelephant, common to North America, Europeand Asia. Some species were covered with athick, woolly hair. They were about 11.5 feet

long, 9.5 feet tall at the shoulder. Theyoriginated some 7 million years ago, and werehunted to extinction by humans who used themeat, tusks and hide extensively. There is noevidence that they were ever domesticated;assume that they can be, using the sametechniques used on modem elephants.Mammoths evolved from mastodons, and werelarger, with higher skulls, shorter jaws andheavier hair. They also were found in a widerrange of habitats. Their hard, high-crownedmolars were designed to chew up prairie grassesand other tough vegetation that the mastodon

could not eat. Mammoths attack by trampling or swinging their long tusks. Some tusks were straight, some were curved; thelongest were up to 13 feet long.

Attributes Combat Abilities

Strength 11 Attack - Tusk +1 / 2D6Agility -2 Attack - Trample +0 / 2D6Mind -1 Defence 0

Protection - Hide 4Lifeblood 50

MegatheriumWeight:7-9 tonsHabitats:Jungle, ForestMegatherium was a giant ground sloth that livedduring the Ice Age. It was a huge, bulky, slow-moving herbivore (plant-eater), the size of anelephant. It had peg-like teeth, powerful jaws, and athick, short tail and had three hook-like claws oneach hand. It was primarily a quadruped (walked onfour legs). It may have eaten leaves from the topsof trees 20 feet off the ground while standingupright on its hind legs, using its tail to balance. It

had no biting teeth, only molars, but say have usedits claws to defend it from sabertoothed tigers andother carnivores. It was most likely a solitaryanimal, occasionally found in pairs. It will leavehumans alone, possibly even fleeing from them. Ifattacked, however, it will defend itself, swingingwith its claws.

Attributes Combat Abilities

Strength 10 Attack - Claws +2 / 2D6Agility 0 Defence 1

Mind 0 Protection - Hide 4Lifeblood 60


8/9

8

PhorusrhacosHabitats:Plains, Forests, Deserts

The first Terror Birds date back to theEocene era. Then, however, they were chicken-sized.In South America, though, they became fiercepredators, and moved into North America when thetwo continents collided. They stood about 8 feet tall,

with a head as large as a horse's. They were decidedlycarnivorous, and from the fossil remains, seem tohave hunted in groups. Their wings are small for the

birds'size - about a foot long each - and are quiteuseless. The feet are used for kicking like an ostrich,

but the main weapon is undoubtedly the beak.

Attributes


Combat Abilities

Attack - Beak +1 / D6Attack - Kick ++0 /

D6+1Defence 2Protection - Feathers 1Lifeblood 20

SmilodonWeight:400-600 lbs.Habitats:Plains, Forest, DesertThe sabertoothed tiger, known scientifically as thesmilodon,did not really resemble a tiger in anything

but size. Its skeleton more closely resembles that ofa lion, but the stabbing cats diverged from the

biting cats so long ago that sabertooths are notclosely related to any modem animal. Sabertoothsknew early humans, and were hunted by them.They probably returned the favor - some humanskulls have been found with sabertooth-sized holesin them! It is believed that the sabertooth huntedthe great mammals. Their teeth (which sometimesmeasured 11 inches long) are serrated and wereadapted for stabbing through the thick skin to the

jugular rather than slashing. They are more solitarythan lions, and will bite repeatedly rather than

biting and holding.

Attributes


Combat Abilities

Attack - Bite +3 / D6+2Attack - Claws +0 /

D6++Defence 3Protection - Hide 2Lifeblood 30


9/9

9

Wisent (European bison)Wt.:1,000-3,000 lbs.Habitats:Plains, ForestThe wisent is a European bison. The morecommon Ice Age species, often represented inneolithic cave drawings, was a plains dweller (nowextinct); another species lived in forests. Treat it as

a bison for all purposes.

Attributes


Combat Abilities

Attack - Horns +2 / D6Attack - Trample +0 / D6Defence 0Protection - Hide 1Lifeblood 20

Woolly RhinocerosWeight:1-2 tonsHabitats:Arctic, PlainsThe woolly rhino was a common figure inprehistoric cave an. It stood about 4 yards long

and 6 feet at the shoulder, with long shaggy far. Itwas a solitary animal, probably active from duskthrough dawn. For all practical purposes treat it asa modern rhino other than it inhabits a muchcolder climate. It will usually flee humans, butoccasionally one will charge - especially a motheror wounded animal.

Attributes


Combat Abilities

Attack - Horns +2 / D6+1Attack - Trample +0 / D6+1Defence 0Protection - Hide 2Lifeblood 30

barbarians of lemuria - ancient animals.pdfbarbarians of lemuria - ancient animals

Documents