t kr’awn - atlas games

3
T he kr’awn are a race of horrible beings resembling a patchwork of humanoid and salamander, with a slimy hide, webbed hands and feet, and gills. Kr’awn vary greatly in appearance, but all are twisted and deformed. Some have extra limbs, others glow in the dark, and still others have backwards heads. The dark Order of Modakva originally bred these creatures for sacrifice by corrupting an aquatic race via alchemy and vile necromantic rituals. The kr’awn eventually united under the more specialized, powerful kr’awn, and overthrew their masters. A few enclaves of kr’awn remain, and the secrets of breeding and controlling them still lie waiting in the decrepit ruins of the Modakva. The kr’awn live in isolated communities well out of sight of humanoids. The kr’awn build crude structures for protection or use natural caves near their breeding pits. Only the king or queen has private quarters, where it holds court and develops its powers. Kr’awn live mostly by hunting and fishing, though they also cannibalize their sick and old, and occasionally raid lizardfolk and troglodytes. Kr’awn communities are centered around their breeders. An established colony will have three or four of these giant, bloated monstrosities. They are effectively defenseless, but if attacked they emit a psychic distress call that alerts every kr’awn within ten miles. In addition to the breeders, a kr’awn community usually consists of at least a hundred blood kr’awn, about a dozen howlers, and a handful of scryers. A single royal kr’awn rules the community, though some might have younger “apprentices” preparing to establish their own colonies. Kr’awn practice no religion and worship no gods, though lesser kr’awn KRAWN TRAITS Despite their deformities, kr’awn can move with ferocious speed and strength. Unless con- trolled by a master, lesser kr’awn will attack any- thing that infringes on their territory. More- intelligent kr’awn try to lure opponents into the water, where they have the advantage. Shocking Appearance (Ex): The first time a humanoid sees a given type of kr’awn, he must make a Will save (DC 14) or be shaken with horror for one round; shaken characters suffer a –2 morale penalty on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, and saving throws. Amphibious (Ex): All kr’awn are able to breathe and operate in water and on land. If kept out of water for a day or longer, kr’awn take a –2 circumstance penalty to all rolls. Fearless (Ex): Kr’awn were bred with few survival instincts. They are immune to magical and mundane fear effects, and read- ily attack creatures far more powerful than themselves. Scrying kr’awn have no immuni- ty to fear effects. Susceptible to Enchantments (Ex): Kr’awn are easily controlled by magic. They automatically fail any save to resist a mind- influencing magical or psionic effect. If the kr’awn is currently controlled by one enchant- ment when another is cast, the kr’awn’s cur- rent controller may make a Will save on the kr’awn’s behalf. Royal kr’awn have no special susceptibility to enchantments. Deformities (Ex): No two kr’awn look alike. Roll on the table at right for typical kr’awn deformities; blood kr’awn roll twice. BLOOD KRAWN Kr’awn speak a crude form of Aquan, and most can understand Common. Aberration: Aberrations have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Harvest Kr’awn Vulnerability (Ex): A blood kr’awn targeted by a harvest kr’awn spell (see page 180) is automatically killed, leaving a desiccated husk. If the kr’awn is currently controlled by someone else’s enchantment magic, its master may make a Will save to negate on its behalf. Kr’awn Traits: Kr’awn all have Shocking Appearance, Amphibious, Fearless, Susceptible to Enchantments, and Deformities. Skills: Kr’awn receive a +8 racial Swim bonus to avoid hazards. Blood kr’awn have a 178 kr’awn Small Aberration (Aquatic) Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 20 ft., swim 20 ft. AC: 14 (+1 size, +3 natural) Attacks: 2 claws +2 melee Damage: Claws 1d3 each Face/Reach: 5 ft. x 5 ft./5 ft. Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Harvest Kr’awn Vulnerability, Kr’awn Traits Saves: Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +4 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 8 Skills: Hide +8, Listen +3, Move Silently +4, Spot +3, Swim +0 (+8 to avoid hazards) Climate/Terrain: Temperate or warm marsh or underground Organization: Solitary, pack (2–4), brood (3–4 howlers, plus 4–24 blood kr’awn), or colony (100 blood, 3–4 breeders, 10–12 howlers, 3–6 scryers, 1 royal) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: None Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: 3–6 HD (Medium-size) Blood kr’awn 13

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Page 1: T kr’awn - Atlas Games

The kr’awn are a race of horriblebeings resembling a patchwork of

humanoid and salamander, with aslimy hide, webbed hands and feet,and gills. Kr’awn vary greatly inappearance, but all are twisted anddeformed. Some have extra limbs,others glow in the dark, and stillothers have backwards heads.

The dark Order of Modakvaoriginally bred these creatures forsacrifice by corrupting an aquaticrace via alchemy and vilenecromantic rituals. The kr’awneventually united under the morespecialized, powerful kr’awn, andoverthrew their masters. A fewenclaves of kr’awn remain, and thesecrets of breeding and controllingthem still lie waiting in the decrepitruins of the Modakva.

The kr’awn live in isolatedcommunities well out of sight ofhumanoids. The kr’awn build crudestructures for protection or usenatural caves near their breeding pits.Only the king or queen has privatequarters, where it holds court anddevelops its powers. Kr’awn livemostly by hunting and fishing,though they also cannibalize theirsick and old, and occasionally raidlizardfolk and troglodytes. Kr’awncommunities are centered around theirbreeders. An established colony willhave three or four of these giant,bloated monstrosities. They areeffectively defenseless, but if attackedthey emit a psychic distress call thatalerts every kr’awn within ten miles.

In addition to the breeders, akr’awn community usually consistsof at least a hundred blood kr’awn,about a dozen howlers, and a handfulof scryers. A single royal kr’awn rulesthe community, though some mighthave younger “apprentices” preparingto establish their own colonies.Kr’awn practice no religion andworship no gods, though lesser kr’awn

KR’AWN TRAITS

Despite their deformities, kr’awn can movewith ferocious speed and strength. Unless con-trolled by a master, lesser kr’awn will attack any-thing that infringes on their territory. More-intelligent kr’awn try to lure opponents into thewater, where they have the advantage.

Shocking Appearance (Ex): The firsttime a humanoid sees a given type of kr’awn, hemust make a Will save (DC 14) or be shakenwith horror for one round; shaken characterssuffer a –2 morale penalty on attack rolls,weapon damage rolls, and saving throws.

Amphibious (Ex): All kr’awn are able tobreathe and operate in water and on land. Ifkept out of water for a day or longer, kr’awntake a –2 circumstance penalty to all rolls.

Fearless (Ex): Kr’awn were bred withfew survival instincts. They are immune tomagical and mundane fear effects, and read-ily attack creatures far more powerful thanthemselves. Scrying kr’awn have no immuni-ty to fear effects.

Susceptible to Enchantments (Ex):Kr’awn are easily controlled by magic. Theyautomatically fail any save to resist a mind-influencing magical or psionic effect. If the

kr’awn is currently controlled by one enchant-ment when another is cast, the kr’awn’s cur-rent controller may make a Will save on thekr’awn’s behalf. Royal kr’awn have no specialsusceptibility to enchantments.

Deformities (Ex): No two kr’awn lookalike. Roll on the table at right for typicalkr’awn deformities; blood kr’awn roll twice.

BLOOD KR’AWN

Kr’awn speak a crude form of Aquan,and most can understand Common.

Aberration: Aberrations haveDarkvision with a range of 60 feet.

Harvest Kr’awn Vulnerability (Ex):A blood kr’awn targeted by a harvest kr’awnspell (see page 180) is automatically killed,leaving a desiccated husk. If the kr’awn iscurrently controlled by someone else’senchantment magic, its master may make aWill save to negate on its behalf.

Kr’awn Traits: Kr’awn all have ShockingAppearance, Amphibious, Fearless, Susceptibleto Enchantments, and Deformities.

Skills: Kr’awn receive a +8 racial Swimbonus to avoid hazards. Blood kr’awn have a

178

kr’awn

Small Aberration (Aquatic)Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)Initiative: +0Speed: 20 ft., swim 20 ft.AC: 14 (+1 size, +3 natural)Attacks: 2 claws +2 meleeDamage: Claws 1d3 eachFace/Reach: 5 ft. x 5 ft./5 ft.Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Harvest Kr’awn Vulnerability,

Kr’awn TraitsSaves: Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +4Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 8Skills: Hide +8, Listen +3, Move Silently +4, Spot +3,

Swim +0 (+8 to avoid hazards)Climate/Terrain: Temperate or warm marsh or undergroundOrganization: Solitary, pack (2–4), brood (3–4 howlers, plus

4–24 blood kr’awn), or colony (100 blood, 3–4breeders, 10–12 howlers, 3–6 scryers, 1 royal)

Challenge Rating: 1Treasure: NoneAlignment: Usually neutralAdvancement: 3–6 HD (Medium-size)

Blood kr’awn

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Page 2: T kr’awn - Atlas Games

consider their king or queen to be averitable god-thing. The royal kr’awnand the scryers pilfered many of theartifacts and writings from the Orderof Modakva. Since royal kr’awn werenot bred with the short life spans oftheir lessers, it is possible that the sameroyals have been alive — andstudying magic — since the originalkr’awn revolt.

BLOOD KR’AWN

Blood kr’awn are the mostcommon and base of these

creatures, bred to fuel their masters’magic. They are weak combatants,but fearless and much tougher thantheir small frames would suggest. Ablood kr’awn is about the size of alarge child, with bulbous eyes and asmall, toothy maw. It scurries abouton all fours, squealing loudly andslashing with its claws whenagitated.

ADVENTURE SEED

��An evil wizard is searching highand low for the lost secrets of the Orderof Modakva. The PCs encounter thevillain’s henchmen in variousdungeons, and eventually discover hisplan to breed blood kr’awn for power.But the PCs also find clues leading toa community of free kr’awn —possible allies in their fight againstthis growing evil.

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kr’awn

kr’awn Mutation Table

D20 MUTATION EFFECT

1–8 No mutation9–10 Backward head or limbs No game effect11 Tiny mouth No bite attack12 Missing forearms No claw attacks13 Phosphorescent skin –2 racial penalty to Hide checks14 Scrawny –1 Hit Die, –2 Strength score15 Powerful legs Increase base speed by 10 ft., and

gain +10 racial bonus to Jumpchecks

16 Spider eyes All-Around Vision gives +4 racialbonus to Spot and Search checks,and they can’t be flanked

17 Gaping maw Gain bite attack for 1d4 damage,or increase bite damage by onedie

18 Extra arms Two extra claw attacks19 Acid blood An attacker that wounds a kr’awn

for normal damage must makeReflex save (DC 14) or take 1d6acid damage

20 Horrible stench Non-kr’awn must make a singleFortitude save (DC 14) or be nau-seated for as long as they remainwithin 30 feet.

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This free preview is published under the terms of the Open Game License (below). All text and game mechanics print-ed in the white spaces on the previous pages are Open Game Content, as is the Open Game License itself. Othertext, illustrations and design elements in this book may not be reproduced without the publisher’s express permission.

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D20 System Rules & Content Copyright 2000 Wizards of theCoast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, SkipWilliams, based on original material by Dave Arneson and E.Gary Gygax.

“Kr’awn,” an excerpt from The Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary,Copyright 2003, Trident, Inc. d/b/a Atlas Games; Author JeremyStrandberg.

Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary June 2003

Tap into the imaginations of more than thirty d20 Systemdesigners and enrich your adventures with more than 200

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