DMs Only: Bloodpack Fauna and Flora
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Description of Plains
First think about the Kalahari desert. Now imagine it with magic, and we have the basis for the plains. I also suggest reading the book that is the source for this area: Grass by Sheri S. Tepper. The style of the place comes from several authors including the intrigue of Frank Herbert's Dune, the African content and secrets within secrets of Mike Resnick's Ivory and The Dark Lady. Underground areas are influenced by John Christopher's The Lotus Caves. Countless other authors and works also influence this setting.
The only plant life in Sargrass is the grass, in all its wondrous kinds and shapes. Animal life is very limited and strange in that there are only a very few species and those form a circle of life and evolution. So each species relying on the others for their complete survival.
While the Sargrass is hardy and nearly impossible to destroy, it is susceptible to mutation and changes easily and quickly without guidance. So it is both hardy as a species, yet susceptible to change.
create water spells seem to only create 1/2 of what they should on the Sargrass Plains.
Movement in the Sargrass Plains:
All walking movement is halved in the grass unless you're a druid, plainswalker or a manfri. No running--even for whose who can walk at normal speeds. It is like walking through bamboo. Impossible to run. Druids cannot lead others through the grass at normal speeds. She must either leave fellow travelers behind or slow down to half speed. If, however, you are traveling with a manfri or a plainswalker, you can follow them at normal speeds of movement.
Boats--all boats move at the same speed that those vehicles would move on water. Sails operate so that the boat moves just as on water. Look water movement.
Singing Oak repels the grass. Just like water.
Most grass is 10-30' in height as in the official legend.
Boats are flat. Like a sled. Front end curved up like a sled. Edged curved up a bit to keep out the grass. Displacement is the same as a raft on water. There is then very little displacement at all. Think about a hovercraft. This is kinda the principle. What happens is that it pushes down the tallest pieces of grass. It is hovering, but it pushes the highest growths of the uneven grass down a bit.
At a distance, the grass looks like a wheat field. Up close, the grass heights vary more.
There is repulsion and the boat floats.
In a very minor way, you have to decide which side of the environmental equation you're on to use a boat. You 're harming the ecosystem with the Singing Oak. So if you're environmentally inclined, you should become a plainswalker, instead of a ship captain.
Types of grasses and short descriptions:
[Jerry: List each new grass type as it is developed by the DM. Literally anything is possible. If it's included with the module, we'll simply approve it that way bypassing Cayzle as needed. If during play you need a new type simply invent it and record it here as you close out the module.]
There are at least 48 different cataloged types of grasses. Some are extremely rare, while others are as plentiful as air. Almost all grass types have their uses, and all of them share the same basic properties. Sargrasses are dry. They conduct static electricity. They repel the Wood of the Druid Tree.
Some of the specific types of grass are:
Purple Grass: This is a thick leafed species growing up to 4 to 12 feet high. It is used to make a brilliant red, blue, and purple dye.
Steel Grass: This is a thin bladed green grass that is easily woven into buildings and armor shapes. When it is treated with a paste made by the Manfi, it becomes extremely rigid and strong. The Manfri are known for wearing armor that can turn a tempered sword, made from this grass.
Wheat Grass: This is a wheat-like grass with seedpods that can be ground and made into bread.
Glass Grass: This is a thick and yellow grass when water is present. However, it becomes sharp and brittle when it dries out. In this dry state, it can shatter and cut like glass. Dried roots can be collected, pulverized and distilled into one of the finest liqueurs in the Wold. Post:- The pod needed for distilling purposes is located aprox. 8 inches deep in the earth under the stalk. It is oval shaped and black. It is dangerous to harvest these pods because if you pull too hard the entire stalk can and will fall in sharp pieces all over you. In order to harvest with out this happening one must make a Skills Check (HARVEST GLASS GRASS DC 4) or (GRASS FARMING DC 6) or (FARMING DC 12) or (Survival (Plains) 16) Should the check fail all those in a 5' radius of the harvester take 2d4 damage from falling shards. Violently disturbing the grass (i.e. Running haphazardly through it, fighting in it, boating on top of it, creates the same problems.) Every stalk disturbed falls for the same damage. A fight in the Glass Grass can kill all involved. Bare skin contact with the pod exposes person to seriously potent alcohol – Fort DC (really high) or get roaring drunk.
Monster Philosophy and Development Theory
Ok, the policy is that native animal life is rare in type. You basically have the types listed in the Official write-up. However, you may:
Bring in outside life and let it go up against native life Let the official types mutate and watch as those pro and con to the survival of the plains all go to war to preserve them and condemn them.
Note that all changes to the status quo will bring out all the environmentalists pro and con. Monks against, Manfri for. Etc.
Insect life is abundant and can be used often. Note again that these mutate a lot. The emphasis many times should be what does this new mutation do to the fragile balance of the plains?
The plains are fragile, hostile, as well as being hardy, sturdy, and strong. Hard to kill, hard to control, easy to change or force to adapt and mutate. Play the balance of nature vs. the danger of the threat of the new mutation if any. Then bring in the various cultures of the Noble Races in the area with their varying and changing viewpoints about things.
Animals:
Blind (or Prairie) Swallow: This is a sightless bird. It seems to be about the only bird that lives within The Plains. This bird has no eyes and is very tasty when eaten and roasted.
Prairie Pig: This is a slug, about the size of a large dog, which again serves as another tasty roasted meal. Prarrie pigs are like giant larva no antenne. Domesticated ones are all one color, smooth and clear as their color changes the flavor of their meet, however these are mottled and all diffrent. Dosmesticated ones wave smaller feeding pads under them and their eye stalks are shorter, and domseticated ones would be moving toward you in hopes of a treat. For spell purposes, Prarrie Pigs are not animals.
Great Ranthom: This is a huge grazing animal about the size of a large Orca Whale. It has no teeth. Instead, it has something like an open scoop for a mouth, with the bottom edge being razor sharp. This animal has huge forelegs, but where the back legs should be there is a strange rolling appendage. This animal is rumored to never stop moving from the day it is born until it dies. The raiders like to travel in the wake of these creatures. Doing so allows one to traverse The Plains at ground level, which normally is extremely difficult. Rapke: This beast is a large animal that looks like a cross between a horse and a raptor like dinosaur. The animal is about as large as a small elephant. Sarg Moth: Little is known about this animal. It looks like a cross between a purple worm and a bat, or dragon. It is sometimes seen near dusk gliding over the deep plains, but it is very rarely seen at any other time.
Rapke
Large Animal?
Hit Dice: 6d8 + 24 (50 hp) Initiative: +3 (Dex) Speed: 50 ft AC: 22 (-1 size, +3 dex, +10 natural) Attacks: Bite +12 melee, 2 claws +7 melee Damage: Bite 2d8+8; Claw d4+4 Face/Reach: 5ft by 10ft / 5ft Special Attacks: Scream, Poison Special Qualities: Keen Scent, Immunity to Fear and Fear based attacks Saves: Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +4 Abilities: Str 26, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 15, Chr 8 Skills: Tumble +8, Jump +6, Listen +4, Spot +6, Wilderness Lore +2 Feats: Alertness, Dodge Climate/Terrain: Sargrass Plains Organization: Solitary or Pack (4 -- 20) Challenge Rating: Treasure: None Alignment: Neutral Evil Advancement: (7-12 HD) Large, (13-20 HD) Huge
Description: A rapke is a large animal that looks like a cross between a horse and a raptor like dinosaur. The animal is about as large as a small elephant. They typically stand 8' tall at the shoulder, and are 8-10' long. Despite their size, rapke are extraordinarily agile creatures and easily weave their way through the pack to bring down an opponent.
On their own, they typically live in packs. Rapke attack and eat anything they can find. A typical tactic is to split into groups. One group will then move in a long line through the Grass, herding any creatures before them into their compatriots who are lurking in ambush.
Combat: Rapke attack on sight, emitting a stunning scream prior to entering combat. However, they may retreat if the opponent is obviously winning.
Rapke prefer to attack weakened or stunned creatures first, killing them prior to engaging stronger foes.
SCREAM (su) -- Once an hour, the rapke can emit a piercing screech. All creatures within 60' (cone) must make a Will save DC12 or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. Rapke usually scream at the initial contact with their prey. Note that the larger sized Rapke have a higher DC due to their intimidation.
POISON (su) -- Upon a successful bite attack, the Rapke injects its prey with an extremely powerful poison. All creatures injured must make a Fort save DC12 or lose 2d8 Dex. A second save must be made 1 minute later or lose 2d8 Dex. All the effects of the poison last 6d4 hours. Note that the larger sized Rapke have a higher DC due to a greater potency of the poison as the animal ages.
KEEN SCENT (ex) -- Rapke can smell water for great distances. They can detect any sweating creature (or similar water source) within a 180' radius, and can detect 10 gallons of open water at a distance of 1 mile.
IMMUNITY TO FEAR BASED ATTACKS (su) -- Conditioned to their own screams, Rapke are immune from fear attacks of other creatures and spells.
IMMUNITY TO POISON (su) – Rapke are filled with poison already, they aren’t effected by more.
Bounder
(regular version)
HD: 35ish hp
Atks: bite +9 melee, 2 claws +7 melee
Damage: bite d10+6, claw d6+6
(baronized version) Atks: bite +8 melee, 2 claws +4 melee Damage: bite d12+4, claw d4+2
Description - The face of the beast looks like some sort of demente cross between a frog and a bull dog. Three rows of teeth sit in the huge mouth. the Mouth itself is about 3 feet wide. Heavy armor plates overlap down the beasts back wich is also very frog like. The Front legs are thinn and small but long ending in clawed hand like things. Each capable of grasping and minipulating tings and each claw razor sharp. The hind legs are huge and shaped much like a giant Kangaroos. The entire beast is about the size of a pony, and suddenly you realize that this is just a baby.
Monsters:
These are defined as anything outside the normal Animal Cycle.
List any monsters developed here with any available information. Each listing should have whatever you developed. Storylines are important. Why are they here? Monster listings are important as well.
Sorry but to provide you with the variety of monster that you need, in this setting, which is environmental and interdependent, we must also show how it affects the things around it. How does it's appearance change the balance if it does. The richness of this setting centers all around the balance of this new artificial nature which is bizarre as it is rich and varying.
This philosophy should let you develop pretty much anything you need for the story you are crafting while letting things stay true to the spirit of the plains.
List as developed. Stats and story. Stats and story.
Large Spiders, Large Wasps, and a Nat/Misquito insect (Bloodfly) that stings and can "smell" open water for over 4 miles away, it travels in swarms and has lots of names.
Harvester Ants. They are ants about the size of your thumb. The worker and warrior caste have solid, razor sharp penciers that can take a finger off.
