Re: (TFT) fleshing out monsters/monster pals for sentients

[JodyM529@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/3/00 9:22:04 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
MichaelTaylor1@compuserve.com writes:

Hello all:

I, for one, have never been real happy with the << reptile men and riding 
lizards >> concept.  It kind've reminds me of the illustrations in the 
infamous Bunnies and Burrows game of rabbits riding hares.  I mean you don't 
see humans riding big monkeys, now do you?? (OTOH maybe that would be a cool i
dea).  I guess this is just a matter of aesthetics but somehow I could never 
get with it.  Rather than just complain endlessly, I would offer a different 
steed for Lizard People:

Moa

ST:  25-35              MA:  22
DX:  12                 Size:  3-hex
IQ:   5                 Attacks:  kick for 1d+3/bite for 2d+1
Armor:  1 points of feathers

A Moa is essentially a very large and viscious diatryma.  In other words, 
this is a flightless bird on the order of a draft horse.  Moa are 
plains-dwelling carnivores encountered in groups of 1d6 creatures.  If two or 
more are encountered they will be a mated pair; treat all Moa after the first 
two as immature specimens (use diatryma stats from ITL p.60).

These monsters may claw or bite or both in one melee turn.  If they do both 
roll each at -4 DX.  A Moa favors its great, axe-like beak and will strike 
with it in preference to claw if making only one attack.

Moa are likely to view any would-be humanoid trainer as an excellent source 
of protein thus any sentient mammal attempting to ride or train Moa suffer a 
-4 penalty.  Lizard folk and Moa are accoustomed to one another so there is 
no penalty.  (Note that this assumes Lizard People suffer a -4 penalty on any 
dealings with horses because they think the reptiles have come for dinner)

Nesting females are particularly irritable and everyone (Lizard folk 
included) takes a -2 reaction penalty.  A nesting Moa will fight to the death 
not hesitating to kill anyone or anything it perceives as a threat to its 
huge eggs.

Don't get pecked to death,

Jody 
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