Jackalwere
Climate/Terrain:
| Any temperate |
|
Frequency:
| Rare
|
Organization:
| Pack
|
Activity Cycle:
| Any
|
Diet:
| Carnivore
|
Intelligence:
| Very (11-12)
|
Treasure:
| C
|
Alignment:
| Chaotic evil
|
No. Appearing:
| 1-4
|
Armor Class:
| 4
|
Movement:
| 12
|
Hit Dice:
| 4
|
THAC0:
| 17
|
No. of Attacks:
| 1
|
Damage/Attack:
| 2-8 (2d4)
|
Special Attacks:
| Gaze causes sleep
|
Special Defenses:
| Hit only by iron and +1 or better magical weapons
|
Magic Resistance:
| Nil
|
Size:
| S (3' long) as a jackal
|
| M (6' tall) as a human or hybrid
|
Morale:
| Steady (11-12)
|
XP Value:
| 270
|
The jackalwere is a terrible and savage creature which preys on unsuspecting
travelers and other demihumans that it can ambush. Its ability to alter its
shape at will makes it a most dangerous foe.
The jackalwere can be found in any of three forms, showing no preference for
any one over the others. The first of these is that of a normal jackal. In this
form it will often run and hunt with jackal packs. Its second form is a six
foot tall, half-human/half-jackal hybrid which stands erect. In its third form,
the jackalwere is physically indistinguishable from normal human beings. The
exact physical characteristics of the jackalwere's human form varies according to
the desires of the monster.
Combat: In its jackal form, the monster conforms to the statistics presented elsewhere
in this volume. A careful observer, however, will find that the creature does
not act in the manner typical of a normal jackal, for it is far more aggressive.
In its hybrid form, the jackalwere can attack with either its bite or with any
weapons in hand. Because it has a great thirst for the blood of humans and
demihumans, the jackalwere will use its bite whenever possible. Still, it will not
avoid the use of weapons that will insure its victory in combat.
In its human form, the jackalwere can only attack with weapons. Although it
may employ any manner of weapon, it greatly enjoys those which will cut and tear
the flesh of its victims. In some cases, a jackalwere has been known to feed on
the bodies of fallen enemies without reverting to its jackal or hybrid form.
In all forms, the jackalwere possesses a magical gaze. If an unsuspecting
victim meets the monster's gaze, the victim must save versus spell or fall deeply
asleep; the effect is identical to that of the
sleep spell. Note that hostile, scared, or excited people are not considered to be
unsuspecting.
The jackalwere's special defenses also function in all three forms. Only +1 or
better magical weapons or those forged from cold iron will cause any damage to
the jackalwere. Jackalweres revert to their jackal form after death.
Habitat/Society: When the jackalwere locates a victim it will assume human shape and approach
its prey. It will seek to ease the suspicions of its target, often pretending to
be injured or otherwise in need, until it can employ its gaze attack. If this
fails and the jackalwere is confronted with forceful resistance it will decide
whether to flee or press the attack based on its estimation of its victim's
strength.
The jackalwere spends its life hunting and killing any humans and demihumans
it comes across. They roam the world in either the jackal or human form, seeking
humanoids to kill, eat, and rob. They are sly creatures and masters of deceit.
Jackalweres are able to mate only in their jackal form. They may produce
offspring either by mating with true jackals or other jackalweres, but only those
young who were not of mixed blood will be jackalweres themselves. The children of
a jackal and jackalwere mating will be jackals, although they will be
unnaturally aggressive.
Female jackalweres give birth in five months to a litter of 1-4 pups. These
are identical to jackal pups although they initially have 1 Hit Die. The pups
grow quickly and add an additional Hit Die each year. Their jackal forms reach
full growth at three years and pups are locked in that form for their first two
years. At age two they gain the ability to assume their hybrid form and at age
three they gain the ability to assume a human form which is apparently nine years
of age. The human form grows at triple the normal human rate. If a parent in
human form is discovered with its pups, it will often try to pass them off as
pets.
Jackalweres may (20%) travel in the company of 1-6 normal
jackals. Although these jackals are normal in every regard,
the influence of the
jackalwere tends to make them more fierce than normal. Jackals under the influence
of a jackalwere will be hunters instead of scavengers.
Ecology: Jackalweres will not serve
any but the most evil of humanoids, and even then
only if they have the opportunity to slay more humans and demihumans than they
could on their own.
Сайт создан в системе
uCoz