Table Of Content

THE MENAGERIE TAlIslANTA FIFTH EdITIoN The Menagerie - 5th Edition TAlIslANTA FANTAsy RolE plAyING GAME 5TH EdITIoN The Menagerie D T esign eam C D p B reaTive ireCTor age orDer K. Scott Agnew V. Shane aDDiTional game Design arT DireCTor Colin Chapman K. Scott Agnew eDiTors Cover arT Alison Ménard PD Breeding-Black K. Scott Agnew i llusTraTors l & g D ayouT raphiC esign PD Breeding-Black, Ron Spencer, Adam Black, K. Scott Agnew Christian St. Pierre, Scott Purdy, Richard Wallace, Anson Maddocks, Mark Tedin, Grant Costa, Daniel Gelon The Talislanta game and fantasy world are the creations of Stephan Michael Sechi. Talislanta is a trademark of SMS, and is used by Morrigan Press Inc. under license. All rights reserved. The Menagerie is ©2007 by Morrigan Press Inc. and Stephan Michael Sechi . Electronic Edition Jan 2007. m p i . orrigan ress nC 46 Weldon Street Moncton, New Brunswick E1C 5V8 Canada On the Web: www.morriganrpg.com Email: [email protected] 0 years... still No Elves! INTRoducTIoN Welcome to the Talislanta Menagerie: a compila- From Thystram’s original manuscript: tion of flora and fauna found throughout the continent of Talislanta and other dimensions and planes "The great diversity of lifeforms found throughout the of existence. Talislanta was first fully documented Talislantan continent can be attributed to numerous in the year 600 N.A. by the wizard Tamerlin in his causes: the aftereffects of The Great Disaster, a magi- renowned The Chronicles of Talislanta. Since this es- cal cataclysm that reshaped the Talislantan ecology and timable tome has recently been updated and re-re- caused many mutations; magical gates or tears in the di- leased to the world of academia, now is an ideal time mensional fabric, which allowed intrusion by extra di- to bring Talislantan scholars up to date on the natu- mensional entities; the misguided experiments of magi- ral (and not-so-natural) world. cians from the Forgotten Age; and the effects of’ natural and unnatural selection on creatures in a phenomenally Apart from random notes and scrolls of the natural- altered environment." ist Thystram, a number of sources have been used to compile the Talislanta Menagerie. "As a consequence of these conditions, the student of nat- uralism may find organisms here that seem not to con- These include: form with natural law, or even common sense. Sorcerous y The Talislantan Handbook (1st edition) anomalies and abominations are alarmingly common in y A Naturalist’s Guide to Talislanta certain locales, in particular the Shadow Realms and the y Cyclopedia Talislanta vol. 1 Aberrant Forest. Mutated devolved, and hybrid species y Handbook and Campaign Guide (2nd edition) are also not unknown. The aspiring naturalist is there- y The Talislanta Guidebook (3rd edition) fore advised to exercise caution when studying the na- y Thystram’s Collectanea tive flora and fauna, or risk consequences of the most dire y Sarista y Talislanta 4th Edition sort." y Midnight Realm y The Northern Reaches The Menagerie is divided into a number of chapters, yCodex Magicus each detailing a particular variety of creature found in the Talislantan setting. The first section deals with Illustrative notes from other sources have also been all types of creatures native to Talislanta, both natu- added, including excerpts from the work of such lu- ral and otherwise. Chapter Two deals with extra-di- minaries as the wizard Kabros, the Green Magician mensional entities that are often found in and around Viridian, the Phantasian astromancer Laslovian and Talislanta. This includes the various types of demons, the great Numenian archimage Solimorrion. devils and elementals along with others like the Zoab, Ebonites and Ghasts. The last two chapters deal with Talislantan insects, arcahnids, flora and fungi. The Menagerie - 5th Edition sTaTisTiCs For enTries Ability level The creatures included in the Talislanta Menagerie The basic format for game statistics is as follows: use a simplified system for determining the extent of their abilities than the one used to create player char- Size acters. In place of the assortment of Skills that PCs Typical height or length and weight, usually ex- and NPCs possess, creatures are rated according to pressed as a range. their overall Ability Level, which is used as an Action Table modifier for almost every situation. Creatures AttributeS do not have Combat Ratings, Ranged Combat Rat- The figures listed here represent attribute scores pos- ings or Magic Ratings, since all fighting or spellcast- sessed by a typical creature of the type indicated. ing abilities are based on Ability Level. “Plus” ratings (+1, +2, etc.) denote above average attributes, and “minus” ratings (-1, -2, etc.) indicate A rating of 1+ indicates that creatures of this type below average scores. have unlimited potential for advancement in level. A rating of “15+” indicates that the creature’s minimum The eight attributes used in the Talislanta system level of ability is 15, while a rating such as “2-8+” are: indicates that the majority of the species will be of levels 2-8, but exceptional individuals have the po- Intelligence (INT): intellectual capacity tential to achieve a higher level of ability. Perception (PER): sensory awareness Will (WIL): willpower AttAckS/DAmAge Charisma (CHA): presence, forcefulness This indicates the creature’s attack capabilities, in- Strength (STR): physical strength cluding the type of attack employed and the typical Dexterity (DEX): agility, maneuverability amount of damage resulting from such attacks (DR). Constitution (CON): endurance, resilience A creatures STR has already been factored into the Speed (SPD): quickness, rate of movement DR for any given attack. If the creature is larger or smaller than the species average, adjust the damage inT r accordingly. ange To help you judge the intelligence of a given creature, the table below provides some standard INT SpeciAl AbilitieS ratings for a variety of well-known creatures. If the creature has any extraordinary abilities or tal- ents these will be listed and described here. - 15 Insects Armor -11 Omnivrax (notoriously stupid carnivore) This describes the listed creature’s natural protection -10 Alatus (winged leech) (hide, scales, etc.) and includes a rating of the num- -9 Kra (giant, sightless eel) ber of points of damage it stops (PR). -8 Ahtra (mount and beast of burden) -7 Drac (small, trainable, wingless dragon) Hit pointS -6 Opteryx (avian predator) This indicates the average number of hit points for a typical member of the species indicated. Unless -5 Normal lower limit for sentient beings otherwise specified, CON is already included in this 0 Average sentient mortal figure. When developing a creature with higher or lower CON than average, adjust hit points accordingly. HAbitAt This indicates the region or terrain types in which the creature is commonly found. 0 years... still No Elves! TAlIslANTAN cREATuREs aBominaTion Size: variable Attributes: variable Abominations are products of demented or abor- Ability Level: 1+ tive sorcerous/alchemical experiments, such as those Attacks/Damage: variable practiced long ago by the ancient Archaens and Special Abilities: variable according their descendents, the Phantasians. Th ese entities Hit Points: 10-40+ may vary greatly in form and substance and may be Habitat: Wilderlands, ruins encountered in any form imaginable, from the hid- eous to the sublime. It is a mistake to assume that the physical make-up of an abomination need bear any relation whatever to natural law. Many appear as combinations of various creature types; some im- possible-seeming, others refl ecting a perverse sort of logic. IInn tteerrmmss ooff tteemmppeerraammeenntt aanndd mmeennttaalliittyy,, aabboommiinnaa-- ttiioonnss aarree ssiimmiillaarrllyy vvaarriiaabbllee iinn nnaattuurree.. ThTh oouugghh mmaannyy aarree ooff mmuurrddeerroouuss iinntteenntt,, ootthheerrss aarree bbeenniiggnn oorr -- mmoosstt ffrriigghhtteenniinngg -- ppoosssseesssseedd ooff ssttrraannggee ppaassssiioonnss aanndd ddee-- ssiirreess.. AAnn aabboommiinnaattiioonn’’ss iinntteelllleecctt ccaann rraannggee ffrroomm nnoonn-- sseennttiieennccee ttoo ggeenniiuuss,, oorr rraavviinngg iinnssaanniittyy.. ThTh ee oonnllyy eellee-- mmeenntt ccoommmmoonn ttoo tthheessee bbiizzaarrrreellyy ddiivveerrggeenntt eennttiittiieess iiss tthhaatt,, bbeeiinngg tthhee pprroodduuccttss ooff mmaaggiicc,, aallll hhaavvee aatt lleeaasstt aa single magical weakness of some sort. SSiizzee aanndd ssttaattiissttiiccss ffoorr aabboommiinnaattiioonnss vvaarryy aacc-- ccoorrddiinngg ttoo ttyyppee.. AAbboommiinnaattiioonnss tteenndd ttoo hhaavvee oonnee oorr ttwwoo hhiigghh aattttrriibbuutteess aanndd vveerryy low scores in all other attributes. 5 The Menagerie - 5th Edition aeroplasm Size: Body 1-3 ft. in diameter; tendrils 2-12 ft. long Th e aeroplasm is an unusual species of invertebrate Attributes: that exists entirely aerially, constantly hovering at al- INT-9 PER-1 titudes of 100-1,000 feet. Its ability to levitate comes WIL-8 CHA-10 from the aeroplasm’s internal bladder, which creates STR-7 DEX a type of colorless gas that is lighter than air. Born in CON-4 SPD-1 the clouds, these creatures never touch the ground Ability Level: 1 throughout their entire lives. Attacks/Damage: Sting DR 2+ venom (para- lyzes small creatures; all others experience a Aeroplasms resemble translucent globes from which painful, burning sensation) append dozens of sinuous tendrils varying in length Special Abilities: Levitate, translucent (-5 to from 2-12 feet. Th ese tendrils are used to grasp prey, detect at ranges over 20 ft.), explode for DR 4 and to a lesser extent in navigation. Each of these points of fi re damage upon death serpentine tendrils is equipped with thousands of Armor: None tiny spines capable of delivering a painful sting. Hit Points: 2-5 Habitat: Skies above Talislanta Th eir venom acts as a potent neurotoxin, causing paralysis in small creatures such as insects and avir. Its eff ect on larger creatures is limited to a painful burning sensation, which may last for up to an hour. Aeroplasms feed primarily on insects and small avi- ans of all sorts, using their tendrils to capture and in- capacitate their prey. Th ey are generally benefi cial to humanoids, though they sometimes pose problems to other avian creatures and windships. Poor naviga- tors, aeroplasms are often carried upon the prevailing winds in random fashion, occasionally colliding with airborne ships or creatures. If struck with suffi cient force to puncture its internal gas bladder, an aeroplasm will explode in a burst of fl ame; this event oc- curs whenever an aeroplasm dies, whether of natural causes or violence. Th e species is preyed upon by de- predators and batranc, neither of which is adversely aff ected by the aeroplasm’s stinging tentacles. During the months of Ardan and Drome, the aeroplasm’s mating season, the male of the species exudes a glandular secretion that possesses luminescent properties. Th is causes the males to glow in the dark, thereby attracting the attention of female aeroplasms. Th e sight of hundreds upon hundreds of male aeroplasms, glowing in shades of deep blue, rose, and car- mine as they fl oat across the night sky, is said to be quite magnifi cent. 6 0 years... still No Elves! ahT-ra Aht-ra are domesticated creatures found throughout the Desert Kingdoms. The Djaffir claim to have created the species centuries ago by the accidental cross- breeding of various riding and burden beasts; no one knows for certain the exact components that contrib- uted to the aht-ra’s existence. There are three varieties of aht-ra: the one-humped ontra, bred mainly for speed and able to carry up to four hundred pounds on its back; the two-humped batra, somewhat slower but able to carry twice as much as an ontra; and the three-humped tatra, slow- est of all but able to carry three times as much as an ontra. With their characteristic, long and loping stride, aht- ra can travel for days without stopping to rest. By retaining fluids in their hump-like sacs, aht-ra can go without water for long periods (one month per hump is thought to be an accurate estimate). Aht-ra are seldom available for sale except through the aus- ahT-ra, W ingeD pices of the Djaffir merchants, who sell only gelded males in order to maintain their monopoly on this The winged aht-ra is a hybrid of aht-ra and dractyl valuable commodity. found in the Topaz Mountains near Hadj and other areas across the Desert Kingdoms. Originally created Size: 6'+ at shoulder, 500-800+ lbs. by the Djaffir, winged aht-ra resemble their land rov- Attributes: ing relatives, but they are capable of sustained flight. INT -7 PER +1 They are somewhat slow and unmaneuverable in the WIL +2 CHA +0 air, however, and like dractyl are loath to fly at al- STR +6 DEX +2 titudes in excess of one hundred feet. Winged aht- CON +6 SPD +8* ra can also travel overland and can bear up to 400 * for Ontra; +7 for Batra, + 6 for Tatra pounds, similar to the one-humped aht-ra, or ontra. Ability Level: 2-6 Attacks/Damage: Bite: DR 6, Kick: DR 14 Size: 6'+ at shoulder, 24' wingspan, 500+ lbs. Special Abilities: Travel up to six days with- Attributes: out requiring rest, subsist without water for one INT -7 PER +1 month per hump, bear burdens of four hundred WIL -2 CHA +0 pounds per hump STR +6 DEX 0 Armor: Scaly hide, PR 3 CON +6 SPD +5* Hit Points: 46 *airborne; +6 on the ground Habitat: Desert, Wilderland Ability Level: 3-7 Attacks/Damage: Bite: DR 6, Kick: DR 14 Special Abilities: Flight, travel up to six days without requiring rest, subsist without water for one month, bear burdens of four hundred pounds Armor: Leathery hide, PR 2 Hit Points: 46 Habitat: Red Desert, Wilderlands of Zaran The Menagerie - 5th Edition alaTus Size: 6’ in length, 120 lbs. Attributes: Th e alatus is a variety of winged leech found in INT -9 PER +1 swamps and jungle regions such as Mog, the Dark WIL +2 CHA +0 Coast, and certain islands of the Southern Rim. STR +2 DEX +1 Th ey normally nest in the hollows of rotten trees, CON -1 SPD +1 fl ying forth to feed after sundown. Alatus hatch Ability Level: 3-6 from eggs, which the female lays in dead or rotting Attacks/Damage: Bite: DR 3 per round from wood, emerging as wingless larvae. At this stage of blood drain, Tail: DR 5 per round from constric- the creature’s development, the alatus feeds mainly tion upon small insects and vermin, and it is practically Special Abilities: Flight, bite may cause blood- indistinguishable from the most common species of fever (CON roll to resist) swamp leeches. Armor: None Hit Points: 19 Habitat: Swamps, jungles aannggoorrnn ThTh ee aannggoorrnn iiss aann uunn-- After one or two weeks, the larval alatus burrows into uussuuaall ccrreeaattuurree rreesseemm-- the ground, encases itself within a fi brous sac, and bling a winged, aquatic goes into hibernation. It may remain in such a state eel. It glides above the water when hunting for prey, for months or even years; the naturalist Th ystram typically, small aquatic creatures, then dives deep to claimed to have found hibernating alatus in sealed catch the chosen victim in its jaws. Th e angorn is ed- crypts and catacombs that had lain undisturbed for ible, though not particularly fl avorful. over a century. When at last the alatus comes forth from its sac, it is as a full-grown, winged adult up to Size: 5'-6' long, 100-140 lbs. six feet in length. An alatus of this size will attack Attributes: creatures as large as Mogroth, strangling prey with INT -3 PER +2 its sinuous tail while sucking the victim’s blood. Ala- WIL +0 CHA +0 tus are believed to be carriers of a rare disease called STR -2 DEX +4 “blood fever,” the symptoms of which include gradual CON +0 SPD +4 loss of strength, nausea, and eventual paralysis. Nagra Ability Level: 1-2 spirit trackers eat alatus, which they regard as a rare Attacks/Damage: Bite DR 5 and succulent delicacy. Special Abilities: Gliding (up to 100 ft. per at- tempt); can survive out of water for up to one hour Armor: None Hit Points: 8-10 8 Habitat: Seas and Oceans 0 years... still No Elves! aramaTus Attacks/Damage: Bite: DR 14 +blood drain (DR 4 per round; successful DEX or Healing Th e aramatus, or “armored leech,” is a denizen of roll needed to remove jaws, or victim suff ers ad- swamps, bogs, cesspools, and quagmires across the ditional 2 HP damage from blood loss), Con- Talislantan continent. A distant relative of the alatus striction: DR 10 per round (“fl ying leech”), aramatus are aquatic creatures that Special Abilities: May cause blood-fever (CON are rarely encountered out of water. Th ey make their roll to resist) lairs in underwater recesses and enclosures, such as Armor: Armored plates, PR 6 small caves, crevices, piles of refuse, and sewage pipes. Hit Points: 32 Here they remain in hiding, waiting to ambush un- Habitat: Swamps, jungles, sewers suspecting victims. Aramatus prey upon all sorts of small- to medium-sized creatures, including humanoids. Th ey are in turn preyed upon by skalanx, giant river kra, and aquatic vasps. Aramatus attack by latching onto victims with their powerful jaws, which are lined with rows of inward- curving fangs. Th e bite of an aramatus is almost im- possible to escape; even in death, the creature’s jaws rreemmaaiinn lloocckkeedd uuppoonn iittss pprreeyy.. ThTh ee rreemmoovvaall ooff aann aarraammaattuuss’’ ffaannggeedd jjaawwss ccaann bbee aa ggrriissllyy pprroocceessss iinn aanndd ooff iittsseellff;; oonnllyy aa sskkiilllleedd hheeaalleerr oorr hhuunntt-- eerr wwiillll bbee aabbllee ttoo aaccccoommpplliisshh tthhiiss wwiitthhoouutt ccaauussiinngg tthhee vviiccttiimm aaddddiittiioonnaall wwoouunnddss.. AAss iiss ttrruuee wwiitthh aallaattuuss,, tthhee bbiittee ooff aann aarraammaattuuss mmaayy ccaauussee aa ddiisseeaassee kknnoowwnn aass bblloooodd--ffeevveerr.. Size: 2200’’++ iinn lleennggtthh,, 220000++ llbbss.. Attributes: IINNTT --88 PPEERR ++22 WWIILL ++44 CCHHAA ++00 SSTTRR ++55** DDEEXX --22 CCOONN ++22 SSPPDD ++22 ** bbiittee iiss SSTTRR ++88 AAbbiilliittyy LLeevveell:: 44--1100 9