Micro #25 21 января 2000

Игры

AD&D - описания монстров AD&D (часть вторая).

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  Продолжение. Начало в номере 24.
  Приведенный  ниже  текст является частью
большого  описания  монстров  AD&D. Данный
текст  предназначен прежде всего любителям
и  профессионалам  AD&D.  Т.к.  текст ну-у
очень  большой  (приблизительно около двух
Мб),  то естественно, что закидывать в га-
зету нам приходится его частями. На резон-
ный  вопрос:  "Почему бы этот текст не вы-
пустить отдельными дисками?" могу ответить
лишь  одно:  из-за боязни, что диски могут
"затеряться в пути", чего не скажешь о га-
зете,  которую  легко можно передать через
друзей,  Фидо или Интернет. Также возможны
нарекания,  что текст на английском языке.
Однако  по моему мнению прошли те времена,
когда  для  компьютерщика можно было знать
один  язык.  Так что либо учите английски,
либо  ищите  друзей которые знают английс-
кий.  Также  перевод очень затруднен из-за
его художественности, кто пробовал перево-
дить  хоть какой-то текст с помощью ПЦшных
переводчиков  тот  меня поймет. Вот и все.
Желаю приятного прочтения и спокойных снов
по ночам. Со всеми вопросами обращаться по
адрессу  69123  г.Запорожье, ул. Хортицкое
шоссе  18/29.  Телефон  43-98-60, 49-62-02
(Александр).


Aboleth

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:  Tropical and temperate/
                  Subterranean
FREQUENCY:        Very rare
ORGANIZATION:     Brood
ACTIVITY CYCLE:   Night
DIET:             Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE:     High (13-14)
TREASURE:         F
ALIGNMENT:        Lawful evil
NO. APPEARING:    1d4
ARMOR CLASS:      4
MOVEMENT:         3, Sw 18
HIT DICE:         8
THAC0:            13
NO. OF ATTACKS:   4
DAMAGE/ATTACK:    1-6 (x 4)
SPECIAL ATTACKS:  See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Slime
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE:             H (20' long)
MORALE:           Elite (13)
XP VALUE:         5,000


Level│Dis/Sci/Dev│       Attack/Defense
  8  │  3/5/16   │EW, II PsC,+1/TS, IF, TW

             Power Score│PSPs
               = Int    │250

Telepathy:  False  Sensor Input, Mindlink,
Mass Domination.

The aboleth is a loathsome amphibious cre-
ature that lives in subterranean caves and
lakes. It despises most land-dwelling cre-
atures  and  seeks  to enslave intelligent
surface  beings.  It  is as cruel as it is
intelligent.
  An  aboleth  resembles  a plump fish, 20
feet  in  length  from its bulbous head to
its fluke-like tail. Its body is blue-gre-
en  with  gray splotches, and its pink-tan
underbelly  conceals  a toothless, rubbery
mouth. Three slit-like eyes, purple-red in
color  and  protected  by bony ridges, are
set one atop the other in the front of its
head.  Four  pulsating blue-black orifices
line  the  bottom  of its body and secrete
gray slime that smells like rancid grease.
Four  leathery  tentacles, each 10 feet in
length,  grow  from  its  head. An aboleth
uses its tail to propel itself through the
water  and  its  tentacles  to drag itself
along dry land.

Combat:  The aboleth attacks with its ten-
tacles for 1d6 points of damage each. If a
victim struck by a tentacle fails a saving
throw  vs. spell, the victim's skin trans-
forms  into  a  clear,  slimy  membrane in
1d4+1  rounds.  If this occurs, the victim
must  keep the membrane damp with cool wa-
ter  or  suffer 1d12 points of damage each
turn.  Cure  disease  cast upon the victim
before the membrane completely forms stops
the  transformation.  Otherwise,  cure se-
rious  wounds  will  cause the membrane to
revert to normal skin.
  Because  its sluggish movement makes at-
tacks  difficult,  the aboleth attempts to
lure  victims  close by creating realistic
illusions  at will, complete with audible,
olfactory,  and  other sensory components.
The aboleth can attempt to enslave creatu-
res  within 30 feet; it can make three at-
tempts  per day, one creature per attempt.
If  the  victim  fails  a saving throw vs.
spell, he follows all of the aboleth's te-
lepathic  commands,  although  the  victim
will  not  fight  on the aboleth's behalf.
The  enslavement  can be negated by remove
curse, dispel magic, the death of the ens-
laving aboleth, or, if the victim is sepa-
rated  from the aboleth by more than a mi-
le,  a  new  saving throw (one attempt per
day.)
  When  underwater,  an  aboleth surrounds
itself with a mucous cloud 1 foot thick. A
victim in contact with the cloud and inha-
ling  the mucus must roll a successful sa-
ving  throw vs. poison or lose the ability
to breathe air. The victim is then able to
breathe water, as if having consumed a po-
tion  of  water  breathing, for 1-3 hours.
This  ability may be renewed by additional
contact with the mucous cloud. An affected
victim attempting to breathe air will suf-
focate in 2d6 rounds. Wine or soap dissol-
ves the mucus.

Habitat/Society: An aboleth brood consists
of  a  parent  and one to three offspring.
Though  the  offspring are as large and as
strong  as  the  parent, they defer to the
parent  in  all matters and obey it impli-
citly.
  Aboleth have both male and female sexual
organs.  A  mature aboleth reproduces once
every five years by concealing itself in a
cavern or other remote area, then laying a
single  egg  and covering it in slime. The
parent  aboleth  guards  the egg while the
embryo  grows and develops, a process that
takes  about five years. A newborn aboleth
takes about 10 years to mature.
  The  aboleth spends most of its time se-
arching for slaves, preferably human ones.
It  is  rumored that the aboleth use their
slaves  to construct huge underwater citi-
es,  though none have ever been found. The
aboleth  are rumored to know ancient, hor-
rible  secrets  that predate the existence
of  man, but these rumors are also unsubs-
tantiated.  There is no doubt that aboleth
retain  a  staggering amount of knowledge.
An  offspring acquires all of its parent's
knowledge  at  birth, and a mature aboleth
acquires  the knowledge of any intelligent
being it consumes.
  An  aboleth's treasure consists of items
taken from its slaves. The items are buri-
ed  in  caverns under a layer of slime re-
sembling  gray  mud,  recognizable  by the
distinctive rancid grease odor.

Ecology:  The  omnivorous aboleth will eat
any organic matter, usually algae and mic-
ro-organisms,  but  they  are also fond of
intelligent prey so they can absorb nutri-
ents  and  information  at  the same time.
Aboleth  have  no natural enemies, as even
the mightiest marine creatures give them a
wide  berth.  Aboleth  slime  is sometimes
used  as  a component for potions of water
breathing.


Ankheg

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:  Temperate and tropical/
                  Plains and forests
FREQUENCY:        Rare
ORGANIZATION:     Brood
ACTIVITY CYCLE:   Any
DIET:             Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE:     Non- (0)
TREASURE:         C
ALIGNMENT:        Neutral
NO. APPEARING:    1-6
ARMOR CLASS:      Overall 2, underside 4
MOVEMENT:         12, Br 6
HIT DICE:         3-8
THAC0:            17-13
NO. OF ATTACKS:   1
DAMAGE/ATTACK:    3-18 (crush)+1-4 (acid)
SPECIAL ATTACKS:  Squirt acid
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE:             L-H (10' to 20' long)
MORALE:           Average (9)
XP VALUE:         175-975

The  ankheg is a burrowing monster usually
found  in  forests  or choice agricultural
land.  Because  of  its fondness for fresh
meat,  the ankheg is a threat to any crea-
ture unfortunate enough to encounter it.
  The  ankheg  resembles  an  enormous ma-
ny-legged  worm. Its six legs end in sharp
hooks suitable for burrowing and grasping,
and  its powerful mandibles are capable of
snapping a small tree in half with a sing-
le  bite. A tough chitinous shell, usually
brown  or  yellow,  covers its entire body
except for its soft pink belly. The ankheg
has  glistening  black eyes, a small mouth
lined  with  tiny rows of chitinous teeth,
and two sensitive antennae that can detect
movement  of man-sized creatures up to 300
feet away.

Combat: The ankheg's preferred attack met-
hod  is to lie 5 to 10 feet below the sur-
face  of the ground until its antennae de-
tect  the  approach  of  a victim. It then
burrows up beneath the victim and attempts
to grab him in its mandibles, crushing and
grinding  for 3d6 points of damage per ro-
und while secreting acidic digestive enzy-
mes  to  cause an additional 1d4 points of
damage  per round until the victim is dis-
solved.  The ankheg can squirt a stream of
acidic  enzymes  once every six hours to a
distance  of 30 feet. However, since it is
unable  to digest food for six hours after
it  squirts  enzymes,  it uses this attack
technique  only  when  desperate. A victim
struck  by  the  stream  of acidic enzymes
suffers  8d4 points of damage (half damage
if  the  victim  rolls a successful saving
throw vs. poison).

Habitat/Society:  The ankheg uses its man-
dibles to continuously dig winding tunnels
30-40  feet  deep  in the rich soil of fo-
rests  or farmlands. The hollowed end of a
tunnel serves as a temporary lair for sle-
eping,  eating,  or  hibernating.  When an
ankheg  exhausts the food supply in a par-
ticular  forest  or  field, it moves on to
another.
  Autumn is mating season for ankhegs. Af-
ter  the  male  fertilizes the female, the
female kills him and deposits 2d6 fertili-
zed  eggs in his body. Within a few weeks,
about 75% of the eggs hatch and begin fee-
ding. In a year, the young ankhegs resemb-
le  adults and can function independently.
Young  ankhegs have 2 Hit Dice and an AC 2
overall  and an AC 4 for their undersides;
they  bite  for 1d4 points of damage (with
an  additional  1d4  points of damage from
enzyme  secretions),  and spit for 4d4 po-
ints  of  damage to a distance of 30 feet.
In every year thereafter, the ankheg func-
tions with full adult capabilities and ga-
ins an additional Hit Die until it reaches
8 Hit Dice.
  Beginning  in  its  second year of life,
the  ankheg sheds its chitinous shell just
before  the  onset of winter. It takes the
ankheg  two days to shed its old shell and
two  weeks  to grow a new one. During this
time, the sluggish ankheg is exceptionally
vulnerable. Its overall AC is reduced to 5
and  its underside AC is reduced to 7. Ad-
ditionally, it moves at only half its nor-
mal  speed,  its  mandible attack inflicts
only  1d10  points  of  damage,  and it is
unable  to  squirt  acidic  enzymes. While
growing a new shell, it protects itself by
hiding  in  a  deep tunnel and secreting a
repulsive  fluid  that  smells like rotten
fruit.  Though  the aroma discourages most
creatures,  it  can also pinpoint the ank-
heg's  location for human hunters and des-
perately hungry predators.
  Ankhegs living in cold climates hiberna-
te during the winter. Within a month after
the  first snowfall, the ankheg fashions a
lair  deep  within the warm earth where it
remains dormant until spring. The hiberna-
ting  ankheg  requires no food, subsisting
instead  on nutrients stored in its shell.
The ankheg does not secrete aromatic fluid
during  this  time  and is thus relatively
safe  from  detection. Though the ankheg's
metabolism is reduced, its antennae remain
functional, able to alert it to the appro-
ach  of  an  intruder.  A disturbed ankheg
fully  awakens  in 1d4 rounds, after which
time it can attack and move normally.
  The  ankheg  does  not  hoard  treasure.
Items  that were not dissolved by the aci-
dic  enzymes fall where they drop from the
ankheg's  mandibles and can be found scat-
tered throughout its tunnel system.

Ecology: Though a hungry ankheg can be fa-
tal to a farmer, it can be quite benefici-
al  to the farmland. Its tunnel system la-
ces the soil with passages for air and wa-
ter, while the ankheg's waste products add
rich  nutrients.  The  ankheg will eat de-
cayed  organic matter in the earth, but it
prefers  fresh  meat. All but the fiercest
predators  avoid  ankhegs. Dried and cured
ankheg  shells can be made into armor with
an  AC of 2, and its digestive enzymes can
be used as regular acid.


Arcane

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:  Any
FREQUENCY:        Very rare
ORGANIZATION:     Entourage
ACTIVITY CYCLE:   Any
DIET:             Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE:     Genius (17-18)
TREASURE:         R
ALIGNMENT:        Lawful neutral
NO. APPEARING:    1 (1-6)
ARMOR CLASS:      5 (3)
MOVEMENT:         12
HIT DICE:         10
THAC0:            11
NO. OF ATTACKS:   1
DAMAGE/ATTACKS:   1-8 (weapon)
SPECIAL ATTACKS:  Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Invisibility, dimension
                  door
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 40%
SIZE:             L (12' tall)
MORALE:           Champion (15)
XP VALUE:         3,000


The  arcane are a race of merchants, found
wherever there is potential trade in magi-
cal  items.  They  appear  as tall, lanky,
blue  giants with elongated faces and thin
fingers; each finger having one more joint
than  is common in most humanoid life. The
arcane  dress in robes, although there are
individuals  who  are found in heavier ar-
mor,  a  combination  of  chain links with
patches of plate (AC 3).

Combat:  For  creatures of their size, the
arcane  are noticeably weak and non-comba-
tive. They can defend themselves when cal-
led  upon,  but  prefer to talk and/or buy
themselves out of dangerous situations. If
entering  an area that is potentially dan-
gerous (like most human cities), the arca-
ne hires a group of adventurers as his en-
tourage.
  The arcane can become invisible, and can
dimension  door  up  to three times a day,
usually  with  the  intention  of avoiding
combat.  An  arcane feels no concern about
abandoning  his entourage in chancy situa-
tions.  They  can  also  use  any  magical
items,  regardless  of  the limitations of
those  items. This includes swords, wands,
magical  tomes, and similar items restric-
ted  to  one type of character class. They
will  use  such items if pressed in combat
and they cannot escape, but more often use
them as bartering tools with others.
  Arcane  have a form of racial telepathy,
such that an injury to one arcane is imme-
diately known by all other arcane. The ar-
cane do not seek vengeance against the one
who  hurt or killed their fellow. They re-
act  negatively  to  such individuals, and
dealing  with  the  arcane will be next to
impossible  until  that  individual  makes
restitution.

Habitat/Society:  Nothing  is  known about
the  arcane's origins; they come and go as
they  please, and are found throughout the
known worlds. When they travel, they do so
on  the ships and vehicles of other races.
Finding  such  ships with arcane aboard is
rare,  and it is suspected that the arcane
have  another  way of travelling over long
distances.
  Contacting  the  arcane is no trouble in
most  civilized  areas: a few words spread
through  the  local grapevine, through ta-
verns, guilds, and barracks, are enough to
bring one of these creatures to the surfa-
ce.  In  game  terms,  there is a base 10%
chance  per  day  of finding an arcane, if
PCs actively look for one; the chance inc-
reases or decreases depending on their lo-
cation. Arcane never set up permanent "ma-
gic shops."
  The arcane's stock in trade is to provi-
de  magical  items, particularly spelljam-
ming  helms,  which  allow  rapid movement
through  space.  The arcanes' high quality
and uniform (if high) prices make them the
trusted  retailers. They accept payment in
gold,  or  barter  for other magical items
(as  a rule of thumb, costs should be five
times the XP reward of the item, or a more
valuable item).
  The  arcane  take  no responsibility for
the use of the items they sell. The arcane
will  deal  with almost anyone. They often
make  deals with both sides in a conflict,
fully aware that they might annihilate all
of  their potential customers in a region.
The  arcane  have  no dealings with neogi,
nor with creatures from other planes, such
as  genies,  tanar'ri,  and  fiends. It is
unknown  whether  the arcane create a wide
variety of magical devices, or secure them
from an unknown source.
  Those  dealing with the arcane find them
cool, efficient, and most importantly, un-
caring. Trying to haggle with an arcane is
a chancy business, at best. Sometimes they
will  engage  in  haggling  with a bemused
smirk,  but  just as often leave the buyer
hanging  and walk out on the negotiations.
They  do not like being threatened, insul-
ted,  or blackmailed. Those who do so will
find it very difficult to purchase reliab-
le equipment. An arcane will not raise his
hand in vengeance or anger - there are mo-
re subtle ways to wreak revenge.

Ecology:  It  is  not known what arcane do
with  the  gold, gems, and magic they col-
lect.  One theory says they need the items
for  reproduction  (the  basis for a large
number of bawdy arcane jokes), while anot-
her links it to production and acquisition
of  more  magical  items.  The arcane seem
sexless.  No young arcane have been repor-
ted,  and  the arcane keep their own coun-
sel.


Argos

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:  Space/Any Earth-based
                  body
FREQUENCY:        Very rare
ORGANIZATION:     Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE:   Feed till consume 2xHD,
                  then rest 2 hours/HD
DIET:             Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE:     Low to High (5-14)
TREASURE:         U
ALIGNMENT:        Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING:    1
ARMOR CLASS:      0
MOVEMENT:         9, Fl 3 (B)
HIT DICE:         5-10
THAC0:    5-6 HD: 15
          7-8 HD: 13
         9-10 HD: 11
NO. OF ATTACKS:   3 per victim
DAMAGE/ATTACK:    1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS:  See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 25%
SIZE:             L-G (2' per HD)
MORALE:           Champion (16)
XP VALUE:         5-6 HD: 2,000
         (+1,000 for additional HD)


Argos  are  found  in  the same regions of
wildspace as the baleful beholder nations.
An  argos resembles a giant amoeba. It has
one  large,  central eye with a tripartite
pupil,  and  a  hundred  lashless, inhuman
eyes and many sharp-toothed mouths. An ar-
gos  can  extrude several pseudopods, each
tipped with a fanged maw that functions as
a hand to manipulate various tools.
  Argos move by slithering; they can cling
to  walls  and ceilings. They can levitate
and fly at the very slow rate of 3.
  Argos   colors  tend  toward  shades  of
transparent  blues and violets; they smell
like  a  bouquet of flowers. They are huge
beasts  ranging in size from 10 to 20 feet
in diameter, weighing about 200 pounds per
Hit  Die. Though they exhibit signs of be-
ing  intelligent  tool  users, they do not
wear clothes, choosing rather to carry ge-
ar  stored  in  temporary  cavities within
their bodies. However, their digestive ju-
ices  often  ruin  devices  within  two to
three weeks (saving throw vs. acid).

Combat:  An  argos  can attack with one to
three weapons or items, or it can enfold a
victim  in a pseudopod and attack with 1d3
mouths  for  1d4 points of damage each. It
may  attack as many foes in this way as it
can physically reach.
  If an argos rolls a natural 20 on an at-
tack,  it envelopes its victim, swallowing
him  whole. A swallowed victim suffers 2d8
points of damage each round from the crea-
ture's  digestive  juices.  The victim may
attempt  to  cut his way free from within,
using  only short cutting weapons. He must
inflict 8 points of damage to break free.
  The  eyes  of  an argos, like those of a
beholder,  have  a  variety of special po-
wers. An argos can bring 1d10 of its smal-
ler eyes to bear on any target. The large,
central eye can focus only on targets that
are  in  front  of the creature (within 90
degrees  of  the "straight-ahead point" of
the  central eye). Though the creature has
nearly  100  eyes,  only 20 special powers
have  been  noted;  therefore  a number of
eyes must possess the same power.
  Each point of damage inflicted on an ar-
gos  eliminates  one  eye;  the DM decides
which  powers  are reduced in the process.
It  is  possible  to target one particular
eye  by attacking with a -4 penalty to the
attack roll.
  Each  ability of an argos's eye is trea-
ted as a spell effect. Use the argos's Hit
Dice  as  the  caster level. Roll 1d20 and
check the following table for a particular
eye's power.

1.  Blindness
2.  Burning Eyes (Hands)
3.  Charm Monster
4.  Clairvoyance
5.  Confusion
6.  Darkness, 15' radius
7.  Dispel Magic
8.  Emotion
9.  ESP
10. Fumble
11. Gaze Reflection
12. Heat Metal
13. Hold Monster
14. Imp. Phantasmal Force
15. Irritation
16. Light
17. Slow
18. Suggestion
19. Tongues
20. Turn Flesh to Stone

  The  central  eye  can  use one of three
different  powers  once  per round. It can
create  a personal illusion (an alter self
spell),  or it can cast a color spray or a
ray of enfeeblement spell.

Habitat/Society:  Argos are solitary crea-
tures, though it is not unheard of to dis-
cover  an argos guardian aboard an eye ty-
rant  ship. Argos appear capable of reple-
nishing  their  own  air envelope and thus
may   be  encountered  wandering  asteroid
rings and dust clouds alone.
  Despite  its  relative intelligence, the
argos is a ravenous creature driven by its
hunger.  It  tries  to  lure prey into its
grasp,  feeding  until  it  has consumed a
number of creatures equal to two times its
own Hit Dice. It then slips away to digest
its  meal  for a period equal to two hours
per Die. If an argos is unable to find fo-
od  within a week of its last meal, it lo-
ses  1 Hit Die per week until it becomes a
5-Hit  Die  creature. After that point, it
can hibernate for up to a year by crystal-
lizing its outer shell and forming a chry-
salis.

Ecology: Argos consume anything that moves
and  is digestible. Their preference is to
use their abilities to lure their prey in-
to  traps and then to pick off individuals
one  at a time. It sorts through the tools
and  weapons  of its victims and keeps the
useful items.


Aurumvorax

CLIMATE/TERRAIN:  Temperate hills
FREQUENCY:        Very rare
ORGANIZATION:     Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE:   Day
DIET:             Carnivore (see below)
INTELLIGENCE:     Animal (1)
TREASURE:         Special
ALIGNMENT:        Neutral
NO. APPEARING:    1
ARMOR CLASS:      0
MOVEMENT:         9, Br 3
HIT DICE:         12
THAC0:            9
NO. OF ATTACKS:   1
DAMAGE/ATTACK:    2-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS:  2-8 claws for 2-8 each
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE:             S (3' long)
MORALE:           Fearless (19-20)
XP VALUE:         9,000


  Despite  being  only the size of a large
badger,  the  aurumvorax,  or "golden gor-
ger," is an incredibly dangerous creature.
The  animal  is covered with coarse golden
hair and has small silver eyes with golden
pupils.  It  has  eight powerful legs that
end  in  3-inch-long copper claws. The au-
rumvorax's shoulders are massively muscled
while its heavy jaw is full of coppery te-
eth.
  The  creature  weighs  over  500 pounds.
This  incredible density provides the ani-
mal  with  much of its natural protection.
This,  combined with its speed, power, and
sheer  viciousness,  makes  it  one of the
most dangerous species yet known.

Combat: The aurumvorax charges any creatu-
re that enters its territory, causing a -3
to  opponents' surprise rolls if attacking
from  its den. A female of the species re-
ceives a +2 bonus to attack rolls when gu-
arding her young.
  The  creature bites at its prey until it
hits,  clamping  its massive jaws onto the
victim and doing 2-8 hit points of damage.
After  it  hits,  the aurumvorax locks its
jaws  and  hangs on, doing an additional 8
points  of  damage  per round until either
the  aurumvorax or its enemy is dead. Only
death  will  cause the aurumvorax to relax
its grip.
  Once  its  jaws  lock, the golden gorger
also  rakes  its  victim  with  2-8 of its
legs, causing 2-8 hit points of damage per
additional hit. An opponent who is held by
an  aurumvorax  receives  no dexterity ad-
justment to Armor Class.
  Due to its incredibly dense hide and bo-
nes, the aurumvorax takes only half damage
from  blunt  weapons.  It is immune to the
effects  of  small, normal fires and takes
only half damage from magical fires. Neit-
her  poison  nor gasses have any effect on
the sturdy creature.

Habitat/Society:  The aurumvorax makes its
solitary home in light forests, hills, and
at the timberline on mountainsides. An au-
rumvorax  chooses  a  likely spot and then
uses  its powerfully clawed legs to create
a burrow, sometimes into solid rock.
  Due  to their unusual dietary needs, au-
rumvorae  make  their  lairs in spots that
either  contain  rich veins of gold ore or
are very near to an area where gold is re-
adily available.
  The  aurumvorax  is  a solitary creature
which jealously guards its territory, even
from  others  of  its  kind. The only time
adult  aurumvorae willingly meet is during
mating  season, which occurs approximately
every eight years.
  The  pair  will stay together for a week
or two before the male returns to his ter-
ritory  and  the  female  prepares for the
birth  of her kits. A litter of 1d6+2 kits
is born four months after mating.
  For  the  first  two  weeks of life, the
kits  are blind and hairless. They must be
fed both meat and precious ores, including
gold,  in  order to survive. It is unusual
for more than 1-2 of the strongest kits to
survive.  If  a kit is found and "adopted"
before  its eyes are open, it can be tamed
and trained.
  Dwarves tend to dislike aurumvorae, tho-
ugh  some  communities  have been known to
raise one or more of the beasts for use in
sniffing out veins of ore.

Ecology: In order to survive, the aurumvo-
rax  supplements its carnivorous diet with
quantities  of gold. The ability to digest
and  utilize  gold and other ores makes it
possible  for  the creature to develop the
dense fur, hide, and bones that protect it
so well.
  If  an aurumvorax is killed with a mini-
mum of cutting damage to its hide, the hi-
de  may be turned into a garment of incre-
dible    strength    and    beauty   worth
15,000-20,000  gold  pieces.  The  garment
will also protect its wearer as armor, the
specific Armor Class depending on the size
of the aurumvorax. A garment with AC 2 we-
ighs  50  pounds,  one with AC 3 weighs 40
pounds,  and  one  with AC 4 weighs 30 po-
unds.
  The  wearer  also receives a +4 bonus on
saving  throws  vs.  normal fires and a +2
bonus on saving throws vs. magical fire.
  If  an  aurumvorax is burned in a forge,
approximately  150-200  pounds of gold are
left  behind. This burning process is very
difficult  and  usually  takes between one
and  two  weeks to perform. Of course, the
hide may be removed before the creature is
burned;  if  burned  at the same time, the
hide  will  provide  an  additional  21-40
(1d20+20) pounds of gold.
  The aurumvorax's teeth and claws are al-
so prized for decoration, and can bring up
to 1 gp each on the open market.