Saturday, 9 February 2013

Somewhere North: Shaggy Pigs

Shaggy Pigs are huge wild boar-like creatures that roam the northern winterlands. An adult can grow to seven feet in length, has great tusks and thick carpets of hair covering it. The most distinctive feature of the Shaggy Pig are the two sets of hind legs that it has, which allow it to run at quick speeds over icy and snowy terrain; it runs with an unusual gait and can keep a pace for many miles.

In the wild they run in packs and are omnivorous, instinctively burrowing for exotic, nourishing tubers and then chasing down wild deer – and whatever else they can find. Shaggy Pigs have been semi-domesticated by Pugs. They use them to pull their sleds, and are known to be used as battle-mounts by pairs of Pugs, who will ride with slings and short swords.

Shaggy Pig
AC as leather armour and shield, 4HD. They attack anything that looks tasty by running in and trying to gore it to death with long tusks (d8 damage). In the wild they run in packs of 4+d6 pigs; young swine are not normally found in the wild, as they are kept in a sty by the pack. Shaggy Pigs are fiercely territorial and belligerent.

If tracked to a regular feeding area, adventurers might be able to find some of the strange tubers that they dig for. Shaggy Pigs uproot them for sustenance, however they have a strange effect on non-pigs...

If eating a tuber found by a Shaggy Pig, roll 2d6:

2-3: Makes the eater appear two years younger (takes 5 minutes; permanent effect). 8: Eaten raw, mild poison; cooked CON +1.
4: As Cure Light Wounds. Mild poison if eaten more than three times (CON check or lose 2 CON for 2d8 days; if make check, 1 CON penalty for d4 days). 9: Nose grows an inch. Improved Bushcraft by 1.
5: Causes ESP effects for 8d6 hours. After a day, save vs magic every hour or collapse until effects wear off. 10: Skin emits a foul odour for d8 weeks. Soap and perfume won't cover it.
6: Resist Cold for a week. 11: Gives excellent nightvision.
7: Save vs poison. Fail and canine teeth grow d2 inches. (permanent) 12: The next time the eater sleeps they age 10 years (permanent effect).


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