Feorreard V0.5 - Setting; Dangers

Chapter 8 Dangers

8.1 Foes

8.1.1 Wild Animals

There are dangerous animals all over Feorreard, stalking the gaps inbetween civilisation.

Black Bear

Habitat:

Black bears live in pine forests in the north of feorreard. They usually stay away from civilisation, and any which venture too near settlements are hunted for trophies, the safety of livestock and their valuable fur.

Physical:

Black bears walk on all fours, but often usually stand on their real legs when threatened, so that they may swipe with their powerful front paws. They are around 5 feet tall on all fours, and up to 9 feet tall on all fours. Bears are excellent tree climbers, but they can't run very fast on the ground. They are covered in black fur which makes very warm garments and is very valuable (an intact pelt is worth 2d6§).

Psychological:

Black bears will challenge a percieved threat before attacking, with a display of roaring and stamping. If the opponent takes a submissive stance, a bear will usually walk away, but may sometimes swipe at the opponent first to emphasise it's authority.

If they are wounded or caught unawares, a lone bear will either frenzy or run a short distance before rapidly climbing a tree.

Bears fear fire and will run from it unless frenzied.

Profile:

STR:40 STA:45 SPD:20 FIN:15 PER:45 KNO:5 WIL:40 WIT:10 CHM:5 GIL:5

Attacks:

Claw - d20 +4 (includes strength)

Grizzly Bear

Habitat:

Grizzly bears live in deciduous forests all around feorreard, but are most common in Alderice. They usually stay away from civilisation, but occasionally one will find a farm and predate the livestock. Farmers sometimes shoot at them, but this only enrages them, and usually ends badly for the farmer.

Physical:

Grizzly bears walk on all fours, but often usually stand on their real legs when threatened, so that they may swipe with their powerful front paws. They are around 6 feet tall on all fours, and up to 12 feet tall on all fours. Bears are excellent tree climbers, but they can't run very fast on the ground. They are covered in brown fur and scars, which make their pelts worth less than those of their black cousins, even though they make warmer clothes. An intact pelt is worth d6§).

Psychological:

Bears will challenge a percieved threat before attacking, with a display of roaring and stamping. If the opponent takes a submissive stance, a grizzly will usually make sure they're dead before leaving. They attack with swipes of their claws, and their forearms are strong enough to crush a skull with a single swipe.

If they are wounded or caught unawares, they will frenzy and violently attack the percieveed threat, ignoring their own physical pain until their opponent has been pulverised or has dissapeared. Throwing a pitcher of icy water at a grizzly has, on rare occasions, been known to startle the bear so much that the thrower could make a getaway.

Bears fear fire and will run from it unless frenzied.

Profile:

STR:60 STA:55 SPD:20 FIN:15 PER:45 KNO:5 WIL:40 WIT:8 CHM:5 GIL:5

Attacks:

Claw - d20+6 (includes strength)

8.1.2 Humans

Humans, for all their pretense of civility, are the most dangerous creatures in Feorreard. Some are genuinely friendly,while others will try to kill you just for looking at them.

Farmer

Farmers work the land, producing crops or livestock for sale in cities. Lorsasce, the breadbasket of the northern continent, has over 60% of all farms and trades food with it's neigbours.

Physical:

Farming can be backbreaking work, and farmers are usually quite strong. Wrestling is a common sport among Lorscatian farmers, but they almost never have any kind of weapons training. Some may keep a crossbow for deterring predators, and most have an axe for cutting wood, but farmers generally use a stout club or truncheon if they get in a serious fight.

Pshychological:

Most farmers like to appear aggressive to tresspassers, to build a reputation to discourage anyone else. They are usually very nice people otherwise though.

Profile:

STR:30 STA:25 SPD:20 FIN:20 PER:20 KNO:35 WIL:20 WIT:20 CHM:25 GIL:15

Skills:

Animal Husbandry, Herbalism, Fishing

Attacks:

Truncheon - D6+3 (includes strength), rarely lethal, padded armour counts as +2

Bounty Hunter

Bounty hunters track down and capture criminals to bring them to justice, or take more sinister “private contracts.” They are most common in Lorsasce, which lacks a proper centralised law enforcement body, but they can be found in any major city in the northern continent.

Physical:

Most bounty hunters are intimidating individuals, covered in battle scars and often tattoos. They are seasoned fighters, and are usually fast as well as strong. They are known to carry all manner of weapons, as well as nets, manacles and ropes for controlling captured prisoners. Many a bounty hunter has had to rely on one of the small knives, pistols and one-shot crossbows they keep concealed in their clothing.

Pshychological:

Bounty hunters are often extremely cynical and suspicious of everyone they meet, and generally avoid other people.

Profile:

STR:27 STA:36 SPD:27 FIN:27 PER:27 KNO:20 WIL:20 WIT:15 CHM:15 GIL:30

Skills:

Restrain, Hunt, Scrapper

Attacks:

Spiked Mace - d6+6 (includes strength), padded armour counts as +2

Twin Daggers - d6 +4, -20 to parry, -10 FIN to off-hand attacks

One-shot Pistol

8.1.3 Fantastic Creatures

8.2 Traps

8.3 Poison & Disease

8.3.1 Poisons

Snake venoms

There are as many kinds of venom as there are snakes. Most fall into the categories below.

• Viper Venom: Vipers are usually under a meter long, and have a dintinctive triangular head. Examples include Adders and Pit Vipers. They are relatively sluggish when undisturbed, and most will only attack when threatened, but they can strike with extremely swift stabbing motions when angry. Viper venom contains enzymes which break down proteins in the victim, causing extreme pain and swelling, necrosis and stopping the blood from clotting.

– Weak Viper Venom: Afflicted area experiences a burning pain and after d20 minutes extreme swelling. Has a 1% chance of causing an anaphylactic shock. The affected area counts as having taken minor injuries equal to it's HP.

– Medium Viper Venom: Causes extreme pain and swelling throughout the entire body, and minor necrosis around the wound. Has a 1% chance of causing an anaphylactic shock. The victim must pass a stamina test, else take a major wound to the location of the attack. Causes minor coagulopathy, lowering the victim's blood pressure - they must pass another toughness test else fall unconscious. The envenomed area counts as having taken minor injuries equal to it's HP.

– Strong Viper Venom: Causes major necrosis to the envenomed area, immediately causing a major wound. Has a 5% chance of causing an anaphylactic shock. The victim counts as having sustained minor wounds equal to HP in all locations. Causes extreme coagulopathy, and the victim must pass a -30 STA test, else fall unconscious, if the victim falls unconscious they must pass another toughness test each day else die. This condition lasts d20 days. If they survive, they will be immune to weak and medium viper venoms in the future.

• Elapid Venom: Elapids range from 30cm to 7 meters long and usually have a round head, often with a neck shield. Examples include Cobras and Sea Snakes. Elapids produce some of the most deadly venoms in Feorreard, and many are capable of spitting. Elapid venom contains potent neurotoxins, causing paralysis.

– Weak Elapid Venom: A numbness spreads throughout the afflicted area, followed by minor swelling. Has a 5% chance of causing an anaphylactic shock. The victim will lose complete muscular control of the area for d100 minutes. After the nimbness passes, the envenomed area will ache.

– Medium Elapid Venom: A numb throbbing spreads from the envenomed area throughout the body. Has a 5% chance of causing an anaphylactic shock. If the victim passes a STA test then only the afflicted area is paralysed, else they are completely paralysed (including facial muscles). This paralysis lasts d20 hours. After it has passed, the entire body will sting.

– Strong Elapid Venom: The victim is immediately completely paralysed, and experiences breathing difficulties. Twice a day, they must pass a toughness test else die. This condition lasts d10 days. If they survive, they will be immune to weak and medium elapid venoms in the future.

8.3.2 Diseases