Norling (modified for rules compliance from
Mercenaries)
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 4d10+12 (32 hit points)
Initiative: +1 (Dexterity)
Speed: 50 feet
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +1 Dexterity, +1 dodge, +6 natural); touch 11, flat-footed 15
BAB/Grapple: +4/+12
Attack: Hoof +7 melee (1d6+4, bludgeoning, 20 x2)
Full Attack: 2 hooves +7 melee (1d6+4, bludgeoning, 20 x2) and bite +2 melee (1d4+2, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing, 20 x2)
Space/Reach: 5 feet by 10 feet/5 feet
Special Attacks: Cone of cold
Special Qualities: Cold resistance 10, scent
Saves: Fortitude +7, Reflex +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 18, Int 3, Wis 12, Dex 13, Con 17, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +5
Feats: Dodge, Skill Augmentation (Listen and Spot)
Environment: Tundra
Organization: Herd (2 - 12) or domesticated
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5 - 6 HD (Large)
Huscarl mercenaries from the far north first brought knowledge of norlings to th wider world, riding them into battle at the beck of employers who found rumors of the ferocity of these sub-arctic humanoid tribes to be entirely justified. Just as formidable as the huscarls were their mounts - ferocious horse-like creatures called norlings.
Norlings resemble oversized Shetland ponies in that they are as large as a typical warhorse and of the same shape, but a thick mat of long hair covers their entire body. This hair even covers their faces, so that their eyes appear only as small, dark coals set deep within their heads. This physiological feature, combined with their magical nature, makes them unusually resistant to cold. Their long coats remain even after thy enter warmer climes, yet no one has ever observed them to suffer ill effects from temperate or even hot environments.
The huscarls are reluctant to part with their mounts, and so few norlings are found on their own outside their native areas. If you come upon one outside the sub-arctic, either its rider became a casualty of war and left it to wander far from home, or it was rustled out of its native habitat. Ambitious warlords have attempted to capture abandoned norlings and breed them for their own use, but always without success. Either they refuse to mate outside their native areas, or their offspring refuse to be tamed by anyone other than a huscarl and they have to be let go.
Combat
Norlings gained noteriety among those who saw them on the battlefield for being as ferocious in a fight as their huscarl riders. They can bite and strike with their hooves like a heavy warhorse, but they also possess a fearsome abiliuty to summon the essence of the cold in which they were born and project it as a weapon.
Cone of Cold (Sp): Up to 3 times per day, a norling can exhale the elemental cold of its native land. This ability functions like a
cone of cold cast by a 9
th level sorcerer with a save DC of 12. The cone originates at the creature's mouth. Using this ability requires a full-round action, and the norling cannot combine it with any other attack or any form of movement in the same round. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Cold Resistance (Ex): Norlings suffer less from cold damage than other creatures, since they come from as frosty a climate as any living creature can stand. They have cold resistance 10.
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