Palegator

"Writing fantasy lets me imagine a great deal more than, say, writing about alligators, and lets me write about places more distant than Florida, but I can tell you things about Florida and alligators, let you make the connection all on your own."

Terry Brooks

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Palegator
No. Enc.: 1
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 60' (20')
Armor Class: 5 (as Chain Mail)
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 1 (Bite or Tail-slap)
Damage: 1d6+2 (bite), 2d4+2 (tail-slap)
Save: F6
Morale: 6

Special: On a natural to hit roll of 20 the creatures' Bite does half damage but it then locks its jaws and begins to roll or thrash about causing 3d4 automatic damage until it is dislodged. Likewise on a natural 20 to hit with the Tail-slap the target must Save or be knocked flat.

Vicious pernicious predators that slither and skulk in shadows and sewers, the Palegator is one of the more fearsome beasts that the Sewer Militia must face on an all too regular basis. The record for largest Palegator encountered to date is 27' at over 1,800lbs. Larger specimens are believed to lurk within the Middle Deeps or lower regions.

Heavy Leather armor fashioned from Palegator hide is much sought after by non-commissioned officers within the Sewer Militia mostly due to the legends and lies that have grown up around their regular encounters and hunting efforts. Many of them have sustained grievous wounds or injuries in the course of hunting, trapping and killing Palegators and so have taken to wearing the hide as a mark of honor. It is also worth noting that Commissioned Officers who have never actually been involved in one of these hunting expeditions are 'informally banned' from wearing this particular type of armor as it is seen as an insult by most of the rank and file.

A smaller, more agile sub-type of Palegator is to be found exclusively within the White Orchard. These creatures are notorious for ambushing unwary visitors who allow themselves to get dazzled or distracted. A small number of these beasts were recently acquired by a small clique of sorcerers who are rumored to be attempting to breed these things so as to create miniature varieties that might serve as either familiars or servitors. Of course this is all based upon the statements of a group of disgruntled adventurers who claim that they were not adequately compensated for their efforts. The sorcerer's identified in this claim have made no official statement.

There is a thriving market for Palegator eggs, especially in the Autumn and Winter months. Hatchlings are notable for their mottled coloration and while less desirable due to the attendant risks and hassles of handling them will still fetch a modest price year round. However, a hatchling that is nearly devoid of all markings is worth a great deal to some spell-casters, certain cultists and a few collectors of peculiar things. Should one encounter such a thing, it is best to remain discrete lest one tempt some interested party to resort to cheap and quick violence instead of haggling with opportunists...

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Source of Inspiration: "Boys shoveling snow into a manhole discovered a 6-foot gator trying to make his escape from the sewer. The boys lassoed the sickly saurian with a clothesline and dragged him up to street level. Because the gator snapped at the kids (and thus convinced them he could indeed be dangerous), they attacked him with shovels and killed him. Speculation was the gator had fallen off a passing steamer, swum to shore and found the entrance to the sewer."
The New York Times, February 1o, 1933. More such urban gator-tales at Snopes.

Pale Shadows

A shudder through the silence crept

And death athwart the noonlight swept…

Graves closed round my path of life,

The beautiful had fled;

Pale Shadows wandered by my side,

And whispered of the dead.’

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Pale Shadows
No. Enc.: 1d4
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 90' (30') [Cannot traverse areas of magical Darkness]
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 2
Attacks: 1
Damage: Special
Save: MU2
Morale: 10

Special: Cannot be Turned. Can only be struck by Blackened/Darkened or magical weapons or spells. Darkness destroys them.

Pale Shadows are encountered occasionally near the Jumbles and certain disreputable shrines, sometimes within the Glowfield, but mostly they are to be found within the White Orchard. Fragile, ephemeral things, they are sometimes confused with figments, oneirical fragments or other such sorcerous residue. In truth they are more akin to phantasms or very weak hauntings, only barely meriting mention among the rolls of the undead, Pale Shadows are most often dismissed as minor nuisances, easily ignored or dealt with by even the most incautious adventurer. But perhaps it would be worthwhile to listen to these whispering, wandering spirits who recount the deeds and exploits of those long gone and forgotten.

The Book of the White Glyph is purported to include spells for binding Pale Shadows into carved ivory lanterns and other such objects so as to encourage the spirits to focus upon specific deeds and particular long deceased individuals.

Fantomists are known to pay a small bounty for Pale Shadows delivered to them intact and unharmed...but they never explain precisely how they intend for this to be done, preferring it to be left to those who already know how to accomplish the task before revealing any of their trade secrets.

Some Wanderer families will barter good silver or salt for a set of candles that somehow seem to attract the attention of Pale Shadows...as well as other things. Their only words of warning are to never, ever under any circumstance take these candles into the White Orchard, let alone actually light one there...

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Source of Inspiration: Noon, by Sarah Helen Whitman.