The hulking figure, that was Ram Jam, made his way through the thick green foilage. Ignoring the scuttling, slithering and scurrying creatures that fled his path. When a cloud of biting flies arose and filled the humid air, Ram Jam contemptuously lit the stinkweed cigar that could most always be found in his mouth. The flies quickly dispersed. Mol, the packbearer, stifled a half-gag, half-choke his uncanny sense of smell was no advantage in this case. The servant, or rather slave, rubbed his watering eyes, thinking the flies were better than those awful cigars. You'd think he'd have gotten used to the cigars by now, the slave had served Ram Jam for most of his life. Ever since Mol's village had indentured him to Ram Jam as a "mule" in order to spare their village from the Gorilla and his pirates. Mol served faithfully, if not enthusiastically, it was not his place to question the village elders. At least his pack was lighter, the pair having just hidden a bit of treasure back in the jungle. Ram Jam didn't turn everything over to the Pirate Lords of Fredonia.
Ram Jam needed no map, the ape's photographic memory, and freakish sense of direction would allow him to return to the treasure when the time was right, just as it allowed him to safely navigate the treacherous reefs and wreckage that surrounded this part of Meriga's coast. No charts, no maps, just Ram Jam, no doubt this helped keep the odds of a mutiny low, without Ram Jam, the crew would be totally lost. And as for Mol, he would never reveal the Gorilla's secrets, even if he wanted to talk he couldn't, Ram Jam had cut out his tongue years ago…
Sandy beach, ocean breezes, clear blue water…Another time, another place and the scene would have been considered beautiful, a veritable tropical paradise, but it was a different world now and in the here and now, something was wrong terribly wrong. It was quiet …too quiet. Blink was convinced that some horrible mutie beast was watching him, ready to pounce, on his poor head, and rend him limb from limb at any moment. Blink was no Precog.. not really anyway, he occasionally got vague glimpses of danger, but never anything clear or specific. Trying to calm himself, he went and sat in the rowboat. He began to absently pat his lucky hoop's foot. Where the hell was Ram Jam, the ship would be in sight any minute now. Hearing a yell, Blink looked up startled, gazing quickly out into the bay. Blink shook his head in disgust, the sheer idiocy of his half-brother Quill amazed even him. Quill splashed happily about in the ocean. Ram Jam had not been gone a minute when Quill had headed straight into the water for a swim. Blink had argued against it, stating all manner of beasts could be out in the water. Quill had laughed at him, pointing out the group of dolphins playing at the edge of the bay. Surely no predators were lurking about with a group of dolphins swimming so calmly, and anything small and viscious would not be able to get past the rows of quills that lined the mutants body.
A cry rang out, different than before, Blink looked up, he could barely see his brother now, the dolphins were around him now… Blood in the water?! Quill was in danger, the dolphins were attacking Quill! Blink jumped up, heaved the boat into the water and began to paddle with all of his might, straining to get to his stricken brother. Minutes seemed like hours. Finally he reached his brother. Quill was fighting for his life against a dolphin…No not a dolphin something far more viscious, a cold reptilian creature that looked like a dolphin in the distance, but up close was clearly no dolphin, there was a whole pack of them. Blink smashed at one with the oar driving it away, Quill's spines had clearly injured one, the pack backed away not wishing to confront the boat. Blink grabbed Quill's hand had hauled him into the boat. Quill collapsed in the boat. Blink raised his heavy crossbow and fired into the nearest lizard fish, killing the already wounded beast, the remainder of the pack fled. Blink lay back in the boat panting from his exertion, Quill raised up and gave a weak grin. Blink shook his head, they were both new to this piracy thing, and so far the water was Blink's least favorite part, for obvious reasons. Blink again patted his lucky Hoop's foot, it was lucky indeed…
Deep in the depths below, a massive pair of cold reptilian eyes looked upon the bottom of the boat.....
(for part II of the story see the Liopleurodon entry)
Ichthyosaurus
(Lizard fish)STR d6+8 INT d2 (an. 2d4+2)
DEX d6+10 WIL 2d4+4
CON d6+9 PER d4 (an. 3d4+4)
dur as CON AC 12+/11/5/2
Mov swim 8 # act 3
RS O/2
Attacks
Bite 14/7/3 d4w/d6+1w/d2m (LI/O)
Defenses armor d6-2 (LI), d4-1 (HI), 0 (En)
+2 vs melee
+3 vs ranged
Skills
Acrobatics- jump 3; Stealth- hide 6, shadow 4; Movement- swim 8; Awareness- perception 5; Investigate- track 8; Resolve- physical 3.
Desc These reptiles are the number one reason why dolphins are feared and
hunted in areas where both occur. They look very similar to dolphins in
coloration and shape, but are not even remotely friendly. The main
differences are the eyes, the absence of the blowhole, and the teeth.
Like all reptiles, they breathe air and do so every half hour.
Cmbt Ichthyosaurus hunt by vision and motion. They circle and attack prey like sharks- tearing off bite sized chunks. If any member of the pack is killed, the others flee. They do not attack boats unless in defense.
Hab These reptiles are found near tropical reefs where their favorite prey is found- fish and octopi.
Soc Unlike other ichthyosaurs, Ichthyosaurus hunt in small packs. There is no reproductive ends to these packs and they can be made up of any ratio of the genders.
Biome Tropical reef/ocean
Encounter chance Possible
Group size d6
Org school
Niche medium level carnivore
IQ medium level animal
Ophthalmosaurus
(lizard fish)STR d6+10 INT d2 (an. 2d4+2)
DEX d6+10 WIL 2d4+4
CON d6+11 PER d4 (an. 3d4+4)
dur as CON AC 12+/11/5/2
Mov swim 8 # act 3
RS O/2
Attacks
Bite 16/8/4 d4+2w/d6+3w/d4m (LI/O)
Defenses armor d6 (LI), d4 (HI), 0 (En)
+2 vs melee
+3 vs ranged
Skills
Acrobatics- jump 4; Stealth- hide 9, shadow 6; Movement- swim 10; Awareness- perception 6; Investigate- track 2; Resolve- physical 6
Power- night vision
Desc Other than length and eye size (.1 m wide), these reptiles look like Ichthyosaurus. They can hold their breath for 3/4 of an hour.
Cmbt Ophies are nocturnal fish eaters. They use the dark to attempt to come upon prey unaware. They do not attack anything larger than 1.5 meters long unless it is in defense.
Hab Ophies live in deeper reefs than Ichthies. They sleep in the shallows during the day as to be able to get to air quickly.
Soc Ophies are solitary, but not territorial. They will attempt to avoid each other in encounters.
Biome Tropical reef/ocean
Encounter chance slim
Group size 1
Org solitary
Niche nocturnal medium carnivore
IQ medium level animal
Conversion by Derek
Fiction by Brutorz Bill
