 |
| Illustration by "Dug" |
|
Hecatoncheires
DESCRIPTION: In the earliest days when giants and titans ruled the wurld, they fought with each other using massive beasts called Hecatoncheires. These 300' high monstrosities were a sight to behold, causing even the most stalwart of giants to mess his pants. They have one hundred bald, giant-sized heads upon a larger body. It has one hundred arms. Arrows, spears pepper the body, evidence of previous encounters. Some of the heads may be dead from previous battles, but as long as at least one head lives, the body lives on. Some Hecatoncheires have lost hands or arms replaced with large, deadly prosthetics. Mindless berzerkers, the means for controlling them has been long since lost. They're unleashed upon cities, pounding with their multiple arms picking up anything they can lay their hands on and consuming it. Once their hunger has been sated, they stomp off into the great, remote wilds, lay down and sleep for a century or two until called for again.
COMBAT/TACTICS: Once a Hecatoncheires has been unleashed upon a large city (a small town may go unnoticed by the mindless creature), it will begin its horrifying attack. Anyone of less than 5 HD who sees the giant must save versus paralyzation or run away from the spectacle for 1-6 turns before regaining their wits. Anyone above 5 HD who doesn't save will be rooted to the spot for 1-6 rounds in utter fear. The two main limbs of the Hecatoncheires do 20-200 points of damage each. Each large arm can take 100 points of damage before being rendered useless. The smaller arms can take 25 points of damage before becoming useless. The smaller arms grab up anything it can lay its hands on, immediately causing 10-60 points of damage each round they are held. The round after, the victims will be fed to the heads which gnaw at the victims for 1-12 points of damage each. A maximum of three heads can chew on a human-sized body.
No singular head controls the body. As long as one head remains alive, the body continues on. Each head can take 10 points of damage before dying. The Hecatoncheires can cause 20-200 points of damage with a stomp as well in place of the arms, but it will prefer to use the arms for attack first. Since a Hecatoncheires is so big, it can not direct all attacks on one opponent (except with the two main arms). A Hecatoncheires can attack as many opponents (if in reasonable range or area) as it has arms, or any three arms can attack one human-sized.
Hecatoncheires can generate heads and larger arms back within one year. Smaller arms take 2-8 months. Hecatoncheires are incredibly resistant to magical attacks. Psionic attacks would be difficult on Hecatoncheires as it would require one psionist to attack each head. There is a 10% chance one of the heads will be of average intelligence or greater. The head may even be able to converse if given the opportunity. It also has a 1% chance of gaining control over the body per round. Once it has gained control, it must roll against its intelligence to retain control.
HABITAT/SOCIETY: When the Hecatoncheires is not attacking, it lumbers off into deep, remote wilds to slumber, sleeping off its orgy of massacre. A Hecatoncheires will sleep up to two centuries. Only attacks to its vital areas will cause it to roust, attacking its violators. It is not known how Hecatoncheires were created. They may been the product of powerful mage giants or even the gods when they dabbled in early creation. Thus far, it is not known if the Hecatoncheires can reproduce. In the early days there were at least twelve known Hecatoncheires, but in most recent times there has been only one report of a Hecatoncheires slumbering in the great wilds. If any others survived over the millennia, it is not known.
ECOLOGY: Thankfully, the terror of the Hecatoncheires is not known today, the beasts keep to themselves, but if the secret to awakening is ever discovered and unleashed upon the wurlds, it will be a very, very, bad day.
|
YIELD:
Medicinal: Hecatoncheires flesh can be used to create Regeneration potions. Spell Components: Nil Hide/Trophy Items: Hecatoncheires' chewed off toe-nails were used as swords by a remote human tribe in the great wilds. Treasure: Nil Other: Nil |
|
Mikeeze Wurld is © 2001 by Michael S. Hensley. HackMaster is a trademark of Kenzer and Company. Any use of trademarks is in no way to be considered a challenge to such trademark or copyright by its rightful owner. |