Illustration by "Dug"

Snouters AKA:  Gassy-derms HACKFACTOR:  8 EP VALUE:  2,400 CLIMATE/TERRAIN:  Plane of Despondency FREQUENCY:  Rare ORGANIZATION:  Flock ACTIVITY CYCLE:  Any DIET:  Unknown INTELLIGENCE:  Low ALIGNMENT:  Chaotic Evil NO. APPEARING:  2-12 SIZE:  L (9' to shoulder) MOVEMENT:  12" (20" flying) PSIONIC ABILITY:  Nil Attack/Defense Modes:  Nil/Nil MORALE:  Courageous (with Leatherthug) / Unsteady (without) ARMOR CLASS:  4 NO. OF ATTACKS:  1 gore/ 2 claws DAMAGE/ATTACK:  1-8/1-10/1-10 SPECIAL ATTACKS:  Breath SPECIAL DEFENSES:  Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE:  10% HIT DICE:  6+6 CREATED BY:  "Dug"

Snouters
DESCRIPTION:  Snouters are elephantine creatures with a bloated body. The body is filled with gases which allow it to hover and float. The snouters appear almost comical as they bob like balloons in the air. In place of the ears are small wings which, miracously, allow it fly rather quickly. The Snouter comes in a variety of grotesque colors.Their mouths are filled with stained tusks and at the end of their trunks is a human head, which resembles some person who had been damned to the 263rd Plane. The head speaks, but is usually gibberish. From the mouth of the creature shoots a jet of flame which it uses to attack. Snouters are used as mounts by Leatherthugs (q.v.).

COMBAT/TACTICS: Snouters prefer to attack from the air, because then they can rake with their long front claws which cause 1-10 points of damage each. If grounded, the Snouter is unable to use this attack. It can gore with its tusks which causes 1-8 points of damage. Though its trunk is prehensile, it is unable to pick up and use objects. Instead, it swivels the head in any direction to shoot out the 30' breath of fire, which causes 2-20 points of damage if victims don't save vs. breath weapon. If a Snouter's hitpoints are reduced to 0, the Snouter will suddenly tremble and then explode into a stinking cloud of rotting, fetid gases, causing 1-12 points of damage to anyone within 30 feet, and a 20% chance of losing hearing.

HABITAT/SOCIETY:  Snouters come from the Plane of Despondency (see Nefarions, Aesopherates for details). Snouters just seem always ready to be ridden by Leatherthugs, awaiting and bobbing exactly where they were left until their riders return. Snouters are pack creatures, and if majority of Snouters leave, the remainder will follow, sans rider. It is believed Snouters live off the gases of corpses, the head burrowing into the carcass, sucking it out, but this has never been proven.

ECOLOGY:  Snouters are detrimental under the command of the Nefarions and Leatherthugs.

YIELD: Medicinal:  Nil Spell Components:  Nil Hide/Trophy Items:  Nil Treasure:  Nil Other:  If the gases from a Snouter could ever be collected and contained, it will levitate. A large sack of gases could lift a human much like a Levitate Spell could, but lasts only half as long.

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.