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Creatures of KOTOR 3Viper Kinrath and Mykal | ||||||||||
The Knights of the Old Republic Era is a time of heroic deeds, powerful villains, and intricate plots. However, these are not the only threats that heroes of the era face. Every planet is home to a bewildering number of dangerous creatures -- so many, in fact, that there wasn't room to put them in the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide. "Creatures of KOTOR" is a series of articles presenting new creatures and beasts from that era to include in your Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition adventures. Viper Kinrath
Large beast 8 Defenses Ref 17 (flat-footed 14), Fort 16, Will 11 hp 84; Threshold 21 Speed 6 squares Melee slam +10 (1d6+8) Ranged sting +10 (1d6+8 plus poison) Fighting Space 2x2; Reach 1 square (2 squares, sting) Base Atk +6; Grp +15 Atk Options Combat Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, poison Abilities Str 18, Dex 16, Con 22, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 6 Feats Combat Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (sting) Skills Perception +10 Blind -- Viper kinrath are blind and take no penalties due to concealment and total concealment due to darkness. They use a variety of other senses to identify their enemies. Poison -- If a viper kinrath deals damage with its sting attack to a living target, the target is also poisoned. If the poison succeeds on an attack roll (1d20+8) against the target's Fortitude Defense, the target takes 2d6 points of damage and moves –1 step along the condition track. If the attack fails, the target takes half damage and doesn't move on the condition track. Kinrath poison attacks each round until cured with a DC 18 Treat Injury check. Kinrath and its deadlier variety, the viper kinrath shown here, are commonly found on Dantooine and Kashyyyk but have been spotted on other, more distant planets in smaller numbers. This bizarre insectile creature has four long legs sprouting from a central body. Another long appendage sprouts from the "face" of the viper kinrath, which ends in a sharp, poison-filled stinger. (Regular kinrath are functionally the same, but replace their stinger attack with another slam attack and no poison.) Their miniscule eyes are vestigial, and the creature uses a combination of heat sensing and smell to navigate and locate prey. Every kinrath produces a unique, pungent odor from large sweat glands that allows them to locate each other. Savvy hunters learn to coat themselves with the sweat from these glands in order to move in close to viper kinraths and take them unawares. Jedi and other Force-users have learned that kinrath eggs contain red crystals that can be used as the power source for lightsabers. Indeed, many Padawans are sent to hunt for these eggs as part of their final test to create their own lightsaber. Viper Kinrath Encounters Kinrath are found throughout Dantooine and Kashyyyk, although they typically stick close to large clumps of vegetation where their natural coloration helps them blend into their surroundings. Unlucky heroes may stumble into a kinrath hive and confront the hive queen, protected by dozens of regular and viper kinrath. As mentioned above, young Jedi might have to hunt kinrath to gather eggs and the crystals inside to manufacture their lightsaber. Mykal
Medium airborne beast 5 Defenses Ref 16 (flat-footed 13), Fort 13, Will 11 hp 37; Threshold 18 Speed 8 squares (fly) Melee bite +6 (1d6+3) Base Atk +3; Grp +6 Atk Options confusing swoop, Running Attack Abilities Str 13, Dex 17, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10 Special Qualities confusing swoop Feats Running Attack, Weapon Finesse (bite) Skills Initiative +10 Confusing Swoop -- When a mykal damages a target with a charge attack, that target cannot make attacks of opportunity against the mykal until the end of its next turn. Mykal are aerial predators found in the huge, sprawling forests of Kashyyyk. They build large nests and attack almost anything that they spot. Some mykal grow to enormous size and are found only in the deepest, most ancient portions of the wilderness. Mykal eggs are nutritious and tasty, and they're considered a delicacy by most sentients. However, acquiring them is quite a challenge, considering that mykal nests are found hundreds of meters above the forest floor. Mykal are an important part of the ecosystem and are responsible for keeping the numbers of kinrath (see above) in check. However, the Wookiees of Kashyyyk have long considered mykal pests and shoot them on sight. Mykal Encounters Mykal can be found almost anywhere on Kashyyyk, but they're most common in the middle to upper canopies, which is where most Wookiees build their treehouse cities. The creatures rarely venture to the forest floor, where the prey is too large and aggressive for most mykal to handle. Heroes could be sent to eliminate mykal that lair too closely to a Wookiee settlement or to raid mykal nests in search of their eggs.
Feel free to post your thoughts or questions about this article in this message board thread. About the AuthorEric Cagle cut his teeth at Wizards of the Coast but now lives the extravagant freelancer lifestyle. Look for his name on everything from Dungeons & Dragons to d20 Modern and Star Wars products. Recent credits include the Grimm roleplaying game, Tome of Salvation, and Hollow Earth Expedition. Eric is currently the Managing Editor for No Quarter Magazine. He lives in Seattle, where the coffee is dark and bitter -- like his goddesses. | ||||||||||
