Druid Companions

## ATHASIAN DRUID ANIMAL COMPANION

Her er en liste over animal companions for druider i Dark Sun. Dyrene i fet skrift er spesielle for Athas og vil bli beskrevet under.

### 1st Level

Boneclaw, Lesser

Carru

Dire Rat

Eagle

Erdlu

Janx

Jhakar

Kes’trekel

Kivit

Owl

Snake (small or medium viper)

### 4th Level or Higher (Level –3)

Carru, bull 6HD

Cheetah

Crodlu

Dire bat

Erdland

Jhakar, medium 6HD

Kluzd

Leopard

Lizard, Giant

Lizard, monitor

Rasclinn

Snake, constrictor

Snake, Large viper

## Boneclaw lesser

*This creature is a hunched reptilian quadruped only two feet in length, most of its features hidden by thick, bony armor. The animal’s eyes and fanged maw peer through openings in the head armor and a squat tail emerges from the rear.*

   This timid omnivore dwells in the rocky wastes of the Tablelands, scurrying here and there in search of food, always hoping to avoid the attention of a larger predator. The Athasian nobility also domesticates them as vermin hunters or beasts of burden. The boneclaw has a poisonous bite that makes it a valuable and economical alternative to larger, more fearsome guardians. Boneclaw flesh is also edible and up to 4 pints of water can be harvested from the creature‘s water-sac (located beneath its back armoring). The water is contaminated with the same poison present in the boneclaw‘s bite and must be purified or neutralized before it can be safely ingested. Boneclaw females usually bear litters of 2d3 young but occasionally a solitary offspring is born. This solitary child is invariably a greater boneclaw, a voracious psionic mutation that will attempt to devour all that moves. In the wild, boneclaw packs will move away once a greater boneclaw has been born. Lesser boneclaws average 2 feet in length and weigh 25 pounds. The young are red-brown, green, yellow or orange, but these colors uniformly fade to a sandy-grey with age.

#### Combat

The lesser boneclaw is extremely timid and will flee to avoid combat, only attacking if cornered. When the boneclaw does bite, however, it will attempt to grapple. If successful, the boneclaw will gnaw at the wound, its poisonous saliva flooding the target with toxins.

If initial attacks of this kind do not deter opponents, the lesser boneclaw overcomes its natural timidity and is possessed by a swarming instinct. This instinct unites the entire pack, which subsequently attacks all foes, only fleeing when 80% or more of the boneclaws have been slain.

**Improved Grab (Ex)**: If a lesser boneclaw hits with its bite it may initiate a grapple check as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it succeeds at the grapple check it may gnaw at the wound, injecting its poison. \*Lesser boneclaws receive a +8 racial bonus on grapple checks.

**Poison (Ex)**: Injury, Fortitude DC 10, initial damage 1d6 Con, secondary damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based. \*Note that a lesser boneclaw can only use its poison if it successfully grapples its target.

## Carru

*A strain of humped cattle with a bony skull and drab hide, these animals move in a wandering herd, longhorned males protecting short-horned females and young.*

   With many products and resources being derived from it, the carru is a staple of Athasian life. The females produce a nourishing, creamy milk (as much as three gallons per day), and both sexes are slaughtered for their meat. A male can yield as much as 250 lbs of meat. This is less for females (only 200 lbs), but they are seldom killed for their meat, as they are potentially much more valuable as milk producers. Carru make excellent beasts of burden, dragging plows and turning water and grain mills. Carru hide is soft and supple and holds a dye well, so it is used in the making of clothing, furniture, tents and the like. The thicker hide of the skull is a component in many leather and hide armors and is also highly suited as a shield covering. The carru‘s hump, though used for water storage, does not inflate or deflate like a camel‘s. The average hump holds 1d6+2 pints of water at any given time and can be used to make a waterskin of similar capacity. The leather will rot in contact with alcohol, however, so carru hide is unsuitable for the fashioning of wineskins. The adult carru is ten feet long and weighs as much as 400 pounds. Their soft hide is furred and colored in varying shades of dun grey or brown.

#### Combat

Carru are not aggressive creatures on the whole, although the males can be quite hostile when the herd is threatened. Their standard tactic is to charge, then gore an opponent. If they are able to, male carru will use their horns to grapple and then toss targets to the ground, where they are trampled by other carru. So often used is this tactic that most carru herders agree that it is an instinct of the species.

## Carru Bull

Carru herds are led by one or more adult males, with up to three females per adult male.

#### Combat

The bulls act aggressively to defend the herd, making good use of their natural attacks when doing so. Trample (Ex): Reflex half DC 20. The save DC is Strength-based.

## Crodlu

This creature is a large, flightless combination of bird and reptile resembling an ostrich. It has wicked claws at the end of its long fore and hind limbs, and its scaly hide is a yellowish red, with similar colors along its side and underbelly.

   Crodlu are a species of flightless, scaled avian that roams the wilderness in herds. They have powerful hind legs, which were built for jumping great lengths. Crodlu have very poor eyesight, but make up for it with an excellent sense of smell. Crodlu have great endurance, almost better than a mul‘s, and can run at high speeds for long periods of time. Female crodlu only lay one egg each year. When the chick hatches it is able to run and fight within minutes, having a great appetite. When it comes to feeding, crodlu will eat anything, preferring to hunt live game when there is some around over eating just vegetables. Crodlu herds can get as big as 30 strong. The herd leader is usually the largest, and will have more of a reddish scaly hide. Crodlu make great mounts, but are hard to control and train as such most of the time unless they are caught as chicks and are trained as mounts as they are being raised.

#### Combat

Crodlu attack with their fore claws first, and then bite. Sometimes they will substitute hind claws for fore claw attacks if they happen to be holding something or are unable to use their fore claws.

**Improved Grab (Ex):** To use this ability, a crodlu must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake. Pounce (Ex): If a crodlu charges, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.

**Rake (Ex)**: Attack bonus +6 melee, damage 1d6+2. Carrying Capacity: A light load for a crodlu is up to 200 pounds; a medium load, 201-400 pounds; a heavy load, 401-600 pounds. A crodlu can drag 3,000 pounds.

*Skills*: Crodlu receive a +10 racial bonus on Jump checks and a -4 penalty on Spot checks.

## Erdland

*This creature is a large species of flightless bird. Covered in ruddy scales, it regards you with a blank, stupid gaze and squawks once or twice before returning to its grazing, picking at the soil with its two clawed feet and sharp beak.*

Erdlands are a large variant of erdlus. They are generally used as mounts or to pull caravans. Erdlands are flightless, featherless birds that are covered with scales. They weigh around 2 tons and can stand up to 15 feet tall. Erdlands are used more for their endurance than speed, since they are not capable of fast speeds. Erdlands don't provide much in usable material. They do provide the savage halflings that inhabit the jungles of Athas with a major meat source. Erdlands can provide up to 700 pounds of meat.

#### Combat

When attacked, erdland attack with their beak. An erdland has a 5% chance of being psionic.

*Psi-Like Abilities:* At will—detect psionics; 3/day— empty mind (+3 bonus\*), mind thrust (3d10, DC 9\*), psionic dominate (ML 7th, DC 11). Manifester level 3rd. The save DCs are Charisma-based. \*Includes augmentation for the erdland‘s manifester level.

*Carrying Capacity:* A light load for an erdland is up to 232 pounds; a medium load, 233-466 pounds; a heavy load, 467-700 pounds. An erdland can drag 3,500 pounds.

## Erdlu

*A tall, flightless bird with heavy scales or rough feathers, this creature is as tall as an elf. It has a long neck, large beak and stands on two tough, sinewy legs.*

    Erdlu are large, flightless birds often used as livestock. They can weigh up to two hundred pounds and stand almost seven feet tall. Erdlu are covered in thick, flexible, scale-like feathers, ranging in color from dust-grey to soft reddish-brown. An erdlu's legs are long and strong, propelling it rapidly over the desert sands; the head, at the end of a long neck, is rounded, with a wicked, wedgeshaped beak. The omnivorous erdlu is a very common herd animal with many uses. Aside from its value as a meat animal, the erdlu's beak, wing scales, and claws all find their way into various weapon heads and tools, and the egg of an erdlu is an excellent source of food and water. Cooked, a single large egg can provide about three days' worth of food for a human. Raw, the egg's liquid contents can be substituted for about one gallon of water.

Combat Erdlu, both singly and in flocks, usually flee rather than fight. If forced into combat, the skittish birds kick with their powerful, clawed legs or bite with their heavy beaks.

*Skills*: Erdlu receive a +10 racial bonus to all Jump checks.

## Janx

*You spy a small, furry, mammalian animal regarding you from the safety of its burrow. Long, curved spurs can just be seen on the creature’s limbs.*

These furry mammals live in burrows in the desert. The common people of Athas think these prized creatures are too dangerous to bother with, but those that are killed make good furs and are a good source of food. Jankx communicate via ultrasonic squeaks and barks which are inaudible to most humanoid ears.

#### Combat

Jankx are not very combative, but they do have a poison that serves as a defense mechanism. It has a withering effect upon flesh, inflicting tremendous pain for such a small creature, and is quite capable of crippling a grown man in moments. Jankx have spurs and poison sacs located on the underside of each limb near the paw. Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 11, initial damage 1d6 Str, secondary damage 2d6 Dex. The save DC is Constitution-based.

*Skills*: Jankx receive a +10 racial bonus to Hide and Move Silently checks, and a +5 racial bonus to Listen checks

## Jhakar

*You are confronted by a snarling reptilian beast of formidable proportions, somewhat resembling a smiling flat-faced canine with thick, wrinkly, scaled hide.*

    Jhakars are predators whose pugnacious behavior makes them a bane to humanoids and animals alike. Their appearance is similar to that of a reptilian bulldog, and their characters are fierce and aggressive to match. Jhakars hunt in small packs in the wild, and fiercely attack all but the most dangerous of prey, pulling larger creatures down with their numbers and savagery. Sometimes jhakars are found in cities as domesticated guard-beasts, or serve as trackers, finding escaped slaves and so are also greatly feared by most thieves. Jhakars are mortal enemies of tembo, as the two species are often in competition for territory and prey. Needless to say, jhakars often come off the worst in such conflicts. A jhakar's scaly hide is thick and wrinkled, sporting a webbed, bony spine that protrudes from its back and ends just before its stump of a tail. Its eyes and ears, well protected by bony ridges and double-lids respectively, are dwarfed by the huge, fang-filled mouth. The bulk of the body is a rich, sandy-brown color, darkening at the snout and claws.

#### Combat

Jhakars are notorious for their tenacity and singleminded attacks. A pack of jhakars will attack as a group, seeking to drag their prey to the ground and savage it with multiple bites. Such is their instinctive coordination that the pack often seems to attack with one mind, jointly bent on ravaging its prey. The ferocity of a jhakar pack is significantly greater than the sum of its individual members.

**Improved Grab (Ex):** If a jhakar hits with its bite it may initiate a grapple check as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. \*A jhakar has a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks.

**Pulldown (Ex)**: Once per round, a jhakar can either make a trip attack as a free action or aid another jhakar in a trip attack as a free action (but not both). If it wins the Strength check\*, it may immediately make a melee attack

## Kes'trekel

*A scrawny black bird squawks as it circles around overheard, looking for a meal. A blood-red patch on its head is its only distinguishable feature.*

    The kes‘trekel is a carrion eater, constantly on the search for dead prey. Cowardly birds, they usually shy away from large targets, but have been known to assemble in packs to attack larger prey. In large numbers, the kes‘trekel can sometimes muster enough collective psychic energy to manifest the psionic power of aversion. Kes‘trekels are extremely territorial and use their psionics to scare trespassers away from their nesting areas. They pair only long enough to mate. They are often captured and used as guards, as their nervous territorial squawking reveals the presence of all but the stealthiest intruders. Their eggs are considered a delicacy in Nibenay (if procured within two weeks of laying), and their eyes are sometimes eaten by the barbaric tribes of the Ringing Mountain in the belief that they grant enhanced vision. The foot-long bird has a three-foot wingspan with black plumage; the only spot of color is a crimson patch on its head. Feral kes'trekel have a life span of approximately 15 years, while domestic kes'trekel sometimes live as long as 25 years.

#### Combat

Kes'trekel are extremely vulnerable on the ground and prefer to attack from the wing if at all possible. Aversion (Ps): A group of 20 or more kes‘trekels can manifest aversion three times per day (Will DC 11 negates). For every 10 additional kes‘trekel, increase the save DC by 1. Manifester level 3rd. The save DC is Charisma-based.

## Kluzd

*A snake-like creature with a great frill of scales flaring around its throat, this reptilian beast bursts from beneath shallow mudflats to drag its prey to their doom.*

The kluzd is a reptilian predator related to the constrictor snake that inhabits the mudflats of the Tablelands. Biting and throttling its prey, the kluzd is only a danger within the mudflats themselves, as it cannot burrow through sand and rapidly dries out under the Athasian sun. The males of the species have distinctive turquoise and white coloration around their head and neck frills, but the females lack these markings, instead having a sandy brown body flecked with black along its length. Growing up to ten feet in length, an adult kluzd is able to swallow a man whole, although this distorts its shape somewhat. A kluzd weighs as much as 500 lbs.

#### Combat

The kluzd spends much of its time slumbering in the cool darkness of its mud patch, but when it detects movement in the mire, it swims swiftly towards the disturbance, striking if it believes it can best its prey. The striking kluzd invariably flares its neck scales out in an attempt to intimidate its prey. The kluzd bites with its needle-sharp teeth and immediately grapples in an attempt to pull its prey beneath the surface and into the deeper mire. The kluzd both attempts to crush its prey to death as well as hold it beneath the surface in the hope that the target drowns. When the prey is dead (or at least stops struggling) the kluzd will swallow it and retreat to the bottom of its muddy lair to digest its meal. A kluzd will only swallow prey as a form of attack when severely threatened, as the fully gorged kluzd is hardly a mobile adversary.

**Constrict (Ex):** On a successful grapple check, a kluzd deals 1d8+1 points of damage.

**Improved Grab (Ex):** To use this ability, a kluzd must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can attempt to swallow the foe the following round. \*A kluzd has a +8 racial bonus on grapple checks.

**Swallow Whole (Ex)**: A kluzd can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of a smaller size than itself by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes 1d8+1 points of crushing damage plus 4 points of acid damage per round from the kluzd‘s stomach. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 10 points of damage to the stomach (AC 11). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A Large kluzd‘s interior can hold 1 Medium, 2 Small, 8 Tiny, or 16 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

*Skills (Ex)*: Kluzds have a +8 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.

## Kivit

*Crouched on the ground before you is a tiny feline with soft, grayish fur and large, dark eyes.*

Kivits are tiny, wild cats that dwell in areas of heavy undergrowth. They secrete a poisonous musk through their fur that can be fatal in large enough doses. A kivit‘s paws are even more dexterous than an ordinary housecat‘s.

#### Combat

Kivits hunt rats, moles, and other vermin, keeping well away from larger creatures. Should a predator catch a kivit, it would find the catch unappetizing - kivits coat their fur with poison secreted from the musk glands below their cheeks. Any creature that successfully bites a kivit is subject to its poison attack. Poison (Ex): Ingested, Fortitude DC 10, initial and secondary damage 1d3 Con. The save DC is Constitutionbased. Skills: Kivits receive a +4 racial bonus to Balance, Hide, and Move Silently checks. They use their Dexterity modifier for Climb checks. \*In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus rises to +8.

#### Kivit Poison

Kivit musk can be concentrated by a skilled poison manufacturer into a more powerful venom. Some druids know the secret of collecting the musk from several kivits into a substance suitable for mixing with food (Ingested, Fortitude DC 14, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Con). One dose costs 175 Cp. The Craft (poisonmaking) DC to create kivit poison is 20. Five adult kivits are required to harvest a single dose of this poison.

## Lizard giant

This four legged, 15-foot long reptile is barely hidden in the sand, its dun colored scales helping it to hide.

Giant lizards are just that – oversized versions of the numerous reptilian species that populate the Athasian landscape. These ponderous beasts are at home anywhere from the depths of the desert to the swamps and savannah beyond the Jagged Cliffs. The giant lizards are one of Athas‘ few success stories.

#### Combat

Like their smaller cousins, giant lizards fight aggressively with their bite attack, attempting to swallow whole any victim smaller than themselves.

**Improved Grab (Ex)**: If the giant lizard hits with its bite it can initiate a grapple check as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check it establishes a hold and can attempt to swallow whole the next round.

**Swallow Whole (Ex):** The giant lizard can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of Medium or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes 1d6+4 points of crushing damage plus 1d8+4 points of acid damage per round from the giant lizard‘s digestive juices. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by dealing 15 points of damage to the giant lizard‘s digestive tract (AC 12). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. The giant lizard‘s gullet can hold 2 Medium, 4 Small, or 8 Tiny or smaller creatures.

*Skills*: \*Giant lizards gain a +8 bonus to Hide checks when attempting to hide in the sand.

## Rasclinn

Wagging its tail and eyeing your packs hungrily, this canine creature has a strange, metallic hide and tufts of wiry hair around its salivating jawline.

Rasclinn are small dog-like creatures that feed on any vegetation by extracting the trace metals from the plants, which gives them a somewhat metallic hide. They are hunted due to this hide, but are very tough to kill. Rasclinn are small, standing about 3 feet at the shoulder, and weighing only 50 pounds. They have a silver tint to their hide. They have no language of their own, but instead communicate by barks and yelps. These yelps and barks can mean a multitude of things. Very few creatures hunt rasclinn since their metallic hide makes them unpalatable.

#### Combat

Rasclinn attack with their bite when cornered or defending young. Rasclinn usually avoid combat at all costs and attempt to hide in patches of spider and sand cacti when available. Rage: A rasclinn that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, clawing and biting madly until either it or its opponent is dead. It gains +4 to Strength, +4 to Constitution, and –2 to Armor Class. The creature cannot end its rage voluntarily.

*Skills*: Rasclinn receive a +8 racial bonus to all Hide, Listen and Survival checks.