Monster: Achaierai

Monster: Achaierai

In this post, I want to take a closer look at a weird monster that I’ve never actually used in D&D or GURPS – the achaierai. Yes, I looked up the pronunciation. These sentient, goofy looking four-legged birds inhabit the plane of Acheron, where they hunt everything that moves. Their depiction varies from edition to edition, but I prefer their 3e incarnation, where they at least have something like a short body instead of being a huge head on legs. So, let’s get to work and see if there is anything interesting there.

Let’s start with the body. A typical achaierai is 15-feet tall and has 8-9-feet long legs. This implies that the achaierai should be a SM+2 creature. The leg-to-body ratio is only slightly higher than normal, so I will not give it extra-long legs. The creature has four legs and a horizontal posture – that means Extra Legs (Four Legs) [5] and Horizontal [-10]. However, as you can see on the picture, its legs are capable of grasping. They don’t seem to be capable of very fine manipulation, so let’s give it Ham-Fisted 1 [-5]. So, two of the legs are actually arms, but what about the other two? Those two will be represented as Extra Arms 2 (Foot Manipulators, -30%) [14]. The limbs have claws, so let’s give the bird Sharp Claws [5].

The achaierai weighs 750 pounds, which results in ST 21 and HP 18 – it is quite weak for its size, but it’s okay. Let’s also give it a +1 bonus to DX and a +2 bonus to HT. They also should be able to move fast, so let’s give it a +0.25 bonus to Basic Speed and a +3 bonus to Basic Move.

The achaierai is a bird, so it will have to Feathers perk. Its body, but not legs, is protected by them. Let’s give its body and head flexible DR 2. In certain books, the achaierais are said to have metallic legs that are hard to damage and that regenerate relatively quickly. I like this aspect, so let’s introduce it in the GURPS writeup. While the body only has DR 2 from the feathers, the legs will have rigid DR 6. Now, I have to say that I really don’t like how partial protection works for DR. If I buy DR 6 for legs and DR 6 for feet, I will pay more points that I would’ve paid if I took DR 6 for the entire body. So, I will asspull a limitation instead. Since the legs contain a lot of iron, let’s give the achaierai the Affected by Magnetism quirk. As for fast recovery, let’s give the creature Regeneration (Slow) limited with Accessibility, Only legs and feet, -15%.

There are some other body features – let’s give the achaierai Sharp Beak, Peripheral Vision, and Injury Tolerance (No Neck). I do not see any neck on the picture.

Then, there are some special qualities. First, this creature lives mostly underground, so it has to have a way to see in the dark. I think that in this case, Infravision should work well. The achaierais are also resistant to magic, so let’s give them two levels of Improved Magic Resistance.

Sources present different information about the lifespan, but I decided to settle on one level of Extended Lifespan. The achaierais are said to be carnivore, and they can eat meat regardless of quality. So, let’s give them Restricted Diet (Carnivore) [-10] and Reduced Consumption 3 (Cast-Iron Stomach, -50%) [3]. They also eat sapient beings, including one another, so let’s give them an appropriate Odious Racial Habit.

They do not look particularly monstrous to me, so I will leave their appearance unchanged. However, they do have a reputation for being monsters, so let’s give them Social Stigma (Monster) [-15]. They also are inherently sadistic, so let’s give them Sadism. Also, let’s not forget that they are beings of evil and law, so vulnerabilities to anarchic and holy weapons are in order.

Now, the only thing left to stat up is their ability to breathe a cloud of black smoke that causes damage and hallucinations. This is going to be a complex ability that consists of three linked advantages – Affliction, Innate Attack, and Obscure. The creature itself will also have a perk-level Immunity to this attack.

By spending 2 FP and performing a Ready maneuver, an achaierai can release a choking, toxic black cloud. It spreads in a 2-yard radius area around the achaierai, lasts 10 seconds, and drifts with the wind. The cloud imposes a -3 penalty on all vision- and Infravision-based rolls within the area. Additionally, every creature that inhales the cloud must make an HT roll. If it fails, it takes 1d toxic damage, ignoring DR, and begins to hallucinate for margin of failure minutes. After that the subject is stunned (p. B420) and may roll vs. HT once per second to recover. Achaierais are immune to this ability.

And this is the result. Honestly, it’s not as boring of a monster as I thought it to be – there are some interesting features, like that black cloud and iron legs. The only problem is that your players are very unlikely to ever encounter such an enemy, as they are rarely ever encountered outside of their home plane of Acheron.

Achaierai [Monster Manual, page 9]

 
213 points
Attribute Modifiers: ST+11 (Size Modifier, -20%) [88]; DX+1 [20]; HT+2 [20].
Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: SM+2; HP-3 [-6]; Basic Speed +0.25 [5]; Basic Move +3 [15].
Advantages: DR 2 (Flexible, -20%; Partial, Does not protect legs and feet, -10%) [7]; DR 6 (Partial, Legs and feet, -15%) [26]; Extended Lifespan 1 [2]; Extra Arms 2 (Foot Manipulators, -30%) [14]; Extra Legs (Four Legs) [5]; Infravision [10]; Injury Tolerance (No Neck) [5]; Magic Resistance 2 (Improved, +150%) [10]; Peripheral Vision [15]; Reduced Consumption 3 (Cast-Iron Stomach, -50%) [3]; Regeneration (Slow; Accessibility, Only legs and feet, -15%) [9]; Sharp Beak [1]; Sharp Claws [5].
    Black Cloud [48]: Toxic Attack 1d (Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Drifting, +20%; Emanation, -20%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Respiratory Agent, +50%; Resistible, HT, -30%) [9] + Obscure 3 (Vision; Drifting, +20%; Extended, Infravision, +20%; Persistent, +40%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%) [11] + Affliction 1 (HT; Area Effect, 2 yards, +50%; Costs Fatigue, 2 FP, -10%; Drifting, +20%; Emanation, -20%; Hallucinating, +50%; Link, +10%; Magical, -10%; Persistent, +40%; Respiratory Agent, +50%) [28].
Disadvantages: Ham-Fisted 1 [-5]; Horizontal [-10]; Odious Racial Habit (Eats sapient beings) [-15]; Restricted Diet (Carnivore) [-10]; Sadism (12) [-15]; Social Stigma (Monster) [-15]; Vulnerability (Anarchic Weapons, x2) [-10]; Vulnerability (Holy Weapons, x2) [-10].
Perks: Feathers [1]; Immunity to Achaierai Black Cloud [1].
Quirks: Affected by Magnetism [-1].

Features: Early Maturation 3.
Notes: Size 4 hexes; Weight 750 lbs.
Creature Type: Outsider (Evil, Lawful).
 

Knowing Your Own Strength [235] Replace ST+11 (Size Modifier, -20%) [88] with ST+11 [110]

Typical Stats

ST:	21	HP:	18	Speed:	6
DX:	11	Will:	10	Move:	9
IQ:	10	Per:	10
HT:	12	FP:	12	SM:	+2
Dodge:	9	Parry:	N/A	DR:	2* (torso, head), 6 (legs and feet)

Sharp Beak (14): thrust 2d+1 large piercing (KYOS: 3d+3 large piercing), Reach C.

Sharp Claws (14): thrust 2d+1 cutting (KYOS: 3d+3 cutting), Reach C-1.

Black Cloud: By spending 2 FP and performing a Ready maneuver, an achaierai can release a choking, toxic black cloud. It spreads in a 2-yard radius area around the achaierai, lasts 10 seconds, and drifts with the wind. The cloud imposes a -3 penalty on all vision- and Infravision-based rolls within the area. Additionally, every creature that inhales the cloud must make an HT roll. If it fails, it takes 1d toxic damage, ignoring DR, and begins to hallucinate for margin of failure minutes. After that the subject is stunned (p. B420) and may roll vs. HT once per second to recover. Achaierais are immune to this ability.

 
    Traits: Affected by Magnetism; Early Maturation 3; Extended Lifespan 1; Extra Arms 2 (Foot Manipulators); Extra Legs (Four Legs); Feathers; Ham-Fisted 1; Horizontal; Infravision; Injury Tolerance (No Neck); Magic Resistance 2 (Improved); Odious Racial Habit (Eats sapient beings); Peripheral Vision; Reduced Consumption 3 (Cast-Iron Stomach); Restricted Diet (Carnivore); Sadism (12); Social Stigma (Monster); Vulnerability (Anarchic Weapons, x2); Vulnerability (Holy Weapons, x2).
    Skills: Brawling-14; Running-14; Stealth-14; Survival (Acheron)-12.
    Creature Type: Outsider (Evil, Lawful).
    Notes: Size 4 hexes; Weight 750 lbs.