Shark Eater...!

After a bit of hiatus, this week's monster is once again inspired by imagery from the very amusing Weird Medieval Guys. I've included the picture that created this idea at the end of this post. 

SHARK EATER

FREQUENCY: Rare
 
NO. APPEARING: 2-6
 
ARMOR CLASS: 5

MOVE: 10"/26"

HIT DICE: 5

% IN LAIR: Nil

TREASURE TYPE: None

NO. OF ATTACKS: 4

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12, 2-12, 2-8, 2-6

SPECIAL ATTACKS: None

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Vomit

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Animal

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: L  (6' tall, 12' long, excluding arms)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Shark Eaters (a name derived from the Elvish word for these creatures, Taw'rsiar) are large predators that are usually found in the oceans. However, as they are able to live for some time out of the water, they might also be encountered on coastlines or on island shores. They resemble sharks with other more fish-like physical features but greatly differ from both because they possess a pair of large powerful arms with wide taloned hands.

Although they usually prey on other large sea creatures, they are not averse to attacking ships in order to consume their crews and any living cargo. To do so, they use either their arms to climb aboard or their wide, tooth-filled mouths to chew their way through the hull. As they are powerful swimmers, they may simply approach a ship at high speed and then leap aboard. In this manner they are quite capable of destroying the sail or masts of smaller vessels. They can then move around by using their arms in combination with the powerful action of their tail.

When attacking, they usually smash or lash out with their arms (which have a reach of 8 feet), inflicting 2-12 points of damage. They may also use their hands to punch or maim for 2-12 points of damage. It may also defend its rear quarter by lashing out with its tail, inflicting 2-6 points of damage.

 

Although they usually do not attack with their mouths, should a victim be within 3 feet of the creature it may bite and inflict 2-8 points of damage. If the target is smaller than human-sized and receives 6 or more damage in a single attack, it will be swallowed and has 6 melee rounds to free itself. If it cuts its way out (reduces the Shark Eater to 0 hit points) within this time it will not be dead. Each attack from inside is at a cumulative -1 per round with regard to damage; thus attacks on the 1st round cause damage -1, those on the 2nd cause damage -2, etc.

If this creature is in combat but is reduced to two or less hit points, it may chose to vomit forth a noisome substance, the contents of its gullet, out to a range of 1" and across an area up to 1" wide. Although not particularly corrosive, this substance will create a burning sensation on any exposed flesh for 2-8 rounds and, combined with the powerful stench, will reduce all attacks and initiative rolls by the victim by 1. In this time the Shark Eater will try to make good its escape, if possible.

 

Shark Eaters have occasionally been captured by the crews of pirate ships and used as part of their boarding attacks. Adult creatures captured in the wild are impossible to use in this manner but younger examples (initially possessing 3 hit dice) are more pliable. As they possess an intelligence similar to a dog they can be thus raised and trained so that, as adults, they become a formidable asset. However, Shark Eaters kept in this manner must be caged, their skin regularly doused with water and, as they are voracious eaters, they require a not inconsiderable amount of food daily. Even when kept half-starved, they still require 20-30 pounds of fresh food per day. Because of this, only the more larger and capable pirate crews can afford to keep these creatures. There is a limited trade in Shark Eaters, with trained adult examples worth up to 5,000 gps.  

 

Description: Shark Eaters are usually grey-green in colour, with grey being the predominant colour on the uppermost part of their bodies. Flecks or streaks of white are randomly spotted across their bodies. Their scales are generally small and smooth, although those along their arms and hands are larger are more pronounced. Their eyes resemble those of sharks but are much smaller, with larger yellowish whites. The interior of their mouths are blueish-white while their teeth (of which they have a great many) are blood red fading to white at the roots.