RPGs—Were-eel

The following post is released under the OGL.

Were-eels are lycanthropes with the ability to turn from humanoids into marine eels and eel-humanoid hybrid shapes. Natural lycanthropes are born with this ability and have perfect control over their shapechanging. Afflicted lycanthropes contract this ability like a curse or disease from another lycanthrope; they sometimes change form involuntarily.

CREATING A WERE-EEL
Were-eels follow the normal rules for lycanthropes, but gain the amphibious special quality when in hybrid form.

LYCANTHROPE, WERE-EEL
This elongated creature looks like a humanoid with the wide-mouthed head of an eel, flippery hands, and mottled, slime-slicked skin.
Were-Eel (Human Form) CR 3
XP 600
Human fighter 2
CE Medium humanoid (human, shapechanger)
Init +6; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +3
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14; (+4 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 17 (2d10+2)
Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +1
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee longsword +4 (1d8+2/19-20)
Ranged dagger +4 (1d4+2/19-20)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 16
Feats Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Cleave, Combat Reflexes
Skills Climb +7, Swim +7, Perception +3
Languages Common
SQ change shape (human, hybrid, and marine eel; polymorph), lycanthropic empathy (marine eels and giant moray eels)
ECOLOGY
Environment warm oceans and coasts
Organization solitary, pair, or nest (3-6)
Treasure NPC gear (chain shirt, longsword, 3 daggers, other treasure)

Were-Eel (Hybrid Form) CR 3
CE Medium humanoid (human, shapechanger, aquatic)
Init +6; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +3
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 12, flat-footed 21; (+4 armor, +7 natural armor, +2 Dex)
hp 19 (2d10+4)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +1
Defensive Abilities bravery +1; DR 10/silver
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft.
Melee longsword +5 (1d8+3/19-20), bite +5 (1d8+3 plus grab and curse of lycanthropy)
Ranged dagger +4 (1d4+3/19-20)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks gnaw
STATISTICS
Str 16, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +2; CMB +5; CMD 17
Feats Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Cleave, Combat Reflexes
Skills Climb +8, Swim +16, Perception +3
Languages Common
SQ change shape (human, hybrid, and marine eel; polymorph), lycanthropic empathy (marine eels and giant moray eels), amphibious
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Gnaw (Ex) If a were-eel in hybrid or animal form begins a round with a grabbed foe, it inflicts automatic bite damage (2d4+3 points of damage). A were-eel possesses a second set of jaws in its throat that aid in swallowing—it can make a second bite attack (+5 attack, 1d4+3) against a foe it has already grabbed.

Natural were-eels tend to be stolid and secretive, with oily, pale skin and unnaturally wide and grim smiles.

Were-eels prefer isolated coasts, harbor towns, and busy ports, where they can blend in with a transient population and have access to both humanoid victims and salt water.

RPGs—Marine eel

The following post is released under the OGL.

This seven-foot-long carnivorous eel undulates through the water, leering with its broad jaw.

Marine Eel CR 2
XP 600
N Medium animal (aquatic)
Init +7; Senses low-light vision, Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15; (+3 Dex, +5 natural)
hp 13 (2d8+4)
Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +1
OFFENSE
Spd swim 30 ft.
Melee bite +3 (2d4+2 plus grab)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks gnaw
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 16
Feats Improved Initiative
Skills Stealth +7, Perception +5, Swim +10; Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth in rocky, aquatic areas
ECOLOGY
Environment warm oceans
Organization solitary, pair, or nest (3–6)
Treasure none
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Gnaw (Ex) If a marine eel begins a round with a grabbed foe, it inflicts automatic bite damage (2d4+2 points of damage). A marine eel possesses a second set of jaws in its throat that aid in swallowing—it can make a second bite attack (+11 attack, 1d4+2) against a foe it has already grabbed.

The marine eel is a ferocious predator, capable of holding prey in its primary jaws while a smaller set of jaws inside its throat chews away bite-sized portions.

Continental Drift and "The Future is Wild"

"The Future is Wild" is a great series. It starts off 50 million years in the future, when it speculates that mammals are still dominant. But the mammals are different, of course: arctic capybaras wander the tundra, hunted by saber-toothed badgers. My favorite of these critters is the spinx, a burrowing chicken with the lifestyle and social behavior of today's naked mole rat.

The future of 100 million years gets progressively stranger. The continents has shifted significantly. North America has drifted north while South America has rotated west; Australia has shot across the Pacific Ocean to begin colliding into Alaska; and Antarctica has moved north into the middle of Pacific, where Hawaii is today. Much current landmass is flooded.

This is the world in which the cephalapods take their first steps—or slitherings onto land, in a massive tropical swamp. The first terrestrial cephalapods highlighted are the swampus: here are some of their young.

By 200 million years in the future, the continents have drifted to form a supercontinent.

The cephalapods have developed to dominate the land, with enormous herbivores such as the five-meter, eight-ton megasquid.

My favorite creature of them all is the squibbon, an agile cephalapod swinging from branch to branch among the treetops.

Some of these speculations might be a little dubious: wouldn't a 120-ton tortoise have problems with heat regulation? But it's a really fun project and an entertaining series.

Derby 2010 Disclosure

Super Saver, along with Stately Victor, Paddy O'Prado, and Lookin at Lucky. It's hard not to put a wager on Devil May Care, as well.

EDIT
TwinSpires is swamped, leaving me just across the board on Super Saver and Lookin at Lucky, with Stately Victor to win. =/