Savage Menagerie: Salvo

No. Enc.: 1d4 (3d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 1 (bombardment or bite/rend)
Damage: 4d6 or 2d6/1d6
Save: F3
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: IV

The Salvo is large headless quadruped known for its ability to hurl rocks and gravel at its victims. A Salvo -- also known as a "Bomburst" or "Cannon Creature" -- feeds on stone, preferring granite and marble. It stores the chunks of minerals in a bladder-like appendage at the back of its "throat." When threatened, it spits these deposits out at a high rate of velocity and with deadly accuracy (+2 to hit bonus). Being hit with these projectiles deals 4d6 hit points of damage. A Salvo has only 1d6 of these deposits available to fire at any time, however, entire armies have been decimated when entering a valley lined with hidden Salvo lairs. The crossfire was devastating.

A Salvo can only use its bombardment attack against characters further than 20 feet away. Any who come within that range, the Salvo will attack using its toothed maw and clawed legs, biting for 2d6 and rending for 1d6 hit points of damage. The hide of a Salvo is rubbery in texture, and it takes only half-damage from any blunt or club-like weapon attack.

When attacking a Salvo with a hand-to-hand weapon, a character must be careful that the creature not grab hold of it. If a PC rolls a natural 1 on such an attack, not only do they miss, the Salvo will swallow their weapon and "fire" it out to a distance of 2d6 x 10 feet away! A Salvo cannot digest metals or certain minerals, so cutting a dead one open has a 20% of yielding precious metals or gemstones per Hoard Class IV.

Mutations: none