Savage Menagerie: Chwillie

No. Enc.: 1d4 (2d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 60' (20'); Sliding: 180' (60')
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 8
Attacks: 1 (bite)
Damage: 1d12
Save: L4
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: None

A Chwillie (chuh-WILL-lee) is a towering bird that lives in arctic. The Chwillie is one of the largest creatures in the arctic, standing well over 14 feet tall. It's fairly easy to see the black-and-white-colored Chwillie in the distance on the tundra wastelands, as it's the only tall ebony object on the white backdrop. Chwillies have a large mouth that takes up most of its face and chest area, and a set of piercing yellow eyes are set atop of its head.

Chwillies are carnivorous, consisting on a diet of fish, seals, walruses, polar bears, and any other animals it can catch. In fact, a Chwillie nesting area is usually littered with the bones and carcasses of these large creatures (which could be unsettling if the PCs haven't yet determined what caused such carnage).Due to its size, a Chwillie gets a +2 damage bonus when it attacks. However, the Chwillie also finds it difficult to hit smaller creatures, so it gets a -1 penalty when trying to attack creatures 3' tall or smaller.

When first encountered, it may seem as if the Chwillie is a slow, lumbering creature as its short stumpy legs and feet cause it to walk with an awkward waddle. However, if the Chwillie throws itself onto its stomach, it can slide across the ice and snow like a torpedo, using its feet to propel itself while its wings act as rudders. The Chwillie is able to keep its mouth open while sliding in this way, "scooping" its prey up and swallowing it whole. If a PC is swallowed, they will take 1d12 each round until either dead or freed from the Chwillie.

Mutations: gigantism