Trick Or Treat! Smell My Feet!

Happy Mutantween everyone!

In honor of this most creepy of holidays, I decided to have my own Mutantween Trick-or-Treat right here at The Savage AfterWorld! In a bowl next to the front door, I have the following treats for 11 lucky mutants:

5 trick-or-treaters will each get a Savage AfterWorld dice!

5 trick-or-treaters will each get a PDF copy of my recently released Deviant Database!

And one extra-special lucky trick-or-treater will get the Deviant Database both in PDF and hardcopy print formats as well as a Savage AfterWorld dice to add to their dice bag!

To qualify for a treat, just post in a Comment to this blog entry with your email contact in the Comment. Feel free to "de-Spambot" it in any way you wish, ie, name (at) whatever (dot) com or something. (See my email address over there in the right-hand column.) That's all it takes. When I have 11 responders, I'll randomly give out the "treats." You might get a book, you might get a dice, or you might get the Good Package. It's that simple. To keep things fair, only one Comment/entry per person. If I see a dupe entry, I toss 'em both, so reply only once. Also, don't enter multiple times under different names/accounts. That's just an ass thing to do. Next up, this is open to folks worldwide, as I'm happy to ship globally. I'll update this thread when we have all 11 trick-or-treaters, and I'll contact everyone via email with what they found in their goodie bag. (I'll also get addresses for mailing physical items at that time.)

So put on your costume, have your parents hide in the bushes nearby, screw up some courage, and ring the doorbell!

EDITED TO ADD: OK, I've turned off the porchlight and I'm hiding from any further visitors. And here's what everyone found in their goodie bag!

Savage AfterWorld Dice: Tetsubo; Steve Balrog; "Anonymous"; Michael Bolam; mwschmeer
Deviant Database Electronic Version: Justin Issac; Danjou's Hand; Robert; Storyteller1976; brink
And the Whole Kit-n-kaboodle: Ironbeaver

Wizards, Mutants, Laser Pistols Issue 3 Now Out!

It's face-melting zine time again! The newest issue of Wizards, Mutants, Laser Pistols is now out and ready to melt your brain with more gonzo fantasy RPG ideas. Inside information of Issue 3 of WMLP is scarce, but I have my issue ordered, so I'll run a review upon arrival. The Table of Contents on the cover reveals:

• Twisted Tunes
• Beneath the Ruins: Part 3
• An All-new Labyrinth Lord Class
• And More Module Madness!

The cover of this issue has me super excited. Take a look: a laser-slinging gunfighter faces down two tentacled pumpkins (cool!) and ... YES! ... a SPIDERGOAT! (I smell Mutant Future goodness within!) An issue is $3.50 shipped in the U.S.; $4.50 shipped to Canada; and $5.50 shipped Overseas. You can order an issue by visiting the WMLP site. Issues 1 and 2 are also available at the same price.

[Monstrous Monday] Savage Menagerie: Pangaea

Every Monday in October I've posted a Mutated Monday mutant for your Mutant Future/Labyrinth Lord/Original Fantasy RPG campaigns. Each week, the creatures got bigger and bigger, leading up to today's final entry. As this is the OFFICIAL Monstrous Monday, I thought I'd introduce the largest creature to ever roam my RPG campaigns. You want "monstrous"? Here you go...

No. Enc.: 1 (Unique)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: Special
Armor Class: -6
Hit Dice: 800 hit points (treat as 21+ HD creature)
Attacks: 1 (swallow)
Damage: 8d8 per round
Save: L20
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: None

In the post-apocalyptic future, there is an island paradise, one miles off the coast of the mainland that is seemingly untouched by the ravages of the radiations and poisons that have ruined the rest of the planet. This island is called "Pangaea" by the primitive natives who live there. The island -- about 12 square miles in size -- hosts an abundance of flora and fauna which sustains the small civilization that flourishes there. For many generations, the Pangaean people have lived peacefully on this isolated island, never making contact with the survivors roaming the rest of the planet. It is almost as if they have managed to avoid the ravages of the blasted planet's atmosphere, as well as the evils of the world's remaining inhabitants. In a way, they have. The "island" has been actively avoiding such things for millenia.

What the Pangaeans don't know is that their island paradise has formed on the back of the largest creature to roam the oceans -- a gigantic turtle-like monstrosity. This creature (which we'll call "Pangaea" here) is 3 miles wide by 4 miles long. Over untold thousands of years, Pangaea (which is incredibly long-lived) has floated on the surface of the oceans. Its shell has been covered with soil and silt, allowing a flourishing ecosystem to develop. Birds and animals that found themselves on the "island" roosted and build homes. Eventually, mankind found Pangaea, establishing a small community as well. Because Pangaea is fairly inactive, its true nature has never been discovered.

Pangaea's head and legs have remained below the surface of the seas for hundreds of years, which has hidden its true form. Unlike a normal turtle, Pangaea is a water breather, so it does not need to surface for air. Also, the creature's has a very slow-running and efficient metabolism  and feeds only once every 10 years or so, eating ocean-dwelling fish and sealife under the surface. The creature's also inactive to a degree, preferring to float on the surface rather than moving of its own accord. Because of this, it's not unusual for the "island" to drift slowly from one location to another. The Pangaeans have come to accept the fact that their island is not truly anchored to the ocean floor, but they have never thought to investigate why this is so. The few visitors who have stopped on the shores of the island may be surprised to find the island gone when they return a year later.

Due to the sheer size of Pangaea, it cannot be easily harmed with conventional weapons. (It'd be like stabbing Rhode Island and expecting it to bleed.) The build-up of topsoil on Pangaea's back is 30 feet deep at its most shallow. Beyond that is the creature's tortoise-like shell. It would take a tach-nuke to get its attention in this way. If a determined mutant were to somehow go underwater and approach the creature from the front, he would encounter a leviathan tortoise head about 300 feet wide. Although this is the "weakest" part of Pangaea, it is also the most dangerous. If the creature does open its mouth, it has begun to feed. The sudden intake of water rushes every living thing into its mouth. Any unfortunate mutant will be immediately swallowed, taking 8d8 hit points of damage per round until he dies in the creature's stomach.

If Pangaea is ever seriously injured, or if the creature is irritated by too much activity on its back (say from an invading force or a population growing out of control), it will decide to "wash off" the infestation, diving to the floor of the ocean where it will lurk for 500 years before resurfacing again. It has done this once before, when it was known by the name "Atlantis."

Mutations: gigantism (to an insane degree), water breathing, natural armor

Wisdom From The Wastelands 18 And Post-Apocalyptic Toys 8 Both Now Out

A quick announcement for two new releases for Mutant Future and other post-apocalyptic RPG mayhem!

Skirmisher Publishing's Issue 18 of Wisdom From the Wastelands is now out. This issue is "Robots Part 3," and is described as follows: "Robots are just as important to Mutant Future as biological creatures. They can be antagonists, sources of information, or even slave labor." This new issue is only 99 cents and is available at Drive Through RPG.


Occult Moon's Post-Apocalyptic Toys Issue 8 has also been released. This new sandbox setting is "The Vault." It is described as: "The Vault was built to keep humanity safe but it may just have become a prison. The overseer watches every move and makes sure that everyone does what is best for the future of humanity. There are those that think the future may be now from ambitious free traders to repair technicians that have seen the outside world an survived." This new sandbox setting is $1.99 and is also available at Drive Through RPG.

Ancient Armory: Colt Defender

Weapon: Colt Defender

Damage: 3d8/1d8

Trigger Type: Normal
Range: 50 ft./100 ft.

Weight: 15 lbs.
Special: Single-use tear gas canister - Treat as irritant gas with 30 ft. range

The Colt Defender was a visually impressive multi-barreled shotgun originally designed in 1967 for law enforcement agencies. Eight 12-inch barrels -- all 20 gauge -- were joined around a central axis. A barrel selector on the striker hammer allowed the firer to choose which of the eight barrels would fire. In this way, a variety of ammunition could be available to the shooter: standard shotgun shells, bird shot, beanbags, rock salt, etc. The damage listed above takes into an account a standard 20-gauge shell. An addition to the Defender was a tear gas canister tucked into the center of the weapon's barrels. This canister can be activated with the forward trigger, ejecting a cloud of gas in a 30 foot cone. This gas should be treated as an irritant gas (MF rulebook, pg. 119).

[Mutated Monday] Savage Menagerie: Bro'ding

Welcome to the fourth Mutated Monday this month. The landscape is being overrun by bigger and stronger creatures as we approach Monstrous Monday on October 29. Today's mutant is a towering mountain of a creature. And it's completely indifferent to the rest of the world...

No. Enc.: 1
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 300' (100')
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 20
Attacks: 1 (claw or trample)
Damage: 5d6 or 8d8
Save: L9
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: None

When the ground begins to tremor with a thud-Thud-THUD that increases in volume and intensity, it is almost certain that a Bro'ding approaches. Standing more than 130' tall, the giant Bro'ding is one of the largest land-dwelling creatures that exists in the Mutant Future. It is uncertain if it is a mutated human grown to gargantuan proportions; a deviant from another dimension; an alien invader; or some force of nature given form.

The Bro'ding is a thin, almost skeletal biped. This insectoid-looking creature stands on two spindly clawed legs. Anything in the way of its path will take 8d8 hit points in damage from its crushing weight. Its arms end in two large pincers which it uses to both pick up and manipulate objects as well as crushing and rending anything is thinks is food. These claws do 5d6 hit points of crushing damage to anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in one. Although it is covered in a pasty gray rubber-like skin, the Bro'ding's chest has an exposed ribcage where its internal organs can be seen beneath. The head of a Bro'ding is elongated with multifaceted insect eyes. Its mouth has two tendrils which it uses instead of teeth to rend and tear its food before consuming it.

A Bro'ding never speaks, nor makes a sound of any kind. It is uncertain if it has any kind of intelligence beyond basic animal instincts. Some have tried to communicate with it, only to be swatted away (and killed) when it became an nuisance. The Bro'ding wanders the landscape, eating when it's hungry, sleeping when tired, and "playing" with other creatures when bored -- much like a cat "plays" with a mouse. It seems completely unaware of the effect its size has on other living creatures, but it doesn't seem to notice or care. The Bro'ding treats other living creatures the way you or I may treat an insect -- with complete indifference to its condition, thoughts, feelings, and/or suffering.

The Bro'ding gets its name from a literary-minded human who remembered a tale of a shipwrecked man terrorized by giants.When a Bro'ding is seen approaching, it's best to move out of its way until it passes, then rebuild the town -- and hope it doesn't take an interest in you or your village.

Mutations: gigantism

200,000

Just hit 200,000 page views. Now proceeding with obligatory, self-congratulatory, superfluous imagery:

Thanks for the hits. I'll have a real post for everyone in the morning.

Savage Menagerie: Corpse Owl

No. Enc.: 1 (1d3)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: Fly 120’ (40’)
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 2 (peck, claw)
Damage: 1d6, 1d6
Save: L2
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: None

In the post-apocalygeddon wastes, there is no creature more feared and loathed as the Corpse Owl. The Corpse Owl is a virulent disease carrier—one that has been connected to the virus responsible for the rise of the Walking Dead (MF rulebook, page 101).

The Corpse Owl is a large bird (about 1 or 2 feet tall) that, by most outward appearances, should be dead. It’s often covered with wounds and injuries that would be fatal to most creatures. Its body is twisted and torn. Patches of skin and feathers slough off. A sickly fetid odor can be detected long before a Corpse Owl is seen. Corpse Owls are usually found nesting in the highest tree or tallest ruins in the area. Corpse Owls are usually found singularly; groups of two or three are extremely rare. The Owl’s nest and surrounding area is coated in a yellow-green fluid that reeks of rotting flesh and foulness. This liquid is extremely dangerous as described below.

A Corpse Owl attacks with its beak and claws, hitting for 1d6 hit points for either attack. But the real danger of a Corpse Owl is from the disease it carries. The fluids leaking from a Corpse Owl host an aggressive necro-animation virus, killing and reanimating a victim within minutes. Even a small droplet of this ichor can infect a healthy victim. If a character is successfully attacked by a Corpse Owl, or if he makes contact with this foul substance, he should save versus poison or death. A successful save will cause the victim to crash to the ground, writhing in agony as the virus courses through his system. Every muscle will lock up for 24 hours and a raging fever will cause delirium and delusions. He’ll also suffer 4d6 hit points of damage as a result. If a save is failed, however, the victim will succumb to the disease within moments, dying within 2d6 rounds. The victim will rise as a Walking Dead within 1d4 turns. The safest way to deal with a Corpse Owl is with long-range weaponry. Hand-to-hand or close-up combat is suicide.

If a sudden outbreak of the Walking Dead erupts in an area, it could be the work of a Corpse Owl that has nested nearby. It is theorized that an Ancient “bird flu” virus mutated during The Final Wars and that the Corpse Owl was the eventual evolutionary carrier.

Mutations: dermal skin poison (special: necro-animation virus)

Visit Occult Moon's Cannibal Stronghold

Occult Moon has released their newest "Post-Apocalyptic Toy" in their running series of sandboxes for Armageddon-based RPGS.

The Cannibal Stronghold: The Burn is a dark and ashy place where few people feel comfortable traveling. The discomfort is caused by more than just the dreary ash-covered landscape and the occasional charred skeleton; The Burn is the stronghold of the cannibal cults. This group of leaderless fanatics roams The Burn and surrounding wastes, looking for either converts or lunch.

This newest supplement is $1.99 and available on Drive Through RPG.

You Design, You Play, You Win! NaGa DeMon 2012 Starts In Two Weeks

November is nearly here, so you know what that means! Yup, a month's worth of churning out that great work of yours to share with the world! No, I'm not talking about that other month-long writing marathon. For gamers, November is National Game Design Month, or "NaGa DeMon." In 30 days' time, you are encouraged to imagine, design, write, and play a game of your own design. It can be anything from a board game, to a video game, to a card game, to -- of course -- a role-playing game. This month-long event is always the "kick in the pants" I need to motivate myself to get pen to paper and create some of those modules and supplements I've blathered on about. The Deviant Database I created is a direct result of last year's NaGa DeMon, in fact.

For this year, I have two projects in mind. Both are "underway," but both could use that final push to become a finished product. Hopefully, one will be finished by the time December 1 rolls around. More details as we get underway. Sound off in the comments if you plan to participate this year! It's always great to see who's working on what. And NaGa DeMon is a great way to get motivated to actually produce something for your favorite game!

Here are a few places you can go for more information on this fun event:

The NaGa DeMon website
The NaGa DeMon facebook page
NathanRussell.net (NaGa DeMon's founder)

Mutant Miscreant Miniature Mayhem!

Interloper Miniatures has a new IndieGoGo project underway to fund a set of 28-mm metal miniatures for post-apocalyptic adventures! Judging by the artwork at the site, there will be radioactive rabbits, lethal lizards, and rampaging roosters. Pictured is one of the sculpts. Some of the stretch goals would introduce mutant anteaters and, yes, "pigstronauts." Even though I never use minis in my games, these wonderful gonzo minis would be at home in any Mutant Lord's collection. The goal is only $5,000 with 27 days left.

[Mutated Monday] Savage Menagerie: Ankylophant

Welcome to the third Mutated Monday this month. As mentioned before, the mutants get larger and more foreboding as we work our way toward Monstrous Monday on October 29. Today's mutant is a teleporting behemoth...or is it?

No. Enc.: 0 (1d10)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 10
Attacks: 1 (bite/gore or trample)
Damage: 3d6 or 4d8
Save: L5
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: None

The Ankylophant is a large plains-dwelling herbivore. Massive in size (nearly 9 feet tall and weighing well over 1 ton), the Ankylophant has a hard tortoise-like shell covering its back and head, granting it a natural armor bonus to its armor class. Ankylophants are fairly peaceful creatures, found wandering the plains with their herdmates. Because of their great size and strength, many would like to catch and train them as beasts of burden, but this has not yet happened due to the Anklyophant's unique way of escaping capture.

When approached, an Ankylophant may suddenly "disappear," winking out of existence  Most mutants believe that the Ankylophant has some form of teleport mutation. In actuality, making eye contact with the Ankylophant's four eyes triggers its hypnotic gaze mutation. The victim must make a save versus stun attacks, or they will fall under its trace. Once hypnotized, the victim will freeze in place and their mental activity will stop, as if time was standing still for them. This effect lasts for 10 minutes, during which time the Ankylophant herd wanders off. At the end of the hypnosis state, the mutant snaps out of it, feeling that no time had passed. To them, the herd vanished.

If the hypnotic gaze is ineffective, the Ankylophant has two primary ways of attacking. It can trample an attacker with its great bulk, crushing them for 4d8 hit points of damage. It can also attack with its beak-like mouth. Because it is bordered by a set of sharp tusks, when it bites, it also gores its enemy for 3d6 total hit points of damage.

Mutations: natural armor, hypnotic gaze

Two More Occult Moon Post-Apocalyptic Toys Released

 

Occult Moon has released two more products in their "Post-Apocalyptic Toys" series. These sandbox settings are system-generic and can be dropped into any blasted lands RPG campaign. Each is populated with interesting adventure hooks and NPCs.

Greenvale: The Oasis: In the Red Hills, people tell a lot of stories. They talk of a pleasant valley where everything is green and growing, where people have enough water and nobody fights. They all tell stories of a great fiery star crashing to earth during the fall. Some of these stories are true, and the people of the Greenvale do seem to have everything they need. But lately some of them are learning the secret of the valley and others are, well, others are just plain disappearing. These folks might need more help than they realize.

The Glass Sea: Cutting through the wastes like a glistening frozen ocean is The Glass Sea. This vast stretch of glass is filled with sparks and plied by ships that float above the smooth surface on magnetic rails. It is a place where electricity is harvested, and Cathode City, the biggest port on The Glass Sea, has electric lights all night long.

Both supplements are $1.99 and are available on Drive Through RPG.

500th Post = 50% Off For The Next 5 Hours

EDITED: OK, I've been asked to let this offer run for a while to allow folks overseas a chance. So this offer now runs for 24 hours until 1 p.m. EST Thursday.

Welcome to Post Number 500 here at The Savage AfterWorld! Thanks for your support and patronage over the years. To mark this milestone, and by way of thanks, I'm making a very special offer for a very limited time: Hardcopy books of the Deviant Database are now on sale for 50% off.

That's right. For the next 5 hours, I'm selling Lulu print-on-demand hardcopies of my recently released Deviant Database for only $6.97. So go grab them while you can as this spontaneous sale ends 5 hours from now. And thanks again!

Jason Lenox's Thundarr the Barbarian Illustration

Comic illustrator Jason Lenox has created art for movies, comics, RPGs, and an assortment of other projects. On a personal level though, Lenox enjoys re-imagining and illustrating his favorite cartoon characters from the 1980s including Master of the Universe and -- of course -- Thundarr the Barbarian!

The black-on-white illustration features Thundarr, Ookla, and Princess Arial on the left under a shattered moon while several of the cartoon's villains leer from the right-hand side. Very cool art!

 

Lenox sells prints of the Thundarr the Barbarian illustration on his website. It's 18 x 24 on satin paperstock. Price is $40. I just may have to get one for my game room.

The Savage AfterWorld's Cloud

Wisdom From The Wastelands 17 Now Out

Issue 17 of Wisdom From the Wastelands has been released. The Mutant Future-themed supplement is now released in a bi-weekly format.

Issue 17 - Artifact Conditions: Artifacts play a key role in Mutant Future. Like magical items in fantasy games, artifacts are treasures sought by adventuring parties that brave the mutant-infested ruins of the Ancients’ world. But often these treasures are in less than pristine condition due to factors such as age, neglect, or misuse. In other words, what happens if that plasma rifle isn't in tip-top shape when it's first fired? What happens if those canned foodstuffs your mutant just ate is contaminated? Just because you found it packed away in a bunker doesn't mean it aged well over the decades!

The issue is only 99 cents and is available at Drive Thru RPG.

[Mutated Monday] Savage Menagerie: Pwnee

Welcome to our second Mutated Monday in October! As the weeks pass, the mutants will become bigger and more powerful. Today, we present a tribe of unerring marksmen...er, make that "markshorses."

No. Enc.: 1d6 (4d6)
Alignment: Lawful
Movement: 150' (50')
Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 7
Attacks: 1 (As weapon)
Damage: As weapon
Save: L4
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: VI

Hidden amongst long-forgotten valleys and deep in impenetrable forests are small tribes of the most formidable long-distance warriors who ever lived. These horse-headed mutant humans are called the "Pwnee," which is pronounced both "POH-nee" and "PAH-nee" (in honor of their equine heritage as well as their tribal upbringing). The tribal name is also spelled in this manner as the Ancients used this term to honor those who were talented in the arts of gun-wielding.

Pwnees live in small groups away from larger cities and villages, preferring to keep to themselves and away from the petty issues of the world. Pwnees live in a simple tribal-like way, answering to one tribal leader (usually the oldest of their tribe), and residing in temporary lean-tos and tents. Pwnees are very nomadic, often moving several times within a year as the seasons change and/or the hunting thins out. Although Pwnees are not antagonistic toward strangers, they do not trust them either for reasons explained below.

Pwnees are renowned for their marksmanship with any kind of long-distance weaponry. It is said if a Pwnee can see you, he can kill you if he wishes. All Pwnees are armed with either an Ancient firearm or primitive bow and arrow, which they use with near-supernatural accuracy. Pwnees have increased dexterity, giving them both a high AC as well as a permanent +3 to-hit bonus with any ranged weapon. This makes them dangerous. What makes them deadly is when they trigger their ability boost mutation. When activated, a Pwnee's DEX skyrockets and their AC becomes 2 and their ranged to-hit bonus becomes +5 for 10 rounds. It's said a single Pwnee can decimate an entire army from a distance during this hyper-focused time. However, Pwnees avoid any close-ranged combat, as their pain sensitivity defect makes any injury unbearable.

In the early days of the post-Apocalygeddon, Pwnees associated with remaining pockets of civilization and were often hired as snipers and assassins by warlords and bandit leaders. Many lives were lost due to Pwnee triggermen. However, these same warlords and leaders came to fear and distrust Pwnees due to their talents, and -- fearing a takeover -- the Pwnees were usually killed themselves once their target was eliminated. Eventually, Pwnees withdrew from society due to the constant threat of double-crosses, and now the tribes trust very few outside their ranks. No one dares to attack a Pwnee camp, as the invaders would be killed before they got very close. Even visiting a Pwnee camp is risky as the visitors will be in someone's crosshairs the entire time.

It's said there may be a handful of Pwnee guns-for-hire still roaming the wastelands, but anyone who could confirm this rumor has been found dead of a single bullet to the head, so this rumor remains unconfirmed.

Mutations: increased dexterity, ability boost, pain sensitivity

And The Winning Gary Con Thundarr Adventure Is...

WARLORD OF THE SACRED LIBRARY

Running a close second was "The Scourge From Beyond Infinity" which will now become the title/concept for a game of Wizard's World to be run at Gary Con!

Which Thundarr Adventure Would YOU Sign Up For?

I'm now prepping my games for Gary Con, and I have far too many good ideas for the Thundarr the Barbarian event I'm planing. I truly only have time for one, so I need to focus on getting it hammered out. But I have five really interesting titles/concepts. So I'm going to leave it up to this blogs' readership. The winning title will be the Thundarr adventure I run at Gary Con in March. (And I have plans for the First Runner Up Title as well...) This poll will only run for the next few days, so cast your vote!

Recruiting Goblinoid Game GMs For Gary Con

Gary Con V is taking place March 14-17, 2013, in Lake Geneva, WI, and the convention is now taking game submissions. Because the convention is a great match with Goblinoid Games' mission of embracing and celebrating classic games and that "old school" feel, Goblinoid Games' Labyrinth Lord Society is now looking for potential game masters to run events at the event. If you plan to attend Gary Con and would like to run a game or two of Labyrinth Lord, Mutant Future, Starships & Spacemen, Star Explorer, Wizard's World, Rotworld, Timemaster, or Sandman, please contact me at gameagain at gmail dot com. I'll be personally running two-three games of Mutant Future (including one game of Thundarr the Barbarian!) and perhaps Wizard's World or Rotworld.

What will you bring to the table? Drop me a line.

[Mutated Monday] Savage Menagerie: Pincushion

Welcome to the first Mutated Monday of October! Today's mutant menace is harmless if avoided. But contact with one is either a death sentence or the beginning of a new mutation for the victim!

No. Enc.: 1d6 (1d12)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 30' (10')
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 1
Attacks: Special
Damage: 1d4/Special
Save: L1
Morale: None
Hoard Class: None

Pincushions are small (2-3 inches wide), land-dwelling animals that look like spiky balls, similar to oceanic sea urchins. Pincushions have no discernible features other than their thorny outer shell. They propel themselves slowly, rolling along upon their spines, usually settling into a small culvert or ravine. The spines of a Pincushion are not just used for locomotion and protection from predators -- the spines are also a Pincushion's means of reproduction.

If any living creature is pricked by a Pincushion, they will first take 1d4 hit points of damage from the injury. The spine will then break off in the victim and begin to work its way deeper into the body. If fire is used to immediately cauterize the wound, the victim will take 1d6 hit points from the flame, but the spine will be damaged enough where it won't pose any further threat. If, however, the spine is allowed to work its way into the body, the victim should make a save versus poison or death. Failure means that the spine has worked its way to the victim's torso where it will proceed to grow into a small nest of Pincushions. The victim will die a painful, agonizing death within the hour as his organs are speared and punctured. Within a week, 1d20 baby Pincushions will erupt from the corpse's abdominal area. Conversely, if the save versus poison or death is made, the victim will suffer another 1d10 hit points as his body fights -- and eventually accepts -- the invader. Within 7 days, his body will suddenly break out with small thorny spines as he acquires the spiny growth mutation (MF rulebook, pg. 26).

Because of the deadly threat Pincushions hold, some wasteland bandits and marauders use them in traps (imagine a covered pit with them or perhaps a simple "bucket over the door" filled with them). Insidious villains have fired them from slingshots at foes they wish to kill in the most painful of ways. They have also been used in horrific inquisitions by sadistic warlords.

Mutations: toxic weapon, spiny growth