* * * Wizards Community Thread * * * -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Thread : Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle Started at 01-26-07 07:14 AM by Arcanda Visit at http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=779590 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 1] Author : Arcanda Date : 01-26-07 07:14 AM Thread Title : Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle I'm reading some old Dragon issues. In #32 I found an interesting monster, the magical crossbreed between giant scorpion and orc, the scorpiorc. Scorpiorc FREQUENCY Rare NO. APPEARING 2-12 ARMOR CLASS 4 MOVE 14” HIT DICE 2-4 % IN LAIR 70% TREASURE TYPE ½Q NO OF ATTACKS 3 DAMAGE/ATTACK 1-6/1 -6/weapon SPECIAL ATTACKS none SPECIAL DEFENSES see below MAGIC RESISTANCE standard INTELLIGENCE RANGE 1-10 ALIGNMENT El/En SIZE RANGE M PSIONIC ABILITY none The Insectoids are the product of the crossing of certain types of insects with certain types of goblinoids. Geltar Telomax, the insane Wizard (former druid), was the author of these bizarre matings. He discovered that “Giants” of various species could be produced via the spell Animal Growth if the spell was changed to some degree and combined with a special form of the spell Permanency. Some species simply rejected the magic over a period of time, but others were capable of procreating in the enlarged form and producing a species totally unlike the small unenlarged variety from which they were derived. Telomax’s experimentations were with Kobolds, Goblins and Orcs crossed with Giant Ants, Scorpions and Wasps. All other crossings were doomed to failure as the products either died soon after birth or they were infertile (and often insane). Scorpiorcs are a cross between giant scorpions and orcs. They have 4 legs, 2 pincers and 2 appendages that can be used for locomotion or for grasping. The Scorpiorc is 5-6 feet in height. Its forward pincers can deal 1-6 points of damage each. In its middle appendages it can grasp a weapon (though not a pole arm, 2-handed sword, missile weapon or any weapon for which great dexterity is required) and it can gain from the weapon’s magic, if any. A Scorpiorc will never bear a flaming sword nor carry any type of flame. The head of the Insectoid has two eyes on stalks that protrude from a orcish-shaped face. These eyes can rotate independently and make surprising the individual difficult (only a 1 in 8 chance). The grasping appendage can be used in climbing or even in running. Scorpiorcs can advance as fighting types from a beginning “level” of 2 to a top rank of 4, though to do so they must be of the largest size and have an intelligence or wisdom of at least 8. Scorpiorcs speak common, “Scorkish” and broken Orcish. They can move silently as a medium-level thief (70%) and can strike from behind for double damage if they surprise. Scorpiorcs’ armor comes from their skeleton structure alone; they never use any armor, though upper-level scorpiorcs might bear a shield. Scorpiorcs prefer to dwell in caves or small stone structures. They can build basic structures if hard pressed though none would have doors or windows—just a single opening for entering and leaving. It could be interesting to have Telomax being an Herathian mage and some scorpiorc free in the Dark Jungle. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 2] Author : Culture20 Date : 01-26-07 08:00 PM Thread Title : Re: Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle Perhaps his assumed name is "Gargantua" ;) -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 3] Author : Eric Anondson Date : 01-26-07 08:34 PM Thread Title : Re: Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle It could be interesting to have Telomax being an Herathian mage and some scorpiorc free in the Dark Jungle.Heck, placing them in the Orc's Head Peninsula he wouldn't even need to animal growth scorpions. He could crossbreed orcs of the Dark Jungle with manscorpions. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 4] Author : Cthulhudrew Date : 01-26-07 09:36 PM Thread Title : Re: Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle Here's another interesting idea for some kind of Herathian breeding experiment: http://wizards.com/dnd/images/mmiii_gallery/83004.jpg The Gorilchnid from MMIII -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 5] Author : Arcanda Date : 01-27-07 03:41 AM Thread Title : Re: Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle The Gorilchnid from MMIIIInteresting... do you have a monster sheet? To know hit dice, damage, intelligence, etc etc -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 6] Author : havard Date : 01-29-07 08:11 AM Thread Title : Re: Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle Interesting... do you have a monster sheet? To know hit dice, damage, intelligence, etc etc Could be in the SRD? Cool idea about the Scorpion-orc Herath connection Arcanda. Let us know if you develop it further! :) Havard -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 7] Author : Gazza555 Date : 01-29-07 09:00 AM Thread Title : Re: Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle Could be in the SRD? Not from MMIII, AFAIK only creatures from the original MM are included in the SRD (plus some others from Epic Handbook, Manual of the Planes etc) Regards Gary -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 8] Author : havard Date : 01-29-07 09:04 AM Thread Title : Re: Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle Gary: Yeah, you are probably right. Here's another interesting idea for some kind of Herathian breeding experiment: http://wizards.com/dnd/images/mmiii_gallery/83004.jpg The Gorilchnid from MMIII I am interested in this idea of the Herathians getting involved in the Dark Jungle. Are they using these creatures as an attempt to get more power within that realm? Havard -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 9] Author : Cthulhudrew Date : 01-29-07 10:53 AM Thread Title : Re: Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle I am interested in this idea of the Herathians getting involved in the Dark Jungle. Are they using these creatures as an attempt to get more power within that realm? I forgot to look at the stats for them this weekend. As I recall, though, Gorilchnids are generally CN- and don't seem to be overtly hostile or anything. If my recollection is correct, I'd say they could just be another example (a la the Shazak) of Herathian experimentation- in this case, on Nimmurians- and the result either escaping or being let loose to breed true in the wild. I wouldn't imagine the Nimmurians would be all that keen on the Gorilchnids, so there might be a lot of hostility between the two. The Scorpiorcs might be a second attempt at creating a more warlike and controllable race for the Herathians, based on the design of the Gorilchnids, though. Something they can use against the Nimmurians and Orcs of the Dark Jungle. Maybe they are the Herathians footsoldiers in the underground realms of the region? -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 10] Author : OldDawg Date : 01-29-07 02:26 PM Thread Title : Re: Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle The proximity of Herath, Dark Orcs, and Nimmurian manscorpions does lend itself to the scorpiorc-as-Herathian experiment, with the caveat that none of the canonical Herathian experiment races (shazak, gurrash, cayma) ever evidenced any type of chimeric amalgamation. [Contrast with the dragon-created frelon from SC/OHP Monstrous Compendium]. I'm less inclined to support the Gorilchnid only because gorillas are absent from the natural fauna of the region. An orangchnid or monkeychnid yes, but not a gorilchnid [and yes, I'm setting aside the giant white ape of the Jungle from X9]. However, Herath isn't the only place with aranea. Isle of Dread and the Great Escarpment could provide gorillas. In fact the Great Escarpment would be perfect - ready access to the Nithian/Thothian relics (and their documented amalgamation magical creations). OldDawg -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 11] Author : Cthulhudrew Date : 01-29-07 03:34 PM Thread Title : Re: Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle I'm less inclined to support the Gorilchnid only because gorillas are absent from the natural fauna of the region. An orangchnid or monkeychnid yes, but not a gorilchnid [and yes, I'm setting aside the giant white ape of the Jungle from X9]. AFAIK, the only notions of any kind of primates on the SC (other than humans) are the apes you mention in X9 and (possibly) the Neshezu (a sort of orangutan-orc). Otherwise, I don't think of anything that stands either for or against apes. If you allow for the possibility of orangutans, then gorillas would be more likely to appear than monkeys, as monkeys are less closely related than orangs and apes- if you adhere to a RW science type of viewpoint, which, admittedly is kind of paradoxical to the nature of a magical fantasy setting like Mystara. I was always fond of the white ape in X9. One of the few things about that module I actually liked (it was such a hodgepodge; that and X6 could have been really good.) Wonder what it's story was- maybe another case of Gargantua getting his hooks into something? However, Herath isn't the only place with aranea. Isle of Dread and the Great Escarpment could provide gorillas. In fact the Great Escarpment would be perfect - ready access to the Nithian/Thothian relics (and their documented amalgamation magical creations). The aranea on the Isle of Dawn seem to be a lot more xenophobic and less magically inclined than the Herath from the only source we have on them (M4), although they do appear to themselves be the product of crossbreeding (planar spiders and non-intelligent crab spiders, which when you think about it is just eww... like humans interbreeding with chimpanzees, or possibly more appropriately, lemurs or something. Just more proof of the twisted decadence of Arachne Prime, I guess.) I mainly suggested the Herath connection because of the proximity of Herath and Nimmur, but if we were to move these guys somewhere else, I'd probably suggest somewhere in Davania as a better alternative. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- [Post 12] Author : Gazza555 Date : 01-30-07 03:59 AM Thread Title : Re: Scorpiorcs and Dark Jungle Gary: Yeah, you are probably right. Perhaps we could have a complementary thread converting 3.5 creatures to BECMI D&D rules. ;) Regards Gary -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Downloaded from Wizards Community (http://forums.gleemax.com) at 05-10-08 09:23 AM.