Cryion
by Jamie BatyDMR2 23
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex)
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armour Class: 13 (+2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+2
Attack: Spear +2 melee (1d8)
Full Attack: Spear +2 melee (1d8)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: ---
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60ft., cold resistance 10, ice gliding
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +3
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 10, Cha 11
Skills: Balance +3*, Listen +5, Search +4, Spot +5, Survival +1
Feats: Endurance
Environment: Cold lands
Organisation: Solitary, Pair, Company (2-5 plus 1 2nd level barbarian), Mneld (20-40 plus 8 2nd level barbarians, 1 2nd level cleric and 1 5th level barbarian), or Horde (60+ with 1 6th level barbarian and 1 5th level cleric in addition to lower level leaders)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic neutral
Advancement: by character class
Level Adjustment: +1
Cryions live in cold and icy climates. They are covered with white fur and resemble large, bipedal bats. Their large foot claws curve to form skates beneath their feet. These skates are used for travelling across icy wastes. The wings of a cryion are not used for flying, but as sails to propel the cryion across the ice. Cryions have large ears which give them excellent hearing. Their eyesight is also good.
Cryions live in groups of 20-40 called mnelds, and are nomadic- they travel over vast areas of ice, propelled by the wind in their wings. They live in buildings made from animal skins and hides. When groups of cryion move to new hunting grounds, they transport their homes in sail-propelled sleighs. Once every three years, cryion groups congregate in vast hordes at the edge of the ice to trade, marry, fish, and otherwise enjoy themselves. The location of this meeting varies, but it is always held in a place sacred to the cryions. During the celebration groups are generally far larger than the normal ones--usually 50-200 (5d4x10) members. Some groups have as many as 500 members.
These large groups follow charismatic leaders on winter expeditions into more temperate areas. The cryions use frozen waterways to sweep down on isolated settlements to gain treasure and metal goods. How they gain these matters little; sometimes they trade furs with one settlement, but at another similar settlement they will attack for no apparent reason. What is certain is that they have no understanding of any folk but themselves. Before the ice melts, the cryions return home and break up into smaller groups, spending the next three years in new mnelds before again meeting together.
Cryions speak their own language, broken Common, and broken forms of other regional languages.
Combat
Cryions are proficient in all simple weapons. Many prefer to use a variety of spears, and those that are able will wield harpoons. Powerful warriors will often use looted weapons from raids in more temperate areas.
Cryions literally charge into battle, particularly against foes on icy ground.
Ice Gliding (Ex): Cryions are sure-footed while moving over ice and packed snow and suffer no penalties from moving through these conditions. A cryion's movement rate on ice increases to 40ft (8 squares) per round due to its ability to glide on ice.
Cold Resistance (Ex): A cryion has cold resistance of 10.
Skills: A cryion receives a +4 racial bonus to all Listen, Search and Spot checks. *Cryions also receive a +4 racial to all Balance checks made in icy conditions.
Cryions as Characters
A cryion's favoured class is barbarian. Fighters and rangers also may be found regularly. Cryion clerics and druids are infrequently found. Cryion paladins, sorcerors and wizards are unheard of. Cryion clerics may choose two of the following domains: Cold, Endurance, War and Winter.