ThursdAD&D: Scaly Creatures
Way back in 1978, Ms. Marvel met a race of lizard people who had mutated from common desert reptiles into an intelligent society, all as a result of atomic bomb testing. I used to have that comic book. I’m pretty sure it was among the several comics from late 60s through the mid-80s that did survive the purge of my bedroom after I left for basic training in the summer of 1985.
Dinosaurs, lizardmen, et cetera have long been a staple of fantastic fiction and roleplaying games. From Lost Worlds to Lovecraftian serpent people to tragically mutated one-armed scientists, who doesn’t love scaly creatures? People who are wrong. That’s who.
Sollersaurus
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1-6 (4-24 in lair)
Armor Class: 4
Move: 15″ or 21″ (see below)
Hit Dice: 4+4
% in Lair: 20%
Treasure Type: D
No. of Attacks: 3
Damage/Attack: 1-4/1-4/2-8
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Average
Alignment: Neutral
Size: L (6′ tall, 12′ long)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: IV/250 + 5/hp (Alphas: IV/290 + 5/hp)
The sollersaurus is an intelligent saurian carnivore. It is fast, and it has a whip-like tail, grasping forearms with hand-like appendages sporting sharp talons, a strong jaw full of fangs, and powerful hindlegs. The sollersaurus travels on either two legs or four (move 15″ or 21″, respectively). Its coloration is highly adaptable, much like that of a chameleon.
The sollersaurus has keen senses and infravision of the 90-foot variety. It is immune to illusions and is surprised only 1 in 8 times. The sollersaurus moves quickly and stealthily. It surprises its prey 4 in 6 times. On the first round of combat, the sollersaurus may leap up to 3″ and attack with the gutting talons on its hind legs. This attack enjoys a +2 to-hit bonus and inflicts 3-12 points of damage.
A pack of sollersauruses numbering at least 4 creatures will be coordinated by a mated pair of alphas. These alphas have at least 6 hit points per hit die and have a +1 to-hit bonus on attacks.
The sollersaurus speaks it own language of barks, trills, and hisses. It has a 25% chance to understand 1-2 other languages, although the sollersaurus lacks the vocal apparatus to speak most other tongues. Despite its intelligence, the sollersaurus seldom makes use of tools.
It’s been a while since I featured anything for The Four Color Hack, and a post that opens talking about a comic book seems an good time to remedy this omission.
The lizard people that Ms. Marvel met included some pretty tough customers. Some had psychic powers. One was a giant viper of sorts. Another threw a tank at Ms. Marvel. That takes some muscle.
Sca-Lor
Level 5 Villain
Quote: “Rraauwrrr!”
Real Name: H’stok
Identity: Secret
Place of Birth: Somewhere in the southwestern United States
Height: 7 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 390 lb.
Eyes: Yellow
Hair: None
Hit Points: 30 (4 Vigor)
Base Damage: d10
Powers: Desert Camouflage d10, Regeneration d10, Super-Strength d16 (d10+d16 damage), Thick Scales d12 (7 protection)
Background: Sca-Lor is the war-like champion and self-appointed guardian of the saurian people who live hidden in caves in the southwestern United States. Belligerent, xenophobic, and ambitious, Sca-Lor believes he should lead his people out of hiding in order to wage war on the “sssoft skinsss” that seem to be increasingly encroaching on saurian territory.
Powers: Sca-Lor’s powers are straightforward and quite exceptional for a saurian. He can lift 50 tons, and his thick scales are immune to most conventional weaponry. He heals rapidly, and he can even regenerate lost limbs and organs.
