Need a new and exciting monster for your next game of HARP-SF? Check out the creature I have created below. The stats are all based on HARP and HARP-SF creature creation, but the essence of the creature could easily be recreated in Spacemaster if that is your Science fiction RPG of choice.
Don’t have a Sci-Fi TTRPG of choice? May I recommend reading more about HARP-SF or Spacemaster on our website.
Now without further ado, I give you the torpaermos…
TORPAERMOS
Level: 8
Size: Large
BMR Type: Fly : Biped
BMR: 42 : 5
# Enc: 1
Outlook: Hungry
Treasure: —
DB: 92
Hits: 186
Init: 11
St: 5 (5)
Co: 6 (8)
Ag: 4 (4)
Qu: 4 (2)
SD: 1 (1)
Re: 2 (4)
In: 2 (3)
Pr: 2 (3)
End 60
PP 0
Stamina 103
Will 54
Magic 40
Attacks
Claw Attack – Small Slash 78
Bite Attack – Small Puncture 68
Sting – Large Slash 88
Skills
Ambush (15) 70, Endurance (20) 96, Flying/Gliding (20) 130, Navigation (15) 71, Perception (20) 87, Resistance – Magic (5) 40, Resistance – Stamina (10) 103, Resistance – Will (10) 54, Foraging/Survival Forest (20) 81, Claw Attack – Small Slash (15) 78, Bite Attack – Small Puncture (10) 68, Sting – Large Slash (20) 88
Talents
Blazing Speed, Flight, Instinctive Defense, Multiple or Peripheral Eyes (Minor) Natural Weapon (Claw), Natural Weapon (Teeth), Natural Weapon (Sting), Poison Bite/Sting (Greater), Poison Immunity, Tough Hide (Greater), Toughness, Giantism (Minor)
Description
Torpaermos are large winged creatures with hard, black outer shells. They are relatively similar to Earth’s flying insects but much larger and much more deadly.
Torpaermos have a segmented body, with the ‘head’ at one end, a thorax to which the wings attach and an abdomen which appears relatively small when in flight but houses the creature’s hooked tail.
When the torpaermos is in flight, its tail is folded up inside a cavity on the top of the abdomen. Inside this cavity is a ‘well’ of the creature’s natural poison. This tail can be quickly unfurled while hunting and have a large, sharp hook on the end for slicing open its prey and delivering the deadly dose of poison.
The creature’s wings are similar to an Earth bat’s, they have four small legs attached to the abdomen which they use almost exclusively for landing. It is very uncommon for torpaermos to walk any distance on these legs.
The heads have large forward-facing black eyes which can see in great detail over long distances and their large jaw contains rows of razor-sharp teeth. Though it is almost imperceptible, the creatures have to slight indentations in their heads through which they can hear.
Lifestyle
Torpaermos tend to live on steep cliffs and rocky mountains but will hunt near woodlands or on the edges of areas where there is a lot of cover. Creatures breaking from within the cover with then be dive bombed by the creatures. Very few survive for very long. If pushed, they will hunt on open plains, but they are a bit too conspicuous to have much success in this way.
To reproduce female torpaermos will lay a batch of unfertilized eggs on a cliff edge or rocky mountain and will leave, having no further part in the reproduction process. The males will be attracted by the bright colours of the eggs and will attempt to fertilize them. If other males arrive, there will be a battle for fertilization rights. Once a male has fertilized the eggs, he will stay close by to defend the brood. Other males will see the eggs as a great meal and only the biggest, strongest or smartest torpaermos will manage to defend their eggs until they hatch.
Abilities & combat
Torpaermos have amazing eyesight and can see very clearly what is happening below them while they are flying high above their unsuspecting prey. When hunting, the creatures will wait until they spot some prey and will swoop down incredibly quickly, flying past their prey, they will quickly unfurl their tail which will rake the unsuspecting prey, cutting them and injecting the poison into their blood stream. The poison is very fast acting but the torpaermos is likely to take back to the skies while it waits for its prey to collapse. Once the creature is dead, they will land and devour them.
The wings of the torpaermos are incredibly fragile and should any damage come to them; it would mean certain death for the creature as it would no longer be able to hunt. For this reason, feeding torpaermos are easily scared off of their food, but once they are airborne again, they are much more of a threat.
Background & adventure notes
Torpaermos eggs are full of rich nutrients and are very popular in some culinary circles. Getting your hands on them can be a very tricky business however.
The poison of the torpaermos is understandable in great demand. It is very fast acting and will likely kill an adult human male in ten minutes. Supply is low though as the majority of people who seek to capture these creatures and milk them for their poison, die in the process.