#arena beast

[thecreaturecodex]

Hebetops

“Arena Beast” © Terry Oakes.

[From the Fighting Fantasy book The Crimson Tide by Paul Mason. Which is a nice bit of parallelism, because one of the first monsters I did for this project was the yuemo from the same source. I’m wrapping up Fighting Fantasy monsters for now. The original was called an “arena beast”, but I wanted to give it a name more appropriate for other contexts. “Hebetops” is a mashup of “hebeto”, Latin for “I weaken”, and “ops” for eye in Greek.]

Hebetops CR 8 N Magical Beast This creature looks like a vaguely humanoid lizard roughly the size of a bear. It has long arms ending with clawed hands, with five digits on each hand and foot. Its face has a shortened snout, mad staring eyes facing forward, and a pair of enlarged canine teeth.

The hebetopses are saurian carnivores that hunt with a gaze that drains life force and will. Their typical strategy is to sneak as close as possible without being detected, and then rush to close the gap and make eye contact with their prey. Not only is their gaze inherently weakening, it carries a compulsion to continue to meet the gaze, causing creatures to rapidly succumb to the combined effects of the gaze and the creature’s fearsome teeth and claws. A hebetops are used to overwhelming their prey; they rarely flee from combat once joined.

Hepetopses are solitary creatures; the only times the come together are to mate or to fight each other over mating or territory rights. Fights between hebetopses are bloody but rarely fatal, in part because the creatures are immune to their own gaze and that of their kind. A female hebetops will lay her eggs in a mount of rotting vegetation, which she periodically will check to ensure has the right temperature. Once the eggs hatch, parental care ends, and the emerging babies typically flee for their lives. Many young hebetopses are eaten by adults. The young are good climbers (30 ft., climb speed 20 ft.), which helps to ensure enough survive to maturity.

Because of their savagery and unique abilities, the hebetops is sometimes prized as a arena beast by decadent and cruel societies. Trained gladiators are usually too valuable to waste on a hebetops’ near certain victory, so the creatures are used to execute prisoners (who may be given a weapon in a show of faux sportsmanship), or as a test to prospective mercenaries or other elite soldiers. Handling these creatures for the arena is dangerous—they must be handled by blind guards, or fitted at a distance with leather hoods to block their vision—and the coliseum must be built at an elevation, lest the hebetops’ gaze weaken or kill some of the closer spectators.

Hebetops              CR 8 XP 4,800 N Large magical beast Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, Perception +12, scent Defense AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +7 natural) hp 110 (13d10+36) Fort +11, Ref +11, Will +8 Immune death effects, energy drain Offense Speed 50 ft. Melee bite +15 (2d6+3), 2 claws +15 (1d8+3) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks compelling gaze, gaze Statistics Str 17, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 12 Base Atk +13; CMB +18; CMD 32 Feats Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack Skills Acrobatics +13 (+21 when jumping), Perception +12, Stealth +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +4 Perception, +4 Stealth Ecology Environment warm forests and plains Organization solitary, pair or scrum (3-4) Treasure none Special Abilities Compelling Gaze (Su) A creature that fails its save against a hebetops’ gaze must succeed a DC 17 Will save or be unable to avert or close their eyes for 1 round. This is a mind-influencing compulsion effect, and the save DC is Charisma based. Gaze (Su) 1 negative level; 30 ft.; Fortitude DC 17 negates. All negative levels dealt by a hebetops’ gaze are temporary and are removed in 8 hours without the need for an additional saving throw. The save DC is Charisma based.

[queruloustea]

a sketch i did for the things of deepnest :) i find it a rather pretty area, ignoring the well-known creepiness and the fact that i'm being chased by many-legged creatures through small tunnels most of the time i'm there

it seems that once again tumblr has mercilessly slaughtered the quality, so apologies for that; as compensation take my five minute hot spring quirrel™, arguably the best part about deepnest:

[underground-wrestling-fan-club]

Sexy firecracker Marco isn’t used to being challenged. Known for taking down opponents significantly bigger than him, he wins more than he loses. Big beefy man meat Beast is more than up for the challenge, going toe to toe and able to handle anything Marco can dish out. Desperate to win, Marco started using some cheap tactics to defeat the hunk, and Beast has had enough.

[illustratus]

Escaping from Wild Beasts by Hans Sterbik

[helphensteeple]

maid day requests

[quibbs126]

CRKNews about the next Beast under the cut

Guys I am over the moon about this

Granted, I’m not entirely sure yet if this is true or not, give it a while before people can confirm, but if it is I am so happy

First off, I said Eternal Sugar didn’t make sense to go next! Mystic Flour makes way more sense than Eternal Sugar. Though Sugar being after Flour I think would also make sense, just not Sugar after Milk/Elder Faerie

Second, we know that one of the twin dragons is there. This current update is about their backstory, and then in a couple updates we’re getting to see them in person. Us North and South Dragon fans are being fed good. And also with this, even more Dark Cacao content

The devs said “alright we’ve kept the Dark Cacao Kingdom fans waiting long enough, we’re just gonna give them everything”

Sorry I’m probably overreacting, I’ll be more rational later on

Oh but also as I was typing this, they gave us a new thing, featuring Mystic Flour’s eyes

[wearemercs]

by Cho Yonghee

[digi-lov]

Terriermon BT3-046 Alternative Art by As'Maria from the Memorial Collection 02 [J] / PB-08 Tamers Playmat [E]

This Alternative Art Card of Terriermon from BT3 references the intro of Digimon Tamers: Battle Evolution (West: Digimon Rumble Arena)

[thistoowillpasss]

I took Ogha to Agheel Lake. Sometimes it's nice to let them have some time outdoors to run around, get muddy.

What I was not prepared to witness, was Ogha making this stupidly good shot with their greatbow:

The charged arrow went through the land squirt and hit a dragonfly.

I couldn't make that shot if you paid me.

[dreepy-draws]

Okay hear me out, but I've been thinking about what beasts some heroes would have. they exist in the world, so the idea of some characters having pets isn't too crazy. here's some i've come up with

Gavus: flutterplume owl (serious and intelligent guy gets along with serious and intelligent beast)

Lucilla: shroom spider (well other than the fact she was shown playing with spooders multiple times in the comic, I believe she would love the fact that they are "cute but deadly". Liberta is also scared of them (personal headcanon), which makes lucilla like them even more lmao)

Tarnos: talismane (the guy despises hypogeans a LOT. tell me a beast who is strong against hypogeans and actively lives to protect wouldn't be perfect)

Eorin: grassy orb (this is kinda biased bc I used to always use Eorin with grassy orb bc of the haste boost lmao. but I also think Mishka would wanna get him a pet bc she has her wolves so she wants him to have a pet as well. she turns up with a grassy orb she rescued and gives it to Eorin. Eorin: I don't want a grassy orb! then he and the grassy orb r bonded by the next week ofc. (man I wanna write a fic about this now)

Nevanthi: radish rotunda (a gentle beast that goes out of its way to cheer on someone when they're in danger. a very sweet and kind beast for a very sweet and kind character :))

Lorsan: bellbellow (I imagine he befriends a bellbellow, but refuses to call it his "pet". when he's not traveling, he will visit the place where his bellbellow buddy hangs out, and talk to it about his travels)

BONUS Eugene: slumber seal (OH NO Esperia is now in ruins)

[wolfgirlfloof]

people always discuss how viviana's hugeass antlers are prolly super annoying. like how does she sleep, how does she fit through doorways. but it's always how does viviana and never how is viviana. cause seriously can you imagine the neck pain she has to deal with? large boobs are notorious for obliterating your spine, and those are only like a pound or two. moose antlers have to weigh more. like. uh.

VIVIANA. ARE YOU OK

[creative-clawmarks]

Oogies are mimics of a sort.

You take a little something from all the creatures around you, change yourself to fit what has already been proven to work.

So when you finally struck down The Infector you were not content to leave him in the snow. You cracked open his shell, sunk your teeth into the soft insides. He was a rancid thing, but you were not leaving without your prize.

There are many things you could have taken from him, technology and biology beyond your comprehension, but you wanted none of this.

You wanted his voice.

[punkraccoon]

Eyecing. Really crk.

[intofree]

the true ending is definitely more impactful if you’re familiar with the first game which I appreciate so much

[nikikikiko]

AND PART 2 IS DOOONNNNNEEE god that was a beasty part

I think . for my sanity and to get this rolling I might split the chapter parts into chapters themselves

So since part 1 is finished, and part 2 needs to be beta'd, it'll be releasing to an AO3 near you shortly! (i'll link it when it's out)

[bippityboppity69]

The new beast is so cute! The little hair swirls and bow ties match it perfectly.

It's strange though, it's face looks really fam-

No.

Oh no. Oh fuck oh no!

Please tell me I'm not the only one who sees the resemblance.