\part[Flora and Fauna]{The Flora and Fauna of Savits} \begin{multicols}{2} \subsection*{Bandit} \itshape After a High Tide washed away most of Jolliet's farm, he joined king Rannet's army. It was one less mouth to feed for what remained of his family, and after the conquest was done, he would be granted some land of his own, as was tradition. It turned out king Tronndor had a similar idea. The difference being that, rather than recruiting green farmboys, Tronndor had spent time since the last High Tide training and equipping his troops. Later, after washing out his underwear in a nearby stream, Jolliet came across two other recruits from what remained of his unit. After some deliberation, they decided that: first, their provisions were running low, and second, they still had their weapons. As the newly forged bandits sat in an ambush above a bend in the road, they heard a man singing in a deep, but melodious voice. Soon, the sound of horse hooves and the strumming of a mandolin joined the singing, and an orc came riding around the bend. He was playing his instrument and singing with his eyes closed, like he had not a care in the world. ``What kind of simpleton would make their presence so clear in bandit-infested woods?'' Jolliet thought, drawing his sword. \normalshape \begin{center} \begin{tabular}{S[table-format=-2.0] l | l S[table-format=-2.0] } \hline 2 & \stat{STR} & \stat{INT} & 2 \\ 1 & \stat{DEX} & \stat{KND} & 2 \\ 3 & \stat{CON} & \stat{CMP} & 1 \\ 2 & \stat{STB} & \stat{CHA} & 2 \\ \hline 15 & \stat{HP} & \stat{MP} & 9 \\ 6 & \stat{AC} & & \\\hline \multicolumn{4}{l}{\textbf{Proficiency} 1} \\ \hline \end{tabular} \begin{tabular}{l l l} \hline \textbf{Weapon} & Bladed & Shortsword \\ \textbf{Armor} & Medium & Leather \\ \hline \end{tabular} \end{center} \paragraph*{Hard Strike} Bandit chooses a number up to \stat{STR} and roll for an attack. On success, bandit adds the chosen number to the margin. Bandit removes at least twice as many dice from the pool (this includes the failure dice that would be removed anyway.) \paragraph*{Knock out} Bandit rolls an opposed test with \stat{DT} $6-\stat{str}$. The opponent must win with \stat{DT} $6-\stat{stb}$, or become \textbf{\sffamily unconscious} for a number of turns equal to the difference in margins. \end{multicols} \begin{multicols}{2} \subsection*{Drub} \itshape Drubs are small, goblin-like creatures that live on the edges of forests, usually near roads. Primarily, they are scavengers, as is obvious from their attire. Most often, they scavenge items that drop off passing wagons. They rarely attack on their own, although they have been known to ambush lone travelers, if they judge their odds to be good. Their favorite, however, are battlefields. They have been likened to crows, in the way they fight among themselves while scavenging after a skirmish. They do not eat the bodies, as folklore suggests -- they actually prefer a herbivorous diet -- but will not hesitate to bite or cut off a limb, to get at an item they want. It has been proposed that they are a type of fay, but closer examination of their anatomy clearly contradicts that notion. They are likely related to the goblins; perhaps a distant offshoot that developed separately into a less intelligent, yet just as inquisitive, creature. \normalshape \begin{center} \begin{tabular}{S[table-format=-2.0] l | l S[table-format=-2.0] } \hline 2 & \stat{STR} & \stat{INT} & 2 \\ 4 & \stat{DEX} & \stat{KND} & 1 \\ 2 & \stat{CON} & \stat{CMP} & -2 \\ 1 & \stat{STB} & \stat{CHA} & -1 \\ \hline 12 & \stat{HP} & \stat{MP} & -9 \\ 6 & \stat{AC} & & \\\hline \multicolumn{4}{l}{\textbf{Proficiency} 1} \\ \hline \end{tabular} \begin{tabular}{l l l} \hline \textbf{Weapon} & Simple & Knife \\ \textbf{Armor} & Light & Rags \\ \hline \end{tabular} \end{center} \paragraph*{Sure Strike} Remove up to Drub's \stat{STR} dice from their dice pool. Drub deals damage appropriate to the number of successes equal to half the removed dice. \paragraph*{Volt} When Drub attacks, they may spend up to \stat{DEX} successes to move after the attack (\SI{1}{\meter} per success), instead of doing damage. If they do, remove at least that many dice from their dice pool -- dice removed as failures are included in this number. \end{multicols} \begin{multicols}{2} \subsection*{Horned Bear} \itshape Horned bears are, as a rule, solitary creatures. They do not attack unless provoked, although stories of what has provoked a horned bear range from owning a sheep the bear wants to eat, to laughing too loudly in the forest where the bear resides. Their pelts are prized for their softness and density of fur. They are, however, in no danger of being over-hunted, as few hunters are willing to go up against half a ton of angered bear. There have been reports of a horned bear charging a horse and throwing it 10 meters into the air, along with its rider. When cornered, the bear, instead, uses its claws that are said to be able to kill an aurochs in a single swipe. It might not be much comfort to anyone being charged by a horned bear, but the protrusions on its head are not, in fact, true horns. Rather, they are antlers that the bear sheds every winter, before entering hibernation. Note that a hibernating horned bear is not much less dangerous than one that is awake. Many an adventurer has wandered into a bear cave, hoping to get an easy horned bear pelt off the sleeping beast. Instead, the bear wakes up and does exactly what one would expect a bear who had just been forced awake to do. \normalshape \begin{center} \begin{tabular}{S[table-format=-2.0] l | l S[table-format=-2.0] } \hline 4 & \stat{STR} & \stat{INT} & 0 \\ 2 & \stat{DEX} & \stat{KND} & -2 \\ 3 & \stat{CON} & \stat{CMP} & 2 \\ 4 & \stat{STB} & \stat{CHA} & 0 \\ \hline 18 & \stat{HP} & \stat{MP} & 6 \\ 8 & \stat{AC} & & \\\hline \multicolumn{4}{l}{\textbf{Proficiency} 2} \\ \hline \end{tabular} \begin{tabular}{l l l} \hline \textbf{Weapon} & Simple & Horns and claws \\ \textbf{Armor} & Medium & Skin \\ \hline \end{tabular} \end{center} \paragraph*{Juggernaut} Horned bear rolls a \stat{DT}~$6-\stat{stb}$ test. On success, horned bear moves the margin of success meters in a straight line. While moving, the horned bear is immune to Trip and has +1 \stat{AC} to any attacks. Any characters horned bear moves through must succeed a \stat{DC}~$6-\stat{stb}$ test by a margin larger than the distance already traveled, or be knocked \textbf{\sffamily prone}. \paragraph*{Toss} Horned bear rolls a test with \stat{DT}~$6-\stat{str}$ opposed by a \stat{DT}~$6-\stat{str}$ or $6-\stat{dex}$ test from the target. On a win, the target is moved up to the difference in margins, reduced by the target's \stat{STB}, meters away from the attacker. \paragraph*{Hard Strike} Horned bear chooses a number up to \stat{STR} and roll for an attack. On success, add the chosen number to the margin. Horned bear removes at least twice as many dice from the pool (this includes the failure dice that would be removed anyway.) \end{multicols}