Flailers «Triphants»

Description (Initial Observations): 20% of the time these creatures are encountered, they will be encountered as a herd with 7d6 Tripants present. When they are not encountered as a herd, they will be within a day's walk of their herd.Before the Social Wars, few elephants remained in their native habitat in Africa. The destruction of their lands and continued poaching had reduced their numbers almost to the point of no return. However, the various forms of mutant elephants seem to be on the rise now, and they become more numerous as the years pass.Triphants are a typical post-holocaust species. They are covered in long, shaggy, brown hair, much like their mastodon and mammoth ancestors. A few albino triphants have been sighted, and these are revered by local native populations. Triphants have ivory tusks which are rather short, growing only up to 1 m in length. Ivory hunters have found that these may be sold for up to 2000 gold pieces in major cities. Triphant tusks are useless in combat.Triphants have three trunks, none of which possess nasal passages. (Triphants have olfactory openings on their skulls, between their eyes.) Each trunk lacks hair and is covered in tough, spiked hide.When a triphant hits a man-sized creature with a trunk, it pulls the victim upward and rolls it up in the trunks length, doing continuous damage of 3d4 per Action Turn from constriction and piercing. In addition, the spikes possess a paralytic poison of Intensity Level 7. Triphants wont grab at creatures they recognize as potentially harmful on contact (e.g., spiked, heated, or electrically charged). Up to three oppo- nents may be so grasped.Larger opponents, ranging up to 4 m in height, can be charged and trampled by enraged triphants. All four feet can strike at a trampled opponent, each foot doing 4d6 damage.Triphants roam the countryside (avoid- ing deathlands) eating vegetation. When a herd finds a particularly good spot, it may rest for a week before moving on. Triphants are not territorial, but cooperate in defense of their herd and fight against all odds to protect their young. Adults typically walk on the outside of the herd, leaving the young in the middle. Though generally peaceful, triphants may charge anyone coming within 40 m of the herd who appears to present a threat to them. Huge carnivores, such as komodos, cause herds to flee.Triphants love water and frequently bath in it to cool themselves. Fortunately, they can detect whether water is contami- nated by touching a few drops on the end of a trunk to their mouths.If caught at an early age, a young triphant (under 1 year old) can be tamed to allow itself to be ridden and perform heavy lifting and carrying tasks. Triphants can pick up loads of up to 200 kg in each trunk, and can carry up to 1000 kg easily if it is distributed over their backs. A triphant can break through a reinforced wooden door in one Action Turn.