Predation
Platypodes are weird creatures—slippery-smooth skin that's so shiny and pale it almost seems translucent, giant front claws on the ends of wing-like flippers, and a horned head and spined tail that are nearly gelatinous in their feel. Amphibious, they're bipedal on land but swim using mostly their front limbs and tail in the water. No matter what they're doing—fishing, digging, or lying stretched out along the sun-warmed rocks—they hoot, honk, click, and coo, emitting what seems to be a series of new noises constantly.
Originally created in labs for the sole purpose of oceanside manual labor, all platypodes are female. The goal was to keep the population in check and ensure that these creatures, which had no natural predators, didn't overrun the oceans. But the platypodes did something amazing: they reproduced anyway. Genetic testing confirmed that the platypups only have DNA from their moms.
To keep the population under control, the platypode creation program has been put on hold indefinitely.
Platypodes were likely named by a commuter in honor of the platypus.
However, try to describe a modern-day platypus to the native people of Grevakc, and they will be hard-pressed to believe that natural selection, not bioengineering, created such a beast.
Scientific Name: Platypus deux
Common Name: Platy
Motive: Hunger, warmth, defense
Environment: Western Interior Seaway, never more than a mile from land
Health: 15
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (5 points)
Movement: Long in water, short on land
Combat: Platypodes do 5 points of damage with their claws.
Interaction: Platypodes are playful, curious, and social, and they seem to consider humans their friends, whether they were lab-made or wild-birthed. They're not aggressive unless invoked or threatened.
Use: PCs in a boat on the Seaway may find themselves surrounded by a ring of honking, hooting, clicking creatures.
GM Intrusion: A PC accidentally steps too close to a young platypode, which gets scared and begins to call loudly for its mother.