Planar Bestiary
Iron cubes in the Outer Plane of Acheron—specifically, a layer called Thuldanin—are hollowed with maze-like voids littered with broken weapons and larger tools of war from across the cosmos. Inside one of these cubes clogged with the hulls of lost warships, rusted cannons, and shattered sword blades, an enterprising spellcaster bred "iron hogs" from vermin already infesting the labyrinth of tunnels wending through the cube. Despite their metallic nature, rust hogs are alive and able to reproduce. And thanks to centuries of domestication, rust hogs are generally amenable to training, especially if it involves sniffing out runaways or other persons of interest.
These metal monstrosities have thick, barrel-like bodies and resemble boars the size of ponies. Their snouts are finely tuned to sniffing out scents of prey, and their tusks deliver vicious wounds. Often, these creatures are also trained to perform a particular task, and thus may be fitted with harnesses for pulling great weights or carrying packs and other cargo. Others are fitted with saddles and can be ridden like mounts by small individuals. A rust hog's metallic sides are sometimes scarred and rusted from past incidents and fights, giving them a weathered, beaten look.
Because they can be trained at nearly any task, rust hogs have been transferred to many locations, usually for a particular purpose.
Motive: Hungers for flesh, defense
Environment: Acheron, other Outer Planes and worlds of the Material Plane, individually and in small herds
Health: 12
Damage Inflicted: Minor wound (3 points)
Armor: 3
Movement: Short; immediate when burrowing
Modifications: Perception and burrowing as level 6
Combat: A rust hog attacks twice each round with their tusks.
If provoked by taking damage, the rust hog squeals in maddened fury; for up to one minute, the rust hog's attacks are eased and they gain +1 to Armor. However, while enraged, melee attacks against the rust hog are eased. The hog's fury abates if the creature that damaged them is defeated.
Adult rust hogs weigh well over a ton. They can use their immense weight to their advantage once every few rounds by rolling on top of a foe within immediate range and crushing them. The foe that fails a Speed defense task takes 6 points of damage and is pinned beneath the hog until they succeed on level 5 Might task to escape as their action. A pinned target can't take physical actions (other than trying to escape) and takes a minor wound (3 points) each round from the crushing weight. The rust hog can't use their tusks on a target they're pinning but can attack other foes within immediate range.
If an enemy attack results in the rust hog being grabbed, grappled, or otherwise physically entangled by an attacker within immediate range, the rust hog immediately rolls over on the target, inflicts damage, and pins them, as described above. They also break free of whatever was grabbing or entangling them.
Interaction: Wild rust hogs act like wild pigs and boars of the Material Plane in that they are aggressive and territorial. Domesticated rust hogs can be dangerous, too; handlers should be on the lookout for trouble.
Use: In an Upper Plane, a herd of rust hogs is responsible for sniffing up fungus-like delicacies that can otherwise rarely be found. In a Lower Plane, packs of rust hogs hunt dangerous vermin. Lone hogs sometimes find their way into the ownership of individuals.
GM Intrusion: When the rust hog pins a character, a piece of equipment or a fragile cypher is smashed.