Tidal Blades
Among the mighty creatures one can encounter in the desert, the sandaconda certainly takes the throne. A giant, heavily armored snake with multiple pairs of eyes and a travel speed that challenges even the fastest racers, the sandaconda is smart, cunning, and surprisingly patient when hunting prey. It can hide for weeks under the sand, waiting for an unlucky caravan to pass by. Fortunately, many traders have learned to discern the particular sand patterns that a hidden sandaconda leaves in the dunes so they can maneuver around it safely.
It’s tradition to have one brave contestant wrestle a sandaconda in the Droska Ring during the closing day of the Tournament of Heroes, a heroic feat that is certain to solidify any challenger’s standing in the competition.
Motive: Hungers for flesh
Environment: Desert
Health: 24
Damage Inflicted: Major wound (8 points)
Armor: 3
Movement: Long
Modifications: Hides beneath sand as level 9; Speed defense as level 6 due to size
Combat: A sandaconda uses surprise attacks whenever it can, roiling up through the sand with ferocious speed to encircle and squeeze unsuspecting prey. Those caught in its crushing grip take 8 points of damage each round until they can break free. If a sandaconda's prey falls unconscious, it uses its next action to swallow the prey whole. Once swallowed, characters regain consciousness. They can attack the sandaconda from the inside, but their actions are hindered and they suffer a major wound (8 points) each round they remain there. The sandaconda has one particular weakness—its eyes. Not only are they the only unarmored part of the creature's body, they are also its main sensory organ. Blinding even one of the sandaconda's eyes hinders all of its actions by two steps.
Interaction: Sandacondas can't be reasoned with due to their bestial nature.
Use: Sandacondas are terrifying and dangerous. Encountering one is likely to leave low-tier characters running for their lives and high-tier characters badly damaged and in need of respite.
Loot: At least a couple of undamaged scales, which can be fashioned into shields or sold to crafters for around 10 shells, as well as anything it ate recently. It's tradition to have one brave contestant wrestle a sandaconda in the Droska Ring during the closing day of the Tournament of Heroes, a heroic feat that is certain to solidify any challenger's standing in the competition.
GM Intrusion: The sand beneath the characters' feet, unsettled from the sandaconda's movement, begins to shift and sink, trapping them.