Old Gods of Appalachia
A snallygaster is a hideous chimeric creature, mixing the features of a bird and reptile, with hard scales, a metallic beak lined with razor-sharp teeth, and wings and talons. Some are said to have octopus-like tentacles, either growing from its body or near its mouth, and it might have two eyes or just one in the center of its forehead like a cyclops. It screeches like a train whistle and silently swoops down to snatch small animals or stray children.
Larger specimens have been known to carry off adult men, leaving behind corpses drained of blood—if the victim is ever found. A snallygaster usually sticks to a small territory for weeks or months, terrorizing local folk, before moving on to hunt in a new area.
Large snallygaster: level 5, attacks as level 6; health 20; beak and two talon attacks inflict a moderate wound (6 points) each; flies a long distance each round
A snallygaster that has tentacles hinders its opponents' defense rolls to resist its grappling attack.
"Snallygaster" is derived from the name "Schneller Geist," meaning "quick ghost" in German.
Motive: Hunger for flesh and strong alcohol
Environment: Woods and mountains
Health: 10
Damage Inflicted: Moderate wound (4 points)
Armor: 2
Movement: Short; long when flying
Modifications: Attacks and stealth as level 5
Combat: A snallygaster attacks three times on its turn, using its toothy beak and two claws. A creature struck by a claw is grappled by the snallygaster unless they succeed at a Might or Speed defense task (hindered if the snallygaster hit them with two or more attacks that round). A grappled creature automatically takes claw damage every round, but can attempt to escape as part of their action.
A snallygaster that is grappling a creature might decide to fly away with its prey instead of remaining to fight.
If the carried-off creature escapes the grapple while the snallygaster is flying, they fall and take 1 point of ambient damage (ignores Armor) for every 10 feet (3 m) fallen.
Magical wards repel a snallygaster, and painting a seven-pointed star on a building repels them nearly as well as a true ward, although the effect lasts only as long as the paint is relatively intact. A few weeks in bad weather causes the star to lose its potency, but that's usually enough time for the creature to move on to another area.
Interaction: Snallygasters are beasts and can't be bargained with, although they can be distracted by offerings of fresh meat. Their natural enemies are hexenwolves, and the two creatures fight to the death when they encounter each other; a victorious snallygaster usually feasts on the flesh of its dead foe.
Use: Livestock has gone missing without a trace, but a strange screeching cry suggests a snallygaster is hunting. A corpse is found, its body completely drained of blood.
Connection: A character grew up on a farm that once suffered attacks from a snallygaster. A character remembers awakening to the sound of a locomotive whistle and finding the bloody remains of an animal.
GM Intrusion: The snallygaster screeches, deafening all creatures in short range for one round and causing one character to freeze in fear if they fail an Intellect defense roll.
The snallygaster's attack strikes deep, causing a bleeding wound. Each round on the snallygaster's turn, the character takes additional damage and must succeed at a Might defense roll or move one step down the damage track. Using an action to deal with the wound ends the bleeding.