Random - Creature Generator

I recently added a new set of tables to the random generator. This one produces short descriptions of mundane creatures, predators, herbivores, and such. It's loosely based on the Traveller creature encounters tables, but the results should provide some fodder for the imagination. Here are some sample results. The first two lines in each entry are the generated value, the rest are my notes.


A rain forest-based drifting/passive flier.

• It is an aggressive herbivore with alertness, natural weapons, and speed attributes.

See, they don't always work out that well. How about a sort of air-based jellyfish that floats above the canopy, with acidic grazing tentacles allowing it to pull leaves off the trees it passes over. For speed... maybe it has a squid-like air vent that allows it to quickly jet away from harm.

A mountains-based many-legged walker.

• It is an adaptable carnivore with trapping, alertness, and stealth attributes.

Obviously this is a giant warm-blooded rock centipede-thing. It produces a sticky fluid that it uses to coat the ground, temporarily slow and trapping its prey, allowing it to leap from hiding and pounce upon the disabled victim.

A jungle-based active swimmer.

• It is a clever omnivore with tactical skill, intimidation, and consuming attributes.

Hmm. Reptiles are usually carnivores, so I'm going with fish. It has a massive gaping mouth lined with bone-like ridges that allow it to crush up mollusks, rend flesh, or tear apart plant matter. Some of its brilliant, over-sized fins can be flared to make it seem much larger than it is.

A hills-based quadripedal walker.

• It is an aggressive herbivore with stealth, tactical skill, and natural weapons attributes.

A rather vanilla mountain sheep creature, but with tough, padded feet instead of hooves, allowing it to move silently in the misty hills. When threatened the loose groups form tight-knit packs and charge the enemy with short but sharp horns.

A woods-based amphibious ground-dweller.

• It is an adaptable herbivore with herd behavior, stealth, and fighting skill attributes.

I'm going with flightless birds here. They live along the edges of lakes and larger rivers, eating seeds and leaves from shore plants and diving for water plants. If threatened they usually dive deep and wait out the enemy, but if  pressed they can strike with their stout beaks.

So there you have it, five random ideas and what I'd do with them. Give it a spin and see what you think. These entries were generated by the 'mundane bestiary' table.