Monster of the Week: Ice Ravager
Apex predators of the frozen wastes
An ice ravager is a centauroid beast, averaging 10 feet in length (from its breast to the base of its tail) and seven feet in height (from the ground to the top of its head). The creature is covered in thick white fur, like that of a polar bear. It has four sturdy legs, as well as two arms ending in smooth, white-skinned hands. The head looks somewhat like that of a hippopotamus, although with large, faceted eyes like those of a gigantic insect. These eyes fully cover the sides of the head, from a point on the crown, where they nearly meet, to just under either side of the jaw. A long, sharp horn grows out of the lower part of each eye where it covers the rear of the ice ravager’s mandible (lower jaw bone). Each facet of the eye is able to close individually, increasing or decreasing the total amount of light admitted. This gives the animal excellent vision, both on snow (or ice) reflecting brilliant sunlight, and within the pitch-black caverns of its underground lair.
Ice ravagers have a vicious temperament. Many other creatures, unless they are very hungry, will frequently retreat when threatened. The ice ravager, on the other hand, will often attack (or continue fighting) out of an apparent enthusiasm for bloody violence.
Upon a successful melee roll with its grapple attack, an ice ravager will use its hands to grab and hold one of its targets. A grappled creature cannot move of its own accord. The ice ravager makes bite attacks at +2 against a grappled target. A grappled creature escapes on a successful Save vs. Paralysis.
Ice ravagers are said to originate in the same world as dire white apes. Typically found in arctic and subarctic wastes, they lair in caverns, but generally hunt above ground. Once each month, for a full day, all the ice ravagers in a pack sleep together in their lair.
While it’s extremely dangerous, ice ravagers can be trained, if captured while young. Brave souls living in arctic or sub-arctic climes sometimes use them as guard beasts.
Individually, wild ice ravagers carry no treasure, but the discarded possessions of a pack’s victims may often be found in the communal lair.
Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 12
Move: 120’ (40’)
Attack(s): 1 grapple/1 gore/1 bite
Damage: hold/3d6/2d6 + 8
No. Appearing: 1d2 (3d8)
Save As: Fighter 12
Morale: 10
Treasure Type: Nil (C)
Alignment: Neutral
XP: 1100
N.B. Ice ravagers are inspired by the apt of Barsoom, in Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Warlord of Mars.