Animals made for war

 

The dread mechanism of war. Original Pictures Mangled By: Me

Just so everyone knows, the picture of the monster is a collage of late 19th and early 20th century illustrations. I did not draw it, just put it together. The pictures are public domain, so I am not unduly benefiting from their use.

Grinder Monkey

Description

A buzz-saw scream breaks the silence for a moment before the quiet pall falls once again. A quiet thump-slap of flesh on stone moves rapidly closer until its source moves into view. Simian in form, roughly the size of a child, covered in fur ranging from brown to black, moving with an almost preternatural grace. Metal glints from where its head should be, a blur of circular movement accompanied by the same buzz-saw scream. Movement slowing, the scream fading, its head a gleaming metal disc somewhere between saw blade and grinding wheel. A glint from its back, a flexing of muscles, the sight of two blades embedded along its spine. The thing circles once, before the metal scream and whirling disc start again, the animal moving in for the kill...

From a letter written by Corporal Elsteon, 23^rd Fable Division, Chapter Trench. This letter was written two days before the ceasefire that ended the Storyteller Wars.

They call them Grinder-Monkeys or Screamer-Monkeys. The things showed up six years ago on the fields of Fiddler's Green. I've heard trench tales saying that the first time those things saw battle, they came on like a wave over the field. They have saw blades for heads, I don't even know how they eat.

It'll rush a man, and drive it's head into whatever it can, grinding and cutting away flesh. You gotta be careful when attacking them from behind, they got blades in their back, and they'll jump straight backwards to stick you with them. I was on patrol once, and I saw one of those things give birth inside the husk of a leviathan. I screamed as I saw the hairless thing come out of its 'mother'. It had a tiny saw for a head too, and two scalpel blades along its back. I shot them both, and lit the things on fire.

I don't think there can ever be peace between us and Marchen. We as a people can't coexist with the minds that made these monsters... When I dream sometimes I still see that tiny saw head thing, and in its buzzing machine scream I hear my mother calling my name.

To this day, Grinder-Monkeys remain a problem in the Infinite City. Coming out at night to grind away the gristle of the unwary. Fortunately, they are a rare sight in the city.

Another nightmarish living war machine created by the Marchen.

OSR / AD&D / LotFP

Activity Cycle: Primarily Night

Alignment: Neutral (though they have vicious tendencies)

Intelligence: Low (Animal intelligence)

Treasure: None

AC: 5 / 15

Move: 60 Feet / 30 Foot Climbing Rate

HD: 4+1

THAC0 / To-Hit: 15 / +5

# of Attacks: 3 (2 Paws, 1 Saw Blade) OR 1 Back Blades

Damage -

Paws: 1D3

Saw Blade: 1D8 plus Bleed

Back Blades: 1D4

All Saves: 15

Special Attacks -

Saw Blade: After taking damage from the Saw Blade attack, the character must make a save versus Breath to keep the blade from biting to deep. If the character fails their save, they take 1 point of damage each round until they receive some form of healing be it magical or mundane. A character can suffer up to 4 points of damage each round from multiple failed saves. A single application of healing will stop all the continuing damage.

Back Blades: A Grinder-Monkey can attack each target it moves by as long as that target was within melee range when the monkey moved by them. The monkey may use this ability or use its standard attacks in a single round.

Experience Award: 850 xp

Into the Odd

Str 10, Dex 14, Wil 7, 4 hp. Armor: 1

Driven to lash out at humans.

Saw and Paws: 1D6

Back Blades: 1D4

Saw Blade: After taking damage from the Saw Blade attack, the character must make a Dex save to keep the blade from biting to deep. If the character fails their save, they take 1 point of damage each round until they receive some form of healing be it arcana or mundane. A character can suffer up to 2 points of damage each round from multiple failed saves. A single application of healing will stop all the continuing damage.

Back Blades: A Grinder-Monkey can attack each target it moves by as long as that target was within melee range when the monkey moved by them. The monkey may use this ability or use its standard attacks in a single round.