Bestiary - Hive IV

This Bestiary is a semi-IC document containing Monster stats and information for various enemy types encountered and encounterable in the world of Planetfall. It is safe to assume information here is IC available for your perusal thanks to the Zeitgeist Research Department. Anyone is free to edit this information and add Monsters of their own creation.

Since the events of Operation Beachhead, a small amount of knowledge has been amassed about the behaviours of the creatures on Hive IV. Some of the creatures on Hive IV appear to be connected to each other - potentially telepathically - but it is unclear how. The base abilities of a creature will be the same whether it is Connected or not, but the Connected creatures have extra abilities related to their communication skills.

[OC note: Both sets of stats are listed under each creature type below for ease of reference - however, Connected and Unconnected creatures are distinct: a creature has never been observed being Connected at one time and Unconnected at an other. When writing adventures, be careful to keep them distinct and do not have creatures able to switch between the two - remove the Connected abilities if copying the stat block for an Unconnected creature.]

[OC Note: As of November 2023, if you wish to run an adventure featuring Connected creatures, please ask a ref to check it first, and ideally run on a day when a ref is present.]

Mimics are small and intuitive/empathetic creatures that can pick up on other creatures’ behaviour and adapt their own behaviour in order to be most appealing and be adopted in.

• 2 hits
• No weapons
• Cute
• Connected abilities:
  • Enhanced Awareness: Every minute or so you may choose to call SCAN for a characteristic of your choosing (doesn't have to be one any other creature is focusing on)

Ruffians are small bipedal creatures that have a manner not unlike a monkey - curious and capable of learning. Their faces are covered by bark and they appear to have some small spots of bioluminescence. They make sounds more like you would expect from a pterodactyl (caws, screeches, etc), and are viciously territorial against creatures they don’t like.

• 5 hits
• 1 blunt weapon
• 1 STRIKEDOWN
• 1 PING STRIKEDOWN
• Connected abilities
  • Awareness: 1 use of SCAN: [anything]

Reflectors are larger bipedal creatures that have big chunks of crystalline bark that protect them and reflect ranged attacks back at their foes. They are slower than Ruffians when moving normally, but will bound up aggressively to attack their enemies. They also communicate with caws/screeches but have a bit of a boomier voice to them.

• 12 hits
• 1 blunt weapon
• Shield - while you are stationary, Ruffians can use you as cover
• Crystal Bark: 5 uses of PING to YOU calls that you then must immediately make back at the source
• Connected abilities:
  • Awareness: 1 use of SCAN: [anything]

Quadrupedal creatures with long snouts, somewhere between a large dog and a small horse in size and stature. Their appearance is notable for being intensely emaciated and skeletal, with pallid skin stretched thin over their bones. They do not vocalise, beyond a soft purr when at rest. Their sickly demeanor disguises their true strength.

• 10 hits
• 1 1H weapon
• Move at walking pace, but methodically and with inevitable purpose. Ideally maintain eye contact with your target.
• 2 x BREAK
• 1 YOU LOT: STRIKEDOWN
• Ruthless
• Connected abilities:
  • Targeted Awareness: 1 use of SCAN every 30 seconds, starting with SCAN: [anything] and gradually becoming more specific as you learn more about a specific target that you or another Coordinated creature previously scanned.

Tall willowy creatures that provide support and coordination for smaller creatures. They have an appearance more like Groot than anything else, and they live in symbiosis with bioluminescent spores that float around them. This talks with a more lackadaisical attitude (Hmmm…/Oooohh…).

• 15 hits
• 1 long weapon
• Sturdy: Always PING PUSH / PULL
• Connected abilities:
  • Conduct: Every 30s you may call SCAN: ENEMIES. For every PING you hear back you gain a use of YOU: HEAL that you may add to a pool.
  • Distribute: If you are affected by a call, you may (but don’t have to) call MONSTERS: GAIN PING <X> to that call.
  • Guide: By roleplay (making meaningful noises and waving meaningfully), guide monsters to attack any particularly interesting targets revealed by the SCAN functions on other Connected monsters.