Special Conversion Thread: Microscopic Monsters
- Thread starter Shade
- Start date
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
How about this?
Giant peridinia subsist primarily through photosynthesis and are therefore usually unagressive. However, they attack immediately any creature that their primitive sensory organs recognize as prey; in nutrient-poor habitats, "prey" can mean nearly anything.
Giant peridinia subsist primarily through photosynthesis and are therefore usually unagressive. However, they attack immediately any creature that their primitive sensory organs recognize as prey; in nutrient-poor habitats, "prey" can mean nearly anything.
Cleon
Legend
Hmm, unaggressive creatures don't normally immediately attack every creature they see, so I would like to reword it a bit.
How about:
Giant peridinia subsist primarily through photosynthesis and do not seek out prey. However, they attack immediately should any edible creature enter the range of their primitive sensory organs' blindsight; in nutrient-poor habitats, "edible prey" may mean nearly anything organic.
My Greek isn't all that good, but I thought you usually changed -um to -a.
Cleon
Legend
Looks good. Updated.
I notice you used "peridinia" as the plural, but elsewhere we have "peridinium" as both singular and plural. Which is correct? Wikipedia talks about "Peridiniales".
We should use Peridinium for both singular and plural like in the original Dragon article usesm since "Peridinium" is a taxonomic name so you're not supposed to change the spelling (since that would risk confusing what creature it is).
I didn't even realize I'd stuck that "Peridinia" in there. I must have stuck that spelling in automatically based on the Greek nouns that use -ia as the plural for -ium (e.g. Medium, Media).
Shade
Monster Junkie
Updatium.
Next!
Gonyaulax
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 1000-4000
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 12.
HIT DICE: 1
% IN LAIR: 0
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 0
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 0
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Flash, paralytic toxin
MAGIC RES.: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALLIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
The cells of Gonyaulax look similar to those of a small Peridinium, and are roughly the size of a basketball. They are not equpped with trichocysts (for game purposes), but are capable of a flash defense like that of a small Peridinium. As individuals they are relatively harmless, but in large blooms (any group of 1000 or more) they secrete enough toxin to kill water-breathing creatures that cannot escape, and will eventually deplete the oxygen in a given small body of water. The toxin causes paralysis of all muscles (including lungs and heart) if the victim does not save against it. Because the poison is so weak, it a saving throw of 2 is sufficient against it . but the save must be repeated every round, and a roll of 1, regardless of any other circumstances, is enough to cause death by drowning to helpless victims in one round.
Gonyaulax occurs in both fresh and salt water, but toxic blooms are confined to salt-water areas to which large quantities of nutrients have recently been added.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #111 (1986).
Next!
Gonyaulax
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 1000-4000
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 12.
HIT DICE: 1
% IN LAIR: 0
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 0
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 0
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Flash, paralytic toxin
MAGIC RES.: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Non-
ALLIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
The cells of Gonyaulax look similar to those of a small Peridinium, and are roughly the size of a basketball. They are not equpped with trichocysts (for game purposes), but are capable of a flash defense like that of a small Peridinium. As individuals they are relatively harmless, but in large blooms (any group of 1000 or more) they secrete enough toxin to kill water-breathing creatures that cannot escape, and will eventually deplete the oxygen in a given small body of water. The toxin causes paralysis of all muscles (including lungs and heart) if the victim does not save against it. Because the poison is so weak, it a saving throw of 2 is sufficient against it . but the save must be repeated every round, and a roll of 1, regardless of any other circumstances, is enough to cause death by drowning to helpless victims in one round.
Gonyaulax occurs in both fresh and salt water, but toxic blooms are confined to salt-water areas to which large quantities of nutrients have recently been added.
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #111 (1986).
GrayLinnorm
Explorer
Are basketball size creatures too big to form a swarm?
Shade
Monster Junkie
GrayLinnorm
Explorer
A basketball would be small. So much for that idea.
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