Master Crocodilian
CLIMATE/TERRAIN Temples, cities
FREQUENCY Very rare
ORGANIZATION Solitary or tribe
ACTIVITY CYCLE Any
DIET Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE Very (11-12)
TREASURE K
ALIGNMENT Chaotic evil
NO. APPEARING 1 or 2-7
ARMOR CLASS 5
MOVEMENT 9, swim 12
HIT DICE 3+2
THAC0 17
NO. OF ATTACKS 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK 2-8 or by weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS Spell casting
SPECIAL DEFENSES Spell casting
MAGIC RESISTANCE Nil
SIZE M (6'-7' tall)
MORALE Elite (14)
XP VALUE 270
High priest 420
The masters (as they refer to themselves) are smaller, evil versions of crocodilians. They take malicious glee in killing and eating humans. They fill their days and nights with mirth borne of vile acts, laughing incessantly with guttural chuckles. The masters retain their crocodilian jaws, but their tails are shorter (only 2-3 feet long) and cause no damage. Masters typically fight with weapons and make up for their small size with spellcasting ability. They are all at least 5th-level priests of Set, Anubis, or another evil deity.
Masters typically set themselves up in the sewers or a hidden temple in a large city where they can hatch their loathsome plans. While solitary by nature, they sometimes congregate in small sects. If there are five or more masters together, one of them is a high priest who has been granted 7th-level spellcasting ability and the physical size and combat ability of a brute. Brute crocodilians do not like the masters, but the latter have a knack for manipulating the brutes. Master crocodilians enjoy the company of mummies, jackalweres, and spirit nagas. They often have a pit of normal or giant crocodiles in the depths of their lairs for sacrificing victims.
Master crocodilians are scholars of history, religion, and evil magic. On the other hand, they never learn the spoken languages of warm-blooded sentients. To their ears, human speech is nothing more than the bleating of sheep.
