Something smells Fishy around here...

[BOZ]

AFANC
Gargantuan Beast (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 15d10+105 (187 hp)
Initiative: 0
Speed: Swim 40 ft
AC: 14 (-4 size, +8 natural)
Attacks: Bite +17 melee, or 2 flippers +17 melee
Damage: Bite 5d4+18, or flipper 3d4+12
Face/Reach: 20 ft by 40 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Whirlpool, swallow whole
Saves: Fort +16, Ref +9, Will +6
Abilities: Str 35, Dex 11, Con 24, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 10
Skills: Listen +12, Spot +12, Swim +16

Climate/Terrain: Warm aquatic
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral (evil tendencies)
Advancement: 16-30 HD (Gargantuan); 31-45 HD (Colossal)

The afanc is a gigantic, carnivorous fish that creates a whirlpool to sink ships. This predator swims leisurely in shallow saltwater oceans, and its grey or blue gray body leads it to be often mistaken for a whale at a distance. This great fish does have a whale-like body, though it has fish head, scales, and a vertical tail. They are capable of breathing both air and water, but have no capacity to move on land.
Afanc are minimally intelligent, and have learned how to trick sailors to their doom. Some stories suggest that some afanc have learned to speak or even sing, in voluminous yet dry voices.

COMBAT
The afanc likes to attack small ships with its whirlpool attack, or charge at small boats and rafts to capsize them. It will usually avoid ships more than 60 feet in length, but it may ram then to see what happens. If it can swallow prey in the water it will, otherwise it attacks with bite or flippers. Using its "disguise" as a whale, the afanc often waits for prey to come looking for it, rather than hunting.
Whirlpool (Ex): An afanc can create a whirlpool by swimming in closer and closer circles around its target. It will usually attack craft between 30 feet and 60 feet in length in this way, starting near the surface of the water at a distance of 100 feet from the vessel, moving at its normal speed.
It takes the afanc 1d4+4 rounds to create the whirlpool, every round moving faster, closer to the ship, and deeper into the water. As it completes the attack, its speed is doubled, and it is within 40 feet of the ship, which begins to sink below the waves at a rate of 10 feet per round. This attack can be stopped by distractions, such as crew jumping or falling into the water, or successful attack by spells or missile weapons.
Swallow Whole (Ex): An afanc can try to swallow an opponent of Large or smaller size by making a successful bite attack. Once inside, the opponent takes 2d4+6 crushing damage plus 2d4+4 points of acid damage per round from the afanc's digestive juices. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by dealing 30 points of damage to the afanc's digestive tract (AC 12). The afanc's gullet can hold two Large, four Medium-size, or eight Small or smaller creatures.

The afanc first appeared in Monster Manual II (1983), and later appeared in the Monstrous Compendium Annual One (1994).

 

[BOZ]

NARWHALE
Huge Beast (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 4d10+24 (46 hp)
Initiative: +2 (Dex)
Speed: Swim 50 ft
AC: 14 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural)
Attacks: Horn +11 melee
Damage: Horn 2d12+15
Face/Reach: 10 ft by 20 ft/10 ft
Special Qualities: Blindsight
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +6

Climate/Terrain: Cold aquatic
Organization: Solitary or pod (1-6)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Huge); 9-12 HD (Gargantuan)

The narwhale is also called the "unicorn of the ocean," for the long spiral horn that protrudes from the skull of males. This whale lives in frigid arctic waters, and grows to a considerable size of 20-40 feet. The horn, which is used for digging through the sea floor for shellfish more than combat, is 6-12 feet in length.
These peaceful creatures are sometimes seen as pets or guards in communities of dolphins and aquatic elves.

COMBAT
Narwhales are not aggressive creatures, but will defend themselves in times of emergency. Females attack by ramming targets (2d4 damage), then flees.

The narwhale first appeared in Monster Manual II (1983), then in Monstrous Compendium Two (1989) under the "whale" entry, and the Monstrous Manual (1993).

 

[Magus Darkholme]

Fishy indeed!
I love the afanc, definitely .
I do have a Q though: isn't the Narwhale still around today? If so, wouldn't that make it an animal and not a beast?

 

[Moulin Rogue]

Could someone pass off a narwhale horn as that of a unicorn? Maybe it needs an Appraise check or something?

 

[Krishnath]

The narwhale *is* still around today, and can be found in the arctic ocean, living of shellfish mostly, and competeing with Walruses for food. And I do belive it should be an animal...

 

[BOZ]

narwhale - narwhal?

i knew this one would come up, but i was too tired to write a disclaimer. so here goes.

the narwhal/ is an animal that exists today. its horn, in times long ago, was brought back from the wild and used as "evidence" that unicorns existed. i'd say that yes, you could pass off a horn as a unicorn horn, to someone not familiar enough to identify it properly (and many people with good alignments will be irate with you over this).
but here's the problem! i looked this up, because i wanted to see if the D&D narwhale was the same as the real narwhal (notice, no E at the end). they are very very close, but not entirely. the narwhal does not actually have a horn - that long protrusion is actually a tooth! i checked several websites to make sure, and yes that "horn" is actually the animal's left tooth.
the D&D narwhale, if you look at the picture in the MM2, has a horn right in the middle of its head. it's quite clear, just like a unicorn horn, and the entry says nothing about it being a tooth. since it seems mister gygax wanted his narwhale to be more uncicorn-like than the real narwhal, i see it as a different creature. so, since according to the MM only historical animals can be "Animal" type, i made this one a Beast since it was just different enough.
let's have a bit of discussion on this one. i'm willing to alter it if the consensus is that it should be an animal instead of a beast. opinions? i'm listening.

 

[Magus Darkholme]

Well, after you cleared that up rather nicely, I have to say keep it as is. Since it is different in appearance, even though it's just slightly, it should stay a beast.
Got any other fishy foes for us to throw at some PCs?

 

[BOZ]

yes. very soon.

 

[Krishnath]

No, no, don't change it, it's fine as it is.

 

[BOZ]

VERME
Gargantuan Beast (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 18d10+144 (243 hp)
Initiative: -1 (Dex)
Speed: Swim 50 ft
AC: 15 (-4 size, -1 Dex, +10 natural)
Attacks: Bite +23 melee
Damage: Bite 3d8+21
Face/Reach: 20 ft by 40 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Swallow whole
Special Qualities: Resist edge weapons, fire resistance 20, armored head
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +10, Will +6
Abilities: Str 39, Dex 9, Con 27, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 6
Skills: Listen +10, Spot +10, Swim +15

Climate/Terrain: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 19
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 19-36 HD (Gargantuan); 37-54 (Colossal)

The verme is probably the largest of all fish, able to swallow a large shark or even a baby whale in one gulp. These fish prefer great rivers, but are occasionally known to venture out into saltwater oceans. It can swallow creatures in the water, and can also eat things on the riverbanks, reaching its enormous armored head out of the water to snatch cattle or even humans. Its stomach is likely to contain metallic and other indigestible items, remnants of previously swallowed victims.
A verme resembles a catfish of unbeleiveable size, between 50 to 80 feet in length, with very large scales, and a mouthful of needles for teeth. Its underside is pale yellow, and its flanks run from dark brown to a mottling of green and brown along the back. This gigantically long fish is flat along the belly, and wider than it is high, to help it lurk along the bottom in shallow waters.

COMBAT
A hungry verme is a ravenous predator that will not be denied. It swallows any prey it hits, and is able to capsize even large craft. It will attempt to swallow creatures attacking its head before it attacks those on its sides. The fire resistance of the fish applies only to its outer body; fire affects the beast normally inside of the mouth or internally.
Swallow Whole (Ex): A verme automatically swallows an opponent of Large or smaller size by making a successful bite attack. Once inside, the opponent takes 3d8+4 crushing damage plus 2d8+4 points of acid damage per round from the verme's digestive juices. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by dealing 30 points of damage to the verme's digestive tract (AC 10).
The verme's gullet can hold four Large, eight Medium-size, or sixteen Small or smaller creatures.
Resist Edged Weapons (Ex): A verme's thick, slimy scales make slashing and peircing weapons nearly useless against it. Attack from such weapons inflict only 1 point of damage, plus magic and strength bonuses.
Armored Head (Ex): The verme's bony head provides it with a +2 bonus to its natural armor class against anyone attacking it's head. Any creatures subject to the verme's bite attack are considered to be facing its head in that round.

The verme first appeared in Monster Manual II (1983), and later appeared in the Monstrous Compendium Annual Two (1995) under the "fish" entry.