Animals

Dromedaries are known for their ability to travel long distances without food or water. A dromedary is a onehumped camel, and it thrives in warm deserts. A dromedary stands about 7 feet tall at the shoulder, with its hump rising 1 foot higher.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a dromedary is up to 300 pounds; a medium load, 301–600 pounds; and a heavy load, 601–900 pounds. A dromedary can drag 4,500 pounds.

Combat

*A dromedary’s bite is treated as a secondary attack and adds only 1/2 the camel’s Strength bonus to the damage roll.

Sure Feet (Ex): Dromedary camels have broad feet that help them travel easily over sand and similar loose surfaces. They treat shallow sand as normal terrain and deep sand as shallow sand. See Sand Travel, page 18, for descriptions of shallow and deep sand.

Two-humped camels are known for their ability to move through difficult terrain. These animals are suited to areas of the waste that are rockier and more difficult to traverse for dromedary camels. The creature appears slightly stocky compared to its one-humped cousin, the dromedary. It stands about 6-1/2 feet tall at the shoulder, its humps rising 1 foot higher.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a two-humped camel is up to 300 pounds; a medium load, 301–600 pounds; and a heavy load, 601–900 pounds. A two-humped camel can drag 4,500 pounds.

Combat

*A two-humped camel’s bite is treated as a secondary attack and adds only 1/2 the camel’s Strength bonus to the damage roll.

Sure Feet (Ex): Two-humped camels have broad feet that help them travel easily over sand and similar loose surfaces. They treat shallow sand as normal terrain and deep sand as shallow sand. See Sand Travel, page 18, for a description of shallow sand.

These animals are similar to dromedary camels but are trained and bred for strength and aggression. A war camel can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless she succeeds on a Ride check.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a war camel is up to 300 pounds; a medium load, 301–600 pounds; and a heavy load, 601–900 pounds. A war camel can drag 4,500 pounds.

Combat

A war camel serves its rider well, with its ability to attack both with its flashing hooves and its vicious bite.

Sure Feet (Ex): War camels have broad feet that help them travel easily over sand and similar loose surfaces. They treat shallow sand as normal terrain and deep sand as shallow sand. See Sand Travel, page 18, for descriptions of shallow and deep sand.

Sometimes known as the river horse, the hippopotamus is an immense mammal usually found in or near rivers, ponds, and lakes. It spends most of its daylight hours wallowing in mud or lounging in water to keep its skin from drying out.

The typical river hippo has eyes on the top portion of its head (rather than the sides), so that it can see above water as it floats. Its large nostrils close tight when it submerges, and it can hold its breath for several minutes at a time. A hippopotamus can even sleep while submerged.

Combat

Hippopotami are often brutally territorial and do not hesitate to attack anything they perceive as a threat. Their powerful, tusklike incisors can slice through wood and even thin metal with ease.

Hold Breath (Ex): A hippopotamus can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 8 × its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

Skills: A hippopotamus has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Horned toads are adapted to life in the waste. They are generally harmless (their diet consists of insects, spiders, and similar creatures), but they are capable of defending themselves effectively.

Horned lizards resemble large toads, but their flat, round bodies are covered with sharp spines. They have short, thick tails, and their skin is a collage of desert colors.

Combat

A horned lizard that is threatened uses its blood squirt ability to surprise and distract predators. It then escapes by burrowing into the sand.

Blood Squirt (Ex): A horned lizard can spray a small quantity of blood from its eyes, out to a distance of 5 feet. The blood loss causes no harm to the creature, but it is disconcerting to those who view this ability. Foes who see this display must make a DC 11 Will save or be shaken for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Spines (Ex): A horned lizard is covered with sharp, thornlike spines. An opponent that hits it with a natural weapon or an unarmed attack automatically takes 1d2 points of piercing damage.

Skills: A horned toad has a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks.

Servals are wildcats that hunt small animals in savannahs and desert regions.

A typical serval is about 3 feet long and weighs around 40 pounds; males are somewhat heavier than females.

Combat

Servals are accomplished jumpers and can leap 10 feet into the air to snatch birds. They are also capable of great bursts of speed.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a serval must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake.

Pounce (Ex): If a serval charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +4 melee, damage 1d3.

Skills: Servals have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, Hide, and Move Silently checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Jump and Listen checks. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Jump checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus increases to +8.

Vultures are birds of prey that feed on carrion. They are resistant to food poisoning—a necessity, considering their diet—and they have a keen sense of smell, unlike other birds.

A typical vulture is 2 to 3 feet long and has a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet. The largest specimens can have a wingspan of 12 feet. Vultures are unparalleled gliders and can soar for hours while barely flapping their wings.

Combat

Vultures are not aggressive, except over a food source. They can home in on rotting flesh from miles away, flocking in large numbers and fighting over the food among themselves and other scavengers. If another nearby creature is close to death when the flock arrives, the vultures are not above helping it along.

Resistance to Disease (Ex): A vulture has a cast-iron stomach. It has a +2 bonus on Fortitude saves to resist normal diseases, but not supernatural or magical diseases such as mummy rot.

Skills: A vulture has a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Survival checks.