SHANTAK

conqueror of the sky

Trapped though he was by fabulous and hippocephalic winged nightmares that pressed around in great unholy circles, Randolph Carter did not lose consciousness. Lofty and horrible those titan gargoyles towered above him, while the slant-eyed merchant leaped down from his yak and stood grinning before the captive. […] It was hard work ascending, for the Shantak-bird has scales instead of feathers, and those scales are very slippery.

—The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath, Howard Phillips Lovecraft, 1927

Shantaks are similar to birds, but instead of feathers, they wear a kind of scaly coat, which can prove to be very slippery. Adults are larger than an elephant, with a head not unlike that of a horse, and like them, shantaks are often used as mounts. Their sounds resemble giggling tones that are quickly reminiscent of the scratching of glass on stone. Shantaks are said to have a great fear of dark droughts. Colossal in size and extremely tasty, Shantak eggs are a prized commodity throughout the Dreamlands. The procurement, however, is a dangerous matter that has already cost many lives. Because on the one hand the nests of the Shantaks are at dizzying heights and on the other hand these mighty creatures defend their clutch vehemently.

SPECIAL POWERS 

Ability to Fly: The creature can move through the air.

Massive: A massive target loses hit points from common attacks, but lethality attacks are less efficient. They only deal damage equal to their lethality value.

Knockdown: On a successful attack by the creature, the target is knocked prone. This effect can only be avoided by dodging.

Yog-Sothothery: Shantaks can be tamed as mounts and are a tried and tested means of transportation for many beings in the dreamlands. They are often said to perform services for the Great Old Ones, whether voluntary or under duress is unclear. Some report that Shantaks can also move through space and have dragged some poor souls up to the throne of Azathoth.

SHANTAK, conqueror of the sky

STR: 50

CON: 50

DEX: 10

INT: 4

POW:10 

HP: 50

Damage Bonus/Lethality: +#D#

Build: Very Large (target size bonus: +20%).

Willpower Points: 10

ATTACKS

Attacks per round: # or # (# while in “form”)

Fighting attacks: .

Bite 20%, Lethality 25%.

Dodge: ##%

Armor: 8 point thick skin..

Skills: Athletics 25%, Vigilance 50%.

Rituals: None

Sanity Loss: 1d4/1d10