Varsk-like Beasties

• Name: Hroll (sing.), hroll (plural)
  
• Type: Large Beast
  
• Hit Dice: 6d8 + 24
  
• Initiative: +0
  
• Speed: 30 feet
  
• AC: 15 (-1 size, +6 natural)
  
• Attacks: Butt +5 melee
  
• Damage: Butt: 1d8+5
  
• Face/Reach: 5 ft by 10 ft / 5 ft
  
• Special attacks: Stampede
  
• Special qualities: Scent
  
• Saves: Fort +9, Ref +0, Will +1
  
• Abilities: Str 20, Dex 6, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 8, Cha 3.
  
• Feats: Bullrush
  
• Skills: Listen +7, Spot +7
  
• Climate/Terrain: Frozen plains and hills
  
• Organization: Solitary or herd (4-12)
  
• Challenge Rating: 2
  
• Treasure: None
  
• Alignment: Always neutral
  
• Advancement: 8-10 HDie (Large)
  
• Bloodline: None.
  

Appearance

Hroll are large white furred lizards with a thickset build, males grow two spiraling 'ram' horns from their head on either side of a thick blunt bony pate, females do not grow horns. Hroll are slightly shorter than a varsk but much fatter. They often stand 6 foot tall at the shoulder, are almost as broad, and weigh up to 3,000 pounds. The hroll are notoriously placid aside from during mating season and have an almost trunk-like mouth due to the beasts long lips used to slurp algae. The sound of hroll slurping algae from rocks and ice is almost continual around the beasts.

The noted Brecht traveler Brigit Hansen described the relationship of a hroll to a varsk as that of a cow to a horse, a surprisingly accurate description both in domesticated role and appearance. Domesticated hroll are typically branded by their Vos herdsmen to show ownership, hroll used to haul wagons and the like have their tails docked, most captive males have their horns removed and regularly honed down to reduce the danger of handling.

Combat

Hroll are poor combatants, typically relying on a gore or head-butt attack or trampling foes. Their bite is strong but their pronounced lips which are so effective at sucking up algae prevent them from having an effective bite attack.

Habitat / society

Hroll in the wild form small matriarchal family groups of up to a dozen or so, entirely female aside from adolescent males. Adult male 'bulls' wander separately, although they often trail groups of cows, the two genders only mix during mating season when males are permitted in the family group, otherwise females drive out males.

The matriarch is the largest female hroll in the pack, competitor females either leave to form their own family group, or challenge the matriarch to a head butting contest in order to establish dominance.

Ecology

Hroll are herded in numbers in the north of Vosgaard - no mere cattle could survive in the frozen north although some Vos prefer to herd reindeer instead. Hroll meat is tough but palatable, its hide is good for making leather and its sinews are used routinely by the Vos in place of rope.

Musk: Every summer female and male hroll enter mating season, announced by long bellowing lows and increased aggression. Both genders sweat a musk from their underbelly designed to signal their presence to the opposite gender, this musk which takes the form of a thick glutinous fluid of milky hue is highly prized by perfumers and brewers alike for its heady intoxicating scent.

Bull hroll make a far stronger (and thus more valuable) musk but are notorious for their objection to it being scraped from their bellies - many a Vos youth first proved himself a man by 'stroking the bull' as the Vos name the practice of swiftly slicing off a tuft of the sodden belly fur though otherwise hroll herdsmen are noted for being held in contempt by other Vos who see the role as cowardly as the hroll are both submissive and slow. Oddly hroll musk does not freeze except in the direst cold.

Hroll become weak and eventually die if the temperature goes much above freezing. They eat almost any plant life from algae to pine needles and cones, but are not averse to chomping anything that comes to close to their mouth such as earthworms or the fingers of a careless handler.

Variants

An aquatic variant can be found off the coast of Vosgaard, the mar-hroll feeds mainly on plankton, but also seaweed and small fish that blunder near it.
Purpose

The hroll is designed to fill the 'cow' niche - it is a base animal designed to explain herding in the frozen north. Yes you could probably use reindeer, but the hroll gives you a more stolid option.
Lore
A diet of Hroll meat makes a man strong and cures him of ills, a Hroll steak held over a wound prevents infection and lessens bruising.

• Name: Gruff, Gruffin
  
• Type: Large animal
  
• Hit Dice: 4d8+
  
• Initiative: +2 (Dex)
  
• Speed: 50 feet
  
• AC: 14 (-1 size, +5 natural)
  
• Attacks: Bite +x melee
  
• Damage: Bite 1d8+x
  
• Face/Reach: 5 ft by 5 ft / 5 ft
  
• Special attacks: Lockjaw
  
• Special qualities: Scent
  
• Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
  
• Abilities: Str 20, Dex 15, Con 20, int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
  
• Skills: Hide +, Listen +, Move silently +, Spot +
  
• Feats: Improved Grapple, Track.
  
• Climate/Terrain: The Frozen North of Vosgaard
  
• Organization: Solitary or Pack
  
• Challenge Rating: 2
  
• Treasure: none (pelt)
  
• Alignment: Always neutral
  
• Advancement: 5-6 hit die
  
• Bloodline: None.
  

Appearance

The Gruff has fine white fur - although some rare Gruff have fur that is charcoal grey or (in the case of prestigious lines) striped white and grey. A tall proud-standing brute the Gruff has a deep howling bark and is noted for giving off almost no scent.

Combat

The Gruff typically seek to grapple foes and drag them to the ground. The Gruff can - and will - lock its jaws on a foe, the only way to release a Gruffs bite - aside from an order from its master - is to kill it for Gruff never simply let go of live foes. Gruff are often trained to work in concert with their master, and may attack blade arms to disarm foes or to distract foes so their master can land a killing blow.

Habitat/Society

Few Gruff live wild in current day Vosgaard, although some packs still roam the wilderness. Most Gruff are domesticated to guard herds, aid hunters, or serve in war. In the wild packs are led by a dominant male that brooks no insubordination and will dare to attack almost any beast in the Tundra.

Ecology

Although rarely recognized by the Vos the bulk of the diet of Gruff are in fact rats, Vetch, and other small animals. Gruff also eat deer, reindeer, domesticated animals, bears and even varsks.

Purpose

when it gets too cold even for wolves use Gruff. They can act as colorful wardogs for the Vos to match the Varsk mounts.

Lore
Gruff are a noble breed that exemplify the Vos traits of strength and courage. In the right conditions Gruff can track a coward for a week after the coward has fled.

• Name: Varsky (sing.), Varskyn (plural)
  
• Type: Large animal
  
• Hit Dice: 3d8+15
  
• Initiative: +0
  
• Speed: 50 ft
  
• AC: 14 (-1 size, +5 natural)
  
• Attacks: 2 foreclaws +4 melee
  
• Damage: 2 Claws 1d6+4
  
• Face/Reach: 5 ft by 10 ft/5 ft
  
• Special attacks: None
  
• Special qualities: Scent
  
• Saves: Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +2
  
• Abilities: Str 18, Dex 10, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6.
  
• Feats: None
  
• Skills: Listen +7, Spot +7
  
• Climate/Terrain: Cold plains and hills.
  
• Organization: Herd
  
• Challenge Rating: 1
  
• Treasure: None
  
• Alignment: Always Neutral
  
• Advancement: 4 Hdie (Large)
  
• Bloodline: None.
  

Combat

Varskyn are taller and more lightly built than Varsks, they are favored by some raiders, and those in slightly more southerly realms as Varskyn can survive temperatures slightly higher than Varsk. Many Vos warriors however shun Varskyn for their comparative weakness to Varsk, and consider those warriors that ride them to be accordingly inferior.

Habitat / society

A few Varskyn herds yet roam Vosgaard, typically a single stallion and a small harem of fillies, wild Varskyn are hunted by predators for food and Vos Warriors for use as beasts of burden. Most Varskyn however are kept domestically by the Vos.

Ecology

Varskyn eat everything from patches of moss to grasses, leaves, and even in desperation wooden branches. Varskyn leather is supple and strong if properly treated, tjeir sinews make good bowstrings, their claws can be rendered to make glue, their meat is palatable - truly the beast is a gift of Belinik!

Variants

Varskyn exist with duller fur - grey or brown, a few have almost silver fur and these are greatly prized by the Vos. Those with duller fur are typically used by merchants and the like rather than warriors and are widely accepted to be less intelligent and more docile.

Purpose

This is a light warhorse variant for Vosgaard, when a Varsk would be overpowered but the DM wants to 'keep it brutal' a Varsky can be used instead of a mere horse.

Lore
Varskyn are noted for their endurance, and are often used as messengers. One Varsky, Silverbeard, is said to have carried its master from the Battle Fens to Yenininsky without pause to warn the Vos of the elves invading from the northern seas.

• Name: Vetch (sing.), Vetch (plural)
  
• Type: Small animal
  
• Hit Dice: 1d8+1
  
• Initiative: +2 (dex)
  
• Speed: 40 ft, climb 10 ft.
  
• AC: 15 (+1 size, +2 dex, +2 natural)
  
• Attacks: Bite: +x melee
  
• Damage: Bite: 1d4+x
  
• Face/Reach:5ft by 5 ft/5 ft
  
• Special attacks: Disease
  
• Special qualities: Scent
  
• Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
  
• Abilities: Str 12, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 4.
  
• Feats: Weapon finesse: bite.
  
• Skills: Climb+, Hide+, Spot+, Move Silently+
  
• Climate/Terrain: Tundra and icy forests
  
• Organization: Pack
  
• Challenge Rating: 1/3
  
• Treasure: None
  
• Alignment: Always neutral but vicious
  
• Advancement: 2-3 HD (small)
  
• Bloodline: None.
  

Combat

The vicious Vetch attack as a pack when prey appears weak and unable to resist, or when an enemy is sleeping, but otherwise almost never attack live prey. Vetch are notorious for following ailing beasts for days and even weeks, waiting for their prey to falter and fall so they can safely devour it.

Habitat / society

Vetch are never encountered alone - even when only one Vetch is seen others are always present - the one seen is usually a weaker Vetch forced to venture out by the others to determine whether it is safe for the pack to venture forth.

Ecology

Vetch are ubiquitous in Vosgaard. Every Vos lad and girl grows up familiar with their scent and having spent long hours trying to trap or throwing stones at the beasts. A Brecht merchant once calculated that over a tenth of every Vos harvest was consumed by the voracious Vetch. Vetch meat is rank and unpalatable, its skin makes poor fur that tears easily, Orel Kaavinsky of the Temple of Might once described the Vetch as the most worthless creature in existence, though the priestesses of Kriesha are said to respect their patience and guile - it is said that no trap catches two Vetch, and few catch even one.

Variants

None.

Purpose

The Vetch are a northern variant of rats. A swarm of Vetch would make a good temple motivator for priestesses of Kriesha. They can be used to explain poor harvests or as omens of ill fortune.

Lore
Vetch can smell fear, in the tundra it draws them from miles around. Where they smell fear on a warrior they will eat him alive for his cowardice.

• Name: XXX (sing.), XXX (plural)
  
• Type: Large Beast
  
• Hit Dice:
  
• Initiative:
  
• Speed:
  
• AC:
  
• Attacks:
  
• Damage:
  
• Face/Reach:
  
• Special attacks:
  
• Special qualities:
  
• Saves: Fort +, Ref +, Will +
  
• Abilities: Str , Dex , Con , Int , Wis , Cha .
  
• Feats
  
• Skills:
  
• Climate/Terrain
  
• Organization:
  
• Challenge Rating:
  
• Treasure:
  
• Alignment:
  
• Advancement:
  
• Bloodline: None.
  

Combat

A description of the monster in combat, common tactics and vulnerabilities, etc. Remember that intelligence has a huge impact on strategies used and the ability of the beast to adapt to new circumstances.

Habitat / society

How does the monster relate to others of its kind and to strangers? When do they work together and how do they fight? How do they choose leaders and how do those leaders rule? What are the goals of those leaders? Where do they live and how does this affect their behavior? Do they make or use tools? Why does this monster have treasure, how does it get it and what does it do with it? Does the monster have common guards or allies?

Ecology

This should include types of food eaten as well as what, if anything, eats them. Any useful by-products should be listed such as fur, foodstuffs, etc. What creatures live in harmony / with the beast or compete with it? What sort and size of territory does it hold? If the beast is domesticated what is it used for and who uses it?

Variants

Common variants, advanced versions, etc.

Purpose

Every monster should be made for a reason - explain what that reason is here.

Lore
Any rumors or tales that are told of the creatures - true or otherwise.