Mutant Encounter Groups

Bats

These are larger decendants of today's common bat. They prefer to eat insects but are not above catching small animals when they can. One of the characteristics of their mutation is that they are attracted to functioning radar sets. The bats will not normally attack but will if grabbed. They are found in dark areas or flying in swarms of 10 - 20 bats.

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Bear (Giant)

A "throwback" to the days of the prehistoric cave bear, this animal began as a Grizzly Bear. Bears have poor vision but an excellent sense of smell and hearing. The bears are solitary, very territorial and hate humans. The males will attack 50% of the time on detecting an intruder, and a female with cubs will attack 75% of the time on detecting a threat in her territory. Being very hard to kill, the bears can run 50 - 100 meters and attack even with a bullet in their heart. A brain shot will drop a bear in its tracks.

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Bigfoot

The "Sasquatch" of legend. This creature is a very distant relative of man. They can be seen in the forests in which they live. Normally, only individuals are seen and even then for only a short period of time. The bigfoot will only fight when cornered but can sometimes be surprised when their curiosity brings them into a campsite. This happens especially at night which is the time that bigfoot prefers to hunt in.

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Black Flies

A BIG version of the common housefly. These insects are attracted to the smell of meat and cooking. Being that they will feed and breed on the carcasses of any dead animal, they will often carry any disease the animal may have died of. The larvae (maggots) of the flies are found on rotting carcasses and are several centimeters long. The maggots are considered to be a delicacy by some.

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Blue Undead

The Blue Undead are creatures that at one time were living people. When caught in the heavy radiation after the war, some people, instead of dying outright, became what is known as the blue undead. These creatures have almost no intelligence due to the higher centers of their brains being destroyed by the radiation. Because their bodies are supported almost totally by the radiation they absorbed, they must be almost totally blown apart (all SPs taken) before they "die". They are fairly strong but are extremely radioactive (1000 - 6000 rads/hr.) and can kill with a touch or by being in their close vicinity for a length of time. Due to their innate radiation they sometimes glow blue in the dark (hence the name). Their once having been human makes them curious and attracted to people who come near them. They try to contact passersby and, due to their lack of intelligence, cannot easily "change their minds" and go away even while they're being destroyed.

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Buffs

As giant buffalo, these animals are found in heards of 10-20 individuals. Buffs are peaceful giants preferring to simply graze on vegetation to doing anything else. A Buff will sometimes charge and ram for almost no reason and because of this should be left alone (unless you are hungry). They have very poor eyesight but excellent hearing, and a very good sense of smell.

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Crows

This giant crow will rarely attack, but may attempt to drive off intruders who approach while the birds are feeding. Crows fly in flocks of 6 -12 birds while feeding and can devastate crops and farms. Farmers love to see these birds shot.

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Dragon Lizard

A giant meat-eating reptile, this lizard prefers to eat carrion. However, it is not above bringing down some big game it can catch. Normally slow-moving and solitary, the dragon can strike very quickly when aroused, bringing down its prey with its lashing tail and powerful teeth and claws.

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Electric Catfish

Very large, slow-moving decendants of aquarium breeding pond escapees. This fish stuns its prey with a powerful shock of electricity. After the prey is knocked unconcious, the catfish feeds at its leisure. Catfish live in almost any body of water large enough to support them and are feared by local natives due to their ability to shock anything that comes in contact with the water in which they live.

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Gila Monster

A gigantic version of todays gila monster. This lizard is normally slow-moving and sluggish but can attack suddenly when hungry or threatened. The gila monster has poison glands in its mouth but does not have fangs to inject it with. To inject the poison, the lizard bites and holds on, chewing the poison into the wound. Once it bites, either the gila monster or its prey must die before it releases the bite.

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Grunts

A worker caste found with most other groups of people who are willing to accept them. Grunts are a low-intelligence, strong, hard-working, friendly group of people. They are willing to work for food and lodging and are fond of bright, shiny objects. Very loyal, they will become violent if they find they have been used to harm other people.

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Maggots

Inbred, mutated decendants of people who moved underground after the war. Looking only semi-human, these creatures have three-fingered hands that they clench together and use as a single claw. Maggots rarely face their opponents, preferring instead to strike from behind, tearing out the victim's throat with their claws. Being nocturnal, Maggots only come above ground at night preferring to sleep by day in their maze of underground tunnels. The tunnel entrances can be found by the slight mounds (4-6 meters wide, 1-2 meters high) they make on the surface.

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Minimoose

As a dwarf moose, this animal is very aggressive for its size. They are normally found singly near water where they feed on plants. The males will attack on sight 50% of the time. A Cow with a calf (25% chance) will attack 75% of the time on sighting nearby intruders.

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Mink

This is an especially vicious giant mutant. Due to its size it has very few natural enemies and it also has to eat a great deal to keep itself healthy. The mink is a solitary animal and will attack anything it considers food, including humans. Its fur is highly prized, since a single mink fur can be made into a coat, or blanket.

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Mosquitoes

Due to the bloodthirsty nature of the female member of this giant species, the mosquito can do damage simply from the volume of blood it can draw from the victim. Mosquitoes very often carry a disease from feeding on the carcasses of diseased victims.

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Pike

A giant member of the pike family, this fish can be compared to a freshwater shark. Though the pike is not attracted to blood in the water it will attack someone swimming on the surface. Pike sometimes float on the surface and when doing so resemble a sunken log.

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Porcupine

A giant, slow-moving vegetarian, the porcupine is one of the most harmless mutants. The animal is easily killed and can be a source of food. Porkies will rarely attack preferring to turn ist quill covered back on any aggressor. They can cause a great deal of damage due to their attraction to anything containing salt, which they will chew to shreds to obtain the salt.

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Scorpion

These large poisonous scorpions will feed on anything thay can find. They prefer to hide in the shadows of cliffs and overhangs and under boulders during the day and hunt at night. Scorpions are very solitary and two of them will attack each other on sight.

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Scragger

A "throwback" human to the level of of the prehistoric era. These people are very much like a modern Neanderthal except that their bodies are covered with hair. Scraggers dislike normal humans and will attack any lone individuals or small groups they encounter.

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Skunk

The "magnum" version of the modern skunk. This animal has complete faith in its chemical weapon and because of this fears few other animals in its territory.

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Slasher

A large, fearless wild boar, these pigs when forced to fight, will try to slash their attackers with their tusks. The animal prefers to eat quietly on roots and nuts and will often run away if approached. If attacked they will fight viciously. Normally solitary, a sow pig with piglets (25% chance) will often attack anything she sees as a threat to her brood.

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Smother

This is an arboreal (tree dwelling) snake that has membranes attached to extended ribs. When the snake spreads these "wings", much like a cobra speading its hood, they will allow it to glide down and attack its prey. The prey is killed by the snake wrapping itself around the victims head and smothering it. Smothers do not normally attack anything too large for them to eat, but will attack any animal that disturbs the tree that they are in.

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Snapper

Mutated from an Alligator Snapper, this turtle has an articulated (jointed) shell which allows it to move more easily than its hard-shelled ancestor. Snappers are solitary and very territorial. They prefer to attack suddenly from ambush when their prey approaches closely enough.

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Stubs

An agricultural group of people. Stubs are marked by their all being dwarfs due to radiation induced genetic change. Generally a friendly people, they tend to be distrustful of the "bigs", the name they use when referring to the normal human population.

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Sturgeon

This is a very large peaceful fish that inhabits clean lakes and rivers. Sturgeons are bottom feeders and eat clams and other shellfish. While they are excellent eating, they are difficult to catch due to their hard, bony skin making spearing difficult and their size and strength allow them to break most nets.

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Timber Rattler

This giant rattlesnake is larger than a modern Anaconda. Their venom is not exceptionally toxic but because they inject so much of it when they strike, it acts as a type C poison. The rattler is not afraid of anything, and will eat whatever comes its way when it is hungrey. Being cold-blooded, the snake prefers to spend its time sunning itself on large rocks.

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Wolverine

This is a giant wolverine, and as such, is the most feared animal in the world. It will attack anything, including vehicles, that enters its territory and that the animal sees as a threat. They are solitary animals and rarely is more than one encountered at one time. The wolverine does not fear anything and will only stop fighting when it or its target is dead. This is one of the few animals to kill just for the fun of it.

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Wolves

These are genetic throwbacks to the prehistoric Dire Wolf. These wolves act in packs of 4 - 8 individuals and a pack can bring down a full grown Buff if they are hungry enough to risk it. Being very fast learners, these wolves recognize Man as an enemy and will attack individuals whenever they can.

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