[Tired of crocodiles attacking your low-level parties? Try Crassygrinus for all your aquatic ambush predator needs!]
Crassigyrinus This
creature looks something like a tadpole the size of a man, with oversized jaws
bearing two rows of needle-like teeth. Its limbs are almost comically small in
comparison to its body.
The crassigyrinus is a strange aquatic predator,
something between a fish and an amphibian. Their ancestors were terrestrial organisms,
but they returned to the water for the rich hunting opportunities, and are only
able to drag themselves across land at great difficulty. They hunt by ambush,
laying on the bottom of lakes and rivers and lunging at potential prey—any
organism smaller than themselves. Their skull is robust and reinforced, and
those caught in a crassigyrinus’ jaws may find it easier to kill the beast than
to wrestle themselves free.
Despite their ferocity, crassigyrinus are
themselves preyed upon by larger predators, and so are apt to flee from a Large
sized creature or a suitable show of force. They are speedy in the water, and
excel at maneuvering through tangles of plant matter or narrow crevices. When
prey is plentiful, they congregate in large numbers, their odd rippling songs
reverberating both above and below water.
Crassigyrinus
as Animal Companions Starting
Statistics: Size Small; Speed 5 ft., swim 40 ft..; AC +4 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6); Ability Scores Str 12, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 4; Special Qualities aquatic blindsight, low-light vision.
4th-Level
Advancement: Size Medium; Attack bite (1d8); Ability Scores Str +4, Dex
–2, Con +2; Special Attacks grab, lockjaw
Shores of Swords 