---

HOME | CONTACT | BESTIARY | ACADEMY | LINKS | LIBRARY | OTHER WORLD | GAZETTER|

---

An Outback Bestiary

page 2

Kangaroo

Kangaroos are perhaps the most famous symbol of Australia and its wildlife, thoroughly unique creatures. Fulfilling the role deer, elk, and antelope play in most ecosystems, the kangaroos are actually a tremendously varied group, including species that dwell in trees.

Kangaroos are very common creatures, and are often hunted by megalania, thylacines, thylacoleos, and Aborigines. Generally, they will seek to flee a hunter, though if cornered can kick for 1-6 points of damage.

Kangaroo, Giant

Climate/Terrain:	Grasslands, forests	Hit Dice:	9
Frequency:	Common	THAC0:	17
Organization:	Herd	No. of Attacks:	1
Activity Cycle:	Day	Damage/Attack:	2-16
Diet:	Herbivore	Special Attacks:	Nil
Intelligence:	Animal	Special Defenses:	Nil
Treasure:	Nil	Magic Resistance:	Nil
Alignment:	Neutral	Size:	Large (10 feet high)
No. Appearing:	1-12	Morale:	Average
Armor Class:	6	XP Value:	200
Movement:	walk 8/leap 22

In Pleistocene times there once existed truly giant kanagroos, monsters that almost defy comprehension. Although still herbivores and therefore prey to many (including perhaps adventurers), they are far from easy targets. Procoptodon goliah was the largest kangaroo ever, and had a shortened flat face and forward-looking eyes. Sthenurus was another gigantic specimen, also with short jaws, a short tail, and a huge forth toe. These animals were generally browsers, living off the leaves of trees, rather than grazers as many kangaroos are today.

If attacked, the kangaroo will likely flee, using its tremendous leaping capacity to sprint away at a phenomenal movement rate of 22. However, if cornered and forced to fight, it can lash out with a tremendous kick, enough to kill a lesser man, each blow doing 2-16 points of damage.

On the fantasy continent of Uluru, the giant kangaroo is a prized prey item of the Aborigines, though it can be difficult to obtain them for dinner. In more open areas they can spot hunters from a long way off, and leap away to safety, and in more closed in forested areas, can lash out and kill hunters.

Kangaroo, Predatory

Climate/Terrain:	Grasslands, forests	Hit Dice:	6
Frequency:	Rare	THAC0:	15
Organization:	Herd	No. of Attacks:	2 (bite and kick)
Activity Cycle:	Day	Damage/Attack:	1-6/2-8
Diet:	Carnivore	Special Attacks:	Nil
Intelligence:	Animal	Special Defenses:	Nil
Treasure:	Nil	Magic Resistance:	Nil
Alignment:	Neutral	Size:	Large (7 feet high)
No. Appearing:	1-4	Morale:	Average
Armor Class:	6	XP Value:
Movement:	walk 8/leap 22

One of the more bizarre creatures of Pliocene Australia were the propleopines, or "killer kangaroos." Still controversial in scientific circles, the shape of the teeth of these creatures suggests that they were actually flesh-eaters, perhaps preying upon other kangaroos. Attacking with a kick for 2-8 and a bite for 1-6, they would present a true surprise to any adventurer.

They are voraciously hunted by the Aborigines, who despite them.

Megalania

The megalania was a monstrous creature of Pleistocene Australia, for all intents and purposes a giant lizard. Related to the modern monitor lizards such as the Komodo Dragon, Megalania prisca was an enormous goanna-like carnivore, at least 7 metres long, and with a weight of about 600 kilograms.

The megalania attacks with a biting attack, using its long, serrated teeth, doing double damage on any attack roll of 20. In addition, those behind the creature can be slashed by its long tail, for 2-5 hit points of damage, and be knocked to the ground if a dexterity check is failed.

Like the Komodo Dragon of today, the megalania is primarily a solitary predator, more often active at night. Ambushing its prey from behind trees and shrubs, it primarily hunts kangaroos and the larger marsupial herbivores, though will certainly eat a human if one is to be had. It has no natural enemies. They are truly terrifying to the Aborigines.

[Note this is close to the version presented by David Howery in his article "Back to the Age of Mammals" in Dragon Magazine issue #167, which is available for download on the WOTC website].

Palorchestes

Palorchestes azael was the size of a bull, with long claws and a longish trunk. Imaginative writers have suggested it as the inspiration for the Aboriginal bunyip, though the same has also been said of the Diptrodon. This unusual animal resembled the Diprotodon, but had a longer, thinner head in addition to the short trunk (longer than that of a tapir, but much shorter than that of an elephant), a leaner body, longer claws on its feet, a longer neck, and a more lengthy tail as well. A herbivore, it used it hard heavy, 12 cm long claws for digging and defense, and used both the claws and the trunk for pulling down tree limbs for feeding. It most likely filled a niche similar to that of a tapir, using its pendulous trunk and a long, curling tongue in feeding.

Though an uncommon creature, it is not generally preyed up by the Aborigines, who have strong taboos against harming one.

Quinkana

Climate/Terrain:	Tropical forests, swamps	Hit Dice:	7
Frequency:	Rare	THAC0:	15
Organization:	Solitary	No. of Attacks:	1 (bite)
Activity Cycle:	Any	Damage/Attack:	2-20
Diet:	Carnivore	Special Attacks:	Tail sweep
Intelligence:	Animal	Special Defenses:	Nil
Treasure:	Nil	Magic Resistance:	Nil
Alignment:	Neutral	Size:	Large (about 9 feet long)
No. Appearing:	1-2	Morale:	Average
Armor Class:	5	XP Value:	300
Movement:	9//12

Quinkana, a land crocodile 3 metres long, was a terror of Pleistocene (and fantasy) Australia. Spending most of its time on land, as opposed to its equally dreaded cousin the salt-water crocodile, this not extinct predator had longer legs that were placed more directly beneath the body, for ease of movement.

Such creatures are not well liked by the Aborigines of Uluru.

< Australian Monsters page 1

Australian Monsters page 3 >