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The giant blue- ringed octopus is a rare but highly lethal predator of the waters off Uluru, or any fantasy Australian continent. Related to the blue-ringed octopus, a tiny but also dangerous reef creature that is a mere 20 cm from one outstretched arm tip to the other, this is monster comparable to the more "normal" giant octopi of northerly waters. A brilliant-looking creature, it is generally mainly whitish in color, though on occasion dark brown or dark yellow, with many almost luminescent blue rings. Both the tiny and the giant versions are similar in that instead of manufacturing ink, they produce poison in their salivary glands. This toxin is quite lethal, and even in the small version quickly causes paralysis and often death. The small version despite its lethality is generally harmless, generally harmful only to children who might find one in a rock pool or washed up on a beach after a storm, and very rarely to swimmers and fishermen. The giant version is a different story though, and is an aggressive predator. Unlike the giant octopus, the giant blue-ringed octopus relies not so much on its tentacles or its beak to attack (though indeed weaker attack forms of this are brought in to play, with 6 of its eight tentacles attacking for 1-2 points of damage and the beak attack for 1-4), but instead poison is the main instrument of attack. Anyone who is bitten must save versus poison at -6 or immediately die. Even those who do save successfully are paralyzed for 1-8 rounds. Obviously, if they are dependent on breath air at the surface and they are submerged, they will soon die. Needless to say, the giant blue-ringed octopus is a highly feared marine predator, and very carefully avoided by the natives. Fortunately, they are quite rare and are generally found on offshore reefs, where they prey on groupers, sharks, and the like. Spectral Explorer
The real history of Australia is filled with the tragic tales of explorers and discoverers, seeking to uncover new lands deep in the interior of continent, who perished thanks the harsh, alien land. Many died from starvation, while others died from exposure or a combination of two. Tragically, some famous explorers, such as Burke and Wills, died relatively short distances from the food and water they so desperately needed. A fantasy Australia might contain such poor denizens, undead ghosts that don't seem to realize they perished. Some seek to still explore as they did in life, seeing what is around the next bend, seeking what is just beyond the horizon. Others wander aimlessly through the Outback, in search of friends that did not support them, or that cache they could never find in time. A spectral explorer is very similar to a haunt, though they always take the appearance they had in life, albeit shadowy and translucent. Unlike a haunt though, they will not seek to take over the body of a living individual to complete their task, as driven as they are to finish their now unaccomplished goals. However, so driven are spectral explorers that if one were to spy one, there is a chance that they too will be caught up in their doomed quest. Any human (all other races are immune) who spies one at a distance needs to save versus spells at +4 on the dice, or become enraptured by the spectral explorer. The spectral explorer might be unaware or at most not care much for his new "follower," other than perhaps offering a grim nod, but the hapless individual will now grimly follow the spectral explorer to his or her death, in term becoming one. Such an individual will ignore hunger, thirst, and the need for sleep, either as the results of what their body demands or entreaties from friends. In the space of generally 4-5 days, such a person will perish, his or her emaciated body remaining behind and a spectral form joining that of the doomed expedition. Companions that seek to save someone enraptured will have a difficult time of it, as only a remove curse, limited wish, wish, or alter reality will work. However, they can seek to capture their friend and at least get him out of the sun and heat, thereby increasing life expectancy to about 10-12 days. Spectral explorers are virtually immune to weaponry, only being able to be hit by +3 weapons or better, so barely attached they are to the physical world. Only the drive of the original explorer keeps any form present at all. If the original spectral explorer that enraptured an individual is slain though, that victim is allowed another saving throw versus spells (this time at -4) to see if he or she recovers. In the case where multiple spectral explorers are recovered, all must be slain. The only spells that work on a spectral warrior electrical based spells, such as lightning bolt and chain lightning. Spectral warriors will not act to defend themselves, seemingly ignoring all attacks in their endless and fruitless quests. Most spectral explorers have been encountered singly, but on rare occasions entire expeditions have seemed to perish; it is not known if some of these larger groups are the results of later encounters of spectral explorers among the living. Yowie
The Yowie is Austailia's own version of bigfoot. It is most common in the south and central coastal regions of New South Wales to Queensland's Gold Coast. It is often described as being 5-6 feet tall and with yellow-brown or sometimes glowing red eyes, set far apart. They possess a fur-covered body and face, with shiny charcoal colored skin around the eyes, nose and mouth. It also had small eyes set far apart. Some have stated that an electric/sulfur smell comes from the creature and where it had been. Yowie comes from the Aboriginal name "Yahoo" which means "devil-devil". Folklore among European settlers has it that when the early Australians arrived, they encountered a race of ape-men. They went to war and the humans won due to their advantage of weaponry. In actuality on Uluru, my fantasy Australian continent, the yowie is a recent arrival, only barely having beaten Western man by a few decades. Arriving quite by accident from some as yet undiscovered tropical islands to the far west, they have been slowly increasing their numbers in the Outback, seeking to avoid native sentient races, the Aborigines, and settlers. As yet, the settlers believe the yowie to be a myth, but as soon as contact is made there will likely be a clash, as this arid land cannot support too many cultures, especially the yowies, who have a fearsome appearance. Actually quite close to humans in build and overall body structure, the yowies are shy and retiring race, living in simple tribal groups and not seeking to harm others. Generally, they are encountered in small family groups, comprised of a dominant male of maximum statistics, 4-6 adult females, a further 1-8 sub adult males and females (half stats), and 1-6 young, who have no effective attack. Yowies, if pressed, will attack with their fists for 1-4 points of damage, and a not ineffective bite for a further 1-2 points of damage if both "claw" attacks connect. Rarely will the entire yowie troop attack, as usually the dominant male will seek to hold off any attackers, while the rest of the troop flees. Generally though the yowie rarely has to fight, as they are invisible in natural terrain. Only those who can see invisible or infrared can spot a yowie that is attempting to hide. Further, they move silently in natural terrain, and pass without trace naturally. Only when they attack or are attacked do yowies ever leave tracks, which are occasionally found by settlers. Yowies are generally vegetarian, taking mainly fruits, leaves, and fungus, supplemented by eggs, insects, and small marsupials. Occasionally, they supplement this with a wallaby, wombat, or small kangaroo, or small birds. Yowies themselves do occasionally fall prey to such creatures as megalania (giant monitor lizard) and the dreaded salt water crocodile. For some unknown reason, yowies are completely immune to lightning and electrical attacks, and do not express any fear of such. The reasons for this are unknown, and has lead to some speculations as to their origins, that perhaps they are not a primitive race but one that degenerated from a highly advanced, possibly magic-using race. Yowies have a primitive language, though could learn common reasonably well if the opportunity presents itself (so far it is thought no yowie even knowns any Aborigine let alone settler language).
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