Original Creatures

Background/History: Found in the Gray Marshes, this gigantic multi-headed snapping turtle is known to the local lizardmen tribes as Aksommdee, which translates to "Grandfather of all lizard-kind." Not surprisingly, many lizardman tribes worship Aksommdee as a divine being, treating it as a god taken material form. Sacrifices are made to it on a regular basis, with slaves, captives taken in battle, and the largest animals taken in hunting and fishing expeditions offered up. While Grandfather eagerly devours the offerings placed before it, he's not above attacking and eating his benefactors either, especially if he catches one alone in the depths of the marshes. The lizardmen, for their part, accept such incidents as simply part of nature's wheel.

Powers/Tactics: Despite its great size (or, perhaps because of it), Grandfather is an ambush predator, lying in wait in deep bodies of water, or amid thick stands of growth. It will extend its necks in different directions with each head searching independently, and quickly snapping up anything that looks edible (basically anything human-sized or larger). Grandfather will prey on fish, alligators, snakes, lizards, deer, cougars, and even the local lizardmen.

Appearance: Grandfather is an immense five-headed snapping turtle. Measuring roughly 100 feet in length from the tip of one of its beaks to the end of its long tail, Grandfather is well over two centuries old (based on sightings), and may be as a half a millennium in age. Grandfather's scales are a dull bronze, while its lighter colored shell is heavily pitted with age and is covered in small clusters plant growth.

Designer's Notes: Grandfather-of-all-the-Reptiles comes from a drawing I found of a five-headed snapping turtle. The name "Grandfather" is borrowed from the Indonesian myth of "Father-of-all-the-Turtles" (see The Asian Bestiary, Volume 1), while the idea of a huge snapping turtle of unknown age living in the local swamp is something I first suggested for a Haymaker! project years and years ago. The Gray Marshes are something I developed for a Digital Hero submission, and aren't found in any setting. Other than a name and the lizardmen, I don't have much else in mind for the place.

Grandfather himself was created by simply scaling up the Hydra found in The Hero System Bestiary -- a solution that escaped me for months it seems. I simple tinkered with a few values, compared Grandfather to a few other Gigantic-sized creatures found in The Hero System Bestiary and The Asian Bestiary, Volume 2, and I was ready to go. Enjoy!

GRANDFATHER OF ALL THE REPTILES
(HEAD)

Val	CHA	Cost	Roll	Notes
60	STR	50	21-	Lift 102.4 tons; 12d6 HTH Damage [6]
15	DEX	15	12-	OCV:  5/DCV:  5
30	CON	40	15-
13	BODY	6	12-
8	INT	-2	11-	PER Roll 11-
5	EGO	-10	10-	ECV:  2
25	PRE	15	14-	PRE Attack:  5d6
6	COM	-2	10-

28	PD	16		Total:  28 PD (10 rPD)
24	ED	18		Total:  24 ED (10 rED)
3	SPD	5		Phases:  4, 8, 12
18	REC	0
60	END	0
58	STUN	0		Total Characteristics Cost:  151

Movement:	Running:	6"/12"
		Leaping:	0"/0"
		Swimming:	6"/12"

Cost	Powers & Skills
40	Bite:  HKA 2 1/2d6 (5d6+1 with STR), END 3
10	Scaled Hide:  Damage Resistance (10 PD/10 ED)
30	Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -15"
4	Aquatic:  Swimming +4" (6" total), END 1
3	Great Age:  Life Support (Longevity:  lifespan of 800 years)
32	Long Neck:  Stretching 5", Inherent (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), 
	Persistent (+1/2); Limited Body Parts (neck[s]; -1/4), No Noncombat Stretching (-1/4), 
	No Velocity Damage (-1/4)
	
	Skills
4	+2 with Bite

2	AK: Gray Marshes 11-
0	Analyze:  Animal 8-
0	Concealment 8-
0	Language:  Giant Turtle (idiomatic)
0	PS: Giant Turtle Abilities 8-
0	Survival (Marsh/Swamps) 8-
125	Total Powers & Skills Cost
276	Total Character Cost

75+	Disadvantages
15	Physical Limitation:  Animal Intelligence (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
15	Physical Limitation:  Cold-Blooded (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
5	Physical Limitation:  Large (roughly 3 m long, -2 DCV, +2 to PER Rolls) (Infrequently, 
	Slightly Impairing)
5	Physical Limitation:  Reduced Leap, can't leap (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
15	Physical Limitation:  Very Limited Manipulation (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
146	Experience
276	Total Disadvantage Points

Grandfather of All The Reptiles' (main body) Hero Designer File

Grandfather of All The Reptiles' (head) Hero Designer File

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GRANDFATHER OF ALL THE REPTILES

GRANDFATHER OF ALL THE REPTILES (HEAD)

GRANDFATHER OF ALL THE REPTILES
(HEAD)