The White Silt Horror is the most common, and usually the largest, of the Silt Horrors. Its tentacles can grow up to 50 feet long, and it uses them to drag prey below the silt.
A White Silt Horror waits until its food has suffocated before it begins to feed.
Stats
2nd Edition
- Frecuency: Uncommon.
- Organization: Solitary.
- Intelligence: 1 (Animal).
- Treasure: Nil.
- No. Appearing: 1.
- Armor Class: 8.
- Movement: 3, Sw 9.
- Hit Dice: 14.
- THAC0: 7.
- No. Attacks: 10.
- Damage/Attack: 1-8 (1d8) (x10).
- Special Attacks: Constriction.
- Special Defenses: Air Jet.
- Magic Resistance: Nil.
- Morale: Average (10).
- XP Value: 7.000 xp.
- Psionics: Nil.
Habitat/Society
The White Silt Horror is found anywhere in silt basins and the Sea of Silt. They move very slowly, and usually don't make the effort. They can sense vibrations in the silt up to 3 miles away, and gradually move towards any regular wading path that is used. The White Silt Horror does not like the sun, and if it must move out of the silt (to crawl over a sunken wall, for instance) it prefers to wait for dark.
Ecology
The White Sit Horror eats anything except other Silt Horrors. It is always hungry, and usually attacks anything that comes in range. It can exist for years on one meal, lying dormant underneath the silt. It lives about 40 years, usually mating only once in its life. This occurs only after a rain, and only if there is a male/female pair in the area. The female waits until she has found a new victim, and lays thousands of eggs in the body. These eventually hatch and jet off through the silt to begin eating. The White Silt Horror is said to be good eating by the few Giants who have ever killed one.
If a horror has tentacles severed, it can replace them at the rate of one per month.
Combat
The White Silk Horror lies in wait below the silt. It is very sensitive to the vibrations caused by beings moving through the silt.
It will attack multiple targets, but only if they are all in range. The horror usually attacks as soon as a target gets in range, rather than waiting for a larger group to approach.
The White Silk Horror also tries to drag the victim under the silt.
Once a White Silt Horror grasps a victim, the tentacle must be severed to allow release. The White Silt Horror does not usually fight to the death.
On the rare occasions when a horror is losing a fight, it uses its air jet to escape.
- Air Jet: It moves by jetting out a large gust of air, sliding itself backwards through the silt at a rate of 50 yards per round. This also raises a small cloud of silt, making it almost impossible to follow, at least for those using sight.
The horror's mouth is located next to the sensitive air sac, and is not used in combat.
2n Edition
Because of this, it is very hard to surprise (+2 bonus to surprise rolls). It also lies very still, granting it an increased chance to surprise opponents. (- 2 penalty to all opponent's surprise rolls).
When an opponent gets in range, (50 feet or less), the White Silt Horror attacks with all of its tentacles. On an attack roll that exceeds the required score to hit by 4 or more, the victim is held by a tentacle. A hit causes 1d8 points of damage. If the victim is held, he suffers an additional 1d8 each succeeding round. Only creatures with a firm footing or a place to anchor themselves are allowed an Open Doors roll to resist this.
Very strong creatures (Strength 21 or better) have a chance equal to a Bend Bars roll to pull free from its tentacles. Otherwise, each tentacle takes 10 points of damage before being severed. Blunt weapons do half damage, but can eventually crush a tentacle.
On the round after fleeing, the horror is completely hidden under the silt, and those who want to finish it off had better be able to fight under the silt.
Sources
- DSR4. Valley of Dust and Fire. Dark Sun Accesory. TSR Inc, by L. Richard Baker III (1992). ISBN 1-56076-316-7.
- MC12 Monstrous Compendium Dark Sun Appendix: Terrors of the Desert (2e).