“It was almost twenty years ago, the krakennewt epidemic in the Gulf of Prem. Phex and Efferd protect us from something like that ever happening again! We were stuck in Prem for weeks after two of these beasts sank our ship out from under us, and several times we had to drive one of these tentacled monsters from the entry to the harbor! I’ve seen seasoned mariners and pirates cry with rage and sadness as they told us about mates who were pulled into the dark waters by tentacles. Many crews set out with mighty shark lances and harpoons to destroy the brood of Hranngar, as they call these monsters there. It was weeks before all the ports were navigable again and some of the creatures turned up later in coves, caves, and even well shafts. Their beak-like faces and sharp teeth are hideous to look at. My old scars sometimes ache in winter and they will never let me forget. What I just can’t get over after all these years is this: they just peeled the flesh of these beasts like other people would do with cucumbers. Makes me nauseous just thinking about it!”
— a veteran’s tale in the Sword and Armor tavern, Imperial city of Gareth, modern
The krakennewt is one of the largest and most fearsome terrors of the sea. With its eight, all-crushing tentacles and its beak-like maw that bristles with fangs, it instills fear in the most valiant sea-dwellers and mariners. Even mighty galleys and the fast dragon ships of the Thorwalers are not safe from its attacks. Despite its gigantic size, the agile krakennewt moves quickly through the water. Not even settlements close to shore are safe from this amphibian. Two specialized tentacles allow it to come ashore and travel on land to hunt and perhaps choose a lake or a water-filled cavern to serve as its new home.
Although a krakennewt can grow to enormous proportions, its body still fits through surprisingly narrow gaps. Aside from its tough skin, most of its body parts are soft and elastic. Krakennewt hunters prize the two bone-white horns on its forehead, which give it a demonic look. However, their tough meat is only fit for human consumption after expert preparation, and even then it is better suited to more adventurous appetites.
A subgenus, the dwarf krakennewt, is also dangerous, as it is small enough to hide in wells and pull unsuspecting victims into the deep. Although it is not as strong as its larger cousin, it usually possesses sufficient strength to deal with one or two humans.
Distribution
The krakennewt has been spotted in every ocean, from the Sea of Pearls to Ifirn’s Ocean, as well as in many coastal regions. Despite its amphibious nature it seems to prefer open water to the shore. Thanks to its ability to move on land, some specimens have reached deep lakes and ponds.
Most scholars assume that the krakennewt has a natural origin, but legend says it is a chimera that was born in the waters beyond the Wall of Efferd. If so, it must have been crated long ago, as magical and karmic analyses reveal no demonic residues. Other sources claim that the krakennewt is related to the tridecapus, a creature with thirteen arms that is said to work in concert with the Nameless One.
Way of Life
It has large yet strangely soulless eyes, and its tendency to abandon tactics and fight to the death when hungry is evidence of animal intelligence at best. Little is known about it except that it feeds and is able to reproduce. It avoids poisonous animals but otherwise has no qualms venturing onto dry land to attack intelligent beings when hunger gnaws it from within.
Special Abilities:
- Clutch (Tentacle; the clutch attack suffers a penalty of -4. If the creature’s AT succeeds and the target’s Defense fails, the target is seized and suffers the states of immobilized and bound. Roll DP as usual. Starting with the next CR, the creature’s AT succeeds automatically and inflicts DP (ignoring PRO) equal to the initial DP roll (due to squeezing). Instead of squeezing, the creature can use one action to lift the victim to its maw. The creature can then bite the target (if it has a bite attack) on the following CR. Bite attacks succeed automatically against seized opponents. After biting, the creature’s Defense drops to 0 for the remainder of that CR. Creatures can only seize opponents with a smaller size category. To escape from a clutch maneuver, the target must make a competitive Feat of Strength (Dragging and Pulling) check. The creature can release its target with a free action. If the creature releases a target it has lifted into the air, the target drops to the ground and must make a Body Control (Combat Maneuvers) check or suffer the state prone. Prerequisites: the creature must possess this SA naturally.
- Powerful Blow (Tentacle; after a successful attack, opponents of size categories medium or smaller must make a successful check on Feat of Strength with a penalty of -8 or suffer the state prone.) Tentacle Sweep (Tentacle; if the krakennewt is at least one size category larger than its targets, then it can use a tentacle sweep to knock multiple targets off their feet. This attack suffers a penalty of -2, and Dodge is the only permitted defense. If this fails, the targets fall down, receive the state prone, and take 1d3 DP (ignoring PRO). Such an attack can be made only against targets next to or in front of the krakkennewt. The difficulty of the attack is increased by 2.)
- Locked Jaws (Bite; the krakennewt makes a bite attack with a penalty of -2. If the target does not defend, the creature bites down hard. In the following CR the creature’s bite attack succeeds automatically (the GM does not have to roll). The bite attack does +1 additional DP per CR (no additional DP in the first CR, +1 DP in the 2nd CR, +2 DP in the 3rd CR, and so on). Roll damage as per usual. Also, the target suffers the state immobilized. The creature’s defense drops to 0 as long as it holds a target in its jaws. The creature can release the target at the end of a CR by spending a free action.)
