The material below is Open Game Content
Penumbra Fantasy Bestiary
| Author | Chris Aylott et al |
| Publisher | Atlas Games |
| Publish date | 2003 |
| OGL Section 15 | fantasy-bestiary |
The material below is Open Game Content
Bonechewer
Large Dragon
Hit Dice 8d12+24 (76 hp)
Initiative +5 (+1 Dex, +4 natural)
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
AC 20 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural)
Attacks Tail slam +12/+7 melee or bite +12/+7 melee, and 2 claws +7 melee
Damage Tail slam 1d6+5, bite 2d6+5, claws 1d8+2 each
Face/Reach 5 ft. x 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks Bonespew, Snatch, Trip
Special Qualities Blindsight 120 ft., Immunities, Scent
Saves Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +8
Abilities Str 21, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 5, Wis 14, Cha 10
Skills Climb +11, Hide +3 (+8 if poorly illuminated), Listen +13, Move Silently +12
Feats Flyby Attack, Wingover (dragon-only feat)
Climate/Terrain Underground or mountains
Organization Solitary, pair, or colony (5–10, plus 1d4 hatchlings, plus 1d6 eggs)
Challenge Rating 7
Treasure Standard coins, double goods (gems only), standard items
Alignment Usually neutral
Advancement 9–11 HD (Large), 12–15 HD (Huge)
Bonespew (Ex) A bonechewer can spit out a paste made of stomach excretions and ground bone. This breath weapon targets all creatures within a 15-foot diameter, at a range of up to 60 feet. Targets of this pasty spew must make a DC 17 Reflex save or else be immobilized. Once struck by the Bonespew attack, the target can attempt to break free as a full round action by succeeding at a Strength check against DC 18, or an Escape Artist check against DC 21. The spew-covered victim can also be broken free of the hardened spit; in this case the bonespew has a hardness of 7 and 15 hit points.
Bonechewers can project bonespew three times before emptying their throat-sack. Each Medium-sized skeleton they devour replenishes one use of the Bonespew attack. Consuming a Medium-sized skeleton takes one round, while digestion of a consumed skeleton takes 5 minutes before it can be used in a Bonespew attack. With access to a fresh supply of skeletons, a bonechewer can use its Bonespew attack indefinitely, pausing only to consume and digest more ammunition.
Dragon Dragons are immune to sleep and paralysis effects. Bonechewers have Blindsight rather than Low-light Vision and Darkvision. A bonechewer can ascertain all foes within 120 feet by vibration, subtle shifts in air currents, and echolocation. Beyond that range it is considered blinded. Bonechewers are invulnerable to gaze attacks, visual effects of spells such as illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight. A bonechewer forced into the open is at –2 to all attack and skill rolls, since its Blindsight does not function properly.
Scent (Ex) The creature can detect opponents by sense of smell, generally within 30 feet. The creature detects another creature’s presence but not its specific location. The creature can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10.
Skills Bonechewers receive a +5 racial bonus to Listen and Move Silently checks. In addition, they also receive a +5 racial bonus to Hide if they are illuminated by anything less than daylight or a light spell, but take a –4 size penalty. These bonuses are figured into the bonechewer’s skill totals.
Snatch (Ex) A bonechewer that hits a creature of at least Small size, but no larger than Medium size, with a tail slam attack and that does not use its Trip attack can without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the bonechewer achieves a hold, it can fly off with its prey and automatically make a claw attack each round in lieu of a tail attack. It can drop a snatched creature as a free action or use a standard action to fling it aside. A flung creature travels 50 feet and takes 5d6 points of damage. If the bonechewer flings its prey while flying, the creature suffers the greater of this amount of damage (5d6) or falling damage. Falling damage is 1d6 per 10 feet, to a maximum of 20d6.
Trip (Ex) The dexterity of the bonechewer’s tail also allows it to be used to trip opponents, a tactic the bonechewer uses against opponents of Large size or greater. A bonechewer that hits with a tail slam attack and does not use its Snatch attack can attempt to Trip its opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the bonechewer.
Bonechewers as Mounts
Training a bonechewer as an aerial mount is a daunting task. It requires a successful Handle Animal check (DC 33 for an adult, or 26 for a young specimen). All Ride checks on a bonechewer forced into the open are at +2 DC, due to the affect open spaces have upon the beast’s Blindsight and nerves. A bonechewer egg is typically worth 6,000 gp on the open market. A bonechewer can serve as a paladin’s mount, though a paladin must be of 9th level and have no current mount before one can be called to serve in such a capacity; providing the creature with skeletons could be a problem for a paladin, though. As mounts, bonechewers are usually found only amongst the most martial and disciplined of subterranean races.
Carrying Capacity
A bonechewer can carry up to 459 lbs. as a Light load, a Medium load is up to 918 lbs., and a Heavy load is 1377 lbs. A bonechewer can carry up to its Medium load and still fly.
