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
Cropping Squid, Female
Gargantuan Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 20d10+180 (290 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: Fly 20 ft. (average)
AC: 16 (–4 size, +10 natural)
Attacks: 2 tentacles +28/+23/+18/+13 melee, and 8 arms +26 melee, and bite +26 melee
Damage: Tentacle rake 2d6+12 each, arm slam 1d8+6 each, bite 2d8+6
Face/Reach: 20 ft. x 40 ft./10 ft. (100 ft. with tentacles)
Special Attacks: Constrict 2d6+12 or 1d8+6, Improved Grab, Swallow Whole
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., Float, Jet, Low-light Vision
Saves: Fort +21, Ref +12, Will +7
Abilities: Str 34, Dex 10, Con 29, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 5
Skills: Intuit Direction +5, Listen +5, Spot +3 (+13 for detecting a male)
*Feats: Multiattack
Climate/Terrain: Any land
Organization: Solitary or paired (male with female)
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: Special (see text)
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 21–32 HD (Gargantuan), 33–60 HD (Colossal
FEMALE
Constrict (Ex): The creature crushes its opponent, dealing 2d6+12 (tentacle) or 1d8+6 (arm) bludgeoning damage, after making a successful grapple check. It deals Constriction damage in addition to damage dealt by the tentacle or arm used to grab.
Float (Ex): The cropping squid f lies at a rate of 80 feet per round. It also has the equivalent of a permanent feather fall effect at personal range.
Improved Grab (Ex): If the creature hits an opponent of at least Huge size or smaller with a tentacle or arm, it deals normal damage and either attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity, or it pulls the opponent into its space without provoking an attack of opportunity and holds him with a –20 penalty to grapple checks, using its remaining attacks against other opponents. If the creature does not Constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the normal damage listed for a tentacle or arm attack. Otherwise, it deals 2d6+12 (tentacle) or 1d8+6 (arm) constriction damage as well.
Jet (Ex): As a full-round action, the cropping squid can shoot directly upward 60 feet in a single round.
Magical Beast: Magical beasts have Darkvision with a range of 60 feet and Low-light Vision.
Skills: Female cropping squid have a +10 racial bonus to Spot checks for detecting male cropping squids. This is figured into the stats above.
Swallow Whole (Ex): If the creature makes a second successful grapple check after a grab, it swallows its prey, which can be up to Huge size. Damage is 2d8+12 bludgeoning plus 1d8 points of acid damage per round. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using claws or a Small or Tiny slashing weapon to deal 35 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 12). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must again cut its own way out. This female cropping squid’s gizzard can hold 2 Medium-size, 4 Small, 8 Tiny, 16 Diminuative, or 32 Fine or smaller opponents.
New Recipe:
Squid Egg in Pasta Nest
1 cropping squid egg
3 handfuls long, flat egg noodle
1/4 cup Feyreaou or wine
3 kitchen-spoons butter
2 chopped onions
1 leek, thinly sliced
4 cloves minced garlic
1 half-basket button mushrooms
3 kitchen-spoons flour
2 sprigs thyme
Half a cup of heavy cow’s cream
Plenty of spooned sour cream
Ground black pepper
- Half-boil squid’s egg by gripping carefully but gently in strong tongs, lest the egg be cracked. The jelly coating must not be removed. Boil one half of the egg in salty water until the shell is cloudy and pink. Remove from water and immerse boiled half in very cold water.
- Mix butter, flour, and Feyreaou until smooth. Let garlic and sliced leek be sauteed with onions until somewhat caramelized. Add mushrooms and cook until most of the liquid has steamed away.
- Mix together with heavy cream and butter mixture into a thick sauce. Heat until bubbly. Stir into boiled egg noodles.
- Pile noodles onto plate with generous sauce. Sprinkle with flour. Season with thyme and pepper. Make a deep space in the noodles to fit the egg, six fingers deep. Spoon in thick sour cream. Place squid egg boiled-side down into sour cream and noodle nest, carefully pressing until stuck. Do not let the egg be cracked. Be sure jelly remains.
- Serve immediately. Do not let egg warm before serving. Crack shell with spoon to eat.
A Craft (cooking) check (DC 17) is required to prepare this dish correctly. Made properly, the dish can garner prices in excess of 155 gp. Made improperly, the egg may slip free of the dish and break on the ceiling.
