BAGONGO (Bouncer) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This yellowish and viscid subterranean beast is also known as Bagongo, or Coccone. Bouncer stays most of the time in amorphous and flabby status (Armor Class 4). When hunting yet, it becomes spherical and extremely hard (Armor Class 2), and begins to bounce here and there at growing speed (Armor Class -2) in order to overthrow its prey with a powerful blow. A Bouncer usually digs its ring-like lair all around an underground chamber (room or cave) of smooth surfaces. The ring is a slightly inclined tunnel placed above chamber's roof and its diameter is greater than chamber's larger diagonal. From the ring, 3-6 more bent tunnels go down to chamber's floor. Tunnel ring and bent tunnels all are of circular section exactly the same diameter (3') of spherical-status Bouncer; their surfaces are greased by Bouncer's secretions and very slippery, in order helping the animal gaining speed by rolling, and to prevent intruders remounting its lair. Bouncer attacks by assuming spherical form, rolling several times into the ring and then rushing down at high speed into the chamber from one of the bent-tunnels. At this point the animal begins bouncing against walls, floor and ceiling, attempting to strike and knock down a prey with impetus. Bouncer's attack speed grants him 10 bouncing rounds; in the begin its Armor Class is -2; then it worsen at the rate of +1 every two rounds, so at rounds the ninth and the tenth AC is 2. Finally, at round the eleventh, the animal can no longer bounce; Armor Class turns to 4 and Bouncer is forced to slide at 4" speed in amorphous state towards its lair. In the first 7 bouncing rounds the animal has 4 attacks; then it loses 1 attack per round, down to 0 attacks at round the eleventh. All attacks are +2 to hit. An unmodified 20 obtained means that a serious blow has been inflicted: damage is doubled, and victim must save against Paralyzation or fall down knocked out for 4d6 rounds. If the Bouncer realizes that a victory is too hard, it tries evading battle by sacrificing one or more of its attacks in the attempt to center one of bent-tunnel accesses. A center is obtained by obtaining 8 or fewer on a d20 (no +2 applies). Once in the bent tunnel, it is AC 4 and vulnerable for still one round before disappearing up. Bouncer eats its prey by turning amorphous, covering all of the body, killing it (2 rounds) and slowly absorbing its meal and smaller objects. As this lasts a few hours, it is done only if no danger is in sight. The small objects are then defecated in the lair, as part of beast's treasure. Only bones and larger metal parts are left on chamber's ground, as a warning for adventurers and a loot for wandering monsters.
By Gregory Claude Alegi, Andrea Angiolino and Gianluca Meluzzi, 1983, 1987, 1999.
For AD&D 1st Edition, TSR Games.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||