We were riding the foothills of the Tylon Mountains. The sound of Jakka's hooves was echoing back at me from the mountain range. Nothing could make me feel more at home.

The group was riding together except for Wulfgar who was riding his beautiful white travarian steed far ahead at point. There was no way we could keep the scout amongst us when travelling.

The day was going much better than the last four we had just gone through trying to loose that large group of Gnashers. Wulfgar had stopped to let us make up a little ground when Snowstorm, his steed, reared him off and started stumping the ground frantically.

When we caught up and asked what had happened, all Wulfgar could say was that he had heard some kind of music, like a stick being dragged on a block of wood, right before Snowstorm went mad.

I examined Snowstorm and could not find a thing wrong with him. He seemed able to walk so we rode on.

In the next day, this happened on four more occasions. Each time that music was heard before. The thing is we heard that sound from time to time during the day also.

After the fourth time, I gave Snowstorm a much closer examination and I found something. Multiple sets of three puncture holes on his legs. Snowstorm had been getting weaker but we figured it had to be the traveling and the stress. By the time I figured out the marks were from Kaitakka's, Snowstorm was already doomed.

Even though there is no creature I admire and love more than a steed, I was the only that put it out of it's misery.

Game Information

Kaitakka
Attributes:
DEX: 6	STR: 4	TOU: 4
PER: 7	WIL: 4	CHA: 5
Initiative: 9/ D8 + D6		Physical: 10
Number of attacks: 3		Mystic: 11
Attack: 10		Social: 8
Damage:	Tail (10) see text
	Stingers (8) text
		Armor: 7
Movement:	Combat:35	Myst. Arm: 4
	Full: 70	Knockdown: 7
Spellcasting:	N/A
	Effect: N/A
Death Rating: 45		Recovery test: 2
Wound Threshold: 11
Unconscious Rating: 37
Description
Reptilian creature the size of a large house-cat, who's name comes from the Dingani Humans and means "Prairie Stinger". Has a hard outer shell that protects it against it enemies. Usually of colors ranging from yellow to green, blue, black and brown. They all have a red strip between the two lines of pike going down on either side of their spine. It has a scorpion-like tail with two extra appendages at the shoulder that also have stinger on them. When they run, they do it on their hind legs like a Gecko. They hunt small preys alone but they are never afraid to stalk a larger prey, as a pack, for days, poisoning it repeatedly. They get close to their prey like a feline would. Then, they jump out, stingers flying for a quick strike. Once they have hit the target, they will run away so they can come back later once the poison has killed the prey. A Kaitakka makes this noise that sounds like a wooden rattlesnake. It usually uses this to frighten it's prey or to taunt it before an attack. In game terms, when any stinger hits the target and does damage, the target may be poisoned. Make appropriate tests following rules for poisons in ED p. 208. If the attack wounds the target, use the effect step beside "Wound" instead. Tail poison:   Appendages poison: Spell defense: Type: Effect:    Wound Onset time: Duration: 10 Debilitating Step 8 Step 10 Instant Effect test days   Spell defense: Type: Frequency: Effect:    Wound Onset time: Duration: 9 Damage 1 per hour Step 3 Step 5 Instant 22 hours Note. No armor protects against appendage poison and spell defense increases by 1 every 2 hours. On a very successful round, the Kaitakka will leave the victim with 3 poisonings to deal with. These creatures will stalk their prey until it falls attacking it 2-3 times a day. The bigger the creature, the more Kaitakka there will be. These creatures win with multiple hits and a lot of patience. Eventually everyone folds … even a dragon. Antidotes Kelia's antidote has no effect on these poisons. An Antidote for the appendage poison can be easily found in the Tylon mountain region. The antidote is based on Kaitakka poison and costs 75 sp. The tail poison has no antidote. Kelia's poultice as many others work fine to resist the effect.
Legend Point: 200
Loot: all 3 stingers worth d8 x 10 sp. each counting as legend award

Copyright 1999. Eric Campeau