While the catacombs within Triumph Mesa are their main attraction for adventurers, treasure hunters and fortune seekers, the wildlife of the region also deserves mention – the most notable of which are the Gazing Beasts.

Armor Class: 6 No. Enc.: 0 (1d12)

Hit Dice: 11 Save: MU11

Movement: 90’ (30’) Morale: 8

Attacks: 1 (Trample) Hoard Class: None

Damage: 3d8 Alignment: Neutral

While generally harmless, the very fact that these massive cyclopean elephant-sized beasts that watch everything that occurs on the mesa even exist can be unnerving. Particularly when a few of them take interest in the activities of interlopers.

The Gazing Beasts do exactly as their name implies – they gaze. They seem to subsist on a diet of visual input. With so little to watch on the arid surface of Triumph Mesa, they tend to congregate where there is something of interest – thus they are often found at entrances to the catacombs below, as well as following adventurers and treasure seekers as they travel the mesa.

When aggravated or attacked, the gazing beasts are quite capable of defending themselves by trampling offenders under their massive three-toed feet. They gain a +2 on attack rolls to trample targets of human size or smaller.

A group of Gazing Beasts is known as a “vision”. When encountered, roll on the table below to determine the reaction of the vision of beasts.

Gazing Beasts Reactions (d6)

1. The vision was observing the activities of a small lizard. All of the vision but one will change their focus to the characters. The remaining gazing beast will try to push the lizard towards the characters, or to push the characters towards the lizard, in order to be able to see them all at once.

2. As the vision takes note of the party, each takes a turn standing on it’s hind legs and whistling loudly through its’ nostrils. In 2d6 turns, a second vision will gallop over to observe.

3. The vision attempts to close to extremely close range with the party, each beast trying to remain within 5 feet of a party member to observe them more closely.

4. The vision is watching one of it’s own as it decomposes, having been killed by another beast of some kind, or possibly other adventurers. They are 50% likely to not follow the party as they go back to watching their own.

5. The vision charges the party, trying to break them up, to increase the number of interesting things to watch instead of having them all in one place.

6. The vision runs away from the party, and then tries to “sneakily” follow them from a distance to best observe them without being seen.

Being observed by these massive sleepless beasts is often unnerving for adventurers, however the worst of it is the subtle magical effect this concentrated attention has. Roll on the table on the next page to determine what effects the gaze of the beasts in this particular vision has.

Gazing Beasts Effects (d12)

(always round the number up when determining the effect based on number of beasts)

1. -1 on all saves per 2 beasts present.

2. -1 on all attack rolls per 2 beasts present.

3. -1 on all rolls per 4 beasts present.

4. +1 on all damage rolls per 3 beasts present.

5. -1 retainer morale per beast present.

6. -1 on all damage rolls per 4 beasts present.

7. If any character rolls a 1 on a saving throw, they are slowly petrified over 3 rounds. The first round they are at -2 on all rolls. The second round this increases to -4 and movement is reduced by half. On the third round they turn to stone.

8. If any character rolls a 1 on an attack roll, their weapon (if any) shatters.

9. Any character struck by an attack with an attack roll of 20 must make a save versus spells or have their armour shatter.

10. Variable spell effects are reduced by -1 per 2 beasts present.

11. There is a 1% chance per beast present that a spell or magic item won’t work at all when cast / used.

12. Roll again twice.