Gygax 75# A bestiary of Australian themed monsters.

 

With the time frame set and the system in place we can plumb the depths of Australians history to create  a bestiary of themed monsters. The usual cryptid suspects would make an appearance:

•  Drop bear - The drop bear is a deadly predator found all throughout Australia, waiting for unsuspecting prey to approach underneath before dropping from a hiding spot and attack with fang and claw.
  
  

•  Hoop snake - A cold blooded stalker that uses self mutilation as a propulsion system. By biting onto its tail the hoop snake can form itself into a wheel to run down prey.
  

•  Yowie - An aggressive spirit or ape-like creature that stand between seven and twelve feet. With long arms, large feet and a shaggy appearance this creature would be a perfect fit in an australian based campaign.
  

• Bunyip - A creek or river dwelling spirit to the indigenous people of Australia, the bunyip varies in appearance from story to story. Some tales have it as an enormous starfish, others a giant seal or swimming dog. A common theme within all stories is that the Bunyip is a bloodthirsty man eater searching river banks for the next victim.
  

• Megalania - A giant 30 foot monitor lizard that inhabited parts of Australia as early as twelve thousand years ago. Early aboriginal settlers of Australia would have come into contact with this giant reptilian beast, with cave paintings depicting a monstrous lizard raining fire and destruction down upon them.

• Yara Ma Yha Who - Much like the drop bear the Yara Ma Yha Who will use the tree tops to ambush unsuspecting prey. Commonalities end here between the two, the Yara in appearance is a blood red, squat toadlike humanoid which will drink the blood over the victim before swallowing them whole. The horror doesn't end for the victim as the Yara will regurgitate said victim and repeat the cycle, each time turning the prey slowly into a fellow Yara.
  

• Burrunjor - A dinosaur closely reassembling the tyrannosaurus rex. Twenty to twenty five feet in length this brutal biped would quickly chase down and devour prey.

So far we have some pretty unique monsters to use, adding these into the already deadly mix that is the native Australian wildlife we have a good start to the bestiary.