Dying Earth Monsters Part III - Pelgrane

         

          

          In this third entry on my series on the denizens of the Dying Earth, I'm going over everybody's favorite evil flying predators, Pelgrane. While the Deodand are Vance's go to threat whenever he needed an inhuman enemy to bedevil his characters on the ground, Pelgrane are the ever present threat which makes travel across the Dying Earth as hazardous as the setting's name suggests.

          Our pal Cugel is nearly eaten by one while he is flying through the sky on a magic bed he had stolen from a wizard's manse:

"A black shadow fluttered across the sun; a heavy black object swooped down to alight at the foot of Cugel's bed; a pelgrane of middle years, to judge by the silky gray hair of its globular abdomen. Its head, two feet long, was carved of black horn, like that of a stag-beetle and white fangs curled up past its snout. Perching on the bedstead it regarded Cugel with both avidity and amusement. "Today I shall breakfast in bed," said the pelgrane. "Not often do I so indulge myself.""

          In a similar scene, Etarr and T'sais are threatened by one's approach in their tale:

“They walked on in silence. Suddenly he grasped her arm and pulled her low in the furze. Three great shapes went flapping across the afterglow. "The pelgrane!"
They flew close overhead—gargoyle creatures, with wings creaking like rusty hinges. T'sais caught a glimpse of hard leathern body, great hatchet beak, leering eyes in a wizened face. She shrank against Etarr.
The pelgrane flapped across the forest.”

          Rhialto, when sent to another time period in the setting's history, is warned of a creature similar to a Pelgrane by one of his wizard fellows:

"The Grand Gazetteer lists only six magicians currently active, the nearest far to the north, in the present Land of Cutz. A flying creature known as the 'dyvolt' rules the skies; it resembles a pelgrane with a long nasal horn and uses the common language."

         Unfortunately these are the only direct mentions of the Pelgranes description which I could find, otherwise they're simply interacted with or mentioned by name. Like many of Vance's creatures, their actual looks are left up mostly to the reader's imagination. As a result of these somewhat contrary details, the truth of their appearance is somewhat murky beyond the fact that they are large, have the ability to fly, and like all of Vance's creatures, the ability to engage in witty banter. This allows us to draw one of a few conclusions:

• Each Pelgrane is unique, or otherwise extremely diverse in appearance aside from a few general traits.
  

• Pelgrane refers to a range of flying creatures which menace the Dying Earth.
  

• The seemingly at odds descriptions are taken at face value. Pelgrane are gargoyle-like creatures with leathery hides, who eventually grow silky grey hair on their abdomens in middle age. They have hatchet beaks, filled with white fangs.
  
  

          None of these would make Pelgrane the strangest creature in the setting. While the situation is ambiguous, i'd go with the first option if I were going to include them in my own game; the variation in their looks would serve to further play up the bizarre nature of the Dying Earth. Anyway, let's move on to stats!

B/X Stats:

HD: 4 (HP 28)

Armor: As Leather

Move: 20', Fly 50'

Attacks: 1 Bite, 2d4+2

Special: Nimble Flyer; a Pelgrane may attack at any time before or after it's movement.

5th Edition Stats:

Large Monstrosity, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class: 14 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points: 42 (6d10 + 12)

Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft.

Abilities: Str 16 (+3), Dex 17 (+3), Con 14 (+2), Int 11 (+0), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 7 (-2)

Saving Throws: Dex +5

Skills: Perception +4

Damage Resistances: None

Condition Immunities: None

Senses: passive Perception 16

Languages: Common

Challenge: 3 (700 XP)

Flyby. Pelgranes do not provoke an opportunity attack when it flies out of an enemy's reach.

Actions

Multiattack. Pelgrane make two bite attacks.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3)

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