TEXT: A SHADOWRUN CRITTER SUPPLEMENT
  Writing 
  Adam Large
  Art 
  Kat Hardy
  Development 
  Peter M. Andrew, Jr.
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  Matt Heerdt
  Art Director 
  Brent Evans
  Shadowrun Line Developer 
  Jason M. Hardy
  CREDITS
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  2
   
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
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  Parazoology 2
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  Posts/Files tagged with 
  “Parazoology 2”:
  * Ammit 
  * Aerial Lionhead
  * Bahari 
  * Bombardier
  * Brucha 
  [More]
  Welcome back to Jackpoint, chummer; 
  your last connection was severed:  
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  Today’s Heads Up
  * I finally had time to compile the 
  rest of Dr. David Wright’s work on 
  paranormal animals. It’s a good con-
  tinuation on what he has compiled about 
  our Awakened world.—Glitch
  Incoming
  * Get back on the street fast after you get hurt—no one’s giving us any sick pay, after all. [Tag: Bullets 
  and Bandages]
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  Don’t look under the bed. No, really. Don’t look.
  
  3
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  AMMIT
  CROCODYLUS FURTIM
  Habitat: Swamps, creeks, lagoons, and rainforests
  Range: West Africa (particularly in the Kingdoms of Nigeria)
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: The ammit is a reptile that averages four meters long in 
  length from nose to tail with a bronze-colored scales on its back and a 
  dark purplish color on its belly scales. It weighs in at 250 kilograms. It has 
  a v-shaped snout, and four of its lower teeth protrude over its upper lip.
  Habits: The ammit Awakened from the common crocodile (Crocodylus 
  niloticus). Unlike its brethren, the afanc and behemoth, the ammit relies 
  more on speed and intelligence than brute strength, though they are 
  considerably strong. They have chromatophores in their thick, armored 
  hide, allowing them to get quite close to their prey before striking. They 
  have been known to knock over small boats in order to eat the metahu-
  mans inside. Ammits survive in brackish waters of river deltas and use 
  the muddy waters as part of their camouflage while hunting for prey. 
  They are carnivorous; they generally prefer to kill their own prey, but 
  they will not pass up a chance to consume carrion.
  The ammit reaches maturity at ten years. Females mate during the 
  dry season and lay clutches of up to sixty eggs. Both parents take care of 
  the young, with the female directly watching them while the male stays 
  close in case of intruders. The ammit is very aggressive and dangerous. 
  It has been recorded that a mated pair of ammits will surprise and flank 
  an enemy, using an empty nest as bait. 
  Young ammits leave their parents’ care after two years. By then 
  they are almost a meter long, weigh thirty kilograms, and have grown 
  into their abilities.
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  Movement: 15/35
  Skills: Perception 3, Infiltration 2, Shadowing 3, Tracking 3, Unarmed 
  Combat 3
  Powers: Adaptive Camouflage, Enhanced Senses (Smell), Hardened 
  Armor (4), Natural Weapon (Bite DV 6P, AP –2)
  > Lagos has gangs named after this beast—be wary of them as they are about as 
  tricky as the real thing.
  > Am-Mut
  THE WORLD, A BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
  The world has been going through a unique extinction phase, one that man engineered. For the first time, one species on earth has been 
  able to manipulate the environment on a global scale, while other species are unable to evolve fast enough to survive. Since the 1600s there 
  have been over a thousand species of plants and animals documented that have gone extinct due to the actions of humans, with probably 
  five to ten times that number of undocumented species also vanishing.
  On top of this, the world is also going through what has been designated as the Sixth World. During this event, species have rapidly 
  diversified through the infusion of magic into the environment, manifesting unique and sometimes mythical creatures. It is estimated that 
  within a span of seventy years, two to four thousand Awakened plant and animal species were born. To date, less than a quarter of them have 
  been documented.
  Between these two global events there may be an unfortunately small time window to find these fantastic creatures before they become 
  extinct. My work, and the work of others, will do as much as possible to document and present these Awakened species, which I hope will 
  inspire others to preserve what ecological environments we have in order to save the Awakened and mundane species that remain.
  
  4
  AERIAL LIONhEAD
  AERIAL LIONhEAD
  CYANEA TASSIN
  Habitat: 60+ kilometers in the atmosphere 
  Range: Global
  Frequency: Very rare
  Identification: 2.3 meter diameter bell-shaped body with over a dozen 
  eight-meter-long tentacles. Its skin is a transparent blue with some opaque 
  spotting. Its body is divided into six gas-filled chambers.  A collection 
  of sensory cells (optical and electric sensing) ring the edge of the body.
  Habits: The aerial lionhead is one of the weirdest extremophiles in 
  existence, and it’s the most complex organism of this type known. It is 
  classified as a large jellyfish but doesn’t live in the ocean. It floats in the 
  atmosphere with chambered sacs of hydrogen giving it lighter-than-air 
  capabilities like a weather balloon.  The aerial lionhead can be found as 
  high as ninety kilometers in the air. It is here where it was first sighted 
  by a satellite tasked with recording any lifeforms it could find in the 
  stratosphere. The aerial lionhead feeds on electrical charges built up 
  in the atmosphere. Its trailing tentacles have fine hairs that can gener-
  ate power through static electricity. The electrical current combined 
  with the gases and liquids it collects provides the nutrition it needs to 
  survive. While hydrogen is an explosive compound, especially around 
  lighting, the aerial lionhead’s body chambers contains the hydrogen 
  in bubbles of thick soapy material to prevent a catastrophic explosion.
  While their mating rituals have never been seen, there have been 
  discoveries of immature aerial lionheads descending from storm 
  clouds. Observation has shown that these creatures migrate along the 
  tradewinds, and we assume that large storms will attract them so they 
  can descend to feed or mate.
  While not a direct danger to metahumans, they can be a hazard to 
  flying vehicles carrying a large amount of electrical equipment, power 
  stations, and even some radio towers, since they are attracted to high 
  EMFs. There have been occasional encounters with these creatures, and 
  they are physically strong unlike their mundane jellyfish brethren. The 
  tentacles have powerful muscles that allow them to grab or pull on 
  things much like an octopus can. The aerial lionhead can generate and 
  discharge electricity as a defense mechanism, though we have yet to see 
  what kind of predator feeds on them.
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  Movement: 5/10 (Flying)
  Skills: Flight 2, Unarmed Combat 4
  Powers: Energy Aura (Electricity), Energy Drain (Electric), Enhanced 
  Senses (Electrosense), Immunity (Electricity, Cold), Natural Weapon 
  (Tentacle, Reach 5, DV 3, AP —)
  > To be clear, the satellites that found this thing were not looking for lifeforms. 
  They were spy satellites recording the Tír?
  > Stone
  > No, they were looking for elfs and sprites, where “elf” is “emissions of light and 
  VLF perturbations from EMP events,” and “sprite” is “stratospheric/mesospheric 
  perturbations resulting from intense thunderstorm electrification.”
  > Orbital DK
  > That’s how Matrix creatures migrate around in the real world …
  > Plan 9
  > Don’t start. I don’t want to see a 10 megapulse argument on the life of e-critters.
  > Netcat 
  > Wait, Plan 9’s back?
  > Pistons
  > Provisional basis. Long story. I’ll explain later.
  > Glitch
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  5
  AERIAL LIONhEAD
  AETHERPEDIA: PARAZOOLOGY TERMINOLOGY
  Awakened Animal/Species
  “Awakened animals” is the all-encompassing category covering metaspecies as well as paranormal animals. “Awakened” is used as the determinant of the species 
  from which the new species has originated (e.g., the ammit is an Awakened crocodile). The term Awakened could be used to describe species that can use magic (e.g., an 
  emperor hawk is an Awakened hawk because it can cast magic), though it is used less frequently in this situation.
  Metaspecies
  Metaspecies are various animal species whose genetic diversity sprung from the Awakened world. These genetic changes can be as minor as a digestive protein, 
  which changes the species’ diet, to color, size, or other physical changes. There is a grey area between mutation and meta, but with extensive genetic and environmental 
  study, mutations can be weeded out quickly, especially non-seed mutations. While metaspecies and paraspecies can be interchangeable terms, metaspecies is used most 
  often to categorize animal species that do not manifest extraordinary powers or abilities (e.g., a Russian grand silkie is a metaspecies of chicken, while a cockatrice is 
  a paraspecies). Metachicken is acceptable substitution for the term “metaspecies of chicken,” but parachicken is not acceptable terminology for describing a cockatrice. 
  Paranormal Animal/Paraspecies (also Paracritter)
  Paranormal animals are various animal species that have been able to manifest some fantastic changes and/or extraordinary abilities. Over time, the definition of 
  what an “extraordinary ability” is has become more lax, with dual-natured abilities now falling into the metaspecies category instead of paraspecies. “Paracritter” has 
  become acceptable slang term for any animal exhibiting unusual traits or abilities, including metaspecies. It is also used erroneously for mutants and warforms.
  Scientific Naming Conventions
  To help name new species and subspecies, especially after the SURGE effects, the Combined International Committee of Zoological and Botanical Nomenclature 
  designed a streamlined classification of subspecies of paranormal animals. All such subspecies add the additional scientific name “novo” along with a greek letter in order 
  of their official classification. (e.g., the demon rat Rattus diabolis novo is a subparaspecies of the devil rat). This was also an accepted practice for various metaspecies 
  (e.g., the Morpheus, the parchment, and Ekman’s butterfly were classified Papilo antimachus novo alpha, beta, and gamma respectively). however this has led some 
  parazoologists to lazy practice of classifications, such as when two paraspecies of click beetle (capacitor bug and caustic beetle) were labeled Elateridae novo alpha and 
  Elateridae novo beta.
  
  6
  BAhARI
  BAhARI
  TRICHECHUS BAHARII 
  Habitat: Rivers and coastlines
  Range: West Africa 
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: The bahari grows up to four meters long and weighs 
  around six hundred kilograms. They are nearly hairless, with grey skin 
  mottled by brown spots. They have a thick hide with a thin layer of fat 
  for protection against varying degrees of water temperatures. Their jaws 
  are like that of a bear, with a large canines, and its front flippers end in 
  short claws. The bahari has a rounded tailfin like its progenitor.
  Habits: The West African manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) was be-
  lieved extinct until two decades ago, when scientists reported seeing an 
  Awakened form of the creature in the coastal swamps and rivers in the 
  area. Locals call this species the bahari, or “sea man,” as it has the ability 
  to disguise itself as a metahuman. Unlike its progenitor, the bahari is 
  carnivorous and will attack full-size crocodiles and even challenge the 
  hippopotamus in territorial disputes.  It has the ability to compel prey 
  into the water and then drag them under to drown before eating them. 
  They can appear to be slow swimmers, but the rounded tailfin provides 
  boosts of speed like that of the dolphin. Bahari are normally found in 
  rivers but have also been seen along ocean coasts. Rumors state that the 
  bahari can change its hunting habits to that of a nocturnal predator, and 
  it will stalk metahumans, luring them from houses and fishing boats 
  into the water.
  The bahari live in harems with one male for every twenty females. 
  Young bahari males have to compete for any females. While such chal-
  lenges don’t lead to a fatality, they typically end with serious scarring 
  on the combatants’ backs and bite marks on their tails. The ability to 
  change into a metahuman form allows males to migrate farther out to 
  find better challenges for mates or to move the harem across the land 
  to other territory.
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  Movement: 20/60 (swimming)
  Skills: Diving 2, Gymnastics 4, Perception 3, Spell Casting 3, 
  Swimming 4, Unarmed Combat 4
  Powers: Aura Masking, Compulsion, Dual Natured, Innate 
  Spell (Shapechange (metahuman form)), Natural Weapon 
  (Bite/claw, Reach —, DV 5P, AP —)
  > I’ve not seen these things myself, but I got a good story anyways. 
  There was this small-time pirate on the Skeleton Coast making a living 
  off kidnappings and small-arms deals. Pathetic really, as he was content 
  selling pistols and automatics and not going for the brass ring with 
  explosives and rockets. Anyways, one night after hard drinking he spotted 
  a woman, naked and running along the beach. Him and his crew got up 
  to investigate and found a dozen naked women running along the beach 
  playing in the water. So they went to pursue the women. They get to this 
  cove where the women were all swimming. Being drunk, they dived in to 
  “play” with them. Unfortunately the women shifted to their bahari form 
  and had a midnight snack. Bahari don’t like the taste of cyberware, which 
  is how I got hold of a cybereye recording of the whole thing.
  > Kane
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  7
  BOMBARDIER
  BOMBARDIER
  GLAUCOMYS TELIDYTUJ 
  Habitat: Forested areas
  Range: North American east coast
  Frequency: Common
  Identification: Its fur is light tan, with a shading to white on the belly 
  and a black stripe along the spine. The bombardier is fifty centimeters 
  long with a five-centimeters-wide, flat tail. It weighs an average of 175 
  grams. Between it limbs is a flap of skin allowing it to glide short dis-
  tances between trees instead of traveling along the ground. 
  Habits: The bombardier is the Awakened version of the flying squirrel 
  (Glaucomys volans), though its size is similar to the extinct wooly flying 
  squirrel. Like other squirrels, it is an omnivore eating anything from 
  insects to berries to young birds and eggs, but those that live on the 
  outskirts of an urban environment have found soy products irresistible. 
  The bombardier’s special ability is psychokenisis, which it uses to steal 
  food from trash cans or any other unattended morsels. As a defensive 
  tactic, it will use its power to throw anything it can at the predator to 
  give it time to flee. 
  The bombardier lives in loose colonies of up to fifty individuals 
  in the trees, and they build multiple nests or dens for specific purposes 
  (such as food, sleeping, raising young, and defecation). On occasion 
  they will occupy bird nests and kill or evict the young birds within. 
  Year-old bombardiers sleep with adults and younger bombardiers in 
  the same nest. During the winter, the bombardier hibernates on a store 
  of hoarded food. These food stores can be several kilograms worth of 
  food that the whole colony will help create.
  The average lifespan of the bombardier is four years.
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  Movement: 5/10 (can also glide at speed 10)
  Skills: Climbing 5, Infiltration 2, Perception 2
  Powers: Enhanced Senses (Smell), Psychokinesis
  > Cute little things.
  > /dev/grrl
  > That’s until you find that they lifted your soy chips while you weren’t looking.
  > Cosmo
  
  8
  BOMBARDIER
  JOURNAL EXCERPT FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT: AMAZON JUNGLE
  FIELD JOURNAL, JUNE-2063
  In my effort to find the mythical Napoleon Rex and finish the Paranormal 
  Guide to South America, I secured permission from the Amazonia government for 
  a three-week excursion into the Amazon jungle, and also received funds for extra 
  security. We started our travel by heading upriver from Belem. 
  The exact nature of the Napoleon Rex is up for speculation; some say it’s a 
  large veloceraptor, others believe it’s a pygmy tyrannosaurus, and still others believe 
  it’s some Awakened lizard or alligator, though until we get hard evidence, it may well 
  be just a case of mistaken identity.
  Rumors describe the Napoleon Rex as a two- to four-meter-tall reptile that 
  walks on two legs. Terrified natives have brought stories to the outside world. The 
  creature is said to have attacked villages and chased hunters from their kill. We 
  managed to find some poor-quality surveillance footage released by the Amazonian 
  government of some large creature running away from the drone through the jungle 
  on thermal.
  Three days into the trip, our boats were ambushed by a school of Amazonian 
  flying candiru. These Awakened little fishes have adapted themselves with strong, 
  wide fins to launch themselves one to two meters out of the water. With a primitive 
  bony head plate and needle-shaped head, they can imbed themselves in skin and 
  clothing. They are parasitic, with specialized gills allowing them to receive oxygen, 
  and they can consume nutrients from the host’s blood. If not treated immediately, 
  they can bore their way further into the victim’s body. The candriu is very painful to 
  remove as the head is covered in barbs. It took the doctor two hours to surgically 
  remove the dozen or so fish from my team’s bodies. Unfortunately, two members 
  contracted malaria from the candriu even though precautions were taken.
  After arriving at Coari, we trekked six days into the jungle and then established 
  base camp. This was relatively close to where the drone sighted the creature a month 
  earlier. The rigger team sent out drones to patrol the area as well as drop sensors 
  for the hacking team to watch for signs of life. This gave us a sensor net of about 
  one kilometer in radius.
  Day eleven
  Weather was bad, and I wish Dr. Bogue was here to do the cooking. I’ve always 
  been impressed with his culinary skills and use of native edibles. The trideo footage 
  taken so far of wildlife, Awakened or not, will prove invaluable to zoologists. Still 
  nothing on Napoleon. We’ll expand the sensor net a little wider before moving north 
  to another site. One of the riggers found some equipment, uncovered by the rain. 
  A small security detail went to investigate this equipment. One of the engineers 
  jury-rigged a metal detector just in case there’s anything metallic buried. They were 
  out for more than three hours in the rain. When they returned, they found trid 
  equipment and camping gear, most of which had been destroyed by jungle rot. The 
  data crystal for the trid recorder was still intact. My team worked to recover the data. 
  When they got it to play, I was shocked; here displayed was a pale hologram of Dr. 
  Paterson, my mentor.  he was discussing the various beetles that live in the under-
  brush of the Amazon jungle and how the Awakened world meant nothing to the 
  evolution that has diversified this species. I was dumbfounded. he was some three 
  hundred kilometers from his last reported position. Fast forwarding through the 
  trid to get some bearings, I paused, seeing something moving above Dr. Paterson. 
  It was a helicopter, and men were coming down ropes. It was an extraction job. 
  Fast forwarding again showed several explosions and a very disorienting change of 
  perspective as Dr. Paterson held onto the trid recorder while he was lifted into the 
  air. Apparently whoever was taking him didn’t know that it was still recording or 
  didn’t care. The trid showed the helicopter heading south, deeper into the jungle, 
  then there was an interruption in the projection. Apparently someone turned off 
  the trid recorder, because in the next instance it was dusk. Something was going 
  on as people were shooting from the helicopter. Something was attacking the 
  helicopter. Then Dr. Paterson and the recorder exited the helicopter in a dizzying 
  freefall. Something grabbed the professor, while the recorder descended through 
  the canopy where we found it.
  Day twelve
  Daniel, the lead hacker on the team, used many of our tools and some of his 
  tricks to edit and analyze the footage, comparing it with the drone surveillance of 
  the canopy. he was able to get a bearing for us as to the direction that Dr. Paterson 
  was taken. As for what took him, it appears to be a giant green spider-like creature 
  that was able to walk on top of the trees. Towards the evening, we made camp near 
  the remains of the helicopter. My wife checked out the remains within the vehicle. 
  After five years, not much remained but a few bones and implants. She discovered 
  it was three people, with one highly probable match to the masked person on the 
  trid. One was a troll, and by the look of the bones it had titanium bone lacing, which 
  discouraged scavengers. It does not appear that any of the kidnappers survived. 
  There were some cybereyes, but the components were too damaged to extract data. 
  We continued to press on, hoping to find Dr. Paterson and bring him home.
  Day fifteen
  We’re at the limits of the projected area where Dr. Paterson was taken. I’ve 
  asked the rigger team to make a detailed surveillance of the area. Maybe we can 
  find a body, but it’s highly doubtful. 
  At 0900, Mike was in hysterics. he said the drones found a man-made struc-
  ture within a few hundred yards of our position. It didn’t look old. I couldn’t wait for 
  the whole crew to pack up. My wife, two security guards, and I led the way to the 
  structure. When we got there, I saw the drone perched on top of an A-frame house 
  made of logs and overgrown with a fuzzy moss. There was a stone table outside near 
  a tree. The table was empty except for a few wooden bowls and gourds, the contents 
  of which ranged from beetles to flowers. Things were fairly recent; there were even 
  ashes from a campfire close to the structure. As I approached the house, something 
  walked out of the jungle into this small clearing. he was hardly recognizable with 
  animal hides and a long dirty beard, and he was carrying a small cage with good 
  sized rodent within it. he was startled by our presence and dropped the cage. One 
  line came to mind, “Dr. Paterson I presume?”
  Day sixteen
  We moved our camp to the clearing. The doctor checked out Dr. Paterson as 
  my mentor related a fantastic story. While he didn’t know who tried to kidnap him, 
  he was saved by a spirit of the woods who was fascinated by his care and study 
  of nature. The spirit did not understand civilization or much of anything outside 
  the jungle. The spirit helped build this campsite for Dr. Paterson and showed him 
  where to find food and water. The spirit stayed for a year, showing Paterson many 
  of the wonderful worlds of the jungle that Paterson couldn’t help but study. After 
  that year, the spirit just left. Only the occasional tribal hunter would come by. There 
  was a language barrier, but Paterson understood that the “Great Spirit” asked them 
  to check on him. 
  Day seventeen
  Perimeter motion sensors were triggered by something big, just to the north of 
  the camp.  Dragonflies were sent out to flank whatever the target was with a silent 
  blimp above the canopy with a thermal scan. A small team led by me got ready to 
  move just in case it was Napoleon. At 1.1 kilometers north of our position, the drones 
  found a pair of bipedal reptiles between three and four meters tall with a brilliant 
  feathered crest. They were there only for a few moments, and then something 
  startled them and they ran southwest. 
  Day eighteen
  Our last day before having to head back to the river. While I didn’t get as much 
  as I wanted about Napoleon, I had found a greater treasure on this expedition.
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  9
  BRUChA
  BRUChA
  ERINACEUS FERRIS
  Habitat: 
  Range: Northern and western Europe 
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: The brucha is a large hedgehog, weighing in at twenty 
  kilograms. It is fifty centimeters long and thirty centimeters tall at the 
  shoulder. It is covered in brown fur with five thousand long reddish 
  quills, and it has thick, digging-style claws. The brucha has a pig-like 
  snout and black beady eyes.
  Habits: This very large hedgehog has become a nuisance for much of 
  Europe and an invasive species to Tír na nÓg, much like that of the wild 
  hog of the Americas. It eats insects, eggs, roots, fruit, or vegetables—es-
  sentially anything it can dig up or pull out. It is very destructive as it 
  digs up young trees or creates furrows in search for food. Its quills are 
  modified hairs with a high concentration of iron, making them strong. 
  When it is frightened, it flexes special muscles to point its quills at the 
  threat. If cornered it attempts to charge, attempting to maim or injure 
  the attacker’s legs. The quills are red in color due to oxidation of the 
  iron in them. Because it digs in dirt, the quills are a perfect environment 
  for tetanus bacteria, so small scratches can become infected. Brucha 
  perform the same “anointing” behavior of taking a new scent and coat-
  ing one of their quills with it. This also gives rise to other infections if 
  a predator gets stuck by a quill. Brucha can live up to ten years. Brucha 
  breed in May and April and can have litters of four to six young.
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  Movement: 10/40
  Skills: Perception 2, Running 1, Tracking 3, Unarmed Combat 2
  Powers: Enhanced Senses (Smell), Natural Weapon (Bite/Quill, Reach 
  —, DV 3P, AP –1)
  > They are a menace. They can knock over rocks and eat all the herbal reagents 
  in no time, disrupting hours of ritual preparation. There’s been suspected cairn 
  disturbances blamed on the brucha, and there’s a fifty nuyen bounty for each 
  body delivered to the Seers’ Guild.
  > Arete
  > The brucha is a driving hazard—those quills can do serious tire damage.
  > Turbo Bunny
  
  10
  CUERO
  CUERO
  ENTEROCTOPUS TRANSPARE
  Habitat: Rivers
  Range: South America
  Frequency: Rare
  Identification: The cueros is an octopus just over a meter wide and 
  practically transparent. It has eight two-meter-long tentacles, each with 
  suckers and small hooks. The octopus’ beak is more than thirty centi-
  meters in diameter. Cueros can weigh over seventy kilograms.
  Habits: Awakened from the giant octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini), the 
  cuero is the first known freshwater octopus. It is able to survive a wide 
  range of water salinity. It lives in large rivers, crawling along the river 
  bottom with its powerful tentacles, and will grab and eat whatever 
  swims or floats by. It uses the flow of the river to distort and hide its 
  movements. Once it finds prey, it uses four of its tentacles to float to the 
  surface, grab the prey, and pull it underwater.  The other four tentacles 
  are used to brace itself under water while keeping the prey submerged. 
  With its powerful beak, it tears through flesh, bone, and even plastic. If 
  there is too much to eat in one sitting, it grabs large stones and covers 
  the remains underwater. The cuero is smart for an animal, able to solve 
  simple levers and latches. It lives in small caves, squeezing its large body 
  through small openings that it digs out.
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  Movement: 15/25 (swimming)
  Skills: Escape Artist 3, Infiltration 2, Perception 3, Shadowing 3, 
  Swimming 3, Unarmed Combat 4
  Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Gills, Natural Weapon (Bite, Reach —, 
  DV 4P, AP –1)
  Note: +2 Reach to grab with tentacles. The tentacles are not used for 
  damage, but rather to drag prey to the beak.
  > This thing’s like glass on water. I first saw the cuero in Chile, on the Rio Malleco. 
  My team and I were doing a little sightseeing before finishing gathering 
  materials at the Tolhuaca hot springs. We took kayaks out to cruise the 
  whitewater rapids. It was a great afternoon—until Philip fell out of his kayak. 
  We watched for him to surface, but he didn’t. Jesse summoned a water spirit 
  to help locate him. It turned out he wasn’t that far away. His body was wedged 
  between rocks fifty meters downstream and four meters underwater. Jesse had 
  the water spirit calm the waters so that we could retrieve him. That’s when I 
  saw—or rather felt—a shape clinging to the body. It was hard to see the cuero 
  before it grabbed my wrist and tried to drown me. I just about blacked out 
  before the rest of the group came to my aid. The creature jumped out of the 
  water and momentarily changed appearance. It was leathery brown with long 
  arms like an octopus, then it disappeared again into the water.
  > Glasswalker
  > There’s a similar monster species called the guanapipi in the Outback. It lurks 
  in the brackish water in the remaining rivers and lakes there. And supposedly 
  someone put a few in Lake Oolagah in CAS as a security measure.
  > Stone
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  11
  CUERO
  JOURNAL EXCERPT FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT: AOTEAROA (NEW ZEALAND)
  When I traveled to Aotearoa, instead of taking my usual expedition crew, I 
  brought twenty of my students on a trip of a lifetime. Aotearoa doesn’t have the 
  dangerous predators that I normally deal with, so I only have a skeleton crew to help 
  with documentation while also assisting the students with their own projects. I was 
  hoping to get footage of the elusive taniwha sea monster of Gore Bay. 
  I normally try not to leave trash behind on my expeditions, especially with 
  an anthropologic wife who nags me about cultural contamination and cargo cults. 
  Aotearoa, however, has even stricter clauses with bans on certain alternate fuels 
  and even packaged foodstuffs. Apparently even if we bury our bowel movements it 
  wouldn’t decompose properly. So it ended up being a fine deal for the students, as I 
  had to purchase food stuffs from the local farmers markets. 
  Day 1
  We set up some remote sensors around the bay and cliffs for continuous 
  recording. I had to make sure they were sensors with biodegradable parts to comply 
  with environmental regulations. This had the positive effect of freeing up time for 
  the students to collect and document the flora and fauna.
  Day 4
  On the northern coast we were startled to find a “herd” of giant carnivorous 
  hermaphrodite snails the size of bowling balls in the camp. They apparently were 
  “chasing” slugs and beetles that were seeking refuge. Mr. Larson, being the first with 
  his recorder, got to document the Awakened species for his project. Mr. Larson noted 
  later that day that they didn’t eat the soy crumbs but loved roasted crickets. he also 
  noted that he had to be careful of his fingers.
  Day 7
  Bad weather lifted and gave the students a chance to do some tracking and 
  checking of the trid traps. Two students got some great imagery of the native 
  wildlife. Three of them studied a flock of kaka (Nestor regalis), which are Awakened 
  kea. The students noted how through teamwork, the birds broke into the land rover, 
  popped open the simple locks on the cooler, and snagged all the grapes. All the kids 
  are on their way to be becoming solid biologists and parabiologists.
  Day 10
  Software monitoring in Gore Bay alerted us to something moving in the bay 
  matching our relatively generic parameters. Seeing how we were close to the bay 
  at this time, we crossed Port Robinson Road and traveled down to the beach to 
  discover not a taniwha, but a Maori whale-rider. It was a father-and-son team swim-
  ming with a pod of right whales. My wife tells me they could be from the Ngāti Porou 
  iwi, or folk from the northern island, maybe Wellington. When the father and son 
  swam to shore to eat, my wife and I walked out to greet them. My wife was right of 
  course, though I don’t know how she did that. There was a bit of a language barrier 
  that needed the commlink to translate, but I explained to them that I’m teaching 
  a group of students in the study of biology, both Awakened and mundane. I added 
  that we picked this location to record the taniwha sea monster. he smiled and told 
  me that he was teaching his son about the life in the ocean. he told us that he’d 
  return to Gore Bay by evening and would like us to return with all the students.
  That evening we found, to our surprise, a dozen men and women from the iwi 
  who shared a feast and celebration with us on the beach. They shared stories of the 
  sea monsters, and in return they wanted the students to show them what they have 
  learned. It was a great evening, even without footage of the sea monster. 
  
  12
  FIjI MERMAID
  FIjI MERMAID
  MERHOMO FORSTERI
  Habitat: Temperate, subtropical, and tropical oceanic waters
  Range: South Pacific islands with the largest colonies in Fiji
  Frequency: Common
  Identification: The Fijian mermaid has the lower body like that of the 
  mundane species, but then has a pair of arms that end in four-fingered 
  webbed and clawed hands that replace their front flippers. Its head has a 
  dense mane of fur, which crowns its head like a lion; males occasionally 
  having longer fur growing from their chin. The Fijian mermaid has a 
  shorter nose and more pronounced canines than other known species. 
  They average 100 centimeters in length and 150 kilograms in weight. 
  Habits: While the mermaid is known to have Awakened from the 
  California sea lion, the Fiji mermaid Awakened from the Southern fur 
  seal (Arctocephalus forsteri). It has similar features as the mermaid, such 
  as having arms with four-fingered webbed hands, but it is not as large, 
  nor as feminine-looking as the mermaid. They also have primitive use of 
  tools when they hunt. The Fiji mermaid colonies are specific only to the 
  islands east of Australia. Compared to other mermaids, the Fijian breed 
  is not as aggressive, but that doesn’t make them less dangerous. The 
  Fijian mermaid feeds on fish, crustaceans, and sea birds if it can catch 
  them. They are very territorial of their island breeding ground, even 
  against the larger mermaids. Fijian mermaids are not monogamous, 
  with the females able to choose their partners based on a matriarchal so-
  cial structure. After the pups are born, the females do the hunting, while 
  the males stay and protect the young.  Fijian mermaids are sometimes 
  poached for food, and their dense fur is used by island pirates. “Scalped” 
  Fijian mermaids have washed up on Australian beaches.
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  Movement: 10/50 (swimming)
  Skills: Perception 2, Shadowing 2, Swimming 5, Tracking 3, Unarmed 
  Combat 4
  Powers: Enhanced Senses (Hearing), Natural Weapon (Claws, Reach 
  —, DV 2P, AP —)
  > Not much fur on them or meat, so not worth my time. The “pirates” he’s 
  referring to are more local like the Huk. They’re small-time rebels looking for 
  bush meat and quick cash.
  > Kane
  > Matriarchal mermaids? So I am woman, hear me bark?
  > Slamm-0!
  > You really like sleeping on that couch.
  > Netcat
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  13
  GREATER DANCING WhITE LADy
  GREATER DANCING WhITE LADy
  CARPARACHNE AUREOGRANDI 
  Habitat: Desert
  Range: Namib Desert, southern Africa
  Frequency: Rare
  Identification: The dancing white lady is an arachnid, 12 to 30 cen-
  timeters from leg tip to leg tip,weighing 30 to 75 grams. It has eight 
  legs, eight eyes, and a pair of venomous fangs. The dancing white lady 
  is covered in fine white hair.
  Habits: An Awakened version of the white lady trapdoor spider 
  (Carparachne aureoflava) native to the Namib Desert, greater dancing 
  white ladies dig fifty-centimeter holes into the sand, bracing the walls 
  with spidersilk and constructing a trap door of sand and silk. They feel 
  for prey walking past their door and surprise their victim, lunging out 
  and paralyzing it with their touch. Once the victim is immobilized, 
  they are poisoned. The spider then waits for the venom to burst the 
  body’s cells, digesting the victim from the inside. The greater dancing 
  white ladies then drink and drain the corpse of fluid.
  Dancing white ladies are semi-communal, and the face of a sand 
  dune may contain dozens of these Awakened spiders, which can work 
  together to take down larger prey such as metahumans. If threatened, 
  the greater dancing white lady can curl into a ball and roll away at 
  incredible speeds. 
  While the spiders are called “ladies,” there are of course both male 
  and females of the Awakened species. In one of the gruesome cycles 
  of life, once the male mates with the female, the male is paralyzed and 
  eaten by its mate. The female deposits an egg sack in the back of its lair 
  until it hatches. When it does, the young spiders eat the mother.  It is 
  hypothesized that there could be some transfer of knowledge in this 
  act of cannibalism.
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  Movement: 2/20
  Skills: Climbing 1, Infiltration 2, Perception 2, Unarmed Combat 1, 
  Swimming 5 
  Powers: Enhanced Senses (Tremor Sense), Fragile 2, Movement (Self 
  Only), Paralyzing Touch, Venom
  THE OFFAL TRUTH
  Posted by: Ecotope
  As the adage goes, “you are what you eat,” which of course means that the 
  majority of us are a bunch of vegetables living in a corp-controlled environment 
  being fed shit every day by corporate labs. yeah, that’s a joke, but it kind of hits 
  close to home, doesn’t it?
  you may think that the world’s wealthy are chewing on real steaks and burgers 
  every night, but the offal truth is that the lower end of the rich spectrum may eat 
  cow and pigs more frequently, but their meals are made with parts of the animals 
  that a century ago would have been thought of as either delicacies or discards, 
  depending on the culture. From head cheese to ox tail, from blood to tripe, all of 
  these are sold at high prices in limited markets.  
  On the bright side of this lopsided farming catastrophe, the third of the land 
  mass that was devoted to feeding and caring for livestock has been freed up for 
  other uses, though most of those corporate uses continue to trash the land (what 
  else did you expect?). Additionally, moving from meat to soy has cut a significant 
  amount of fat out of metahuman diets, and resource scarcity has cut even more, 
  leading to significant drops in obesity rates. That doesn’t mean people are healthy, 
  of course—just that they aren’t eating as much fat. They’re still not getting enough 
  basic nutrients.  Vat-grown foods provide a slightly cheaper alternative to meat. 
  Synthetic food and bottled meat from Natural-Vat and Soba Foods (labeled under 
  more palatable names) are products resulting from efforts to grow cows (or parts 
  thereof) without the expense of the farm. Sometimes people are able to stomach 
  the stuff, as long as they aren’t exposed to trideo footage of how it is made.
  high prices have fueled black markets to supply goods to the carnivorous clien-
  tele. Some small labs reproduce blood products that can be used in soy-processing 
  units. These labs stay small to fly under the corporate radar, and it’s easier to grow and 
  move quantities of cells rather than whole organs. Besides outright theft of old Betsey, 
  some runners have resorted to hunting animals lower in the food chain so they can be 
  sold on the black market. In many cities, urban poaching of rats and pigeons is not an 
  unheard way to supplement both income and nutrition. I say “poaching” because the 
  better catches can be found on corporate territory or in corporate-owned buildings, 
  and they don’t take kindly to people setting up traps in the vents and such. Wild game, 
  if found, are more increasingly toxic with heavy metals and other pollutants making 
  the meat possibly deadly. Plus, it tastes terrible.  hunting pets may be an option for 
  some, but cats and dogs are frankenmeat, genetically tailored for social appeal than for 
  consumption. And pets that disappear tend to be missed. For those looking for recipes, 
  there’s a cookbook floating around out there with recipes for dressing and cooking devil 
  rat and other common fauna. LINK. If hunting isn’t an option, there are DIy farming kits 
  to help you raise crickets or other insects, which can provide a relatively cheap—and 
  crunchy!—food supplement. 
  
  14
  GIANT BOAR
  GIANT BOAR
  SUS SCROFA LOEFFENSIS
  Habitat: Forests and woodlands
  Range: AGS (Eastern Germany)
  Frequency: Very rare
  Identification: The giant boar resembles it mundane relatives except 
  for its size and a small horn crest that runs from neck to tail along the 
  spine. On average, giant boars have a height of 1.5 meters at the shoul-
  der, a body length of 2.4 meters, a corresponding weight up to 400 
  kilograms, and a pair of sharp tusks. The giant boar is covered in dark 
  grey fur and stiff bristles. The tusks can grow up to twelve centimeters 
  long, and the horned crest has an average height of 5 centimeters.
  Habits:  The first sighting of this direct relative to the common wild 
  boar (Sus scrofa) was confirmed in January 2062 near Ribbek in 
  Brandenburg (AGS). Their natural range appears to be the forests of 
  Saxony, Brandenburg, and Thuringia, although single animals have 
  been observed in Polish woodlands in recent winters. While no large-
  scale field studies of the giant boar have been undertaken, observations 
  and reports suggest that the species is extremely resistant to environ-
  mental toxins, natural pathogens, and physical trauma from larger 
  predators (including human hunters and rangers), indicating that they 
  are not just a gigantic variant of the common boar, even if their behav-
  ior appears to be similar. 
  There have also been reports of whole sounders of common razor-
  backs headed by a giant boar. Due to their size and aggressiveness, they 
  are particularly dangerous during mating (November to January) and 
  breeding season (March and April), with sows displaying very strong 
  territorial and protective demeanor.  The females have litters of three 
  to five  piglets during this time. The piglets’ coloration is more brown 
  and striped, and they do not have the characteristic horn crest. After 
  six months, when their coloring changes to grey, they start developing 
  the crest.
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  Movement: 10/45
  Skills: Perception 2, Running 2, Tracking 1, Unarmed Combat 3
  Powers: Immunity (Pathogens, Toxins), Natural Weapon (Tusk, Reach 
  —, DV 5P, AP —), Regeneration 
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  15
  hOOFOE 
  hOOFOE 
  UPUPA MYOPS
  Habitat: Lightly vegetated ground, lightly forested areas, savannahs, 
  and grasslands
  Range: Throughout Europe, southern Asia and North Africa.
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: The hoofoe is a long-billed, thrush-like bird with an 
  erect golden crest. It is 25 centimeters long with a wingspan of 48 centi-
  meters, and it weighs about fifty grams. The hoofoe plumage is a striped 
  pattern of black and gold with its crest and tail tipped in black.
  Habits: Awakened from the hoopoe (Upupa epops), this is a some-
  what annoying little bird that loves human speech. It loves it so much 
  that it integrates it into its song. This has proven to be both startling 
  and embarrassing when the bird calls out. While a parrot has the 
  comparative understanding of language as a two-year-old metahu-
  man, the hoofoe has no understanding of anything besides phonetics. 
  The hoofoe’s song is babbling nonsense, but there are those who have 
  found use for its behavior. In Israel, the government has trained the 
  hoofoe to listen for certain words and repeat the phrase containing 
  those words. They are not the most accurate or intelligent spies, but 
  they can go places no other agents can penetrate.
  The hoofoe, like its progenitor species, is a beneficial insectivore, 
  as it eats the bugs and pests that plague metahumans. This has made 
  the hoofoe a rather popular bird to keep around. It also is a long-
  distance migratory bird. The hoofoe nests in Europe in the summer 
  and migrates to Africa and southern Asia in the winter.  The female 
  nests in cliff faces, rocky outcroppings, or even building rooftops. The 
  female can lay up to a dozen small blue eggs, which hatch after twenty 
  days, and the fledglings can fly after an additional thirty days. As a side 
  note, the hoofoe has a preening gland that it uses to care for itself and 
  its young. The preening oil has a bitter taste that predators dislike, and 
  it is also a natural insecticide.
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  Movement: 20/40 (flying) 
  Skills: Flight 4, Infiltration 2, Perception 3, Shadowing 2, Unarmed 
  Combat 1
  Powers:  Enhanced Senses (Hearing), Fragile 2, Mimicry
  Note: Reach –1
  > Ooo ooo, I want one! Mix its vocabulary with heavy rap and I could make a 
  fortune …
  > Slamm-0!
  > The hoofoe being trained in espionage is more prevalent that people think. 
  It often can be cheaper to train an animal than build biodrones or construct 
  warforms.
  > Thorn
  
  16
  jENNy hANIVER
  jENNy hANIVER
  CEBUS AQUATA
  Habitat: Coastal areas, rivers
  Range: South and Central America and Southern Asia 
  Frequency: Common
  Identification: The jenny haniver is a small humanoid, fifty centime-
  ters long and weighing 1 kilogram. It has smooth leathery skin, with 
  color ranging from a bluish grey to brownish tan. Its hands and feet are 
  webbed and its short, ten-centimeter-long tail is flat. It has small fin-like 
  protrusions on either side of its head that can stand erect, giving it a 
  triangular shape. The face is round with large eyes, small nostrils, and 
  small ear holes. The jaw projects out slightly, and the mouth contains 
  small razor-sharp teeth.  
  Habits: The jenny haniver, or haniver as it is more commonly called, 
  appears to be an aquatic, Awakened capuchin monkey (Cebus paella), 
  though similar species of haniver has been found in the islands of 
  southern Asia, such as in the Sumatran Alliance and Dayak Council. 
  They are foragers and scavengers along the beaches and rivers. They eat 
  crustaceans, seaweed, fruit, and fish. The hanivers of South America 
  are a freshwater species, able to travel far upriver, eating whatever drops 
  in the water. The Asian species are saltwater species, living along the 
  coast. Both have been a nuisance to metahumans. Like the land-bound 
  monkeys, they are both curious and territorial. Boats that cruise close 
  to their territory have their holds carefully inspected, as the hanivers 
  have learned to associate food with metahumans and are quite crafty in 
  finding where it’s stored. They can stay out of the water for brief periods 
  of time, up to thirty minutes, thanks to their rudimentary lungs.
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  Skills: Athletics skill group 3, Clubs 2, Infiltration 4, Perception 3, 
  Unarmed Combat 3, Thrown Weapons 1
  Powers:  Fragile 1, Gills, Natural Weapon (Bite, Reach –1, DV 1P, 
  AP —)
  > I thought someone was pulling a prank on me or some other bullshit when I 
  heard about the haniver. I thought it was all some trick to get tourists to buy 
  seashells and other shanty crafts. But then, three years ago, I found myself out 
  near Cape Horn and came face-to-face with the buggers. They are sea monkeys 
  from hell, with needle-like teeth and a pointy tail. A whole gang of them got 
  on board my ship and started rummaging through the cargo and the galley. A 
  few of the bastards even got into my bunk! They chewed on everything, trying 
  to see if it was food. When they found something good, they marked it as their 
  own, rubbing strong-smelling shit on it. When I got alerted by my navigator that 
  we had intruders on board, it was too late. We ran back to the docks, but the 
  haviners heard us coming. Dozens of them were jumping off back into the water, 
  carrying whatever tasted good to them. We only managed to salvage a few 
  things they were carrying that floated to the surface because they were more 
  buoyant than the hanivers. They left behind a ship reeked like a cross between 
  monkey diarrhea and rotting fish.
  > Kane
  > You should write a children’s book with all of these colorful stories.
  > Slamm-0!
  > Only if you don’t leave any of the words out reading it to your kid.
  > Kane
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  17
  KARKADANN
  KARKADANN
  DICEROS KARTAJAN
  Habitat: Deserts, Savanah
  Range: From Eastern Africa to Southern Asia
  Frequency: Rare
  Identification: The karkadann is 250 centimeters tall at the shoulder 
  and 350 centimeters long, with a weight of just over 1,000 kilograms. 
  It has a rough, thick, black hide, three-toed feet, and a short, bristly 
  mane. It is equine in shape with an 80-centimeter-long black horn at 
  the end of its nose.
  Habits: While the karkadann looks more like a horse, its progenitor ap-
  pears to be a black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis). Its name is a variation 
  of Sanskrit, which means “lord of the desert.” The karkadann is fiercely 
  territorial and marks the borders with long furrows and a slashed “X” 
  on trees. The horn is shaped like a large blade and is made of an organic 
  composite, making it stronger than normal horn. There is a scent gland 
  at the base of the horn, which wicks up the horn blade and helps iden-
  tify its own markings. It doesn’t like man-made structures, presumably 
  because of the smell, and will kick and strike at walls and vehicles. This 
  attitude hampers construction of network towers in the area. 
  While they normally solitary, during the raining season the 
  karkadann migrate together in herds heading to Eastern Africa to 
  mate. The largest herd size seen has been just shy of one hundred head. 
  Such herds are dangerous to cross, as they tend to damage anything in 
  their way.
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  Movement: 20/75
  Skills: Counterspelling 4, Perception 3, Running 2, Unarmed Combat 3
  Powers: Armor (2/4), Magic Guard, Natural Weapon (Horn, Reach 
  —,DV 10P, AP –2)
  > Wait, wait, wait. The black rhinoceros went extinct in 2006. Aetherpedia said 
  so. How can the karkadann manifest from something that disappeared before 
  the Awakening?
  > Slamm-0!
  > If it’s on the Matrix, it must be true right? What I heard is that two years after 
  the successful cloning of the Tasmanian tiger, some biocorp tried cloning the 
  black rhino. This wasn’t some altruistic save-the-species-type company; this 
  was for black market pharmaceuticals made with real black rhino horn. The 
  company had a herd of over a thousand head ready for slaughter when an 
  ecoterrorist group blew the hell of the facility and released them into the wild. 
  At least a few of the critters managed to survive to become the karkadann we 
  have today.
  > Ecotope
  DO ANIMALS GOBLINIZE AT A CERTAIN AGE 
  OR ARE THEY BORN THAT WAY?
  Posted by: Dr. Paterson
  Existing evidence tells us that most Awakened animals are born that way. Initially they were 
  born from mundane species when the world Awakened, then they were Awakened children of 
  Awakened parents. This makes their origins similar to human transformation into the variety of 
  metahumans. In the early days of the Sixth World, there was general panic over pets and livestock 
  turning into monsters, and this led to many people abandoning them. Though their reasons for 
  doing so were generally unfounded, wild stories kept ther panic alive. Take the case of the cocka-
  trice. Studies show that eighty-five percent of the time, this animal Awakened from Red jungle 
  fowl in Asia rather than from the subspecies Gallus gallus domesticus, also known as the domestic 
  chicken. The low chance that their chickens would become cockatrices did not prevent millions of 
  people from killing or abandoning their birds in an attempt to keep cockatrices away from them.
  While most critters are born Awakened rather than being “goblinized,” there are exceptions. 
  For example, grandfather elk does not exhibit Awakened traits until it becomes leader of the herd; 
  the hellcow is believed to goblinize within the womb before birth; and the vorpal beaver is one of 
  the few documented animals that goblinizes in maturity. 
  
  18
  KLUDDE
  KLUDDE
  UNCLASSIFIED 
  Habitat: Rural and light forested areas
  Range: Northern Europe (United Netherlands, France)
  Frequency: Rare
  Identification: The kludde has three forms. The first is a large black 
  dog, two meters long from nose to tail and a meter tall at the shoulder. 
  It is covered with thick black fur, has a short tail, thick neck and jaw, 
  and a pair of vestigial leathery wings at its shoulders. In this form it 
  weighs approximately sixty kilograms. The second form is that of a 
  black domestic cat with long black fur that weighs approximately four 
  kilograms. The third form is a large raven with a one-and-a-half-meter 
  wingspan. All three forms have the same unique red corneas.
  Habits: The kludde is an interesting shape-shifting creature that can 
  take three specific forms. It uses these forms along with its paranormal 
  abilities to stalk and capture prey. It primarily hunts in its canine form, 
  while scouting and avoiding other predators in other shapes. In its 
  canine form it hunts large game mammals such as deer or pig, comple-
  menting its diet with the occasional bird. With the encroachment of 
  metahumanity into its habitat, it has also been known to hunt metahu-
  mans, livestock, and pets. The kludde has an unusual fighting style of 
  walking on its hind legs like a bear, presumably to strike at vulnerable 
  areas of the face and neck. It is a nocturnal carnivore. 
  Not much else is known about the kludde due to the difficulty of 
  tracking it through its multiple forms. It’s only seen as a solo hunter, 
  never in packs. Both male and female specimens have been found, but 
  the young hae never been spotted. We have yet to determine if there is 
  a specific form for breeding or how it takes care of its young.
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  Skills: Counterspelling 3, Infiltration 2, Perception 2, Tracking 2, 
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  Powers: Blinding, Desired Reflection, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light 
  Vision), Magic Sense, Magical Guard (Self Only), Psychokinesis, Shift 
  (see notes)
  Weakness: Allergy (Sunlight, Mild)
  Notes: The Kludde has three forms it can shift to, each with additional 
  power and/or skills associated with that form:
  Canine Form: 
  Movement: 10/50
  Powers: Enhanced Senses (Smell), Fear, Natural 
  Weapon (Bite, Reach —, DV 3P, AP —)
  Raven Form: 
  Movement: 20/40 (flight)
  Skills: Flight 4
  Powers: Hypnotic (Audio)
  Feline Form:
  Movement: 10/40
  Skills: Climbing 2
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  19
  MADAGASCAR jELLy
  MADAGASCAR jELLy
  CASSIOPEA MACOMBAE
  Habitat: Jungle canopy
  Range: Coastal Madagascar
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: The Madagascar jelly can be recognized as a leathery, 
  disk-shaped, gelatinous mass with multiple, up to four meter long ten-
  tacles. The body is green variegated in brown striations. The tentacles 
  are tough and ropy looking, with millions of tiny, venomous stingers.
  Habits:  The Madagascar jelly is an unusual species in that for most of 
  the year it stays on land. It survives due to the high humidity and 
  long rainy season on the island of Madagascar. Most of its skeletal 
  hydrostat has been replaced with muscular hydrostat, like that 
  of the octopus, for strength. It moves slowly as it pushes its ten-
  tacles out, then retracts them to lift or drag the body. It migrates 
  on land in early spring, climbing into the jungle canopy; there 
  it collects rainwater within reservoirs within its body to keep 
  hydrated. Most of the skin is thicker to prevent evaporation. The 
  Madagascar jelly is a fisherman as it extends four-meter-long tentacles 
  from its perch and waits for passing animals. If some animal bumps into 
  or grabs onto one of the tentacles, they feel the sting of its many venom-
  ous barbs, which will paralyze it. Sensing this, the tentacles will grab 
  hold of the victim, and pull it up to the body, where it will be digested. 
  While the jelly may not be strong enough to lift large prey, the venom 
  is still powerful enough to paralyze it.
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  Skills: Infiltration 4, Perception 2, Swimming 1, Unarmed Combat 3
  Powers: Concealment (Self ), Paralyzing Touch, Engulf, Enhanced 
  Senses (Motion Detection), Regeneration
  Note: +4 Reach
  
  20
  MADAGASCAR jELLy
  JOURNAL EXCERPT FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT: MADAGASCAR
  Madagascar, the island of mysteries. I was hoping to be the first to document 
  the legendary seven-headed hydra, Fanany, but it was pretty dangerous just getting 
  a team and hardware there without every pirate challenging us. I made contact 
  with a man named Sea Ghost, and in exchange for building material and supplies, 
  he helped expedite and support our trip into Madagascar. My team of twenty men 
  traveled deep into Madagascar, from Ft. Dauphin north to Betroka, which was just 
  west of Farafangana. We will try and take the old freeway if possible. 
  Day 2
  Traveling was difficult, and the path was overgrown with dense jungle. What 
  was left of civilization has disappeared. The freeway was barely identifiable as a 
  grassy river. Dr. javier “Rockhound” Roma, a parageologist, was with my team and 
  took notes on this rapid growth. I had several linguists on my team, which made 
  it easier to communicate with the few tribes that survive on the island. They are 
  surprisingly primitive, with a generation or two that has never seen technology. 
  Their language, such as it is, blends several different dialects. Too bad I didn’t think 
  of having an anthropologist with me. My wife wanted to come, but I thought this 
  place was a bit too dangerous. If I make a return trip, I’ll ask her to come along to 
  study these tribes
  Day 8
  There were so many new species that it will take months to complete the 
  genetic cataloging. Some of my favorites include: the cloud spiders, brightly colored 
  spiders that float webs up into the air like nets to catch birds; larger-than-normal 
  fossa (I’m calling them dire fossa) that take advantage of the Madagascar jelly 
  by chasing larger game into its tentacles; and the ablative millipede, which has a 
  secondary shell armor that can shatter into razor-sharp pieces in a predator’s mouth 
  or paw.
  Day 14
  We have set up camp high on hillside near a stream, hoping to find signs of 
  Fanany. In our travels, we have had our share of injuries; four of the crew got sick 
  with some jungle virus, and eight others were injured by various Awakened critters. 
  The chupacabra was the most common aggressive predator here. We’ve had to delay 
  our travels deeper into the jungle until the men recuperated
  Day 16
  In the heart of the jungle we saw the silhouettes of large flying creatures. I 
  thought they might be a dragon or drake species, but no one recorded any good 
  footage. In fact, our rigger lost most of his flying drones at this point and was saving 
  his last two till we approached to the next viewing point. An hour after the flying 
  creatures left, six large bird-like creatures charged through the camp carrying a 
  lot of speed. They were around four meters tall with powerful legs.  We managed 
  to fend them off, but there were some serious injuries. This definitely was not a 
  trip for my wife, and after this she’ll probably not let me travel here again. The 
  creatures fled into the jungle as fast as they came in, but I collected some blood 
  and feather samples to return with me. If I’m right, this may be another member of 
  the Aepyornis family.
  Day 20
  We were close to the GPS location of our objective, but the terrain became 
  too difficult to cross thanks to an irregular cliff face and a dense canopy of trees. 
  We could have attempted to go around, but javier and the other mages started 
  feeling uncomfortable with so many spirits encroaching on our location. he didn’t 
  know if they would become hostile and if he could keep the team safe. With this 
  being the last stage of our journey, I told the rigger to send up his drones for a final 
  reconnaissance.
  Returning home, I reviewed the footage. It was very pristine above the canopy. 
  There was a larger plateau that we were close to, with small waterfalls and a variety 
  of grasses and brush that wasn’t consumed by the jungle. There was a few large 
  caverns that could house a large beast, but I didn’t see any sign of Fanany. There 
  was, however, an unusual rock formation within the high grass. javier said they could 
  be ovoid geodes, but the surrounding geology doesn’t support that, nor does their 
  perceived large size. Sadly, I’m out of time and funding. This will probably be the 
  closest I’ll come to making this discovery.
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  21
  MINhOCÃO
  MINhOCÃO
  CAECILIA DURATII
  Habitat: Subterranean
  Range: South America
  Frequency: Rare
  Identification:  A long, snake-like amphibian, six meters long and fifty 
  centimeters in diameter. It has dark-red scales, small black eyes, and 
  vestigial legs. 
  Habits: This large, legless South American amphibian Awakened 
  from the Caecilia tentaculata. It burrows up to fifty meters beneath the 
  ground and occasionally comes to the surface, eating rocks and organic 
  matter. The minhocão can digest large amounts of toxic runoff from 
  mining without ill effects. The earth in the excrement from the min-
  hocão is cleaner than when it was consumed.
  This creature was first discovered running across an old mine. 
  In its aggressiveness and hunger, the critters collapsed the mine in on 
  itself as the rock walls seemingly melted. The minhocão could be seen 
  occasionally coming to the surface to breed. They would deposit four 
  to six eggs in rotting vegetation, then return underground. The eggs 
  are glossy black and five centimeters in diameter, and they have a sticky 
  coating that allows them to pick up debris for use as camouflage. The 
  eggs and resulting young are not protected by their parents, but the 
  terrain around the nest is modified with various sinkholes to deter 
  potential predators. The eggs hatch within four weeks. Baby minhocão 
  travel into these sinkholes to grow and develop, feeding on decompos-
  ing organic matter contained within.
  > Normally this species is never seen, only “heard” through geophones recording 
  the tremors they cause. Lately they’ve been coming up to the surface, and not 
  just for breeding. Something is agitating them to travel shallow.  I’m guessing 
  they are attracted to or bothered by chemicals seeping into the water table.
  > Glasswalker
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  Skills: Exotic Ranged Weapon 4, Spellcasting 3, Unarmed Combat 3
  Powers: Armor (4/4), Corrosive Spit, Immunity (Toxins), Innate Spell 
  (Clean Earth, Shape Earth)
  
  22
  MINI MOKELE-MBEMBE 
  MINI MOKELE-MBEMBE 
  DIPLODOCUS MU
  Habitat: Tropical Savannah
  Range: West Africa
  Frequency: Common
  Identification: The mini mokele-mbembe is a sauropod in shape, 
  ranging in size from twenty-five to sixty centimeters long, with half 
  of that length being the neck and tail. It weighs between one and four 
  kilograms. The mini mokele-mbembe’s skin is scaly and ranges in colors 
  from deep blue and green to pink and tan. The head has a wedge-shaped 
  horn protrusion on its nose. Its feet are broad, like a gecko, and the pads 
  are lined with Velcro-like hairs.
  Habits: While the giant mokele-mbembe continues to be elusive, 
  the miniature version of this dinosaur is quite common. The mokele-
  mbembe is actually closer genetically to a reptile. Its diet includes 
  invertebrates, grub, plants, and insects. Its long neck allows it to get 
  to hard-to-reach places for food. The wedge on its nose allows it to 
  dig its head into the earth, pulling out worms or burrowing insects. 
  It has strong neck and tail muscles so that it can whip its head around 
  with a sticky tongue to grab flying insects or crack its tail like a whip 
  in defense. They creatures have been used as pest control in many rural 
  areas in West Africa and are quite friendly; sometimes they are kept as 
  children’s pets. 
  The mokele-mbembe can climb up walls and ceilings because 
  of the hairs on its feet. They can also be found in tall trees or along 
  rooftops. The female mokele-mbembe makes a nest of leaves in trees 
  and lays eight to ten jellybean-sized eggs. Only the female takes care of 
  the young. The eggs hatch in fifteen days. The young grow fairly rapidly 
  to adult size within thirty and sixty days depending on breed. It has 
  few predators as its flesh is toxic, hence the brightly colored warning 
  patterns on its skin.
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  Skills: Perception 2, Unarmed Combat 1
  Powers: Fragile 2, Wall Walking
  > They are so cute! I have to have a pink one!
  > /dev/grrl
  > Well, you’ve come to the right spot. Forget those Matrix catalogs, I can get you 
  real Ikoyi breeds, not those knock-off skin-dye jobs. 
  > Traveler Jones
  PRICING AND AVAILABILITY  
  OF MINI MOKELE-MBEMBE
  Name
  Availability
  Price
  Ikoyi breed (pink skin with tan belly)
  13
  10,000
  Gashka breed (dark blue skin with 
  green belly)
  9
  5,000
  Borgu breed (dark green skin with 
  blue belly)
  9
  8,000
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  23
  PARROT FOx
  PARROT FOx
  VULPES MIMOS
  Habitat: Forests, rural environments
  Range: AGS and bordering countries
  Frequency: Rare
  Identification: The parrot fox is slightly smaller than the mundane 
  red fox (Vulpes vulpes). While its lower legs, mouth, and ears are dark 
  brown or black, the rest of the body has a reddish-brown fur. The par-
  rot fox measures thirty centimeters tall at the shoulder and ninety to 
  one-hundred ten centimeters in length, including its thirty- to forty-
  centimeter-long tail, and it weighs between four and six kilograms. 
  While all of its senses are excellent, the fox’s larynx and accompanying 
  neural structures are particularly exceptional. 
  Habits: The parrot fox can mimic sounds it has heard only once. If the 
  fox is accustomed to certain acoustic stimuli, it can reproduce them per-
  fectly, including complex sound patterns not usually found in nature. In 
  the wilderness, the fox uses this ability as a hunting strategy to attract 
  his prey by imitating bird or mating calls. Attracted victims are usually 
  killed by a quick bite in the neck. 
  While parrot foxes have been primarily observed in the AGS, 
  single sightings in other countries indicate a European distribution. 
  The parrot fox is mostly crepuscular, though it can adapt to the 
  behavior of its prey if necessary. Its territorial defense habits are poorly 
  developed, and infighting between different members of the species 
  are rare. Recent studies have found lifelong partnerships between 
  mates, with mating season taking place between February and April. 
  Gestation time is about two months and results in litters of three to 
  six fox kits. While its diet is mainly carnivorous, the parrot fox can also 
  consume fruit.
  > As you might guess, this is another animal that has been trained for espionage. 
  After a few generations of domestication, their appearance alters, giving them 
  floppy ears like a canine. Makes them a dead giveaway, if you know what you’re 
  looking for.
  > Thorn
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  Skills: Perception 2, Tracking 2, Unarmed Combat 2
  Powers: Enhanced Senses (Low-Light), Mimicry, Natural Weapon 
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  Weaknesses: Fragile 1 
  Notes: –1 Reach
  
  24
  PIT BADGER
  PIT BADGER
  MELES DIRE
  Habitat: Woods and rural environments
  Range: Central Europe
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: The pit badger is a powerfully built animal with a 
  small head, thick, short neck, wedge-shaped body and short tail. It is 
  1.7 meters long, sixty centimeters at the shoulder, and weighs forty to 
  fifty kilograms. It has long, coarse hair on its back and flanks with a soft 
  undercoat. The pit badger is black on its belly and legs, with grey on 
  its flanks that blends into the brown/black of its back. White stripes 
  alternate with brown on its face and head.
  Habits:  This larger version of the ordinary badger (Meles meles) 
  originated in the SOX but has escaped the confinement of that 
  area, spreading its habitat extensively over the last thirty years until 
  it covered most of Central and Northern Europe.  They are a social 
  group, living in groups of six to twelve adults. Their communities 
  inhabit natural or self-dug caves, though occasionally they settle in 
  abandoned basements or mines. Unlike the European badger, they 
  are not afraid of humans, dogs, or wolves. In fact, they behave similar 
  to wolves, hunting in small groups of up to six members. While om-
  nivorous, they prefer prey such as rabbits, foxes, and larger prey like 
  deer. They have strong jaws and stomach, allowing them to gulp down 
  smaller prey, since they do not drag off food for later. The enzymes in 
  the stomach also help protect the pit badger from poisons. While it 
  has the ability to conceal itself, it does so as a means of escape rather 
  than for hunting. One interesting note is that multiple pit badger 
  groups often build a communal latrine convenient for all groups as 
  they like to keep their territory tidy. The latrine can be several meters 
  long and a meter or two deep. Every year or so they collapse the latrine 
  and dig a new one.
  Pit badgers mate in the spring and typically mate for life. The 
  boar can have one to five cubs after ten months of gestation. The 
  young pit badgers stay with their mom for four to five months before 
  being allowed to venture on their own, and three months later they are 
  allowed to hunt with existing packs or form a new pack. Pit badgers 
  have a hierarchal ranking, with an alpha male leading hunts and an 
  alpha female managing the den. 
  > A pit badger latrine normally means lots and lots of crap, but sometimes, if they 
  don’t like some metahuman trash or junk in their territory, they will haul it off to 
  the dump. That mostly means plastic things they couldn’t chew up. Also, don’t 
  get in between a pit badger and his latrine, as there’s no good way out.
  > Picador
  > LOL. And you were holding the last roll of toilet paper?
  > Slamm-0!
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  Skills: Dodge 3, Infiltration 3, Perception 4, Unarmed Combat 3
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  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  25
  PIT BADGER
  JOURNAL EXCERPT FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT: SOX
  In my most dangerous adventure to date, I planned a ten-
  day journey into SOx to document a beast called the death knell 
  that flies around voids and fovae. Unfortunately I was not able to 
  acquire corporate support in this endeavor, so I resorted to hiring 
  from the shadows.
  > Aufheben? Haze? Anyone know who he hired?
  > Slamm-0!
  > Rasputin. He arranged a whole tour-guide package.
  > Haze
  My security team and Rick were nervous about the dangers 
  we would encounter, as well as the fact that we lacked proper 
  paperwork. The university, for its part, was nervous about the 
  amount of equipment I requested. But I had to go—the toxic and 
  radioactive waste, astral anomalies, and dangerous critters of the 
  area, not to mention some of the meanest glopunks on Earth, make 
  the area alluringly untouched by science. I told Dr. Bogue of the trip, 
  and he said I was crazy to go. I reminded him that both of us had 
  been mentored by Dr. Paterson, whom Dr. Bogue himself followed 
  into Chicago. Dr. Bogue capitulated and sent me two large boxes 
  of herbs, reagents, medicines, and magical compounds. he had 
  included a rare crystal orchid. 
  > 2 boxes … an alchemist’s dream …
  > Winterhawk
  My itinerary was to travel to France and into Arlon. From 
  there we’d enter the Luxombourg side of SOx to check the waste 
  dumps near Ettelbruck. Then we’d head by rail to the Cattom ruins. 
  This is the most dangerous area for my magic team, as it is where 
  we’d be likely to find voids, and we’d also risk running into mobile 
  foveae. I enlisted the Charognards and a couple of hover trucks to 
  escort us over the wall. Rick pulled a few strings with MET 2000 
  to allow passage through the wall. It was a pricey favor, one that 
  hopefully will be worth it.
  The wall was impressive; five meters tall, three meters wide, 
  topped with monowire and an array of sensors to launch rockets 
  and other ordnance at intruders. After a cursory look at our trucks 
  and equipment, we were allowed through the gate at Arlon so 
  we could see the devastation beyond. Entropy has taken over. 
  Abandoned and ruined buildings and infrastructure are rarely func-
  tional. Daniel told me that there are spotty wireless connections, so 
  we’ll have to rely on the satellite connection. Andy took one look 
  and said that it’s just ugly all over. With the gates closing behind us, 
  we proceeded down the remnants of the road.
  Traveling through the overgrown woods has been dangerous. 
  herculean strangleknots have left puddles of caustic acid after an 
  afternoon of light rain and fog. Several crew members have been 
  treated for light chemical burns from splashing of water or leaks 
  in the protective clothing. In three days of misty weather through 
  the overgrown woods near Mersch have cost me more equipment 
  than any other two excursions combined. Daniel lost one camera 
  and cannibalized it to fix the second. herculean strangleknots are 
  probably the worse plant to deal with aside from Sangre Del Diablo. 
  We made camp near an abandoned complex by Mersch. 
  Security reported that there didn’t seem to be any inhabitants, and 
  I’m told one of the buildings is structurally sound and should keep 
  us dry. The building looks like a mall complex. While the glass center 
  has broken and exposed the interior to the elements, the concrete 
  buildings along the perimeter are still in good shape. So far we 
  haven’t encountered any high radiation, but hopefully this will help 
  if we do. It is surprising that with such an intact structure, survivors 
  didn’t claim it as a residence. Security worried that the spot would 
  attract inhabitants looking for shelter, so Rick established drone 
  overwatch to keep an eye on things.
  With no approaching dangers found, we set up camp to 
  dry out our gear. After a week of MREs, I was already eager to get 
  back home. Even a Stuffer Shack reheated burrito is better than 
  this. For fun, we organized an Iron Chef contest with three of my 
  crew trying out with their culinary skills: johnny Rae, a hacker, who 
  apparently worked the grill at Mchugh’s in his younger days; Lars, 
  with security, who bragged about his barbeque skills with ordnance; 
  and the surprise contender, Rasputin, who said he had two years 
  of culinary school at Kochen und Würzen in Berlin. With MREs 
  from Ares, Aztechnology, and UCAS, they each had to create a 
  meal for a third of the crew. johnny Rae combined crunchy peanut 
  butter, Atzlan pitas, and hydrated “fruit” preserve to make toasted 
  sandwiches. Lars mixed beef brisket, mixiotes, and powdered eggs 
  into a meatloaf seared on the grill with the help of gunpowder and 
  phosphorus. Rasputin used some of his AGS rations of potatoes 
  and vegetables and combined them with the various “chicken soup” 
  MREs and boiled up a hearty stew. The meatloaf was pretty good 
  and maybe would have been a contender if it had catsup. The stew 
  was tasty enough to be gone before people could have seconds. But 
  it was the comforting toasted sandwiches that won the Iron Chef. 
  After dinner, patrols checked the perimeter and we set up a couple 
  of stationary sensors set to capture any wildlife. Then we settled 
  in for the evening.
  The next morning we awakened to a cacophony of whispers 
  like a loud wind. From the open roof came a massive flock of 
  cuckoo-like birds. These buggers swarmed like bees, circling and 
  slashing with their claws and beaks. Security was overwhelmed; 
  the scariest thing was the maddening voices speaking in German, 
  French, English, and other languages I did not recognize. Our magic 
  support was too limited in skill to do much good, and shooting 
  them was tricky as they werandquire fast and agile. With the help 
  of Lars’ leftover meatloaf and his “special seasoning,” security 
  made a spectacular fireball that scared off the cuckoos. I was 
  later told that they creatures are called whisperers, and they are 
  an Awakened species that developed a taste for flesh. Four of the 
  crew were moderately scratched up, with one guard receiving severe 
  eye damage. Andy performed healing since we were way too far 
  away from proper medical attention.
  After a few days we headed north to the first location of the 
  toxic waste dump. We took a cautionary approach to this. Andy 
  rummaged through the box of alchemical materials, pulling out 
  various seeds and crystals. Daniel and his team put up a network 
  of drones to monitor radiation and other pollutants. Rasputin 
  and Rick planned out a route to the dump. The landfill site, now 
  abandoned, is a field of artificial lakes and hills, which were sup-
  posed to manage all the hazardous wastes with high-temperature 
  incendiaries, gas collectors, and enhanced bacteria. As we can see, 
  pools are breeched and there are groves of dead trees mixed with 
  more of the mutated flora.  
  Setting up an observation point to watch the site was dif-
  ficult. While we had drones to do most of the work, someone had 
  to get close astrally to observe voids and foveae so that the drones 
  could steer clear. Some of Rick’s men volunteered to escort Andy 
  toward a high hill to get a good view of the dump. At the top, Andy 
  directed Daniel’s attention to the northeast, where the vid footage 
  showed a shimmering distortion with lightning streaking from, 
  flying over a muddy lake.  It was a mana storm so there was the 
  possibility of foveae. We continued to observe it for several hours 
  waiting for the death knell, but toward dusk, something was grunt-
  ing in the woods. The drones spotted a stone biter, but it already 
  started charging Andy and the rest of the party. Stone biters are 
  an Awakened boar species that have developed numerous bone 
  deposits around the spine and thorax, making it almost unrecogniz-
  able as a boar and damn hard to kill. The volunteer security did 
  not fare well; Mr. Baxter and Mr. Carson were badly maimed after 
  the first charge. Daniel diverted some of the drones to distract the 
  beast, while more security tried to get closer to the hill. It took Mr. 
  Gress and his Panther cannon from on top of the hover truck to take 
  out the beast before it could harm any of the others. As short as the 
  combat was, we now had two more severely injured men, this time 
  with broken legs. Using thermographic vision, the drones were left 
  to continue watching the toxic dump. Reviewing the footage in the 
  morning, we found nothing.  I decided to head back south to the 
  Cattom ruins. We know that the void exists there, which may give 
  us a better chance to find the death knell. 
  The day after as we drove down the tracks to Luxembourg, 
  one of the hovertrucks broke down. While it wasn’t unexpected, 
  it was still annoying. The Charognards weren’t as prepared as I 
  thought they were going to be for this trip, and it appeared that we 
  were going to lose a whole day as they jury-rigged a replacement 
  part. 
  Not wanting to waste the time just sitting, I decided to 
  set up camp and send out the drones to check out the flora and 
  fauna. Daniel alerted me to a few large things moving less than one 
  hundred meters from us at an old culvert. Not taking any chances, 
  Mr. Gress got up on the hovertruck with his Panther cannon. What 
  emerged was horrible; four malformed creatures, half-men, half-
  insects. They charged the trucks with ferocity. Mr. Gress was good 
  enough to start shooting, though his first shot looked as if it just 
  pissed one of them off. Enough firepower was brought to finally kill 
  them; I even had to fire a shot with emy pistol, which I haven’t had 
  to use in a while. The Charognards took the brunt of the attack, with 
  two wounded and two killed. My team had three wounded and only 
  one killed, though unfortunately that one was Mr. Gress.
   This will be the only time I travel to the SOx, as the price has 
  become too high. The hovertruck repairs were good enough to get 
  us away from the possible bug hive, and we made it to the outskirts 
  of Cattom after dark. Earlier, Andy told us to slow our approach and 
  continually throw seeds out in front of the truck. Sometime around 
  one in the morning, the seeds started popping like popcorn. Andy 
  immediately told us to back the trucks up at least fifty meters. Rick 
  posted sensors around the perimeter, and Daniel put out drones 
  with thermal sensors for round-the-clock overwatch. Andy went 
  through the medical and alchemical supplies to ward off infection 
  with the wounded. We won’t be able to stay very long; Andy and 
  his team look very ill and nervous being this close. he told me that 
  some are experiencing vertigo and nosebleeds because of the void.
  At dawn we heard a long, mournful wailing sound.  The 
  drones triangulated on a grey-colored bird that blended in with 
  the clouds. With the exception of color, it looked like a vulture. We 
  watched as it circled overhead. At one point it dove into a grove 
  of trees with a high-pitched wail, startling the animals within. A 
  flock of starlings flew up, and it circled around to herd them toward 
  Cattom. Suddenly the death knell veered off from some unseen 
  object, and a few of the starlings began to plummet lifelessly. It 
  turned back towards the dead starlings, plucking one from the 
  air and landing twenty meters away in the trees. There it ate. We 
  watched a little longer, then started packing up. While we were 
  packing up, in a quick burst of speed, it landed and picked up a 
  second starling that was lying dead on the ground and back up to 
  the tree. Our best guess is that it can sense the void but isn’t dual 
  natured, as brief contact with it had no noticeable effect.
  With our trid footage of the whispers and the death knell in 
  hand, we headed back to Arlon as quick as we could. Rick’s contact 
  allowed us out of the SOx. MET2000 medics were brought in to 
  check them out as soon as we made cintact with the mercenaries. 
  While the Charognards left without notice, my team was detained 
  for a brief time to answer some questions while also undergoing 
  decontamination procedures. I spent some of this time writing 
  letters to the families of those lost in this endeavor.
  
  26
  ShASTA DEER
  ShASTA DEER
  ODOCOILEUS SHASTA CALIFORNICUS
  Habitat: Woods
  Range: Deep forest throughout Shasta County. None have yet been 
  spotted more than half a day’s walk from Mount Shasta.
  Frequency: Extremely rare
  Identification: Shasta deer are Awakened creatures that live around 
  Mount Shasta and the Shasta Dam. They greatly resemble ordinary 
  mule deer. They appear reddish-brown in the summer and blue-grey 
  in the winter, with a white rump patch and a black-tipped tail. Males 
  have ivory colored branched antlers, rather than tines extending from 
  a single antler. 
  Habits: An extremely rare and elusive creature, the Shasta deer is be-
  lieved by some to be a manifested spirit. In any case, here’s what I’ve 
  gathered from my own and other observations. They are highly intel-
  ligent, able to avoid traps and hunters. According to many accounts, the 
  deer possess multiple spell-like abilities, though there is no consistency 
  with each account on what the deer can do. They are about as possible 
  to track as the snow moose, with little physical evidence of their move-
  ment. Astrally there have been several attempts to track it based upon 
  the assumption of it being magically active. This, however, has been 
  hampered by the mountain containing other magical entities. 
  There is still a fifty thousand nuyen reward issued by the Tír Tairngire 
  border patrol for the capture of the Shasta deer. Because of this reward, our 
  expedition wasn’t the only one on the mountain, though it was probably 
  the only one that asked for permission from the Shasta Shamans. There 
  were four other groups on the mountain, one with helicopter support, all 
  trying to get a glimpse of or capture the deer. Our expedition ended up 
  with a few constructed trid shots and my own early morning observance. 
  To add to the difficulty of seeing the Shasta deer, none of the other teams 
  got any footage even being close proximity of our camp site.
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  Movement: 25/100
  Skills: Counterspelling 4, Perception 2, Running 4, Spellcasting 5, 
  Unarmed Combat 2
  Powers: Aura Masking, Concealment, Fading, Magic Guard, Natural 
  Weapon (Horns: Reach —, DV 4P, AP —)
  Note: Each Shasta deer has an additional three powers from this list: 
  Empathy, Innate Spell (Clout), Innate Spell (Detect Enemies), Magic 
  Sense, Silence
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  27
  STORM WOLVES
  STORM WOLVES
  CANIS ATMOS
  Habitat: Forests
  Range: Pockets of southern Europe, from the Czech Republic to the 
  disputed Bosnian Territory. Most sighting are in the area called the 
  Devil’s Garden.
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: They are large canine species with black to grey shaggy 
  fur. They grow to 1.5 meters in length and weigh between fifty and 
  eighty kilograms. Storm wolves have relatively large teeth compared to 
  other wolf species.
  Habits: There is a place between the mountains of Mala Kapela 
  and Plješivica where there are sixteen interlinked lakes called Devil’s 
  Garden. This primal forest is the home to dozen or so packs of storm 
  wolves. These wolves are extremely territorial and can bring down the 
  force of nature upon intruders with rain, wind, and lightning, giving 
  them their name. Storm wolves only use this ability when threatened, 
  not while hunting. When hunting, the pack can blend in with the shad-
  ows as they flank their prey. Storm wolves are an elusive and deadly 
  prey living in dangerous territory. One of the last teams to try to study 
  the storm wolf and other Awakened creatures in the Devil’s Garden 
  in 2063 did not return. This means that information about the wolf 
  remains sketchy, but it is assumed that the storm wolf has some of the 
  same inherent social and biological connections as other wolf species.
  It is rare to see storm wolves outside the Devil’s Garden, but they 
  do travel. It is presumed that their population has been growing and 
  the individual packs need more territory for hunting. Packs of twenty 
  individuals have been seen as far north as the Czech Republic.
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  Movement: 10/50
  Skills: Infiltration 2, Perception 2, Tracking 2, Unarmed Combat 4
  Powers: Natural Weapon (Claws/Bite: DV 2P, AP 0), Shadow Cloak, 
  Storm
  Note: Force of the Storm is equal to the storm wolf ’s Magic rating 
  > The Devil’s Garden is not a safe place to travel whether you meet storm wolves 
  or not. There are many requests for gathering talisman from the pristine lakes 
  and forests, which can seem alluring, but there’s a considerable dark side to the 
  location. There are some spirits living around there that don’t like visitors. It’s 
  high risk, high profit if you got the balls for it.
  > Hard Exit
  
  28
  STRIx
  STRIx
  ATHENE VAMPYRE
  Habitat: Urban areas and woodlands
  Range: Global
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: A small owl, 23 to 25 centimeters in length with a grey 
  and black dorsal plumage and grey to white feathers on its belly. It has 
  a large head, long legs, and orange eyes.
  Habits: Since the Awakening, there have been several Awakened species 
  that have similar traits in the food web to a previously active or extinct 
  species. One theory is that this is a result of Gaia’s work in healing the 
  world. Another is that this is a super-Darwinism, where Awakened and 
  non-Awakened species fight it out for control of the planet. Regardless 
  of the theory, the strix has taken the role of the vampire bat and has 
  spread across multiple continents. This owl, identified as the progeny 
  of the little owl (Athene nocture), has also appeared in North America. 
  This owl feeds on blood. With a serrated beak, it slashes a small cut in 
  the victim, and then applies its saliva, which prevents the blood clotting 
  and gives the victim a sense of numbing euphoria. The Strix lives in cliff 
  faces, cave entrances, and buildings. The female strix lays four to six 
  red-specked eggs and incubates them for up to forty days. Both parents 
  take care of the young, regurgitating partially digested blood. Strix are 
  an interesting owl species because while they eat small vermin, the owl 
  pellet (a noticeable characteristic of a place inhabited by owls) is signifi-
  cantly smaller than might be expected, and there’s a concentration of 
  strong-smelling ammonia byproducts below their roost.
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  Movement: 20/60 
  Skills: Flight 3, Infiltration 2, Perception 3, Spellcasting 4, Tracking 2, 
  Unarmed Combat 2
  Powers: Concealment, Enhanced Senses (Low-Light Vision), Fragile 
  1, Innate Spell (Touch Sense Removal, Enabler), Natural Weapon 
  (Bite/Claw: Reach —, DV 2P, AP —), Venom 
  Weakness: Dietary Requirement (blood)
  > There are groups of drug addicts that, lacking money for drugs, have resorted to 
  finding where the strix roosts and leaving an arm or leg exposed to the elements 
  to attract the strix to feed so that they can get high. Some have gotten addicted 
  to strix venom—you can recognize them by the multitude of cuts on their arms 
  and legs, discolored by bruises from the venom.
  > Stone
  STRIX VENOM
  Vector: Injection
  Speed: 1 Combat Turn
  Power: 6
  Effect: Anticoagulant and opiate (Pain Resistance 1)
  Duration: (6 – Body) hours, minimum 1 hour
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  29
  SWAMP LIZARD
  SWAMP LIZARD
  LACERTA HALLENSIS
  Habitat: Swamps
  Range: AGS (Eastern Germany, especially Saxony)
  Frequency: Very rare
  Identification: The swamp lizard possesses blue-grey scales and a 
  whitish-green belly. Adult animals reach a length of up to four meters, 
  with the tail encompassing half the body length. The heaviest speci-
  men caught so far weighed 800 kilograms. In comparison to their other 
  proportions their legs are exceptionally long with leg length of 150 cen-
  timeters not being uncommon. The most intriguing part of the species 
  is however the fact that it lives in symbiosis with a plant growing on its 
  back and head, giving older lizards a rather plant-like appearance when 
  remaining still due to dense vegetation originating from the critter. It 
  has been speculated that it this relationship and exchange of nutrients 
  that enable the swamp lizard to reach this size.  
  Habits:  In contrast to the colloquial name (“swamp crocodile”), the 
  swamp lizard is not a crocodile but a gigantic variant of the Lacertidae 
  family of lizards. The recognizable scale drawings and color indicate a 
  relationship with the European green lizard (Lacerta viridis), but the 
  swamp lizard is much, much bigger. The lizard appears to be an exclu-
  sive swamp dweller without any typical circadian rhythm. Territorial 
  boundaries don’t appear to exist. Swamp lizards live in loose social asso-
  ciations in which hierarchies are determined by battles. Mating season 
  is in April, with egg-laying following shortly after. Parabiologist from 
  the University of Leipzig have determined that nests consist of about 
  30 ostrich-egg-sized eggs on average. Most of the hatchlings die—not 
  due to natural predators, but because of the lack of symbiotic organisms 
  without which the swamp lizards cannot survive. Swamp lizards are 
  carnivores, feasting on both carrion and freshly hunted prey. In addi-
  tion to their strong limbs and fierce bite, swamp lizards secrete a weak 
  neurotoxin from an oral gland that immobilizes victims (often leading 
  to lizard-related drownings). Like most members of the their genus, 
  swamp lizards are moderately intelligent. In winter, lizards withdraw to 
  caves and underground shelters to hibernate, making them vulnerable 
  for capture.  
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  Movement: 20/45 (Swimming)
  Skills: Perception 2, Swimming 3, Unarmed Combat 4
  Powers: Enhanced Senses (Smell), Hardened Armor (2), Natural 
  Weapon (Bite: Reach 1, DV 7P, AP –1), Poison 
  Weaknesses: Dietary Requirement (Symbiote) 
  Notes: +1 Reach
  
  30
  SWAMP SWALLOWS
  SWAMP SWALLOWS
  PETROCHELIDON PHOSPHI
  Habitat: Swamps
  Range: South Africa
  Frequency: Common
  Identification: Tiny brown and tan birds with a eight- to ten-centime-
  ter body and fifteen-centimeter wingspan. Their wing and tail feathers 
  contain a phosphorescent material.
  Habits: Awakened from the South African swallow (Petrochelidon 
  spilodera), the swamp swallow is a nocturnal version of the species. The 
  glowing feathers are used to attract insects at night. A flock of swamp 
  swallows coordinate their hunt in a dazzling display of light patterns, 
  drawing insects ever closer to the swirling birds. The insects are mesmer-
  ized by the hypnotic net, then eaten as the swallows fly by. This moving 
  light display also helps two-fold against owls and other predators. The 
  display can hypnotize them, giving them pause from attacking, or can 
  disorient them enough during an attack that they miss their kill. Flock 
  sizes range from two hundred to a thousand individuals
  Swamp swallows build mud nests in the crooks of trees or high 
  rock faces. The decomposing feathers in the nest release their phos-
  phorescence into the mud, giving the nests a faint glow. Swamp swal-
  lows lay up to two small brown eggs twice a year. The coloring helps 
  mask the eggs within the nest. Swamp swallows take six weeks to grow 
  big enough to fly, with both parents feeding the child. It is only after 
  the last molting, when they are out of their baby fluff, that they start 
  to glow. Some tribes close to swampy areas build scaffolding to help 
  attract swamp swallows to nest there. This can help protect the tribe 
  against disease-carrying mosquitoes and ghede flies.
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  Movement: 20/40 (Flying)
  Skills: Flight 2, Perception 2
  Powers: Gestalt Consciousness, Hypnotic (Visual)
  > What ... is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swamp swallow?
  > Slamm-0!
  > What?
  > Turbo Bunny
  > Nevermind, very old vid joke.
  > Slamm-0!
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  31
  SWAMP SWALLOWS
  JOURNAL EXCERPT FROM DR. DAVID WRIGHT
  Africa
  With all the hype around the squiddoth, I planned an expedition to find it. 
  While the squiddoth is not an Awakened animal, I was curious as to how the creature 
  mutated, and if it’s either a seed or environmental mutagen. After several months I 
  received a trid contract with horizon’s Educational Media to contribute to the series 
  Awakened Kingdom. 
  We headed first to the Asante nation following rumors of squiddoth attacks. 
  Border crossings were the most difficult part of this journey; smuggling and poaching 
  have continued unabated thanks to corrupt security and government officials. Bribery 
  is rampant, to the point that checkpoint guards entering and leaving Asante expected 
  us to pay them a “tip” before we crossed. A military presence of LAV-98s and 103s, ten 
  kilometers inside the border bearing Saeder-Krupp logos, suggest a renewed interest 
  for trading arms in Asante. We off-roaded most of the journey following the rumors, 
  most of which were fairly old; too old, as it turned out, for us to gather any forensic 
  evidence. Wrecked vehicles, supposedly damaged by a squiddoth, were already picked 
  over for fuel and parts. 
  After the third day, we crossed into the tribal lands. Rick, my security chief, was on 
  edge the few days it took to get to Asamondo. My rigger spotted a recon drone follow-
  ing us. They didn’t respond to any of our hails and broke off pursuit when my crew sent 
  up a pair of hellcats to judge the pursuer’s intent.  There were no identifying marks, so 
  it could have been sent bya corporation or runners watching where we were heading.
  We started to head up the river Volta. During one night of camping, as the crew 
  was unloading the boat, security was ambushed by the smaller African harpoon leech 
  while watching the river for large and deadly creatures. These things can grow up to a 
  foot in length, much like their Amazonian counterparts. They are called harpoon leeches 
  because they can project their pharyngeal jaw twenty centimeters on a tongue-like 
  muscle. Instead of pulling its prey toward it, it pulls itself out of the water to the prey 
  so that it can latch on and feed. Luckily the crew had taken medicine for malaria, as 
  these are potential carriers.
  By day eight, we were nearing the Asamando border. I was able to secure permis-
  sions to cross through the university. They were happy to accommodate our travel 
  through Asamondo, though there were a few conditions. The biggest was that the secu-
  rity and rigger crew were not allowed in. Rick was not happy about leaving my team in 
  the hands of a strange crew. When we got to Asamando, we were greeted by Vesgul, our 
  official ghoul guide.  he showed Rick the accommodations at the border where he and 
  his team could stay, away from disputed tribal lands. Vesgul introduced me to Kwame 
  and his team, who would provide rigger and security services for me in Asamondo. 
  Kwame will also be in charge of sanitizing any trideo his team records before handing 
  footage over to me. That first night we stayed in Abo-denbo.  While there, we stuck to 
  the hotel, but I couldn’t help but look out the window to observe the streets outside. I 
  mainly watched for urban wildlife and what attracted my attention was the hairless cat 
  and dogs that I saw as pets. They were blind and hairless. I originally thought they were 
  sphynxes and hairless Kakah breeds, but the truth was more intriguing. I suspect the 
  animals were Infected, but there have never been any such cases documented. I asked 
  Kwame about it the next day as we left the city, and he claimed the constant exposure 
  to the hMhVV has given rise to symptoms of exposure, but not Infection.
  The following day, outside the city, Kwame presented me with a list of reported 
  sightings of the squiddoth and even projected a planned route to visit the sightings. I 
  was impressed. he said that Asamondo is not a primitive country of mindless ghouls 
  as many believe. One of the first priorities of the queen was to establish wireless 
  connectivity for the nation. Kwame’s team was much smaller than Rick’s, with three 
  members with assault rifles for security, one rigger, and one hacker, who apparently 
  was networking with surrounding villages announcing our presence; I’m not sure if the 
  results of this were good or bad for me.
  For four days we followed and talked to witnesses, who recorded images through 
  drone companions, cybernetics, or trode-linked cameras. The hacker had done his job, 
  sanitizing the video clips before presenting them to myself and the team. There were 
  enough clips for editing into a trideo composite, so I sent them to Rick so that his 
  team had something to do. So far the evidence suggested an eastern origination of 
  the squiddoth, but the attacks were random with no known provocation. Following 
  this assumption, we camped a few kilometers from the eastern border. The sky was 
  clear and not obscured by urban pollution or AR-verts commercializing the heavens.
  I recorded a recap of our day, and while I reminisced on the hospitality of the 
  villagers, an alarm went out from security. I asked Kwame what was going on. he smiled 
  at me and said, “Get ready for firsthand experience.” 
  In the distance, what appeared to be a bull elephant with a weird splay of trunk/
  tentacles and corkscrew-twisted tusks roared and charged our camp. Two of the guards 
  took firing positions, while the third and the rigger herded everyone into the vehicles. 
  Gun fire rang out as the trucks were started. At one hundred meters, I witnessed the 
  feral side of ghouls as Kwame and the two guards charged the squiddoth. The beast 
  hesitated momentarily as the ghouls ran to intercept him. It was a bloody battle of 
  tooth and claw with all three clamoring onto its head. The squiddoth managed to grab 
  a guard’s leg, and it shredded flesh as the tentacle pulled the ghoul from the beast’s 
  head and tried to maneuver it to its mouth to bite it. The guard was saved by Kwame as 
  he gouged out one of the beast’s eyes, causing the squiddoth to drop the guard. After 
  a failed attempt to trample the guard on the ground, the squiddoth retreated, shaking 
  its head in an attempt to remove the other two ghouls. The guard in one of the trucks 
  went to take care of his partner, and the hacker, Onabe, got into the driver’s seat to 
  pursue the squiddoth. he drove into the savannah for almost twenty minutes before 
  the last guard was located. he was bloodied and walking back to camp. he politely 
  refused an invitation to get into the vehicle and said he would wait for another vehicle. 
  It was almost another half hour of driving around before Onabe stopped. he said the 
  tribal land’s border was up ahead, and crossing it was above his pay grade, especially 
  after dark. It seemed like forever before Onabe was able to find Kwame. he was finally 
  found when he walked out into view of the headlights carrying a bloody tusk.
  After that I had already guessed that the greatest footage of a squiddoth would 
  not be available for my documentary due to how feral the ghouls looked during the 
  attack. Kwame did, however, present to me the squiddoth tusk as a gift and compensa-
  tion for the “lost” footage.
  
  32
  TALIS CAT
  TALIS CAT
  ACINONYX LYCOS
  Habitat: Jungles
  Range: Southern Asia
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: There are two forms to the talis cat. The larger form 
  is that of a great cat, weighing forty to seventy kilograms with a body 
  length of 135 centimeters and a shoulder height of seventy to ninety 
  centimeters. Its other form is closer to that of a large domestic cat, with 
  a body length of fifty centimeters, a shoulder height twenty-five cen-
  timeters, and an average weight of seven kilograms. Both forms have 
  the same distinctive coat of swirling black lines with a convergent “M” 
  mark on its forehead. Both forms have a broad, dark triangular nose, 
  giving it a more “great cat” appearance, though the ears on the larger 
  form are round, while the smaller form has pointed ears. 
  Habits: When shapeshifters were first identified, there were a few 
  elusive and puzzling species. One of them was the talis cat, originally 
  mistaken for a shapeshifting cheetah. It wasn’t until 2049 that a parazo-
  ology student discovered that it was an Awakened animal with both a 
  larger and smaller form. It was generally assumed for a few years that the 
  talis cat’s ability was an illusion, masking the larger form from detection 
  by prey. This was later dismissed when captured species of talis cats were 
  able to escape after they shifted forms and walked between the bars. 
  Talis cats can breed all year round, with the females having litters 
  between one and three kittens. They have an unusually wide range of 
  vocalizations, including purrs, whistles, yaps, chattering sounds, and 
  even a bird-like chirp that they use to communicate with each other. 
  Talis cats live in small prides of four to six adults with a dominate 
  female.
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  Movement: See Notes
  Skills: Climbing 2, Infiltration 2, Perception 2, Running 4, Tracking 
  2, Unarmed Combat 3
  Powers: Astral Mask, Enhanced Senses (Low Light Vision), Movement 
  (Self Only), Shift (see Notes)
  Notes: The talis cat has two forms it can shift to:
  Cheetah Form
  Movement: 15/80
  Powers: Natural Weapon 
       (Claws/Bite: Reach —, DV 3P, AP —)
  Domestic Cat Form
  Movement: 10/40
  Powers: Desired Reflection
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  33
  TINPUK
  TINPUK
  CORVUS REX
  In other languages, the tinpuk is known as the gwagwakhwala-
  nooksiwey, nunyenunc, and tinmiukpuk  
  Habitat: Mountains and hills
  Range: Northern North America (Algonkian-Manitou Council and 
  Quebec)
  Frequency: Rare
  Identification: The tinpuk is a large raven with a wing span of three 
  meters. It weighs eight kilograms and has a body length of just over one 
  meter.  It is coal black with the exception of its yellow eyes. 
  Habits: The tinpuk is Awakened from the common raven (Corvus 
  corax) and is the rarest of the giant Awakened birds, especially in 
  North America. In other North American tribes, the tinpuk is known 
  as the gwagwakhwalanooksiwey, nunyenunc, and tinmiukpuk. Since 
  the Awakening, it has had serious competition with rocs and thunder-
  birds both lesser and greater. It also has lost some of its territory due to 
  Quebec’s bounty of 400 nuyen per beak. This raven normally scavenges 
  off carrion or steals kills from other raptors. When that is unavailable, 
  it will hunt for its own food. The tinpuk hunts its prey by swooping 
  in and pecking at the target’s head or back. While its attack and small 
  size may not seem dangerous, it channels the force of its strike past the 
  hide and muscle to hit internal organs. It is fearless of metahumans and, 
  if possible, will hunt and eat one. Tales of it cracking open skulls and 
  eating people’s brains are largely exaggerated, though these rumors have 
  led to it being hunted to virtual extinction. This will probably be the 
  first documented Awakened animal to go extinct.
  B
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  Movement: 5/15 (flight)
  Skills: Astral Combat 2, Flight 4, Perception 4, Unarmed Combat 3
  Powers: Dual Natured, Natural Weapon (Bite/Claws: Reach —, DV 
  2P, AP –3)
  Note: The tinpuk has the adept power Penetrating Strike at level 3
  > And you wonder why Quebec hates paracritters. I swear that in the local dialect, 
  its name means, “Shoot me so you don’t have to spell it anymore”
  > Slamm-0!
  
  34
  yALE
  yALE
  ORYX GANGLI
  Habitat: Grasslands and arid plains
  Range: Ethiomalian Territories and Kenya
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: The yale looks similar to that of a goat with cloven 
  hooves, but with a shoulder height of 140 centimeters and weighing 
  in at around 350 kilograms. It is very muscular with black fur with a 
  few white stripes on its face, a leathery tail, and broad shoulders. Its 
  head is crowned by a pair of tan, segmented horns, each 90 centimeters 
  long, that move independently. Its jaw has two tusks that protrude away 
  from its face.
  Habits: The yale is an Awakened oryx (Oryx beisa). It spends most of the 
  day in wide grasslands, eating and drinking. While other large herbavores 
  are more timid and fearful of predators, the yale has more “fight” mental-
  ity than “flight.” This is because of its special weaponry. The yale’s horns 
  are unique muscle and nerve appendages covered in a thick, segmented, 
  chitinous material. This allows almost 360 degree maneuverability with 
  the horns. So when it drinks from a watering hole or grazes, the horns are 
  up at various angles to impale any charging lion or crocodile. The yale’s 
  brain also has extra matter in the frontal cortex, which allows for each 
  horn to work independently, in cases of multiple predators. 
  The yale travel in herds of just over two hundred. When yale are 
  first born, their horns are soft, floppy stubs. It takes a few weeks for 
  them to grow and become armored. Some of the older yale have horns 
  exceeding 110 centimeters. If a horn is damaged, it takes several weeks 
  to heal and form new armored coating. Some poachers take yale horns 
  and try to pawn them off as unicorn horns. If a yale loses a horn, it 
  doesn’t grow back, which hinders the injured yale in challenging other 
  males for mates.
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  Movement: 
  Skills: Perception 2, Running 2, Unarmed Combat 3
  Powers: Natural Weapon (Horn/Tusk: Reach +1/—, DV 4P, AP —)
  Note: Horns have +1 reach. The horns move independently and negate 
  the first bonus dice pool modifier for “friends in combat”
  > These guys present an instance of art imitating life, as the design of the horns 
  was inspiration for the mobility of medusa extensions.
  > Kat o’ Nine Tales
  > I though that came from, um, Medusa.
  > Pistons
  > Myth was the inspiration for the idea, nature the inspiration for the design.
  > Kat o’ Nine Tales
  > The king of Spain has procured a sustainable herd of yale. He has found that 
  the yale was the perfect improvement to the fading bull-fighting sport, bringing 
  in urban brawl enthusiasts. Now the bullfighter wears light armor so he doesn’t 
  get disemboweled in the first two minutes. The “Running of the Bulls” festivities 
  also has been scaled up, challenge wise, with the inclusion of the yale. 
  > Snopes
  PARANORMAL CRITTERS
  
  35
  TOxIC CRITTERS
  TOXIC CRITTERS
  MONTAUK
  PROCYON LATRI GEMINUS
  Habitat: Urban and rural areas
  Range: Northeastern North America
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: This creature is approximately one meter in length 
  with short black fur, and it weighs between five and ten kilograms. The 
  rounded ears and tail are nearly hairless, and the creature has leathery 
  black skin. Its muzzle has the appearance of a beak The montauk has a 
  venomous bite with a large venom sack beneath its pallet that feeds its 
  upper and lower incisors. Its forelimbs are slightly longer than its hind 
  legs, and it has hands with fully functional opposable thumbs.
  Habits: A rash of missing pets has led authorities to the discovery of 
  this toxic threat. First sighted in Montauk, New York in 2032, this beast 
  has been invading people’s homes in search of easy prey: the household 
  pet. Residents were terrified of this beast at night. It can scale build-
  ings, climb fire escapes, even sneak through open doors or windows. 
  The corpse of one has been found and genetically identified as related 
  to an Awakened raccoon, most likely a bandit (Procyon latri), though 
  the physical transformation is disturbing. It has no fear of dogs or cats, 
  and it appears that they don’t have a defense against whatever power it 
  has over them. One of the first reports of missing pets was of a pair of 
  Dobermans at the recycling yard. Their partially eaten remains were 
  found two hundred meters away in a drainage tunnel. Authorities don’t 
  know how many montauks are in the area, but they are recommending 
  that people lock their doors and keep their pets inside. Although there 
  haven’t been any metahuman attacks as of yet, the mantauk is very re-
  sourceful. More reports of their activities have been coming from New 
  York, Manhattan Island, even as far north as Boston.
  > Scary things. People still talk about them like they are New York’s adopted 
  bastard pet. Me-feeds occasionally pop up with video surveillance of them 
  running around.  The only thing I’ve heard they’re good for is bringing down the 
  population of stray animals and vermin.  
  > Pistons
  > When their current food supply starts to run low, the montauk will just move up 
  the chain. First the pets, then the pet owners.
  > Ecotope
  B
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  Movement: 3/20
  Skills: Athletics 3, Infiltration 3, Locksmith 2, Perception 4, Unarmed 
  Combat 1
  Powers: Accident, Animal Control, Enhanced Senses (Hearing, Low-
  Light Vision, Smell), Venom
  Weakness: Allergy (Sunlight, Mild)
  MONTAUK VENOM
  Vector: Injection
  Speed: 1 Combat Turn
  Power: 5
  Effect: Physical Damage, Malaise
  
  36
  PROTEAN
  PROTEAN
  ENTAMOEBA THINGII
  Habitat: Any
  Range: Global
  Frequency: Rare
  Identification: In its natural state, the proteanis an amorphous grey 
  mass weighing between 500 grams and 125 kilograms. The protean can 
  also look like any creature it has consumed, provided it has enough mass 
  to change shape.
  Habits: The protean is believed to be an Awakened form of the amoeba 
  that causes human dysentery (Entamoeba histolytica) that somehow be-
  came toxic by the addition of the Boltzmann-Schneider virus’s DNA. 
  This mutation has made the individual amoeba work collectively as one 
  creature. This carnivorous mass hunts by concealing itself into the form 
  of a creature it has most recently eaten. Professor Andreas Szerinski 
  at Moscow University postulates that the Boltzmann-Schneider virus’s 
  engineered ability to detect cancer cells has somehow allowed the pro-
  tean to replicate an engulfed organism’s physical outward appearance in 
  what he calls a “metamorphogenetic field.” This field can, in theory, be 
  disrupted by a strong enough electromagnetic field. Very few measures 
  can destroy a protean, including fire, alkaline chemicals, etc. 
  The protean is a very dangerous predator to even metahumans, as 
  it can mimic metahuman form. Luckily its intelligence is limited, so it 
  cannot speak, nor is it skilled in using technological devices.
  > Boltzmann-Schneider virus was intended for genetic therapy; adaptable for 
  various hereditary diseases.  It was and still is a widely used medical tool.
  > KAM
  > And human dysentery isn’t hereditary. So does this lead to the conclusion the 
  protean was created purposefully?
  > Nepherine
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  * See notes
  Movement: *
  Skills: Infiltration 3, Shadowing 2, Spellcasting 4, Unarmed Combat 3
  Powers: Adaptive Coloration, Corrosive Secretions, Engulf, Innate 
  Spell (Shape Change, see notes), Invulnerable (Normal Weapons)
  Weakness: Vulnerable (Fire, Water, Alkaline Chemicals, EM Weapons)
  Notes:  The protean’s initial form has a Body and Strength of 0 with 
  a movement of 1/3. Once it has killed and engulfed a creature, it can 
  absorb one half of the subject’s Body and Strength into its own (round 
  up). When its shape changes, the protean’s movement speed and abili-
  ties are that of the new form. When its Body reaches twice its Essence, 
  it splits into two proteans, each at half Body and Strength of the parent 
  at the time of the split.
  For every 3 boxes of fire or chemical damage, reduce the protean’s 
  Body and Strength by 1. While normal weapons may not do any 
  damage, they can disrupt the protean’s shape if the damage would have 
  caused knockback, causing it to fall apart. The protean then needs an 
  Agility + Willpower (3, Combat Turn) Extended Test to pull itself 
  back together.
  THE HAPARANDA ZONE
  The haparanda Skärgård (archipelago) covers roughly sixty square kilo-
  meters of land in the north of the Gulf of Bothnia. The two main land masses 
  are Sandskär and Seskar Furö, with several smaller islands and skerries (small 
  rocky islands) in between. Since the Awakening, a dense forest of vegetation 
  has grown rapidly on Sandskär, right up to the coast, making landing and 
  camping much more difficult. Seskar Furö also transformed as it rose further 
  out of the sea with a host of close islands, along with an increasing amount 
  of grassland and towering sand dunes. 
  Normally the larger herbavores such as the moose and reindeer tra-
  verse the winter ice back and forth to haparanda from the mainland, but 
  a combination of pollution and astral phenomena have prevented the ice 
  from permanently forming. This has isolated some unique Awakened species. 
  The astral phenomenon is a cross between the veil and a mana storm, as 
  extreme tidal surges can emanate from the archipelago and strike the nearby 
  mainland.
  In the years following the Euro Wars, however, an influx of pollution 
  from the Baltic Sea countries drifted in on the currents into haparanda. The 
  small island of Mali between Sandskär and Seskar Furö reacted negatively, 
  transforming into a vast shallow swampland almost as big as Seskar Furö. 
  Species, both Awakened and otherwise, have developed strange mutations 
  on Mali, though the whole haparanda Zone connects the species in a strange 
  symbiotic relationship. For example, venerable reindeer (an Awakened species 
  similar to grandfather elk) has a dietary need to feed on Mali’s black Bothnia 
  wormwood, which would be deadly to other herbivores. The mutated Bothnia 
  wormwood, whose fruit would not otherwise be distributed, is then spread 
  by venerable reindeer. The opposite is also true for the toxic spitting terns 
  who feed on schools of ethereal candlefish, which neutralize pollutants in 
  the waters between the islands. Many scientific and magical research groups 
  are interested in this archipelago and its unique inhabitants. Travelers have to 
  face fierce storms and confusing fog before even reaching the island.
  TOXIC CRITTERS
  
  37
  PROTEAN
  MICRO AWAKENINGS
  Posted by: Dr. Paterson
  The CDC has been very active in watching the many new Awakened species that have emerged and/or been discovered. It is frightful to think of avian or swine 
  flu virus having extra chances to mutate as it passes through these new species. There are several microorganisms that have been identified, including the organism 
  that served as the progenitor of the protean.
  TZARRATH (AWAKENED LEPROSY)
  Vector: Contact
  Speed: 1 Month (Incurable)
  Penetration: 0
  Power: 12
  Nature: Bacteria
  Effect: Agony, Malaise
  Tzarrath was first documented by Dr. Liron Phalen when he and his wife contracted the disease. It is a very rare and incurable disease. Dr. Phalen and his wife 
  died in a house fire that started in their home lab as they searched for a cure. The bacteria cause abnormal growths in organic material through random duplication 
  of the body’s tissue (bone, nerves, skin, etc). It’s a slow and painful death. The bacteria are dangerous, as contact with dead organic material such as wood and 
  cotton results in the same abnormal growths. Sterilization procedures must be taken when dealing with tzarrath.
  PYREXIA (AWAKENED DYSENTERY)
  Vector: Ingestion
  Speed: 8 hours (4)
  Penetration: 0
  Power: 10
  Nature: Parasitic
  Effect: Physical Damage, Agony
  Pyrexia, the protozoan from which the protean mutated, is deadly on its own. Pyrexia causes a high fever and bloody stool as the protozoan puts holes in the 
  intestines. In later stages, as the protozoan develop in greater numbers, they generate their own heat, causing burns as they exit the body. 
  Pyrexia was first identified in Central America on a tour boat. It was originally considered Montezuma’s Revenge and was treated as such. Unfortunately 
  pyrexia’s genetic signature is much different, and so none of the standard treatments worked. eventually more than two hundred tourists were hospitalized and 
  six of them died before pyrexia was understood. Now travelers to Central and South America are warned of Camaxtli’s revenge (named for the Aztec god of fire).
  NANOPLASMOSIS (AWAKENED TOXOPLASMOSIS)
  Vector: ingestion
  Speed: 1 Day (8)
  Penetration: -2
  Power: 10 
  Nature: Parasitic
  Effect: Special
  This unusual protozoan infects nanosystems, destroying the nanites as if it were a competing species. This protozoan not only feeds off the organic compounds 
  found in soft nanites, but it has the ability to resonate a field that jams individual nanites. 
  Nanoplasmosis degrades nanites faster by any remaining Power rating it has after a disease Resistance Test. If the Power is reduced to 0, one nanosystem is still 
  permanently reduced by 1. If an infected subject has a nanohive, the protozoans infiltrate the system, preventing the creation of new nanites. The going hypothesis 
  is that the protozoan Awakened within a netzumi and is transmitted through fecal matter.
  
  38
  MUTANT CRITTERS
  MUTANT CRITTERS
  ANGELENO COCKROACHES 
  PERIPLANETA CALIFORNIA
  Habitat: Urban areas near the coast.
  Range: Los Angles, PCC, and nearby coastal areas
  Frequency: Uncommon
  Identification: An abnormal sized cockroach, growing up to 10 to 12 
  centimeters long
  Habits: One of the unfortunate features of Southern CFS is the 
  florescent coastline due to the “Green Tide.” The green glow comes 
  from an extremophile phosphorescent fungus discovered in the SOX. 
  It was developed by Pacific Foods as an improvement to mycoprotein 
  due to its nutritional value and rapid growth, but as reported by INN, 
  the power plant at the offshore platform had faulted, and automatic 
  systems scrambled to shut down but failed to contain a power spike 
  that caused an explosion and a release of the fungus into the world. It 
  survived on brackish water along the tidal edge and started growing on 
  a few beachfronts in Los Angeles. It was isolated until the twin quakes 
  struck, and it now edges most of Los Angeles and grows as far as sixty 
  kilometers south of the city. One of the elements that keep it from 
  spreading is that cockroaches have found it very tasty. Unfortunately 
  the roaches (Periplaneta Americana) have mutated from long-term 
  consumption. After several generations, this mutation has become 
  dominate. The Angeleno cockroach, as this new mutation is called, 
  feeds almost exclusively on macroprotein-based foodstuffs.
  CFS and now the PCC have laws effectively making it illegal to 
  own/possess an alufyr in the city of Los Angles or any costal location 
  within one hundred kilometers of Los Angles, because of the possible 
  escape and mutation.
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  Frequency: Common
  Movement: 2/5
  Skills: Dodge 3, Infiltration 3, Perception 2,
  Powers: Gestalt Consciousness, Wall Walking
  Weaknesses: Fragile 2
  Note: –1 Reach 
  > Yeah judging by the size of the Angeleno cockroach, a mutated alufyr would be 
  scary.
  > Slamm-0!
  > CFS has one of the most rigid restrictions of the import and ownership of pets 
  with bans on alufyr, century ferrets, and most genetically altered pets due to 
  fear of escape and mutation of other species through association. Of course, the 
  bans don’t apply in corporate enclaves. Then you had the twin quakes and the 
  reclamation of Los Angeles by the PCC. PCC has kept some of these restrictions, 
  and now some corporations have agreed to incorporate those restrictions. No 
  one wants roaches the size of dogs running in their building.
  > Ecotope
  > Unless they can be used in a cheaper work force.
  > Ethernaut
  MUTANT CRITTERS
  
  39
  MALL hAWK
  MALL hAWK
  FALCO DREWNOVO
  Habitat: Urban areas
  Range: North America, parts of Europe, Australia
  Frequency: Common
  Identification:  A blue-grey falcon, 50 centimeters long with a 120 
  centimeter wingspan. Both male and female falcons weigh in at a hefty 
  1.5 kilograms. 
  Habits: In the early days of megamalls and arcologies, to help keep 
  the population of rodents and birds that would eventually infiltrate the 
  structure, one corporation bred falcons to live in the structures. There 
  was some genetic manipulation, but not at the cost or scale of warforms. 
  The changes were made so that they could survive better in an indoor 
  environment. These falcons were bred and sold in Europe, North 
  America, even Australia. They were much cheaper to maintain and 
  were quite popular with visitors as they watched the falcon hunt down 
  pigeons. Mall hawks, as they are mistakenly called, live in colonies of 
  ten to twenty five mating pairs per building. Multiple generations of 
  the falcon have lived in these structures for well over forty years. Mall 
  hawks have learned and passed on tricks to get through doors, snag food 
  from vendors, and take advantage of flying drones. Recently, whether 
  due to a mistake within their genetic engineering manifesting or some-
  thing introduced by external sources, the mall hawk has begun to show 
  more aggressiveness and speed, and has also developed bone spurs on its 
  feet and wrists.  While they have not left the large structures to find new 
  homes, they have damaged ventilation shafts and glass windows in order 
  to hunt prey outside. They have not been a threat to metahumans, but 
  they become very protective during the breeding months of February 
  and March. In several malls, a few areas are temporarily off limits as 
  hawks living there will attack anyone who gets close to the nests.
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  3
  7(9)
  1
  Movement: 20/60 (flight)
  Skills: Flight 3, Perception 3, Tracking 2, Unarmed Combat 2
  Powers: Natural Weapon (Bite/Claw: DV 5P, AP 0), Enhanced Senses 
  (Low-Light), Fragile 1
  Qualities: Bone Spikes, Lightning Reflexes
  MANUFACTURED MUTATIONS: LOGO TURTLES
  Posted by: Ecotope
  A little known japanese corporation learned to manipulate the colors and patterns of turtle shells by 2020, selling customizable turtles, called logo turtles. 
  In an odd twist of events, more than twenty startup companies bought into the logo turtles, ordering designer shells with their company logo on it. Almost all 
  were augmented painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) that were customized, though there was at least one company who ordered a modified African spurred tortoise 
  (Geochelone sulcata) for the larger shell. There was a rise in sales to corporate employees, spin-off corporate turtle farms, even a few legal twists as the logo turtle was 
  considered “corporate intellectual property.” For nine years, it was good for a few turtle species until the Crash of ’29. None of these corporations making the turtles 
  survived. The turtle farms simply released their inventory into the wild.  After fifty years, wild painted turtles have been found with corporate logos or fascinating new 
  symbols from generations of different altered corporate turtles.
  > I’ve heard of these things. Turtle sanctuaries were really a tax write-off, putting a “give back to the environment” spin to balance out a whole bunch of corporate 
  exploitation.
  > Dr. Spin
  
  40
  RULES
  RULES
  NEW CRITTER POWERS
  ENERGY DRAIN (ELECTRIC)
  This Energy Drain ability affects devices, drones, and vehicles. 
  When an attack is made, the device uses its Device Rating or vehicle/
  drone Body to resist. Successful net hits create temporary damage as 
  the power supply is drained. Once vehicles and drones fill all their 
  condition monitor boxes become “dead,” needing a recharge. This 
  may cause the vehicle or drone to crash, causing real damage. Devices 
  without condition monitors become non-functional after the total net 
  hits exceeds the device’s rating.
  HYPNOTIC (SENSE)
  Affecting a particular sense, such as visual or aural, this power 
  mesmerizes all who see/hear it. The creature makes a Magic test, and 
  the hits add to the subjects’ threshold for any relevant Perception 
  Tests the target makes while entranced by the creature. The maximum 
  duration a critter can hypnotize a subject is equal to its Charisma x 10 
  minutes.
  ADVANCED METAMAGICS
  There are some adepts who continue to advance the magical 
  bond between them and their animal companions, as reflected in the 
  following metamagic.
  LYCANTHROPE (ANIMAL)
  Prerequisite: Attunement (Animal) (p. 53, Street Magic)
  Many adepts who have attuned to an animal companion through 
  initiation often say that they can sense a primal energy just beyond 
  their reach. With this initiation rite, the adept taps into that power to 
  become the beast to which they have bonded.
  With a successful twenty-minute ritual, the adept can shift into 
  animal form, matching the abilities of the animal to which they are 
  attuned. This transformation is not the temporary suspension of 
  human form that magicians do with their spells. It is more akin to a 
  shapeshifter’s ability. This ability has the drawback of making it dif-
  ficult for the adept to shift back into human form, since their metahu-
  man mind slowly becomes more primal while in the animal body.  If an 
  adept spends weeks or months in the animal shapre, they may become 
  permanently lost in the animal.
  It takes a successful Willpower + Magic (1) Test to shift into 
  animal form at the end of the ritual. The adept can stay in animal form 
  for as long as they wish. Returning to human form is more difficult, 
  requiring a Willpower + Magic (5 – net hits from the initial test) Test. 
  Failure means that the adept must wait another two hours to gather his 
  thoughts and override the increasing animal form’s instincts. For every 
  twenty-four hours the adept spens in animal form, increase the thresh-
  old by 1. If the threshold exceeds the sum of the adept’s Willpower + 
  Magic, the adept cannot leave the animal form. Once the adept is back 
  in human form, they must repeat the ritual to shift again.
  ATTUNEMENT RITUALS
  AWAKEN THE BEAST (AWAKENED ANIMAL)
  Prerequisite: Attunement (Animal) (p. 53, Street Magic)
  This ritual channels qi energy conforming to the adept’s companion 
  animal. In doing so, the companion may shift into an Awakened, non-
  sentient form of the species designated by the ritual. The adept completes 
  the one-hour ritual by resisting Stun damage equal to twice the Willpower 
  of the Awakened form with Willpower + Magic Test. At the completion 
  of the ritual, the animal may shift to the Awakened form for a number of 
  hours equal to the grade of the initiate. As the ritual is taxing on both the 
  adept and the animal, any damage is applied to both the adept and animal.
  If there is no Awakened animal related to the attuned animal, the 
  gamemaster may create an Awakened creature by giving the animal up 
  to two paranormal powers (p. 204, Running Wild). Since there are 
  many Awakened creatures that the gamemaster may not want to release 
  on the players (i.e., an attuned armadillo shifting into a behemoth), 
  the gamemaster may exclude them from the list or use an alternate 
  attribute of the Awakened beast to calculate damage. If the Awakened 
  form has a shifting power, it is superseded by this shifting ability.
  Attempting to empower an Awakened beast is almost impossible 
  and quite dangerous. Every point of Magic that the adept tries to shift 
  to the attuned animal in the duration of this ritual causes immediate 
  physical damage equal to the drain of the ritual, unresisted, to both the 
  adept and animal.
  Vegas entertainer Prince Adam and his golden lab, 
  Yeller, get ready for a little run against the Onyx Dragon. 
  Adam prepares the awakening ritual in his hotel room. With 
  Yeller in the center of painted glyphs (which housekeeping will 
  undoubtedly complain about mopping up), Adam devotes 
  magical energy into his companion. After resisting 6 boxes of 
  Stun damage (the Willpower of a barghest is 3, times 2 equals 
  6), the energy coalesces into Yeller, briefly outlining him as a 
  larger mastiff. And they said you couldn’t teach an old dog 
  new tricks.
  DOMINATE (ANIMAL)
  Prerequisite: Attunement (Animal) (p. 53, Street Magic)
  Entering into connectivity to one animal opens the door to a 
  general connection to other animals. With this ritual, the adept can 
  adjust their aura and pheromones to be primal and predatory. While 
  not seeming different to metahumans, animals sense the adept as 
  an apex predator or an equal. Unlike reactions to the Critter Spook 
  quality (p. 117, Runner’s Companion), prey animals go still and quiet, 
  trying to avoiding the adept. Security animals and predatory species 
  must make an Opposed Willpower Test to engage or obey a command 
  to attack the adept. Failure means that they become submissive and 
  will not attack, nor will they obey any commands by the adept. If the 
  adept attacks the animal, the animal attacks back. Awakened critters 
  get a two dice bonus to their Willpower Tests. The ritual takes twenty 
  minutes to perform and lasts for a number of hours equal to the adept’s 
  Initiative rating.
  RULES
  
  41
  INDEx
  INDEX
  AWAKENED CRITTERS
  AMMIT................................................................................................................... 3
  AERIAL LIONHEAD ................................................................................................ 4
  BAHARI ................................................................................................................. 6
  BOMBARDIER ........................................................................................................ 7
  BRUCHA ................................................................................................................ 9
  CUERO ................................................................................................................. 10
  FIJI MERMAID ......................................................................................................  12
  GIANT BOAR ........................................................................................................ 14
  GREATER DANCING WHITE LADY .........................................................................  13
  HOOFOE ..............................................................................................................  15
  JENNY HANIVER .................................................................................................. 16
  KARKADANN .......................................................................................................  17
  KLUDDE ............................................................................................................... 18
  MADAGASCAR JELLY ............................................................................................ 19
  MINI MOKEKE-MBEMBE  ..................................................................................... 22
  MINHOCÃO ..........................................................................................................  21
  PARROT FOX ....................................................................................................... 23
  PIT BADGER ........................................................................................................ 24
  SHASTA DEER ...................................................................................................... 26
  STORM WOLVES .................................................................................................. 27
  STRIX .................................................................................................................. 28
  SWAMP LIZARD ................................................................................................... 29
  SWAMP SWALLOWS ............................................................................................ 30
  TALIS CAT ............................................................................................................ 32
  TINPUK ............................................................................................................... 33
  YALE .................................................................................................................... 34
   
  TOXIC CRITTERS
  MONTAUK ........................................................................................................... 35
  PROTEAN ............................................................................................................ 36
   
  MUTANT CRITTERS
  ANGELENO COCKROACHES .................................................................................. 38
  MALL HAWK ........................................................................................................ 39
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Shadowrun [multi]/4th Edition/Shadowrun 4e - Parazoology 2 {CAT26S03}.pdf