Boobrie

This creature stands taller than a normal human and resembles a crane with rich, black feathers that fade to dull gray on its undercarriage. Its bill is long, slightly curved, and serrated. Its feet are sharp and sport wicked talons that resemble twisted, almost humanoid clawed hands.

Boobrie (CR 5)

Large Magical Beast (Aquatic)
Alignment: Neutral
Initiative: +2
Senses: Darkvision 60 feet, Low-Light Vision; Perception +8

Speed: 30 feet, Swim 30 feet
Space: 10 feet

Defense

Armor Class: 17, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +6 natural, -1 size)
Hit Points: 67 (9d10+18)
Saving Throws: Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +5
Immunity: poison
Weaknesses: marsh bound

Offense

Melee: 2 claws +11 (1d8+3/19-20), bite +11 (2d6+3)
Reach: 10 feet

Special Attacks: wail

Statistics

Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
17 (+3)	15 (+2)	15 (+2)	3 (-4)	14 (+2)	12 (+1)

Base Attack Bonus: +9
CMB +13
CMD 25

Feats: Ability Focus (wail), Alertness, Improved Critical (claw), Swim-by Attack

Skills: Perception +8, Stealth +7, Swim +16

Languages: Common

Special Qualities: Amphibious, Change Shape

Special Abilities

Change Shape (Su)

A boobrie can assume the form of a Large heavy warhorse as a standard action. In this form, it can run on top of water (including deep water such as rivers and lakes) and marshy ground as if it were solid, flat terrain. The boobrie is still marsh bound in this form and suffers the normal penalties if it moves too far from its environment.

Marsh Bound (Ex)

A boobrie can survive away from its marshy home for 1 hour per 2 points of Constitution. After that, refer to the drowning rules.

Wail (Su)

Once every 2d4 rounds as a standard action, a boobrie can emit an eerie wail that deals 4d6 points of sonic damage to all creatures within 40 feet that hear it. A DC 18 Fortitude save reduces the damage by half. Further, a creature failing its save is paralyzed for 2d4 rounds. This is a sonic mind-affecting attack. A creature that successfully saves is immune to the wail of that boobrie for one day. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +2 bonus from the boobrie's Ability Focus feat.

Ecology

Environment: Temperate Marshes
Organization: solitary or flock (3-6 plus 100% noncombatants)
Treasure: none


The boobrie, or marsh terror, is a quick-moving, malign, flightless bird found haunting desolate and overgrown swamps, wetlands, and marshes. It is carnivorous by nature and feasts on a diet of crocodile meat, fish, and humans (the last of which is one of its favorite meals). When food is scarce, boobrie flocks often war with each other, eating the fallen and the slain.

A boobrie flock dwells in thick, overgrown (and usually well-hidden) marsh groves. A typical flock consists of more males than females and a number of young equal to the combined total of adult boobries. A single dominate male acts as the leader of the flock and commands the others of the flock in carrying out particular tasks. Boobrie flocks sometimes settle near (but not too near) human settlements and conduct raids into the settlements, stealing livestock, children, and even lone adults.

Boobries speak broken Common and their own language of hoots, croaks, and clicks. Boobries are vicious creatures with voracious appetites. They are almost always hungry and usually attack prey on sight. A boobrie attacks with two sharpened talons and a nasty bite from its serrated bill. Slain prey is dragged to the lair and given to the young who promptly tear it to shreds, devouring as much of the kill as they can. Leftovers are simply discarded and left to rot or discarded for other scavengers to claim.