RuneQuest rules for the monster briefly described in that Hugh Cook’s Chronicles of an Age of darkness Book 1 – The Wizards and the Warriors.
The Lopsloss is derived from Hugh Cook’s book: The Wizards and the Warriors Chapters 13 & 19. In the book it is described as an amorphous creature that lives under Castle Vaunting.
For RuneQuest purposes the lopsloss is distantly related to the head hanger. In its natural state it lives in darkened gulleys and caves, where it can feed on creatures that may fall to their deaths, or stumble within close reach. It can move slowly, but if food is in close proximity, can display a burst of rapid movement to snag its prey. It has an amorphous gelatinous form and is usually greyish in colour. Some specimens have been known to evidence pinpricks of bio luminescence, perhaps to lure [prey to within reach.
The Lopsloss is not a magical creature like its distant relation and feeds on flesh. It does however have similarities, with a tendency to retain the non digestible bits of its prey, such as armour , coin etc. It will feed by enveloping its prey within its gelatinous form and then excreting strong digestive enzymes to break down flesh and bone into a base fluid which it will absorb. These enzymes have the ability to immobilize prey swiftly, but while the prey is still mobile, the Lopsloss will move to suck the prey deeper into its mass to prevent escape. Given enough time, it will digest all organic parts of its prey, including bone, claws etc.
In terms of movement and propagation, it is similar to the amoeba, using pseudo pods to assist with movement and splitting via binary fission. Even so, it is a very rare creature to come across as it does not like daylight and any offspring would have to live within the same cave complex as they would not be able to migrate across land for any distance that may expose them to light.
Small lopsloss have been known to be captured and transplanted to other locales, such as crypts, to guard against grave robbers. In certain instances, goblins have been known to have a symbiotic relationship with lopsloss, whereby in exchange for food and protection, the lopsloss gestates goblin offspring within its mass.
A Lopsloss will vary in SIZ depending on the size of the area it inhabits, age and food availability.
this article was initially published on IX January 2010
Lopsloss
| Characteristics | Average | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| STR | 4D6 + 6 | 20 | Move 1 |
| CON | 4D6 | 14 | Hit Points 18 |
| SIZ | 1D6 + 8 to 6D6 + 20 | 6 – 7 | Fatigue 15 |
| INT | 3 | 3 | |
| POW | 2D6 + 6 | 13 | |
| DEX | 2D6 | 7 |
| Hit Location | Melee (D20) | Missile (D20) | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pseudopod | * | * | 4/8 |
| Body | # | # | 4/12 |
* Determine how many pseudo pods before combat (1D12) and list each as a hit location.
# The difference between 20 and number of pseudo pods.
| Weapon | SR | Attack % | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pseudo Lunge | 1 | 40 + 3 | 2D8 knockdown / entangle |
| Envelop | 10 | 70 + 10 | 1D6 per round |
Notes: The Lopsloss will use its pseudo pods to try and knock down or entangle its prey in an attempt to immobilise. If more than one pseudo pod manages to hit the same hit location, the prey will be considered entangled. It will then try to envelop its prey at the end of the round. Enveloped prey must match STR against the Lopsloss STR on the resistance table to escape. The Lopsloss does not like heat and will retreat from an open flame or similar, which can be used to force it to disgorge recently enveloped prey. Being enveloped will restrict movement and stop prey from cutting themselves free unless a critical success is rolled or the prey has freed their arms by matching STR on the resistance table. Prey enveloped for more than 2 rounds must try to survive asphyxiation as per standard asphyxiation rules.
Armour: 4 points skin.