Firelizards
(Based on Anne McCaffrey's firelizards from her Dragonriders of Pern Series)
Firelizards are miniature dragons about the size of a human forearm. It is from their genetic stock that the Kitti Ping Yang engineered Pern's larger Dragons to combat 'thread'. Though unlike the common mythical dragons of Earth, firelizards did not have scales, but a leathery hide. It is from the color of this hide that the subspecies are known.
Game Info
GURPS Fourth Edition (4e)
Attribute Modifiers
Brown: ST-5 [-50], DX+2 [40], IQ-4 [-80] HT+2 [20]
Blue/Green: ST-6 [-60], DX+3 [60], IQ-5[-100]. HT+2 [20]
Secondary Characteristics Modifers:
SM-3, Per+4 [20]
Advantages
Claws (Sharp) [5], Teeth (Sharp) [1] Flight (Wings) [30], Warp (+10 Reliable +50%, Based on Per, +20%, Psi -10%, Uncontrlible -10%, Travel time 1 second in *Between* per 2,000 miles -10%, Keeps orientation and momentum (bases on 3e) -50%, Loose Body parts that intersect with solids (based on 3e) -50%) [40], Telesend (Semi-Vague, pictures and emotions only -25%, Psi -10%) [20], Mind Reading (Semi-Vague -25%, Telecommunication -20%, Psi -10%) [14], Telescan aka Detect (Personally Known Beings (base 20), Long range +100%), Psi -10% ) [38], Nictating Membrane [1], Breathe Fire (Innate Attack (Burn) [2d], Jet +0%, Reduced Range (1/2) -10% (1/2D 3, Max 5), Trigger (Firestone) -20%, Nuisance effect (Firestone/breath Reeks) -5%) [7], Racial Memory [+40]
Disadvantages:
Bad Grip (1) [-5], Cannot Speak [-15], Chummy [-5], Cold Blooded [-10], Distractable [-1], Easy to Read [-10], Fearfulness (1) [-2], Nosy [-1], Phobia(Red star)(12) [-5], Presentient Bundle* [-15], Semi-Upright [-5], Social Stigma (Valuable property) [-10], Wealth (Dead Broke) [-25]
Features:
Early Maturation (1 Turn) [0], Tail.
Optional:
- Mindlink (Single Person, Psi -10%) [5] [only if impressed]
- Jumper (Time) (Travel time 3 Turns(years) per second, nothing to Breath between] -10%, Psi -10%) [80]
*Presentient Bundle (Taboo Traits IQ based skills harder than easy, Spoken languages), innumerate, Non-Idographical
Points [not counting Jumper]
Brown: 38 (43 if impressed)
Blue/Green: 28 (33 if impresed)
Notes:
Firelizards have 5 sex based subspecies:
The Gold, or Queen, Firelizard is a female, and the dominate on a firelizard 'fair', are among the largest of the firelizards (the others are the Bronze), at about 2 feet long from sought to tail tip. It is unknown for firelizard to disobey the senior Queen of the fair. There tends to be about 5 to three golds in a fair. They are extremely protective of the clutches of eggs, often calling on the other firelizards to help in their defense.
The next is the Bronze, a male, the largest and smartest among the males subspecies, though not quite as agile as the smaller males though, and are about the same size as the golds.
The middle group in size is the second of the male subspecies, the Brown, they don't quite have the size and the stamina of the Bronze, but they are slightly more agile and the hold a larger proportion of fair make up than the larger Bronzes.
The next is the smallest of the males, the Blue, they are the most numerous of the males, aand the most gile, though not quite as smart as the larger subspecies.
The last subspecies is the Green, and they are female. They are slightly more numerous than the Blues and are about the same size. Although they lack the instinct to guard their clutches of eggs. This might be a good thing as the tend to produce large numbers of eggs, quite often.
Mating Flights:
When a female 'Rises' to mate, the interested males will also rise to try and catch her. She will then try to drag out the flight until only the strongest is left to catch her. A long mating flight seems to produce a better clutch.
In Queen flights it is normally a Bronze that catches her though as the smaller males tend to run out of steam before the queen tires. Though it is not unknown for a Brown to catch the Queen, and for a blue to catch junior queen; though the clutches of these pairings tend to be not as strong in such cases. The male that catches the Senor Queen is the dominate male, until the next mating flight
Clutches:
Clutches are laid on tropical Pern Beaches, where the sun and hot sand, incubates the eggs
Gold/Bronze pairings:
there is an occasional Gold egg, 2 or 3 Bronze eggs 5 to 7 browns and 9 to 11 blues and greens.
Gold/Brown pairings:
there are never any gold eggs maybe 1 Bronze, the rest and split among Brown, Blue and Greens
Gold/Blue :
never any golds or bronzes, maybe a brown, the rest are either blues or greens
Green/Bronze:
as Gold/Brown
Green/Brown:
as Gold/Blue
Green/Blue:
equal mix between Blue and green.
Natural enemies:
- Sandsnakes eat the unguarded eggs.
- Wheeres (basically large flying ostridges) eat the young, and others that fail to teleport away to safety.
Hatching:
just prior to a hatching the adults begin to Hum, which gets quicker and louder the closer to the first egg crack (they seem to know instinctively when an egg is about to hatch). the hatchlings have only one thing on their mind, food and will stop at nothing until they are feed, including flying out after 'thread'.
if they are a feed by someone at this point the will 'impress' forming a Mindlink with this person, and will be a consent partner with this person until death. (one of the reasons they are sought as psi familers).
Food:
they are carnivorous, mainly feeding off of fish and small birds, though the seem to enjoy a dangerous delicacy of 'Thread'
Thread:
Thread, isn't a native to Pern, it is a mindless organism native to the Oort Cloud at the edge of the Rukbat system. it comes to Pern via a captured planet simply known as the 'Red Star'. who's orbit passes though the cloud and passes close enough to Pern every 140 turns (a Turn is just short of an Terran Year) and leaves enough of the organism in Pern's orbit to keep it falling on Pern for 40 turns called a 'pass' (leaving 100 turn interval between passes). when thread enters Pern's atmosphere it transforms into a second stage, which 'devours' all organic substance it comes in contact with in matter of seconds. It is highly susceptible to fire, cold, and drowning.
Fire breath:
Firelizards have a second stomach that after chewing 'Firestone'( a phosphine-bearing rock that _reeks!_) process it to enable a firelizard to produce a flame that they can sustain for 3 to 6 seconds before need more stone. Note this process is believed to cause sterility in females.
Teleportion:
Firelizards Psionicly are able to transport themselves though a alternative dimension called *Between*, at most any where on Pern takes about 3 seconds. *Between* is extremely cold, but apart from that it is total sensory deprivation. any openings in the hide can faster, and be protentionally fatal if exposed the *Between*. and a critical failure can leave you 'lost *Between*'. (Note Dragons in the series can also use this ability when guided by a rider to Time travel, but I have not 'costed' for this) also you must hold you breath as there is nothing the breath in *between* and This is the real limit to the distance they can travel that way.
Communication:
Firelizards communicate via two methods the first is a song like Chirping. and the second is though telepathic 'images'
Eyes:
firelizards have multi-faceted eyes, that change color, depending on there emotional state. these colors 'whirl' add different speeds reviling the intensity of the state.
- Red = Hunger
- White = Danger
- Yellow = Fear
- Purple = Devotion/Love
- Orange w/Red = Anger
- Blue/Green = Neutral
