Shimmer-Vole
Beast · no Crown (Meridian)
T1d4Minor
Small burrowing rodents whose prismatic fur splits nearby light into disorienting rainbow bursts when startled, spooking livestock and dazzling the unwary.
Tier 1 · Role Minor · Pool Vigor 2 · AC 10 · ATK +2 · Save DC 11 · Dmg 1 (flat)
| Stat | Score | Mod | Die |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body | 12 | - | - |
| Mind | 8 | - | - |
| Sense | 12 | - | - |
| Heart | 6 | - | - |
| Cunning | 14 | - | - |
| Fate | 14 | - | - |
A Minor has no attribute mechanics: the scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
Passives
Prismatic Fur
When startled, fur splits nearby light into a disorienting rainbow burst. All creatures within 5 ft make a Sense save (DC 11) or are dazed for 1 round. Each vole can do this once per hour.
Maneuvers
Burrow Escape
Digs into soft earth and disappears from sight, emerging up to 15 ft away next round.
Panic Flash
Triggers a deliberate prismatic burst. All creatures within 10 ft make a Sense save (DC 11) or are dazed for 1 round.
Reactions
Startle Reflex
When struck or grabbed, automatically triggers Prismatic Fur if it has not been used this hour.
Tactics
GM tactics
Shimmer-voles flee at the first sign of danger, triggering their prismatic fur reflexively. They never fight willingly and scatter in all directions.
Running it
Rules
- One Vigor pool of 2 x Tier, no Vitality. It breaks and flees with 1 left, and dies at 0. The pool does not regenerate.
- A hit deals a flat 1, no roll. A crit (natural 20 only) rolls d4 and never lands below 1.
- Crits on a natural 20 only.
- Minor: no stat modifiers or dice in play; its scores describe the creature, they do not roll.
- With 1 Vigor left it breaks and flees, out of the fight but alive; Fanatics fight on to 0 instead.
- At 0 Vigor it is dead: 2 total damage, and a single blow of 2 or more kills it on the spot.
- Vigor damage is simply damage against a Minor: its whole pool is Vigor.
- Group morale: when its group loses half its number, fled or dead, the rest check morale.
- NPCs never take wounds.