| Air Whale | |
| |
| Type: | Giant Omnivore, partial plant |
| Number: | 1 |
| Move: | Slow |
| IM/RS: | +5/50 |
| Stamina: | 500 |
| Attack: | 50 (focused light), 45 (tentacle) |
| Damage: | 3d10-18d10 focused sunlight, or 2d10 tentacle |
| Special Attack: | See below |
| Special Defense: | None |
| Native World: | Volturnus – Anywhere in the air |
Description
Air whales are part plant and part animal. The top of the air whale is covered with plant life which converts sunlight directly into food and energy. The giant creature also eats plants and animals. It feeds on floating plankton, drifting spores, and swarms of flying insects, plus anything else it manages to capture. It produces hydrogen as a by-product of feeding. The hydrogen is stored in hundreds of inner membrane sacs. The hydrogen provides the lift which lets the air whale float. Compressed hydrogen, vented through tubes scattered around the air whale's body, lets the creature maneuver.
Crystal-based life forms have a symbiotic relationship with the air whale. These crystals focus sunlight into a beam, much like a laser. The crystals can fire up to sex shots per turn, with damage divided as desired among the attacks. The damage allotted to each shot must be decided before the combat result is rolled. The crystals also store solar energy, and can fire two shots when direct sunlight is not available. An albedo screen or albedo suit will reduce damage suffered by half. From the bottom of the creature hang hundreds of razor-sharp tentacles 10 meters long. The air whale can make 10 attacks per turn with tentacles. Tentacle attacks must be rolled separately. Note that the air whale has two different attack forms depending on whether the victim is above or below the creature.