Leucrotta

Leucrotta
(Creature)
Common CE Large Beast Level 5 Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Images of leucrottas Source: Bestiary 2, pg(s). 162 Type Magical beast CR 5 Environment Temperate or tropical hills or forest Alignment LG NG CG LN N CN LE NE CE Images of leucrottas Source: Bestiary 2, pg(s). 178

Utterly evil spawn of Lamashtu, leucrottas are much more than they appear. While they may look like mere animalistic predators they are in fact as intelligent as the average human but only use this intelligence for creating sadistic new hunting techniques.

Appearance

The leucrotta resembles a chimeric mix of animals with a badger-like head, the body of a lean predatory cat, and the feet of a stag. This odd mixture probably results from being the spawn of Lamashtu, the Mother of Monsters. If legend is to be believed, leucrottas were created when Lamashtu took a particularly large, virile hyena as a mate. Leucrottas are about five feet tall and weigh around eight hundred pounds. Instead of teeth, a leucrotta possesses jagged bony ridges capable of shearing through steel.

Habitat and ecology

Leucrottas prefer to dwell in open areas where they can easily run down their prey. They often lair near rivers knowing that a nearby source of water is likely to draw prey. The average leucrotta lair will contain a primitive shrine to Lamashtu often just consisting of the skulls of their prey. Leucrottas can be solitary creatures but they also often hunt in packs consisting of an alpha male, a younger male, and several females and pups. Despite their seemingly bestial society, leucrottas are very intelligent, but devote most of their thoughts to cruel new hunting techniques. They often stalk their prey for days to determine which victim will cause the most fear if killed first. They are very inventive in their ambushing techniques and savour the fear created by their hunts, the only thing they savour more is their victims helpless pleading before they are eaten alive.

Crocottas

Despite their general intelligence, there is an offshoot of the leucrotta race that lacks their incredible cunning; these mindless hunters are called crocottas. They look very similar to leucrottas and are of a similar size except that they have shorter back legs, making them look more hyena-like than normal leucrottas.

Relationship with gnolls

Despite their savage nature, leucrottas occasionally ally with gnolls. Occasionally, leucrottas even allow favoured gnolls to ride them into battle, but never submit themselves to serving as beasts of burden. Leucrottas allied with gnolls typically consider themselves the true leaders of the group, and manipulate official leaders into doing their bidding. When a gnoll leader proves too difficult to steer or the leucrotta tires of this arrangement, it will goad him into challenging it and take over rulership of the tribe after slaying the old chief.

In the Great Beyond

In addition to being found in the Material Plane, leucrottas also exist in the First World.

Abilities

A leucrotta can near perfectly mimic the voice of any creature it has heard, often using this ability to lure prey away from safety. The leucrotta can use its voice mimicry to lure creatures towards it, though this only works if the creature is not aware of the danger posed by the leucrotta. The bite of the leucrotta is a lot more powerful than the bite of a normal creature its size and so causes a lot more damage.