WRITTEN BY

AERYN BLACKDIRGE RUDEL

CREATED BY
JESSE MOHN AND AERYN RUDEL
Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons Revised Edition
Core Books, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
ANIMAL ARCHIVES SAMPLER
Author: Aeryn Rudel
Blackdirge Publishing
Credits
Animal Archives
Animal Archives Sampler
Credits
The Campaign Construc-
tion System is a format
designed to help GMs
organize their campaign
binder. Each entry in this
product is layed out to t
a single page or series of
pages that can be easily
identied and placed in
specic categories of the
binder. With this system
a GM can print only the
pages needed for their game, mix and match content from
various products in the line, and reduce the clutter and
weight of multiple products.
Each page is organized with the following information
A: Title of the entry contained on the page
B: Product title in which the entry can be found
C: Author and artist credits for that entry
D: Category label for binder organization
1
Animal Archives
Animal Archives Sampler
Created by
Jesse Mohn & Aeryn Rudel
Written by
Aeryn Rudel
Editing
John Ball
Illustrations
Hunter McFalls & Jesse Mohn
Graphic Design & Layout
Edward Bourelle & Erik Nowak
SkeletonKey Staff
Edward Bourelle & Art Braune
Animal Archives is 2008
Jesse Mohn. All rights reserved.
Illustrations are 2008 Hunter McFalls or
Jesse Mohn, as credited. All rights reserved.
Reference to other copyrighted material in no way constitutes
a challenge to the respective copyright holders of that material.
SkeletonKey Games, Campaign Construction System, the
SkeletonKey Games logo, and the Campaign Construction System
logo are trademarks of Edward Bourelle. Blackdirge Publishing
and the Blackdirge Publishing logo are trademarks of Aeryn Rudel.
Blackdyrge is a trademark of Aeryn Rudel.
Dungeons & Dragons and Wizards of the Coast are trademarks of
Wizards of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other countries
and are used with permission.
d20 System and the d20 System logo are trademarks of Wizards
of the Coast, Inc. in the United States and other countries and are
used with permission.
The following is designated as Open Game Content: all new rules and
stat blocks (but not the proper names of characters and places or their
backgrounds). To be clear, the Animal Archives property is CLOSED.
Animal Archives
Animal Archives Sampler
Introduction
Introduction 2
Author: Aeryn Rudel
Illustrator: Jesse Mohn
This product contains two sample animals from
Blackdirge Publishings Animal Archives series. These
are not reprints, but new monsters designed specically
to showcase both the Prehistoric Animal and DinoFiles
lines. If you already own all the Animal Archives
products, then this is simply a free addition to your
collection; however, if youre new to the series, this
product serves as an excellent example of what the
Animal Archives products offer.
Although both the DinoFiles and Prehistoric Animals
lines are very similar, they offer slightly different
material. Prehistoric Animals details ancient animals
from all periods of prehistory on our planet. Here youll
nd bizarre creatures from the distant Cambrian, all
the way up to the last Ice Age and the very beginnings
of the human race. The illustrations in Prehistoric
Animals are drawn by Jesse Mohn in a nature book
style, and feature a silhouette of a Medium-sized
human for size comparison.
The DinoFiles line, as its name suggests, specically
details new dinosaurs. Each product presents a number
of dinosaurs that are linked together either thematically
or by actual scientic grouping. The illustrations for
DinoFiles are drawn by Hunter McFalls, and present
their subjects in dynamic, fantasy inspired scenes.
Heres a quick rundown of what youll nd in both
product lines:
A full d20 stat block for each animal.
A full description for each animal, plus notes on
ecology, combat tactics, and more.
Information for players, including details on how to
uses the presented animals as animal companions,
familiars, and mounts.
Real world information on each animal.
A summon natures ally and summon monster
appendix, complete with stat blocks for endish
and celestial versions of all animals presented in
the product.
Advanced and templated versions of some animals.
A fantastic illustration for each animal
by Jesse Mohn or Hunter McFalls.
Be sure to have a look at the back page of this product,
where youll nd money-saving coupons for all products
in the Animal Archives series.
If you have any questions or suggestions about
the Animal Archives series, or any of the products
published by Blackdirge Publishing, drop us a line at:
blackdirge@gmail.com.
Aeryn Blackdirge Rudel
Owner/Developer
Blackdirge Publishing
Pterygotus
Animal Archives
Animal Archives Sampler
Author: Aeryn Rudel
Blackdirge Publishing
Pterygotus
Monster 3
PTERYGOTUS CR 5
(WING ANIMAL)
(TERRY-GOAT-USS)
Always Neutral Large Vermin (Aquatic)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Listen +0, Spot +8
Languages
AC 20, touch 10, atfooted 19
(-1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural)
hp 60 (8 HD)
Immune vermin immunities
Fort +9, Ref +3, Will +2
Speed 10 ft. (2 squares), swim 50 ft.
Melee 2 pincers +11 (1d8+6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with pincers)
Base Atk +6; Grapple +16
Atk Options rend (2d8+9)
Abilities Str 23, Dex 12, Con 17, Int , Wis 11, Cha 2
SQ vermin traits
Feats
Skills Hide +1, Move Silently +5, Spot +8, Swim +14
Environment warm aquatic
Organization solitary
Treasure none
Advancement 9-16 HD (Large); 17-24 HD (Huge)
Rend (Ex): If a pterygotus hits with both pincer
attacks, it latches onto the opponents body and
tears the esh. This attack automatically deals
an additional 2d8+9 points of damage.
Skills: A pterygotus has a +4 racial bonus on Hide
and Move Silently checks. It has a +8 racial
bonus on Spot checks. It has a +8 racial bonus
on any Swim check to perform some special
action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose
to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted
or endangered. It can use the run action while
swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
This large arthropod resembles an aquatic scorpion. It
has two massive pincers, a long attened tail, and two
paddle-like appendages for swimming. Its huge eyes
seem ideal for locating prey, and it moves through the
water with the speed and agility of a true predator.
A pterygotus is a large sea-scorpion, a powerful
predator that lurks within warm, shallow water. It is
quick and agile, and can chase down fast-moving prey
with relative ease. Although a pterygotus can crawl about
the sea bottom on its many legs, it is completely aquatic,
and does not leave the water for any reason.
A pterygotus is a solitary creature, and will only seek out
others of its species to mate. Juvenile members of the
species are often eaten by the adults, and for this reason,
they tend to hide amongst coral reefs or in sea caves until
they are large and fast enough to escape their elders.
A pterygotus can grow up to 8 feet long and weigh nearly
1,000 pounds.
COMBAT
A pterygotus attack with its two pincers, tearing prey
into small pieces that can be easily fed into its mouth. It
attacks nearly anything smaller than itself, using ambush
tactics similar to that of other large marine predators,
such as sharks. Once prey has been spotted, a pterygotus
accelerates quickly (charges) and attempts to surprise its
target before it can escape. Additionally, these creatures
sometimes hide their bulk in the silt on the sea bottom, and
then wait for prey to swim within range of their pincers.
FOR PLAYER CHARACTERS
Although pterygotus cannot be trained, and their esh is
vile and slightly poisonous, they are sometimes hunted
by sea elves for their hard, chitinous exoskeleton, which
can be worked into armor by skilled sea elf armorsmiths.
A single pterygotus produces enough chitin for a single
masterwork breastplate for a creature one size category
smaller than itself. Armor created from pterygotus chitin
weighs half that of its metal counterpart, and is, of
course, waterproof.
A celestial or endish pterygotus can be summoned with
a summon monster VI or a higher-level summon monster
spell. Treat a celestial or endish pterygotus as being on
the 6th-level list of the Summon Monster table.
PTERYGOTUS IN THE REAL WORLD
Pterygotus is a massive eurypterid, or sea scorpion, that
hunted the warm shallow seas of the Late Silurian, about
423 million years ago. It once vied with Arthropleura,
a giant ancestor of millipedes and centipedes from the
Carboniferous, as the largest arthropod of all time.
However, a recent discovery of another, larger sea
scorpion, Jaekelopterus, places Pterygotus at third on
the all-time big bug list.
Animal Archives
Animal Archives Sampler
Pachycephalosaurus
Monster 4
PACHYCEPHALOSAURUS CR 3
(THICK-HEAD REPTILE)
(PACK-EE-SEFF-AH-LOW-SORE-USS)
Always Neutral Large Animal
Init +1; Senses low-light vision, scent;
Listen +7, Spot +7
Languages
AC 14, touch 10, atfooted 13
(-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 37 (5 HD)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +4
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Melee head butt +7 (1d8+7)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft
Base Atk +3; Grapple +12
Atk Options powerful charge 2d8+10, stun
Abilities Str 21, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6
Feats Alertness, Iron Will
Skills Listen +7, Spot +7
Environment warm plains
Organization solitary, pair, or herd (5-8)
Treasure none
Advancement 6-10 (Large); 11-15 (Huge)
Powerful Charge (Ex): When a pachycephalo-
saurus charges, it deals 2d8+10 points of
damage with its head butt attack.
Stun (Ex): A creature struck by a pachycephalo-
saurus powerful charge must succeed at a DC
17 Fortitude save or be stunned for one round.
The save DC is Strength based.
This bizarre animal stands tall on two powerful legs and
is covered in tiny, yellow, pebble-like scales. Its forearms
are long and robust, and seem capable of supporting the
animal should it desire to walk on four legs instead of
two. But the most striking feature of this reptilian beast is
its massive, domed skull, a veritable helmet of bone. The
stout muscles on the beasts neck make it fairly obvious
that its enlarged cranium is nothing short of an organic
battering ram.
A pachycephalosaurus is a horse-sized herbivore
that is found in small herds on open grasslands and
savannahs. These animals are fairly docile, although
they will use their bony craniums as battering rams
to deter predators. Typically, only the males during
rutting season are dangerous to humanoids, as they
will charge nearly any creature of Medium-size or
larger that wanders too close.
Like many herd animals, a pachycephalosaurus mother
cares for her young until they are old enough to fend for
themselves. Upon reaching maturity, females are allowed
to join the herd, while males are chased away, dwelling
on the outskirts of the female community until the mating
season. For this reason, a solitary pachycephalosaurus
will always be male.
A pachycephalosaurus is 16 feet long, 6 feet tall, and
weighs 1,100 pounds.
COMBAT
A pachycephalosaurus attacks by butting targets with
its bony cranium. It can deliver tremendous force in
this manner; more than enough to break bones or stun
predators and other hostile creatures. Males typically
charge at enemies, turning their entire bodies into
living battering rams. A single blow from a charging
pachycephalosaurus is capable of killing many
predators outright.
FOR PLAYER CHARACTERS
Although not particularly eet of foot, a pachycephalo-
saurus makes a serviceable mount, and can be trained
fairly easily for most tasks. Typically, only females are
trained, as the males become too volatile to handle during
the mating season. Surprisingly, a number of dwarven
clans prize these animals as war mounts, admiring their
tenacity and hardiness in battle. Although, many elves
insists it is the pachycephalosaurus thick-headedness
that the dwarves admire most.
Training a pachycephalosaurus from birth requires a DC
20 Handle Animal check. An adult pachycephalosaurus
can carry up to 306 pounds as a light load.
A pachycephalosaurus can be summoned with summon
natures ally III or a higher level summon natures
ally spell. Treat a pachycephalosaurus as being on
the 3rd-level list of the Summon Natures Ally table.
A celestial or endish pachycephalosaurus can be
summoned with summon monster IV or a higher level
summon monster spell. Treat a celestial or endish
pachycephalosaurus as being on the 4th-level list of
the Summon Monster table.
A druid of 7th level or higher can gain a pachycephalo-
saurus as an alternate animal companion.
Author: Aeryn Rudel
Blackdirge Publishing
Animal Archives
Animal Archives Sampler
Author: Aeryn Rudel
Illustrator: Hunter McFalls
Pachycephalosaurus
Monster 5
PACHYCEPHALOSAURUS
IN THE REAL WORLD
Pachycephalosaurus was a Late Cretaceous herbivore
that evolved just before the massive K/T extinction that
wiped out the dinosaurs and most life on the planet.
Although not as easily recognizable as Triceratops and
Stegosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus is one of the better-
known dinosaurs, and there are no doubt many school
children that can expertly wrap their tongues around its
lengthy name.
Obviously, the most striking feature of Pachycephalo-
saurus is its thick, domed skull. It was once believed
that males of the genus would smash their heads
together in intraspecic combat, much like bighorned
sheep do today. However, recent evidence suggests
that this was not the case. Closer examination of the
Pachycephalosaurus skull revealed that it would not
withstand such rigorous abuse. It is hypothesized that
males may have engaged in ank butting, instead of
direct, head-to-head confrontations.
Animal Archives
Animal Archives Sampler
Appendix: Summoned Monsters
CELESTIAL PACHYCEPHALOSAURUS CR 4
NG Large Magical Beast
(Augmented Animal, Extraplanar)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision,
scent; Listen +7, Spot +7
Languages
AC 14, touch 10, atfooted 13
(-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 37 (5 HD); DR 5/magic
Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5; SR 10
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +4
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Melee head butt +7 (1d8+7)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft
Base Atk +3; Grapple +12
Atk Options powerful charge 2d8+10, smite evil
1/day, stun
Abilities Str 21, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6
Feats Alertness, Iron Will
Skills Listen +7, Spot +7
Powerful Charge (Ex): When a celestial
pachycephalosaurus charges, it deals 2d8+10
points of damage with its head butt attack.
Smite Evil (Su): Once per day a celestial
pachycephalosaurus can make a normal melee
attack to deal 5 points of extra damage to an
evil foe.
Stun (Ex): A creature struck by a celestial
pachycephalosaurus powerful charge must
succeed at a DC 17 Fortitude save or be
stunned for one round.
FIENDISH PACHYCEPHALOSAURUS CR 4
NE Large Magical Beast
(Augmented Animal, Extraplanar)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision,
scent; Listen +7, Spot +7
Languages
AC 14, touch 10, atfooted 13
(-1 size, +1 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 37 (5 HD); DR 5/magic
Resist cold 5, re 5; SR 10
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +4
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Melee head butt +7 (1d8+7)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft
Base Atk +3; Grapple +12
Atk Options powerful charge 2d8+10, smite good
1/day, stun
Abilities Str 21, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6
Feats Alertness, Iron Will
Skills Listen +7, Spot +7
Powerful Charge (Ex): When a endish
pachycephalosaurus charges, it deals 2d8+10
points of damage with its head butt attack.
Smite Good (Su): Once per day a endish
pachycephalosaurus can make a normal melee
attack to deal 5 points of extra damage to a
good foe.
Stun (Ex): A creature struck by a endish
pachycephalosaurus powerful charge must
succeed at a DC 17 Fortitude save or be
stunned for one round.
Author: Aeryn Rudel
Blackdirge Publishing
Monster 6
Animal Archives
Animal Archives Sampler
Appendix: Summoned Monsters
Author: Aeryn Rudel
Blackdirge Publishing
Monster 7
CELESTIAL PTERYGOTUS CR 7
NG Large Magical Beast
(Aquatic, Augmented Vermin, Extraplanar)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Listen +2,
Spot +11
Languages
AC 19, touch 10, atfooted 18
(-1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural)
hp 60 (8 HD); DR 5/magic
Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10; SR 13
Fort +11, Ref +3, Will +2
Speed 10 ft. (2 squares), swim 50 ft.
Melee 2 pincers +12 (1d8+6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with pincers)
Base Atk +6; Grapple +16
Atk Options rend (2d8+9), smite evil 1/day
Abilities Str 23, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 11, Cha 2
Feats Alertness, Great Fortitude, Weapon Focus
(pincers)
Skills Hide +3, Move Silently +8, Listen +2,
Spot +13, Swim +17
Rend (Ex): If a celestial pterygotus hits with both
pincer attacks, it latches onto the opponents
body and tears the esh. This attack
automatically deals an additional 2d8+9 points
of damage.
Smite Evil (Su): Once per day a celestial
pterygotus can make a normal melee attack to
deal 8 points of extra damage to an evil foe.
FIENDISH PTERYGOTUS CR 7
NE Large Magical Beast
(Aquatic, Augmented Vermin, Extraplanar)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Listen +2,
Spot +11
Languages
AC 19, touch 10, atfooted 18
(-1 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural)
hp 60 (8 HD); DR 5/magic
Resist cold 10, re 10; SR 13
Fort +11, Ref +3, Will +2
Speed 10 ft. (2 squares), swim 50 ft.
Melee 2 pincers +12 (1d8+6)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with pincers)
Base Atk +6; Grapple +16
Atk Options rend (2d8+9), smite good 1/day
Abilities Str 23, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 11, Cha 2
Feats Alertness, Great Fortitude, Weapon Focus
(pincers)
Skills Hide +3, Move Silently +8, Listen +2,
Spot +13, Swim +17
Rend (Ex): If a endish pterygotus hits with both
pincer attacks, it latches onto the opponents
body and tears the esh. This attack
automatically deals an additional 2d8+9 points
of damage.
Smite Good (Su): Once per day a endish
pterygotus can make a normal melee attack to
deal 8 points of extra damage to a good foe.
Illustrator: Jesse Mohn
Blackdirge Publishing
OGL
Animal Archives
Animal Archives Sampler
OGL 8
OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a
The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc
and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc (Wizards). All
Rights Reserved.
1. Denitions: (a)Contributors means the copyright and/or
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(d)Open Game Content means the game mechanic and includes
the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent
such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an
enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly
identied as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means
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12. Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with
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15. COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0, Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast,
Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards
of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip
Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman,
Bruce R. Cordell, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and
Dave Arneson.
Animal Archives Sampler Copyright 2008 Jesse Mohn. Published
by Blackdirge Publishing. All rights reserved.
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