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| ====== BORR ====== | === Major Planetary Zones | Regions | Wildlife === |
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| | ====== BORR ====== |
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| | {{ :borr_gg_scenic_2d_04.jpeg?200|}} |
| ===== Overview ===== | ===== Overview ===== |
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| The Borr is a vulture-like predator native to the steppes and rocky regions bordering the [[desert_side|Desert Side]] of [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]]. Known for its razor-sharp beak and cooperative hunting tactics, the Borr is both a formidable scavenger and opportunistic predator. These avian creatures dominate their ecosystem, often traveling in swarms to overpower prey or claim carrion from larger predators. | The Borr is a flying apex predator native to the [[tijonara_mountains|Tijonara Mountains]] in the [[tijonara_region|Tijonara Region]] on the [[desert_side|Desert Side]] of [[the_planet_voi_700_d|VOI 700 D]]. Unlike Earth-like vultures, the Borr is built for precision strikes and coordinated harassment. It is both an opportunistic predator and a ruthless scavenger, known to arrive within minutes of conflict thanks to its acute carrion sense. |
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| Borrs are relentless and highly intelligent, using coordinated dive-bombing tactics to disorient prey. Their acute carrion sense allows them to detect the scent of death across vast distances, making them an ever-present threat to wounded creatures struggling to survive in the Desert Side’s harsh environment. | Borr swarms practice coordinated dive-bombing and feint rotations, exhausting prey or driving off larger carnivores to claim kills. Their elongated bald skulls, serrated beaks, and blade-like wings make them unmistakably alien silhouettes against the desert sky. |
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| ===== Physique and Appearance ===== | ===== Physique and Appearance ===== |
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| * **Wingspan:** Up to 2.5 meters | * **Wingspan:** Up to 2.5 meters |
| * **Length:** 0.80 to 1 meter | * **Length:** 0.80–1.0 meter |
| * **Weight:** 3 to 4 kg, with a lightweight skeletal structure optimized for endurance and speed. | * **Weight:** 3–4 kg (lightweight, hollow-boned) |
| * **Feather Coloration:** Dark brown with crimson wingtips, pale gray bald heads for easier scavenging | * **Wing Morphology:** Leathery, bat-like primary wings (no feathers), angular planform optimized for speed dives and crosswinds; dark brown membranes with sharp crimson streaks along the leading/outer edges |
| * **Speed:** Dive speeds of up to 250 km/h, making them one of the fastest scavengers on VOI 700 D | * **Head & Beak:** Gaunt, elongated cranial profile with thin, leathery gray skin stretched tightly over bone, preserving a skull-like look; serrated, razor-straight beak (not hooked) for slicing hide and sinew |
| | * **Eyes:** Large, forward-facing, highly reflective for long-range targeting and dusk flight |
| | *** Integument:** Heat-resistant, sand-shedding leathery dermis with subtle metallic sheen; micro ridges reduce abrasion in dust-laden winds |
| | * **Tail:** Forked control tail (fan-flexing) for high-G maneuvering during 250 km/h stoops |
| | * **Legs & Talons:** Long, cliff-gripping hind talons and forward raptorial claws for pinning or ripping strips from carcasses |
| | * **Speed:** Stoops up to 250 km/h; strong soaring endurance in mountain thermals |
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| ==== Special Features: ==== | ==== Special Features: ==== |
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| * **Razor-Sharp Beak:** Designed for tearing through tough hides and sinew, making them efficient feeders and formidable opponents. | * **Razor-Serrated Beak:** Linear serrations for high-speed slicing passes; excels at flensing thick hides |
| * **Aerodynamic Design:** Lightweight skeletal structure optimized for long-endurance flight and rapid diving. | * **Aerodynamic Design:** Hollow-boned, blade-winged, forked tail—built for endurance, crosswind stability, and precision dives |
| * **Carrion Sense:** Can detect the scent of blood or death from up to 1 kilometer away. | * **Carrion Sense:** Detects volatile organics/blood scent plumes up to 1 km away; also cues on heat shimmer from fresh kills |
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| ===== Game Mechanics ===== | ===== Game Mechanics ===== |
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| * **Armor Class (AC):** 14 (agility-based) | * **Armor Class (AC):** 14 (agility-based) |
| * **Hit Points (HP):** 60 | * **Hit Points (HP):** 60 |
| * **Speed:** 60 ft. (fly), 30 ft. (land) | * **Speed:** 60 ft. (fly), 30 ft. (land) |
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| **Attacks:** | **Attacks:** |
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| * **Beak Slash:** +5 to hit, 2d6+3 slashing damage. If the attack hits, the target must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be grappled. | * **Beak Slash:** +5 to hit, 2d6+3 slashing damage. On hit, the target must succeed on a DC 12 Strength save or be Hamstrung (speed reduced by 10 ft. until the end of its next turn). |
| * **Dive Strike:** When diving from a height of at least 20 feet, the Borr’s beak attack deals an additional 1d6 damage. | * **Dive Strike:** If the Borr descends at least 20 ft. before impact, Beak Slash deals an extra 1d6 damage and the target makes the Hamstrung save with disadvantage. |
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| ==== Special Abilities: ==== | ==== Special Abilities: ==== |
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| * **Swarm Tactics:** When three or more Borr attack the same target, they gain advantage on attack rolls. | * **Swarm Tactics:** When three or more Borr attack the same target, they gain advantage on attack rolls. |
| * **Carrion Instinct:** Borrs can detect the scent of blood and death within a 1-kilometer radius, making it nearly impossible to avoid them if wounded. | * **Carrion Instinct:** Automatically detects fresh blood/death within 1 km; Borr have advantage on Survival checks to locate wounded or dying creatures. |
| * **Pack Mentality:** When a Borr is reduced to half HP, other Borrs in the swarm may attempt an intimidation display, forcing nearby creatures to succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for one round. | * **Pack Intimidation:** When a Borr in line of sight drops to half HP, allied Borr may unleash a coordinated scream; nearby creatures must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom save or become **Frightened** until the end of their next turn. |
| | * **Crosswind Rider:** Advantage on checks to resist being knocked prone or displaced by strong winds in mountainous terrain. |
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| | ===== Behavior ===== |
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| ===== Behavior ==== | * **Diet:** Predatory scavenger; strips carrion efficiently but will harry and bleed-out live prey. |
| | * **Social Structure:** Highly social; temporary **swarms** form around carcasses, cliffs, and thermal columns. |
| * **Diet:** Primarily scavengers but will attack live prey if the opportunity arises. | * **Vocalization:** Harsh metallic cries; synchronized “strike calls” precede coordinated dives. |
| * **Social Structure:** Highly social creatures that hunt and scavenge in swarms, forming temporary alliances to drive off larger predators. | |
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| ==== Hunting Tactics: ==== | ==== Hunting Tactics: ==== |
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| * **Aerial Coordination:** Borr swarms circle high above the steppe and desert, using their sharp senses to locate fresh carrion or struggling prey. | * **Aerial Coordination:** Swarms hold altitude in thin mountain air, cycling scouts to mark targets and wind lanes. |
| * **Opportunistic Scavenging:** Often descends en masse to claim kills from larger predators like the [[hoos|Hoos]] or an injured [[odo|Odo]]. | * **Exhaustion Strategy:** Rotating dive-feints harass large prey (e.g., an injured [[odo|Odo]]), forcing sprint and bleed-out before a final mass descent. |
| * **Exhaustion Strategy:** Borrs harass large prey in shifts, forcing them to run or fight until exhaustion, at which point the entire swarm descends for the kill. | * **Opportunistic Scavenging:** Descend en masse to claim kills from larger predators like the [[hoos|Hoos]] or to strip battlefield casualties on the steppe. |
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| ===== Reproduction and Lifecycle ===== | ===== Reproduction and Lifecycle ===== |
| ==== Reproductive Traits: ==== | ==== Reproductive Traits: ==== |
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| * **Mating Rituals:** Borrs mate for life, engaging in mid-air courtship displays before selecting a nesting site. | * **Mating Rituals:** Lifelong pair-bonding; mid-air courtship flights with mirrored roll-and-dive displays. |
| * **Nesting Locations:** Cliffsides, rocky outcrops, and abandoned canyon dwellings. | * **Nesting Locations:** Cliff niches, needle spires, and abandoned canyon dwellings. |
| * **Clutch Size:** 1-2 eggs per year, ensuring slow but steady population growth. | * **Clutch Size:** 1–2 eggs per year; slow but steady growth. |
| * **Parental Care:** Both parents fiercely protect their hatchlings, training them to hunt and scavenge within their first six months. | * **Parental Care:** Both parents defend nest and train fledglings in glide, stoop, and strip-feeding within six months. |
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| ==== Lifespan and Growth: ==== | ==== Lifespan and Growth: ==== |
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| * **Maturity:** Reaches adulthood by age 3. | * **Maturity:** ~3 years |
| * **Lifespan:** 30-40 years, making them one of the longest-living scavenger species in the region. | * **Lifespan:** 30–40 years |
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| ===== Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters ===== | ===== Tactical Advice for Dungeon Masters ===== |
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| Borrs can introduce aerial dangers and environmental challenges for players. | Borr introduce altitude control, line-of-sight denial, and post-combat pressure: |
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| * **Swarm Mechanics:** Utilize their swarm tactics to overwhelm isolated party members, forcing team-based strategies. | * **Second Wave:** After a battle, a Borr swarm arrives to contest the field, forcing injured parties to reposition or retreat. |
| * **Environmental Hazards:** Their carrion instinct makes them appear after player battles, potentially leading to a deadly second wave of combat. | * **Cliff Theater:** Fighting on ledges or spires turns into a struggle against dives, crosswinds, and footing. |
| * **Territorial Conflicts:** Players hunting large creatures may have to fight off Borr swarms looking to claim the kill. | * **Swarm Pressure:** Use Swarm Tactics and Pack Intimidation to isolate stragglers. |
| * **Loot Potential:** Borr feathers and beaks can be used to craft lightweight armor, cutting tools, and ceremonial Native weapons, adding value to encounters. | * **Loot Hooks:** Crimson-tipped scale-feathers (lightweight armor lamellae) and serrated beaks (surgical blades/ritual tools) are valuable trade goods. |
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| ===== Related Paged and Further Information ===== | ===== Related Pages and Further Information ===== |
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| * [[desert_side|Desert Side]] | * [[desert_side|Desert Side]] |
| * [[equator_sections_east_and_west|Eastern Equatorial Section of the Habitual Belt]] | * [[tijonara_mountains|Tijonara Mountains]] |
| * [[the_wildlife_of_the_desert_side_from_a_to_z|Wildlife of the Desert Side]] | * [[tijonara_region|Tijonara Region]] |
| | * [[the_wildlife_of_the_desert_side_from_a_to_z|Known Wildlife of the Tijonara Region]] |
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| **Known Prey:** | **Known Prey / Targets:** |
| | * Wounded large fauna (e.g., [[odo|Odo]]), kills made by [[hoos|Hoos]], battlefield casualties, stranded steppe creatures |
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