The Carnage–along with the Euphorine, Wall Crawler, and Warped (Terror Template)–is available in Darwin’s World, Nuclear Edition Terrors & Wastelanders Dispatch #6 for Savage Worlds, also by Misfit Studios
By Dominic Covey, art by Miguel Santos (Colors by Steven Trustrum)
CR 5
Type: Mutant animal; Tech-Level: None
Languages: None
Terror Templates: Alpha, Behemoth, Blind, Burrower, Deaf, Enlightened, Feral, Ghoulish, Irradiated, Marionette, Mutant, Plague Zombie, Plagued, Psychic, Stunted, Tank, Warped
Brother Terras slumped against a rock, one hand clenching his gut where his injuries continued to spout blood. He knew he couldn’t staunch the wound from the tribal mercenary’s poisoned spear. Still, he didn’t know what he feared more: the lingering venom that even now poisoned his bloodstream or the knowledge that the smell of death would soon draw the mercenaries’ leering, slavering pet carnages.
The carnage is descended from the wild dogs of the great American West. The creature’s name comes from the tribal mercenaries who first adopted them as pets and companions. Considered initially little more than a nuisance, carnages often followed large formations of men moving through the wasteland, trailing at a safe distance. They always skirted at the edge of musket range. A kind of “camp-following” animal, carnages would watch and wait in anticipation of battle between two armies or groups of men. They only emerged from hiding to feed off the sea of corpses left behind.
In time, the mercenaries who fought many of these battles for one faction or another grew used to the beats’ presence and even began adopting them into their ranks. To their surprise, these men found the carnage to be a fiercely loyal companion and a relentless fighter. When the battle was won, the animal was willing to lay down its life for a few scraps of fresh (and bloody) meat. This species has also found a place in other circles.
Brought home by their tribal masters, carnages have proven to be uncanny disease detectors. They have an extraordinary sense of smell and can detect sickness affecting other animals or people, a necessity for carrion eaters like them. As a result, many tribal villages require strangers to present themselves to a lineup of carnages before they can enter the community.
A carnage is a magnificent sight. In stature, it resembles a large hunting dog with a thick, bristling fur coat ranging from crimson to vermillion. Especially vivid hues linger in its fur for a time following its feedings. The creature has a spiky crest along its back, running the length of its spine in a fashion reminiscent of a crested lizard. These spikes are of hardened hair, not unlike a rhino’s horn.
Carnages prefer fresh meat and blood for sustenance but can survive on virtually any carrion in a pinch.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d10
Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d8, Intimidation d10, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Survival d8
Pace: 8; Parry: 6; Size: –1; Toughness: 7
Medical Incompatibility: Not applicable.
Edges: —
Salvage: Meager in its lair. An adult carnage is worth 110 cp, and a pup 80 cp. Their meat is worth 10 cp per pound. A dozen or so spikes can sell for 1 cp for use as pens or needles.
Special Abilities
- Bite: Str+d4.
- Scent: Carnages have a keen sense of smell, adding +2 to scent-based Notice and tracking Survival rolls. Also, they can make a Survival roll to smell the sickness afflicting a living creature. A carnage that smells of disease usually avoids the creature that carries it.
- Size −1: The heads of these canines come to an average human’s waist, and they weigh about 100 pounds.
- Speed: d10 running die.
Steven Trustrum
Steven Trustrum has been writing in the RPG industry since the end of the '90s and publishing via Misfit Studios since 2003. Aside from writing and publishing role-playing game content, he ... dabbles ... in content and social media marketing.