Forest Ray

Locals call it the forest devil. It resembles a dark green manta ray that flies, with huge bat-like pectoral fins and a short tail for steering, and it can weigh 3,000 pounds. Eyes sit on its upper side, but the belly carries both its mouth and another pair. The back is mottled like the forest floor while the belly matches sky and canopy. It can shift its colors for better camouflage, though the change takes several days.

These clumsy fliers never rise above the treetops but can tilt sideways to slip between trunks.

A forest ray buries itself and waits, gaining +2 to surprise. Its vast mouth can swallow a man-sized or smaller victim in one bite: when its attack roll beats the needed number by over 2 (a 16 when 14 would do), the prey is gulped down and perishes after six rounds. From inside, a victim may strike back with a dagger or short sword at -4, against the ray's usual AC.

Its other weapon is a stinger that deals 2d10 damage, and leaves the victim stunned for 2d4 rounds on a failed save vs. paralyzation. The ray's gut may hold treasure, the undigested leftovers of earlier meals.

Forest rays are loners that meet only to mate. Each roams several square miles of forest, jungle or thick undergrowth, such as the woods of the frontier coast's peninsulas and a wizard-governed nation. They rarely hunt actively. A slow metabolism lets them doze in hibernation while buried, needing little food.

Unlike the manta, the forest ray has sharp, pointed carnivore's teeth, and even jaguars and other big predators keep clear of it. Its cured skin makes very fine, supple leather used for certain magical cloaks and for superior book bindings.