So-ut

Also called the rampager, the so-ut is an enormous six-legged beast armored in thick gray scales that blades can barely pierce. Its four hind feet are broad round pads, while the front pair end in dagger-length claws. Its nightmarish face has long, filthy fangs, glowing red eyes, small rounded ears and a nose like a stunted horn. It hears poorly but has a keen sense of smell. No one has ever managed to communicate with one.

Rampagers hunt only at night. Their charge causes fear in intelligent beings of 5 HD or less, who may save to resist; those of 6 HD or more save at +2, creatures of 9 HD or higher are immune, and mantis warriors are unaffected. Those who fail flee in terror for 2d8 rounds, or longer if the beast is still in view.

Though it eats meat, a so-ut rarely hunts demihumans for food. What drives it to frenzy is the scent of crafted goods, metal above all, and the sight of buildings. It always goes after the biggest manmade object in view and favors metal over everything else. Against adventurers guarding a building, it targets the metal-armored first, then anyone with a metal weapon, and then tears down the structure, ignoring anyone attacking it from behind until it has lost at least half its hit points.

Each foreclaw deals 2d6 points of damage and drips acidic poison: a victim saves vs. poison or takes 20 extra points of damage, or 5 extra on a success. The acid is deadliest against crafted gear, which must save vs. acid or rot apart in one round, metal at -2. Because the rampager always attacks armor and weapons first, it suffers -4 to hit with its claws until that gear is gone. Its fangs bite for 3d6 points of damage without acid, but if its attack roll beats the needed number by 4 or more, it may have chewed through armor: the armor saves vs. crushing blow or permanently loses 1 point of AC. Despite its bulk it is quick at night, taking no initiative penalty for size.

Thankfully, rampagers are very rare and always alone, with no purpose but wrecking whatever people have built. They sleep through the heat of the day so deeply that a daring adventurer could walk over one without rousing it, and during the day they do take the normal initiative penalty for great size.

When nothing manmade is left standing, the so-ut feeds on the bodies it left behind. An intact hide, worth up to 100 sp, needs curing by a leatherworker before an armorer can turn it into scale mail that guards as well as chain (AC 5), though it is just as heavy and just as stifling in the midday heat.