#diplovertebron

[atomic-chronoscaph]

The Monster of Piedras Blancas (1959)

[thecreaturecodex]

Diplovertebron

Publicity still from The Monster of Piedras Blancas

[By the late 1950s, the Hays Production Code was weakening, and many movies not made by the big studios were released without code approval. This eventually lead to the MPAA and the movie rating system by the mid 1960s, but in the meantime, you had all manner of indie films experimenting with what they could get away with. Which is the major claim to fame of The Monster of Piedras Blancas. This is a Creature from the Black Lagoon ripoff featuring multiple decapitations and the female lead skinny dipping (although no nudity is actually caught on camera) while the monster sniffs her underwear. Pretty intense stuff for 1959! It’s those decapitations that are why I have my version slotted in at such a high CR. I wanted to have it at least have a chance to perform its signature move.

Incidentally, the name Diplovertebron is a real scientific name, for a very incomplete and possibly dubious genus of early tetrapod. The real animal was maybe half a meter long, not even remotely humanoid, and couldn’t pull the head off of even a single skinny-dipper. I can only imagine some screenwriter paging through a paleontology textbook until he spotted a name he thought sounded cool.]

Diplovertebron CR 11 NE Monstrous Humanoid This creature is humanoid, with a fleshy nose with barbels drooping over a fanged maw. It has ridges of armor plating along its back and arms. Its hands are oversized claws.

A diplovertebron is an aquatic humanoid with a protective carapace and lethal claws. They can smell blood at great distances, and may travel from afar in order to scavenge or prey upon whatever has spilled it. They require water in order to survive, but twin snorkel-like appendages grow from its head, allowing it to smell the air even while it is submerged. Once it finds prey, it attacks with stealth, hoping to make a kill quickly. They are noted for tearing the heads from their victims, as they seek fatty meals and humanoid brains are an excellent repast.

Diplovertebrons are family creatures, living in kin groups and assisting each other at hunting when possible. A lone diplovertebron is an unhappy one, and they may try to “make” a family by kidnapping people instead of killing them. A diplovertebron can speak Aquan, albeit without much articulation, and some of them find life in sahuagin colonies or among other evil aquatic intelligent creatures. They have very long lifespans, and may survive between 300 and 400 years if not slain by violence.

Diplovertebron CR 11 XP 12,800 NE Medium monstrous humanoid (aquatic) Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, keen scent, Perception +16 Defense AC 24, touch 14, flat-footed 20 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +10 natural) hp 147 (14d10+70) Fort +11, Ref +12, Will +12 Defensive Abilities fortification (50%) Offense Speed 20 ft., swim 60 ft. Melee 2 claws +19 (1d8+7/19-20 plus vorpal critical), bite +19 (1d6+5) Special Attacks powerful blows (claws), sneak attack +2d6 Statistics Str 21, Dex 16, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 17, Cha 12 Base Atk +14; CMB +19; CMD 33 Feats Blind-fight, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Stealthy, Skills Climb +11, Escape Artist +8, Perception +16, Stealth +15, Survival +16, Swim +19; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +4 Stealth, +8 Survival Languages Aquan SQ water dependency Ecology Environment temperate aquatic and coastal Organization solitary, pair or family (3-6) Treasure incidental Special Abilities Keen Scent (Ex) A diplovertebron can detect creatures by scent in a 180 foot radius, and can smell freshly spilled blood up to a mile, in either air or water. Vorpal Critical (Ex) If a diplovertebron rolls a natural 20 on a claw attack and confirms the critical hit, the creature struck must succeed a DC 22 Fortitude save or be decapitated. This kills most living creatures instantly. This does not function if the target creature doesn’t have a head. The save DC is Strength based.

[tsaagan]

Prehistoric Animals and Plants

by Josef Beneš illustrated by Zdeněk Burian 1979

Orthoceratids (In Palaeozoic seas)

Xenacanthus decheni (Vertebrates appear on the scene)

Diplovertebron punctatum (From fishes to amphibians)

Mesosaurus tenuidens (Permian reptiles)

Nothosaurus procerus (The world in the Triassic period)

Lystrosaurus murrayi (The world in the Triassic period)

[dryptosaurus]

Diplovertebron by Zdeněk Burian