Idles of summer

Wow - I've really been neglecting you good people. So, to catch you up.

1. Been focusing more heavily upon my fiction writing - when my gainful employment hasn't drained the life out of me entirely. This has led possibly to:

2. A forthcoming writing gig for GP Adventures. Stay tuned.

3. In the hope of meeting at least one of my GP Adventures side-employers, I've registered for GameHole Con 2014. Hope to see some of you there!

4. Hopefully, I shall be working with the fine folks at TPK Games again over the summer. More to come on that front as well.

5. Odds are, I will have an article in the November 2014 issue (#11) of & Magazine. I'll make an official announcement when it is...official.

Well, that's about it on the gaming front. By way of feeble apology for my unforgivable lapse in blogging, here's a monster.

COBRA LION

FREQUENCY: Rare

NO. APPEARING: 2-8

ARMOR CLASS: 5

MOVE: 15"

HIT DICE: 4+2

% IN LAIR: 15%

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 3

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3/1-3/1-10

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Surprised only on a 1

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Semi-

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: L

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

Sleek and agile, this creature is built like a mountain lion, but with a head resembling that of a cobra, with the jaws of a great cat, and the forked tongue and fangs of the snake. Instead of a mane, it has a flaring hood, and scales instead of fur. A cobra lion appears in any color or pattern common to the snake from which it takes its name and characteristics. It can be found generally in warmer climates, wherever lions or cobras tend to roam.

The cobra lion is very aggressive, almost always offering a display of flared hood and loud hiss before an initial attack. It can leap 15' upwards or 20' ahead, and its rear claws rake for 1-4/1-4 hit points damage. Of course, its most feared attack is a venomous bite which kills on a failed save and inflicts an additional 3-18 hit points of damage even if the save is successful. Some specimens also spit their venom in a 3" spray upon a single victim.

Some disputed writings claim the cobra lion was a creation of the yuan ti, or the naga. Certainly, these creatures are often found in or around the overgrown ruins that once served as centers of civilization for those terrible races. To date, no cobra lion has ever been tamed by a trainer of warm-blooded stock and the creature is known for its dislike of humans or similar races.