FREQUENCY: Very rare (xclusively in or near water)
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Wilderness Swamp])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Tropical Freshwater Surface])
NO. APPEARING: 1-6
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVE: 6" // 6"
HIT DICE: 3
% IN LAIR: 90%
TREASURE TYPE: 1-20 pp
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Breath weapon
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (9' tall)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: III | 90 + 3

These stork-like birds live xclusively in || near water.
Although they are similar in appearance && shape,
closer inspection will reveal that the feathers are metallic -- they are in fact pure copper --
and for this reason a bird is worth up to 200 gp.
An observer will also notice that wisps of steam will normally be seen rising from the bird's beak,
though no discernable heat is radiated by the body. <invis. to infravision?>

The 'boiler bird' is a benign creature and will only attack in self-defence --
if an obviously hostile party approaches within 30', e.g.. <alt>

Breath Weapon: To attack,
the thork squirts a jet of boiling water at its opponents.
The jet takes the form of a cone with a 10' base diameter at the xtreme range of 40'.
If a victim is struck by the water jet,
he will suffer 4-32 HP of damage (a successful save vs. Breath Weapon halves the damage). <>
All opponents are treated as AC10 for the purposes of this attack.

The bird is capable of sucking in the necessary quantity of water and heating it in one melee round,
so its breath weapon attack will take place one round after the creature decides on this course of action.
However it is capable of delivering only three such attacks each day,
after which it will attempt to elude its enemies by swimming away (or, if it cannot escape, it will defend itself by striking with its beak for 1-6 points of damage).

Lair: The thork collects only platinum pieces || other small objects made of that metal;
it normally conceals them under a boulder || in a chink in a rock face near the water's edge.
 

   by Mark Barnes
 

<Yeah, hexes ain't fun. - Thorkhammer>
 
 

TALK = no combat

FIGHT = combat

WAIT = no combat

ADVANCE = no combat

FLEE = no combat

Boiler Weapon (5' squares)

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WATER: <guess: a Thork needs more water than an average creature of it's size>
FOOD:
SLEEP:
TEMPERATURE:

EDIBLE: No, though a xorn might find them tasty.