FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 1-12
ARMOR CLASS: 9 (7 for eyes)
MOVE: //10"
HIT DICE: 1 (eyes' hp are extra)
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 4-16
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (up to 4' armspan)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
    Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I/10 + 1/hp

    Seastars are small marine and freshwater
creatures that drift near the surface, feeding
on fish, carrion, and creatures that fall into
or float upon the water. Occasionally, a
seastar will swim to the bottom to take
refuge, breed, or feed on mollusks (which it
can pry open with its powerful arms). Seastars
often ride on the underside of ships
and smaller craft, and will drag down someone
who dangles a limb close to the water or
dives or falls overboard. Seastars usually
fight by fastening themselves to a victim
with their arms and eating away with their
powerful triple-beaked jaws.

    Seastars have slimy, mottled green and
brown bodies, three arms, and nine globular
eyes set in rows of three between each
arm, on the edges of the jaws. The eyes
(AC 7) are easily destroyed, having only 1
hp each. The seastar can regenerate all
parts of its body (1 hp/day), and will flee
combat upon the loss of an arm or all three
of any row of eyes.

    When on the bottom, seastars prefer
rocky areas with crevices and caves in which
they can conceal themselves from larger
predators and prey alike. They breed in
undersea caves or in the empty shells of
marine creatures, laying a large, translucent
jellylike egg mass for another seastar to
fertilize. A typical egg mass contains 20-200
eggs, of which 40% hatch, and less than
10% survice to mature form.

    Seastars may be solitary, or hunt in
packs. They may be trained and telepathically
controlled by beings with telepathic
powers who can provide continuing benefit
to the seastars, but this control does not
extend to ignoring prey or taking actions
contrary to the natural behavior of the
seastar. It is not known how such training is
accomplished, but it is said magical arts and
control of the seastars' breeding is involved.
 

    by Ed Greenwood