FREQUENCY: Common
NO. APPEARING: 5-40 adults (see below)
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVE: //30"
HIT DICE: 9-12
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 5-20 (9-10 HD) or 6-24 (11-12 HD)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Average to very
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (15' - 30' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: See below
    Attack/Defense Modes: See below
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VII to VIII /
    19000 + 12/hp to 4250 + 16/hp
    (add 300-700 if psionic)

    Killer whales dwell in the cold waters of
arctic climates, where they travel in packs
and hunt other sea creatures for food. They
can be savage and relentless, driving even
great whales before them on the hunt, and
will attack victims in a very coordinated
fashion. They speak their own language
(which cannot be heard or spoken by most
land-dwelling creatures, since it is super-sonic
in nature) and no other. There is a
25% chance that a group of adults will be
accompanied by 1-8 young killer whales,
2-5 HD each, move 15" and doing 2-8
points of damage per bite. Adults will defend
their young to the death and will similarly
aid one another if attacked.

    Killer whales possess superb cunning
and plan their attacks to a great degree.
They have learned to track walking creatures
under thin ice from the sound of footsteps
and the appearance of shadows cast on
the ice, and at an opportune moment will
charge up with complete surprise and smash
the ice under the victim. The victim must
then make a saving throw by rolling half his
dexterity score (dropping fractions) or less
on a 20-sided die. Making the roll means
the victim dodges and escapes. Failing this
roll means that the victim has fallen into the
water, unable to catch hold of the edge of
the ice and pull himself out. The killer
whale will then attack on the following
round for the kill; a successful hit means the
victim is pulled under the water and can be
bitten continuously thereafter without the
whale needing to roll to hit. In addition to
this and the possibility of drowning 2-4
rounds later, any character immersed in
arctic waters will lose one point off his
strength and dexterity scores each round
until back on land again (reaching zero
points of strength or dexterity means the
character dies). Some 20% of all killer
whale packs encountered will be hungry;
the rest will not attack unless provoked.

    There is a 5% chance that a killer whale
will possess psionic ability. These whales
will have 61-80 strength points (122-160
ability points), with randomly determined
attacks and defenses. The following disciplines
will be present, usable at a level of
mastery equal to the whale's hit dice: animal telepathy,
clairvoyance, and telepathy.
While these powers will be primarily used
in hunting, some whales might talk rather
than kill if they contact intelligent beings
mentally. Whales do not lie, though they
may not tell everything they know.
 

    by Roger Moore