Lethal Embrace: The Savage Gundark
A Sneak Peek at the Alien Anthology
By Steve Miller and Owen K.C. Stephens

 
A gundark (right)
battles with a hannodak 
This powerful, semi-intelligent anthropoid species stands among the most vicious, strong, and aggressive in the galaxy. Adult gundarks have four arms and large ears as wide as their head. Both their broad hands and feet have opposable digits. Subspecies of gundark range in size from 1 to 2.5 meters tall; an average specimen stands at about 1.5 meters. All subspecies are covered in short brown or gray hair. Most gundarks live in temperate climates, but witnesses have reported arctic and desert gundarks.

Gundarks are found on many worlds throughout the galaxy. Most gundark populations are the offspring of escaped slaves or groups moved to new worlds by Old Republic agents attempting to protect them from slavery. Even during the height of the Empire, it is illegal on most worlds to hunt or capture gundarks. Still, they're often captured and sold to underground or illegal gladiatorial arenas. Gundarks have a reputation as fearless combatants. A few big-game hunters consider them the ultimate prey and flaunt laws protecting them.

Though not quite possessed of sentient-level intelligence, gundarks are advanced enough to use simple tools, such as rocks and clubs. They live in organized family units and dwell in hollowed-out trees or caves. Several gundark families may live together as a tribe, working together for their common survival. Gundark society is matriarchal, with the oldest and most cunning female ruling the tribe. Males build homes and defend them ferociously from all predators and interlopers, attacking anything that enters the vicinity of the nest and even some things that don't. The females are hunter-gatherers, acquiring the food needed by the tribe and training the young gundarks who aren't old enough to go out on their own.

The young are born in single live births with a black coat of fur. Gundarks learn to fight from birth. Parents nip and bite during playtime, teaching early combat techniques to the young. As the young gundark gets older, its hair grows lighter. During adolescence, its ears enlarge and two more limbs grow out. Young gundarks instinctively know that too many pups endangers the family unit. For this reason, rivalry among siblings is very strong, and occasionally lethal. Those that survive are forced out of their home when approximately 5 standard years old. A young gundark immediately searches for a new home, often fighting its way into a new tribe within a few weeks. This keeps the tribal population fairly constant, but also allows a great deal of genetic diversity.

When gundarks hunt, they generally do so as a group. Females hunt for food, while male gundarks protect the tribe's home. This does not make female gundarks "safe," however, since sentient beings may well be considered food by a troop of hunting females. Male gundarks are completely fearless, gaining a +4 bonus on any checks to resist Intimidation checks made against them or saves against the Force skill Fear.

In gladiatorial arenas, a gundark is one of the most dangerous and feared opponents. It is short-tempered and bloodthirsty, attacking without provocation. A battle-scarred gundark is frequently the favored creature of most matches, even against opponents like the famed rancor and the brutal trompa. Because of a gundark's especially keen senses, some popular contests involve gundarks that have been blinded or blindfolded. Spectators wait to see how long a less formidable creature can stay away from the gundark's lethal embrace. The fearsome and unpredictable nature of the four-armed beast encourages trainers to handle it with extreme caution. A trainer must use a force pike to control a gundark, assign it a special guard detail, and often keep it sedated during transport. Due to the cost of such measures, rarely does a trainer have more than one gundark in his pool of gladiators.

Gundarks normally fight with their bare hands and enormous strength, but they're also capable of using simple bludgeoning weapons. They often ambush opponents, hiding until their prey is in attack range and taking the victim by surprise. If unarmed, a gundark first tries to grapple its foe in an attempt to crush it to death. If it successfully grapples an opponent, it can constrict for 2d6+8 points of damage, following up with a bite attack that same round. If the gundark cannot grab its target, it uses its four arms to make four punching attacks. A gundark armed with a club or rock generally holds the weapon with two hands and punches with the other two.

Gundark: Predator 7; Init +1; Def 20 (+5 natural, +5 Dex); Spd 12 m; VP/WP 73/22; Atk +15 melee (1d4+8, 4 punch attacks), +13 melee (1d8+8, bite) or +15 melee (1d6+12, club), +13 melee (1d4+8, 2 punch attacks), +13 melee (1d8+8, bite) or +7 ranged; SQ Constrict, keen senses, low-light vision, run-by attack, scent; SV Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +4; SZ M; Rep 10; Str 27, Dex 18, Con 22, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 13; Challenge Code: E. 
Skills: Climb +12, Hide +10, Listen +10, Search +8, Spot +10, Survival +8. 
Feats: Blind-Fight, Multiattack, Power Attack. 
Special Qualities: Keen Senses -- Gundarks possess an extremely sharp sense of smell. They gain a +6 species bonus to Listen, Spot, and Search checks; if scent plays a part, the bonus to Search checks increases to +10. Male gundarks have been known to sniff out an intruder up to 10 kilometers away. This is important to remember, because gundarks attack anything they sense approaching their home. 
 About the Duros
The Duros hail from the Duro system, which is located at the extreme outer edge of the Core. Although not as numerous as the Human population, the Duros are almost as omnipresent. They have been traveling the galaxy for all of recorded history, and seem to have innate abilities as pilots and astrogators.

Duros professionals are usually Diplomats or Experts. Duros heroes tend to be Nobles, Scoundrels, or Scouts. Duros can speak Basic.

Duros Commoner: IM +0; Defense 10; Spd 10m; VP/WP --/9; Atk -1 melee (1d3 punch, or by weapon), +0 ranged (by weapon); SQ species class skills; SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +0; SZ M; FP 0; Rep 0. Str 9, Dex 10, Con 9, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 10.
Equipment: Variety of personal belongings
Skills: Astrogate +3 or Pilot +3, Craft (varies) +1, Knowledge (varies) +2, Profession (varies) +2.
Special Qualities: Astrogate and Pilot are considered class skills for Duros, regardless of their actual class. Duros heroes for whom Astrogate or Pilot is a class skill receive a +2 bonus to Astrogate and Pilot skill checks.