Products of mutation or genetic throwbacks to a deadlier time, nasty varmints plague the frontier. Nasty varmints come in a variety of forms, from the giant bloodsucking tick to the acid-spitting cave worm. All share a few common themes.

First, nasty varmints are huge. Comparing the giant blood-sucking tick to the average deer tick shows a growth multiplier in the thousands. The nasty varmints’ unusually large size evokes a primal terror in the hearts of those unfortunate to witness them. It rakes a brave soul to maintain his composure when confronted with a three-meter-tall mutant tick.

Second, nasty varmints hunger for flesh – and blood. Animals suffice but something – special exists in the blood of humans, making them especially tasty to these critters. Fear is a spice, and nasty varmints like their meals well seasoned. They go out of their way to feed on the flesh of living beings. Lastly, nasty varmints die slowly. Killing a nasty varmint takes skill, precision, and a bit of luck. These creatures can take a .45 to the skull and still keep kicking. Entire clips from a submachine gun barely draw blood. The secret to the destruction of a nasty varmint is to find the creature’s weakness. Each one has a soft spot, and that’s the key to its defeat.

Typical Giant Blood Tick

Reflexes 3D+2: brawling 5D+2, climbing 5D+2, dodge 4D+2, jumping 5D+2, sneak4D+2
Coordination 2D
Physique 4D: lifting 6D, running 5D+1, stamina 5D+1
Knowledge 1D
Perception 2D+1: hide 3D, search 3D+1, survival 3D+1, tracking 4D
Presence 2D+2: intimidation 4D+2, willpower 3D+2
Strength Damage: 3D
Move: 18
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 22
Wound levds: 3

Natural Abilities: chitin (Armor Value +1D); pincers (damage+2); antennae (+2 to the tick’s search and tracking totals if the target of the check is within 10 meters); blood sense (adds +1D to the rick’s tracking rolls if following a trail of blood); blood suck (for every 12 Body Points or 2 Wound levels of damage done in a single attack, the tick gains +1D Physique, lifting, stamina, and Strength Damage for one minute); weakness to loud noise (must make a willpower roll with a difficulty of 15 or become stunned when exposed to any noise that’s as loud as a stick of dynamite going off or louder; unable to act until after its next round if stunned); large size (scale value 1)

Typical Giant Cave Worm

Reflexes 4D+1: brawling 5D+1, climbing 5D+1, sneak 6D+1
Coordination 1D+2
Physique 5D: lifting 6D+2, running 4D+2, stamina 5D+1
Knowledge 1D
Perception 20: hide 3D+2, search 3D,
survival 3D+2
Presence 3D+2: intimidation 5D+2,
willpower 4D
Strength Damage: 3D
Movc: 22
Fate Points: 0
Character Points: 0
Body Points: 25
Wound levels: 3

Natural Abilities: nerveless body and tough exterior (Armor Value +1D); burrow (a worm can burrow underground as fast as it can move on land); feelers (sensitive hairs covering its body allow it to feel vibrations; a worm can “see” with these feelers to a range of 20 meters while underground); acid spit (damage 3D; range 4/7/10; 1D damage on subsequent rounds until washed off); maw (damage +2}; swallow (if the worm makes a successful grab action against a creature of large scale value 0 or less, the target is swallowed, taking 3D damage each round from the worm’s stomach acid; a swallowed creature doing 12 Body Points or 2 Wound levels of damage with a sharp or explosive weapon can escape the worm’s stomach); weakness to mud (when caught in mud, must make a separate lifting check with a difficulty number of 28 to move at half its speed or attack); large size (scale value 2)