| Notes |
This large semi-intelligent plant resembles a sturdy, red-hued Sequoya cactus. Its thick hide is lined with barbed spines that can be projected a short distance on lines of sinewy thread, creating a sort of harpoon. The wacktus then reels in its prey and consumes it – for, whilst able to survive for a time on water-based nutrients – wackti are carnivorous. By nature, a wacktus is a deeply territorial creature, meaning that two wackti cannot share the same room. If two or more plants are ever placed within range of each other’s harpoon barbs, they will engage in a fight to the death. In order to tame a wacktus and employ it as an effective security measure, it must be raised from a sapling. Development from seed to fully grown plant takes one year. During this time, a wacktus is far less aggressive and can be trained to recognise the scent of its master. A combination of grooming and feeding is required to tame a wacktus and instil in it a degree of subservience. The cost of purchasing a wacktus seed is 25 SP: a further investment of 100 SP is required to feed and train it for the first year of its life. Once tamed, a wacktus can be instructed to recognise the scent of people that it should allow to pass unmolested. This training takes almost an hour per person, meaning that a wacktus is not a suitable security measure in a shop or other building where there will be frequent visitors. More often, they are placed inside restricted rooms such as the inner sanctum of a temple. When a wacktus senses the presence of an intruder, it will immediately attack. Typically, it will fire its harpoon barbs and try to draw a creature within range of its prickly limbs. These are capable of delivering ferocious blows that can shred flesh and even light armour. A creature killed by a wacktus will be slowly consumed by the plant through its seven mouths, located in its trunk. A Wacktus may only be killed by destroying either its upper or lower stem. It may re-grow severed arm stems eventually.
A target struck by a harpoon barb is impaled. At the start of each round where a creature is impaled, it must succeed with an Opposed Athletics (Brute Strength) Test or be pulled 1 metre closer to the wacktus. A barb may be safely removed with a successfully First Aid Test – simply pulling it out inflicts a further 1D4 Damage. Harpoon barbs can be fired at a range of up to 5 metres. A wacktus is only able to bite a creature which has been drawn in by harpoon barbs to a point where it is touching the plant.
Source: Signs & Portents 60 |
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