Monster Monday: Giant Otter and Dobarcu

For today's Monster Monday, we've got two big otters.  The giant otter is a man-sized Amazonian animal known to eat piranhas, black caiman, and anacondas (and now it can be your animal companion!).  The dobarcu, or otter king, is a bloodthirsty creature from Irish folklore that hunts the most dangerous game - man!

Photo: Frank Wouters via Wikimedia

I first learned of giant otters from a professor of mine who told stories about his research studying black caimans in the Amazon.  He mentioned that it was dangerous to go bathing or swimming there, not so much because of the caimans or the piranhas, but because of the giant otters.  They're fast and deadly, and they like to gang up on larger prey.  Modern giant otters range from 3.3 to 5.6 ft. in length, but before they were overhunted for their fur, large males could reach 7.9 ft.

Dobhar-cú (water hound) is the Irish word for otter, but folklorists and cryptozoologists (folklore enthusiasts who pretend to be scientists) use it (or the anglicized form 'dobarcu') to refer to a little-known creature from Irish mythology.  Also known as otter kings or an Irish crocodiles, there are stories of monstrous otters thinly spread all over Ireland and nearby islands.  The most famous and most detailed account goes thus:

In 1722, in Glenade (County Leitrim, Ireland), a woman washing laundry in the stream was attacked by a great beast.  Her husband went looking for her and found the dobhar-cú resting on her mangled and bloody body.  He grabbed his gun and shot it, but as it died it cried out for its mate, who came rushing up from the water looking for vengeance.  The man (perhaps with his dead wife's brother) fled on horseback to a nearby town 20 miles away, but the monster pursued him (or them) and he (or the brother) stabbed it with a spear (or dagger).  

The victim's tombstone still survives, with a carving of the monster getting stabbed:

No, it's not - as I first though - a dire scotty dog:
the bit at the front is a disembodied hand stabbing the beast.

Other accounts of dobarcu give its strange white-and-black coat, the fact that it can only be killed with silver like a werewolf, the idea that the beast's hide protects its wearer from drowning, and the story that anyone who kills a dobarcu will die the next day.

The following text in gold is available as Open Game Content under the OGL. Open Game Content is ©2015 Jonah Bomgaars.
Otter, Giant              CR 1/2

XP 200

N Medium animal

Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +10

DEFENSE

AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10 (+3 Dex)

hp 11 (2d8+2)

Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.

Melee bite +2 (1d6+1 plus grab)

Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks rake (2 claws +2 (1d3+1))

STATISTICS

Str 13, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 11

Base Atk +1; CMB +4 (+8 grapple); CMD 15 (19 vs trip)

Feats Agile Maneuvers

Skills Acrobatics +7, Perception +10, Swim +9; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +8 Swim

SQ hold breath

ECOLOGY

Environment rivers/lakes, warm swamp/marsh, jungle

Organization solitary, pair, family (3-8), hunting group (9-20)

Treasure none

Giant otters are native to the large rivers and lakes of tropical rainforests, where they feed primarily on fish, including piranha.   They hunt in the daytime and have excellent senses.  Giant otters live in family groups of up to eight individuals centered on a dominant breeding pair.  They are highly social and fiercely territorial.  Sometimes several groups join forces to attack large prey such as crocodiles and giant snakes.  Giant otters are known to kill humans on occasion, and those who live near giant otter territory know to be very careful when bathing or swimming. 

   Giant otters can reach almost 8 feet long from head to tail, with females being slightly smaller.  They have a coat of short brown fur with white markings on their throats.  Their fur is velvety smooth and waterproof, making it a highly valued trade item. 

Giant Otters as Animal Companions

Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 20 ft., swim 30 ft.; AC +0 natural armor; Attack bite (1d4 plus grab); Special Attacks rake (2 claws (1d2)); Ability Scores Str 8, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 10; Special Qualities: hold breath, low-light vision, scent.

   4^th-Level Advancement: Size Medium; Speed 20 ft., swim 40 ft.; Attack bite (1d6); Special Attacks rake (2 claws (1d3));Ability Scores Str +4, Dex -2

Dobarcu        CR 4

XP 1,200

CE Large magical beast

Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6

DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, -1 Size, +4 natural)

hp 37 (5d10+10)

Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3

DR 5/silver; Immune fear

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., Swim 50 ft.

Melee bite +7 (1d8+3 plus 1d3 bleed plus grab), 2 claws +7 (1d6+3)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks capsize, rake (2 claws +7 (1d6+3))

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 13

Base Atk +5; CMB +9 (+13 grapple); CMD 22 (26 vs trip)

Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Power Attack

Skills Acrobatics +7, Climb +7, Perception +6, Stealth +7, Swim +15; Racial Modifiers +8 Swim

SQ death howl, hold breath

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Capsize (Ex)

A dobarcu can attempt to capsize a small boat by ramming it as a charge attack and making a combat maneuver check.  The DC of this check is 25, or the result of the captain’s Profession (sailor) check, whichever is higher.  The dobarcu can only attempt this against a boat that is size Large or smaller.   

Death Howl (Su)

When a dobarcu dies, it lets off a loud, mournful howl.  If the dobarcu’s mate is within 1000 ft. it is alerted to the situation and instinctively seeks out the dobarcu’s killer.  This grants its mate a +1 bonus to attack and damage against its killer for 24 hours.   

Ferocity (Ex)

A dobarcu remains conscious and can continue fighting even it its hit point total is below 0.  It is still staggered and loses 1 hit point each round.  It dies when its hit point total reaches -15

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate ocean, coastline, rivers/lakes

Organization solitary, pair

Treasure none

The dobarcu, or otter king, is a massive man-eating otter with powerful jaws and sharp claws that it uses to shred its prey.  It is rather stockier than a normal otter, giving it the strength to chase down its prey on land as well as in the water.  A dobarcu is 10 feet long and stands 3-4 feet tall at the shoulder.  Males have coats of sleek, waterproof fur is white with striking black markings, while females have a brown coloration more typical of otters.  Its tough hide grants the dobarcu considerable protection, easily turning away blade and arrow.  Dobarcu mate for life and form strong pair bonds with their mates.  When one of the pair is killed, the other devotes itself to hunting down and slaying its mate’s killer. 

   Thanks to its relative rarity, the gruesomeness of its attacks, its mysterious appearance, and its many unusual qualities, a number of myths have cropped up around dobarcu.  Its vulnerability to silver weapons leads some to call dobarcu ‘were-otters’, but this is misleading because they are not shapechangers and there is no known connection between dobarcu and lycanthropy.  Others believe dobarcu hide protects its wearer from drowning, and it is thus much sought-after by superstitious sailors in some parts of the world.  Another popular folk belief is that dobarcu are cursed, and anyone who kills one will die the next day.  This myth has a hint of truth to it, as many who succeed in killing a dobarcu are subsequently slain by the otter king’s vengeful mate.  

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As far as animal companions go, the giant otter companion is on the weaker side, but that shouldn't be much of a problem because druids are already overpowered.  Besides, if someone really wants an otter animal companion, now they can have one!  The stats work for sea otter animal companions as well, which I assume might be a bit more common than Amazonian giant otters.

-your lutrine d20 despot