| Climate/Terrain: | Arctic, tundra |
|---|---|
| Frequency: | Rare |
| Organization: | Solitary |
| Activity Cycle: | Diurnal |
| Diet: | Carnivorous |
| Intelligence: | Average |
| Treasure: | Nil |
| Alignment: | Neutral |
| No. Appearing: | 1 (10% chance of 2) |
| Armor Class: | 6 |
| Movement: | 15 |
| Hit Dice: | 3 |
| THAC0: | 17 |
| No. of Attacks: | 3 |
| Damage/Attack: | 1-4/1-4/1-6 |
| Special Attacks: | Rear claws, 1 d6 each |
| Special Defenses: | Surprised only on a 1 |
| Magic Resistance: | Nil |
| Size: | M |
| Morale: | Steady (11-12) |
| XP Value: | 120 |
An intelligent and elusive predator of Nehwon's Cold Wastes, the solitary ice cat resembles a cheetah with long, white fur. The ears, cheek fur, and pads are tufted, though this fur is heavier in the male than the female.
Combat: An ice cat is surprised only on a 1; its victims receive a -3 penalty on their surprise rolls. The ice cat can leap up to 20' horizontally. If both of its forepaws hit, the ice cat will rake with its rear claws for 1 d6 points of damage each (1-6/1-6).
Habitat/Society: They are solitary for most of the year, until the spring mating season. Young are born six weeks later. They are raised in seclusion, and reach maturity by the end of the following fall.
Ice cats have been domesticated by the Invisibles, who employ them as guard-beasts, messengers, and companions. They rarely attack humans, and have in fact been known to befriend humans, and serve them faithfully. Once given, an ice cat's loyalty is unshakeable, unless it abused, in which case the ice cat will depart, never to return.
Ecology: The prey of the ice cat includes rabbits, small birds and rodents. Their fur is prized by the garment makers of the south who will pay richly for a pelt in good condition. Nobles with a taste for the exotic will pay much more for a live specimen.
Spotted Ice Cat
This rare form of the ice cat has a spot pattern similar to a snow leopard. It is reputed to be both more intelligent and more cunning than the non-spotted variety.