Golden Hen (3.5e Creature)

Golden Hen

Golden Hen

CR 2

	N Small Animal
Init/Senses	+5/low-light vision 60 ft.; Listen +7, Spot +7
AC	17, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+5 natural, +1 size)
hp	18 (2d8+10 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	+6/+2/+3
Speed	40 ft. (8 squares), fly 20 ft. (clumsy) (4 squares)
Melee	bite +2 (1d4) or
Melee	2 claws +2 (1d3)
Space/Reach	5 ft./5ft
Base Atk/Grp	+1/-3
Abilities	Str 11, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 3, Wis 16, Cha 17
Feats	Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
Skills	Fly +0, Listen +7, Spot +7, Survival +5
Advancement	—

Strategies and Tactics

A golden hen can be vicious when cornered, or when her chicks or caretaker is threatened. Unlike usual chickens, golden hens are much larger and more robust than common hens, and if they imprint upon a person, they will attempt to defend that person from threats (with a challenge rating of 1 or lower) to the best of their ability, their instinctive fear overridden by their bond with the one they are emotionally attached to. A golden hen does not imprint upon anyone who mistreats her. They have been known to defeat mundane foxes, weasels and small snakes.

A golden hen puffs out her feathers when threatened and utters a low growl-like croak. She spreads her wings for balance and as a threat display, before charging at the threat. She will peck with her sharp beak and slash with her talons. If she draws blood, her instinct is to insert her beak into the wound. Their favoured tactic is to disembowel the threat by pulling out the organs through the wound, especially the intestines. If able to, chickens will aim for and attempt to gouge out or remove the eyes. If successful, they love to swallow the eyes immediately. After slaying a foe, chickens eat the carcass, even other chickens, picking it clean until there's only bones, fur or feathers left, unless the creature is unsafe to consume. A chicken feels no residual emotion from killing and will return to their normal calm, docile and affectionate demeanour as soon as 1 round after the kill, even while her face is still painted with fresh blood.

A golden hen will relent to her base instincts if she becomes grievously injured and unlikely to defeat the target. She will use a full round run action to retreat and then attempt the fly up to higher ground to perch and recover.

Ecology

Environment: Any non tundra location usually with an intelligent race caring for them

Typical Physical Characteristics: These dire hens stand up to 3 feet in height and weigh 12-15 pounds depending on their height. The majority of their round form is actually dense, incredibly soft and cushiony gorgeous golden feathers. Their iridescent plumage is much fluffier than average chickens, so much so that they appear to have no wings, their shape is nearly spherical (although they have ordinary shaped chicken bodies beneath the down), from behind their tails create a tightly packed circle of solid fur-like feathers, and their feet seem to vanish when they sit down due to the pom-poms of downy feathers on their thighs that resemble puffy bloomers beneath a hoop of many layered bustles and petticoats.

Alignment: Neutral

Lore

Although they do not lay “gold metal” eggs, these chickens are thoroughbreds that have been carefully selected throughout generations to lay more eggs than common hens. An ordinary chicken lays one white, brown or blue egg per day, the colour depending on the region, whereas a golden chicken lays up to 3 pastel yellow eggs every 24 hours; however, there is a 1 in 4 chance that she lays no egg that day instead. (Lays 1d4-1 eggs per day. On a 1 she lays no egg that day.)

Bred for only the finest traits, golden hens are docile and affectionate, gently clucking like a pur when near people that they like, bringing their favoured people ‘gifts’ of shiny items that they find, and attempting to keep their people warm at night or when resting in cold locations without any prompting.

Like ordinary hens, they are content to follow their caretaker, while foraging for invertebrates and other morsels. In addition to protein, chickens enjoy eating all kinds of fruits, vegetables, roughage, and grains. They’re happy to share some of their caretaker’s meal scraps or eat their own feed. They can be transported in a pet carrier and will also ride in vehicles.They enjoy being petted and will sleep on their caretaker’s lap if seated, shoulder if standing, or chest if laying down. When seeking stimuli, they like to play with balls, bells, strings, pinwheels, wind chimes and items that make sounds when pecked, such as piano-like instruments or xylophones. They have no maternal attachment to the unfertilised eggs that they lay and allow their caretakers to take the eggs, even standing up to allow the caretaker easier access to the eggs.

Golden Hens are usually available to be purchased in most settlement marketplaces in exchange for 10 gold coins. They live up to 10 years.

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