“Curiosity endows the people who have it with a generosity in argument and a serenity in their own mode of life which springs from their cheerful willingness to let life take the form it will.”
-Alistair Cooke, in David Wilkinson Science, Religion, and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
Today, we’re living large as we take a look at a truly enormous fantasy creature to feature in your game! Although killing the colossus would make for a great adventure and the article gives full stats for it, the being may fit better as an “environment” or plot device than a monster or character.
A very useful resource for dealing with such an enormous creature in play is the Pyramid 3/77 article “Combat Writ Large.”
Also note that the Colossus has its ST/HP, damage and DR in decade-scale, like spaceships. Against “normal scale” enemies, all such statistics are multiplied by 10.
The Story of The Prospero Colossus
Once upon a time, there was a powerful archmage living in exile on an island of whimsical spirits. Seeking vengeance against those who cast him out, the archmage began constructing a true wonder as a super-weapon. Halfway through the project, however, the great wizard had a change of heart and converted his WMD into a monument to “spirited curiosity and a sense of adventure” – The Prospero Colossus. The great creation has been travelling the world ever since, powered by mana.
The Colossus is 60 feet tall and 30 feet across at the widest, a mass of 100 tons. It resembles a gigantic humanoid figure made of segmented brown-and-black stone (partly covered by scant plant life). The Colossus has no facial features aside from a “nose” on its front and “ears” on the sides of its head – but it hears, sees, touches and smells without a problem (it can’t taste, as it has no mouth). It has a personality, free will and even creativity.
The Colossus is assumed to have only one Cultural Familiarity (Faerie) and know only one Native Language (Druidic or Ancient). It can read but it cannot write without some truly immense instruments. It can not speak (no mouth) but it can understand speech. The Colossus prefers the terrain of Plains and mild weather, but its idle wandering can lead it to anywhere in the world with mana eventually.
The Prospero Colossus today is a vagabond aimlessly exploring the land and sightseeing wherever it can. Although not evil or even particularly aggressive, the overwhelming size of the construct can cause disaster just by its presence, so the heroes may be tasked with leading it away from occupied areas by any means necessary.
The Stats
Here’s the Prospero Colossus in GURPS character terms.
| dST: | 30 | dHP: | 30 | Speed: | 5.50 |
| DX: | 10 | Will: | 10 | Move: | 12 |
| IQ: | 10 | Per: | 10 | d-Damage | 3d/5d+2 |
| HT: | 12 | FP: | N/A | SM: | +6 |
| Dodge: | 8 | Parry: | 8 (DX) | dDR: | 3 |
Traits: Absolute Direction; Cannot Float; Curious (12); Dependency (Mana, 1 HP/minute); Doesn’t Breathe; Doesn’t Eat or Drink; Doesn’t Sleep; High Pain Threshold; Homogenous; Immunity to Disease; Immunity to Poison; Mute; No Blood; No Eyes; Pressure Support; Reprogrammable; Sealed; Social Stigma (Valuable Property); Temperature Tolerance (Heat and Cold) 10; Unhealing (Partial); Unnatural.
Skills: Area Knowledge (Regional)-12; Gesture-14; Hiking-14; Navigation (Land)-14; Survival (Plains)-14; Swimming-14; Tracking-14.
Class: Construct.
Notes: Affected by Pentagram. No Aura. Counts as a magical creature.
Using The Colossus in Your Campaign or Adventure
Sure, just having the Prospero Colossus show up on the horizon can shake things up in general. But why settle for the general when you can have specific plots?
Trap and Talk
The players are hired to help “capture” the Colossus so it won’t stomp on anything really valuable and can be communicated with.
The employers have a plan; gather some bulky blocks of magically potent materials to build the points of a special giant Pentagram trap. Once the points are set up on mountain tops and activated by a costly ritual, the trap is set. Now the Colossus must be lured into the trap so it can be contained.
Once that’s done, the players must now open communication with the Colossus (perhaps through a giant board that somehow displays huge images and words) and teach it now to live in harmony with much smaller life. Maybe teach it another Language and/or Cultural Familiarity, helpful Skills, and modify its body with quality-of-life features.
The Great Repair
The Colossus has suffered a nasty accident or had a run-in with a giant monster. Now it needs to be restored to better condition so it can help the players’ employer with a difficult task suited to the enormous construct.
The players must journey to special lands, gather special materials, and bring them back.
Once the repairs are done, the Colossus will need their help in carrying out its original job.
Three Hundred and Thirty-Three 