Phorusrhacids were large flightless birds, related to modern birds of prey, who were the top predators of South-America throughout the Cenozoic era. They generally had long legs, vestigial wings, flexible necks, and deep, viciously hooked beaks. Each foot had four toes, the first of which was a reduced dewclaw. The second toe had a large hooked claw which was held away from the ground, while the last two supported most of the bird’s weight.
Brontornis
Brontornis is known only from partial remains, mostly leg bones. They suggest a huge and heavily built bird. Some scientists have questioned whether it is truly a terror bird, proposing instead that it was a herbivore more closely related to waterfowl. If it was a phorusrhacid, its weight would have limited its speed, restricting it to slow-moving prey, ambush attacks, and scavenging. It inhabited Argentina during the early Miocene epoch.
Paraphysornis was an early terror bird from Brazil, which lived in the late Oligocene and early Miocene. Although nowhere near as big as Brontornis, it shared its robust build. Physornis is believed to be a close relative to Paraphysornis which approached Brontornis in size. It lived in Argentina during the Oligocene.
Brontornis
ST 19; DX 10; IQ 3; HT 13.
HP 19; Will 12; Per 11; FP 13; Speed 5.00; Dodge 8; Move 5.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 800 lbs.
Kick (10): 2d+1 cutting. Reach C, 1.
Sharp Beak (12): 2d large piercing. Reach C, 1.
Traits: Born Biter 2; Discriminatory Smell; DR 1 (Flexible); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 10; Costs Fatigue, 1 FP/second); Limited Camouflage; Long Neck 1; Night Vision 1; No Fine Manipulators; Subsonic Hearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-12; Intimidation-12; Stealth-12; Survival (Woodlands)-12.
As a herbivore, beak damage becomes crushing and kick damage becomes 2d+3 crushing. For Paraphysornis (450 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 15 (damage becomes 1d+1 with the beak, 1d+2 with a kick). For Physornis (600 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 17 (damage becomes 1d+2 with the beak, 1d+3 with a kick).
Kelenken
An exceptionally tall but lightly built terror bird from Argentina around the middle of the Miocene. It probably specialised in taking small prey.
Kelenken
ST 14; DX 12; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 14; Will 10; Per 11; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 5.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 330 lbs.
Kick (12): 1d+1 cutting. Reach C-2.
Sharp Beak (14): 1d large piercing. Reach C, 1.
Traits: Born Biter 2; Discriminatory Hearing; DR 1 (Flexible); Enhanced Move 2 (Ground Speed 20); Limited Camouflage; Long Legs 1; Long Neck 1; Night Vision 1; No Fine Manipulators; Subsonic Hearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-12; Survival (Plains)-11.
Mesembriornis
A small but very fast terror bird, from Argentina during the late Miocene to late Pliocene. Its smaller relative Llallawavis also lived in Argentina during the late Pliocene.
Mesembriornis
ST 11; DX 12; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 11; Will 12; Per 11; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 7.
SM 0, 150 lbs.
Kick (12): 1d cutting. Reach C, 1.
Sharp Beak (14): 1d−1 large piercing. Reach C, 1.
Traits: Born Biter 2; Discriminatory Hearing; DR 1 (Flexible); Enhanced Move 2 (Ground Speed 28); Limited Camouflage; Long Neck 1; Night Vision 1; No Fine Manipulators; Subsonic Hearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-14; Stealth-12; Survival (Plains)-11.
For Llallawavis (40 lbs.) reduce ST and HP to 7 and SM to −1. This changes beak reach to C, beak damage to 1d−3, and kick damage to 1d−2.
Phorusrhacos
Phorusrhacus by Charles R. Knight (1901)
The first phorusrhacid to be discovered was a fairly typical example of the family, living in Argentina during the Miocene. It stood taller than a man and had a massive head.
Its Pleistocene relative, Titanis, was even bigger and is the only terror bird known to have lived in North America. Devincenzia, from Miocene Argentina, was larger still, approaching the height of its close relative Kelenken, with a heavier build.
Phorusrachos
ST 13; DX 11; IQ 3; HT 12.
HP 13; Will 12; Per 11; FP 12; Speed 6.00; Dodge 9; Move 5.
SM +1 (2 hexes), 280 lbs.
Kick (11): 1d+1 cutting. Reach C-2.
Sharp Beak (13): 1d large piercing. Reach C, 1.
Traits: Born Biter 2; Discriminatory Hearing; DR 1 (Flexible); Enhanced Move 1.5 (Ground Speed 15); Limited Camouflage; Long Neck 1; Night Vision 1; No Fine Manipulators; Subsonic Hearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-13; Stealth-11; Survival (Plains)-11.
For Titanis (500 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 16, changing damage to 1d+2 with a kick and 1d+1 with the beak. For Devincenzia (700 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 18, changing damage to 1d+3 with a kick or 1d+2 with the beak.
Psilopterus
Not all terror birds were gigantic. The smallest known genus was Psilopterus, which lived from the middle Oligocene to late Miocene in Argentina, and possibly survived until the late Pleistocene in Uruguay. Its relative Procariama was a little heavier and lived from the late Miocene to late Pleistocene in Argentina. Other small phorusrhacids included Andalgalornis, from late Miocene Argentina, and Patagornis, from early Miocene Argentina.
Psilopterus
ST 5; DX 13; IQ 3; HT 11.
HP 5; Will 10; Per 11; FP 11; Speed 6.00; Dodge 10; Move 8.
SM −2, 15 lbs.
Kick (13): 1d−3 cutting. Reach C.
Sharp Beak (15): 1d−4 large piercing. Reach C.
Traits: Born Biter 2; Catfall; Combat Reflexes; Discriminatory Hearing; DR 1 (Flexible); Enhanced Move 1 (Ground Speed 16); Limited Camouflage; Long Neck 1; Night Vision 1; No Fine Manipulators; Subsonic Hearing; Wild Animal.
Skills: Brawling-15; Stealth-13; Survival (Plains)-11.
For Procariama (22 lbs.) increase ST and HP to 6. For Andalgalornis and Patagornis (80-90 lbs.) change ST and HP to 9 (increasing damage to 1d−2 with the beak and 1d−1 with a kick) and SM to −1.