by Josiah Eberly
In honor of the current winter weather, I chose a monster that thrives in the cold and snow. What winter monster is more well-known than the dreaded Yeti? Located in areas with harsh winter climates, such as mountain ranges and tundras, Yetis constantly hunt their territory for food, whether it be beast or man.
Yetis resemble large ape-like creatures with thick shaggy white fur, horns, and massive teeth and claws. They generally live alone, or in small family groups. Their favorite method of hunting is by ambush. Due to the color of their fur,Yetis can hide in the snow, waiting for unsuspecting prey to wander close enough for them to use their claws and teeth. If that wasn’t enough, a Yeti’s gaze can drive the warmth from a victim’s body, leaving them frozen both physically and in terror.
There is a special breed of Yeti that are bigger and stronger than normal Yetis. These ones are known as “Abominable Yetis.” Standing half again as tall as their smaller cousins, which already dwarf humans, these creatures possess a greater cunning and savagery than others. They also can exhale a freezing breath to kill their prey even faster. They need no reason to kill, and will attack anything they come across except their mate and children.
Yetis are territorial and guard their hunting grounds with their lives. They will leave people alone as long as there is enough prey for them to hunt, but during lean times, a Yeti is likely to prey upon villages and towns to sustain itself.
In such a situation, it is hoped that an adventuring group or monster exterminators can be reached in time before nothing is left beyond the grisly remains of the former occupants scattered about their homes. Yetis are difficult to fight due to their size, strength, stealth, and surprising speed.
They are completely invulnerable to the cold, meaning that any expedition to hunt them down could leave the adventurers in a dangerous position. The best weapon to use against a Yeti is fire. While they are not susceptible to burns, they have a great fear of fire, which can cause them to fight poorly. Once this fear sets in, an all-out attack is best, since Yetis are resilient and can take many serious wounds before dying.
It is also important to ensure that there are no other Yetis waiting nearby to surprise the party while their attention is focused on what they assume to be a lone hunter. Such a mistake can result in a quick and icy death for the whole party.