The nightshrike and the sabercat
are the least of the dangers that Luke Skywalker faced on the
planet Monastery in his confrontation with the House
of Tagge and Darth Vader in issues 35 and 36. Domina Tagge
manipulated Luke into battling the creatures to test his abilities
and to embarrass him before the Order of the Sacred Circle.
By the way, the sabercat is colored red on the cover of issue 36 and green on the pages inside. I went with the green because, you know, you can never trust what a comic book cover tells you.
The adventures featuring these beasts can be found in "Dark Encounters", volume 2 of Star Wars: A Long Time Ago..., Dark Horse Comics' trade paperback series reprinting the entire Marvel run.
The Creatures of Monastery: Nightshrike and Sabercat
On the evening of her arrival on Monastery, a young girl was escorted through the gardens of the Order of the Sacred Circle. Her escort, a yellow robed priest, pointed out flora as they walked, and the girl marveled at the beauty around her.
"It is our most sacred duty to live in harmony with nature," the priest explained. "There are many dangers on this world but by respecting the ever renewing circle of life, you have nothing to fear. Listen! Can you hear it? That is the call of the nightskrike. It is a winged predator, but it hunts only smaller prey in the rain forest. Do not startle it, and it will not harm you."
The girl looked up through her red hair and pointed at a large slumbering feline, remarkable for the single horn growing from its forehead. "Brother, what manner of creature is that?"
"That is a sabercat. He is as gentle as he is large. Sabercats are fearsome hunters in the wild, but here within the Circle they are loyal pets. Do not be afraid."
The girl cautiously outstretched her hand towards the sabercat, which stirred as she approached. The massive beast gently sniffed the girls fingers then began to purr loudly as she scratched it behind the ears.
"There is much we can teach you, if you are willing to learn, milady," the Priest said.
Domina Tagge looked up at the priest. "I am eager to learn," she said with a smile.
Nightshrike
Type: Nocturnal Winged Predator
DEXTERITY 3D
PERCEPTION 4D
STRENGTH 2D
Special Abilities:
Claws: The nightshrike has razor sharp talons which
do STR+1D damage.
Bite: A nightshrike will finish off its prey with a bite
from its oversized maw for STR+2D damage.
Nightvision: A nightshrike's eyesight is attuned to the
dark: +1D PER at night and -1D PER during the day.
Move: 20 (flying)
Size: 2.5 meters (wingspan)
Sabercat
Type: Feline Hunter
DEXTERITY 2D
PERCEPTION 3D
STRENGTH 5D
Special Abilities:
Claws: A sabercat may attack with its claws which do
STR damage.
Bite: The bite of a saber cat does STR+1D damage.
Horn: A sabercat may spear its prey on its horn for STR+1D
damage.
Move: 15
Size: 2.5 meters
The Nightshrike and the Sabercat were created by Archie Goodwin and Carmine Infantino.