Monsters

Six Malevolent Mummies

/ jstater / 3 Comments

Mummies are a natural monster for fantasy games due to their lineage in horror movies (good and bad). The traditional mummy is Egyptian (or faux-Egyptian), but that need not be the case …

BROST

Brost was a trader 300 years ago who plied the high mountains, carrying silver ornaments down from the bat-headed people to the towns and villages in the green valleys far below. It so happened one day that Brost made a serious miscalculation with the daughter of a local lord with a well known lack of temper, and he found it necessary to make an unscheduled trip into the mountains. Winter had already come to the valley, and the mountain passes were exceptionally dangerous when he set out, and alas, one misstep was all it took to end Brost’s life. He lie in a crevasse that was soon filled with snow and ice, preserving his body while a taste for revenge preserved his spirit (in a fashion). The next year, Brost rose from his icy tomb and closed the pass to traffic, defying the petty priests of the valley and cutting the people of the valley off from civilization. He demands single combat with the lord who chased him out of the valley, and will not rest until he has gotten it.

Unlike most mummies, Brost’s touch does not cause disease. Rather, it is an icy grip that drains a person of 1 point of dexterity per round (or 1 point of AC if the victim has no known dexterity score). This dexterity damage cannot be healed normally; healing first requires the curse of the ice man to be removed.

Brost: HD 8; HP 33; AC 19; ATK 1 slam (1d8 + icy grip); MV 20; F11 R11 W10; AL C (NE); XP 800; Special: Fearsome visage, vulnerable to fire, immune to cold.

ADANA

Adana was a sneak thief who operated in a northern town, using her charm and nimble fingers to relieve visiting merchants and sailors of their worldly goods, and, on occasion, their lives. Finally caught by the duke’s soldiers, she was tried and hung, her body thrown into a bog. Thirty years later, the slow process of “bog mummification” was finished, and her tormented spirit, which had long roamed the bog as a will-o-wisp, settled back into its old home. She now haunts the wilderness as an undead robber, casting aside coins in favor of jewelry to adorn her black, leather hide. She currently wears a golden torc (worth 200 gp), several bronze bracelets (worth a total of 30 gp) and a golden anklet (worth 300 gp), plus whatever random jewelry you might roll for her.

Unlike most mummies, Adana’s touch does not cause disease Rather, it delivers acid damage that deals 1 point of damage per minute until a remove curse spell is cast to counter it. A delay poison spell halts the acid damage for a time, as does submersion in bog water.

Adana: HD 8; HP 27; AC 19; ATK 1 slam (1d8 + acid touch); MV 20; F11 R11 W10; AL C (CE); XP 800; Special: Fearsome visage, immune to acid, surprise (2 in 6), back attack x2. 

TITENA

Titena was the slave and close confidant of a high priest of Seth. She served her master loyally for many years, tending his every need, always desirous of one day being freed. It finally passed that an assassin found his mark, and the high priest was killed. His acolytes quickly swept up his servants and animals and slayed them that they might be mummified so that they could serve their master again in the afterlife. So it was that Titena, filled with wrath, was made a mummy and sealed in the crypt of the high priest. Whether the others made the journey to the other world is unknown, for she awoke as a mummy, alone and consumed with hatred. She quickly defiled her master’s body and now waits for release from her seemingly eternal prison. She has a single gem of true seeing lodged in her forehead.

Titena: HD 8; HP 29; AC 19; ATK 1 slam (1d8 + mummy rot); MV 20; F11 R11 W10; AL C (CE); XP 800; Special: Fearsome visage, vulnerable to fire. 

VADUN

Vadun was a monk and mathematician who underwent the process of living mummification (a strict dietary regimen, exercise and poisoning) that he might be preserved for all time. After death, he was sealed into an alcove with bricks, to be unsealed three years later. Unfortunately, between his death and his appointed time of release, the monastery was sacked, its monks killed, its treasures carried away. Vadun now remains a prisoner in the monastery, his staggering intellect bent on taking revenge on the world for his humiliation.

Unlike most mummies, Vadun does not spread disease with his touch. Rather, his touch is poisonous (per poison III). Damage from this poison can only be healed after a remove curse spell has been received by the victim.

Vadun: HD 8; HP 31; AC 19; ATK 1 slam (1d8 + poison touch); MV 20; F11 R11 W10; AL C (LE); XP 2000; Special: Fearsome visage, vulnerable to fire, cast spells as 9th level cleric. 

ZURANTHULA

Zuranthula was a powerful warlord among the Kith-Yin. After death, he was mummified by his followers, that he might continue to lead them on their raids in the Astral Plane. Unfortunately, before he could awake, his people were attacked by their rivals. Zuranthula’s sarcophagus was cast out into Astral Space to float for eternity. It would have done just that, but the conjuring of a curious wizard brought it into the Material Plane. Surprised by the contents, the wizard was soon killed, and Zuranthula, now crazed, began haunting the wizard’s dungeon complex, still seeking a return to the Astral Plane.

Zuranthula: HD 8; HP 32; AC 19; ATK 1 slam (1d8 + icy grip) or silver sword (1d6+1); MV 20; F11 R11 W10; AL C (NE); XP 800; Special: Fearsome visage, vulnerable to fire, spells as kith-yin. 

CASTILLOS

Castillos was a very wicked man, though his wickedness was subtle. Most folk considered him a rather dashing figure, fairly honest, and good company. His squire, Manuel, knew better. He had seen him dally with the affections of many women, and when Castillos dared turn his eye upon Manuel’s own lady love, Castillos’ fate was sealed. On one night, after a drunken revel, Manuel led his master into a dank catacomb, ostensibly in search of a cache of elven wine he had heard tell of. In truth, he clubbed his master over the head and bricked him into a chamber, his body sealed inside a cask of wine. Castillos died there, but the alcohol preserved him, and now he seeks Manuel, who inherited his estate.

Unlike most mummies, Castillos does not spread disease with his touch. Rather, his touch brings on a sort of manic drunkenness (per the hideous laughter) spell.

Castillos: HD 8; HP xxx; AC 19; ATK 1 slam (1d8 + hideous laighter); MV 20; F11 R11 W10; AL C (NE); XP 800; Special: Fearsome visage, vulnerable to fire. 

Six Spooky Spectres

/ jstater / 3 Comments

Although spectres traditionally seem to be played as actively hostile entities (chaotic, and all), they don’t have to be, and in fact can make for pretty excellent ghost encounters. Level drain does a great job of recreating, for the players and thus their characters, of the sheer fright and revulsion of being touched by “that which should not be!”. 

FORLOTH & BRENA

Forloth was a great man in life – great in deed in his youth, and great in girth in his dotage. Always a man of monumental hunger and thirst, he spent his later years in his favorite tavern at his favorite table, regaling the customers with stories of great deeds in far away lands, his wine goblet and lap rarely empty and his coin flowing freely. And so it was when he died – a small belch, a rolling of the eyes, and gone. It took four strong men to remove the body, and the whole town attended the funeral – even the Lord Mayor. A couple weeks later, the first dead body was found in the cellar – a serving wench – long in the tooth but no less beautiful for her years of service and always the favorite of Forloth – keeled over on a barrel of wine, her hair turned stark white. When Brena’s laughter began being heard echoing in the rafters and the wine began turning sour, the townsfolk soon quit the tavern and the landlord was forced to move his establishment. The tavern still stands empty, but a few brave souls have claimed to peek in the thick windows at midnight and see Forloth at his table, Brena in his lap, a ghostly goblet of spirits in his hands.

Forloth: HD 7; HP 22; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 strike (1d8 + energy drain); Move 40 (Fly 80); F12 R12 W9; AL C (NE); XP 1750; Special – Incorporeal, powerless in sunlight.

Brena: HD 5; HP 14; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 strike (1d8 + energy drain); Move 40 (Fly 80); F13 R12 W10; AL C (CE); XP 1250; Special – Incorporeal, powerless in sunlight.

COBHAR THE BEGGAR KING

Cobhar was born a beggar and thief, and spent his childhood learning how to steal and get away with it. Always an angry man, he hid it well and made a reputation for himself of a leader among the beggars and outlaws of the city – an unofficial ambassador of the underclass whose company was enjoyed by commoners, aristocrats and adventurers alike. Alas, he was a man of ambition, and one of those ambitions was to forge his beggars into a corps equal to the guild of thieves. The master of thieves, Lord Nock, couldn’t allow that, and so one night Cobhar took his last drink of rum and had his body unceremoniously dumped in the harbor, wrapped in heavy chains. The very next night, the thieves were surprised in their shadowy citadel by the appearance of a waterlogged man in chains. Few escaped that hideout, Lord Nock among them, and the reign of the thieves was over. Their hideout remains empty, the lair of Cobhar’s spectre and, stories say, still flush with the plunder of the guild. What nobody knows, though, are how many of the old thieves now haunt the halls of the guildhouse …

Cobhar: HD 7; HP 27; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 strike (1d8 + energy drain); Move 40 (Fly 80); F12 R12 W9; AL C (CE); XP 1750; Special – Incorporeal, powerless in sunlight.

MAELA THE MOURNFUL

Maela was a simple woman who lived in a small village by a river. Married to the miller, she was a respected member of her community who wanted, more than anything, to give birth to a child. After many years, she and the miller were blessed with a child, bright of eye and blithe of spirit. All was well for many years, until the coming of the orcs. In a flash, the village was razed, the mill set alight with Maela’s husband and child sealed within. The woman rushed into the blaze, but was unable to save them, and in her trauma rose a month later as a spectre. The charred remains of the mill still stand by the river, and the village is still abandoned. Maela has a powerful compulsion to care for people in distress, and a keen desire to embrace children and other small humanoids (gnomes, halflings). She is not hostile unless rebuffed.

Maela: HD 7; HP 20; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 strike (1d8 + energy drain); Move 40 (Fly 80); F12 R12 W9; AL N; XP 1750; Special – Incorporeal, powerless in sunlight.

GUILLA OF THE AUBURN LOCKS

Guilla was the prettiest girl in town – rosy cheeks, auburn curls, brilliant green eyes, etc. – and always popular with the men of the town (young and old). There were stories, of course, that she was perhaps to desirous of their caresses, but she denied everything and her father and mother would not hear of her indiscretions. It was when an adventuring bard entered the picture that things went awry. Handsome and dashing, for the first time in her life, Guilla herself fell in love. In the past, she had always had the upper hand, but now things were different. The bard stayed in town for a couple weeks, and spent nearly every waking moment of that time in her company, until the jealous men of the town had had enough and vowed to end his tenure as Guilla’s lover. It so happened that the bard finally acquiesced to Guilla’s pleading and vowed he would steal away with her on Midsummer’s night. The couple would make their way to the great city over the mountains and there live happily ever after. On his way to window, though, the bard was waylaid by the townsmen and, beaten and bloody, sent down river tied to a raft, never to be heard from again. Guilla waited the night through, and when the next day she heard that the bard had crept away in the night, her heart broke. Two days later, in a daze, she drank from a vial of poison and ended her life. At the next Midsummer night, during the revels of the young, a beautiful woman was seen gliding through the streets. One reveler was surprised by her, especially when he recognized her as Guilla, and when she embraced him, he died. Now, every Midsummer night, the ghost of Guilla glides through the streets of the town, seeking the love and adoration she once had in life, accompanied by the spectres of those she has embraced. There are three such spectres – fawning young men with eyes for none but Guilla. They will defend her to the “death”.

Guilla: HD 7; HP 32; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 strike (1d8 + energy drain); Move 40 (Fly 80); F12 R12 W9; AL C (CE); XP 1750; Special – Incorporeal, powerless in sunlight, men must pass a Will save upon seeing her face or be stunned for 1 round.

Spectral Lover: HD 3; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 strike (1d8 + energy drain); Move 40 (Fly 80); F14 R13 W11; AL C (LE); XP 750; Special – Incorporeal, powerless in sunlight, energy drain steals only one level.

SCENTH, THE SENTINEL OF BAGWELL HALL

Scenth was a man-at-arms in the employ of Baron Pirpasko, a man with many enemies who was ever fearful of the assassin’s blade. It so happened one night that Scenth was stationed outside the baron’s room as sentinel. While the baron was fast asleep, the baroness, a raven-haired beauty of questionable morals, crept out of bed and stole away with the sentinel for a midnight dalliance. The couple finished their lovemaking and she returned to her lord’s chamber while Scenth returned to his post. The young warrior had barely got to his post, though, when a scream broke the nocturnal silence. Opening the door, he saw the baroness clutching the bloody baron to her chest, a cruel smile on her lips.

“The baron has been murdered,” she screamed, her smile turning into a look of horror as other warriors reached the room.”An assassin got past that foolish boy and killed his master!”

Despite his protestations and accusations, the lad was found guilty of shirking his duty and was summarily hanged. The next night, though, as the household prepared to retire, they discovered the young man back at his post, his head still crooked and scarred by the noose. The baron’s squire challenged the ghostly lad and was nearly killed when his body was run through by Scenth’s ghostly sword. The man was left a shaken wreck, and the rest of the guard soon quit the manse, along with the duplicitous baroness, the baron’s chest of treasure locked away in the chamber beyond her reach.

Scenth: HD 7; HP 31; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 strike (1d8 + energy drain); Move 40 (Fly 80); F12 R12 W9; AL C (LE); XP 1750; Special – Incorporeal, powerless in sunlight.

PARIL

Paril was a thief, and one of the best in the world in his day. No vault had ever foiled him, and no ancient temple or forbidden boudoir had proved proof against his cunning. So it was that he delved deep beneath the earth in search of a sceptre of wondrous powers – one more challenge to be overcome. He stole past dozens of guards and wards, tricked a cyclops, walked a wire of spider silk and plucked the sceptre from under the nose of the demon Tessasses. Sceptre in hand, challenge overcome, he made his way out of the dungeon and was, quite suddenly, crushed by a bit of ancient masonry. His back broken, he fell prey to giant rats. An ignoble end to a master thief. Now, his spirit haunts the corridor, the sceptre still in his mortal form’s skeletal hand, beneath the tumbled masonry.

[The idea here is a spectre appearing on the 1st level of a dungeon in a corridor that leads to deeper levels]

Paril: HD 7; HP 22; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 strike (1d8 + energy drain); Move 40 (Fly 80); F12 R12 W9; AL C (NE); XP 1750; Special – Incorporeal, powerless in sunlight, surprise on roll of 1-3 on 1d6.

Six Vile Vampires

/ jstater / 10 Comments

Today, I introduce you to six vile vampires who stalk the streets of Nod, or your own campaign. Note, for Blood & Treasure players and TK’s – I’m varying the Hit Dice of these vamps – feel free to do the same in your games.

Typhus the Rat

Typhus is a small man, both in terms of physique and spirit. A peddler of tin items he hammered himself, he was bitten one night as he cut through an alley on the way home, hoping to avoid the city guard. Buried* in a pauper’s cemetery in a cheap coffin, he soon arose from his grave and place several of the city’s beggars under his control. With their help, he exhumed his coffin and secreted it in a cave just outside the city. Here, he has become something of a pack rat, hoarding baubles that he steals from the luminaries of the city and feasting on drunks who have fallen asleep in alleys, so as not to alert the authorities of his presence.

 Typhus the Rat: HD 6; HP 18; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 bite (1d6) and slam (1d6 + energy drain); Move 30; F12 R12 W9; AL Chaotic (CE); XP 1,500; Special – See B&T – seriously, vampires are loaded with special abilities and vulnerabilities.

Viliann the Bat

Viliann the Bat was a simple tavern wench in life, a tavern wench subjected to much unwanted attention because of her bonny looks, and subjected to an especially unwanted attack one night in the wine cellar of her tavern by a vampire. Viliann was buried in a simple ceremony in a graveyard just outside town and rose as a vampire in her own right one week later. She now haunts the city as an avenger in a dark, hooded cloak, destroying the undead when she can and preying only on men of an evil disposition. She has only once created a spawn herself, and came to regret it. She keep’s that spawn’s head in a box in her cramped hiding place (in the sewers of the city) as a reminder of her mistake. Viliann appears as a beautiful woman of about 18 years, with spooky eyes and jet black hair.

Viliann the Bat: HD 11; HP 50; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 bite (1d6) and slam (1d6 + energy drain); Move 30; F10 R10 W7; AL Chaotic (LE); XP 2,750; Special – See B&T – seriously, vampires are loaded with special abilities and vulnerabilities.

Alaron the Owl

Alaron was a sage in life, and an easy target for a visiting vampire. Killed one night after he invited a stranger in for a late consultation, the sage’s body was hidden in a trunk, which now serves as his coffin. Most folk never noticed when the man stopped leaving his home in the daytime, and he still makes himself available for consultations at night. Alaron is fairly selective about whose blood he consumes, preferring the blood of noble students, but taking just enough to sate his thirst and not rouse suspicions. He has managed to enthrall several of the apprentice mages in the city, and uses them to spy on their masters. He carries a hope that a spell or formula might one day appear that can reverse his curse.

Alaron the Owl: HD 8; HP 29; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 bite (1d6) and slam (1d6 + energy drain); Move 30; F11 R11 W8; AL Chaotic (NE); XP 2,000; Special – See B&T – seriously, vampires are loaded with special abilities and vulnerabilities.

Dallach the Cat

Dallach the cat is a wanderer, settling in a city long enough to hunt down the most powerful game and then moving on. He usually finds a lonely place to hide his coffin near a city, and then spends about a week in the city sizing up the possible prey – if adventurers are not present, he usually focuses on the local lord, captain of the guard or parish priest. Dallach appears as a tall, ruggedly handsome man with pale, green eyes and long, platinum blond hair tied in a tail. He dresses well, but not too well, and carries a sword and dagger on his belt.

Dallach the Cat: HD 9; HP 36; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 bite (1d6) and slam (1d6 + energy drain); Move 30; F11 R11 W8; AL Chaotic (CE); XP 2,250; Special – See B&T – seriously, vampires are loaded with special abilities and vulnerabilities.

Mithlo the Cricket

Mithlo was an itinerant minstrel in life, roaming a large region and stopping for a week or two at different road houses and taverns to entertain before moving on. A handsome lad, he was always popular with the local females, but was careful not to overstay his welcome with the local men. On one of his nocturnal travels to woo the daughter of a local lord, he was taken by a vampire and left in the woods, his body stuffed in a hollow log in a gully. A few days later, he awoke as a vampire, the log serving as his “coffin”. His looks, alas, did not survive his death completely intact, as some rotting had set in. He now continues to roam the same region, using his music (he has the musical and spell casting abilities of a 7th level bard) to serenade women at night and lure them to their death. Mithlo has created several spawn, who sometimes gather for moonlight revels around his coffin. His finest conquest was the Lady Bethony, who serves him willingly in hopes of achieving eternal life.

Mithlo the Cricket: HD 7; HP 26; AC 15 [silver]; Atk 1 bite (1d6) and slam (1d6 + energy drain); Move 30; F12 R12 W9; AL Chaotic (NE); XP 1,750; Special – See B&T – seriously, vampires are loaded with special abilities and vulnerabilities; he also has the spellcasting ability and musical abilities of a 7th level bard.

Lothic the Wolf

Lothic was an adventuring fighter who made the greatest mistake of his life when he delved into a haunted ruin in the mountains and drank from a magical fountain. Killed by the blood red wine of the fountain and turned, his already chaotic nature drove him to hunt down his former companions and establish himself in the ruin as a petty robber baron. Soon, he gathered a small army of outlaws to him, and now he preys on the nearby villages and towns, plundering them and seizing women for his vampire harem. Lothic is known for his wolf-skin cape, crimson plate armor and two-handed axe.

Lothic the Wolf: HD 10; HP 44; AC 18 [silver]; Atk 1 bite (1d6) and slam (1d6 + energy drain) or battleaxe (1d8+3); Move 30; F10 R10 W7; AL Chaotic (CE); XP 2,500; Special – See B&T – seriously, vampires are loaded with special abilities and vulnerabilities.

* This just occurred to me: In games and fiction (especially modern fiction), we often see people bitten and drained and turned into vampires right on the spot. But part of the vampire mythos is that they must return to their coffin in dawn – so wouldn’t these insta-vamps be toast the next day (or, at least in game terms, be unable to regenerate/heal) if they had never had a coffin in the first place? I think it would make more sense to allow the person to die, be buried, and then begin appearing as a vampire – maybe give it a few days. This might make for more atmosphere, as the person’s friends and family would never be sure unless they cut off the corpse’s head or took some other precautions. Just a thought.

Six Ghastly Ghouls

/ jstater / 6 Comments

What follows are six ghastly ghouls (well, actually five ghastly ghouls and a single ghoulish ghast), men and women who circumstances (or not) made into cannibals and death made into ghouls.

VEDORINA

Vedorina and her family were part of a large caravan making its way across the mountains in early fall. Winter came early that year, and the band became trapped in a high valley. It didn’t take long before the food ran out, and the party was forced to consume their dead. Vedorina’s mother and father did their best to hide this from their daughter, but when in desperation her mother turned on her father, she fled the encampment and soon froze to death in the wilderness. Naturally, she arose as a ghoul, and now haunts the mountain passes to this day, a blue-skinned girl in a threadbare tunic, her face still wearing a look of shocked horror.

Vedorina, Ghoul: HD 2; HP 7; AC 14; Atk 2 claws (1d4 + paralysis) and bite (1d6); Move 30; F15 R15 W13; AL C (CE); XP 200; Special – Paralysis.

SCARSDALE

Scarsdale was one of many who succumbed to a plague that ravaged the towns and villages on the edge of the great desert. One by one, people were falling ill and dying, until bodies littered the streets as a feast for the rats and ravens. When the caravan of merchants came to the town with word of a cure – an efficacious powder – those who retained the strength crawled to them and promised them everything they owned for the cure. The merchants acquiesced, and left the village laden with wealth. What they left behind was a powder ground from the bodies of mummified corpses that had been uncovered during a desert storm. As the villagers continued to die, they rose one by one as ghouls and trod into the desert in search of the merchants. Scarsdale was one of many, and to this day he attacks caravans in the desert along with his feral friends, their faces grotesque, twisted masks of hate and rage, their bodies browned and wrinkled from the sun.

Scarsdale, Ghoul Thief: LVL 4 (Dodger); HP 15; AC 14; Atk 2 claws (1d4 + paralysis) and bite (1d6); Move 30; F14 R15 W13; AL C (CE); XP 400; Special – Paralysis, backstab x2.

KNORRA

Knorra was a great war-dame of the northern lands. Her feast hall was decorated with the skulls of hundreds she had bested at war, and after her glorious battles, when her war maidens gathered at her tables to partake of the spoils of war, Knorra sat enthroned above them, axe in her lap, serving lads carrying on silver trays the cooked entrails of whatever lord or lady she had just vanquished. Had Knorra’s warriors not been berserkers, they probably would have quit at the first of these macabre feasts, but they every one believed in the power of consuming one’s foes, though the honor was reserved for their lady alone. Eventually, the great Knorra was slain in battle, her corpse left to rot on a stinking field. She rose, not as a mere ghoul, but as a ghast, her flesh pock marked by the beaks of the ravenous crows, her once golden hair caked with mud and blood. She walked back to her feast hall to find it toppled, and now dwells in the ruins, gathering what undead she can find into an army to once again strike fear into the hearts of her enemies and their descendants.

Knorra, Ghast Barbarian: LVL 10 (Barbarian Princess); HP 55; AC 17; Atk 2 claws (1d4 + paralysis) and bite (1d8) or battle axe (1d8) and bite (1d8); Move 40; F8 R12 W11; AL C (CE); XP 1,000; Special – Paralysis, rage 3/day, sixth sense.

ZIMBOK

Zimbok was, like most of the folk of his tribe, a practicing cannibal. Unlike most of his tribe, he was possessed of a wanderlust, and eventually left his home island to serve on a whaling vessel that plied Mother Ocean for years. In many of its ports-of-call, Zimbok found the urge to consume human flesh more than he could resist, even among the foreigners, and in time his crimes were revealed. He was hung by the neck and cast into a communal grave for criminals and the indigent. Zimbok was too tough a customer, though, and in death he clawed his way out the grave as a ghoul. He now appears as a tall islander with a crooked neck, a necklace of teeth around his neck. He wears leather trousers, no boots, and carries a well-cared for harpoon and a razor-sharp knife with whale tooth inlay.

Zimbok, Ghoul Ranger: LVL 6 (Pathfinder); HP 34; AC 14; Atk 2 claws (1d4 + paralysis) and bite (1d6); Move 30; F10 R10 W13; AL C (CE); XP 200; Special – Paralysis, favored enemy (sea animals), spells (1).

OLD MARZA

Old Marza was called “Old Marza” even when she was still fairly young. For years, she worked in the “Tavern in the Wood”, a roadhouse frequented by adventurers and travelers. More than a few of the less friendly patrons who wound up fall-down drunk found their way into Marza’s wine cellar – more specifically in a secret room connected to the wine cellar. Bit-by-bit they would find themselves turned into sausages and meat pies for Marza’s own enjoyment. In time, her murderous reign was discovered and she was cornered in the tavern and burned along with it. After death, she became a ghoul who still haunts the woods, looking like a charred, gaunt old woman garbed in the tattered clothes of a harmless old woman, a bottle of wine from her cellar in one hand and a hatchet in the other.

Old Marza, Ghoul: HD 2; HP 7; AC 14; Atk 2 claws (1d4 + paralysis) and bite (1d6); Move 30; F15 R15 W13; XP 200; Special – Paralysis.

UGOLIO 

Ugolio was a minor aristocrat who found himself on the wrong side of a schism in the royal court. He and his son were cast into a dungeon in an old keep and literally forgotten when the royal city was attacked by a horde of orcs. Ugolio did not survive his captivity, but his son died first, and as a result of Ugolio’s hunger, his own death was followed by his undeath as a ghoul. Ugolio still dwells in his dungeon cell underneath what is now the old, ruined keep. Over time, he has managed to claw his way out, and he now hunts on the edges of the royal city by night and returns to his cell by day, dragging his victims behind him.

Ugolio, Ghoul Aristocrat: LVL 8; HP 38; AC 14; Atk 2 claws (1d4 + paralysis) and bite (1d6); Move 30; F12 R9 W9; XP 800; Special – Paralysis, legend lore, commanding voice (fascinate, suggestion).

Here Comes the Bogeyman – Part 4 – Killing Rituals

/ jstater / 2 Comments

The point of a bogeyman is to create a campaign (or mini campaign or side trek) around figuring out how to kill the damned thing. That means researching the killing ritual. Here, horror movies aren’t quite as helpful as they’ve been before, because most horror movies that involve a bogeyman become series that NEVER FREAKING END. The only killing ritual that can put Jason, Michael Myers or Freddie down permanently is low ticket sales … and even then only until Hollywood thinks it can pull off a “re-boot”. For our purposes, though, we need to have an end to these campaigns of terror.

The how of killing might have something to do with the bogeyman’s origin, and then again, it might not. It could also just be some weird ritual that must be taught by the reclusive monks in those far-away mountains you’d like to introduce to your players.

The killing ritual should involve one or more element or step. The more experienced the players (not the characters), the more elements you can get away with, but more than three is probably going to get tedious. There might be a teacher or dusty old tome that can reveal the entire killing ritual, or perhaps the adventurers must track down each element separately. In such a case, it might be a good idea to weave the killing ritual in with the monster’s history (an example to follow), so that as players learn about the bogeyman’s history, they gain clues on how to destroy him.

Some elements you might consider for your killing ritual:

Hit Location – much like a vampire needing a stake to the heart to keep it down, Achilles’ infamous heel or Smaug’s missing scale, the monster can only be killed if struck at a certain point on its body. Unless the monster is stunned/paralyzed/subdued/etc., this brings a combat element into the game and might please the more combat-oriented players who otherwise couldn’t give a copper for solving the monster’s riddle.

Substance – the idea of needing special substances to kill monsters is not new to D&D – silver for lycanthropes, cold iron for some fey, wooden stakes for vampires, magic weapons to harm demons, etc. For a bogeyman, think outside these narrow bounds – Loki using mistletoe to kill Baldr comes to mind, or how about a silver spearhead anointed with a virgin’s tears? It might also be a particular weapon – the sword of Sir Magnus the Moldy, for example – that necessitates a brief quest to find the weapon (a quest which, incidentally, might help to keep the dungeon crawlers in the party happy).

Actor – the monster might require a specific kind of actor to kill it. This can get a bit dicey, as it might take the adventurers of the game just a little bit. Sure, they have to work hard to find the seventh son of a seventh son and convince him to accompany them to kill some monster he’s never heard of, but then the final stroke of the campaign comes from an NPC and that might lessen the satisfaction of the victory for the players. An “actor” requirement could also be something like, “a person who has kissed the Blarney Stone” or “a person who has lost a loved one to the monster” – something that can qualify one or more characters. Even using a PC as the final actor can create trouble – what if the killing blow falls on the shoulders of the halfling thief and two or three other PC’s buy the farm while that player suffers through some lousy hit rolls? An actor is definitely an appropriate element to the killing ritual, but just use it with your eyes wide open to the potential problems it can create.

Time – The time element involves something like: Can only be killed under a new/full/crescent moon; can only be killed at sunrise; can only be killed on a holy day; etc.. The value of a time element is to create a sense of urgency. Whatever the time element, it should be soon, so the adventurers must race to meet the deadline or suffer through another day or week of attacks that might claim new victims. You probably want to keep the interval between potential killings short, else the bogeyman side trek might outstay its welcome at the game table.

Place – A special place to kill a bogeyman might be fun as well, as it means the players have to figure out a way to lure the bogeyman to its undoing. Now, obviously, an intelligent bogeyman should not willingly let itself be lured to the one place it can be destroyed, so try to remember you’re working with an archetypal story here – just roll with it. It doesn’t have to be easy to lure the monster, but don’t make it ridiculously difficult. Good places might be the site of the bogeyman’s creation, an abandoned temple in a lonely wilderness, a holy site, the crater left over from a meteor impact, an active (or soon to be active) volcano, etc.

Here’s an example of a killing ritual tied to a particular bogeyman …

A maiden desperately in love with a wicked man was lured by promises of marriage into a lonely wood, where she was murdered. Now, on nights when the moon is new, a bogeyman composed of the psychic residue of the unfortunate woman (i.e. she isn’t undead) might appear to travelers (the locals know better than to travel during a new moon, but they don’t know why – just an old superstition) as a beautiful maiden with red-rimmed eyes who is accompanied by an audible heart beat – it throbs in people’s ears and causes fear (especially in henchmen and animals).

The murdered maiden will be drawn to killing any men in the party, and will also begin attacking descendants of her murderer, who still live in the nearby village. Assume the murder happened 50 years ago, so there probably are a few elders who remember what happened and can clue people in to the event. The murderer was probably a high placed person in the village, or perhaps was a cat’s paw for somebody else. Maybe the maiden’s stepmother wanted her out of the way?

In this case, the killing ritual involves plunging a gold ring (it was promised to her, and she might howl about it while attacking) into the bogeyman’s (bogeywoman’s?) heart. The most likely way is to slip the ring onto a blade or arrow. This must be done during the night of a full moon. Her destroyer must also deliver a heartfelt apology or must shed a tear while delivering the killing blow or the bogeyman will only disappear for a year and then will return to plague the adventurers.

Here Comes the Bogeyman – Part 3

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Last time, I talked about what a bogeyman might look like. Today, I promised to talk about the bogeyman’s powers, but first I need to touch on motivation.

Why has the bogeyman shown up to harry the adventurers? I mean, other than because it makes for an interesting sub-campaign. Here are a few ideas – and they might be important, because the way to defeat a bogeyman might involve delving into its history.

– The bogeyman is killing to survive, i.e. a hunter

– The bogeyman likes to kill, i.e. a murderer

– The bogeyman must kill the adventurers to save itself or its future

– The bogeyman wants something the adventurers have or something they have taken (“I Want My 2 Dollars!”)

– The bogeyman was sent (or conjured) by an enemy

– The bogeyman wants revenge – maybe on the adventurers in particular, or on society in general

What powers does the bogeyman bring to the table? Here’s where it gets tricky.

The bogeyman is going to fight the PCs, so he needs to have combat stats. However – the bogeyman cannot be defeated in normal combat – it has a specific vulnerability that must be discovered and exploited to destroy it. Think of it as a killing ritual that must be performed (we’ll talk about the killing ritual tomorrow).

The bogeyman’s stats should be commensurate to the power of the adventurers it is challenging. If the PCs are all 8th level, then the bogeyman needs enough Hit Dice, a high enough Armor Class and the ability to deal enough damage to challenge the 8th level party. If underpowered, the bogeyman becomes a strange annoyance, not a terrible menace. If too powerful, the bogeyman will wipe out the adventurers before they can embark on the quest to figure out what/who it is, what it wants and how to destroy it.

In general, I’d give it two more Hit Dice than the party average – thus 10 HD for an 8th level party. Give it an Armor Class about four points higher (or lower depending on the system) than the party’s second best fighter can hit regularly. I know this is vague – so in Blood & Treasure terms, if you’re second best fighter has an attack bonus of +4, has a strength bonus of +1 and is wielding a +1 sword, then she has a total attack bonus of +6. On an average d20 roll, she’ll hit an AC of 16 about 50% of the time. So, maybe give the bogeyman an AC of 18 – hard enough to hit to give him some staying power against the adventurers, but not so impossible to hit that he cannot be defeated – remember, he must be defeated in that first combat to launch the quest to figure him out.

The bogeyman can have whatever powers make sense for its form, but keep in mind that the bogeyman should have some sort of fear effect – an aura, a gaze, etc. A bogeyman is almost made of fear, so a fear power just makes sense.

Now – how about those immunities?

There are two tacks you can use here – we’ll call them the Jason Concept and the Doomsday Concept.

In the Jason Concept, you have a bogeyman that can apparently be killed … but which always returns to fight again. A bogeyman like this shouldn’t have any obvious immunities (or at least not many) – it takes damage and falls, and then comes back again and again and again. There is no rule for this – no need to specify a regeneration ability. This is campaign stuff, not monster stuff. You might want to vary the bogeyman’s return time – i.e.

D6 / Return Time
1. Returns in 1d6+4 minutes, half healed
2-3. Returns in 1d6 turns, fully healed
4-5. Returns in 1d6 hours, fully healed
6. Returns in 1d6 days, fully healed

The Jason Concept works on the attrition model – he’s slowly wearing down the adventurers, depleting their resources and making them more and more vulnerable until he starts eliminating them one by one.

In the Doomsday Concept, you have a bogeyman that simply cannot be hurt – except by its killing ritual. This concept is more dangerous, because it means you’re going to lose party members until they realize they have to run. You might want to limit the damage output of a Doomsday or make sure it is slow moving enough that it can, at least initially, be escaped. With a Doomsday, it needs to have a high magic resistance, immunity or resistance to most energies, only hit by magic weapons, etc. It should probably also have a regeneration ability – either like a trolls (so it’s always regenerating), or one that kicks in when it seems to have been killed. The idea here isn’t to fight a war of attrition with this thing, but rather to have to retreat, regroup and come up with a new plan.

Whichever concept you’re using, you’re skating on thin ice with a group of players who really hate character death.  If you’re playing a system where it is assumed that any obstacle/challenge can be overcome, you run the risk of players who are going to feel cheated. If you have players like this, you’ll probably want to use the Jason Concept – a foe they can defeat, but who keeps coming back.

Tomorrow – Killing Rituals and how to discover them.

Here Comes the Bogeyman – Part 2

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So you’ve decided to freak your players out and really test their mettle (and I mean their mettle, not their characters’ imaginary mettle). You need to know what your bogeyman looks like – here are some ideas.

Body-wise, you have three categories you might work in:

HUMANOID: This is probably the bogeyman most often used in horror movies, be it Jason, Freddie, etc. The humanoid bogeyman can look like virtually anything, and be as drab and mundane or hellish and frightening as you like. Bogeymen without faces (again, Jason comes to mind). The bogeyman can be completely silent (often unnerving) or can bark out a few words and taunts.

A humanoid bogeyman can be particularly effective because the form gives the players a shot of false confidence right from the get-go – it looks human, so we should be able to chop it (or fireball it) like a human.

A few ideas for medieval fantasy bogeymen:

A traditional black knight sort, maybe with a horse, maybe without

The less traditional “white knight” – perhaps in the tattered garb of a crusader

The little girl – throw in a red riding hood or even a twin to set people on edge

A peasant who’s face is hidden in shadows beneath a wide-brimmed hat or a hooded cloak

A man or woman shrouded in the tattered robes of a leper

A man or woman who looks like somebody the players have encountered before

MONSTROUS: A monstrous bogeyman probably looks challenging (or even unbeatable) as soon as it is encountered. It is usually big – the size difference between it and its victims being a key aspect in the fear is causes them – and might be scaled, hairy, etc. It’s natural weapons are probably impressive, or perhaps it holds a large sword or axe. The monstrous bogeyman might look like an undead, but it should not technically be “undead” – you don’t want a cleric spoiling the encounter with a lucky turn undead roll. Maybe the monstrous bogeyman looks like it belongs to the wilderness in which it is encountered, something akin to Swamp Thing or Man-Thing or the Heap. To be most effective, the monstrous bogeyman should probably attack without warning – the adventurers are walking through the woods and BOOM, it’s there and charging. The humanoid bogeyman might be more effective if first seen from far away, as though waiting for the adventurers to approach. The monstrous bogeyman, on the other hand, should be about the noise and confusion – Jaws might be the best way to describe it.

FORMLESS: When I think about the “formless” bogeyman, my mind first goes to the cloud monster in “Obsession”, a second season episode of Star Trek. The formless bogeyman lack of form presents a particular challenge to adventurers, as it renders physical weapons obviously ineffective – it is also harder to wrap one’s head around – no face to read (well, that applies to many humanoid bogeymen as well) – nothing physical to get a grip on. Formless bogeymen can also be shimmering curtains of energy or invisible psychic vampires – perhaps only a sound or smell announces their presence.

Whatever the form the bogeyman takes, its motives should, at first, be inscrutable. Like the trucker in Duel, it simply appears and presents itself as implacably hostile to the adventurers. It is an obstacle they cannot avoid and must deal with, and to deal with it, they’re going to have to be creative.

Next, I’ll get into the specifics of the bogeyman’s powers and vulnerabilities.

Astro Creeps [Space Princess Monster]

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Astro Creeps

HD 5 | DEF 13 | FIGHT 10 | SHOOT 11 | MOVE N | STR 5 | DEX 6 | MEN 8 | KNO 4 | DL 6

The conquest of space did not happen overnight, and it didn’t happen without a few casualties. Many of those souls who were lost in the spaceways found it impossible to slip the mortal coil entirely, their thirst for adventure and discovery being so keen. These men and women are known as astro creeps.

Astro creeps appear as space suits, usually of an old vintage. In place of faces, the astro creeps have two glowing orbs that seem to serve as their eyes. They drift through space, searching for new starships that they may inhabit (haunt, one might say) and turn to their own mysterious purposes.

An astro creep can attempt to seize control of a ship’s computer, using this control to chart a new course (usually to reach the destination they set out for when they were alive) or even to shut down random functions (life support, weapons, etc.). The chance of success depends on the size of the ship they are attempting to control:

Starfighter 79%
Shuttle 68%
Freighter 46%
Blockade Runner 46%
Corvette 34%
Star Cruiser 13%
Dreadnaught 6%

Note: Astro creeps rarely seize control of starfighters due to the cramped conditions.

Characters can use their identify and use device skill each round to attempt to regain control, rolling against a DC of 14 to succeed.

Astro creeps can unleash a piercing, manic laugh in combat, once every 1d4 rounds. Those within 30 feet of the laugh must pass a MEN test or be struck with panic, dropping whatever they are holding and fleeing at top speed for 10 rounds minus their MEN score.

Astro creeps can, at will, phase themselves through solid bulkheads and walls – moving through up to 3 feet of solid material. They are otherwise solid, and cannot use this ability to avoid being hit in combat.

The Other Guy Who Says ‘Ho Ho Ho’ [Monster]

/ jstater / 4 Comments

Be honest, wouldn’t you like to see this guy …

fighting a horde of these guys …

Green Giant
Huge Giant, Lawful (NG), Average Intelligence; Solitary

Hit Dice: 13
Armor Class: 17
Attacks: 2 slams (1d10)
Saves: Fort 4, Ref 9, Will 9
Movement: 40
XP: 1,300 (CL 14)

Green giants dwell in lush, fertile areas, being the sons of fertility goddesses and therefore interested in agriculture. They tend to “adopt” farming regions, providing a service for the farmers in the area in the form of keeping invaders and pests out, and in return expecting tribute and worship for their divine mothers.

Once per day, they can unleash a mighty laugh that gladdens the hearts of farmers and honest folk (per the good hope spell) and strikes fear into the hearts of despoilers and wicked folk (per the cause fear spells). The range of this laugh is 6 miles.

Spells: At will–create water, purify food and drink, entangle, speak with plants; 3/day–goodberry, plant growth, repel vermin; 1/day-command plants, commune with nature.

Special Qualities: Magic resistance 50% vs. druid spells

Three Dinosaurs For Your Primeval World …

/ jstater / 2 Comments

I was working up some quick dinosaur stats for the Hex Crawl Chronicle I’m writing, and figured – heck – why not throw them onto the blog. Stats for Blood & Treasure and Swords & Wizardry. No stats for Labyrinth Lord – it knows what it did 😉

EDMONTOSAURUS

Edmontosaurus is a large, duck-billed dinosaur. Edmontosaurus grew as long as 40 feet and weighed 4.4 tons. Their hides were thin and resembled that of the gila monster. Like most hadrosaurs, they were herbivores, browsing on vegetation by the water’s edge. Edmontosaurus can trample smaller creatures by moving over them, inflicting 3d6 points of damage.

Edmontosaurus: Huge Animal; HD 14; AC 13; ATK 1 bite (2d6) and 1 tail (3d6); MV 40; F3 R6 W12; XP 700; AL Neutral; Special: Trample.

Edmontosaurus: HD 14; AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 bite (2d6) and 1 tail (3d6); Move 15; Save 3; CL/XP 14/2600; Special: Trample.

PACHYCEPHALOSAURUS

Pachycephalosaurus doesn’t just have an awesome name – it also has one of the great domes in dinosaur history. These herbivores grew to 15 feet long and weighed 990 pounds, though they only stood about 6 feet tall. They can butt with their heads.

Pachycephalosaurus: Huge Animal; HD 6; AC 12; ATK 1 head butt (2d6) and 1 tail (1d8); MV 30; F7 R10 W15; XP 300; AL Neutral; Special: None.

Pachycephalosaurus: HD 6; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 head butt (2d6) and 1 tail (1d8); Move 12; Save 11; CL/XP 6/400; Special: None.

ORNITHOMIMUS

These small dinosaurs had toothless beaks and might have fed on seeds, leaves, insects and other small animals. They grew to 12 feet in length and weighed about 370 pounds. Ornithomimus was quick animal, probably similar to a modern ostrich.

Ornithomimus: Large Animal; HD 3; AC 12; ATK 1 bite (1d6); MV 18; F11 R12 W17; XP 150; AL Neutral; Special: None.

Ornithomimus: HD 3; AC 7 [12]; Atk 1 bite (1d6); Move 18; Save 14; CL/XP 3/60; Special: None.