Ironbeak...!

IRONBEAK

FREQUENCY: Rare
 
NO. APPEARING: 1-2
 
ARMOR CLASS: 4 (tail 6)

MOVE: 18"

HIT DICE: 4

% IN LAIR: 15%

TREASURE TYPE: E

NO. OF ATTACKS: 2

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10, 1-10

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Animal

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: L  (12' long)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Ironbeaks are such an ungainly mix of shapes and forms that some believe them to be the result of a magical experiment gone awry. They live in mountainous areas and subsist on minerals that they leach from the rock itself, and their presence is usually an indication that iron ore can be found nearby. They can prove to be a danger to adventuring parties because of their predilection for refined metals, especially steel.

When attacking they will always focus on the most heavily armed or armoured opponent first. It can attack with its beak, which inflicts 1-10 points of damage, or grapple with its numerous tentacles. Each of these delivers a paralysing attack, and its victim must save vs paralysation or become immobile. Otherwise they may attempt to roll below their Strength in order to break free. The tentacles then secrete a powerful acid which instantly reduces metals to so many dessicated flakes. Fumbled attacks against the creature from its front quarter mean that any weapon has become entangled within these tentacles and any metal component will similarly be reduced to nothing. Magical weapons and armour are somewhat more resilient to the acid and have a 10% chance for each plus they possess of surviving intact, i.e. a +2 sword has a 20% chance of remaining intact. However, this must be rolled for every round that they are exposed to the acid. The acid also affects weapons and objects made from stone or minerals (including precious stones and minerals, except diamond), completely consuming them in two rounds.  The rearmost part of the creature is less resilient than its forequarter but does end in a sharp, curved talon that can inflict 1-10 points of damage.

 

Should the Ironbeak be engaged in combat but then lose more than 75% of its hit points, it will attempt to fly away. If any victim is still within the grasp of its tentacles, it has a 20% chance per round of making a successful escape attempt whilst grasping its prey, but its attacks are reduced to 1 in that time. If its victim is not paralysed they must roll below their Strength score in order to break free, but are possibly at risk of injury from falling. The Ironbeak will fly to its lair and kill any victim on the wing.

Ironbeaks will usually be encountered singularly, but should two of them be present it will be a mating pair. The creatures lair will be a rocky nest atop some high point and any treasure found there will be what remains of their victim's possessions. If a mating pair is encountered in their lair, they will be accompanied by 1-3 young who, whilst not possessing tentacles, can still deliver 1-3 points of damage with their beak or talon. Each possesses 3 hit points.

Description: Ironbeaks possess coarse fur that is reddish-mauve in colour. Their tentacles are a sickly yellow-white and their large globular compound eyes are green edged with orange. The rearmost part of their bodies is yellowish-brown, mottled with patches of deep crimson. Their insect-like limbs and wings are dark greenish-black. Their beak and talon is a blackish blue edged with a raw copper-like colour. Both are very resilient and are composed of the metals and minerals on which the creature feasts. If removed, the beak weighs 50lb, the talon 10lb and, should a specialist artificer be found and hired, they can be used to make +2 weapons or armour.  

Beetle Stag...!

 BEETLE STAG

FREQUENCY: Uncommon
 
NO. APPEARING: 4-16
 
ARMOR CLASS: 4

MOVE: 18"

HIT DICE: 2

% IN LAIR: 0%

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 4

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-10, 1-6, 1-6, 1-3

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil

SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Non-

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: M  (4' tall, excluding antlers)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Beetle Stags are insectoid creatures somewhat similar in outline to small stags, with both male, female and young sharing this resemblance. They prefer to live in woodland but will sometimes stray into cultivated areas, especially orchards and groves, and thus are considered to be pests. The fact that they are generally not fearful and aggressively defend themselves means that they can prove to be a quite capable opponent. Although their eyesight is not particularly acute, their feet and antlers are very capable of detecting movement at a distance. They are greatly fearful of large fires and will immediately flee from any they encounter.

 

Despite their diet of wood, bark, plants, fruits and nuts they are not averse to consuming flesh if the situation presents itself. Usually this means that they will eat carrion but they will also readily attack dwarves, gnomes or halflings if they outnumber their quarry. In combat, they can strike out with their forelimbs or their antlers for 1-6 points of damage. Their large pincers inflict 1-10 points of damage and if the creature inflicts more than 5 damage in a single attack when using them, its victim will be trapped in their grip unless they make a successful roll below their Strength in order to break free. Otherwise, the creatures extendable mouth parts will inflict 1-3 points of damage per round (no attack roll required) until its target dies or escapes. The long thin spines that cover the front of the Beetle Stag can cause irritation to any exposed skin that comes into contact with them. This will cause painful sores that inflict 1 point of damage per day unless a successful saving throw vs poison is made. A Cure Light Wounds spell will also negate their effect.

 

Should more than 12 Beetle Stags be met in a single encounter, one individual creature will be larger than the others (6' tall, excluding antlers) and have 3 hit dice.  Aside from its normal attacks it also possesses the ability to fire an electrical charge from its antlers, striking as a Lightning Bolt cast by a 3rd level Magic User. However, this can only be used every other round.

If 14 or more creatures are encountered, there is a 20% chance that one individual is a Golden Beetle Stag. Its antlers are highly prized in the construction of magical composite bows and each branch is worth 2000 gold pieces.

 

Beetle Stags do not have a larval form but are born as eggs from which small fully-formed young emerge when hatched, although in this state they possess only one hit point.

Description: Beetle Stags are usually iridescent shades of dark blue, green or purple. Their antlers, pincers and feet are amber red whilst their hair-like spines are orange-brown. Golden Beetle Stags are a rich pearlescent golden yellow in colour, although their antlers are pale blue.

Shrooms...! (Part One)

The first in a series about fungoid critters for D&D. This week's creature is the...

RAGWING

FREQUENCY: Uncommon
 
NO. APPEARING: 2-8
 
ARMOR CLASS: 7

MOVE: 6/10"

HIT DICE: 2

% IN LAIR: Nil

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Non-

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: S

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Ragwings are colonies of spore-like organisms that have somehow developed the ability to fly. They can sense the heat generated by living creatures (out to a distance of 120') and derive sustenance from their blood. They also use the body of their victims as a host within which their spores can sprout. They possess a long needle-sharp proboscis and it is through this that they feed and pass spores into their victims.

In combat, if the creature inflicts more than 5 points of damage in a single attack it's target has been implanted with spores, and must save vs poison to prevent those spores taking hold. Should this fail, the wound will itch and appear to fester over the course of one day, after which the victim will become paralysed and will die within three days. If a limb was struck by such an attack, removing that limb within three days will rid the victim of the spores. Cure Serious Wounds will also negate the spores effect on any part of the body. The spores will otherwise consume the victim and after 10 days 2-6 Ragwings possessing 1HD will sprout from the remains. A single example will sprout in the same time from any amputated limb that has not been destroyed.

Alternatively, the Ragwing will remain attached to its victim if it inflicts more than 3 points of damage in a single attack. It will then drain blood at the rate of 1 hit point per melee round unless destroyed. Once it has consumed blood equivalent to 8 hit points, it will detach itself and attempt to escape.

Should the creature lose all of its hit points from a single attack, its body will shatter and scatter spores over a 10' wide area. Anyone within this cloud must save vs poison or become incapacitated for 1-4 melee rounds.

Ragwings inhabit a variety of environments but seem to prefer those with high points from which they can dive on their victims.

Description: These creatures vary in colour depending on their environment: greenish-yellow in woodland and swamps, greyish blue in mountains, brownish-black in caves. When full of blood they take on a distinct reddish hue. Their bodies are a tangled mass of fibres surmounted by a 'head' that is full of spores. The wings are tattered and seem to shed small pieces when the creature moves. They are not particularly graceful in the air as their flight appears uncoordinated and ungainly, and when moving along any surface their wings seem to haphazardly drag the creature around. However, this can make their movement in combat somewhat difficult to predict.

Tomb Guardians...! (Part Three)

Further to my previous post, here is another tomb guardian...

BARROW HOUND

FREQUENCY: Rare

NO. APPEARING: 1-4
 
ARMOR CLASS: 4

MOVE: 12"

HIT DICE: 4

% IN LAIR: 0%

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 or special

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8, 2-8, 2-12

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Non

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: S

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

On first appearance, Barrow Dogs appear to be earthenware statues depicting a seated animal of a form loosely resembling a dog. They are placed in a wide variety of locations within tombs, e.g. flanking doorways and similar entrances, guarding sarcophagi or remains, and also sometimes placed on pillars, platforms or pedestals. They might also be placed at the exterior of a tomb, perhaps resembling a gargoyle or grotesque in such a setting. A hound will remain dormant until something or someone triggers some preset condition decided upon by the Dungeon Master to suit their particular adventure or situation. So, for example, a guardian might only be activated when a tomb is opened in some way, or if anything passes within a certain distance of the guardian, or if something (i.e. treasure etc) is touched or removed from a tomb.

 

Once activated, a ghostly howl will sound (audible to any creature within 4"), the Hound's eyes will become balls of fire and a strange light will seem to glow dimly within its mouth. It will attack with claws (2-8) or by biting (2-12) and will fight until destroyed. It will relentlessly pursue any fleeing or retreating quarry until that quarry moves a certain preset distance, or passes beyond a certain preset point, or is killed. It may also choose to attack by emitting a fireball-like object from its mouth. This has a range of 6" and inflicts 2-12 points of damage. However, it can only attack in this way every other round.

Barrow Hounds are immune to edged weapons but maces, clubs and similar weapons affect them normally. They are also immune to fire-based attacks, magical or mundane. If they are destroyed in their dormant state (in which they posses only 8 hit points), they will crumble into pieces. However, this will release a small fireball that rises 4 feet into the air and then explodes. Anything within 1" of this explosion will receive 2-12 points of damage.

 

Description: When dormant, Barrow Hounds appear to be quite crudely-made hollow figures constructed from fired clay, and posed as if sitting. Despite their name, they only resemble dogs in a rather distorted way, being misshapen and with odd details such as overly large teeth, wide eyes and gaping mouths. Some might be decorated with paint or gold leaf and all have incised details picked out along their bodies. These glow when the creature is active.

Tomb Guardians...! (Part Two)

Further to my previous post, here is another tomb guardian...

TREACHEROUS PILLAR

FREQUENCY: Very Rare

NO. APPEARING: 1-4
 
ARMOR CLASS: 3

MOVE: 8"

HIT DICE: 5

% IN LAIR: 0%

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 6

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12 (per tentacle), 3-18 (bite)

SPECIAL ATTACKS: bite, venomous tentacle

SPECIAL DEFENSES: None

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Non

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: L (10' tall in pillar form, 6' tall and 4' feet wide in amorphous form)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Treacherous Pillars are perhaps the most dangerous of creatures tasked with defending tombs. In their dormant form they resemble a pillar of various designs, but this this is merely the shell worn by the bizarre amorphous creature that resides within. Some are decorated with what appears to be gold, fine paintwork, and jewels (although these precious elements are artificial). Others will appear to be much more ordinary or roughly hewn. Any support they appear to provide to any given location is counterfeit, as it has been fashioned in such a way that the area around the pillar bears no load.

 

The pillar will remain dormant until something or someone triggers some preset condition decided upon by the Dungeon Master to suit their particular adventure or situation. So, for example, this guardian might only be activated when a tomb is opened in some way, or if anything passes within a certain distance of the creature, or if something (i.e. treasure etc) is touched or removed from a tomb.

 

When activated, the pillar will break apart into numerous pieces that will cover the surface of a large amorphous mass, and glowing eye-like objects and fanged mouths will appear all over the creature. It will attack by striking with its tentacles, and a successful attack with a roll of 18 or more will mean that a victim is dragged to one of its mouths, which in turn inflicts 3-18 points of damage per round. One tentacle is venomous and those struck by it must make a saving throw versus poison or die immediately.

 

It will pursue intruders until that they are killed, or if they pass beyond some point specified when the guardian was first placed within the tomb. If killed, the decorated parts of the pillar might possess will crumble into dust. Otherwise, once its task is complete it will return to its original position and assume its dormant form.

 

 

Tomb Guardians...! (Part One)

As Punkie Night - or as some of you call it, Halloween - is fast approaching, I thought I'd share some monsters that have been created specifically to protect the dead (and their treasures) in their tombs. The overarching concept behind these is that they are left inside or close to tombs and remain dormant until something or someone triggers some 'preset' decided upon by the Dungeon Master to suit their particular adventure or situation. So, for example, a guardian might only be activated when a tomb is opened in some way, or if anything passes within a certain distance of the guardian, or if certain items (i.e. treasure etc) is removed from a tomb. They can be created by various means, for example by reading from a magical scroll or sprinkled with the contents of a potion, or whatever other method the Dungeon Master chooses.

The first of these guardians is the...

SHIELD LORD

FREQUENCY: Rare

NO. APPEARING: 1-4
 
ARMOR CLASS: 4

MOVE: 10"

HIT DICE: 5

% IN LAIR: 0%

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 3

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12, 2-12 or by weapon (see below)

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Average

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: L

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

When dormant, these guardians will appear to be nothing more than general tomb detritus: piles of mummified bones and rags gathered around a tarnished and somewhat dilapidated bronze shield. Once activated, the shield will rise into the air and glow brightly whilst rags and two arms will rapidly form around it. At the same time, a scythe-like object will appear in its hands and the Shield Lord will fly towards its target.

In combat, the scythe attacks as a +2 weapon and inflicts 2-12 points of damage. The Shield Lord may also choose to attack with its taloned hands which, in addition to the damage they inflict, will also cause paralysation unless a successful saving throw is made. Although it usually drifts some 4 to 6 feet above the ground when moving, it is also capable of flight and may choose to attack from a higher point if space allows. 

 

A Shield Lord will fight until destroyed, at which point it will collapse back into its original form and its scythe will vanish. It will pursue its target until that target is killed, or if the target passes beyond some point specified when the guardian was first created. They are immune to Dispel Magic and cannot not be turned by clerics, but other magical attacks affect them normally.

Benefic Polymorph...!

BENEFIC POLYMORPH

FREQUENCY: Rare
 
NO. APPEARING: 1
 
ARMOR CLASS: 9

MOVE: 8"

HIT DICE: 5 hit points

% IN LAIR: 0%

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 0

DAMAGE/ATTACK: Nil

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Average

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: S

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

The Benefic Polymorph is a strange sentient creature whose normal form resembles a lump of blue clay-like material. Its purpose in life and what it feeds upon in order to survive in this form is not known, and it will only contact another sentient being in a very specific set of circumstances. If it senses that another being is missing a major limb, such as a hand, foot, leg or arm it will introduce itself and explain that it can help. It will explain that it can assume the form of that missing part and will function in its stead for the lifetime of its host. It requires nothing in return, save that the host treats with the same reverence as their other limbs. It speaks all known languages, including cants and alignment tongues and has a deferential, softly-spoken manner.

 

Should the prospective host agree to the offer, the polymorph will take the place of the missing limb and quickly assume it's form, but can no longer speak. It will look like an exact copy of it but will still have the appearance of blue clay, and tendrils will mark the join between the polymorph and the host. The host will then have a fully functioning limb that feels completely natural. It will not be any stronger, weaker, more dextrous nor more resilient than a normal limb (as defined by the player-character's statistics), and will feel heat, cold, etc in a normal manner.

 

However, the polymorph requires 1 hit point per year from its host, which cannot be regained via magic or healing. This will not be revealed to the host at any time. If the host's body is near death from unnatural causes (i.e. 1 hit point above zero), the polymorph will absorb the hit point, resume it's normal form and will attempt to scurry away. If the host is in a situation where they are killed instantly or die of old age, the polymorph will also resume its normal shape and flee if it can. If the host is attacked or involved in an accident or similar occurrence, there is a 20% chance that the polymorph is hit instead (unless the Dungeon Master or the situation rules otherwise). If more than 5 hit points of damage is then inflicted upon the polymorph, it dies and inflicts 1 point of damage on its former host. It quickly becomes greyish-green, amorphous and without any apparent bone structure but remains attached to the host. It can then only be removed by a reversed Regenerate spell.

 

The Benefic Polymorph is not choosy about who or what becomes its host being. It can remember all of its former hosts and is thought to live for many hundreds of years, possibly thousands. 

 

Captive examples are worth at least 5000 gold pieces, but if forced to become a body part whilst captive (i.e. threatened with death), it extracts 2 hit points per year from its host and 2 hit points when leaving a host that is near death.

Certain rumours state that two extremely rare, smaller types of polymorph exist. One is gold in colour and can only replace a host's missing eye. It is said to have the ability to see far into the distance and into the other Planes, to detect invisibility and have various other sight-based powers. The other, silver in colour, can only replace the host's tongue and allows them to speak all languages, cants and alignment tongues as well as converse with all animals and monsters.