Thorn Fiend...!

THORN FIEND

FREQUENCY: Uncommon
 
NO. APPEARING: 3-12
 
ARMOR CLASS: 5

MOVE: 8"

HIT DICE: 4

% IN LAIR: 0%

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 3

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

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Smash

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Non-

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: M

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Thorn Fiends are a weird amalgam of plant, fungus and crustacean. They are most commonly found in dense woodland and forests, although there are several species which reside within swamps, jungles and rainforests. During the day and night they are usually dormant but are active in the twilight hours or just before dawn. They hunt in packs and seem to have some way of silently communicating with each other at a distance, choosing locations where they can wait and attack at once from several different directions. Thorn Fiends are adept at hiding in dense undergrowth, although dogs may (on a roll of 1 on 1d6) be alerted to their presence.

 

When attacking, Thorn Fiends lash out with thorn-covered tendrils which can extend to a distance of 20 feet. They may then attempt to drag their victim towards them and then smash at them with their thorn-covered heads, inflicting 2-12 points of damage per round. The chance of a character breaking free of the tendrils is the same as that for opening doors, but even then it will require two rounds before they have untangled themselves completely. The remains of any victims will fall amongst the creature's root-like 'feet' and be reduced to nothing but bones and clothing/armour in 1-3 hours.

Thorn Fiends are quite resistant to attacks by fire, which only inflict half damage upon them. Likewise, edged weapons have all damage rolls reduced by 2 points. Blunt weapons and cold attacks affect them normally. Electrical attacks will cause them to explode and anyone within 20' will sustain 2-12 points of damage. Should any of their tendrils be removed, they can grow a replacement in 3 rounds.

Description: These creatures resemble a tree trunk surmounted by a roundish 'head', both of which are festooned with numerous thorns that jut out in every direction. They move around by using both their tendrils and their 'feet'. Their bodies and tendrils are blackish-brown and are covered with lichens and mosses, which helps in some way to camouflage them.  

Stone Spitter...!

This is another post inspired by one of the creatures from the Weird Medieval Guys twitter feed. I've included the original illustration at the end of this post.

STONE SPITTER

FREQUENCY: Rare
 
NO. APPEARING: 2-4
 
ARMOR CLASS: 5/7

MOVE: 9"/20"

HIT DICE: 3

% IN LAIR: 20%

TREASURE TYPE: B

NO. OF ATTACKS: 3

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6, 1-6, 1-8

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Stones

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Animal

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: M

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Stone Spitters (sometimes also known as Archer or Sling Birds) are large wading avians who live at the edges of rivers, swamps and similar watery places. They will always be encountered as a mating pair, possibly with one or two young. Each pair will patrol a territory that covers several square miles around their lair, which will either be hidden with reeds or in a suitably large tree not far from the water's edge. If encountered in flight, they will be travelling in search of a new patch of territory.

 

They are normally quite shy creatures unless an incursion into their territory approaches their lair, in which case they will attack without hesitation. In melee they may chose to lash out with their powerfully taloned feet (inflicting 1-6 points of damage) or stab with their long pointed beaks (inflicting 1-8 points of damage). Alternatively, it may choose to fire stones at an opponent, launching them from its beak. When doing so, it inflates the bellows-like part of its breast while regurgitating stones from its gizzard to its crop. Air forced through the beak by the bellows is then used to launch these stones at high speed at one or more opponents, out to a range of 30 feet (60 feet if the creature is airborne). These stones inflict damage as if they were sling bullets, and the bird may focus up to five of these per round at one target (requiring only one attack roll) or spread them at multiple targets within a cone up to 20 feet wide (but making a separate attack roll for each). The Stone Spitter will have up to 60 stones within its body to use for this purpose. The stones may also be covered by noisome substances from within the creature's gizzard, and thus there is a 20% chance that any skin struck by one will become infected and inflict a further one hit point of damage per hour unless suitably treated (i.e. via first aid or Cure Light Wounds). The body of a Stone Spitter has an Armour Class of 7 but the tough scaly beak and head has an Armour Class of 5. Their young have 4 hit points and inflict 1-2, 1-2, and 1-4 points of damage respectively. They possess the ability to fire a single stone per round at opponents, inflicting 1-3 points of damage.

 

Stone Spitters have no interest in treasure and thus any found at their lair will be whatever remains of previous unsuccessful invaders of their territory that have not been washed downstream.

Description: Adult Stone Spitters are 6 feet tall with long black-grey legs. Their plumage is orange-brown along their neck and underbelly, and their wings are blue with white-blue undersides. Their eyes are bright red and when expanded their breast is a vivid mauve. Their head and beak are dark blue-black. Their young are 2 to 3 feet tall and mottled grey-blue all over.

  

Flocktopus...!

This week's creature is the...

FLOCKTOPUS

FREQUENCY: Rare
 
NO. APPEARING: 20-200
 
ARMOR CLASS: 7

MOVE: 12"

HIT DICE: 3 hit points

% IN LAIR: 50%

TREASURE TYPE: B

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-2

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Animal

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: S (6" wide, excluding wings)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

These normally timid creatures reside within caves or underground places were there are pools or flows of water. They subsist on the moulds, fungi and various invertebrates that live in such places, but sometimes actively prey on larger creatures (see below).

 

They will normally avoid contact with adventuring parties, but noise and the presence of light sources (such as torches and the like) will cause them to gather in the air and fly around in a confused manner. This in turn will mean that there is a 2 in 6 chance (on 1d6) per round that one or more of them will collide with individuals within a party and their tentacles will instinctively grab onto whatever surface it has flown into. Should any attached Flocktopus be struck rather than brushed away, it will fasten itself to whatever it has hit and let out a peculiar high-pitched squeak, and cannot be removed unless killed or wrenched free by someone possessing a Strength of 15 or greater. This squeak will immediately attract 1d3 other Flocktopi per round, who will also fasten themselves to the target and the creatures will begin to bite at anything to which they have become attached. They possesses small beaks which are quite capable of piercing cloth, leather, wood, metal and flesh and using them requires no attack roll once they are attached. Unless killed or pulled free, only a large fire or very bright light source will cause them to retreat en masse.

There is a 20% chance that when a group of Flocktopi are encountered they are seeking out larger creatures (animals, monsters, humans and demi-humans) in order to propagate their species, and may even travel some distance from their lair in order to do so (albeit only at night). They will attack by actively swarming over their chosen target, and can only be dealt with in the manner described above. There is a 20% chance during such a massed attack that one Flocktopus bite will pass a tiny spore into the body of their prey, unless a Saving Throw versus Poison is made. This wound will immediately become swollen and sore. Should the Saving Throw throw fail, in 1-3 days days the victim will become gradually weaker and unable to perform any sort of task other than walking. Their head will begin to swell and take on a pale greenish colour, and over the course of one week their facial features will become distorted. The mouth and nose will begin to sprout tentacle-like extrusions and the eyes will bulge grotesquely. The victim will then die but still be capable of movement, and will make their way to the nearest Flocktopus lair. Their final act will be to throw themselves into the pool or water source about which the Flocktopus live, at which point the head will detach from the body and a fully-formed Flocktopus will emerge. Only Cure Serious Wounds can stop this process, but it must be cast within one day of the initial bite.

The treasure found within Flocktopus lairs are from the remains of such victims.

Description: Flocktopi are pale green in colour, with numerous pale yellow spots. Their eyes are bright purple or pink, edged with gold. In flight they appear somewhat ungainly. When resting, they hang from the ceiling of their lair by their tentacles.

Carnyx...!

Inspired by an Iron Age war trumpet, here is the...

CARNYX

FREQUENCY: Rare
 
NO. APPEARING: 2-4
 
ARMOR CLASS: 5

MOVE: 14"

HIT DICE: 4

% IN LAIR: 15%

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 2

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8, 1-6

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

Carnyx are large serpent-like hunters that favour open grassland or lightly wooded areas. They are fearless and readily prey on creatures larger than themselves, including elephants and the like. They are also very territorial and will attack adventuring parties should they come close to an area the Carnyx has defined as its own, usually centred around an outcrop of rock, a large tree or some other distinct spot within the landscape. Their well-camouflaged lair will also be secreted somewhere with this territory and the Carnyx will defend it to the death. Although it may appear that they live in small bands of 2-4 individuals, they actually reside within a widely spaced group of 10-20 that will act co-operatively to face threats or to hunt herds of other animals should the need arise.

 

In combat these creatures will use their bite (for 1-8 points of damage) or lash out with their tail (for 1-6 points of damage). Against larger prey, including adventuring parties, they may choose to utter an extremely loud piercing howl. Individuals failing to make a saving throw at -2 will be subject to one of the following effects (rolled on a d100):

 

01-25: stunned for 1d3 rounds but with some mobility; all attacks at -2 and unable to speak.

26-50: stunned for 1d3 rounds but with some mobility; all attacks at -5, spell-casting time doubled.

51-75: drop all objects held in hands, fall to the ground and unconscious for 1d3 rounds.

76-00: drop all objects held in hands and flee in opposite direction for 1d3 rounds at full movement rate.

 

These effects will be focused on an area 2" wide and 8" long in whichever direction the Carnyx is facing. It may only utter this howl once every 3 rounds but each use has a 20% chance of attracting a further pair of Carnyx, who will arrive in 2-8 rounds.

Description: Carnyx have long sinewy bodies with yellowish bellies and rough skin mottled with various shades of green, dark yellow and brown. Their brownish-red heads are long with a pig-like snout. Their mouths are a vivid magenta and their eyes are yellow edged with red. Patches of blue-black bristles run from the top of their head and along their spine. The most remarkable feature of the Carnyx is a pair of large leaf-shaped objects projecting from their heads which have an appearance similar to burnished brass.

Carnyx eggs resemble rocks and could easily be mistaken as such. Normally found in clutches of two to three, they are prized because the young can be reared and used during sieges (wild adults are untameable). Because of this, a single egg is worth 1-2000 gold pieces. 

Fire-Tailed Drake

This week's monster was inspired by imagery for the very amusing Weird Medieval Guys Twitter account. I've included the picture that created this idea at the end of this post:

FIRE-TAILED DRAKE

FREQUENCY: Very Rare
 
NO. APPEARING: 1
 
ARMOR CLASS: 3

MOVE: 15"

HIT DICE: 5

% IN LAIR: 10%

TREASURE TYPE: T, V

NO. OF ATTACKS: 3

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

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: None

MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%

INTELLIGENCE: Average

ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Neutral

SIZE: L  (8' tall)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Fire-tailed Drakes are reclusive creatures who prefer to hunt at night in woodland. Despite their name, they are not dragons but do have some features that resemble them, especially their reptile-like skin and claws. Always encountered singly, it is not known how they reproduce and any lair encountered will be high within the trunk of an old rotting tree. They are very agile creatures, being able to jump up to 15 feet in one bound, and are adept at climbing.

 

In combat, they can attack with their bite (2-8 points of damage), the claws on their front or rear feet (2-12 points of damage) or lash out with their sharply-barbed tail (2-12 points of damage). They may also choose to attack with a magical flame that issues from their tail, and those struck by it will suffer 3-24 points of damage per round unless a saving throw vs wands is made. These flames will die out after 3 rounds and can only be extinguished by magical means (i.e. by casting Quench Fire).

 

Fire-tailed Drakes seem to be particularly interested in magical items and those individuals possessing the ability to cast spells. They have an odd habit of collecting their heads of such foes and their lairs will also contain the magical items that they once owned in life. 

 

If the creature is killed, its body will be immediately and wholly consumed by magical flames and anyone within 10' must save vs wands or receive 1-8 points of damage. However, its tail possesses one quarter of its hit points and, should any attacker successfully sever it, the remains of the creature will remain intact at death. Its claws may then be used in a similar way to flints for the purposes of creating fire. Should three of the numerous talon-like spines from its back be placed within a glass vessel or lantern and shaken, they will glow and provide light equivalent to a torch for one hour until agitated again.

The endmost part of its tail is a coral-like material that is brilliant white in colour. It will weigh 2d6 pounds and is highly prized in the manufacture of magical items that either protect from or emit flames. A pound of this material is worth 500 gold pieces.

 

Description: Fire-tailed Drakes are long-limbed and have dog-like faces with prominent and oddly curved ears. They see equally well by day and by night and have excellent hearing. Their bodies are pinkish yellow with distinct areas of russet red. Their claws are blue-black while their spines are a vivid blue-white.

 

Shrooms...! (Part Two)

FLUMPH MOTHER

FREQUENCY: Rare
 
NO. APPEARING: 1
 
ARMOR CLASS: 8

MOVE: 3"

HIT DICE: 4

% IN LAIR: Nil

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 0

DAMAGE/ATTACK: Paralysis

SPECIAL ATTACKS: As above

SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Non-

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: L  (20' wide, 20' tall)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Flumph Mothers are so named because of their symbiotic relationship with flumphs (see the Fiend Folio, p.39). They are a large spherical fungus that contains numerous bladder-like chambers within which flumphs mate and deposit their young. After successfully breeding, the flumphs die and their bodies provide sustenance for the Mother. Despite their ungainly and bizarre appearance, seeing one is regarded as good luck by farmers, who welcome the deposits of fertilizing nutrients the Mother occasionally produces as it moves from place to place. At the same time, wilfully destroying one of them is seen as inviting bad luck, and will provoke the ire of the flumphs that reside with it.

 

The Mother has no means of attacking opponents but does have several ways of defending itself. Its skin and the numerous growths that festoon it will paralyse any creature that touches them (unless they make a successful save vs paralyzation). There is a 1-3 chance (on 1d6) that striking the Mother will create a small rupture from which noisome fluids will spurt forth out to a range of 1". These fluids create an appalling stink that lasts for 1-3 hours and any victim struck by them must be shunned by their companions out to a distance of 50 feet. This stink will also attract wandering monsters who feed on carrion or waste. 

 

The Mother will always be accompanied by a swarm of 2-8+2 flumphs, who will normally not attack unless provoked or if the Mother itself is attacked. 2-16 flumphs will reside within the Mother and will only venture outside to defend it if their host loses more than 50% of its hit points. If the Mother is destroyed, it will burst into large pieces that quickly become a vivid green and release great quantities of the liquids described above (with the same chance of being struck it them). Any creatures within 3" also have a 1-2 chance (on 1d6) of being struck by a caustic form of the liquid, which inflicts 1-3 points of damage for 1-6 turns unless it is negated by magical means. Flumphs are unaffected by this fluid. The destruction of the Mother will also attract wandering monsters (as described above) and pollute the ground below it for 2-8 years.

 

Flumph Mothers have a limited form of mobility, being mostly carried by the direction of strong breezes or draughts. Gasses contained within them (created by rotting matter) provide some buoyancy and they possess wing-like appendages that provide a limited form of propulsion when needed. These creatures are usually encountered in foothills and similar places close to mountains, and it's thought that this is where they might originally spore and grow. However, no-one has ever seen examples of this nascent form. One theory posits that flumphs themselves have the ability to create the Mothers by affecting mundane forms of fungus in some way. Flumph Mothers will only be encountered in dungeons possessing very spacious rooms and corridors, and even then only those connected to large and voluminous cave systems where they may have become trapped. If one of these creatures is encountered near a settled place, it will have been blown there. As it is so large, the flumphs that accompany it have no ability to steer it in any way.

 

Description: Flumph Mothers are yellowish white in colour and have random semi-opaque patches, within which indistinct shapes can be seen. Flumphs access the interior via a large tube-like growth close to its topmost part. The creature's body is resistant to both mundane and magical cold and fire attacks but is affected normally by those that are lightning-based. Flumph Mothers seem to have a lifespan of 10-20 years and their remains at the end of its life become bright red. These are highly prized by farmers as an additive to fertilizers and mulches, and they will pay up to 2000 gps for each hit dice-worth of remains they wish to acquire.    

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.