Spiders...! (Part One)

The first in a series about spiders...

WHIP SPIDERS

Whip Spider (Lesser)

FREQUENCY: Uncommon
 
NO. APPEARING: 1-8
 
ARMOR CLASS: 4

MOVE: 8"

HIT DICE: 4 +4

% IN LAIR: 30%

TREASURE TYPE: C

NO. OF ATTACKS: 3

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-12, 1-12, 1-12

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralyzation

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Animal

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: L (12' long, excluding forelegs)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Whip spiders are large mountain-dwelling creatures whose forelegs are some 20' long and very flexible. They use these to capture prey across passes and crevasses as well as for climbing steep rock faces. They see equally well in daylight or in complete darkness and sometimes hang by their rearmost legs from cave ceilings to wait for passing prey. Their colouration and the rough surface of their body makes them particularly difficult to see and this, combined with the long reach of their forelegs, means that they surprise on a roll of 1-3 (on a 6-sided die). The tip of each foreleg ends in a small claw that can inflict 1-12 points of damage, and those struck must save vs paralyzation or become completely immobilised. A victim may then be dragged towards the spider's fangs and drained of 1-12 hit points per turn. When not in use, the forelegs loop back over the creature's body.

These creatures do not spin webs, choosing instead to make lairs in deep caves and sometimes within dungeons and other subterranean places. If encountered in their lair, there is a 50% chance that 2-12 hatchlings will also be present. These have 1HD +4 but do not possess a paralysing attack from their 5' long forelegs. Their claw and bite attacks inflict 1-4 points of damage. 

 

Whip Spider (Greater)

FREQUENCY: Rare
 
NO. APPEARING: 1
 
ARMOR CLASS: 2

MOVE: 6"

HIT DICE: 6

% IN LAIR: 75%

TREASURE TYPE: C

NO. OF ATTACKS: 7

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-20 (per foreleg), 3-18

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralyzation

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Animal

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: L (20' long, excluding forelegs)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

This rarer form of Whip Spider often chooses to reside within gullies, pits and similar locations. Each 30' long foreleg is made up of three long sections that can act independently, two of which are kept outside the creature's lair. In this manner they can detect the approach of prey and are particularly difficult to see, thus surprising on a roll of 1-4 (on a 6-sided die). When attacking, the spider will attempt to paralyze victims and those failing a saving throw will be dragged into its lair, where its fangs will drain 3-18 points of damage per turn. Each foreleg also inflicts 2-20 points of damage with every successful attack.

There is a 25% chance that the lair will also contain 1-3 Lesser Whip Spiders, as well as 1-6 2HD hatchlings. These possess four 10' long forelegs each capable of inflicting 1-8 points of damage, as well as possessing the ability to paralyze their victim. Their bite also inflicts 1-8 points of damage.   

Note: For both varieties of Whip Spider, any treasure will be found within the remains of previous victims. Also, the Dungeon Master may rule that an encounter with a Lesser or Greater Whip Spider might include one or more individuals in transit and carrying hatchlings upon their backs. However, such an encounter will provide no treasure.

Flame Snail...

It seems that not everyone is a fan of 1E AD&D's Fiend Folio. I kind of understand this, as initially upon first reading through it I wasn't sure how and why I could use the various monsters when so many have a frequency of Very Rare. Admittedly a fair few of the monsters are pretty left-field but, to be honest, that's what I find appealing about both the Fiend Folio and Monster Manual in general. I mean, why should any of the monsters in D&D make sense? Why can't there be Flumpfs?

Anyway, one of my favourite monsters from the Fiend Folio is the Flail Snail. To me, it ticks various boxes: it's a typically odd D&D monster, it has some interesting capabilities, and it just generally fits into the world of D&D in the sense that it seems to be something that's part-magical, part-mundane.

With that in mind, I thought I'd design a few other creatures inspired by it, the first being the...

FLAME SNAIL

FREQUENCY: Very rare
 
NO. APPEARING: 1
 
ARMOR CLASS: 4

MOVE: 4"

HIT DICE: 4-6

% IN LAIR: 0%

TREASURE TYPE: Nil

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 per tentacle

DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Low

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: L

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Flame Snails appear to be a smaller (6' tall) relative of the Flail Snail but, instead of clubs, each of its tentacles ends in a fiery bulb. When attacking, each of these can emit a globule of burning matter out to a range of 20' which inflicts 2-12 points of damage for 3 rounds, unless extinguished. At close range, these can instead strike a target and inflict 2-12 points of damage. 6HD Flame Snails have a single tentacle that can emit a Fireball, the snail casting as a third-level Magic User. It has one tentacle for every hit die that it possesses and each tentacle has its own hit points.

Should all of these tentacles be destroyed, the body will be quickly withdrawn into the shell and the snail will die in 1-4 turns. Upon death, the shell explodes violently, spreading burning matter and fragments over an area some 50' in diameter. Any creature within this area will receive 3-18 points of damage. There is a 50% chance that their clothing, skin, hair, fur, etc will continue to burn for 3 turns (unless extinguished by normal means) inflicting a further 1-6 points of damage per round.

The snail casts a faint glow and emits great heat out to 2' from it's body. This heat will ignite any flammable material it moves through or over and will temporarily blind any creatures possessing infravision unless they distance themselves from it by at least 50'. Flame Snails are not known for their speed, but should any victim fall beneath it they will receive 1-8 points of damage per round by being crushed by the snail's weight and burnt by the heat it generates. Flame-based attacks, magical or mundane, will have no effect upon it and will simply allow the snail to regain 1 HD of hit points per attack, should it have lost any previously. Cold-based attacks inflict double damage.

Intact shells are very rare and usually only found when a Flame Snail has died naturally. The shell weighs 150 pounds (1500 gold pieces weight) and can be fashioned into items that are completely resistant to heat and flames, magical or mundane. A complete shell is worth 7-8000 gold pieces, although artificers who can work the shell might prove difficult to find.

Flame Snails are a vivid orange in colour streaked with bright yellow and its tentacles are blackish-red. Its shell is yellow-white and semi-opaque. Strange flames and burning shapes seem to roil within it. 

Cave Elephant...

 

Inspired by elephants who occasionally go underground...

CAVE ELEPHANT

FREQUENCY: Uncommon

NO. APPEARING: 3-30
 
ARMOR CLASS: 3 (or 5 - see below)

MOVE: 12"

HIT DICE: 9

% IN LAIR: 20%

TREASURE TYPE: Z

NO. OF ATTACKS: 5

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12, 2-12, 1-10, 1-10, 1-8 

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralyzation, confusion

SPECIAL DEFENSES: None

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard

INTELLIGENCE: Average

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

SIZE: L (6' tall, 8' long)

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil

       Attack/Defense Modes: Nil   

These subterranean creatures have adapted an underground life and have also acquired various means to protect themselves. To dwarves and gnomes they are generally known as 'Iron Eaters'. In fact, Cave Elephants will occasionally co-operate with either in order to find veins of precious metals and stones, although all attempts to domesticate the elephants have ended disastrously, as they are ordinarily bad-tempered.

 

Cave Elephants will always be encountered in underground places and never venture above ground, being completely blind in natural sunlight. Powerful light sources (such as those created by magic) will confuse them for 1d3 turns. They normally use infravision and a bat-like sonar to find their way in complete darkness, although they can also see normally in low light environments. Their elongated bodies, powerful claws and forearms allow them to navigate confined spaces and also dig through solid stone at 1" per turn and through loam at four times that rate. Powerful teeth enable them to consume rocks, and it is thought that they gain some sustenance from the consumption of iron-bearing rocks. They are adept at locating these and those containing other metals, including precious varieties, as well as rocks bearing precious stones. The elephants seem to possess an unusual interest in gold, electrum and precious stones in any form and thus may seek to acquire them from parties of adventurers or from caches, treasuries, etc within dungeons.

 

They will usually avoid contact with miners and adventuring parties unless they believe that they can gain from it in some way, either by co-operating or by the use of force. When attacking, steely talons on each forelimb inflict 2-12 points of damage or they can lash out with their trunk to inflict 1-10 points of damage. The tip of the trunk and the tail are both capable of delivering a sting that will incapacitate a victim unless they save vs. paralysation. Trampling a victim with their feet inflicts 1-10 points of damage. The trunk can also grab and crush dwarf-size or smaller victims, inflicting 1-8 points of damage. Lastly, eye-like objects situated below the creature's eyes will cause confusion for 1-6 melee rounds to any intelligent creature who looks at them squarely and fails to save vs magic. They are immune to fire and cold attacks, magical or otherwise.

 

They will readily attack goblins, orcs and kobolds unless very outnumbered, and will consume any that they kill. Similarly, anyone killed during combat with them will be eaten or taken away to be consumed at some later time, as the elephants are not averse to carrion. Any armour, weapons, possessions, etc will eaten along with the flesh and bones. Only treasure, in the form of coins, gems or items decorated with such, will be spared and taken to the elephants lair. Magical items will only be kept if they are decorated with precious metals or gems.

 

Cave Elephant lairs have a 50% chance of containing a single 4HD young elephant, as well as the treasure type listed above. Encountering more than 10 Cave Elephants will indicate that a larger lair has been located. 1-4 of these individuals will be 4 HD young. If 20 or more Cave Elephants are encountered, the lair will also contain a single 10' tall 12 HD individual whose attacks deliver 3-18, 3-18, 2-12, 2-12, 1-10 respectively. There will also be 1-10 4HD young.

 

They have their own language with which they can communicate over great distances, although this cannot normally be heard by other creatures. They can also speak Dwarven and Gnomish, albeit haltingly and with a limited vocabulary. 12 HD individuals may also have a limited grasp of Common. They have superb memories and will recognise anyone they have met previously and can recall past events with ease. Similarly, their hearing is excellent and thus they are only surprised on a roll of 1.

 

Dwarves and gnomes generally have taboos about using the hide, etc of dead Cave Elephants, given their respect for them. Goblins, orcs and kobolds however will readily attempt to use the hide to reinforce their armour, despite the hide being extremely resistant to working. As such, it is usually only worn by leaders and chieftains and reduces their AC by two points (i.e an armour with AC6 becomes AC4 when reinforced with the hide). The elephant's claws and teeth are repurposed as pickaxes and other mining tools.

 

Description: Cave Elephants are various shades of grey or greyish-yellow in colour, appearing smoother and less wrinkled than their surface dwelling cousins. Their heads, shoulders, forearms and trunk are dotted with clusters of darker patches of stone-like concretions and these parts have AC3. The rearmost part of the animal (an an area midway along the spine and ending with the rear legs and tail) is generally devoid of such patches and is AC5. Their claws are blueish-black and resemble tempered steel. The elephant's undersides and the tips of the trunk and tail are pinkish grey. It is thought that they live for 350-500 years and there are rumours that their graveyards, hidden deep underground, contain large hordes of treasure.