Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Bonesnapper and Booka

Each of these posts has started with an image of the Fiend Folio on the left, and enough reminisces or meanderings to match the text to the size of the picture (at least, as it appears on my screen). There is some part of me that wants these posts to look good (again, at least to me), yet there is a limit to what I can say about particular monsters. This well is going to run dry long before I finished all the conversions for this book!

I don’t have any fond memories from using bonesnappers. I don’t believe that I ever did. That the creature collects bones, and particularly jawbones, does provide a good detail for creating atmosphere and context. This is especially true if the judge allows the PCs to discover scavenged corpses with bones missing, and then the scattered bones themselves. Finally, because the creature is fairly slow and well-armored, with a reasonable number of hit points, adventurers using hit-and-run tactics might gain a distinct advantage. I would imagine that bonesnappers lair in twisty caverns where missile weapons cannot be used effectively.

Conversely, depictions of fey-type creatures in early Dungeons & Dragons were pretty lousy. Brownies and leprechauns are not (generally) combat opponents. Other fey-types from the Monster Manual had a tendency to steal comely PCs away, which is folklorically accurate, it wasn’t necessarily fun. In effect, these became “save or die” monsters where death only lasted a year or so.

One thing I can honestly say is that Wizards of the Coast, and, more importantly, third-party publishers of the era like Goodman Games, did fey better than TSR did. The only real exceptions to this were to be found in the Fiend Folio, or, earlier, in the pages of White Dwarf. These faeries were more than annoyances, or monsters to be fought or avoided. They felt like they fit into the landscape of the game.

 

 

Bonesnapper

Bonesnapper: Init -2; Atk bite +3 melee (1d8); AC 16; HD 4d10+8; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP: Infravision 60’, tail sweep (+0 melee, 1d4 damage); SV Fort +6; Ref -2; Will -2; AL N.

The bonesnapper is a slow, stupid descendent of a long-extinct carnosaur. It has an instinctive drive to collect the bones (and, most obsessively, jawbones) of various creatures, and uses these to decorate its subterranean lair. Both males and females use these bone collections to attract mates, and the larger the collection, the tougher the bonesnapper tends to be (usually in terms of hit points, but the judge may adjust attack modifiers, damage, saves, and/or hit dice to reflect a particularly strong or weak specimen.

If a bonesnapper succeeds in its bite attack, it gets a free attempt to sweep its tail at the same opponent (+0 to hit, 1d4 damage).

 

 

Booka

Booka: Init +5; Atk none; AC 13; HD 1d4; MV 30’ or fly 50’; Act 1d20; SP Invisible at will, faerie tricks; SV Fort -3; Ref +6; Will +3; AL C.

Booka are foot-high faeries which dwell in attics, in eaves, and on sunny rooftops. They hate cold, staying indoors and close to chimneys in winter months or colder climes. On  bright, sunny mornings they sweep the stairs or porch of the place they dwell in when there is nobody around to observe them. If disturbed during such tasks, booka grow angry. If the inhabitants of the home are lucky, the booka immediately remove to a new house. If they are unlucky, the booka will target them with pranks until they earn forgiveness.

Booka become invisible at will (increasing AC by +4 and causing a 50% chance for a miss even on a successful hit). They play tricks on those who anger them, and evil creatures (whom they hate), if given the opportunity. These tricks include hiding valued objects; tangling things like rope, hair, and clothing; and generally causing trouble. If a booka is captured or harmed in any way, this trouble becomes worse, resulting in situations where a DC 1d5+9 Fort or Reflex save is required to avoid 1d3 points of bodily harm.

Nor is making amends to the booka a simple matter. Freeing a captive is not enough. Bribes of gold, gems, jewelry, and even magic items may be placed as offerings on a rooftop, but their disappearance is not proof that the bookas are placated. If they remain angry, bookas will eventually arrange some sort of fatal accident, setting all manner of snares and traps for the subject(s) of their ire.

See also Brownies.