Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Giant Hornet, Hound of Ill Omen, and Huecuva

The Giant Hornet and the Huecuva are pretty solid monsters. The Hound of Ill Omen is not properly a monster at all, but an event which might happen during game play. The Hound of Ill Omen is particularly punishing, so judges are advised both to be sparing in its use, and to flavor its appearance to match the deity or patron it is being associated with.

For instance, I could easily see the Hound sent by the King of Elfland as either a cù-sìth or a black dog, and I can easily see the patron threatening to unleash the Hound upon a recalcitrant client wizard or elf. Malotoch’s “Hound” of Ill Omen might well be an enormous raven instead. Use your imagination! There are no “right” or “wrong” answers here!

 

Hornet, Giant

Giant Hornet: Init +0; Atk Sting +2 melee (1d4 plus venom); AC 18; HD 5d8; MV 10’ or fly 60’; Act 1d20; SP Venom (1d6 damage, plus DC 15 Fort save or additional 2d6 damage and paralyzed for 3d6 rounds), easier to hit when grounded, smoke and fire vulnerability; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +0; AL N.

Giant hornets are very aggressive insects, about five feet long with a 10-foot wingspan. They normally live in coniferous and boreal forests, but are sometimes found underground. Their loud buzzing warns most creatures when these creatures are about; underground it can be heard at least 150 feet away, although intervening walls and doors may significantly shorten this distance.

Giant hornets attack with a dagger-like venomous sting. Sufficient smoke and flame (as determined by the judge) reduces the effectiveness of the hornet's attack, causing it to strike at a -1d penalty on the dice chain (or even greater). If struck by a successful fire-based attack, a giant hornet must succeed in a DC 10 Reflex save or lose the ability to fly until healed. A grounded giant hornet is easier to hit, whether because it has lost the ability to fly or because it has otherwise landed (+4 to attack rolls against it).

Judges are encouraged to use the rules on pp. 150-152 of the DCC Annual Volume 1 to make unique varieties of giant hornets.

 

 

Hound of Ill Omen

One of the legendary beasts whose appearance portends death, this creature only appears to one who has seriously offended their deity or a powerful patron. It appears only to its chosen victim; others present see and hear nothing, save for a faint echoing baying, far off like the ghost of a hunt. To the chosen victim, the hound appears as a dark, shadowy wolfhound, almost as tall at the shoulder as a full-grown man. It appears instantaneously and remains in view only for a few seconds, emitting a booming howl only its chosen victim can hear, and then vanishes.

The hound of ill omen cannot be harmed in any way. Some believe that only one of these creatures exists, while others believe that the hound is nothing more than a manifestation of potent supernatural will.

The chosen victim immediately loses half of their current Luck (which is replenished at a rate of 1 point per day, even if the victim is of a class that normally does not regain Luck). Worse, the next 1d10 successful attacks against the chosen victim have their crit range increased by 1, and do double damage if a critical hit is not achieved. Finally, until the chosen victim’s Luck is restored, no magical healing (such as from potions or a cleric’s Lay on Hands) has any affect on them.

 

 

Huecuva

Huecuva: Init +0; Atk Touch +1 melee (1d6 plus disease); AC 17; HD 2d12; MV 20’; Act 2d20; SP Un-dead, disease, alter form, immunity to non-magical weapons, silver vulnerability; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +12; AL C.

The dread huecuva is a semi-corporeal un-dead spirit. It appears to be a robed skeleton, but it can alter its form, allowing it to appear as a living being in order to entice still-breathing victims into its grasp. To touch or be touched by a huecuva has the same outcome – 1d6 damage and, unless a DC 12 Fort save succeeds, a cardiovascular disease causing 1d3 points of temporary Stamina each hour for 1d8 hours. A victim who survives this disease heals the lost Stamina damage normally.

Because the huecuva is only semi-corporeal, most weapons pass through it without harm to the un-dead being. Magic weapons do damage normally however, and silver weapons do double damage.