Let’s Convert the Hawkmoon Bestiary: Sea Dragon, Stenchrunner, Swampsnapper, War Jaguar, and Wraith-Folk of Soryandum

This is a bit of a longer post, but the goal is to finish off creature conversions from the Hawkmoon role-playing game. Again, I am finding creatures which the 1e Fiend Folio seems to pay homage to. The stenchrunner is very different in some ways to the witherstench, but I would think the latter was inspired by the former. Similarly, the swampsnapper may well have provided the inspiration for the bonesnapper.

As always, I am adjusting material to meet DCC’s design, and using the Hawkmoon bestiary, rather then the original source material, as the basis of statistics.

Sea Dragon

Sea Dragon: Init +0; Atk claw +10 melee (1d8) or bite +10 melee (1d12) or tail lash +10 melee (1d20) or wing buffet +10 melee (2d12); AC 23; HD 8d12; MV 60’ or fly 120’ or swim 120’; Act 4d20; SV Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +8; AL N.

Although not true dragons, sea dragons are fearsome foes which are formidable on land, in water, and in the air. They serve the Runestaff, but are themselves thoroughly evil, and sometimes attack coastal settlements. Luckily, they are also weaker than true dragons, and lack both breath weapon and spells.

Stenchrunner

Stenchrunner: Init +0; Atk bite +0 melee (1d6) or claw +2 melee (1d4); AC 12; HD 2d8; MV 30’ or climb 30’; Act 2d20; SP stench, stealth +4; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +0; AL C.

Stenchrunners are nocturnal baboon-like creatures with toothed bird-like beaks and long cat-like claws. They inhabit ruined cities, where they stealthily stalk and ambush prey. Their oily fur gives off a nauseating reek, and any other creature within 10’ of a stenchrunner takes an automatic -2 penalty to attack rolls, AC, and spell checks as a result, unless they have no sense of smell. When stenchrunners attack, they emit a horrible hissing sound.

Swampsnapper

Swampsnapper: Init +4; Atk bite +2 melee (1d8) or claw +3 melee (1d4); AC 14; HD 4d8; MV 30’ or or swim 30’; Act 2d20; SP stealth +10, leap; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0; AL C.

These fast-breeding marshland creatures have alligator-like snouts and squat, heavily bristled bodies. They can leap up to 10’ as part of a move, using their muscular legs for power and their long thick tails for balance. They vary greatly in color, but all can hide in marshy environments and move stealthily, often sneaking up and leaping upon prey. They lay heaps of eggs in mud nests, which hatch into young capable of hunting in 1d3 weeks.

Swampsnappers are evil-tempered, and once they have set their mind on eating a particular creature, nothing short of death can change it. Some magic, such as charm person and forget, may dull this instinct for a while, but never permanently. Luckily, swampsnappers are extremely stupid.

War Jaguar

War Jaguar: Init +4; Atk bite +7 melee (1d10+3) or claws +4 melee (1d5+3) or tail lash +3 melee (1d6); AC 16; HD 6d8; MV 40’ or climb 20’ or swim 30’; Act 3d20; SP rake, stealthy (+6 to surprise), tracking; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +5; AL N.

War jaguars are enormous creatures with heads as large as those of oxen. Their backs are lined with a foot-high row of yellow spines, running down to their barb-tipped tails. Bred long ago in Asia Communista, they are incapable of breeding, but their natural lifespans are millennia long. Although magic may give limited control over these vicious animals, hungry war jaguars will sometimes attack their handlers and trainers when using more conventional methods.

 Wraith-Folk of Soryandum

Wraith-Folk: Init +4; Atk none; AC 10; HD 1d6; MV fly 30’ or swim 30’; Act 1d20; SP immaterial, carry, hide +10, ESP; SV Fort +0; Ref +4; Will +8; AL N.

Similar to the Great Good Ones, the Wraith-folk also gave up corporeal existence to survive the Tragic Millennium. They are immaterial, and therefore immune to most attacks, although some forms of magical energy may harm them at the judge’s discretion. They are able to carry creatures up to human-sized individually (or larger as a group) while flying or moving through water.  Because they exist in another dimension, they are difficult to see and can hide very easily. They have a limited form of ESP, by reading mental vibrations, which allows them to discern intentions and to tell friends from foes.

The Wraith-folk have no effective attacks, although they can give guidance and instruction to those they deem friends. Before they transferred to the other dimension, the Wraith-folk stored a great number of artifacts in a cavern outside Soryandum, guarded by the machine beast, which must be outwitted or otherwise dealt with before items can be removed. At the judge’s discretion, these artifacts may be technological in nature, magical, or some combination of the two.