However, the ring never fits the person it is given to.
If received as a gift, the recipient must make a DC 20 Will save or feel slighted by the gift, and seek to get rid of it by whatever means seem feasible (such as selling the ring). While the gifter may be able to salvage the relationship, the magic of this pernicious band is long-lasting, and some special quest (or series of quests) might be required to prove the gifter’s fidelity.
Alien, intelligent jellyfish native to the planet Madkeen, those beings now known as “quivering jellies” migrated en masse to another world when their planet’s oceans began to die. Peaceful and indolent on their own world when the salt waters carried the nutrients needed to sustain them, these creatures were forced to adapt or die upon relocation. Unfortunately, they relocated to the campaign world and have had centuries to adapt.
Unlike most terrestrial jellyfish, quivering jellies cannot sting. Instead, their tendrils are used for swimming, manipulating objects, and filter feeding nutrients from the water. On Madkeen, they defended themselves by psionically setting up vibrations in living tissue. Lightly “buzzing” predators was usually enough to warn them from approaching further.
Now, this same power is used to supply much-needed nutrients. A quivering jelly can target a single living creature within 60 feet, who takes 1d6 points of vibrational damage as the jelly’s psionic power begins to shake it apart (Fort DC 15 for half). When reduced to 0 hp, a target can take further damage until it reaches -20 hp, at which point the body is liquefied and can be neither healed nor recovered. Attempts to heal a fallen creature must also heal any negative hit point damage, as it is real damage happening to the body. Once a creature is liquefied, it can be slowly consumed if the jellies involved do not feel threatened.
Note that this is an exception to the rule that normally hit points in DCC do not go lower than 0, but then again, monsters do not need to play by the rules.
Quivering jellies can use an action die to psychically teleport up to 10 feet, which they can use to leave combat without provoking free attacks. Very large groups of quivering jellies can use this ability to teleport even farther – even interstellar distances – but this is time consuming and leaves the quivering jellies exhausted and helpless for 2d6 hours. This is, indeed, how they came to the campaign world.
Although quivering jellies are telepathic and can communicate with other intelligent creatures to a range of 200 feet, having to use their formerly defensive power to obtain food has changed them. From being wise, philosophical beings revered for their wisdom, they have become thoroughly twisted until they see empathy for other beings as a weakness.
Quivering jellies are found in warm saline waters, in tropical or sub-tropical areas. Although lawful, their communities only number 4d6 individuals as larger groups have difficulty finding enough prey. These communities maintain contact with each other, though, and individuals work together with frightening intelligence to ensure a constant supply of nutrients.
Brain Spider Swarm: Init +2; Atk swarming bite +1 melee (1 plus venom); AC 9; HD 4d8; MV 10’ or climb 10'; Act special; SP bite all targets within 20’ x 20’ space, half damage from non-area attacks, venom (Fort DC 15, 1d3 Personality on a success, 1d6 Personality on a failure); daze (30’ range, DC 10 Will to act); SV Fort +0, Ref +10, Will -2; AL N.
Monstrous Brain
Spider: Init +2; Atk bite +0 melee (1d3 plus venom); AC 12; HD 1d3;
MV 20’ or climb 20’; Act 1d20; SP venom (Fort DC 12, 1d3 Personality on a
success, 1d6 Personality on a failure), attraction (50’ range, DC 10 Will or
move toward spider and lose all actions); SV Fort -4; Ref +3; Will +2; AL C.
Giant Brain
Spider: Init +3; Atk +4 melee (1d6 plus venom); AC 14; HD 2d8; MV
30’ or climb 30’; Act 1d20; SP venom (Fort DC 20, 1d4 Personality on a success,
3d4 Personality on a failure), attraction (100’ range, DC 15 Will or move
toward spider and lose all actions); SV Fort +3; Ref +3; Will +6; AL C.
Brain spiders are intelligent creatures which are capable of working together in swarms. A normal-sized brain spider is only about the size of a human hand. Singularly or in swarms, they emanate a psychic field that dazes other (non-brain spider) creatures in their vicinity, and makes it difficult for those creatures to act. Brain spiders can choose not to daze creatures, but need not use an action die to turn this power on or off. Their venom affects the victim’s Personality, eventually rendering them catatonic and helpless.
Monstrous and giant brain spiders are even larger. Monstrous brain spiders are cat-sized, while giant brain spiders are slightly smaller than a human. These brain spiders do not simply daze creatures in their vicinity, but their emanations can make creatures take no other action but move toward the brain spider at their normal Move.
Brain spider venom heals normally. A thief may extract 1d4 doses of venom from a giant brain spider with a successful Handle Poison check, but other versions of this spider are too small to yield adequate doses. If a PC speaks the language of spiders, they may be able to convince the creature to supply venom willingly, granting a +1d bonus to the Handle Poison check.
This has been tough the last couple of years, due to health and finances. I hope to do this for many more years to come, but I am not sure how that will go. I hope to see you there! Silver badge event registration is this Saturday.
