The Scrivenry

8:00 tonight, Goodman Games Official Twitch Channel, where we talk about Context, Choice, and Consequences. 

Be there, or be a flattened cube!

Link to Episode!Link to Episode!

Please Note: Edited for time change!

Second edit to add episode link.

The Owlman

Based on this post from Reddit (artist unknown).

The fellow we are seeing, based on the size of the rabbit, is about halfling-sized. Nothing in the illustration suggests any special ability, apart from perhaps an ability to withstand the cold, and perhaps some skill at poaching. He appears to be armed with a long stick with a rabbit skull bound to it…so maybe he has some supernatural ability after all.

Let’s see….

Owlman: Init +0; Atk staff +0 melee (1d4) or uncanny sight (Will DC 15); AC 12; HD 1d6; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP uncanny sight, reduce cold damage by 2 points per die; SV Fort +2, Ref +0, Will +2; AL N.

An owlman’s uncanny sight allows it to fix any being with its stare. Targets must succeed in a DC 15 Will save or be unable to move, mesmerized by the owlman until 1d3 rounds after it ceases staring. An owlman may only stare at one target at a time. Each round an owlman stares at the same target, it learns something about them. Roll 1d7: (1) name, (2) class, (3) level, (4) occupation, (5) alignment, (6) insight into previous history, (7) a secret that the target would rather not have revealed.

Owlmen use their uncanny sight both to escape unwanted attention and to learn about those around them. Because of what their uncanny sight reveals, adventurers may seek an owlman enclave to learn about potential foes. This is a double-edged sword, as the owlmen may learn the adventurers’ own secrets and pass them on to others. In exchange for their knowledge, owlmen often demand a price of service – usually removing some danger to themselves and their kin.

Ship’s Doctor

From this Facebook post:

What the hell happened to the ships doctor out on the high seas? My RED TIDE campaign is going off the rails all day long…and I LOVE IT!

I have my ideas, but how would YOU stat this abomination?

So, here we go!

When writing these statistics, I wanted to create a fun (and potentially terrifying!) opponent who could remain in a fight for some time. It was also my goal to make a creature that required some thought to defeat, under the assumption that players would be shown the illustration (or have it described to them). Because there is a 2-in-7 chance of something good coming out of the syringe attack, I left some uses in it to tempt the PCs into experimenting on themselves…or accidentally enhancing enemies! Even in the event that the ship’s doctor escapes into the briny deep, the judge can have it drop its weapons as it goes overboard…

Ship’s Doctor: Init +0; Atk tentacle +4 melee (1d3) or bone saw +2 melee (1d4+2) or bite +1 melee (1d6) or syringe +0 melee (injection); AC 10; HD 4d6; hp 16; MV 20’ or swim 30’; Act 3d20; SP injection, regenerate 1d6/round, limited wings, variable crits, brain vulnerability; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +4; AL C.

Was it magic or science that changed our old sawbones? Or was it some unholy mixture of the two? Whatever caused the ship’s doctor to transform, the crew can at least agree that it was no change for the better….

Injection: If the ship’s doctor hits a foe with his syringe, he automatically injects some fluid into the target, with variable results. Roll 1d7: 

(1) Sedative: Victim drops to bottom of initiative count, and must succeed in a DC 15 Fort save or fall unconscious for 1d3 minutes. 

(2) Poison: Victim takes 1d6 damage, and must succeed in a DC 12 Fort save or take an additional 2d6 damage. 

(3) Mutagen: Victim must succeed in a DC 15 Will save or undergo corruption. Roll 1d10, modified by Luck: (3 or less) greater corruption, (4-8) major corruption, or (9+) minor corruption. 

(4) Petrifying Agent: Victim takes 1d3 Agility damage and must succeed on a DC 10 Fort save or be turned to stone. 

(5) Hallucinogen: Victim takes 1d3 Personality damage and must succeed in a DC 15 Will save or their next 1d5 actions affect random targets. (The victim can no longer tell who is who with any certainty). Attacks against the ship’s doctor’s brain which affect other targets instead do normal damage. 

(6) Medicine: Target is healed 1d6 damage. 

(7) Performance Enhancer: Target gains a permanent +1 bonus to one random statistic (other than Luck). The statistic cannot be raised higher than 20, with any additional bonuses being lost. Abilities grant a +3 bonus at 19, and +4 at 20. Wizards and elves gain a bonus spell if their Intelligence is increased to 20 (+3 bonus spells total).

Should the ship’s doctor be destroyed, the syringe still works for 1d5 doses before running dry.

Regenerate 1d6/round: The ship’s doctor regenerates 1d6 hp per round, even after being reduced to 0 hp, and as damage is healed, lost body parts regrow. The ship’s doctor can spend one (or more) action dice to regenerate an additional 1d6 damage per action die.

Limited wings: This abomination cannot fly, but its wings are useful enough to prevent any falling damage, allowing the ship’s doctor to leap from crow’s nest or spar to attack.

Variable crits: When using bone saw or syringe, the ship’s doctor crits using 1d10 on Table III. When attacking with his bite or tentacles, he uses 1d10 on Table M.

Brain vulnerability: A successful mighty deed (or attack with a -1d shift for PCs without a deed die) can target the ship’ doctor’s brain in a jar. These attacks cause no damage, but if a single attack with a blunt weapon caused 12+ points of damage, the jar shatters. This instantly kills the ship’s doctor, and halts the creature’s regenerative abilities.

 

Cyclopedia of Common Animals

I have completed through Volume L on my Patreon, and expect to have finished the alphabet before the year is out. I have compiled statistics for over 300 (mostly common) animals. Many are not necessarily combat encounters, but are included for completeness, because they might be in the possession of 0-level characters, and/or because they might be the subject of animal summoning spells.

Some first appeared in this blog or in other sources, but having them compiled this way is useful.

A lot of venomous creatures are included, with more to come. I have taken into account how a thief might acquire various venoms for their own use, when appropriate, and have included extra hazards when they make sense.

Right now I have the following statblocks: 

Aardvark

Aardwolf

Adder

African Elephant

Agouti

Alligator

Alligator Gar

Allosaur

Alpaca

Ammonite Swarm (5’ radius swarm of six-inch-long ammonites)

Ammonite swarm (10’ Radius swarm of foot-long ammonites)

Ammonite (Small)

Ammonite (Medium)

Ammonite (Large)

Ammonite (Huge)

Anaconda

Anaconda (Giant)

Anteater

Antelope

Ape (Small)

Ape (Large)

Arctic Fox

Arctic Fox (Silverfrost)

Arctic Hare

Arctic Wolf

Archaeopteryx

Archaeopteryx Swarm

Armadillo

Armadillo (Giant)

Asiatic Elephant

Asp

Aurochs (Bull)

Aurochs (Cow)

Axolotl

Axolotl (Giant)

Aye-aye

Babirusa

Baboon

Bactrian Camel

Badger

Dire Badger

Giant Badger

Bald Eagle

Baleen Whale

Banana Spider

Giant Banana Spider

Banded Krait

Bandicoot

Barracuda

Giant Barracuda

Bed Bugs

Bedbug Swarm

Bee Swarm

Bengal Tiger

Bighorn Sheep

Bison

Black Bear

Black Mamba

Black Rhinoceros

Black Widow Spider

Blister Beetle

Blister Beetle Swarm

Bloodhound

Blowfly

Blue Whale

Blue-Ringed Octopus

Giant Blue-Ringed Octopus 

Boa Constrictor

Bobcat

Bongo

Bonobo

Boomslang

Border Collie

Bornean Orangutan

Carnivorous Orangutan

Borneo Elephant

Bottlenose Dolphin

Box Jellyfish

Brown Bear

Buffalo

Bull Shark

Bulldog

Bullmastiff

Bush Viper

Bushmaster

Buzzard

Caiman 

Camel Spider Swarm

Large Camel Spider

Giant Camel Spider

Capybara

Boreal Caribou

Woodland Caribou

Barrens Caribou

Cat

Cave Bear

Giant Cave Bear

Cave Lion

Chamois

Cheetah

Chicken

Giant Chicken

Chihuahua

Chimpanzee

Chinchilla

Chipmunk

Cinnamon Bear

Clouded Leopard

Coati

Cobra

Cockatoo

Coconut Crab Swarm

Colossal Squid

Comb Jellyfish Swarm

Condor

Cone Snail

Giant Cone Snail

Conger Eel

Giant Conger Eel

Copperhead

Coral Snake

Cormorant

Cottonmouth

Cougar

Cow

Coyote

Crane

Crocodile

Giant Crocodile

Legendary Crocodile

Death Adder

Deer

Desert Tortoise

Giant Desert Tortoise

Legendary Desert Tortoise

Desert Wolf

Dhole

Dik-Dik

Dingo

Dire Wolf

Dodo

Giant Dodo

Dog

Dolphin

Donkey

Mammoth Donkey

Miniature Donkey

Duck

Dugong

Carnivorous Dugong

Dwarf Crocodile

Echidna

Egret

Eland

Electric Catfish

Giant Electric Catfish

Electric Eel

Elephant Bird

Elephant Seal Bull

Elephant Seal Cow

Elk

Emperor Penguin

Albino Emperor Penguin

Emu

Falcon

Fallow deer

Fennec

Fennec (Goldenfire)

Fer-de-lance

Ferret

Giant Ferret

Fin Whale

Fisher

Flamingo

Giant Flamingo

Fleas

Flea Swarm

Giant Flea

Flounder

Flying Lemur

Flying Snake

Flying Squirrel

Flying Squirrel Swarm

Fossa

Fox

Fruit Bat

Giant Fruit Bat

Fur Seal

Gaboon Viper

Galapagos Tortoise

Gar

Gazelle

Gharial

Giant Clam

Giant Panda

Gibbon

Gila Monster

Giant Gila Monster

Giraffe

Gnats

Gnat Swarm 

Goat

GOAT Goat

Goblin Shark

Goblin Shark (Large)

Golden Eagle

Giant Golden Eagle

Golden Lion Tamarin

Goose

Gorilla

Goshawk

Great Horned Owl

Greater Horned Owl

Greatest Horned Owl

Great White Shark

Great White Shark (Large)

Green Mamba

Grey Seal Bull

Grey Seal Cow

Greyhound

Griffon Vulture

Grizzly Bear

Grouper

Giant Grouper

Hammerhead Shark (Small)

Hammerhead Shark (Medium)

Hammerhead Shark (Large)

Harbor Porpoise

Harbor Seal

Hare

Harp Seal

Harpy Eagle

Hawk

Hedgehog

Giant Hedgehog

Heron

Hippopotamus

Giant Hippopotamus

Honey Badger

Hornet Swarm

Horse

Light Warhorse

Heavy Warhorse

Draft Horse

Humpback Whale

Hyena

Hyenadon

Ibex

Ibis

Giant Ibis

Ibis Swarm

Iguana

Giant Iguana

Impala

Indian Rhinoceros

Irish Elk Buck

Irish Elk Doe

Jack Jumper Ant Swarm

Jackal

Chaos Jackal

Jaguar

Jellyfish Swarm

Kangaroo

Goliath Kangaroo

Carnivorous Kangaroo

Kermode Bear

Kestrel

Killer Whale

King Cobra

King Crab

King Penguin

Kinkajou

Kite

Kiwi

Koala

Drop Bear

Kodiak Bear

Komodo Dragon

Krait

Kudu

Lamprey Swarm

Giant Lamprey

Leatherback Sea Turtle

Leech Swarm

Giant Leech

Colossal Leech

Lemon Shark

Lemur

Giant Lemur

Great Lemur

Leopard Seal

Leopard Shark

Leopard

Liger

Lion

Lioness

Lion’s Mane Jellyfish

Lizard Swarm

Llama

Loris

Lynx

Giant Lynx

A Plethora of Mimics

From this Facebook post:

So, I’m wanting to do a box of fish sticks mimic for my RED TIDE campaign and I’m wondering what Daniel J. Bishop would have up his sleeve here? I’m thinking there will be sizes: freezer box, case of freezer boxes (pictured), a pallet of cases and a shipping container of pallets.

These will be starting life in Captain Morgan’s fish processing plant and then be shipped through out the land for their chain restaurants.  I’m having a blast making this stuff and I hope others are digging the process.

Have a suggestion? Let her rip in comments!

So, here we go!

Box of Fish Sticks-Sized Mimic: Init (always last); Atk pseudopod +2 melee (1 plus sticky); AC 12; HD 1d6; MV 5’; Act 1d20; SP camouflage, half damage from slicing and piercing weapons, sticky (Strength DC 15 to break free); SV Fort +4, Ref -2, Will -6; AL N.

These creatures are made of primordial slime, which has a rudimentary intelligence able to reshape itself into an object that appears to fit within the area it inhabits. Shape, texture, and colors are all reproduced – even the patterns of colors enough to appear as a box of Captain Morgan’s frozen fish sticks. A suspicious character may see through the disguise with a DC 16 Intelligence check. The mimic otherwise gains surprise automatically.

Creatures that touch the mimic or are hit by a pseudopod are stuck to the creature, and cannot break free without a DC 15 Strength check, granting the mimic a +2 bonus to future attacks. Weapons which strike the mimic also become stuck, taking a -2d shift to damage, unless pulled free or the mimic is slain. A weapon stuck to a mimic stuck to a PC is useless until either the PC or weapon is freed.

Case of Freezer Boxes-Sized Mimic: Init (always last); Atk pseudopod +4 melee (1d4 plus sticky) or bite +2 melee (1d8); AC 10; HD 2d8; MV 5’; Act 1d20; SP camouflage, half damage from slicing and piercing weapons, sticky (Strength DC 19 to break free); SV Fort +6, Ref -4, Will -4; AL N.

These creatures are made of primordial slime, which has a rudimentary intelligence able to reshape itself into an object that appears to fit within the area it inhabits. Shape, texture, and colors are all reproduced – even the patterns of colors enough to appear as a case of Captain Morgan’s fish freezer boxes. A suspicious character may see through the disguise with a DC 20 Intelligence check. The mimic otherwise gains surprise automatically.

Creatures that touch the mimic or are hit by a pseudopod are stuck to the creature, and cannot break free without a DC 19 Strength check. Stuck creatures have a -2 penalty to attack rolls, spell checks, and skill checks until they pull free. Weapons which strike the mimic also become stuck, and therefore useless, unless pulled free.

Pallet of Cases-Sized Mimic: Init (always last); Atk pseudopod +6 melee (1d6 plus sticky) or bite +4 melee (1d10); AC 10; HD 4d8; MV 5’; Act 3d20; SP camouflage, half damage from slicing and piercing weapons, sticky (Strength DC 21 to break free); SV Fort +8, Ref -6, Will -2; AL N.

These creatures are made of primordial slime, which has enough intelligence to be able to reshape itself into an object or group of objects which appears to fit within the area it inhabits. Shape, texture, and colors are all reproduced – even the patterns of colors enough to appear as a case of Captain Morgan’s fish freezer boxes. A suspicious character may see through the disguise with a DC 20 Intelligence check. The mimic otherwise gains surprise automatically.

Creatures that touch the mimic or are hit by a pseudopod are stuck to the creature, and cannot break free without a DC 21 Strength check. Stuck creatures have a -2 penalty to attack rolls, spell checks, and skill checks until they pull free. Weapons which strike the mimic also become stuck, and therefore useless, unless pulled free.

Shipping Container-Sized Mimic: Init -4; Atk pseudopod +10 melee (1d8 plus sticky) or bite +6 melee (1d12); AC 10; HD 8d8; MV 5’; Act 5d20; SP camouflage, half damage from slicing and piercing weapons, sticky (Strength DC 24 to break free); SV Fort +10, Ref -8, Will +0; AL N.

These mimics are intelligent enough to speak, and can reshape themselves into reasonably complex objects or groups of continuous objects. Shape, texture, and colors are reproduced well enough that even a suspicious character may see through the disguise with a DC 22 Intelligence check. The mimic otherwise gains surprise automatically.

Creatures that touch the mimic or are hit by a pseudopod are stuck to the creature, and cannot break free without a DC 24 Strength check. Stuck creatures have a -2 penalty to attack rolls, spell checks, and skill checks until they pull free. Weapons which strike the mimic also become stuck, and therefore useless, unless pulled free. Unlike lesser mimics, mimics of this size can choose to release creatures or objects, or suppress their natural stickiness to lure creatures into a false sense of security – possibly getting creatures to enter the “shipping container” before the doors slam closed and the creatures attack!

Because these mimics possess a low intelligence, there is a chance of parlaying with them.

 

Preserving Statblocks

I’ve done a few statblocks away from this blog, including some on the Goodman Games website. I am not reproducing those here, because that was paid content, but I did try to include some gameable material in each of the “Real Life Adventures” posts I wrote. You can find them here: Scotland and Orkney, Gilmorton Cove, Algonquin Park, and Halburton Canopy Walk and Wolf Centre. The first and last of these have statblocks which may be of interest to you.

I’ve also done statblocks as part of other posts, for the sheer fun of it. I am reproducing them below in case the original posts go to 404 Error heaven.

Atali’s Brothers

If you go back and read some of the Howard stories from when Conan was younger, such as Rogues in the House or The Tower of the Elephant, you can actually see a progression from a less-powerful and canny warrior to the Conan who can survive crucifixion and recover enough to take on a demon a month later.

In The Frost Giant's Daughter, we see Conan after all of his nearby companions have died in battle - clearly just after the 0-level funnel and having a first solo adventure at level 1. In DCC terms, this adventure might actually have been part of the 0-level funnel (PCs level as soon as they reach the needed XP), and consists of Conan failing his saves against the Frost Giant's Daughter's “allure” ability, making some Fort saves to avoid being too tired by the time he meets the frost giants, and fighting the same. His last Vanahiem combatant might have occurred at level 1 or at level 0; what occurs in the story is possible in both cases in the DCC rules. If Conan has an 18 Stamina, he has a maximum of 7 hp at level 0 and 22 hp at level 1 (minimums of 4 and 10).

If we assume Conan is a level 1 warrior with an 18 Strength, using a weapon that does 1d8 damage, we know that he can do 8 + 3 + 3 (Deed Die), or 14 points of damage on a non-critical hit, or an average damage of 10 on a hit. Conan was born on a battlefield, so his Luck affects his damage rolls; he might be able to do as much as 17 points on a hit, if he was so lucky as to gain 3 "18"s in his initial rolls, but I am going to say he only gains +1.

As a result, we can stat these creatures out easily enough:

Atali's Brothers: Init -2; Atk axe +5 melee (1d10+4); AC 13; HD 2d10; hp 10 each; MV 30’; Act 1d24; SP crit on 20-24 as giant; SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +6; AL C.

(And that, thank Crom, is a complete statblock in this system.)

Cyclopean Deep One Pugilist

Cyclopean Deep One Pugilist: Init +2 Atk fist +4 melee (1d3+3 subdual); AC 16; HD 5d8+10; hp 35; MV 20’ or swim 40’; Act 2d20; SP See future; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +4; AL C.

The Cyclopean Deep One pugilist has but a single eye, yet that eye can see into multiple potential futures simultaneously, allowing the pugilist to choose the best possible future. His hit points, attack modifier, and saves all reflect this. If somehow blinded, these each suffer a -2 penalty, in addition to normal penalties for blindness. In the event of a successful Mighty Deed, the Deep One pugilist should be granted a saving throw (DC equal to attack roll with all modifiers) to avoid being blinded (representing its ability to avoid unpleasant futures, unless all futures are unpleasant).

The Cyclopean Deep One pugilist beats captured land-dwelling slaves to a bloody pulp in the arenas of the Deep Ones to stave off boredom on the long nights of winter.

The Dreaded Grebnenorc

Grebnenorc: Init +0; Atk claw +4 melee (1d6) or bite +2 melee (1d3 plus venom); AC 14; HD 6d6; MV 20’; Act 4d20; SP venom (1d3 Stamina damage plus Fort DC 16 or additional 1d3 Agility damage), slowing aura (100’ radius, -4 to initiative and -10’ to move speeds), cannot be surprised, immune to mind-affecting, amphibious; SV Fort +7; Ref +3; Will +0; AL C.

The dreaded grebnenorc is a creation of those forces beyond the ken of mortal minds which lie dreaming in dead cities below the deepest oceans. They are formed by merging lost (but not dead) sailors, eels, crabs, and other unsavory things of the depths into fused beings of horror. Although the dead, dreaming minds which create them are beyond the petty concerns of Law and Chaos, once they are created they naturally gravitate toward the service of those chaotic deep-sea beings which oppose the conquest of the surface oceans by land species. In short, these beings hate us.

Grebnenorc (singular and plural) are completely amphibious, and are able to survive away from the ocean for extended times. They radiate a slowing aura, which affects the movement and initiative rolls of all creatures within 100’ except themselves – the judge can determine that slowed flying or swimming is not fast enough to be successful, within context. Their bites are venomous, regardless of which mouths are used, but the venom cannot successfully be harvested from the creatures. They are immune to mind-affecting magic and abilities and cannot normally be surprised due to the plethora of eyes studding their vile forms. Grebnenorc are always facing other creatures, even when surrounded, due to their amalgamated structure.

These creatures not only guard the palaces of sinister submarine entities, but they are sent to infiltrate docks and ports, or are sent to destroy the shrines of human-friendly oceanic deities. Luckily, grebnenorc are not built for swimming – they can only walk along the sea floor – so ships are in no danger from them when not at port. A grebnenorc can potentially (and laboriously) climb an anchor chain, but it has no particular skill at doing so. Indeed, its body proves a hindrance to such activities rather than an asset.

(Illustration by Noble Hardesty, used with permission. You can check out more of the artist's work here!)

Gary Con Events

 Have now been posted. Hope to see you there!

Update: Changes in health and finances will prevent me from travelling. My apologies. I will really miss what has been the highlight of my year.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Andy Markham, who ran The Fence's Fortuitous Folly to usher out the old year and bring in the new! Andy made a player handout for the chase mini-game in the adventure, and was kind enough to share it with me. Moreover, he was kind enough to allow me to share it with you.

Without further ado, here is a Birthday Mathom from Andy!