The Dreaded Tarrasque

When TSR released the AD&D Monster Manual II, the Tarrasque was unleashed. The Monster Manual II was a collection of monsters, either written or compiled by Gary Gygax, as was the original. The Tarrasque was a monster to end all monsters, something to let even the highest-level characters break into a cold sweat.

The problem with the Tarrasque in DCC is that it has already been done.

Bear with me. I ask you to consider Mr. Goodman’s The Emerald Enchanter, Mr. Stroh’s Colossus, Arise!, and REDACTED’s NOT OUT YET. Each of these adventures contains an encounter that is a spiritual successor to the Tarrasque.  

From Mr. Goodman, we learn that it is allowable to create DCC monsters that the PCs don’t even have a chance to affect. And it is okay to just say a monster does XdY damage to a PC – no attack roll or save required. From Mr. Stroh we learn that sometimes a monster is going to get free environment-altering effects in addition to its attacks. (The Thing in the Chimney used the same for the Cinder Claws, albeit to a lesser extent, when it appeared in time for Christmas 2012. There is nothing new under the sun.) In REDACTED by REDACTED we see that REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED, which is close enough to the idea of the Tarrasque that I hesitate to throw my hat into this particular ring.

So, keep playing through the upcoming DCC adventures. When NOT OUT YET has been out long enough to give people a chance to play it through, I may revisit this topic. And, no, I am not going to reveal the identity of REDACTED at this time. I don’t wish to spoil any surprises. I will just say that I am not the author.

A Sore for Sight Eyes: The Gazeball

David VC descirbes “A Gazeball, a floating eye/gas spore hybrid that paralyzes you and drains your Intelligence until it explodes, after which 0-2 new gazeballs emerge from your skull...” For Dave and your reading (and gaming) pleasure, I therefore present:

Gazeball: Init –2; Atk Slam +2 melee (1d3) or infect –4 melee (0); AC 8; HD 4d8; fly MV 10’; Act 1d20; SP symbiotic spores, reproductive spores, slime, infestation, explosion, immune to mind-affecting, half damage from bludgeoning; SV Fort –5, Ref –4, Will –2; AL N.

A gazeball is a fungal horror which appears to be a large eye, floating in midair, perhaps due to some form of levitation. Rhizomatic growths at its apex appear almost like a crown of eyes, each at the end of a short tentacle-like growth. In fact, pustulant sacs in the gazeball’s mass create a volatile gas that provides lift, and the “crown of eyes” are designed to incubate, and eject the spores of, a secondary symbiotic fungi. The gazeball can shoot a line of symbiotic spores up to 30’ (Ref save DC 15 or suffer 1d3 temporary Agility damage).

When a target is paralyzed, or can barely move due to the symbiotic spores, the gazeball uses another growth to deposit its own spores on the victim. These spores are laid in a thick coat of slime over the victim’s face. The slime can be broken down by alcohol, or dissolves on its own after a period of 2d10 minutes. While the slime is present, the victim is blinded. During this period, the spores travel into the victim’s skull, where they infest the brain (a DC 20 Fort save prevents this from occurring). If the slime is washed off within the first 10 rounds, the victim gains a +1 to +10 bonus to the save, with the highest bonus indicated it is washed off within a single round.

The gazeball’s spores cause 1d3 Intelligence damage immediately upon infestation, and then cause 1d3-1 points of Intelligence damage each day thereafter. When damage causes a PC to fall to 10 Intelligence or less, the character’s entire head becomes tender. Thereafter, there is visible cranial swelling. If a victim falls to 0 Intelligence, roll 1d3-1. On a result of 1-2, the victim’s skull explodes, revealing new gazeballs equal to the number rolled (1 or 2) with 1 HD each. On a roll of “0”, the victim manages to defeat the infection, and slowly returns to normal. Otherwise, the infection can only be cured by magic or clerical healing (4 HD result or better).

A gazeball’s slam attack is only used in self-defence. The fungal creature is not looking for a meal, but for the chance to reproduce.

Finally, when damaged there is a percentage chance equal to the total damage taken that a gazeball will explode due to the weakening of the gas pustules. This causes 1d3 damage to all targets within 30’, who must also succeed in a DC 5 Fort save to avoid infestation with the gazeball’s spores. If there is an open flame within the radius of the blast, it causes a secondary explosion for 2d6 damage (Reflex save DC 10 for half damage; characters who take 6+ damage are set on fire). Each point of fire damage counts as 5 points when determining the chance of explosion.

Hook's Croc

Now we come to a rather interesting, and open-ended request.

DDogwood says, "I want to see a monster like the crocodile from Peter Pan - it prefers to eat its victims bit by bit, over a long period of time. For example, the first time you encounter it, it might bite off a hand. Then it escapes, but starts stalking its victim. Days later, it might attack again and take the rest of the arm. A few days after that, it takes a foot. Of course, the missing limbs can't be restored unless the monster is slain."

Okay.

I am of the opinion that the goal is two-fold here. One is to strike fear into the hearts of the players (or, at least, their characters) and the other is to pay tribute to an awesome denizen of our childhood memories. I am therefore going to include some sensory clue that the monster is nearby, like the ticking of the clock in Peter Pan, and I am going to build the creature as a giant reptile. It is important that the sensory clue is similar enough to something else that the players have doubts whether it is the "crocodile" or a "clock" they "hear".

Mechanically, we need a way to bring the PCs into contact with the same monster repeatedly. Unlike Captain Hook, the PCs are not stuck forever in the Neverland. Our monster must have the means to follow its chosen target.

It requires not only a means to appear, but also a means to escape. Perhaps Captain Hook didn’t kill the crocodile because it was Pan’s creature. Perhaps it was impossible. But most PC groups would simply have made an end of it if they could. So we need to make that difficult.

Our design parameter s also include eating a victim a little bit at a time, and the opportunity to heal those little bits (only) after the creature is slain. The sense of being diminished is important for fear, and we are looking at a creature designed to promote fear. Because of the healing requirement, I am not going to have the creature eat its victims physically – instead it will eat little bits of the victim’s soul that correspond to parts of the body, leaving the body whole but with those parts eaten becoming unresponsive.

Let’s start, then, with the crocodile from Peter Pan, and then introduce our new creature.

Hook’s Crocodile: Init –3; Atk bite +5 melee (3d4); AC 20; HD 5d8; hp 25; MV 20’ or swim 40’; Act 1d20; SP camouflage, ticking, swallow whole, lunge; SV Fort +4, Ref –2, Will –4; AL N.

Hook’s crocodile is an enormous saltwater crocodile that haunts the Neverland. When Peter Pan cut off Captain James Hook’s right hand, he fed it to the crocodile. The crocodile liked it so much that it has been following Hook ever since in hopes of getting the rest.

This crocodile gains a +5 bonus to all attempts at hiding, lower than that of typical giant reptiles because of the loud ticking noise it makes…the result of a clock it once swallowed, and which is still undigested, echoing in the crocodile’s innards.

On a natural 19-20, the crocodile can swallow its victim whole. The victim takes 1d6 damage each round, but may attempt a DC 20 Strength check to force his way out. This is something that has happened before, and will happen again, according to J. Barrie’s Peter Pan.

The crocodile can also lunge forward in the first round of combat, covering a move of 40’.

According to some authorities, even if Captain Hook did manage to defeat the crocodile, Pan would simply resurrect it. Possibly with another Hit Die or two.

Soul Hunter: Init +0; Atk bite +5 melee (special); AC 20; HD 5d8; hp 25; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP transport through shadows, surprise, soul consumption, soul binding; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +5; AL C.

The soul hunter is an extradimensional  creature that subsists off of the souls of its victims. Its bite passes through flesh without harming it, but tears off a small piece of the victim’s soul, causing 1d3 points of Strength, Agility, or Stamina damage and rendering part of the body useless. The damage reflects the effect of the bite – 1 point of Agility damage might indicate that a few fingers are rendered useless, but, eventually, as the damage adds up, the victim is able to use less and less of his body. The player can choose which ability, from among the three, to take the damage from.

(Some sages and theologians theorize that the soul is suffused throughout the body, so that when an amputee feels “phantom limb pain”, he is in fact feeling the remnant soul which has no bodily housing. The action of the soul hunter is the opposite; the housing remains, but parts of the soul are taken.)

The soul hunter needs very little “food” to survive. After each attack, it retreats into shadows and disappears. This allows prepared characters to attempt a free whack. Thereafter, it is attuned to its current victim’s soul, and cannot feed off of another until the victim’s entire soul is consumed. Every 1d5 days, the creature will crawl out of some shadowy area, attack until it has successfully caused its victim damage, and then retreat again.

So long as the soul hunter lives, the damage it causes cannot be healed or undone, short of divine intervention (DC 20). Such divine intervention also severs the soul hunter’s bond with its victim, and it is free to choose another. If the soul hunter is slain, its victim recovers the ability damage normally. Because the soul hunter is bound to a specific victim, it always knows exactly where that victim is, and can track it through shadows with complete accuracy. Even blinding the creature cannot prevent the soul hunter from knowing exactly where its victim is.

The soul hunter’s appearances are preceded by a strong smell of beer, which only the victim can perceive. This gives the victim 1d5 rounds to prepare, but doesn’t prevent the soul hunter from appearing suddenly from shadows, surprising on a 1 in 4 chance. This scent is disguised in taverns and similar locations, and the smell of normal beer may easily be mistaken for the soul hunter’s approach.

The soul hunter’s ability to move through shadows, travelling from any shadowed area to any other shadowy area, anywhere, can be foiled only by full illumination, so that there are no shadows which it can use. Otherwise, even weak shadows allow the creature to pass by using an Action Die, and stronger shadows allow it to pass using a normal move.

The soul hunter looks like a shadowy crocodile, with glowing eyes. Its legs are longer than those of a true crocodile, however. If reduced to 0 hp, it melts into shadows, never to be seen again. 

Otyugh: Dwellers in Filth

Deep beneath the city, where the offal from the sewers collects in deep pits, dwell the dreaded otyughs. These creatures have three stumpy legs and three tentacles protruding from an oozing mass of diseased flesh. Two of the tentacles are long, ending in spiked paddles that can strike or entwine other creatures. The third tentacle has been modified to support two eyes, allowing the otyugh to see while submerged in the odious contents of its lair. Its central body has a huge mouth with sharp fangs capable of delivering deadly bites. Even if the victim should survive, he may succumb to disease thereafter.

A concealed otyugh automatically gains surprise unless looked for, and even then it gains surprise on a 5 in 7 chance.

When it makes a tentacle attack, it can reach up to 15’ away. The otyugh must determine if it wishes to attempt a blow or to entwine prey – a blow does more damage, but entwined prey takes 1d4 constriction damage each round and can be drawn 5’ closer. A DC 10 Strength check prevents the otyugh from drawing its prey nearer during any given round; if the check result is 15+, the victim escapes. This check is not free; it requires an Action Die.

Anyone bit by the otyugh’s filthy maw must make a DC 15 Fort save or suffer 1d3 points of Stamina damage. Thereafter, even if the initial save succeeded, the victim must make an additional DC 10 Fort save each minute or suffer an additional 1 point of Stamina damage. This condition lasts until magically healed, three consecutive saves are successful (including the initial save), or the victim is dead.

Otyughs do not eat freshly killed prey. Instead, they allow bodies to rot for 3d3 weeks before they are fit for consumption. Because of their rubbery hide, they take only half damage from bludgeoning weapons. Their bodies are about 8’ in diameter.

There are persistent rumours of evolved, or neo-otyughs, smaller but smarter than their more common kin. It is possible to speak to, and bargain with, these beings. They often know much about the area they live in – be it a sewer system or a dungeon – and want nothing more than new and interesting carrion and faeces in return.

Don’t ask. The life of an otyugh, evolved or otherwise, is not something most humanoids would wish for.

Otyugh: Init +1; Atk tentacle blow +6 melee (1d8+3) or tentacle entangle +4 melee (1d3 plus entangle) or bite +5 melee (1d12 plus disease); AC 16; HD 8d8+16; MV 20’; Act 2d20; SP surprise, entwine, constrict, draw closer, disease, ½ damage from bludgeoning weapons, immune to disease and poisons, infravision 120’; SV Fort +12, Ref +4, Will +4; AL C.

Evolved Otyugh: Init +3; Atk tentacle blow +5 melee (1d6+1) or tentacle entangle +2 melee (1d3 plus entangle) or bite +3 melee (1d8 plus disease); AC 15; HD 6d8+12; MV 30’; Act 2d20; SP surprise, entwine, constrict, draw closer, disease, ½ damage from bludgeoning weapons, immune to disease and poisons, infravision 120’; SV Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +8; AL C.

Sahuagin: Sea Devils from the Deep

Swimming with the Sharks

The sahuagin were an original creation by Steve Marsh for TSR-Era D&D. They first appeared in Supplement II: Blackmoor in 1975, and, luckily, were released as Open Gaming Content by OGL-era Wizards of the Coast. The result is that we have 1^st and 2^nd edition AD&D sahuagin, Pathfinder sahuagin, and the sahuagin of every WotC-era D&D to examine in defining the “iconic” sahuagin. They have even made the leap into screen-based games, such as Minecraft and Brave Frontier.

Cunning and savage fish-folk, the sahuagin hate everybody. Especially aquatic elves…perhaps by extension all elves. They attack ships. They work well with sharks, which they can command, so perhaps they don’t hate everything. The sahuagin are subject to mutation, sometimes having four arms. They are also, apparently, sometimes far more human-like and at other times far more fish- or shark-like in their skeletal structure.

Sahuagin differ from DCC’s Deep Ones in their inherent savagery, their relationship to sharks, and their tendency to mutate. So, let’s go from there are make them metal!

Scions of the Shark God

Elves have always gained their magical powers by making pacts with supernatural entities – powerful demons, nature spirits, fey lords, and eldritch beings from the dawn of time. Thousands of years ago, on the Isles of Sahua, there was a group of elves whose devotion to the shark-god, Kuawangu. They fed slaves to the sharks in His sacred pools, and in return they gained the bounty and protection of the seas.

Sahua is long gone, brought beneath the waves in a fiery volcanic cataclysm. Some say that there was a schism between the followers of jealous patrons, and that the followers of Kuawangu were transformed to carry their lord’s vengeance against all others. Some say that the elves of Sahua turned from the shark-god, and He wreaked the destruction of their islands, elevating the sharks from His sacred pools to rule the watery palaces where proud elven folk once strode. Whatever the truth may be, Sahua is gone, and the Sahuagin swarm where ancient charts once placed the island chain.

Sahuagin are tall, slender humanoids with green scaled skin, shark-like teeth, and sharp claws. They favour tridents as weapons, but, like elves, avoid the use of iron and steel. This may be an indication of their elven ancestry, or it may be because such metal rusts quickly in the salty brine of their ocean home. Their scales are darker toward their spines, fading to a green-white on their bellies. Only a careful examination can determine the gender of a non-pregnant female sahuagin, or an unaroused male.

Sahuagin Warrior: Init +2; Atk spear +3 melee (1d8+1) or claw +3 melee (1d3) or bite +1 melee (1d6); AC 12; HD 2d8+2; MV 25’ or swim 50’; Act 1d20; SP control sharks, grapple ships; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +5; AL C.

Sahuagin warriors can control up to 2 Hit Dice of sharks each. They are capable of using strong lines of seaweed fibres and animal sinews to grapple ships from below. The sahuagin holding each line adds drag to the ship, slowing it until it is brought to a stop. The sahuagin then board the ship, slaughtering all aboard before sinking the hapless vessel.

Let’s Get Dangerous

Already we have a pretty serviceable fish-man monster, but the thing about sahuagin is that they are not all the same. Some sahuagin mutants have four arms, according to even the earliest sources. What if these mutations don’t stop with arms? What if they are caused by the same magic which transformed the sahuagin into what they are in the first place?

Sahuagin mutants call themselves “Scions of Kuawangu”, and claim that their mutations are the result of the Shark-God’s divine bloodline. When rolling up a small band of sahuagin, the judge may use 1d30 to see which are mutated. Alternately, roll 1d10 and use the numbers in parenthesis for whichever sahuagin you decide are mutated.

Die Roll	Mutation
1-20	None
21-24 (1-4)	Additional pair of arms. +1 Action Die, and it is possible to wield a second trident.
25 (5)	Extended fish tail. +20’ to swim speed, -5’ to land speed.
26 (6)	Larger. Increase HD by 1d8+1. Increase melee attack rolls and damage by +1.
27 (7)	Shark-attuned. Can control double the normal HD of sharks.
28 (8)	Feral bite. Bite damage increases by +1d on the dice chain. Worse, wound continues bleeding for 1 damage each round until staunched (requires 1 minute) or magical healing is applied.
29 (9)	Psionic. Enlarged head and brain. Can make a psychic attack for 1d8 damage within 120’. Will save (DC 1d20 + sahuagin’s HD) for half. If this is rolled more than once, increase damage by +1d on the dice chain.
30 (10)	Multiple mutations. Roll 1d3. Ignore future instances of multiple mutations. Or don’t, and make a truly terrifying adversary.

For example:

Sahuagin Mutant: Init +2; Atk spear +3 melee (1d8+1) or claw +3 melee (1d3) or bite +1 melee (1d6); AC 12; HD 2d8+2; MV 25’ or swim 50’; Act 2d20; SP control sharks, grapple ships, four arms; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +5; AL C. (Four arms.)

Sahuagin Mutant: Init +2; Atk spear +4 melee (1d8+2) or claw +4 melee (1d3+1) or bite +2 melee (1d6+1); AC 12; HD 3d8+3; MV 25’ or swim 50’; Act 1d20; SP control sharks (6 HD), grapple ships, psionic attack (120’ range, 1d8 dam, Will DC 13 half); SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +5; AL C. (Larger, shark-attuned, psionic.)

Sahuagin Mutant: Init +2; Atk spear +5 melee (1d8+3) or claw +5 melee (1d3+2) or bite +3 melee (1d10); AC 12; HD 4d8+4; MV 25’ or swim 50’; Act 1d20; SP control sharks, grapple ships; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +5; AL C. (Larger twice, feral bite three times.)

Just Add Sharks

Really, what is the point of including shark-controlling adversaries without including some statistics for sharks? These are only base statistics; the judge can and should modify them to create specific species or creatures.

Shark (Small): Init +5; Atk bite +2 melee (1d5); AC 12; HD 1d8+4; MV Swim 50’; Act 1d20; SP critical hit on 19-20; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0; AL N.

Shark (Medium): Init +4; Atk bite +3 melee (1d7); AC 14; HD 2d8+6; MV Swim 50’; Act 1d20; SP critical hit on 19-20; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +0; AL N.

Shark (Large): Init +2; Atk bite +5 melee (1d12); AC 14; HD 4d8+8; MV Swim 40’; Act 1d20; SP critical hit on 18-20; SV Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +0; AL N.

Shark (Very Large): Init +0; Atk bite +8 melee (1d16); AC 16; HD 8d8+16; MV Swim 40’; Act 1d24; SP critical hit on 20-24; SV Fort +10, Ref +2, Will +0; AL N.

Crawling Under a Broken Moon #6

Best issue yet.

DCC meets Car Wars in the wasteland roadways of post-Apocalyptic Umerica. Evocative but simple rules for vehicles, chases, and vehicular combat. A class that definitely fits the setting well, and feels unique rather than tacked-on. Gang generator. 100 Road-side encounters from the excellent blog Elfmaids & Octopi. A perfect new monster with a built-in reason for the PCs to go looking for it.

This issue makes me want to write an adventure just to play with the new toys. It's that good.

Get it.

Potted Plants

Munchkin Cards

Like DCC, Munchkin is a game where characters have 10 levels, although there is no “0 level”. The potted plant can be defeated by a level 1 character and grants an extra treasure card to elves. Nothing bad happens if you can’t defeat it; you can always run away. It should be noted that there is another “potted plant” card that you can use to eliminate something from an opponent. In Munchkin, this means another one of your fellow players! We will attempt to use these factors to create an interesting potted plant that could actually be used in-game.

Potted plant: Init +0; Atk whipping leaf fronds +0 melee (1d2); AC 7; HD 1d6; MV 0’; Act 1d20; SP strange luck aura, immune to mind-affecting, elf sap; SV Fort +0, Ref –4, Will +0; AL N.

The potted plant looks like nothing more than a plant in a pot. It is non-sentient (and cannot be attacked by mind-affecting spells or abilities as a result), but it can defend itself by whipping its tough, sharp fronds at opponents in melee range.

These potted plants have a strange ability to manipulate chance. When slain, they attach a minor curse to the creature striking the final blow: If that character names an object carried by another character within 10 minutes of killing the plant, that character must succeed in a DC 10 Luck check or the object has been mysteriously lost. If more than one character has the object (“rope”, for instance), then only the character with the lowest Luck and the object is affected. Once 10 minutes has elapsed, or an object has been named (even if it is not lost), the curse ends.

There is often treasure hidden near potted plants. This may be because creatures with strange senses of humour hope that the found items will be named and disappear, or it may be because items that disappear due to the plants’ strange luck aura can be found in the vicinity of other plants.

In any event, elves have the potential to gain an additional boon when the potted plant is slain: Each potted plant contains an emerald sap. Consuming this sap grants an elf the use of one randomly determined Wizard spell for a period of 2d24 hours, as though it were a spell the elf had learned. Reroll if the elf already knows a spell, and mercurial magic is rolled when the spell is first cast. Even a 0-level elf can utilize a spell acquired in this manner, rolling a 1d20 for her spell check. There is only enough emerald sap in any given potted plant to benefit a single elf.

If stored, emerald sap lasts up to 3d3 days before begin to spoil. After that time, the dice rolled for the period the spell can be cast (2d20 hours, 2d16 hours, 2d14 hours, etc.), and the die used to cast the spell both suffer a –1d shift on the dice chain every 1d3 days. How badly the sap has degraded cannot be known until it is consumed. If the casting die is reduced below 1d10, the elf must make a DC 10 Fort save of suffer 1d3 points of Strength and Stamina damage.

The Albuquerque Potted Plant

When I converted Paul Reiche III’s Gamma World module, The Albuquerque Starport, to DCC for my own fell purposes, I perforce converted the “flinging fern” in the restroom at Area 7.

For a 0-level funnel, this is a tough creature. Luckily, as with the Munchkin version, it is easy enough to get away….unless it hits you. The fern can attack with eight vines as a single action, each of which constricts automatically each round unless severed (2 hp damage, which do not count toward the plant’s total). Each vine can reach up to 15 feet away.

When four or more vines have been severed, the mutant plant starts flinging explosive seed pods at the party. Each pod may be thrown up to 20 feet, exploding on contact for 2d6 points of damage in a 10-foot radius (Reflex DC 10 half). The plant has only 10 pods. (Judges who do not allow PCs to level at 10 XP during a funnel may reduce this damage to 1d3)

Originally this creature was a small potted house plant which was left here by a frightened tourist during the evacuation of the starport. When the cloud of radioactive dust swept over the area, it caused the plant to mutate. Over the years the plant has kept the starport pest-free by devouring all intruders.

Mutated house plant: Init +4; Atk 8 vines +0 melee (1d6); AC 9; HD 4d6; hp 20; MV 10’; Act 1d20; SP constriction, explosive seed pods; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0; AL N.

Taking Requests

For the sheer fun of it, I am going to convert some monsters to DCC. I am going to choose the monsters by request.

Here are the rules:

(1) Post the monster you are interested in seeing in the "comments" section.

(2) I'll do at least three, through a process of random selection and/or choosing the ones that interest me. I might even do them all.

That's it.

You can select monsters from other games (make sure to link to or supply statistics if it isn't a standard D&D-type critter!), from pictures (old SF magazine covers, something you drew, stills from movies or TV shows, etc.), by reference (such as a creature from a specific REH or ERB story, a balrog, etc.), or simply through description ("I need a cool monster that looks like a ball with a lot of spikes, etc.). Remember to link, or give a clear description of what you want.

Somewhat inspired by this post.

Some More Entries for your DCC Monster Manual

What's with all the monsters lately?

My loss is your gain. Typing is difficult with my current injury, so while my cast is on (March 19th hopefully sees the end of that!) I am saving my serious typing for adventure writing, and making use of some earlier, unpublished work.

Hope you enjoy them!

Kaokaroo

A halfling-sized abomination that appears like nothing so much as a demented wallaby with fur that swirls in a chaotic pattern of nauseating colours, the kaokaroos attack in packs of 1d8.  They attack randomly, leaping among their foes with no desire other than to destroy natural creatures or be destroyed themselves. 

Although they are seldom seen doing anything else but attacking, a kaokaroo is an intelligent creature, which has a trifurcated prehensile tongue that can extend up to three feet from the creature’s mouth to manipulate tools and objects.  Kaokaroos may be summoned from the plane of Chaos which is their home, but only powerful magic can control them, for their hatred of creatures from the material planes is all-consuming. 

Kaokaroo:  Init +5; Atk bite +0 melee (1d4); AC 14; HD 1d6; MV 30’ or hop 15’; Act 1d20; SV Fort –2, Ref +4, Will +8; AL C.

Adderwolf

The adderwolf is a three- to four-foot long serpentine creature with a wolf-like head and fur.  Its body is covered in oozing pustules where fur and skin have been rubber raw.  They have an excellent sense of smell and hearing.  Adderwolves attack elves by preference, then halflings, then dwarves, then humans.  There is something about the flesh of demi-humans that they seem to relish.  A typical encounter is with 1d8+4 adderwolves.

Adderwolf:  Init +2; Atk bite +0 melee (1d4); AC 15; HD 1d6; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2; AL N.

Toad of Pamur

This creature appears to be a toad that, if upright, would stand to a height of 4 feet.  Although it is toadlike in general, there is something eerily human about it hands and its eyes.  Indeed, it can walk upright if it chooses, or move in the hopping waddle of a true toad.  Its hands are fully able to manipulate objects, and it can speak as can a human.

Toad of Pamur:  Init +2; Atk bite +2 melee (1d3); AC 9; HD 2d6; MV 30’ or hop 5’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2; AL C.

Siren Bush

This shrub is able to hear, and can thus detect creatures within a range of about 200 feet.  It can mimic sounds and cries of distress, but these sounds are actually telepathic, and, because the plant is not intelligent, there is a 25% chance that anything heard will include (or be) nonsensical. 

These telepathic calls are intended to entice creatures to within a 30-foot range, where its pheromones can cause drowsiness and sleep.  A creature within this radius must make a DC 10 Fort save or fall asleep.  Creatures that fail this save cannot be awakened so long as they remain within the 30-foot radius, and it takes 1d6 minutes for them to wake them thereafter.  Even a creature that succeeds in its saving throw is groggy, and all actions are decreased by one die down the dice chain (including attack rolls and initiative) for 1d6 minutes.  Awakened creatures are groggy for 2d6 minutes after waking up.

A siren bush has no actual attacks, and relies upon affected creatures dying of exposure and starvation for its fertilizer.  It can uproot itself and move slowly on four short, thick root stems, but this form of locomotion is too slow to be seen by normal observation.  At the most, a siren bush can move about 5 feet over the course of a week.

A siren bush can be destroyed by 25 points of damage delivered with a chopping weapon against AC 10.

So, no OGL will be coming.

Nothing to see here; move along.

Stuff and Stuff

As some of you are aware, I broke my wrist, which has seriously hampered my output. That wasn't the only thing hampering my output; I haven't been firing on all cylinders for months before that. Things take their toll. I was just getting my mojo on when life stepped in....or, more accurately, when I slipped on the ice and fell.

On the Other Hand....

(....which would be my left....)

My mojo doesn't seem to have suffered from the break. Just my typing!

Goodman Games has a kickstarter for The Monster Alphabet by the Amazing Jobe Bitman (with Manly Michael Curtis). You will note the new printing of GM Gems as part of the kickstarter, with DCC rules conversion by Yours Truly.

Likewise, this Con season, if you happen to play in The Hypercube of Myt, I was given a chance to work on this super-funnel, and I hope you like it. The other creators are a whose-who of cool in the DCC world!

If you haven't picked up The Portsmouth Mermaid from Purple Duck Games yet, you should. I have a related creature submitted to Crawl #11, which I hope will make it into that issue. Also, I sent a critter to Crawling Under a Broken Moon which might find some use in your game. I devised it to help bridge The Mall Maul in CUaBM #3 with Anomalous Subsurface Environment.

Likewise, The Treasure Vaults of Zadabad is well worth the purchase. Wrath of the Frost Queen is a bit pricier as a pdf, but I enjoyed the adventure and had the opportunity to give the writer a small amount of input on presentation. Hopefully, at some point, Frost Queen will be available as a POD product, with a discount for those who already bought the pdf.

Oh, and for the sake of Mitra, pick up Mark Knights' free DCC adventure, The Serpent People of Skitterborne Swamp.

Now that my mojo is back, and I am typing slowly but steadily......

My goal is to make 2015 outperform 2013 for DCC content. Outperforming 2014 seems to easy a goal.

Your Reward for Reading Through This Maundering....

Unique Centaurs from the Aeliusian City-States:

Asbolus:  Init +3; Atk hooves +2 melee (1d4+1) and sword +4 melee (1d8+1) or bow +5 missile fire (1d6+1) or other weapon; AC 14; HD 4d8; hp 20; MV 50’; Act 2d20; SP poisonous blood, foresee future, curse, death throes; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5; AL N.

Asbolus is a centaur gifted with the powers of prophesy. Most often, he divines portents through the flight of birds, but he will also cast stones or use the entrails of animals. When consulted, he may demand the body of a specific animal to answer a specific question, or to read a difficult future. He does not otherwise demand payment, although he only grants interviews to those he deems worthy – those who have achieved something of note, or who are at least 3^rd level.

Absolus’s blood is poisonous. He can dip his own arrows into his flesh (causing himself 1 point of damage per arrow) to create poisoned arrows (Fort DC 15, 1d5 Stamina damage, 1 point is permanent on a failed save). Contact with his blood is likewise hazardous, though the Fort save in this case is only DC 5 to avoid 1d3 Stamina damage. A Reflex save is needed to avoid splashed blood when making a successful melee attack (DC 10 + damage done). All in melee with Absolus must make this save, although anyone other than the attacker gains a +2 bonus on this save.

Asbolus can cast curse once per day, with a +6 spell check bonus.

If reduced to 0 hp, Asbolus does not immediately die, but can take any remaining actions in the current round, and then gains 1d5 d24 Action Dice on the next round, to use for attacks or to curse his slayer.

Aspect of Chiron:  Init +5; Atk hooves +4 melee (1d4+2) and sword +6 melee (1d8+2) or bow +7 missile fire (1d6+1) or other weapon; AC 16; HD 8d8; hp 40; MV 60’; Act 3d20; SP poisonous blood, spell use, curse, death throes, immortal; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +8; AL L.

Known the oldest of the primordial centaurs, Chiron remembers many things from past ages of the Ancient Earth, but has little special knowledge of the current era. He is a clone-thing, grown in vats in the ruins of Daedalus, which somehow always comes to lair in the same spot. Each Aspect of Chiron only knows what he was born knowing, plus his own experiences, so that when one Aspect is slain, the next knows nothing of his predecessor’s life beyond the ruins or eventual death. Yet, if one Aspect is slain, another will arise in 1d5 months, making Chiron effectively immortal so long as the Vats of Daedalus endure.

Chiron is renowned as a healer, as a teacher of heroes, and as a magician. He can heal up to 3 HD each day, cure poison at will, allow any creature a Fort save to throw off a disease each day (DC 5 to 15, depending upon the disease), set bones so that the heal without ability score loss, and brew 1d7 potions of healing (1 HD) each month. A Lawful warrior or dwarf who studies with Chiron for three months can gain a one step increase in his Deed Die with a successful Luck check (one time only).

He can cast the following spells once per day, with no chance of disapproval, misfire, or corruption (+6 spell check):  animal summoning, comprehend languages, detect magic, read magic, locate object, consult spirit, blessing, second sight, banish, remove curse, and speak with the dead. in addition, Chiron can cast curse once per day, with a +10 bonus to the spell check.

Chiron’s blood is poisonous. He can dip his own arrows into his flesh (causing himself 1 point of damage per arrow) to create poisoned arrows (Fort DC 18, 1d7 Stamina damage, 1 point is permanent on a failed save). Contact with his blood is likewise hazardous, though the Fort save in this case is only DC 8 to avoid 1d5 Stamina damage. A Reflex save is needed to avoid splashed blood when making a successful melee attack (DC 10 + damage done). All in melee with Chiron must make this save, although anyone other than the attacker gains a +2 bonus on this save.

If reduced to 0 hp, Chiron does not immediately die, but can take any remaining actions in the current round, and then gains 1d5 d24 Action Dice on the next round, to use for attacks or to curse his slayer.

Greek to Me 3: Lamia for DCC

Lamia: Init +2; Atk tail grapple +4 melee (1d6+2); AC 14; HD 6d8; hp 30; MV 30’; Act 2d20; SP Charming gaze, constrict, kiss, death throes; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +4; AL C.

A beautiful woman from the waist upwards, and an enormous serpent from the waist down, Lamia was transformed by the jealous goddess Thera to her present state after Lamia bore the hero Aclueus by the goddess’s husband, Xanxes. Lamia was forced to devour her mortal children, and cursed with a great craving for the lives of the young. It is also her desire to inflict revenge upon all men, and especially upon Xanxes and Thera, their priests, and their followers.

Lamia can charm another with her gaze, using an Action Die. Her victim must succeed in a Will save (DC 12) or do nothing on his next initiative except move in a straight line towards Lamia at his best speed. Lamia cannot charm adult women, although she can charm girls below the age of 10, and males of all ages.

When Lamia makes a successful grapple with her tail, she thereafter constricts for 1d6+2 damage each round thereafter until either she or her victim are dead, or her victim succeeds in a DC 15 Strength check. Lamia can kiss a willing victim automatically, or a grappled victim with a successful attack roll. Each kiss causes 1d3 points of Strength damage.

When Lamia is reduced to 0 hp, a swarm of venomous serpents issues forth from her wounds, and forms from her spilled blood. These serpents attack everyone in a 20’ radius for 1d3+1 rounds, and then the swarm disperses. Each remaining hit point the swarm possess when dispersed indicates a surviving serpent, and each of these serpents becomes a member of the Brood of Lamia.

Venomous serpent swarm: Init +4; Atk swarming bite +3 melee (1d3 plus poison); AC 12; HD 6d8; MV 30’; Act special; SP swarm traits, poison, transformation; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +0; AL C.

The poison of these serpents does 1d3 damage, with a Fort save (DC 10) to avoid 1d3 Strength damage as well. Each of these serpents grows into a brood-born of Lamia over a period of 1d12 months.

Brood-born of Lamia: Init +2; Atk tail grapple +2 melee (1d4+2) or spit venom +3 ranged (poison); AC 12; HD 2d8; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP Spit venom, constrict, kiss, death throes, transformation; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2; AL C.

Any serpent that survives from the venomous serpent swarm becomes a brood-born of Lamia. This creature resembles her progenitor, but is clearly reptilian even in her upper extremities. Her scaled head is crowned with a frilled crest rather than hair, and her unblinking eyes are incapable of charming anyone. Like Lamia, though, the brood-born can constrict with a successful attack, doing automatic damage each round (Strength DC 12 escapes grapple).

The brood-born can also spit a stream of venom in a line up to 10’ long. Those who come into contact with this venom must succeed in a DC 15 Fort save or take 1d5 points of Strength damage (1 point on a successful save).

When a brood-born is slain, it loses all of its human features, becoming nothing more than an enormous frilled serpent. When only one brood-born remains, it goes through a transformation lasting 1d24 hours, during which it sheds its skin to become the reborn Lamia. During the transformation, the brood-born has only a 1d16 Action Die. Afterwards, it has the full powers, as well as all of the memories, of the original Lamia.

The only ways to truly end the threat of Lamia are to destroy all of the venomous serpents before they can transform into brood-born, or to destroy the last brood-born before she can become the reborn Lamia.

More Greek to Me: Euryale

Euryale: Init +2; Atk short sword +2 melee (1d6) or bite +1 melee (1 plus serpent bites) or serpent bites +0 melee (1d3 plus poison); AC 15; HD 5d8+5; hp 33; MV 30’; Act 2d20; SP infravision 60’, serpent bites, poison, scream, immortal; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +3; AL C.

Euryale is one of the sisters of Medusa, a creature shaped like a woman with poisonous serpents for hair. She possesses fangs like a viper, and if she bites she gains an attack with her snake-hair serpents as a bonus attack. Although Euryale’s bite is not poisonous, those of her serpents are (1d6 damage; Fort DC 15 or also take 1d4 Strength and 1d3 Agility damage).

Three times a day, Euryale can scream with potentially lethal effect. All within 30’ take 3d8 damage (Fort DC 15 for half). All between 30’ and 60’ take 2d8 damage (Fort DC 10 half). All farther than 60’ away, but who hear the scream, take 1d8 damage (Fort DC 5 half). Euryale must wait 1d5 rounds between screams.

Euryale is immortal. When reduced to 0 hp, she does not die, but must withdraw, moving at half speed, until she can find a place to recover. She can be hindered. She can be hurt. But she cannot be damaged worse, apart from cosmetically. 2d3 weeks later, Euryale emerges at full strength, and probably eager for revenge. Even if her body is burned and the ashes scattered, Euryale is restored.

All Greek to Me: Three Demons of the Aeliusian City-States

Charonite (Type I demon):  Init +1; Atk staff or claw +4 melee (1d4 plus soul rend); AC 13; HD 2d12; MV 30’; Act 1d20; SP infravision 60’, darkness (+4 check), half damage from non-magical weapons and fire, safe passage, soul rend; SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +4; AL C.

Charonites are Type I demons in the service of Charon, the infernal ferryman of the river Styx. They appear much as their master – tall skeletal figures wrapped in dark robes, possessing a simple pole, and always mounted upon a boat. A Charonite can be summoned with demon summoning, burning a soul in the censor of Charon, or by adding three drops of water from the River Styx to any mortal body of water, fresh or salt. A Charonite can only be summoned where there is a body of water in which its boat can appear. A mist arises, and from that mist the Charonite and its boat appear.

A Charonite can accommodate up to 16 passengers on its boat, and the boat is always sized to the expected number of passengers. Each passenger must pay 2 coins (of any denomination) for the trip, and the Charonite can take its passengers safely to any point where a body of water meets the land, in any plane of existence.

If attacked, a Charonite’s attacks can rend the soul from its victim. Each successful attack requires a DC 10 Will save or the character takes 1d3 Personality damage. If Personality drops below 3, the victim collapses, and takes 1 point of permanent Personality damage each round until the Charonite is either defeated or driven away (spells like holy sanctuary, protection from evil, and restore vitality can interrupt this process). If the victim’s Personality reached 0, the Charonite rends the soul from the victim’s body, and immediately withdraws from this plane, delivering the soul to Charon himself on the River Styx. If the victim is to be restored, the demonic ferryman himself must be bargained with, and Charon does not give up the dead easily.

Empousa (Type I demon): Init +3; Atk bite +1 melee (1d4) or claw +2 melee (1d3); AC 12; HD 1d12; MV 40’; Act 1d20; SP darkness (+4 to check), charm, half damage from non-magical weapons or fire; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4; AL C.

Empousai are demonic female vampires, whose fiery-haired seductive beauty is marred with a bronze leg and a donkey’s foot. They are able to charm men, who must make a Will save (DC 12) or be entranced, allowing the empousai to approach and attack unopposed (no Agility or shield modifier to AC). Each round where an empousa successfully attacks, or each round where a companion attempts to bring the victim to his senses, grants a new save; if successful, the character can act beginning the next round with a -1d penalty on the dice chain to all rolls for the remainder of the encounter.

These demons of Hecate exist to devour men. They do not attack women.

Erinyes (Type III demon): Init +4; Atk fiery whip +12 melee (1d6+4) or claws +8 melee (1d5+4); AC 16; HD 9d12; MV 30’ or fly 50’; Act 2d20; SP infravision 60’, darkness (+12 check), immune to weapons of less than +2 enchantment or creatures of 5 HD or less, half damage from fire/acid/cold/electricity, teleport at will to Hades or any point on the material plane, crit range 18-20, constriction, fire, powers against oath-breakers; SV Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +10; AL C.

Also known as Furies, the Erinyes are demons of Hecate which serve to bring vengeance against those who break their word, especially vows made with the gods as witness. They appear as vulture-winged women of hideous aspect, armed with iron talons and fiery whips. A victim struck by a whip attack must make a DC 20 Reflex save or be entwined. Such a victim takes damage automatically each round from constriction and flames, and anything flammable on the victim bursts into fire. An Agility or Strength check (DC 18) can be made each round to get free, but the flames continue to do 1d6 damage each round until extinguished with a DC 10 Reflex save. A constricted victim has a 50% chance of being unable to use each arm; both must be checked separately.

Oath-breakers are the Erinyes’ lawful prey. An Erinyes attacking anyone who has broken an oath taken in the name of one or more gods gains a +2 on all saves.

Meaningless Encounters

Imagine, if you would, an encounter occurring which has no relevance to the scenario in which it occurs. It adds no verisimilitude, adds no flavour to the game milieu, and has no impact or potential for impact on future events. Moreover, the encounter is neither fun nor challenging in and of itself. It is a complete waste of time.

Game systems can encourage elements of this kind of encounter. For instance, in games where resources are intended to “reset” after each encounter, it is easy enough to remove the potential for impact on future events. 

A hypothetical game system that takes two hours to resolve a chance glimpse of a deer in the woods would make what is otherwise five seconds of description a chore that removes all fun. If a system “balanced” encounters so that the PCs were expected to win, and turned encounters into formula combats that took hours to resolve, a chance encounter with an ogre (for example) could easily be removed of its potential fun and challenge.

An adventure writer can also encourage elements of this type of encounter. “No matter what the PCs do, X will occur….” and “If the PCs kill X, assume that an identical X takes its place….” certainly reduce the potential for impact, if the GM actually follows those suggestions.

Yet, few and far between are those encounters which are completely meaningless, unless the system or the GM makes a clear distinction between “relevant” and “irrelevant” encounters. If this is the case, yes, you can make any encounter irrelevant. Doing so does not improve game play IMHO and IME. Forcing the players to determine the relevance of encounters to their own goals – or allowing them to create that relevance themselves! – is, to me, an important aspect of game play.

Crappy encounters do exist. If we take the elements of verisimilitude, flavour, potential for impact, challenge, and intrinsic fun, we can see that the more of these elements an encounter has, the better an encounter it will be. Consequently, the fewer it has, the crappier it will be.

IMHO and IME, adhering to an encounter template or a “plot” to which all encounters must conform is the most common way to create crappy encounters. YMMY, and if it does, party on! Never throw away something that works for you because some jackhole on the internet has a different idea, or different experiences. “Even if that jackhole is you?” Friend, especially if that jackhole is me. What works for me might not work for you. And vice versa.

Here’s the second biggest source of crappy encounters (IMHO & IME): Lack of planning. In order to have meaning, an encounter must both have impact on the setting and be able to allow the players to have impact. That means that there has to be some structure to hang the encounter on, and that there has to be enough leeway in that structure that the PCs can change it through their actions.

So long as those conditions exist, no encounter is truly meaningless. And your chance of having a crappy encounter go down considerably.

IMHO. IME. YMMV.