Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Stunjelly and Sussurus

If you really want to understand how robust the random systems in Dungeon Crawl Classics really are, turn to pages 423 to 424, and check out the entry for “Primeval Slime”. You can use this to create green slimes, ochre jellies, grey oozes, gelatinous cubes…and, yes, our first entry for today. In fact, I built my version of the Stunjelly almost completely from the core rulebook.

The Sussurus from the Fiend Folio is an underused monster, but one whose potential is fully realized in the initial version of Death Frost Doom. I know that people have a lot of reasons to avoid the person who “revised” this adventure, but I own both versions and I think that the revision detracts from, rather than enhances, the original work.

When I first started this series of posts, way back in the lost days of 2022, it was partially for selfish reasons. For my own home games, I wanted the Fiend Folio converted. I also wanted something to blog about when I didn’t have anything else to talk about. Also, to be completely honest, I wanted to provide something of use to the DCC community overall – and this is selfish, too, because I love being part of this community!

Nonetheless, if you feel like tipping, here is a way to do so.

 

Stunjelly

Stunjelly: Init (always last); Atk Pseudopod +4 melee (1d4 plus paralysis); AC 10; HD 4d8; MV 5’ or climb 5’; Act 4d20; SP Camouflage, paralysis, engulf, half damage from slicing and piercing weapons; SV Fort +6, Ref -8, Will -6; AL N.

Stunjellies appear just like 10’ x 10’ sections of dungeon corridor, and are 1d4+1 feet thick. They cling to walls, blending in with a +5 bonus to hide even when searched for (Intelligence check opposes). Their pseudopodia exude a paralytic agent (Fort DC 14 or be paralyzed for 4d6 rounds. A stunjelly can use an Action Die to engulf paralyzed victims, inflicting an automatic 1d6 damage per round.

Metallic treasures that the jellies cannot digest have been found within stunjellies, but the slimes are only partially translucent in even the brightest of lights, so that adventurers must sift through the defeated protoplasm to determine if anything of value is within. In normal torch- or lantern-light, stunjellies are completely opaque.

 

 

 

Sussurus

Sussurus: Init +2; Atk Slam +3 melee (2d4); AC 16; HD 6d8; MV 50’; Act 2d20; SP Plant, hug, detect vibrations, susurration; SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +0; AL N.

These weird beings are mobile, coral-like plants roughly seven feet in height, and looking like nothing so much as large gorillas, hairless and headless, made up of tough honeycombed fibers. The creatures are named for the constant noise they make, a sound like a gentle wind blowing through leafy trees. Above ground, this susurration can be heard up to a quarter mile away. Underground, the noise echoes, often filling a complex, although the source can be difficult to pinpoint. The sussurus feeds by filtering air through its body, consuming microscopic airborne pollen, bacteria, and animals. Although they can move quite quickly, a sussurus will often remain in the same place if undisturbed, and may live for well over a millennium.

A sussurus defends itself by making sweeping attacks with its arm-like branches. If both attacks hit the same opponent, the target is drawn into a hug for an additional 2d8 damage. Because it senses vibrations in the air, invisibility is meaningless to a sussurus – it has no external organs.

Interestingly enough, the constant noise made by these beings is soothing to the un-dead (including non-corporeal un-dead), who remain dormant so long as they are close enough to “hear” it. If a sussurus is killed, the susurration it makes ceases, and any un-dead which had remain quiescent as a result begin to arise once more. While inert from this susurration, un-dead cannot be turned or destroyed, and if they are attacked physically they will awaken to defend themselves for 1d6 rounds per Hit Die before succumbing to the soothing noises again.

It is believed that these strange beings have some dim intelligence, and can communicate with others of their kind by slight and subtle variations in the susurrations they produce. However, it is only very rarely that two sussuri are close enough together to communicate in this way, if indeed this is even the truth.

Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Snyad and Son of Kyuss

Happy New Year!

It’s a new year, and we are still in the letter “S” of the Fiend Folio. In fact, it will take two more posts to finish this letter off! Today, we are converting the Snyad and the Son of Kyuss to Dungeon Crawl Classics.

Snyads are like those annoying creatures in early computer games which only exist to steal your stuff. As annoying as they might seem in this version, imagine how much worse they were when escaping with treasure was your primary means of gaining XP! I love the idea of smaller monsters living in tunnels around the major dungeon routes – including the idea of shrinking or becoming gaseous to follow them directly into their lairs! Of course, I cut my teeth on Holmes Basic, where the example dungeon includes rat tunnels you would be foolish indeed to enter.

Sons of Kyuss don’t really need much elaboration. These things are just possibly the most terrifying un-dead AD&D had which didn’t drain away your hard-earned levels. And while I may have reduced some parts of their original design (their fear aura is easier to cope with), I made other parts worse (their disease). Really, I hope that they have the same impact in this game as in the original.

If you are enjoying this series of posts, and want to tip, please consider supporting my Patreon.

 

Snyad

Snyad: Init +6; Atk None; AC 24; HD 1d3; MV 50’; Act 2d16; SP Camouflage, move silently, theft; SV Fort -2, Ref +9, Will +0; AL C.

These creatures are small, but very fast and dexterous. They are no more than 6 inches high, and dwell in small passages and rooms adjoining dungeon corridors. The entrances to these tunnels are small and usually concealed behind piles of loose stone, making them difficult to detect (Intelligence DC 15). Snyads are The snyads are related to mites, and the two species will often cooperate, the mites laying traps while the snyads use their speed to best advantage.

Although snyads can move with great speed, they are completely silent – the creatures do not even have a spoken language audible to human or demi-human ears – and their camouflage allows them to hide with a +10 bonus in dungeon, cavern, or similar environments.

Snyads are not capable of making attacks. Their sole objective when interacting with larger creatures is to steal small items of treasure – gems, coins, pieces of jewelry, small weapons and the like, and they have a +1d14 bonus to picking pockets in order to accomplish these tasks. This means that the snyad rolls 1d16 (their Action Die) + 1d14 to pick pockets, granting their victims some small chance of reacting. A snyad’s normal method is to dart in, use one Action Die to steal some trinket, and then use its other Action Die to dart away. Of course, a helpless victim will be plundered mercilessly.

Snyads are sometimes called “pesties”, and it is easy to understand why.

 

Son of Kyuss

Son of Kyuss: Init +0; Atk Flailing blow +3 melee (1d8 plus disease); AC 10; HD 4d12; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP Un-dead traits, fear aura, disease, worm infestation, regeneration 2 hp/round; SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +8; AL C.

Kyuss was an evil high priest of a vile god – some sages claim Nimlurun the Unclean , while others say Ahriman the Pestilent – who has been credited with the creation of these un-dead horrors. Fat green worms crawl in and out of every orifice of these animated cadavers, and it is said that the first of these worms dripped from the stinking avatar of the god itself, to spread these beings throughout the Lands We Know.

Sons of Kyuss, as these un-dead horrors are known, radiate an aura of fear within a 30’ radius. Any creature within this range must succeed in a DC 10 Will save or suffer a -1d penalty to all rolls for the next 1d6 rounds. A creature that has passed within this aura (whether the save succeeded or not) is thereafter immune to its effects for 24 hours.

When a son successfully attacks a target, the target must succeed in a DC 5 Fort save or contract a form of advanced leprosy. This disease causes 1 point of permanent Strength, Stamina, and Agility damage each week, and a permanent loss of 2 Personality each month. When any of these abilities reach 0, the disease is fatal. More, the disease negates all magical healing unless it is cured first, and infected creatures heal wounds at 10% of their normal rate, so that a creature which normally heals 1 hp damage per day instead heals only 1 hp every 10 days. A cleric can cure this disease with a Lay on Hands check sufficient to heal 2 HD, but must also save each time this is attempted or become infected themselves.

Worse, each round one worm jumps from a son of Kyuss to a character in melee combat with it, making a melee attack roll with a +3 bonus. If it hits, it burrows into the target’s skin over the next round (during which it can be destroyed by the touch of cold steel, holy water, a holy symbol, or some other blessed object; this requires no roll, but does use an Action Die). If allowed to burrow under the victim’s skin, the worm seeks the target’s brain, taking 1d4 rounds to succeed. Magic sufficient to remove curses or cure diseases can slay the worm during this time, and magic that neutralizes poison or protects from evil will delay the worm for 1d6 turns or until its expiry (as determined by the judge). If the worm reaches the brain, the victim becomes a son of Kyuss, the process of putrefaction taking 1d4 turns to complete.

Sons of Kyuss regenerate 2 hp per round. This will allow severed limbs to regenerate, and even bring the creature back from 0 hp if it is not destroyed by fire, electricity, or acid. Holy water poured on a defeated son has a 75% chance of preventing it from rising again, and wounds causes by holy objects do not regenerate.

365 Day Challenge

I intend on doing a 365-day challenge, creating a single adventure/location with 365 encounter areas, created one per day, on Patreon. The results are not a reward tier thing, but will be available to all patrons. At the very least, you might get some encounter ideas!

If I miss a day, I will try to make up for it on subsequent days, so as to have 365 keyed entries by New Year's Eve 2023, with the intention of turning it into an actual product around mid- to late-2024 (depending upon publishing partners).

Background

Three centuries ago, the Huala controlled a vast empire, united the tribes of the Pelperis Jungle under their terrible rule. They worshipped many dread Powers, deities combining the worst aspects of men and beast, all of which demanded the sacrifice of sentient beings. Chief of their terrifying gods was Zal-Rah, whose blood-soaked idols were half-bat and half-ape.

Legend says that the great temple of Zal-Rah held a perfect ruby the size of a man’s fist, cut into many facets. This stone, the Heart of Zal-Rah, was lost when the Pelperis tribes threw down their gruesome overlords and the vile god’s evil temple was swallowed by the jungle.

1. Temple Entrance: The heavy jungle foliage parts reluctantly – movement through the dense tropical growths is slow and difficult – but at last you can see the lost temple beyond. The masonry is cracked and fallen, covered in heavy vines and supported in places by trees which have grown up along and through the walls, but you can still make out the carved images of bat-winged apes which adorn the walls. An ornate gaping arch, 20 feet wide and nearly as tall, gives entrance to whatever lies within.

The heavy foliage around the temple entrance is hard to push through, requiring an Agility check (DC 5) to move every 10 feet. Characters can, of course, cut through the foliage, although this takes longer and attracts the attention of the carnivorous apes in Area 4. Creatures with a listed climb speed can move through this vegetation at half their normal climbing move, without requiring a roll. Creatures that can fly can simply go over it.

The trees around the temple entrance form a wide clearing, and are inhabited by a troop of flying monkeys which is represented as a swarm. These creatures resemble Red Uakaris, with reddish fur and bright red, hairless faces resembling skulls. Their wings are black and bat-like. Each is about a foot long, with a very short tail in relation to its body length (especially for a monkey).

These creatures swoop down upon the PCs as soon as they enter the clearing before the temple. If they fail a morale check, or fumble the monkey swarms go howling to the treetops, where they screech and fling fruit (and/or feces) at any characters remaining in the clearing. If the characters continue to attack them (via missiles or spells), they disappear completely.

Flying Monkey Swarm: Init +4; Atk swarming bite +5 melee (1d5 plus theft); AC 13; HD 8d8; hp 26; MV 40’ or fly 50’ or climb 40’; Act special; SP bite all targets within 20’ x 20’ space, half damage from non-area attacks, fling feces and sticks, theft; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will -2; AL N.

When these flying monkeys successfully attack, the target must succeed in a Luck check or some random small object is stolen. The item can be recovered if the thief is specifically targeted (AC 16; 1 hp), which kills that individual flying monkey, but doing so does no appreciable damage to the swarm. The stolen item is dropped, but must still be recovered, and may be stolen again. A PC can specifically protect a single item so that it cannot be stolen, but this has to be declared before the theft occurs!

These monkeys can also fling feces, sticks, overripe fruit, and the like at targets within a 30' x 30' square, who must make Will saves (DC 5 +1 per additional round) or flee the area. 

They have no treasure.

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Because It Bears Repeating

From this Redditt thread:

We are used to imagining things as being objective measures. One inch is one inch in all cases. One mile is one mile. One kilogram is one kilogram.

However, not all units of measure need to be objective, and hit points are an example of a relative measurement. One hit point does not necessarily mean the same thing for one character that it does for another. For character A, 1 hp damage may well be a mortal wound. For Character B, 1 hp damage might be a notable wound. For character C, it might be the equivalent of a paper cut.

And, of course, the first 1 hp damage Gygax's example fighter takes is negligible, while the last 1 hp they take (after all other hit points are gone) is a mortal blow. Hit points are relative even for a given character themselves.

If you stop trying to figure out how much a "hit point" is objectively, and accept that hit points are always a relative measure, this problem goes away.

Healing

So what, then, does it mean if you have to heal hit points? A high-level warrior has lost 20 hp, which is relatively insignificant, but requires rest or magic to heal. Why?

Because the warrior isn't at their best. They are not all beaten up, and they are still better than many others at their best, but they could be better. Conan with nicks, cuts, and abrasions is still formidable, but not quite as formidable as Conan without.

Free Adventure for Yule

When Snowmen Attack!

Here is a free adventure for the Yule season.

Fighty, but I hope also fun. 

You should be able to complete it in a single session over eggnog.

Because this adventure is free (no Patreon membership required) feel free to spread this post far and wide! Obviously, I am hoping that this increases the number of visitors to my humble abode, but I also hope that playing this brings some seasonal joy. Or seasonal curses of anguish. Your choice!

Happy Holidays!

Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Ygorl, Lord of Entropy

You know what was missing from the last post? Me blathing about the Fiend Folio and my fond memories thereof. In truth, I never used the Slaadi Lords in play. The highest level characters we had achieved in those halcyon days of yore were 14^th to 16^th level. Powerful, yes. Powerful enough to take on these creatures? No, they were not. And, of course, AD&D didn’t have a robust patron system like Dungeon Crawl Classics does!

Did I know that Ssendam was “madness” backwards, or that Ygorl is an anagram of “glory”? I would like to think that I had noticed, but if I did I had long since forgotten until I began to convert them, when it came as a pleasant surprise.

Anyway, this finishes the Slaadi, although not the letter “S”!

 

The Avatar of Ygorl, Lord of Entropy

Ygorl’s Avatar: Init +5; Atk Sickle +8 melee (3d8 plus DC 15 Fort or die) or spell; AC 27; HD 12d12+36; hp 110;  MV 40’ or swim 50’; Act 2d20; SP Spellcasting, death sickle (Fort DC 15 or die), gate, command un-dead, regenerate 3 hp/round, +3 or better weapons to hit, wish fulfillment, 85% magic resistance; SV Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +20; AL C.

This fearsome slaad lord always appears as a 12-foot-tall skeletal man in the Lands We Know, utterly black in hue, with bat-like wings and wielding an adamantine sickle with an 8-foot-long blade. The sickle has the word “death” inscribed on its blade in the slaadi tongue, strikes as a +5 weapon, and instantly slays targets who fail a DC 15 Fortitude save when it hits.

In the Lands We Know, Ygorl is rides the brass dragon, Shkiv (see below). Where the winds of Limbo roar, Ygorl is said to appear as a 15-foot-tall slaad who is so totally black that he is darker than darkness itself.

Ygorl can use an Action Die to gate in another slaad of any type (except Ssendam or other unique slaadi), and this ability never fails. In addition, the Lord of Entropy can cast the following spells as psionic powers, needing no somatic, material, or verbal components (+18 bonus to the spell check): Chill touch, detect evil, detect invisible, ESP, phantasm, planar step, ray of enfeeblement, scare, and shatter. He regenerates 3 hp each round, so long as he has any hit points left.  He has an 85% chance of being able to ignore a spell (or other magical effect) as though it did not exist (determined before any applicable save is made) and can only be harmed by +3 or better magic weapons.

In addition, Ygorl may command up to 50 Hit Dice of un-dead creatures, which must succeed in a DC 25 Will save to ignore or disobey any of his commands.

 

Shkiv (large wingless brass dragon): Init +16; Atk Claw +17 melee (1d8) or bite +17 melee (1d12) or tail slap +17 melee (1d20 plus venom) or breath weapon; AC 30; HD 16d12; hp 120;  MV 60’ or swim 80’ or climb 40’; Act 4d20 for attacks plus 1d20 for spells; SP Breath weapons, amphibious, spellcasting, poison plants; SV Fort +16, Ref +16, Will +16; AL C.

Shkiv has two breath weapons. The first is a line of electricity 100 feet long, which forks 1d4 times and does damage equal to Shkiv’s hit points (Reflex DC 26 for half). The other is a cone of intense cold, 60’ long with a 20’ wide base, which does damage equal to the dragon’s hit points (Fortitude DC 20 for half). His tail is venomous, and those struck by a tail slap take an additional 1d8 hp damage from the venom and must succeed in a DC 20 Fort save or take 1d5 points of Stamina damage.

The dragon can cast magic shield with a +16 bonus to the spell check. Plants wither within 100’ of Shkiv, and the ground he treads on cannot support plant life for 1d3 years after his passing. Plant creatures must succeed in a DC 20 Fort save each round they are within 100’ of Shkiv or suffer 3d8 damage.

 

Calling upon the Lord of Entropy is perilous indeed. Wizards and elves can may seek to bond with Ygorl, and they may bond others to increase his following, but any time a creature is bonded to Ygorl they must roll a Luck check after the spell is cast, but before the spell check is made. If this fails, Ygorl takes a personal, and unfortunate, interest, appearing to grant the true gift of entropy to the committed soul. In short, Ygorl kills the unlucky suppliant, taking them body and soul to his palace among the winds of Limbo.

Invoke Patron check results:

12-13	The entropic power of Ygorl reaches through the caster, striking a target of the caster’s choice within 100’. The caster may choose any number of d8 to roll to damage the target, but the glory of acting as a conduit for Ygorl is too great for mortal flesh, and the caster takes half the damage rolled (DC 15 Fortitude save to reduce to one-quarter).
14-17	As 12-13, above, but the caster has no control over how many dice are rolled. Roll 1d24 to determine the number of d8 rolled. In addition, the Fortitude save the caster must make to reduce damage to themselves is increased to DC 20.
18-19	The caster partakes in entropy! For 1d3 rounds, any creature the caster touches, or who touches the caster, must succeed in a DC 15 Fortitude save or die. This includes creatures making successful attacks with natural weapons, but also includes friendly creatures (such as a cleric attempting to Lay on Hands). A character handing an object to the caster must succeed in a Luck check to avoid coming into contact.
20-23	As 18-19, above, but the condition lasts for 1d6 + CL rounds, and the DC for the Fortitude save is increased to DC 20.
24-27	Ygorl gates 1d5 grey slaadi to the caster’s location. These creatures are free-willed. If the caster is in immediate danger, the slaadi will protect them, but afterward they will bargain with the caster for their service (to a maximum of 1d4 + CL days). If suitably rewarded, they serve the caster well. Otherwise, meeting these slaadi again without Ygorl’s protection is sure to be a harrowing experience.
28-29	1d4 free-willed death slaadi are gated to the caster’s location. They will protect the caster if they are in immediate danger, but thereafter seeks to bargain with the caster for its service (to a maximum of 1d5 + CL hours). If a bargain cannot be reached, woe unto the caster, for the death slaadi will seek to take the caster themself as its reward!
30-31	Once per round, for the next 2d6 + CL hours, the caster may point at a target within 500’ to which the caster has line of sight. The target takes 3d6 damage, and must succeed in a DC 25 Fort save or die. Each time the caster evokes this power to affect a target, they take 1d6 damage which cannot be healed through magic, as a price for acting as a conduit for Ygorl’s power.
32+	The avatar of Ygorl himself appears, and fights on the caster’s behalf for up to 3d6 rounds, or until all foes within 500’ are slain (whichever comes first). At the end of this period, Ygorl judges the caster, who must succeed in a Luck check or Ygorl will transform them into a red slaad and take them to Limbo. In this event, the caster is lost forever, unless the judge (in an uncharacteristic fit of kindness) allows a special quest to recover the character.

 

Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Ssendam, Lord of Madness

The Avatar of Ssendam, Lord of the Insane

Ssendam’s Avatar: Init +5; Atk Black longsword +10 melee (1d8+4 plus stun) or pseudopod +10 melee (2d8 plus XP drain); AC 26; HD 16d12+48; hp 150;  MV 40’ or swim 50’; Act 3d20; SP Spellcasting, stun, XP drain, gate, regenerate 3 hp/round, +3 or better weapons to hit, wish fulfillment, 85% magic resistance; SV Fort +16, Ref +10, Will +22; AL C.

Said to be the most powerful of the slaadi, the Lord of the Insane appears either as an unarmored man wielding a black sword, or as a golden amoeba with a man's brain in place of a nucleus when his avatar is encountered in the Lands We Know. As a man, Ssendam’s sword causes all it strikes to succeed in a DC 16 Fort save or be stunned and unable to move or take any action for the next 1d5 rounds. As an amoeba, its pseudopodia can stretch to 10’ and drain 1d8 XP (Will DC 16 for half) in addition to their damage on a successful attack. If this XP drain brings a character below the required XP for their current level, they immediately lose that level, and are reduced to the previous level. A character that drops below 0 XP is slain.

Ssendam can use an Action Die to gate in another slaad of any type (except Ygorl or other  unique slaadi), and this ability never fails. In addition, Ssendam can cast the following spells as psionic powers, needing no somatic, material, or verbal components (+20 bonus to the spell check): Charm person, comprehend languages, detect invisible, detect magic, dispel magic, ESP, flaming hands, phantasm, planar step, and scare. He may also fulfill another’s wish, if it strikes his fancy to do so, requiring a round in which the Lord of Madness does nothing else.

Ssendam’s avatar regenerates 3 hp each round, so long as he has any hit points left.  He has an 85% chance of being able to ignore a spell (or other magical effect) as though it did not exist (determined before any applicable save is made) and can only be harmed by +3 or better magic weapons.

When encountered, Ssendam always gives his true name, though woe betide he who tries to use it! In that plane where the slaadi are found, his form is that of a large, golden slaad.

Both wizards and elves can bond to Ssendam, and chaotic clerics can dedicate themselves to the Lord of Madness. Although followers of Bobugbubilz may consider him a rival, Ssendam takes little concern for non-slaadi creatures and their affairs. When a non-slaadi performs the ceremony to patron bond with him, they must roll 1d7 and add their Luck modifier to determine what die is used for the spell check. This roll is only made after the casting time has been spent: (1 or less) 1d7, (2) 1d8, (3) 1d10, (4) 1d12, (5) 1d14, (6) 1d16, (7) 1d20, (8) 1d24, or (9+) 1d30.

Invoke Patron check results:

12-13	Ssendam can barely be concerned with such a paltry request. A target of the caster’s choice (within 100’) suffers a moment of confusion, causing it to miss its next action.
14-17	Ssendam reaches through the caster to cast forget upon one target of the caster’s choice within 100’. If no other target is available, the caster is affected instead. The spell check is made with 1d20+8 – the caster’s mind is not powerful enough to channel Ssendam’s true power!
18-19	Ssendam gates 1d3 red slaadi to the caster’s location. These creatures obey the caster resentfully for 1d5 + CL rounds before they are again gated away. If suitably rewarded, they may better regard the caster. Otherwise, meeting these slaadi again without Ssendam’s protection is sure to be a harrowing experience.
20-23	Ssendam gates 1d4 blue slaadi to the caster’s location. These creatures obey the caster resentfully for 1d6 + CL turns before they are again gated away. If suitably rewarded, they may better regard the caster. Otherwise, meeting these slaadi again without Ssendam’s protection is sure to be a harrowing experience.
24-27	Ssendam gates 1d3 grey slaadi to the caster’s location. These creatures are free-willed. If the caster is in immediate danger, the slaadi will protect them, but afterward they will bargain with the caster for their service (to a maximum of 1d4 + CL days). If suitably rewarded, they serve the caster well. Otherwise, meeting these slaadi again without Ssendam’s protection is sure to be a harrowing experience.
28-29	A single free-willed death slaad is gated to the caster’s location. It will protect the caster if they are in immediate danger, but thereafter seeks to bargain with the caster for its service (to a maximum of 1d5 + CL hours). If a bargain cannot be reached, woe unto the caster, for the death slaad will seek to take the caster themself as its reward!
30-31	Ssendam gates 1d6 red slaadi to the caster’s location, who permanently serve the caster (until slain). These creatures are resentful unless well rewarded, and will seek to pervert the caster’s intentions while obeying orders unless satisfied. The caster may dismiss them at will (in whole or in part), and they will instantly return to their home plane once dismissed.
32+	Ssendam takes enough interest in the caster to grant a wish. If the caster’s wish is over-exacting, or takes too great a liberty with Ssendam’s largesse (as determined by the judge), the Lord of Madness will pervert the wish to the caster’s woe (again, as determined by the judge). In either case, the results of the wish manifest on the caster’s next initiative.

 

A Kickstarter at Howling Crater

Cover art by Adrian Landeros

I haven’t been posting for the last little bit because of health-related eye strain. I was unable to focus on a computer screen for more than 15 minutes at a time. As you can imagine, this has played havoc with my creativity and caused me to shoot past several deadlines. The problem seems to be abating, and I have hope that the miracle of modern science will help me get past it this month.

Okay, let’s talk about An Occurrence at Howling Crater, now on kickstarter from Planet X Games. This is designed for use with either DCC or MCC, and is from the same folks who brought you Jungle Tomb of the Mummy Bride last year.

The Kickstarter is already funded, although this is an insane time of year to be starting your kick, and ends on January 3^rd, 2023.

You know that I believe in full disclosure, so I don't mind letting you know that I am posting this as a favor to Levi Combs. He is definitely a stand-up guy, who I had the chance to meet in person at Gary Con earlier this year. While I did some writing for Mummy Bride, at this point I don’t have any financial stake in Howling Crater at all. I am a backer, and I am really happy with how Mummy Bride turned out. And yes, obviously, I hope to do some more work for Planet X in the future.

So, the real question is, what does this thing get for us DCC and MCC aficionados? I'm going to quote the press kit text below, but what it really gets us is high production values, great art printed on good stock, and lots of pulp-era action and inspiration, if the Mummy Bride is anything to judge by.

Here's what the press kit says:

• For those backers choosing the DCC/MCC compatible ruleset, all THREE levels of the crashed spaceship are included, complete with detailed locations and full write-ups. Maps are rendered in incredible detail by Karl Stjernberg, AKA @skullfungus!

• A TON of all-new material! New magical items, deadly monsters, patrons, exciting locations and all-new spells for your ongoing DCC/MCC game.

• A digital map pack that is fully compatible with Virtual Table Top (VTT), with the secret door markers and encounter numbers removed.

• Full conversion to the DCC/MCC compatible ruleset. We didn't just file off the serial numbers and throw this thing to the wolves - as DCC/MCC players ourselves, we made a dedicated conversion and spent a lot of nights playtesting this new version so that it retains the feel, vibe and compatibility of Dungeon Crawl Classics and Mutant Crawl Classics. This module is 100% compatible with both rulesets!

• The hinterland settlement of Hem's Holler, an all-new starting location for your PCs written by Levi Combs. New NPCs! Deadly leads and rumors! All new dangers lurking at the edge of civilization to make your PCs' lives absolutely miserable! Even if your players have played through the scenario previously, what secrets swirl in Hem's Holler waiting to be discovered?

• Tons of new art! Not only did we commission a brand-new cover from original cover artist Adrian Landeros, but we've added plenty of new illustrations to the module as well. In addition to all the original art, top-tier illustrators Ed Bickford, Tim Burns and Je Shields are all lending their considerable talents to this project.

• New Patrons! Jeff Scifert has detailed all-new patrons for An Occurrence at Howling Crater, complete with special traits, divine favors, cleric titles, disapproval charts and all new canticles. There is a considerable amount of flavor and lore added to the original scenario and it really helps bring the mystery, super-science and savagery of the forbidden crater to life.

• All New Flavor Text. Traditionally, Planet X modules don't use flavor text but the excellence and playability of the DCC/MCC system has really brought us back around to it. This module contains read-aloud flavor text for every single encounter area.

• Finally, we've just flat out changed a few things. Converting a previous module to the look and feel of DCC compatibility isn't just about giving it a quick makeover and sending it on its way. We've altered a few key bits here and there, added in some new things and done the best job we could in making the scenario look and feel like the kind of good time you'd expect from a product compatible with the DCC/MCC ruleset.

Let’s Parody the Fiend Folio: The Lesser Slaadi

When I was younger, every year Dragon (or The Dragon, should we go back far enough) would include some content which was relatively silly, or which parodies the normal magazine content. A lot of this was, frankly, unusable in a regular game. But every so often there would be content that, while clearly meant to take the piss out of serious gaming, could also be used in a serious game. This, to me, is the holy grail of gaming parody. It may be funny, but, even so, it also works.

My friends can hardly be alone, back in the 80’s, in noting that Slaad and Salad are pretty close. If no one in your gaming group ever made a joke about “ordering the Slaad” that is your loss; it certainly was not ours.

So here I provide you with five additional Slaadi – Lesser Slaadi – for your Dungeon Crawl Classics game. And the important thing is that, if you change the names and adjust a little bit of the content, these creatures are perfectly usable. I did warn you that I was considering a whole secondary hierarchy of Slaadi running parallel to those in the Fiend Folio, and here we are. Instead of running parallel, though, these Lesser Slaadi hope to reincarnate into true Slaadi.

Hold on tight to your dreams!

 

 

Lesser Slaadi

Smaller than the main slaadi, the lesser slaadi are also extra-planar frog-like monsters resembling batrachians humanoids. Like the slaadi, these creatures are from the plane of Limbo, and worship/obey the same dread masters. Like slaadi, the lesser slaadi believe that, if they act according to the principles of their masters, they will be reincarnated after death into the next rank of slaadi. After progressing through all the lesser ranks, a lesser slaad hopes to become a red slaad in its next life.

Lesser slaadi have the following common abilities:

Communication: Speech in their own language, understanding all languages, and telepathic communication to a range of 50’.

Magic Resistance: All slaadi have a chance of ignoring a spell (or other magical effect) as though it did not exist. This is rolled as a percentile chance before any applicable save is made.

Spellcasting:  Some lesser slaadi can cast spells, using their Hit Dice as a bonus to the spell check. Lesser slaadi do not suffer corruptions, disapproval, or patron taint, but lose access to any spell for 24 hours if they roll a spell check of 10 or less on that spell. Their spells are psionic in nature, requiring no words, motions, or material components.

Summoning: Lesser slaadi can be summoned using monster summoning.

Slaadi Symbols: All slaadi, including lesser slaadi, have a magical symbol of rank in the form of a jewel encased in the creature's skull beneath the skin of the forehead. These are artificial devices which encase the slaad's life-force; they may be removed when a salad is held immobile by any spell. On threat of destruction of the gem, an intelligent being may force the monster to fulfill three tasks, if they are within the creature’s capacity. However, when released and the gem replaced, a salad that is not very well rewarded (usually by human slaves to take back to its own plane of existence) turns on its would-be controller with lethal intent. The same occurs immediately upon a fourth task being requested, and a controller who is slow to destroy the stone usually does not survive to learn from their mistake. These jewels are typically valued at 10 gp per Hit Die of the linked salad, but any slaad seeing a symbol held by a non-slaad attack with berserk fury. Each symbol is unique and readily identifiable by any other slaad.

Garden Slaad

Garden Slaad: Init +3; Atk Claw +0 melee (1d3); AC 10; HD 1d12; MV 10’ or swim 20’; Act 1d20; SP Lesser slaadi traits (5% magic resistance); SV Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +0; AL C.

The least of the lesser slaadi, the garden slaad stands only 1’ tall, and is greenish in color with occasional bits of red. They are found lurking in gardens, consuming slugs, beetles, and other pests as commanded by their masters. These slaad may be dressed in various styles, but their statistics are not affected by this.

 

Greek Slaad

Greek Slaad: Init +2; Atk Claw +0 melee (1d3); AC 11; HD 2d12; MV 10’ or swim 20’; Act 1d20; SP Lesser slaadi traits (5% magic resistance), hard to grasp, death throes; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +1; AL C.

At a mere 2’ tall, this is the second rank of lesser slaadi. Their appearance is similar to that of the garden slaadi, but with spots of darker hue and of white. Their bodies exude olive oil, which makes them difficult to grasp, and a Greek slaad can escape any form of hold or bond with a DC 10 Reflex save. When slain, a Greek slaad collapses into a pile of dark olives and feta cheese sufficient to feed 1d4 individuals.

 

Gelatin Slaad

Gelatin Slaad: Init +0; Atk Claw +1 melee (1d4) or projectile +3 ranged (1d3); AC 12; HD 3d12; MV 20’ or swim 30’; Act 1d20; SP Lesser slaadi traits (10% magic resistance), projectiles, half damage from blunt weapons; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +2; AL C.

Gelatin slaadi come in a variety of colors. Roll 1d5: (1) lime green, (2) lemon yellow, (3) orange, (4) purple, or (5) red. They are semi-translucent, and their inner organs can be faintly seen floating within their bodies, like pieces of fruit. These lesser slaadi stand 3’ tall, and have interior organs which manufacture projectiles they can exude with great force, striking targets 60’ away. As the projectiles must pass through their bodies, each time a gelatin slaad fires a projectile, it takes 1 hp damage.

Gelatin slaadi are wibbly, their bodies being comprised largely of gelatin-like material. As a result, they take half damage from blunt weapons.

Gelatin slaadi are able to cast mirror image. It sometimes seems as though everyone brings a gelatin slaad.

Gelatin slaadi are the third rank of lesser slaadi.

 

Potato Slaad

Potato Slaad: Init +0; Atk Claw +2 melee (1d4) or bite +0 melee (1d6); AC 15; HD 4d12; MV 20’ or swim 30’; Act 2d20; SP Lesser slaadi traits (10% magic resistance), half damage from non-magical weapons, immune to cold-based damage; SV Fort +4, Ref +0, Will +2; AL C.

The lumpy potato slaad is pale in color, and stands a 4’ tall. They are cool to the touch, and completely immune to cold. These slaadi can cast chill touch and enlarge. These creature comprise the fourth rank of lesser slaadi.

 

Caesar Slaad

Caesar Slaad: Init +3; Atk Claw +4 melee (1d5 plus grab) or bite +0 melee (1d7); AC 14; HD 5d12; MV 30’ or swim 40’; Act 2d20; SP Lesser slaadi traits (15% magic resistance), half damage from non-magical weapons, gate; SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +4; AL C.

Greatest of the lesser slaadi, the Caesar slaadi stand a full 5’ tall. Their claw attacks allow them to grab an opponent, who must make an opposed Strength check (vs. +0) to break free. A Caesar slaad has a 1 in 3 chance of opening a gate to Limbo with an action. If they succeed, they may use a move to carry a seized victim into Limbo, to become slaves or food for the true slaadi.

They may cast paralysis, which assists them in capturing victims.