Thursday 24 October 2019

More Monsters From Greek Myth


The extended issue of D.A.M.N. #1 contains an article I wrote called It’s All Greek to Me! Here are a few more creatures to go with that article. See also this post for some unique centaurs. DCC nymphs can be found here.

Hippocampus:  Init +1; Atk bite +5 melee (1d5+1); AC 14; HD 4d8; MV 60’ or swim 100’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2; AL N.

Hippocampi are oceanic horses with fish-like tails and fins instead of hooves.


Icthyocentaur:   Init +0; Atk trident +3 melee (1d8+1) or other weapon; AC 14; HD 2d8; MV 50’ or swim 70’; Act 2d20; SV Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +1; AL Varies.

Ichthyocentaurs are aquatic cousins of normal centaurs, a combination of hippocampi and water-breathing humanoid.

Mermaid: Init +5; Atk none; AC 15; HD 3d6; MV 10’ or swim 60’; Act 1d20; SP charming voice (1/day, Will DC 14 resists, lasts 1d4 days), kiss confers water breathing for 1d3 hours; SV Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +3; AL N.

Merman: Init +3; Atk spear or trident +4 melee (1d8+1); AC 15; HD 3d6; MV 10’ or swim 60’; Act 1d20; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +2; AL N.

Lernaean hydra: Init +4; Atk bite +6 melee (1d10+4); AC 16; HD 1d10 (10 hp) per head; MV 20’, swim 40’; Act 1d20 per head; SP 2d8+4 heads, crit on 19-20, regeneration of heads at 2x rate, heal 1 hp/round per remaining head, miasmic vapours, death throes; SV Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +5; AL C.

The great hydra which guards the Underworld entrance beneath Lake Lerna is neither a common hydra nor a Prime, but something wholly unique. The Lernaean Hydra starts with 2d8+4 heads, and each head has a full 10 hp.  Each round, up to 1d7 heads spend their Action Die spouting a powerful cloud of miasmic vapour. All within a 30’ radius must succeed in a Fort save (DC 10 + number of heads breathing) or suffer a -1d penalty on the dice chain to all Action Dice the next round.

When the Lernaean hydra is slain, a great thunder shakes the heaven (Reflex DC 10 to remain standing), and a powerful voice proclaims that whoever struck the final blow is a child of Xanxes. This character immediately gains a +1 bonus to all Strength-related checks. Each time the character gains a level thereafter, he or she gains a Scion Roll as does a demi-god, regardless of the character’s actual class. If the character is already a demi-god, the character instead carries the blood of two gods, and rolls a Scion Roll for each. it is possible for the character to roll two Scion Rolls for Xanxes as a result of this event.

(Xanxes is a scion of the progeny of Zeus, in a future age where the Greek Gods have returned...or, more accurately, their grandchildren.)