Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Ogrillon and Osquip

I wanted to talk a little bit about the utility of the Variety in Humanoids section of the core rulebook (pages 379-380) in the last post, but I was having a really hard time focusing on the screen. I am doing a little better now, and, as the same issues apply to Ogrillons as Norkers, I will discuss it here. Simply put, when Advanced Dungeons & Dragons was penned, to have a new variety of humanoid usually required a completely new monster write-up. This isn’t true in Dungeon Crawl Classics, where you are given full permission – nay, encouraged! – to make changes to a monster and use the goblin statblock. The versatility of this cannot be overstated.

The Osquip is probably inspired by the ulsio of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars books. I have tried to make use of that in my write-up, and would strongly urge judges to consider adding these monsters to their interplanetary adventures, whether you are using Crawljammer, trapped on the Purple Planet, or visiting Madkeen.

This completes the letter O for the Fiend Folio!

 

 

Ogrillon

Ogrillon: Init +0; Atk Fist +3 melee (1d3+3); AC 14; HD 2d10+4; MV 30’; Act 2d20; SP infravision 60’, exceptional Strength; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +1; AL C.

If one is to believe the sages, the ogrillon is a crossbreed between ogres (core rulebook, page 422) and orcs (page 423), being smaller than a true ogre, but somewhat smarter, and having some clear orcish traits in their appearance. Which orcish traits are passed on varies between individuals, and might have some real variation based on the strain of orc. All ogrillons are very strong (+3 to Strength checks), but never use weapons, preferring to attack with their horny fists (which do lethal, rather than subdual, damage).

Ogrillons are often found among orcs, when they are encountered at all, and it may not be immediately apparent that they are not orcs themselves. The Venerable Gygyz has suggested that there may indeed be many more of these creatures than are generally supposed, but that they may take after their orcish ancestry even more, use weapons, and be mistaken for orcs when sighted. It is an interesting speculation, although there is no obvious mean of determining whether or not the speculation is reflected in the truth.

 

Osquip

Osquip: Init +0; Atk Bite +1 melee (2d4); AC 13; HD 3d4; MV 30’ or burrow 10’; Act 1d20; SP Infravision 60’, variable number of legs; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +0; AL N.

If you can imagine a hairless rodent-like creature about two feet long, with huge spade-like teeth and too many legs, you come close to envisioning the osquip.  These creatures lair amidst extensive tunnel complexes, often beneath the basements of buildings in a town, and are sometimes found in tunnel systems running below and alongside the main corridors of dungeons. The entrances to these tunnels are too small to permit comfortable passage for humans, dwarves, or elves, and are often difficult to locate, as the creature hides them instinctively.

Osquips normally feed on rats, mice and other small vermin, which make them beneficial to their neighbors, but they are extremely territorial, and will sometimes emerge from their hidden burrows to attack larger victims, up to and including those the size of a horse. An osquip infestation reduces the rodent population, but it may also result in missing pets, children, and even adults.

Osquips are sometimes found working with other tunnel-dwelling creatures, such as jermlaine, mites and snyads, but even more frequently they treat them as they do everything else – as a potential source of food.

These creatures have an unusual, and variable, number of legs. Roll 1d20 per individual: (1-14) six legs, (15-19) eight legs (MV 35’), or (20) 10 legs (MV 40’). This strange characteristic has caused some to speculate that the osquip might have originated on some other world, and have been brought to this one by accident, misadventure, or malice.