Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Retriever, Revenant, and Rothé

As with the letter “Q”, there are only three creatures for the letter “R”. Let’s just jump into it, shall we?

 

 

 

 

 

Retriever

Retriever (Type III Demon of Demogorgon): Init +4; Atk Cleaver +10 melee (3d6) or eye ray +20 ranged (special); AC 17; HD 8d12; MV 50’; Act 2d20; SP Demon traits, eye rays, fear aura; SV Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +7; AL C.

These twelve-foot tall demons are spider-like, with their front four limbs ending in huge cleavers. Despite their size, they are unnervingly fast and nimble. Each has six eyes, two for vision and four which project rays (see below). Once a particular ray is used, it cannot be used again for 1d10 rounds. A retriever either attacks with its cleavers or eye rays; it cannot do both in the same round.

The four eye have a 60’ range, and must successfully strike a target to be effective. They are: Fire, cold, lightning, and transmutation. The first three do damage equal to the demon’s current hit point, and each allows a DC 20 save for half damage – a Reflex save for the fire and lightning ray, and a Fortitude save for the cold ray. If the save for the fire ray fails by 5 or more, the target catches fire, taking an automatic 1d6 damage each round until the fire is put out (Reflex DC 10). The transmutation ray requires a DC 20 Will save, or the target is transformed (roll 1d4): (1) mud, (2) stone, (3) gold, or (4) lead. A gold human weighs about 4,000 lbs, a gold dwarf or elf 3,500 lbs., and a gold halfing about 2,000 lbs.

Retrievers radiate fear, so that creatures with 5 Hit Dice/levels or fewer must succeed on a DC 20 Will save when the demon comes within 30’ or flee in panic for 2d6 turns, dropping any held items when doing so.

A retriever’s basic demon traits include communication through speech and telepathy, infravision 60’, the ability to cast darkness with a +12 bonus on the spell check, the ability to teleport back to its native plane or any point on same plane (as long as not bound or otherwise summoned), a crit range of 18-20, and immunity to weapons of less than +2 enchantment or natural attacks from creatures of 5 Hit Dice or less. Retrievers take half damage from fire, acid, cold, electricity, and gas.

These beings are seldom encountered in the Lands We Know, although they are rarely sent to retrieve some misfortunate who has offended Demogorgon or one of the more powerful denizens of the Abyss. The condition of the prey seldom matters to either the retriever or the demon lord it is serving. Sometimes smaller demons mount howdahs on the back of a retriever and ride on the creature to the hunt.

 

 

Revenant

Revenant: Init -2; Atk Choke +3 melee (2d8) or paralysis; AC 13; HD 5d12; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP Un-dead, Turn resistance, immunities, regenerate 3/round, track victim, strangle, paralysis (2d4 rounds, Will DC 15 negates), living skills; SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +12; AL N.

Under exceptional circumstances, those who have died a violent death may return from beyond the grave to wreak vengeance on their killer – as a revenant. Usually, only extraordinary individuals may do so, as determined by the judge.  There are few who can make this journey, and judges are cautioned to be selective.

Although un-dead, revenants are motivated by sheer will and a need for revenge. They are treated as 10 Hit Dice creatures when a cleric attempts to Turn the Unholy or banish them. Revenants are further immune to holy water, weapons (normal and magical alike), acid, gas, and mind-affecting spells. They regenerate 3 hp each round, even after reduced to 0 hp, unless the body is burned to ash. Even if a revenant is dismembered, its limbs continue to function independently, as though guided by the same mind; dismemberment has no effect on the creature’s statistics. Its limbs are capable of slithering together, re-uniting into a single body.

The sole purpose of the revenant’s existence is to wreak vengeance on its killer(s). It never attacks anyone else, except in self-defense, and it will stop at nothing to achieve its purpose. Linked by the threads of hatred, revenge, and fate, a revenant always knows where its primary killer is. Secondary killers, and those who aided the primary target, are only sought if they remain in the company of the primary target. Usually. The judge may determine otherwise in particularly egregious cases.

If a revenant hits a target, it locks its claw-like hands around its victim’s throat, doing automatic damage each round, A revenant will not release its grip until the victim or the revenant is dead, or a Mighty Deed of 6+ succeeds. A revenant can also stare into its killer’s eyes, paralyzing its target for 2d4 rounds unless the target succeeds in a DC 15 Will save. It can only use this power against its killer.

Although they never use weapons, revenants retain all the powers they had in life, so that revenants may have the ability to cast spells, use Deed Dice, use thief’s skills and so on. The stiffness of its vocal chords deters revenants from using speech except under extreme circumstances, such as to cast a spell on its killer.

Revenants are animated corpses, with all that implied – cold flesh, pallid skin, sunken cheekbones – but they are still recognizable as their living selves, especially by their chosen target. Their sunken eyes seem dull and heavy-lidded, but blaze up with unnatural intensity near their intended victims. An unnatural but unmistakable aura of tragic anger, sadness and determination hangs around a revenant, which makes natural animals shy away from it.

If the revenant died a particularly violent death, it may arise from any available, freshly-dead corpse. Even if the new body is of a different gender or species, its killer(s) always see it as though it were arisen in its original body. Any not involved in the killing see the body as it truly is.

After 1d4+2 months, if a revenant has not succeeded in wreaking its vengeance, the corpse decomposes rapidly and the spirit of the revenant is forced into a personal hell of unsatisfied anger and despair. If a revenant has completes its mission by killing all its intended victims, it immediately disintegrates, and will never return again. Its spirit rests in peace.

 

Rothé

Rothé: Init +2; Atk Gore +3 melee (2d3) or bite +0 melee (1d8); AC 13; HD 2d8+2; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP infravision 60’; SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +0; AL N.

Rothé are small creatures, similar to musk oxen, with long, coarse black hair and a surprisingly powerful bite. They are shy creatures, with an aversion to bright light, which generally make their lairs underground, near a lake or river where there is a good supply of lichen and moss to eat. In some places, rothé are herded by goblins or hill-dwelling fey, where they are kept underground during the day and let out at night to feed. In nearby places, such creatures may be known as faerie cattle or goblin oxen. The average rothé is 4 feet tall at the shoulder.

Variations in Rothé

There is a 1 in 6 chance that any given herd of rothé has a special quality. If this is the case, roll 1d7 and consult the table below.

1d7	These Rothé…
1	…glow with soft light, like foxfire. To determine the color, roll 1d3: (1) light green, (2) light orange, or (3) coruscating electric blue.
2	…are only 3’ at the shoulder. They have only 1d8+1 for Hit Dice.
3	…are 5’ at the shoulder. They have 3d8+3 for Hit Dice.
4	…are trained for the saddle, and are ridden by (roll 1d5): (1) goblins, (2) kobolds, (3) halflings, (4) fey, or (5) spirits of the dead.
5	…have softer hair, which can be sheared and sold for 2d30 sp per animal.
6	…have a 20’ climb speed and can climb walls like a spider.
7	…are so flatulent that it takes a DC 10 Will save to approach within 60’, and any open flame brought within 30’ causes a localized fireball (10’ radius, 2d6 damage, Reflex DC 15 for half) unless the bearer makes a successful Luck check each round.