Let’s Convert the Hawkmoon Bestiary: Charki, Great Good One, and Jeebie

Looking at the Hawkmoon RPG, it is pretty clear that, while some stats scale along the same lines as Dungeons & Dragons (at it appeared at the time) or Dungeon Crawl Classics, the correspondence is not always “1 to 1”.  Ultimately, it has to be our goal to make material usable for the game we are playing. In this case, I am adjusting material to meet DCC’s design, and that requires interpretation of the source material.

Not everything in Hawkmoon requires a full statblock, or even a standard statblock. Some things just require the judge to have rules available for their effects. The Jeebies in this post are a good example of this. For those who are interested, statistics for giant flamingos appear in the Cyclopedia of Common Animals Volume F. Although these are not specifically avian denizens of the Tragic Millennium, they are definitely a nod thereunto. There is also a mural in Through the Cotillion of Hours which references giant flamingos, and this is the reason why.

These statistics are based almost entirely on Hawkmoon, which means that there might be some differences between them and the original Tragic Millennium stories. If a creature appears in Hawkmoon (or Stormbringer, when I get to it) that also appears in the Deities & Demigods tome, I will either do a separate conversion, or note that the source material doesn’t differ enough to make a separate conversion worthwhile. I have yet to do these conversions for my Patreon, so they won't appear in this blog until sometime next year.

Charki

Charki: Init +0; Atk mental rays (madness) or tentacle +8 melee (1d6 plus life force drain); AC 12; HD 6d12; MV 30’; Act (1d6+1)d20; SP mental rays, variable tentacle attacks, life force drain, healed by electricity, immortal; SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +8; AL C.

The immortal charki resemble gigantic angleworms with stone-grey skin, from which protrude masses of tentacles and other strange protuberances. The faces upon their pulsating heads are a parody of human features, grinning idiotic grins.

Charki can emit mental rays in a 300-foot range. All non-charki in this range must succeed in a DC 5 Will save or suffer madness, seeing friend as foe and directing all attacks against allies. This save must be rolled each round until either the victim is beyond the range of these mental rays, or they roll either a natural “1” or “20”. If they roll a natural “1” they remain affected for the next 1d6 turns with no additional save. If they roll a natural “20” they are immune for the next 24 hours, and do not need to roll additional saves.

In addition, a charki can attack with 1d6 tentacles each round. On a successful hit, the charki drains life force from the target, who must succeed in a DC 10 Fort save or take 1d3 points of attribute damage. Randomly determine which attribute each point is taken from.

These creatures were created long ago by the scientist Zhenadar-vron-Kensai, and are effectively immortal. If reduced to 0 hp and their bodies are not utterly destroyed, they merely remain dormant until regenerated by the passage of long years. In addition to consuming the life force from living creatures, the charki feed off of electricity, and are healed instead of harmed by electrical attacks. They usually travel in groups of 2d6 individuals.

Great Good One

Great Good One: Init +4; Atk sleepsong (DC 15 Will or sleep for 2d6 hours); AC 10; HD 1d6; MV fly 30’; Act 1d20; SP sleepsong, immaterial, carry; SV Fort +0; Ref +4; Will +8; AL N.

The Great Good Ones were once mortal humans who have become energy beings due to a scientific discovery made at the onset of the Tragic Millennium. They now serve and protect the Runestaff and its spirit, Jehamiah Cohnahlias. They appear as colored shadows, and can grow or shrink at will, to be smaller than a halfling or as large as a giant. They communicate through song.

The Great Good Ones are now immaterial, and are immune to most attacks, although some forms of magical energy may harm them at the judge’s discretion. They are able to make creatures fall asleep through their singing (DC 15 Will or sleep 2d6 hours), and can carry creatures up to human-sized individually (or larger as a group). Those who seem to carry ill intent are put to sleep and moved outside the Great Good One’s home in Dnark. Those who seem to be of goodwill are taken to the hospitable Jehamiah.

Jeebie

Jeebies are dandelion-like plants whose stalks terminate in eye-like structures rather than flowers. They are mobile, and can crawl along the ground at MV 1’.  If any creature comes within view, the jeebies freeze in place, merely watching with their eyestalk-blossoms…although they move closer if a creature looks away, freezing in place again if observed.

Jeebies grow in herd-like patches of hundreds of plants. They have no attack, and are not dangerous. They may be unsettling, however.