Giant ticks have always been a part of games I’ve run. Bengal tigers exist near Shanthopal (and parts south through the Unjaggi region). Siberian-type tigers can be found in some of the northern reaches beyond the Ibetyan Mountains. Sabre-toothed tigers of various types can also be found in some of the wilder regions of the Middle World.
Giant toads are another monster that, throughout years of gaming, I have used with some frequency. Like giant frogs and giant ticks, they are a monster that resonates with me – and probably anyone who grew up in the Midwest or the southern parts of Canada. Still, the Monster Manual has a couple of varieties not included in the Cyclopedia, which you will find here.
I have used trappers, although rarely. Like the lurker
above, it is just too dangerous not to use sparingly, and only on the
fringes of inhabited areas in large dungeon complexes. Of course, I cannot be
certain, but I think the difference in frequency which Gary Gygax gives these two monsters is based on the fact that the
lurker above can shift its location more easily than the trapper. Still, the
“survival horror” elements of this monster make it one of the all-time greats.
The other three monsters in this post are three which I cannot
recall ever using. I remember creating a society which used titanotheres and baluchiteriums as beasts
of burden, but as that location was never found by any PCs it remains for some
future game.
Titans, of course, are not only huge giants but a major part of
Greek mythology. The titan write-up herein will serve as the basis for
converting the monsters of the Greek Mythos when I get to that portion of my Deities
& Demigods conversions (ongoing in my Patreon). If you have been following my work on Gods
& Powers of the Middle World, you know that some Greek-inspired
deities are included, which finally gives me an adequate place to include
titans in the game.
(If it interests you, Shanthopal
is intended as a cultural melting pot, but is primarily based upon Indian and
Middle Eastern ideas, as they may have evolved centuries hence, following the
collapse of our own civilization, a nuclear war, and the return of gods and
magic to our world. This allows me to admix many ideas into a semi-cohesive
whole while using the influence of various gods and powers to explain, to some
degree at least, why things are as they are.)
During my 1st Edition
days, psionic characters were so rare on the ground that I didn’t really use
psionic monsters often. I cannot remember ever using a thought eater, although
I am hoping that my conversion will make them more useful to DCC judges than I found them in AD&D. That isn’t really a criticism
of the earlier system; I am sure many
AD&D DMs made better use of the psionics rules than I did. Discerning readers will note that my write-up has nothing to do with the creature as presented, but does have an Appendix N root.
Non-corporeal creatures which feed on intelligence, thought eaters are naturally invisible. To those capable of seeing them, they appear as transparent blobs of violet energy. When they get within 30 feet of an intelligent creature, they can attempt to permanently siphon off 1d3 points of Intelligence (DC 13 Will negates) each round, only being satiated when they have consumed a full 20 points of Intelligence.
Thought eaters are powerless in daylight, and find it painful, so they usually only operate at night or deep underground. Despite being non-corporeal, they cannot pass through even a thin coating of lead and can be harmed by lead or lead-coated weapons. If forced to remain in bright daylight for 2d6 rounds, they are slain. Devices which channel strong ultra-violet light can destroy them in a similar amount of time if they cannot escape.
Thankfully, there are few of these creatures in existence.
Sages believe they were some failed and foolish experiment of the Shining Ones,
and there are still occasionally lead-lined containers found from those Dark
Ages, sealed in lead, and woe upon those unwise enough to open them!
Giant Tick: See the Cyclopedia
of Common Animals.
Tiger: See the Cyclopedia
of Common Animals for both tigers and sabre-toothed tigers,
with some additional variety provided (Bengal vs. Siberian for normal tigers,
and by size for smilodons.
Lesser Titan: Init +0; Atk sword or spear +16 melee
(5d8+12) or spell; AC 22; HD 20d10; MV 50’; Act 1d30; SP invisible at will, planar step (3/day, spell check result
24-26), spellcasting, crit as giant on 20-30; SV Fort +16, Ref +8, Will +12; AL
C.
Greater Titan: Init +2; Atk sword or spear +20 melee
(5d8+15) or spell; AC 26; HD 25d10; MV 60’; Act 2d30; SP invisible at will, planar step (3/day, spell check result
24-26), spellcasting, crit as giant on 20-30; SV Fort +20, Ref +5, Will +16; AL
C.
Lesser titans are 1d4+20 feet tall and weigh as much as 15,000
pounds. Greater titans are even larger, being 1d8+24 feet tall and weighing as
much as 25,000 pounds. Wherever they appear, they may be worshipped as gods
although they have no clerics and cannot grant divine spells.
All titans can cast spells. To determine what class they cast
spell as, roll 1d6: (1-2) wizard, (3-5) cleric, or (6) both. Lesser titans have
1d6+2 caster levels, and greater titans have 1d7+3 caster levels. If a titan
casts spells as a cleric, it can also lay on hands and turn the unholy, and
acts as the representative of some specific god.
If the judge so desires, a greater titan who casts wizard spells
can be developed as a full patron. Likewise, powerful titans which cast
clerical spells may become Demi-Powers or Least Powers at the judge’s
discretion.
In any event, attacking a titan is almost certain suicide.
Giant Toad: See the Cyclopedia of Common Animals. I didn’t include an ice toad or poisonous toad, so I have included them below.
Ice Toad: Init +0; Atk tongue strike +2 ranged
(20’ range, 0 plus entrap) or Bite +3 melee (1d8); AC 10; HD 6d8+6; MV 30’; Act
1d20; SP entrap, swallow whole (19-20), cold aura (10’ range, 1d4 temporary
Stamina, DC 10 Fort for half); SV Fort +4; Ref +0; Will +0 ; AL N.
These creatures are larger than common giant toads, and radiate
intense cold within a 30’ radius, causing 1d4 temporary Stamina damage (DC 10
Fort for half). Victims who spend 1 turn warming up by a large fire heal this
damage immediately if they succeed on a DC 5 Fort save; otherwise it heals
normally as regular attribute damage.
On a natural 19-20 with a bite attack, instead of the normal critical effect, an ice toad swallows human-sized or smaller prey whole, doing 1d6 damage and 1d3 Stamina damage per round to the swallowed creature. A swallowed creature can do nothing that requires movement. Against other creatures, use normal critical effects. As with giant frogs, giant toads can pull victims toward them at a rate of 5 feet per round unless it makes an opposed Strength check (vs +5), or sever its tongue (AC 13, 10 hp or Mighty Deed 4+). Attacking the tongue doesn’t affect the ice toad’s hit points, but severing it will cause the creature to retreat immediately.
Note that the Stamina damage to swallowed victims is not temporary, but can be healed as normal attribute damage.
Poisonous Toad: Init +0; Atk tongue strike +2 ranged (20’ range, 0 plus entrap) or Bite +3 melee (1d6 plus venom); AC 10; HD 4d8; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP venom (1d3 Agility plus DC 15 Fort or 2d6 hp); entrap, swallow whole (19-20); SV Fort +2; Ref +2; Will +0; AL N.
Poisonous toads are similar to giant toads, except that they have
a venomous bite. On a natural 19-20 with a bite attack, instead of the normal
critical effect, a poisonous toad swallows human-sized or smaller prey whole,
doing 1d5 damage per round to the swallowed creature. A swallowed creature can
do nothing that requires movement. Against other creatures, use normal critical
effects. Poisonous toads can pull victims toward them at a rate of 5 feet per
round unless the victim makes an opposed Strength check (vs +3), or sever its
tongue (AC 13, 8 hp or Mighty Deed 3+). Attacking the tongue doesn’t affect the
toad’s hit points, but severing it will cause the creature to retreat
immediately.
A thief can extract 1d4 doses of venom from a slain poisonous toad
with a successful Handle Poison check, but there is a -2 penalty to this check.
Trappers are flat, semi-amorphous creatures which can spread
themselves over an area of up to 1d30 x 10 5-foot squares, matching the floor
of the space – whether it is natural or worked stone – with an astonishing
level of success. They are able to extrude part of their bodies into a vaguely
chest-like protrusion which cannot pass for a real chest when potential victims
are within 10 feet of it…but by then it is too late.
The trapper makes a single 1d20 attack against all creatures on
its surface. Those it catches are entrapped, and on each following round it can
crush all of its victims. Victims take 1d6 damage plus damage equal to the AC
bonus of any armor worn as it is crushed into the victims’ bodies. Entrapped
victims can take no action which requires motion, although mental powers may
still be used. In most cases, victims rely upon any which escaped the trapper
to survive.
In order to entrap victims, a trapper must expose its weaker
underside. This has a lower AC (15) and attacks against it cause twice normal
damage. If a trapper is reduced to half it hit points, it releases its victims
and attempts to escape. Trappers are smarter than they would appear to be, and
otherwise continue crushing their victims for 2d6+5 rounds before releasing
them for consumption – strong and lucky creatures may be able to escape at this
time.
Whether because they were released or slain, there is a chance
equal to AC bonus on 1d20 that any armor worn by victims is ruined.
Trappers deposit slain victims beneath them, where they are slowly
digested over 1d4 days. Although trappers do not care about treasure
themselves, the remains of victims may include some non-organic items of use or
value to adventurers.
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