Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Terithran and Thoqqua

The Terithran is a reasonable enough creature to include in an Advanced Dungeons & Dragons game, I suppose, to limit the prevalence of spell casters and add some risk to using magic items. The magic system in Dungeon Crawl Classics is somewhat different, which requires making some changes to the nature of the monster, when it is encountered, and how its powers work. It is recommended that, rather than tediously rolling to determine whether or not a Terithran is summoned every time large amounts of spellburn are used, or a spell is fumbled, the judge includes this chance as part of certain adventures and locations in the campaign milieu. It will save you some headaches.

The Fiend Folio includes more than one monster designed to jump out at you from the walls, and it contains more than one monster designed to create (or explain) some of the traversable tunnels in an underground maze. The Thoqqua is one of these, although the tunnels it creates are only 3 feet in diameter. What if there were giant Thoqqua, creating passages that larger characters could easily use? Well, since I brought it up, I suppose I should include it!

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Terithran

Terithran: Init +0; Atk Claw +2 melee (1d4+1) or magic attack; AC 17; HD 5d6; MV 40’; Act 2d20; SP Immune to normal weapons (silver or magic to hit), 50% magic resistance, detect magic 100’ radius, magic attacks; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +8; AL C.

These short humanoids are a mere four feet tall, with long sinewy arms and an unusually large misshapen head. They have a faint, shadowy appearance, for they are not from the Lands We Know, but only visitors of circumstance, summoned at times when occult forces go either horribly awry or when great sacrifice has been made to bring forth arcane powers. In general, there is a 1% chance per spell level that a terithais summoned when a natural “1” is rolled, and a 1% chance per point of spellburn when a caster utilizes 10 or more points of spellburn. This may be restricted further as determined by the judge; there may only be certain places in the campaign milieu which abut those areas Beyond where terithrans dwell.

In any event, such creatures are found in the aether and phlogiston, bathing in the swirls, eddies and warps which are natural to these hidden regions. The use of arcane magic forces some amount of order into the natural chaos, sometimes forcing the creatures at least partially into the Lands We Know, and terithrans are never happy to be within our world.

In the Lands We Know, a terithran is immune to all non-magical weapons, unless they are made of silver. They have a 50% chance of simply ignoring any spell or spell effect as though it didn’t exist, and this is determined before any potential saves are rolled. They can automatically detect and understand the function of any magic item or ongoing spell effect within a 100’ radius.

A terithran can attack using its claws, or can use both Action Dice to create one of the effects below (roll 1d4):

(1) Stunning blast: a charge of phlogistonic and aetherial waves stun all creatures within 10’ for 1d5 rounds, rendering them unable to take any action during this period, unless they succeed in a DC 15 Will save.

(2) Drain power: Removes the use of one random spell from a wizard or elf within 100’ unless they succeed in a DC 20 Will save. The spell is always of the highest available level, and the terithran heals 1d6 hp per spell level. The wizard or elf regains access to any lost spells after 1d3 + spell level days (roll for each spell separately); the spell cannot be regained or reused through spellburn, nor can the spell slots be refilled with alternative spells. It is as though the caster didn’t have these slots.

(3) Cause serious wounds: With a successful attack roll, the creature automatically does 1d4+1 base damage and gains the effects of a critical hit.

(4) Transportation: The terithran makes an attack with a +2 bonus (total attack modifier +4), grasping a victim (usually the offending wizard or elf) and transporting both itself and its victim to its home in the phlogiston. There is no save, and the victim is lost unless the judge allows a special quest to recover them. This power causes no damage.

These statistics represent terithrans as they appear in the Lands We Know. In their own lands, they may be more powerful.

 

Thoqqua

Thoqqua: Init +0; Atk Charge +2 melee (3d4 plus 2d6 heat) or touch +0 melee (2d6 heat); AC 18; HD 3d8; MV 10’ or burrow 30’; Act 1d20; SP Blindsense 120’, charge heat (2d6), fire damage heals creature, cold vulnerability; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +0; AL N.

Giant Thoqqua: Init +0; Atk Charge +4 melee (5d4 plus 3d6 heat) or touch +2 melee (3d6 heat); AC 20; HD 6d8; MV 20’ or burrow 40’; Act 1d20; SP Blindsense 120’, charge heat (3d6), fire damage heals creature, cold vulnerability; SV Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +0; AL N.

Colossal Thoqqua: Init +0; Atk Charge +6 melee (7d4 plus 4d6 heat) or touch +4 melee (4d6 heat); AC 22; HD 8d8; MV 30’ or burrow 50’; Act 1d20; SP Blindsense 120’, charge heat (4d6), fire damage heals creature, cold vulnerability; SV Fort +10, Ref +0, Will +0; AL N.

Also called “rockworms”, these creatures are 2 feet in diameter and 1d4+1 feet long, with reddish-silver skin and a super-heated “head” which allows them to burrow through solid stone, creating red-hot tunnels about 3 feet in diameter. Even after a thoqqua has passed, the tunnels remain hot enough to cause 2d7 damage for the first turn and 1d7 for the second. After two turns, the tunnel cools down enough to enter, but remains warm to the touch for days. During the first turn, the rock is discernibly red from the heat, and while the rock causes damage, the heat radiating from it is easily felt from a distance.

Thoqquas start combat with a charge, being able to move up to 30’ to do so. Thereafter, it is restricted to its normal movement rate. Fire- or heat-based attacks heal the thoqqua equal to the damage done (and may grant the creature temporary hit points above its normal maximum), but cold attacks inflict twice normal damage.

A giant thoqqua is like its smaller cousin, but 4’ feet in diameter and 2d5+2 feet long, and able to charge up to 50’. It creates tunnels up to 5’ in diameter. A colossal thoqqua is even larger; 6’ in diameter and 4d7+4’ long, able to charge up to 60’, and creating tunnels 8’ in diameter. Even larger thoqquas might exist in the lightless depths far below the surface of the world!

Some sages speculate that the thoqqua is a larval form of some other creature native to the elemental planes of earth or fire. What that would mean for the truly enormous specimens deep beneath the surface is, perhaps, a question better left alone.

Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Tabaxi and Tentamort

As we start the letter “T”, we get two of the coolest critters in the Fiend Folio. I mean, almost everyone has used the Tabaxi – in later editions, perhaps played them. It does say something about the original writing that I did almost no editing on the descriptive text for the Tabaxi. And something about later editions that a species which avoids other sentient beings is now forming adventuring parties with them. Not that there is anything wrong with wanting to play a cat person. If you want a cat-person race-class, may I recommend the Zaria? But there is also a real value to having something intriguing show up in your game milieu which isn't instantly a PC option.

On the other hand, the Tentamort is a criminally underused monster. I had to do a bit more work to translate it into Dungeon Crawl Classics terms – and I certainly didn’t want to reduce the horror of the creature in any appreciable way! I have also used fewer Tentamorts than I really should have, but this is an example of a design where a little can go a very long ways indeed!

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Tabaxi

Tabaxi: Init +4; Atk Claw +1 melee (1d3) or bite +0 melee (1) or by weapon +1 melee (by weapon); AC 14; HD 2d6; MV 40’ or climb 20’; Act 1d20; SP Detect traps +10, move silently and hide in shadows +7; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0; AL C.

The tabaxi (or cat-men, as they are known to most humans) are a race of intelligent feline humanoids which inhabit the far reaches of tropical jungles, avoiding humans and other intelligent creatures. They live in small prides of 2d4 members, each pride roaming a large territory and rarely having anything to do with other prides.

The tabaxi are extraordinary hunters, taking their prey through surprise and quick ambush. Two of them will often chase an animal directly onto the claws of a third. They have learned how to avoid detection by disguising their scent with aromatic herbs. This, combined with their natural camouflage and ability to move quickly and silently, makes them deadly opponents in the tropical forest. Like other cats, they will sometimes “play” with their wounded prey until it expires.

Tabaxi are also very adept at recognizing a trap for what it is – even if the trap is very carefully hidden and cunningly constructed. Their ability to find traps does not extend beyond their habitat (to dungeons or cities, for example). They are tool-users when they find it convenient to be so. Their tools usually consist of bone or wood, but tabaxi have an amazing aptitude for weaponry, and can discover the use of a weapon, and become adept in its use, in a remarkably short time so long as the weapon is not overly complex.

Tabaxi are tall and lithe and move with the smooth-easy grace of cats. Their fine fur is tawny and striped with black, in a pattern similar to that of a tiger. They wear no clothing. Their eyes are green-yellow with catlike slit-pupils, and they have retractable claws. They may speak a small amount of the common tongue in addition to their own language, but do not engage in trade, as they consider it demeaning.

 

Tentamort

Tentamort: Init +3; Atk Tentacle +2 melee (1d6 plus grapple and special); AC 17 or 19; HD 2d8 + 2d8 + 4d8; MV 10’ or climb 10’; Act 2d20; SP Strange senses 100’, grapple, pin, constrict, digestive fluid; SV Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +0; AL C.

The tentamort is a 2-foot diameter sphere from which grow a plethora of small suckered tentacles for ambulation and two large (10 foot long) tentacles used for attacks. These long tentacles are effectively separated from the main body of the creature – they can attack independently, and damage done to them does not affect the core hit points of the main body. The body and each tentacle is considered a separate target when the creature is attacked by missile weapons or spells. However, if the main body is killed, both tentacles become dormant. Tentamorts have no external sense organs, but they are somehow able to sense their surroundings within 100 feet.

The two attacking tentacles can be up to 5 inches diameter. One is a powerful constrictor, and successfully hit targets must succeed in a DC 12 Strength check or be successfully grappled, receiving automatic constriction damage (1d6) each round. Worse, a grappled character must make a Reflex save – if the result is less then 10, both of the victim’s arms are pinned, from 10-14, one arm is pinned, and from 15 or better the victim has free use of both arms. It requires a DC 20 Strength check or a successful Mighty Deed of 5+ to escape a tentamort’s grapple.

The other long tentacle has a six-inch-long hollow needle of bone at its end. It can also grapple a victim (with the same effects; Strength DC 10 negates), but it does not constrict; instead, the tentamort can insert its bone needle into its victim’s flesh on its next action (no attack roll needed), paralyzing the victim unless they succeed in a DC 15 Fort save. Over the next 1d3 rounds, the needle injects a saliva-like fluid into the victim, causing the victim's internal organs to soften. The creature can then suck the internal organs out of the victim’s body through the needle, causing 2d6 damage each round.

If the tentacle is killed while the fluid is still being injected, the victim takes 1d3 damage each minute until the process is halted with even 1 HD of magical healing used for that purpose. If the fluid has been fully injected, the victim takes 1d3 damage each round, and must receive 2 HD of magical healing used for that purpose for the damage to halt. A successful casting of neutralize poison or disease is also effective.

So long as any part of a tentamort survives, the strange creature will eventually heal and become whole.

Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Svirfneblin and Symbiotic Jelly

And, at last, we come to the end of the letter “S”, and it only took eleven posts. I think we should be able to get through “T” with only six posts, and then we really are close to sliding into home. But you know what? There really were some wonderful creatures in the Fiend Factory from White Dwarf which never made it into the Fiend Folio, and I am strongly considering converting some of these as well. Do you have a favorite? If so, you are far more likely to see it converted here if you let me know!

Some of the contents of the Fiend Folio were from earlier AD&D modules. The Svirfneblin was from D3: Vault of the Drow, and I believe that this entry (and previous entries) should now make converting that adventure quite a bit easier. I decided to make my Deep Gnomes a little more down to earth (pun intended) than Gary Gygax’s originals, eliminating automatic spellcasting while keeping their basic nature as unchanged as I could. I tried to make them creatures who could, at least somewhat realistically, survive in passages haunted by the Drow and the Kuo-Toans.

It was a bit difficult to decide whether to do full creature stats for the Symbiotic Jelly at all, but I realized that it was more than a simple hazard. Adventurers who encounter this thing will want to kill it. In the Fiend Folio, these beings were able to feed in some way through the act of their hosts consuming flesh, rather than through the death of their host’s victims, and some judges may wish to include this as a horrifying side-effect of PCs being controlled by such a Jelly. To me, the death itself seemed more likely to provide sustenance, and I tried to tie all of the creature’s abilities into its telepathic field. Also interestingly, in the original write-up, the Symbiotic Jelly is very intelligent. One has to wonder what it does with its intelligence, as its ability to communicate appears extremely limited.

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Svirfneblin

Svirfneblin: Init +2; Atk Pick +2 melee (1d6) or dagger +2 melee (1d4) or dart +3 ranged (1d3 plus poison or 1d3 plus acid); AC 18; HD 4d6; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP Infravision 120’, poison, acid, +6 move silently and hide in shadows, immunity to mind-affecting and detection spells, 20% magic resistance, +2 to saves vs. poison; SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2; AL N.

Svirfneblin Burrow Warden: Init +2; Atk Pick +3 melee (1d6) or dagger +3 melee (1d4) or dart +4 ranged (1d3 plus poison or 1d3 plus acid); AC 18; HD 6d6; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP Infravision 120’, poison, acid, 25% spells or 50% summon elemental, +6 move silently and hide in shadows, immunity to mind-affecting and detection spells, 20% magic resistance, +2 to saves vs. poison; SV Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +5; AL N.

Far beneath the surface of the earth dwell the svirfnebli, or deep gnomes, a diminutive group of humanoids about the size of halflings, related to the gnomes of the bright surface world. Explorers have sometimes encountered small parties of these beings far below the Lands We Know, seeking gems and precious metals in the mazelike passages of the underworld.

Svirfnebli wear leathern jacks sewn with rings of mithral-steel alloy over fine chainmail shirts (+6 AC, d10 Fumble Die, -4 check penalty, no reduction in move). They do not usually carry shields, which would hinder their movement through tight subterranean spaces. Their darts contain a small glass which breaks upon impact, releasing a poison gas that affects their target on a successful hit (slowed to half normal speed and actions for 1d4 rounds, plus Fort DC 14 or be stunned and unable to act for the first round). Leader types (see below) also carry darts which contain an acid which eats 1d3 points of AC protection of the target’s armor on a hit, as well as inflicting an additional 1d4 damage from the acid. Svirfnebli typically carry 1d5+2 poison darts; leaders also carry 1d4+2 acid darts.

Deep gnomes have keen senses, similar to those of elves. They have a +12 bonus to Move Silently and Hide in Shadows (+6 with their armor taken into account), and are able to “freeze” in place for long periods without any hint of movement. The are immune to mind-affecting spells, and any form of detection spell. There is a 20% chance that any other spell fails when it comes into contact with a svirfneblin, and this is rolled before any saving throws. Further, they gain an additional +2 bonus to saves vs. poison.

For every four svirfnebli encountered, there will be an additional leader-type with 4 HD. If more than twenty normal deep gnomes are encountered (and this is extremely rare) their party will include a “burrow warden” with 6 HD and two 5 HD assistants. It is 25% likely that a burrow warden will have the spellcasting abilities of a level 1d4 wizard, with a focus on illusions and mind-affecting spells. There is a 50% chance that a burrow warden without these powers can summon an 8 HD earth elemental (see core rulebook, pages 411 to 412) once per day, with a 1 in 5 chance of success each round spent doing so. The summoned elemental aids the burrow warden for up to 1d3 turns before departing peacefully to its elemental plane.

 

Symbiotic Jelly

Symbiotic Jelly: Init +0; Atk None; AC 12; HD 1d6; MV 1’; Act none; SP Telepathic field 500’ range, symbiosis, +10 hide, illusion generation; SV Fort +1, Ref -10, Will +5; AL N.

A globule of yellowish protoplasm 1-3 inches in diameter, the symbiotic jelly exists through draining energy from the anguish of living creatures as they die. To obtain sustenance the jelly finds a location frequented by carnivores. It sticks to the ceiling, where its telepathic field and natural illusion-generating abilities help it to hide. When a suitable (living, non-magical, flesh-consuming) creature comes within its 500’ range, it attempts to establish symbiosis telepathically (Will DC 20 to resist).

Once it has established symbiosis, the jelly uses its abilities to keep the host creature nearby, attacking anything coming close. The jelly then projects a telepathic illusion to make the host creature appear to be far weaker than it truly is. The jelly can also project illusions of treasure to lure creatures into its host’s range. Potential victims can see through these illusions, if they attempt to disbelieve, with a DC 15 Will save.

If the host is killed by its would-be victim, the jelly attempts to establish symbiosis with the victor (or one of the victors), persuading it to replace the former host if it is successful. The jelly can only make one attempt at establishing symbiosis per round, and a creature which has successfully saves is immune for the next 24 hours. If the symbiotic jelly is itself discovered, its primary goal becomes to have any host creature available protect it by any means necessary.

The remains of a symbiotic jelly can be used to empower charm person, ESP, and phantasm spells, giving a +4 bonus to the spell check. The remains can also be used in conjunction with the make potion spell when creating potions of animal control or human control, or to create potions which mimic charm person, ESP, or phantasm. The exact nature of the bonus in these cases is up to the judge, but should make the risk of procuring the symbiotic jelly worthwhile.

Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Stunjelly and Sussurus

If you really want to understand how robust the random systems in Dungeon Crawl Classics really are, turn to pages 423 to 424, and check out the entry for “Primeval Slime”. You can use this to create green slimes, ochre jellies, grey oozes, gelatinous cubes…and, yes, our first entry for today. In fact, I built my version of the Stunjelly almost completely from the core rulebook.

The Sussurus from the Fiend Folio is an underused monster, but one whose potential is fully realized in the initial version of Death Frost Doom. I know that people have a lot of reasons to avoid the person who “revised” this adventure, but I own both versions and I think that the revision detracts from, rather than enhances, the original work.

When I first started this series of posts, way back in the lost days of 2022, it was partially for selfish reasons. For my own home games, I wanted the Fiend Folio converted. I also wanted something to blog about when I didn’t have anything else to talk about. Also, to be completely honest, I wanted to provide something of use to the DCC community overall – and this is selfish, too, because I love being part of this community!

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Stunjelly

Stunjelly: Init (always last); Atk Pseudopod +4 melee (1d4 plus paralysis); AC 10; HD 4d8; MV 5’ or climb 5’; Act 4d20; SP Camouflage, paralysis, engulf, half damage from slicing and piercing weapons; SV Fort +6, Ref -8, Will -6; AL N.

Stunjellies appear just like 10’ x 10’ sections of dungeon corridor, and are 1d4+1 feet thick. They cling to walls, blending in with a +5 bonus to hide even when searched for (Intelligence check opposes). Their pseudopodia exude a paralytic agent (Fort DC 14 or be paralyzed for 4d6 rounds. A stunjelly can use an Action Die to engulf paralyzed victims, inflicting an automatic 1d6 damage per round.

Metallic treasures that the jellies cannot digest have been found within stunjellies, but the slimes are only partially translucent in even the brightest of lights, so that adventurers must sift through the defeated protoplasm to determine if anything of value is within. In normal torch- or lantern-light, stunjellies are completely opaque.

 

 

 

Sussurus

Sussurus: Init +2; Atk Slam +3 melee (2d4); AC 16; HD 6d8; MV 50’; Act 2d20; SP Plant, hug, detect vibrations, susurration; SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +0; AL N.

These weird beings are mobile, coral-like plants roughly seven feet in height, and looking like nothing so much as large gorillas, hairless and headless, made up of tough honeycombed fibers. The creatures are named for the constant noise they make, a sound like a gentle wind blowing through leafy trees. Above ground, this susurration can be heard up to a quarter mile away. Underground, the noise echoes, often filling a complex, although the source can be difficult to pinpoint. The sussurus feeds by filtering air through its body, consuming microscopic airborne pollen, bacteria, and animals. Although they can move quite quickly, a sussurus will often remain in the same place if undisturbed, and may live for well over a millennium.

A sussurus defends itself by making sweeping attacks with its arm-like branches. If both attacks hit the same opponent, the target is drawn into a hug for an additional 2d8 damage. Because it senses vibrations in the air, invisibility is meaningless to a sussurus – it has no external organs.

Interestingly enough, the constant noise made by these beings is soothing to the un-dead (including non-corporeal un-dead), who remain dormant so long as they are close enough to “hear” it. If a sussurus is killed, the susurration it makes ceases, and any un-dead which had remain quiescent as a result begin to arise once more. While inert from this susurration, un-dead cannot be turned or destroyed, and if they are attacked physically they will awaken to defend themselves for 1d6 rounds per Hit Die before succumbing to the soothing noises again.

It is believed that these strange beings have some dim intelligence, and can communicate with others of their kind by slight and subtle variations in the susurrations they produce. However, it is only very rarely that two sussuri are close enough together to communicate in this way, if indeed this is even the truth.

Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Snyad and Son of Kyuss

Happy New Year!

It’s a new year, and we are still in the letter “S” of the Fiend Folio. In fact, it will take two more posts to finish this letter off! Today, we are converting the Snyad and the Son of Kyuss to Dungeon Crawl Classics.

Snyads are like those annoying creatures in early computer games which only exist to steal your stuff. As annoying as they might seem in this version, imagine how much worse they were when escaping with treasure was your primary means of gaining XP! I love the idea of smaller monsters living in tunnels around the major dungeon routes – including the idea of shrinking or becoming gaseous to follow them directly into their lairs! Of course, I cut my teeth on Holmes Basic, where the example dungeon includes rat tunnels you would be foolish indeed to enter.

Sons of Kyuss don’t really need much elaboration. These things are just possibly the most terrifying un-dead AD&D had which didn’t drain away your hard-earned levels. And while I may have reduced some parts of their original design (their fear aura is easier to cope with), I made other parts worse (their disease). Really, I hope that they have the same impact in this game as in the original.

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Snyad

Snyad: Init +6; Atk None; AC 24; HD 1d3; MV 50’; Act 2d16; SP Camouflage, move silently, theft; SV Fort -2, Ref +9, Will +0; AL C.

These creatures are small, but very fast and dexterous. They are no more than 6 inches high, and dwell in small passages and rooms adjoining dungeon corridors. The entrances to these tunnels are small and usually concealed behind piles of loose stone, making them difficult to detect (Intelligence DC 15). Snyads are The snyads are related to mites, and the two species will often cooperate, the mites laying traps while the snyads use their speed to best advantage.

Although snyads can move with great speed, they are completely silent – the creatures do not even have a spoken language audible to human or demi-human ears – and their camouflage allows them to hide with a +10 bonus in dungeon, cavern, or similar environments.

Snyads are not capable of making attacks. Their sole objective when interacting with larger creatures is to steal small items of treasure – gems, coins, pieces of jewelry, small weapons and the like, and they have a +1d14 bonus to picking pockets in order to accomplish these tasks. This means that the snyad rolls 1d16 (their Action Die) + 1d14 to pick pockets, granting their victims some small chance of reacting. A snyad’s normal method is to dart in, use one Action Die to steal some trinket, and then use its other Action Die to dart away. Of course, a helpless victim will be plundered mercilessly.

Snyads are sometimes called “pesties”, and it is easy to understand why.

 

Son of Kyuss

Son of Kyuss: Init +0; Atk Flailing blow +3 melee (1d8 plus disease); AC 10; HD 4d12; MV 20’; Act 1d20; SP Un-dead traits, fear aura, disease, worm infestation, regeneration 2 hp/round; SV Fort +5, Ref +0, Will +8; AL C.

Kyuss was an evil high priest of a vile god – some sages claim Nimlurun the Unclean , while others say Ahriman the Pestilent – who has been credited with the creation of these un-dead horrors. Fat green worms crawl in and out of every orifice of these animated cadavers, and it is said that the first of these worms dripped from the stinking avatar of the god itself, to spread these beings throughout the Lands We Know.

Sons of Kyuss, as these un-dead horrors are known, radiate an aura of fear within a 30’ radius. Any creature within this range must succeed in a DC 10 Will save or suffer a -1d penalty to all rolls for the next 1d6 rounds. A creature that has passed within this aura (whether the save succeeded or not) is thereafter immune to its effects for 24 hours.

When a son successfully attacks a target, the target must succeed in a DC 5 Fort save or contract a form of advanced leprosy. This disease causes 1 point of permanent Strength, Stamina, and Agility damage each week, and a permanent loss of 2 Personality each month. When any of these abilities reach 0, the disease is fatal. More, the disease negates all magical healing unless it is cured first, and infected creatures heal wounds at 10% of their normal rate, so that a creature which normally heals 1 hp damage per day instead heals only 1 hp every 10 days. A cleric can cure this disease with a Lay on Hands check sufficient to heal 2 HD, but must also save each time this is attempted or become infected themselves.

Worse, each round one worm jumps from a son of Kyuss to a character in melee combat with it, making a melee attack roll with a +3 bonus. If it hits, it burrows into the target’s skin over the next round (during which it can be destroyed by the touch of cold steel, holy water, a holy symbol, or some other blessed object; this requires no roll, but does use an Action Die). If allowed to burrow under the victim’s skin, the worm seeks the target’s brain, taking 1d4 rounds to succeed. Magic sufficient to remove curses or cure diseases can slay the worm during this time, and magic that neutralizes poison or protects from evil will delay the worm for 1d6 turns or until its expiry (as determined by the judge). If the worm reaches the brain, the victim becomes a son of Kyuss, the process of putrefaction taking 1d4 turns to complete.

Sons of Kyuss regenerate 2 hp per round. This will allow severed limbs to regenerate, and even bring the creature back from 0 hp if it is not destroyed by fire, electricity, or acid. Holy water poured on a defeated son has a 75% chance of preventing it from rising again, and wounds causes by holy objects do not regenerate.

365 Day Challenge

I intend on doing a 365-day challenge, creating a single adventure/location with 365 encounter areas, created one per day, on Patreon. The results are not a reward tier thing, but will be available to all patrons. At the very least, you might get some encounter ideas!

If I miss a day, I will try to make up for it on subsequent days, so as to have 365 keyed entries by New Year's Eve 2023, with the intention of turning it into an actual product around mid- to late-2024 (depending upon publishing partners).

Background

Three centuries ago, the Huala controlled a vast empire, united the tribes of the Pelperis Jungle under their terrible rule. They worshipped many dread Powers, deities combining the worst aspects of men and beast, all of which demanded the sacrifice of sentient beings. Chief of their terrifying gods was Zal-Rah, whose blood-soaked idols were half-bat and half-ape.

Legend says that the great temple of Zal-Rah held a perfect ruby the size of a man’s fist, cut into many facets. This stone, the Heart of Zal-Rah, was lost when the Pelperis tribes threw down their gruesome overlords and the vile god’s evil temple was swallowed by the jungle.

1. Temple Entrance: The heavy jungle foliage parts reluctantly – movement through the dense tropical growths is slow and difficult – but at last you can see the lost temple beyond. The masonry is cracked and fallen, covered in heavy vines and supported in places by trees which have grown up along and through the walls, but you can still make out the carved images of bat-winged apes which adorn the walls. An ornate gaping arch, 20 feet wide and nearly as tall, gives entrance to whatever lies within.

The heavy foliage around the temple entrance is hard to push through, requiring an Agility check (DC 5) to move every 10 feet. Characters can, of course, cut through the foliage, although this takes longer and attracts the attention of the carnivorous apes in Area 4. Creatures with a listed climb speed can move through this vegetation at half their normal climbing move, without requiring a roll. Creatures that can fly can simply go over it.

The trees around the temple entrance form a wide clearing, and are inhabited by a troop of flying monkeys which is represented as a swarm. These creatures resemble Red Uakaris, with reddish fur and bright red, hairless faces resembling skulls. Their wings are black and bat-like. Each is about a foot long, with a very short tail in relation to its body length (especially for a monkey).

These creatures swoop down upon the PCs as soon as they enter the clearing before the temple. If they fail a morale check, or fumble the monkey swarms go howling to the treetops, where they screech and fling fruit (and/or feces) at any characters remaining in the clearing. If the characters continue to attack them (via missiles or spells), they disappear completely.

Flying Monkey Swarm: Init +4; Atk swarming bite +5 melee (1d5 plus theft); AC 13; HD 8d8; hp 26; MV 40’ or fly 50’ or climb 40’; Act special; SP bite all targets within 20’ x 20’ space, half damage from non-area attacks, fling feces and sticks, theft; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will -2; AL N.

When these flying monkeys successfully attack, the target must succeed in a Luck check or some random small object is stolen. The item can be recovered if the thief is specifically targeted (AC 16; 1 hp), which kills that individual flying monkey, but doing so does no appreciable damage to the swarm. The stolen item is dropped, but must still be recovered, and may be stolen again. A PC can specifically protect a single item so that it cannot be stolen, but this has to be declared before the theft occurs!

These monkeys can also fling feces, sticks, overripe fruit, and the like at targets within a 30' x 30' square, who must make Will saves (DC 5 +1 per additional round) or flee the area. 

They have no treasure.

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Because It Bears Repeating

From this Redditt thread:

We are used to imagining things as being objective measures. One inch is one inch in all cases. One mile is one mile. One kilogram is one kilogram.

However, not all units of measure need to be objective, and hit points are an example of a relative measurement. One hit point does not necessarily mean the same thing for one character that it does for another. For character A, 1 hp damage may well be a mortal wound. For Character B, 1 hp damage might be a notable wound. For character C, it might be the equivalent of a paper cut.

And, of course, the first 1 hp damage Gygax's example fighter takes is negligible, while the last 1 hp they take (after all other hit points are gone) is a mortal blow. Hit points are relative even for a given character themselves.

If you stop trying to figure out how much a "hit point" is objectively, and accept that hit points are always a relative measure, this problem goes away.

Healing

So what, then, does it mean if you have to heal hit points? A high-level warrior has lost 20 hp, which is relatively insignificant, but requires rest or magic to heal. Why?

Because the warrior isn't at their best. They are not all beaten up, and they are still better than many others at their best, but they could be better. Conan with nicks, cuts, and abrasions is still formidable, but not quite as formidable as Conan without.

Free Adventure for Yule

When Snowmen Attack!

Here is a free adventure for the Yule season.

Fighty, but I hope also fun. 

You should be able to complete it in a single session over eggnog.

Because this adventure is free (no Patreon membership required) feel free to spread this post far and wide! Obviously, I am hoping that this increases the number of visitors to my humble abode, but I also hope that playing this brings some seasonal joy. Or seasonal curses of anguish. Your choice!

Happy Holidays!

Let’s Convert the Fiend Folio: Ygorl, Lord of Entropy

You know what was missing from the last post? Me blathing about the Fiend Folio and my fond memories thereof. In truth, I never used the Slaadi Lords in play. The highest level characters we had achieved in those halcyon days of yore were 14^th to 16^th level. Powerful, yes. Powerful enough to take on these creatures? No, they were not. And, of course, AD&D didn’t have a robust patron system like Dungeon Crawl Classics does!

Did I know that Ssendam was “madness” backwards, or that Ygorl is an anagram of “glory”? I would like to think that I had noticed, but if I did I had long since forgotten until I began to convert them, when it came as a pleasant surprise.

Anyway, this finishes the Slaadi, although not the letter “S”!

 

The Avatar of Ygorl, Lord of Entropy

Ygorl’s Avatar: Init +5; Atk Sickle +8 melee (3d8 plus DC 15 Fort or die) or spell; AC 27; HD 12d12+36; hp 110;  MV 40’ or swim 50’; Act 2d20; SP Spellcasting, death sickle (Fort DC 15 or die), gate, command un-dead, regenerate 3 hp/round, +3 or better weapons to hit, wish fulfillment, 85% magic resistance; SV Fort +14, Ref +8, Will +20; AL C.

This fearsome slaad lord always appears as a 12-foot-tall skeletal man in the Lands We Know, utterly black in hue, with bat-like wings and wielding an adamantine sickle with an 8-foot-long blade. The sickle has the word “death” inscribed on its blade in the slaadi tongue, strikes as a +5 weapon, and instantly slays targets who fail a DC 15 Fortitude save when it hits.

In the Lands We Know, Ygorl is rides the brass dragon, Shkiv (see below). Where the winds of Limbo roar, Ygorl is said to appear as a 15-foot-tall slaad who is so totally black that he is darker than darkness itself.

Ygorl can use an Action Die to gate in another slaad of any type (except Ssendam or other unique slaadi), and this ability never fails. In addition, the Lord of Entropy can cast the following spells as psionic powers, needing no somatic, material, or verbal components (+18 bonus to the spell check): Chill touch, detect evil, detect invisible, ESP, phantasm, planar step, ray of enfeeblement, scare, and shatter. He regenerates 3 hp each round, so long as he has any hit points left.  He has an 85% chance of being able to ignore a spell (or other magical effect) as though it did not exist (determined before any applicable save is made) and can only be harmed by +3 or better magic weapons.

In addition, Ygorl may command up to 50 Hit Dice of un-dead creatures, which must succeed in a DC 25 Will save to ignore or disobey any of his commands.

 

Shkiv (large wingless brass dragon): Init +16; Atk Claw +17 melee (1d8) or bite +17 melee (1d12) or tail slap +17 melee (1d20 plus venom) or breath weapon; AC 30; HD 16d12; hp 120;  MV 60’ or swim 80’ or climb 40’; Act 4d20 for attacks plus 1d20 for spells; SP Breath weapons, amphibious, spellcasting, poison plants; SV Fort +16, Ref +16, Will +16; AL C.

Shkiv has two breath weapons. The first is a line of electricity 100 feet long, which forks 1d4 times and does damage equal to Shkiv’s hit points (Reflex DC 26 for half). The other is a cone of intense cold, 60’ long with a 20’ wide base, which does damage equal to the dragon’s hit points (Fortitude DC 20 for half). His tail is venomous, and those struck by a tail slap take an additional 1d8 hp damage from the venom and must succeed in a DC 20 Fort save or take 1d5 points of Stamina damage.

The dragon can cast magic shield with a +16 bonus to the spell check. Plants wither within 100’ of Shkiv, and the ground he treads on cannot support plant life for 1d3 years after his passing. Plant creatures must succeed in a DC 20 Fort save each round they are within 100’ of Shkiv or suffer 3d8 damage.

 

Calling upon the Lord of Entropy is perilous indeed. Wizards and elves can may seek to bond with Ygorl, and they may bond others to increase his following, but any time a creature is bonded to Ygorl they must roll a Luck check after the spell is cast, but before the spell check is made. If this fails, Ygorl takes a personal, and unfortunate, interest, appearing to grant the true gift of entropy to the committed soul. In short, Ygorl kills the unlucky suppliant, taking them body and soul to his palace among the winds of Limbo.

Invoke Patron check results:

12-13	The entropic power of Ygorl reaches through the caster, striking a target of the caster’s choice within 100’. The caster may choose any number of d8 to roll to damage the target, but the glory of acting as a conduit for Ygorl is too great for mortal flesh, and the caster takes half the damage rolled (DC 15 Fortitude save to reduce to one-quarter).
14-17	As 12-13, above, but the caster has no control over how many dice are rolled. Roll 1d24 to determine the number of d8 rolled. In addition, the Fortitude save the caster must make to reduce damage to themselves is increased to DC 20.
18-19	The caster partakes in entropy! For 1d3 rounds, any creature the caster touches, or who touches the caster, must succeed in a DC 15 Fortitude save or die. This includes creatures making successful attacks with natural weapons, but also includes friendly creatures (such as a cleric attempting to Lay on Hands). A character handing an object to the caster must succeed in a Luck check to avoid coming into contact.
20-23	As 18-19, above, but the condition lasts for 1d6 + CL rounds, and the DC for the Fortitude save is increased to DC 20.
24-27	Ygorl gates 1d5 grey slaadi to the caster’s location. These creatures are free-willed. If the caster is in immediate danger, the slaadi will protect them, but afterward they will bargain with the caster for their service (to a maximum of 1d4 + CL days). If suitably rewarded, they serve the caster well. Otherwise, meeting these slaadi again without Ygorl’s protection is sure to be a harrowing experience.
28-29	1d4 free-willed death slaadi are gated to the caster’s location. They will protect the caster if they are in immediate danger, but thereafter seeks to bargain with the caster for its service (to a maximum of 1d5 + CL hours). If a bargain cannot be reached, woe unto the caster, for the death slaadi will seek to take the caster themself as its reward!
30-31	Once per round, for the next 2d6 + CL hours, the caster may point at a target within 500’ to which the caster has line of sight. The target takes 3d6 damage, and must succeed in a DC 25 Fort save or die. Each time the caster evokes this power to affect a target, they take 1d6 damage which cannot be healed through magic, as a price for acting as a conduit for Ygorl’s power.
32+	The avatar of Ygorl himself appears, and fights on the caster’s behalf for up to 3d6 rounds, or until all foes within 500’ are slain (whichever comes first). At the end of this period, Ygorl judges the caster, who must succeed in a Luck check or Ygorl will transform them into a red slaad and take them to Limbo. In this event, the caster is lost forever, unless the judge (in an uncharacteristic fit of kindness) allows a special quest to recover the character.