Peripheral beasts

A bestiary of creatures only visible out of the corner of your eye.

Just like you need water, these creatures need attention. But too much will drown them just like too much water will drown you. They generally live in abandoned places where unwise magic was practised in the past. They're used to surviving on very little attention.

But when unwary adventurers visit... it's like rain after drought.

Peripheral beasts are immune to all weapons. They wither if looked at directly. In battle with a peripheral beast, Wisdom bonus replaces Attack bonus. All attacks do 1d6 damage. They carry no treasure and have no other special qualities.

Eyer rose

Beautiful flowers with vicious thorns. They can grow up in seconds and entangle an adventurer completely. They vanish instantly if looked at directly. But try looking at the back of your own head where they're tangled in your hair. 1d4 damage minus AC from armour.

Squiggel

Flying things. They bounce, jump and glide at the edges of an adventurer's vision. Often mistaken for birds or bats. Numbers build up quickly, because they breed and grow to independence near-instantly. Basically harmless, except as a distraction or making you complacent about things you half-see while you're busy.

AC 9 [10], HD 1 (4 HP) Att -, THAC0 -, MV 120' (40"), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1), ML -, AL Neutral, XP 0, NA 0 (10d10), TT -

Bogle

Bogles will poke you in your unconscious mind. They make vague threatening shapes. When a character swings their head to look, they swing too. So they're always behind you. Their method is to make a character believe there's a threat, when it's only the bogle soaking in their attention.

AC 6 [13], HD 1 (4 HP) Att -, THAC0 -, MV 120' (40"), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1), ML -, AL Neutral, XP 0, NA 0 (2d4), TT -

Hungry wisp

The predator of the group. The other beasts are satisfied with attention. This one wants a bite of you as well. They often resemble wolves, bears or apes. They favour hit-and-run tactics, rushing a character to deliver a bite or slash, then darting away out of view.

AC 3 [16], HD 4 (18 HP) Att 1 x claws (1d6) or bite (1d6), THAC0 15 (+4), MV 120' (40"), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F4), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 350, NA 0 (1), TT -

The Why of Wizards

Tables for generating NPC wizards.

It's a hazardous occupation, wizarding. Searching the constellations for meaning, summoning and binding hostile spirits, effing with the ineffable. You wouldn't expect a wizard to be average.

This wizard is a(n) (3d6):

1. Irritable
2. Morose
3. Excitable
4. Cryptic
5. Arrogant
6. Forgetful
   
   
   1. Young
   2. Old
   3. Ancient
   4. Ageless
   5. Mutated
   6. Hidden

1. Summoner
2. Enchanter
3. Alchemist
4. Elementalist
5. Necromancer
6. Diviner
   

Their laboratory is in/on a (1d6):

1. Tower
2. Castle
3. Manor house
4. Hut
5. Ship
6. Cart

Their magic is tinged with (1d6):

1. Fire
2. Darkness
3. Motion
4. Colour
5. Music 
6. Crystals
   

Locals treat them with (1d6):

1. Fear
2. Reverence
3. Amused contempt
4. Resentment
5. Indifference
6. Bemusement
   

Rumour says they (1d6):

1. Have a pact with demons
2. Won a game with a god
3. Advised a ruler
4. Travel by night in owl form
5. Turned a bandit gang into pigs
6. Eat and drink only poison

And want to (1d6):

1. Conquer the kingdom
2. Return a loved one to life
3. Understand the gods' true nature
4. Answer an ancient riddle
5. Usurp a demon lord
6. Dispel a curse that affects them
   

Their actual goal is (1d6)

1. Personal spiritual development
2. Unlimited knowledge
3. A rival's destruction
4. Immortality
5. Protect a political ally
6. Fulfil a supernatural bargain and be free 

Click here to randomly generate:

(Thanks to Spwack of the Slight Adjustments blog for the generator code.)

The Why of Bandit Chiefs

Tables for generating an NPC bandit chief.

This chief hides among the (1d6):

1. Forests
2. Mountains
3. Islands
4. Friendly clans
5. Ruins
6. Swamps

And attacks (1d6): 

1. Isolated farmsteads
2. Merchant caravans
3. Travellers in their claimed lands
4. Rival clans 
5. Townships of another race
6. Temples
   

The chief is (1d6):

1. An ex-soldier
2. An exiled clan chief
3. A city criminal
4. A former poacher
5. A farmer whose lands were confiscated for unpaid taxes
6. A renegade priest

They recruit (1d6):

1. Mercenary fighters
2. Unemployed farm labourers
3. Enslaved convicts
4. Hunters
5. Social outcasts
6. An uneasy mix of two of the above

Their secret advantage is (1d6):

1. A magic item
2. A monstrous or supernatural ally
3. A hidden route only they know about
4. A cache of supplies
5. An informant in a nearby settlement
6. An elite assassin follower
   

Their secret danger is (1d6):

1. A wasting illness
2. A lover among the enemy
3. A debt to someone powerful
4. Blackmailed by one of their band
5. They're not who they say they are
6. Haunted by the ghost of their first victim
   

The chief has sworn not to harm (1d6):

1. Unarmed women or children
2. Their own extended family
3. Followers of the same religion
4. Anyone who swears allegiance
5. Scholars
6. Anyone who fought in a specific military battle

Their biggest problem is (1d6):

1. A price on their head
2. Disease among their followers
3. Their  hidden camp has been burned out by soldiers
4. A curse
5. A brewing mutiny in their crew
6. A rival band of thieves

But they have a plan to (1d6):

1. Take over a township before winter comes
2. Make a massive score and retire
3. Send their followers into a hopeless battle and escape with all the loot
4. Sign on with a nearby kingdom as forest rangers
5. Bribe a local ruler for amnesty
6. Go out in a blaze of glory
   

One Page Game: Vampire Justice Friends

A free one-page game about playing superheroes who are secretly vampires.

Doing an image search for vampire thumbnails is trawling the internet's subconscious. You'll find things you didn't expect. (Vampire clown cosplay? Is this a new Tiktok trend?)

In this game you play undead fiends of the night who've decided to fight crime. Maybe you'll find a hot slayer girlfriend that way. 

Task resolution is 1d10 vs target with a d6 wild die. Combat is chaotic and includes random events. Using superpowers involves managing a shared resource (blood). Comes with a page of GM advice.

Click here to get a copy of the game.

Library bestiary part 3 - demons and other dangers

Part 3 of the cursed library bestiary. Find part 1 here and part 2 here.

The book-creatures described in part 2 aren't much of a threat, except in large groups. The real danger of them is that they might cause noise. This attracts the attention of ghosts, demons, or worst of all - The Silence.

Ghosts

Librarians  

 

Librarians float around the shelves at random. They occupy themselves reshelving books to their personal system. Books are precious to them. When enraged, they may forget that and use one as a weapon.

 

AC 9 [10] + special, HD 3* (14 HP), ATT 1 x charge or book bludgeon (see specials), THACO 16 [+3], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F3), ML 10, AL Lawful, XP 80, NA 1d3 (1d3), TT None (on 1 in 6 a librarian will have a single scroll)

Specials: Mundane damage immunity

Charge - deal 1d6 cold damage and paralysis for a round by passing through a target. Save vs breath negates.

Book bludgeon - when hit, librarians become enraged on 2 in 6. In this state, they may attack by hurling a book via telekinesis. Automatically hits, 1d4 improvised weapon damage.

 

Paintings 

 

Paintings like to attack from concealment, and drag victims back into their frames. Perhaps they make interesting scenery.

 

AC 7 [12], HD 4* (18 HP), ATT 1 by weapon, THACO 15 [+4], MV 120' (40'), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F4), ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 130, NA 1 (1d3), TT S

 

Specials: Paintings are immune to piercing or bashing damage and take double damage from fire. 

Lead white: Burning paintings emit toxic fumes. Characters within 5 feet take -2 to next turn. Save vs breath negates.

Drag: on a successful attack, a painting can choose to disarm rather than inflict damage. Disarming succeeds on a STR vs STR roll. The target is automatically grappled and may be dragged into a painting.

Poltergeists

 

Knots of emotion and psychic force which fling objects to express themselves. Poltergeists are attracted to strong emotions among characters. They sense these from several rooms away.

AC 9 [10], HD 3* (14 HP), ATT 1 x 1d4, THACO 16 [+3], MV 90' (30'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F3), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 80, NA 1 (1), TT None

 

Specials: Mundane damage immunity

Invisibility (as spell), permanent

Telekinesis (as spell), twice daily

 

Living statues

 

Slow but powerful. They carry books, and they want the characters to read them. Statues don't speak or show any emotion. Once a character passes by, it noiselessly steps down from its plinth and follows. When the character pauses, it closes the distance for a grapple attempt. If successful, they force the character to read one of the unsettling passages in their book. At 0 HP they crumble to fragments.

AC 3 [16], HD 6 (30 HP), ATT 1 x 1d6, THACO 16 [+3], MV 60' (20'), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F6), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 275, NA 1 (1d3), TT None (1 book as cursed scroll)

Specials: Statues do not receive a bonus to attacking retreating opponents.

Harsh truth: If forced to read from a statue's book, a character develops a phobia or hindering mental condition until leaving the library. Save vs devices negates.

Demons

 

Howlers

 

Shaggy Halfling-sized creatures. They hunt alone, then howl to summon their pack when they spot prey. Howlers are lesser demons - mindless, hungry beasts. They creep in where earthly space becomes corrupt enough to permit them. Books mean nothing to them. They're often killed by other supernatural creatures for damaging them.

AC 8 [12], HD 1 (4 HP), ATT 1 x bite (1d6) or 2 x claw (1d4), THACO 18 [+1], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1), ML 10, AL Chaotic, XP 80, NA 2d6 (2d6), TT None

 

Imps

 

Merry little tricksters. They think jokes that involve someone getting hurt are the funniest. They'll grease your sword hilt. They'll tie your boots together and yell to disturb a ghost. They'll stuff an angry ferret in your lunchbox.

 

AC 3 [16], HD 1 (4 HP), ATT -, THACO 18 [+1], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 10, NA 2d10 (3d12), TT P

 

Greater demons

They're here to consult a book, like you are. They don't appreciate being disturbed.

 

AC 4 [15], HD 6* (27 HP), ATT 1 by weapon or special (see list), THACO 13 [+6], MV 120' (40'), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F6), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 1050, NA 1 (-), TT I

 Specials: 

Supernatural attacks: the demon will have one of the following powers.

• Scorpion tail, 1d8 + poison
• Acid breath, 1d6 + fills a square for 3 rounds
• Flaming claws, 2d6
• Insect swarm, 1d4 + -1 per round for 3 rounds
• Tongue tentacle, 1d6 constriction damage + lost turn
• Shriek, 1d4 + -2 from ghostly visions for 3 rounds, save vs paralysis negates

Magic: A greater demon will know 1d6 spells from Dispel Magic, Protection from Good, Invisibility, Detect Invisible, Mirror image, Hold Portal.

Retainers: The demon is accompanied by 1d4-1 retainers who will fight to the death to protect it. As Fighter 3.

The Silence

The Silence isn't a physical presence. It's a leaden tiredness that comes over you. It makes your weapons heavy and your pack uncomfortable. You feel like you've been walking for days. The room is stuffy and dim. The gloom seems to swallow up noise. Surely you can take five minutes to sit and rest, maybe read a little...

Noise attracts it, especially talking. Each turn spent in its presence, save vs magic. On success, nothing happens. On failure, lose 1d4 HP without noticing. Leaving The Silence's influence is as easy as stepping into the next room, but it follows at a rate of 1 room/turn.