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 -

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.

Cultist collector

A B/X compatible monster inspired by this image. Which might actually be intended for an RPG sourcebook, the artist has done work for Pathfinder. It's probably intended to be a cultist who is a collector, but I choose to read it as a collector of cultists. Bits of cultists, anyway.

The Collector is a summonable intelligent undead creature typically used by cult leaders to punish followers. It loves to hunt and inspire fear in its prey, so it turns the killing into a chase drawn out over hours or days. When the prey is too exhausted to run any further, the Collector will saw their hands off to keep. Then it torments them with its spears until they die.

When first summoned, the Collector is just a cloud of mist. In that form, it can inflict nightmares on a sleeping victim, gradually using their fear to manifest itself in a physical form. From that point it can take mist form at will and uses it for fast travel. In a chase, the prey finds the Collector manifesting ahead of them when they run in any direction other than the one the Collector wants. If the prey loses their fear of the Collector, it has only its stored reserve of fear to call on. When that's used up, it can no longer manifest physically.

The Collector enjoys its job, and even while bound will usually respond to summonings to see if there's another hunt to be had after this one.

AC 9 [13], HD 5 (23HP), Att 1 x spear (1d6), THAC0 12 [+5], MV 120' (40'/100' in mist form), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F5), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 550, TT - (1d4-1 magic items)

Specials:

Undead: Make no noise, until they attack. Immune to effects that affect living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-affecting or mind-reading spells (e.g. charm, hold, sleep).

Holy undead: Cannot be turned by someone of the same religion as the summoner.

Mist form: The Collector can transform into mist or back as a standard action.

Library bestiary part 2 - Marginalia

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

Marginalia

The art of decorating manuscript margins with educational, comical or topical images is called illumination. The curse brings these illuminated images to life in parts of the library that don't get much foot traffic. Most aren't hostile, but they can be noisy if roused and in the library's deep places, noise will attract worse things than Marginalia.

Drolleries 

Drolleries are the standard illumination images - rabbits holding swords, knights riding snails, armoured men with fish on their heads. In the library they're fully-formed beings, but all have a faint parchment-like quality about them. When they move, it's often with the sound of a page turning.

Frequently-encountered drolleries include:

The Snail knight, who rides a giant snail mount. He may challenge the party to a test of honour, hinting that he has vital knowledge that he can only share with fellow cavaliers. The truth is, he only knows the history of a single isolated war.

AC 3 [16] + special (see end of section), HD 4 (18 HP), ATT 1 x lance (1d6), THACO 17 [+2], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1) ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 175, NA 1 (1), TT None

The Fish knight, who has two brass fish on the side of his helmet. He immediately pledges his undying loyalty to the party and swears to fight and die for the success of their quest. He absolutely will not enter combat, but does loot the body of anyone killed and then try to escape.

AC 3 [16] + special (see end of section), HD 5 (23 HP), ATT 1 x sword (1d8), THACO 17 [+2], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1) ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 425, NA 1 (1), TT None

Armed rabbits, who team up against any armed person they come across. They use clever strategy and acrobatics and form a serious threat. Even so, they usually make a disciplined retreat before they can do any significant harm. The retreat is via a path through traps they set earlier.

AC 8 [11] + special (see end of section), HD 1-3 (5-14 HP), ATT 1 x weapon, THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1-3) ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 16/26/41, NA 1d4 (1d4), TT None

Suffering saints, who may be sick, injured, starved, tortured or in pieces. They call to the party to pray with them, but resist any efforts to help them. Their suffering is a personal sacrifice to their god. Drama queens, every single one of them.

AC 8 [11] + special (see end of section), HD 5 (18 HP), ATT -, THACO 17 [+2], MV -, SV 9 10 12 14 12 (C5) ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 0, NA 1 (1), TT None

The Dying king, who was too stubborn to listen to prophets and saints, and is now paying the price. Like the Suffering Saints, he resists assistance. His only purpose now is to warn others not to make his mistake. The crime he describes is so mild or obscure that it makes the whole ordeal ridiculous.

AC 5 [14] + special (see end of section), HD 6 (27 HP), ATT -, THACO 17 [+2], MV -, SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F6) ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 0, NA 1 (1), TT None

Badly-drawn animals, who mill around making the sort of noises only someone who had never seen one in the flesh would expect. Not hostile, but may panic and run in any direction if spooked.

AC 8 [11] + special (see below), HD 1/2 (4/9 HP), ATT 1 x butt (1d4), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F1) ML 5, AL Neutral, XP 16/28, NA 1d3 (1d3), TT None 

Specials: All drolleries are immune to piercing or bludgeoning damage and take double damage from fire. Anything taken from a drollery turns to paper in a few seconds.

Historia 

Historia are images of actual figures from history: saints, kings, heretical bishops, even a few scientists. They can be found doing the things the people they represent could be expected to do in a library. Reading books, giving dry lectures, ordering troops to reinforce the northern border against invaders.

Historia always know where in the library their book is, and what it contains.

Stats: Apply five levels of whatever class is appropriate for the character. Treasure type L (illuminated manuscripts were occasionally decorated with gold leaf and crushed gemstones).

Specials: Historia  have the same specials as Drolleries (see above).

Parodia 

Parodia are similar to Historia, but these images were created to mock their subjects. They may be cross-eyed, have enormous warts on their faces, and wear expressions of bucolic stupidity. They know nothing useful and spend their time performing ridiculous acts. Like Historia, they're not much threat in a fight, but Parodia love to prank people by tripping them on stairs, slamming doors on them, pushing items down from high places, etc.

Stats: As for Historia.

Rubrics

Rubrics are also similar to Historia, but have a faint pink hue to them. They're blood drinkers and the more they drink, the darker their shade and the greater their power. A fully crimson Rubric is a creature to be wary of. They make no use of stealth and repeatedly shout an obscure phrase as a battle cry.

AC 8 [11], HD 2 (9 HP), ATT 1 x weapon or bite (1d6, see specials), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F2) ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 26, NA 1d3 (1d3), TT None

Specials: 

Attack improvement: For each 10 points of HP damage done by bite attacks, the Rubric gains +2 to attacks and -2 to Save targets. 

Damage: Rubrics are immune to piercing or bludgeoning damage and take double damage from fire. Anything taken from a rubric turns to paper in a few seconds.

Grotesques

Grotesques are simply faces. Blocky and panel-shaped, wrapped in hair or leaves and ivy. They possess and animate furniture.  Someone who sits without looking may be bucked off a chair, or have their gear scattered by a spooked table. In groups, Grotesques will act like herd animals - the larger ones may attack to protect the smaller ones, who retreat in panic.

Basic chair

AC 8 [11], HD 2 (9 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d4), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F2) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 20, NA 2d6 (2d6), TT None

Wingback chair

AC 8 [11], HD 3 (14 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d4), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F3) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 35, NA 1d4 (1d4), TT None

Stool

AC 8 [11], HD 1 (5 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d4), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F3) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 10, NA 1 (1d2), TT None 

Desk

AC 8 [11], HD 5 (23 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d6), THACO 17 [+2], MV 120' (40'), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F5) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 175, NA 1 (1d4), TT None 

Table

AC 8 [11], HD 4 (14 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d4), THACO 17 [+2], MV 120' (40'), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F4) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 75, NA 1d2 (1d6), TT None 

Podium

AC 8 [11], HD 2 (9 HP), ATT 1 x bite or kick (1d4), THACO 19 [0], MV 120' (40'), SV 12 13 14 15 16 (F2) ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 20, NA 1 (1d2), TT None

B/X compatible monster: Figthing

The One Page Game Jam has ended, and the entries are available for browsing.

They're a fun bunch of games, but some are a challenge to read. There are handwritten documents, background images that don't contrast the text enough, and in some cases a complete indifference to spelling. One game had a section of 'figthing rules'. To my disappointment, it wasn't rules for things made of figs, it was the combat system. So here's a hostile thing made of figs, for which you might also need some figthing fighting rules.

Figthing

A 7' golem molded from bruised and overripe figs. It squelches as it moves, and carries a buzzing cloud of wasps with it. They crawl on and inside it and form a second threat for an adventuring party to handle. Figthings form (super-) naturally in abandoned fig groves under the influence of awakened wasp nests. They stand in the shadows of trees where they won't dry out, immobile until the wasps detect intruders. Then they attack. A figthing is typically active for two to three weeks before fermentation and rot force its wasps to move on and it loses its animating force.

AC 8[11], HD 4 (18 HP), ATT 1 x fist (1d6) + special (see below), THACO 17 [+2], MV 120' (40'), SV 10 11 12 13 14 (F4) ML 12, AL Neutral, XP 225, NA 1d4 (1d4), TT None

Specials:

Mundane damage immunity: Can only be harmed by magical attacks.

Splatter: Every second round as a free action the figthing can hurl a wad of sticky fruit pulp. If it hits, the target will be swarmed by wasps for automatic damage of 1HP per round and -2 to any action until they take a full round to scrape it off.

Asphyxiate: The figthing can pass up a normal attack to grab an opponent in an adjacent square. STR vs STR to resist. If it succeeds, it will attempt to shove the gripped creature into itself to smother in sticky pulp. Drowning rules apply.

Edible: Each person who joins the attempt can gather 1d4+2 rations of fruit pulp. It spoils in three days unless preserved. A resourceful adventurer would make jam.

B/X monster: the undomesticated flying carpet

I don't know what the lizard's doing there

A Brief Treatise on the Habits and Habitat of the Undomesticated Flying Carpet. It's been a miserable wet week here, and I feel like some unmitigated nonsense is called for.

The wild flying carpet is both smaller and faster than its domestic cousin, not having been bred for carrying human passengers. It also has a much more wild temperament. Some captured specimens have been quite vicious. Males can be recognised by their bold geometrical patterns, while females tend towards Turkish patterns in muted colours. Younger carpets will be a paisley or tartan before their patterns fully grow in.

You can find the undomesticated carpet roosting on the arid side of mountain ranges, where the males build nests by assembling rings of small rocks and tangling them together with loose threads. Females are attracted by the strength and lack of fray in those threads. A male with a tidy weave will make a good mate.

Wild carpets are almost entirely carnivorous and don't have the appetite for Turkish delight their domestic counterparts display. They typically prey on lambs and young goats, by sweeping them up and dropping them from a height so the animals are stunned and can't resist being flown back to the carpet's lair to be devoured. When prey is scarce they range further afield and although they prefer to avoid settlements, there are reports of them targeting children up to about six years old as prey.

When threatened they prefer to run rather than fight, but will defend their nests with swoop-and-slash tactics. Males and females both have tassels they can use to grip small rocks and flint shards as weapons.

Armour Class	4 [15]
Hit Dice	4 (12hp)
Attacks	1 × slash (1d6)
THAC0	14 [+5]
Movement	30’ (10’) inching / 480’ (160’) flying
Saving Throws	D13 W14 P13 B16 S14 (4)
Morale	8 (12 in lair)
Alignment	Neutral
XP	75
Number Appearing	1 (1d2)
Treasure Type	I

Killer robots

Have you ever woken from a sound sleep with the best idea ever and forgotten what it was before morning? Today I had the opposite experience: an idea so terrible that my subconscious refused to take responsibility for it and kicked me awake. By morning it was still there, burning like an ember in my thoughts - goblin phone sex operators.

 I have no plans to develop this idea, and no idea how to develop it if I wanted to.

Anyhoo, robots. The first few OD&D games played must have been real kitchen sink settings. I was interested to read that Gary G's Greyhawk had dinosaurs and androids as monsters the players could encounter. It’s a shame there aren't more robots in fantasy game supplements today. Here's some I've statted up, hoping to capture what would have been the 1970s aesthetic:

Roberzerker
A towering armoured beast with a single glowing eye, flailing claw-arms and a grating electronic voice shouting "DESTROY! DESTROY!" Usually set to guard an area or significant artefact. Won't leave the room its guard point is in unless it malfunctions (2 in 6 if damaged).

AC 6 [13], HD 5 (22hp), Att 2 x slam (1d6) or 1 x sonic (1d8, see specials), THAC0 17, MV 90' (30'), SV D10 W11 P12 B3 S14 (F5), ML 12, AL Neutral, XP 550, NA 1d3, TT D

Specials:
Sonic - The robot can make a straight-line attack affecting all opponents in targeted squares. Ignores armour, 3-round recharge.
Boom - a destroyed roberzerker explodes on 2 in 6, doing 1d8 damage to opponents in adjacent squares.
Mechanical - immune to all mind-affecting spells and conditions.

Spider
A dog-sized machine that lurks in the dark in high corners. Has 8 dim red lights as eyes. Will attempt to surprise or swarm opponents.

AC 8 [11], HD 2 (5hp), Att 1 x shock bite (1d6), THAC0 19, MV 120' (40'), SV D13 W14 P13 B16 S15 (T2), ML 12, AL Neutral, XP 35, NA 2d4, TT C

Specials:
Climb - a spider can crawl along walls or ceilings at its normal movement rate.
Backstab - as per Thief.
Mechanical - immune to all mind-affecting spells and conditions.

Scrapper
A man-sized construction which collects all kinds of metal for depositing in the hopper on its back, where it's crushed into ingots for storage. Not inherently hostile, but it wants the party's weapons and armour and will attempt to yank them off.

AC 8 [11], HD 3 (8hp), Att 1 x steal (see specials), THAC0 19, MV 120; (40'), SV D13 W14 P13 B16 S15 (T3), ML 9, AL Neutral, XP 65, NA 1d4, TT B

Specials:
Steal - on a successful attack, the scrapper will cut one item of the target's armour free, reducing AC by 2 points.
Mechanical - immune to all mind-affecting spells and conditions.

Hound
A security robot in the form of a lion-sized dog. Usually found walking patrols in an ancient facility, they attack without warning and fight to kill. 

AC 6 [13], HD 5 (22hp), Att 1 × bite (2d6), THAC0 17, MV 150’ (50’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (F5), ML 12, AL Neutral, XP 425, NA 1d2 (2d4), TT D

Specials:
Backup - A hound signals for reinforcements when entering combat with the characters. 2d4 more hounds arrive in 1d6 turns.
Mechanical - immune to all mind-affecting spells and conditions.

Lifter
A huge robot on thick legs or tracks, designed for moving loads around. It may be hostile, or simply oblivious to the tiny characters.

AC 3 [16], HD 15 (67hp), Att 1 × crush  (4d8), THAC0 10, MV 80’ (26’), SV D8 W9 P10 B10 S12 (F8), ML 12, AL Neutral, XP 3,250, NA 1 (1d3), TT G

Specials:
Horn - operates every second turn, characters are deaf and unable to communicate via speech while it sounds.
Mechanical - immune to all mind-affecting spells and conditions.

Docbot
The one helpful robot on this list. Docbots are willing and able to perform medical treatment on human and demihuman characters. 3 in 6 chance it's run out of anaesthetic and attempts to inject a patient with a dried-up syringe before performing surgery. Doesn't speak the patient's language.

AC 3 [16], HD 1 (4hp), Att -, THAC0 -, MV 120’ (40’), SV D13 W14 P13 B16 S15 (T1), ML 12, AL Neutral, XP -, NA 1, TT B

Specials:
Heal - can use one full turn to heal a character by 1d6+1 hp. Can only treat the same character once every six hours.
Space age medicine - can treat conditions that would ordinarily require magical healing.
Mechanical - immune to all mind-affecting spells and conditions.

Note on treasure tables - robots don't carry cash, items or spells. In each case the treasure table given represents the value of the advanced metal scraps you can pick from a robot's wreckage. For each line on the table that indicates a non-money reward, roll again on the highest value money reward line.

Court of Apes

A bestiary of apes for a dungeon adventure because sometimes the solution is more monkeys.

Macaque Minister

Ever-mindful of their dignity, Macaques are the orators and speech makers of the court. They argue their positions with punctilious decorum, no matter how ridiculous they are.

"I admire the passion with which the honoured member advocates for socks to be worn inside-out, but has he considered the impact on the yarn-makers and dyers?"

AC 9 [11], HD 2 (5hp), Att 1 × rapier (1d6), THAC0 18 [+1], MV 120’ (40’), SV D13 W14 P13 B16 S15 (MU2), ML 7, AL Neutral, XP 60, NA 2d4 (1d6+2), TT B

Specials: 

Sleep - Once per day a Macaque Minister may cast Sleep on any number of creatures who can hear it. Requires a common language and an uninterrupted round of waffling speech. Save vs paralysis resists.

Climb - Can Climb as per a Thief of 3 levels higher.

Ambi-ambidextrous - Can wield a weapon as long as any limb is free.

Prehensile tail - Tail can be used to grip. Can hold the Macaque's and extra weight up to that of a Halfling.

 

Colobus Counsellor

Always ready to offer stupid advice, whether asked for it or not.

"M'lord, I can assure you we will save hours of the servants' time cleaning by simply diverting a river through the castle on alternate Wednesdays."

AC 7 [12], HD 2 (7hp), Att 1 × staff (1d4), THAC0 18 [+1], MV 120’ (40’), SV D11 W12 P14 B16 S15 (C2), ML 7, AL Neutral, XP 25, NA 1d4+2 (2d4), TT N

Specials:
Cure light wounds - Once per day a Colobus can examine a patient and pronounce a diagnosis "You're pregnant/You're dead/You have bees." and provide a tonic in the form of 'medicinal' brandy that restores 1d6+1 HP.
Escape - If attacked, a Colobus may disappear into its own baggy robes and emerge fleeing in an unexpected direction.

Gorilla Philosopher

Gorillas who spend their time debating schools of thought. They slam their fists on the ground, beat their chests, snort and shake their heads, but there's no actual violence.

"The sock question is fascinating and deserves careful consideration. Nevertheless, we are apes and apes have no feet."

AC 6 [13], HD 4 (18hp), Att 2 × slam (1d4) or 1 x logic (1d6 + paralysis, see specials), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F2), ML 7, AL Neutral, XP 80, NA 1d4+1 (2d4), TT O

Specials:
Logic - a Gorilla Philosopher may attempt to disprove an opponent's existence. Requires a common language. Attack uses target's Int modifier as a bonus. Success does 1d6 psychic damage and target must save vs paralysis or lose a turn while they doubt their own reality.
Snarl - Once per combat a Gorilla may vent a growl of animal fury and automatically gain initiative for its side in the following turn.

Gibbon Scribe

Gibbons bumble about looking for things to record. Any things.

"Hang about, hang about - what was that part about winding my entrails around the flagpole? And do you mind if I write 'guts'? It's easier to spell."

AC 9 [10], HD 1 (4hp), Att 1 × sharpened quill (1d4), THAC0 19 [+0], MV 120’ (40’), SV D11 W12 P14 B15 S16 (C1), ML 7, AL Neutral, XP 10, NA 1d6+2 (2d6), TT S

Chimp Guard

Slouching chimpanzees with chainmail and dented helmets, using spears to prop themselves up. They watch proceedings with a sleepy disinterest until it's time to leap screaming into battle.

"You saying I'm corrupt? 'Cos that's insulting and when I feel insulted it costs twice the usual fee to walk through this door."

AC 7 [12], HD 3 (14hp), Att 1 × sword (1d6) or spear (1d6), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F2), ML 7, AL Neutral, XP 35, NA 2d4 (1d6+2), TT K

Bonobo Page

Chimp-like apes in livery, carrying trumpets and scrolls. They announce visitors and shout the events of the court as they happen.

"Hear ye! Sir Reginald Montague Fineteeth throttles Lord Eustace Curlwhiskers with his tail! Lord Eustace responds via an attempted eye gouge with a fish fork! Lady Marjorie Goldenfur absconds with the last of the pastries!"

AC 6 [13], HD 2 (7hp), Att 1 × trumpet (1d4), THAC0 17 [+2], MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F2), ML 7, AL Neutral, XP 20, NA 1d6 (2d4), TT P

Good King Paul

A 7-year old human boy with a cloth tail stitched to his shorts and glued-on monkey whiskers. He shouts nonsensical commands and the apes hurry to carry them out while applauding his wisdom.

"I declare today cheese day! Everyone eat cheese!" "Urgh, cheese is yuck now. It makes me feel funny. Anyone with cheese shall be put to death!" "By royal decree, everyone walk backwards!"

AC 9 [11], HD 1/2 (2hp), Att 1 x kick (1d2-1) or 1 x bite (1d2-1), THAC0 16 [+3], MV 120’ (40’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 6, AL Neutral, XP 5, NA 0 (1), TT I

Fantasy X-Men

In a previous post I mentioned an idea about ordinary characters having minor superpowers because they're polymorphed monsters and don't know it. Each character would have an ability stemming from their monster nature and a taboo that would undo the spell if they transgressed it.

The original idea was for each party member to be the only one who knew about another member's taboo, and have the responsibility for making sure they didn't break it. The monsters would effectively be each other's guards. However, I'm not that fond of games that give you knowledge your character doesn't have. Where's the fun for the player in uncovering the mystery?

So instead I think it should be handled by the GM. Players don't even need to know what sort of polymorphed creature they are. They can just be told that they always have advantage on certain skill tests, or that they have a supernatural power that works once per level per day. And supernaturally punished when they break their taboo, which they also don't know about.

I looked through the B/X Essentials monster manual for creatures that were A) living and B) intelligent and found a bigger list than I expected. Some are close enough to be cousin species, but that's an advantage if it gives a player the chance to form a completely wrong theory about what they are.

As of right now, I'm going simple and saying that breaking a taboo causes a psychic shock that does 1d6 HP damage, but it could easily be expanded into another subsystem. Maybe it damages the illusion and once you realise what you really are Wizard X unleashes the hounds of Tindalos to destroy you.

1)Bugbear
Bonus: Advantage on stealth rolls for character and anyone accompanying.
Taboo: Labour for wages.

2) Centaur
Bonus: Movement rate tripled.
Taboo: Carrying a person.

3) Djinn
Bonus: Breath weapon. Any creature of lower hit dice in a 5-space cone ahead of you is knocked prone. Equal hit dice are driven back 1 space.
Taboo: Go underground.

4) Doppelganger
Bonus: Imitate a person's voice and mannerisms perfectly. +2 bonus to disguising yourself as someone specific.
Taboo: Speak your own name.

5) Dragon
Bonus: +1 spell slot which can be cast hit dice x times per day.
Taboo: Give up a prized possession.

6) Dryad
Bonus: Advantage on woodcraft skill tests.
Taboo: Light a fire.

7) Efreet
Bonus: Instinctive understanding of fire - how to start it, how it spreads, how to contain it.
Taboo:Immerse yourself in water.

8) Gargoyle
Bonus: Wakefulness. You're immune to charm person and sleep spells and can stay awake for hit dice x days with no harmful effect.
Taboo: Sleep in a bed.

9) Giant
Bonus: Advantage on strength rolls.
Taboo: Act humble.

10) Gnoll
Bonus: Advantage on tracking rolls
Taboo: Eat before the party leader does.

11) Goblin
Bonus: Advantage on caving skill tests.
Taboo: Pay for something honestly.

12) Harpy
Bonus: Cast Charm Person hit dice x daily.
Taboo: Let a personal offence go unpunished.

13) Hobgoblin
Bonus: Advantage on stealth rolls for character and anyone accompanying.
Taboo: Enter combat without backup.

14) Invisible stalker
Bonus: Automatically surprise on your first attack in any combat.
Taboo: Alert someone to your presence.

15) Kobold
Bonus: +2 AC without armour, advantage on rolls to dodge.
Taboo: Attack an opponent from the front.

16) Lizardman
Bonus: You can slow your metabolism at will, entering a meditation-like state you can dismiss instantly. You need no food or water in this state.
Taboo: Kill a snake.
 
17) Lycanthrope
Bonus: Improved senses, especially smell. You can only be surprised on 1-in-6.
Taboo: Handle silver.

18) Manticore
Bonus: Poison bite. Hit dice x times per day. Victims must save or die.
Taboo: Speak words of comfort.

19) Medusa
Bonus: Cast Sleep on one target hit dice x times per day, by making eye contact.
Taboo: Look into your own reflected eyes.

20) Merman
Bonus: Advantage on swimming tests, hold breath for 2 + hit dice x minutes.
Taboo: Taste brine.

21) Minotaur
Bonus: You can handle weapons as if you were a larger creature - eg. weild a two-handed sword one-handed.
Taboo: Handle ceramics.

22) Nixie
Bonus: Cast Charm on up to hit dice x animals, once per day.
Taboo: Kill an animal.

23) Ogre
Bonus: Advantage on strength rolls.
Taboo: Share food.

24) Orc
Bonus: Advantage on caving skill tests.
Taboo: Enter combat without backup.

25) Pixie
Bonus: A successful save vs petrification nullifies all fall damage, otherwise fall damage is reduced by half.
Taboo: Harm a winged creature.

26) Salamander
Bonus: A successful save vs breath nullifies all heat or cold damage (choose which at character creation), otherwise damage is reduced by half.
Taboo: Use your opposing force as a tool or weapon.

27) Sprite
Bonus: Cast a minor curse up to hit dice x times per day. The curse target will suffer a clumsy accident, have a tool break, or some other distracting inconvenience.
Taboo: Speak a compliment.

28) Treant
Bonus: Up to hit dice x times per day a tree will find a way to help you - drop a branch in the right place, bear fruit out of season, etc.
Taboo: Cut wood.

29) Troglodyte
Bonus: Advantage on climbing tests.
Taboo: Sleep under open sky.

30) Troll
Bonus: When you roll for healing, use the rolled value or your number of hit dice, whichever is better.
Taboo: Handle open flame.

Library bestiary part 1 - human

For nearly a year I've been thinking about an adventure set in a cursed library. It's giving me some trouble, mainly the map. I'd like to site the main areas deliberately, and use a simple semi-procedural generation for smaller rooms. The details haven't been gelling and I had mostly put it out of my mind, but a week ago I woke up from a dream with the perfect solution - which I didn't write down and had forgotten by morning. Something about a die-drop table? Maybe? I'm still kicking myself over that.

In any case, it's reached the point where I need to write it down in order to either progress my ideas or get them out of my head completely. I don't have a map, but I have a bestiary.

The library was created to house a singular book, the Book of Ashes. It has a wealth of knowledge on a variety of forbidden subjects, including descriptions and true names of a number of high-ranking demons. You don't let people read a book like that, but you don't burn it either. It might be useful some day. So they put it in an isolated building with a staff of scholar-soldiers to protect it. Over time, other heretical but potentially useful books joined it. Then, because it's the nature of libraries, a collection of mundane but associated volumes useful to visiting researchers.

Maybe because of the nature of its collection, the library grew strange and dark over time. The librarians became insular and uncooperative with visitors. Eventually they stopped leaving the library altogether. The building itself grew larger than its walls should allow, and its corridors twisted into a maze.

The library still operates and protects its evil books, but it's a hazardous place to visit.

Librarian castes

Shelvers

Shelvers climb the library shelves like monkeys, deftly reaching for finger- and toe-holds, always careful not to brush against the books. Theirs is the sacred task of returning books to their proper places after they've been repaired, seized from a rival tribe that follows a heretical cataloguing System or (Great Librarian protect us!) read.

AC 8 [11], HD 2 (9 HP), Att 1 × wooden club (1d6) or bone knife (1d4), THAC0 19, MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F2), ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 20, NA 1d6 (3d4), TT P

• Ambush: May set simple traps or push shelves over onto opponents.
• Bombard: May drop heavy items on opponents from high spots.

Returners

Returners are the police force of the librarian tribes. Their job is to apprehend criminals accused of mishandling books, folding pages, or the greatest crime of all - book murder. They go armed with man-catchers. The only punishment is hanging. Executed criminals will be displayed in the entrance hall for a few days, then taken down and expertly butchered so their skin can be turned into leather, their bones into needles and their sinews into thread for repairing books. Returners from rival tribes have a wary truce during times of peace and co-operate to bring book vandals to justice.

They wrap heavy cloth around their faces to muffle their cries if injured in battle. Hushers execute noise-makers indiscriminately.

AC 6 [13], HD 3 (14 HP), Att 1 × man-catcher (1d2 + restrain) or sharpened ruler (1d6), THAC0 19, MV 120’ (40’), SV D2 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F3), ML 8, AL Lawful, XP 35, NA 1d6 (3d4), TT Q

• Capture: Standard tactic is for several Returners to immobilise and gag an opponent so their body can be used for book repair.
  

Porters

Some books are so important than ordinary visitors can't be trusted to handle them. Porters wear harnesses which let them carry a book of any size on their backs, and act as a lectern when needed. They wear blinkers to keep them from accidentally reading their books, and use whisk-like devices over their shoulders to turn pages. If there's danger, they're trained to retreat immediately, shielding their book with their bodies. Porters are always accompanied by two Returners.

AC 3 [16], HD 2 (7 HP), Att 1 × turner (1d4), THAC0 19, MV 120’ (40’), SV D11 W12 P14 B16 S15 (C2), ML 6, AL Lawful, XP 31, NA 1d6 (3d4), TT O

• Retreat: If threatened, back towards the nearest entrance, fighting defensively. 
• Distract: Drop lesser books or scrolls to delay opponents if necessary.
• Magic: a porter will know 1d2 of:
  • Cause Fear
  • Darkness
  • Detect Magic

Lectors

A book is an ideal object (of course), but if you were to (carefully and hypothetically) admit a limitation in their function as information transmitters, it would be that only one person can read them at a time. Having someone read them aloud fixes that problem. The library's altered nature means that Lectors are most often reading to empty lecture halls, but they do it anyway. Tradition is what maintains their privileged position among the tribe.

AC 7 [12], HD 2 (5 HP), Att 1 × wooden bookmark (1d4), THAC0 19, MV 120’ (40’), SV D13 W14 P13 B15 S16 (MU2), ML 7, AL Lawful, XP 31, NA 1d6 (3d4), TT R

• Call to defend: a lector can call up to 1d6 bystanders to defend the book he reads from (and by extension, him).
  
• Magic: a lector will know 1d3 of:
  • Detect Magic
  • Read Languages
  • Read Magic
  • Sleep

Casteless

Hushers

Hushers are an order of warrior-monks, called by faith to enforce the library rules. They patrol the shelves and galleries of the populated areas of the library and and go on days-long patrols through the far sections, where there's danger of bumping into wandering Marginalia. They take a vow of silence and fight with arrows fletched with the hair of executed criminals, stiffened with book-glue.

AC 6 [13], HD 4 (18 HP), Att 1 × bow (1d6), sharpened ruler (1d6), THAC0 17, MV 120’ (40’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (F4), ML 7, AL Lawful, XP 75, NA 1d6 (3d4), TT P 
Conceal: hide in the shadows and attack without warning if rule-breaking occurs.

Binders

Binders have put aside tribal differences to concentrate on the sacred task of repairing damaged books. Cracked spines, torn pages, faded lettering. Time is unkind, never mind the depredations of the library's despised patrons.

AC 6 [13], HD 5 (18 HP), Att 1 × rope dart (1d6 + tangle) book knife (1d4), THAC0 17, MV 120’ (40’), SV D9 W10 P12 B14 S12 (C5), ML 7, AL Lawful, XP 300, NA 1d6 (3d4), TT N/O

Bibliomaniacs

Despite the obvious danger some people will, accidentally or otherwise, read the wrong book and lose their minds. These madmen haunt the library, even wandering alone through the far sections without fear. Hushers will sometimes kill them out of pity.

AC 7 [12], HD 8+1* (37hp), Att 1 × weapon (1d8 or by weapon), THAC0 14, MV 120’ (40’), SV D8 W9 P10 B10 S12 (F8), ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 1750, NA 0 (1), TT O 

• Magic: A bibliomanic will be able to use one of the following 3 times daily as a spell-like ability:
  
  • Blight
  • Continual Darkness
  • Curse
  • Detect Magic
  • Locate Object
  • Sticks to Snakes

Send in the clowns

The face of a killer?

A clown bestiary with B/X stats.

People have been talking for years about scary clowns. I always thought it was mostly in fun, but my little nephew is serious about it. I had to change my in-game skin so we could play Minecraft together, because I was dressed as a clown and he hated it.

Players wouldn't be scared though, would they? Not big tough players. I bet they could take on a whole gang of clowns and come out smiling...

Hobo

Dressed in rags or ill-fitting clothes, Hobos are tasked with gathering victims to feed the nest's Foolmother and her Clowngrubs. They're especially attracted to young children, who can be taken in by a painted smile and a bladder on a stick. Many villages have known the pain of hearing their children cry in fear and seeing a Hobo sprinting away on oversized shoes with a handful of kids stuffed into his hula-hoop trousers.

AC 7 [12], HD 4 (14hp), Att 1 × rubber chicken (1d4), squeaky hammer (1d6), claws (1d6), THAC0 16, MV 80’ (40’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (F4), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 125, NA 1d4 (2d4), TT S

Specials: Hobos can regurgitate swallowed human intestines to twist into balloon animals, swollen with noxious gas. They burst after 1d4 rounds or if interacted with. The gas irritates the membranes, causing coughing and watering eyes. Save vs poison or -2 to attack rolls until the fight's end.

Pierot

The white-faced Pierot wears motley, a conical hat and a mournful expression.  Don't be fooled, this clown has no mercy. Its skin is coated with slimy white mucus.  The Pierot's chief tactic is pretending to be busy with some task and paying no attention to anyone who might be nearby - then sneaking up and smearing them with its slime as soon as they're distracted.

AC 8 [11], HD 3 (11hp), Att 1 × bucket of whitewash (1d4), claws (1d6), THAC0 17, MV 80’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F3), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 75, NA 1d2 (1d6), TT R

Specials: Pierot slime absorbs into demihuman skin and paralyses the will, leaving the victim a dazed but willing slave to the Pierot's gestured commands. Save vs poison to resist.

Little dog

Pierots are often accompanied by little dogs, which function as their protectors. They're not actually canines, they have a vestigial third pair of insectoid limbs that fold flat against the body.  Agile, and vicious, the dog can dislocate its jaw at will to open its mouth wider than its head. It has multiple rows of jagged, broken teeth. It goes for the soft parts, and then for the throat.

AC 7 [12], HD 2 (7hp), Att 1 × bite (1d6), THAC0 18, MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F1), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 20, NA 1d3 (2d4), TT None

Rodeo

The clown nest's soldier caste, Rodeo clowns have nothing subtle or sneaky about them. They operate on instinct, which tells them to attack anyone not part of the nest. They have sticky sweat that binds a protective layer of bullpen dust to their skin. They're also armoured with oversized hats and bandanas. Rodeo clowns can be found defending approaches to the main nest.

AC 6 [13], HD 5 (18hp), Att 1 × headbutt (1d6), claws (1d6), THAC0 15, MV 80’ (40’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (F5), ML 10, AL Chaotic, XP 300, NA 1d4 (1d2), TT Q

Specials: Spits caustic chaw (2d4). 2 x daily, 15' range, save vs breath for half damage.

Foolmother

Source of the filthy clown breed, the Foolmother is a towering blob of flesh in the centre of the nest. She appears bloated and immobile, but most of that quivering mass is actually an egg sac she's embedded in. Give her reason and she'll tear free and leap at you, all sleek black biomechanical limbs topped with a bulbous head and painted smile.

AC 1 [18], HD 8 (36hp), Att 1 × bite (3d8) or claws (2d6), THAC0 12, MV 180’ (60’), SV D8 W9 P10 B10 S12 (F8), ML 9, AL Chaotic, XP 650, NA 0 (1), TT H 

Clowngrubs

The clown's immature stage. Writhing slimy grubs the length of your forearm, with sharp mandibles. They hunt by smell and when one tastes flesh it emits a pheromone that calls its fellows to join the feast.

AC 7 [12], HD 1 (4hp), Att 1 × bite (1d3), THAC0 19, MV 90’ (30’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F1), ML 6, AL Chaotic, XP 10, NA 0 (0d6), TT None
 

Mime

Every predator has a predator of its own. The clown's predator is the mime. These beasts exist partly in this world and partly in another. They're often hindered by obstacles that exist only on the other side of the divide and are invisible to creatures native to our plane. That weakness is a strength as well, though. The mime can step sideways past barriers that exist only on our side, appearing inside city walls and locked rooms.

Clowns are their natural prey, but they're hostile to any living thing they encounter. The unlucky or unwary die in the grip of claws that can't even be seen.

AC 8 [11], HD 6 (21hp), Att 1 × invisible sword (1d6), THAC0 14, MV 80’ (40’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (F6), ML 10, AL Chaotic, XP 500, NA 1d3, TT R

Specials: Immune to non-magical weapons.

Wearable monsters

Yes, that sort of wearable monster.
Image from www.maxpixel.net

I was browsing Old School RPG Planet's bloglist late at night and found myself reading a post about wandering monsters. I was half-asleep and read that as wearable monsters until I was nearly done with the post and hadn't seen a single reference to wearing monsters and wasn't that a fundamentally dumb idea?

*cough* So anyway, here's a list of wearable monsters. Blame them on Abelard the Unreliable. I'm not sure why I gave them statblocks.

Wig beast

This creature wants to yank your hair out and sink tap roots into your scalp. The benefit is that you'll have a full head of thick and luxurious hair once it settles in place. They can be trained into elaborate styles, and change shades depending on your diet. The down side is that your own hair never grows back and the wig beast has an unpredictable lifespan. It may just expire and slide off your scarred scalp in public. They tend to target older women and fashionable young men.

AC 6 [13], HD 1-2 (2hp), Att 1 × hair pull (1d4-1), THAC0 19, MV 40’ (20’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 7, AL Neutral, XP 5, NA 1d6 (3d8),  
TT -
 

Parasitic medals

They resemble gold or lapis medals with a vague decoration generic enough to just possibly belong to your army. Actually beetles that grip with their legs and bury a proboscis under the skin to draw blood. At the same time they inject a toxin that diminishes reasoning ability and increases belligerence and blood flow. Sufferers can be recognised by their ruddy complexion, disregard for strategy and over-use of phrases like "Peace was never an option" and "We have more men than they have bullets".

AC 4 [15], HD 1-2 (1hp), Att 1 × bite (1d4), THAC0 19, MV 80’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F1), ML 10, AL Neutral, XP 5, NA 3d4 (4d10), TT -

Snake belt

These venomous serpents are attracted to the body heat of sleeping adventurers and eat leather. They slither close and devour an adventurer's existing belt, then slide through their trousers' belt loops to take its place. Their tails are armoured so they can grip them with their teeth and not cause themselves injury. By the time a belt snake is discovered, it's probably too late to remove it and the only option is to wait until they get hungry and slither off in search of more edible belts. Their bite causes fever and delirium.

AC 6 [13], HD 2 (8hp), Att 1 × bite (1d6+poison), THAC0 19, MV 80’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F1), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 10, NA 1d4 (3d6), 
TT -

Fleece colony

A fleece moth is a tiny wispy insect with a long, trailing fleecy tail. They collectively settle on a suitable surface and intertwine their tails, creating a light but waterproof and warm covering. Migratory hunters on the high steppes soak their clothes in the juice of the mountain thistle to attract fleece moths. The down side is that the moths only form a colony in cold weather. If a warmer (by their standard) day comes, they may abandon their garment all at once and leave the wearer in just his shirt sleeves.

AC 4 [15], HD 1-2 (1hp), Att -, THAC0 -, MV 80’ (40’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 4, AL Neutral, XP -, NA 10d100, TT -

 

Crocs

Not shoes, actually small reptiles. These swamp-dwelling mini-gators wrap themselves around the feet of careless adventurers, shred their existing footwear, and grab hold. They resist removal with nips and tail-thrashing. But on the other hand they're hard-wearing, waterproof and don't cause blisters. Some travellers think it's worth occasionally being dragged off-course to chase small game.

AC 8 [11], HD 1 (4hp), Att 1 × bite (1d6), tail-whip (1d4), THAC0 19, MV 80’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F1), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 5, NA 2, TT -

Dragon onesie

The onesie is a living organism and by putting it on you're technically stepping into its stomach. Don't worry too much about that, it's warm and dry inside. Unless you fail to keep its pockets full of gold. Then it could get a little uncomfortable. Onesies don't go adventuring to enjoy the company. A dragon onesie provides immunity to the breath weapon matching its colour.

AC 4 [15] (when worn, give the wearer chainmail-equivalent AC), HD 3 (13hp), Att 1 × bite (1d6), THAC0 19, MV 80’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F2), ML 8, AL Neutral, XP 15, NA 1 (1d4), TT D

Trollskin armour

Trollskin armour has to be manufactured and the process begins with getting it off the troll. Who probably won't like it. The skin survives removal and trimming, tanning, sewing etc. When worn it gives leather-equivalent AC and also emanates a smell that frightens away animals and smaller monsters. It's self-repairing as long as it's kept well-fed.  The only way it can feed is to absorb nutrients through its skin, so the most efficient way of keeping your trollskin armour healthy is to soak it in the soup-pot after it's cooled down for a while. Wash it thoroughly or your next meal will taste like feet.

Goblin variants

Image from Wikimedia.org

I'm slowly and painfully thinking through a dungeon populated by goblins. In order to keep it interesting and justify what I hope are some genuinely underhanded tactics, I'd like to introduce a bit of variety into the inhabitants.

Ranked in order of toughness:

Goblin runt

The smallest and scrawniest of the goblins, they've had to be quick and smart to survive among their bigger kin.

AC 6, HD 1-2 (2hp), Att 1 × weapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19, MV 80’ (40’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 7 (9 with king), AL Chaotic, XP 5, NA 2d4 (6d10), TT R (C)

Snot flick - a goblin with hayfever is never unarmed. Instead of attacking, a runt can flick a blob of mucus with pinpoint accuracy to a range of 10'. No damage, -2 to next attack roll.

Goblin bootlicker

These disgustingly obsequious toadies hang around with goblin pit bosses and champions, yelling warnings and throwing them extra ammo when called for.

AC 6, HD 1-2 (2hp), Att 1 × weapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19, MV 60’ (20’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 7 (9 with king), AL Chaotic, XP 5, NA 2d4 (6d10), TT R (C)

Has a satchel containing (1d6):

1. dried rat meat. (1 ration)
2. goblin brew. Tastes like a bugbear's loincloth. Burns with a blue flame. Might sterilise a wound then infect it with something different.
3. part of a halfling.
4. 1d4 tallow candles.
5. 1d2 doses of berserker mead.
6. 2d6 teeth.

Goblin bomber

Easily recognised by the cooking pots they wear as helmets and the slow-matches they tuck under the brim, even goblin bullies leave these guys alone. Bombers are runts who've taken an interest in chemistry. Madder than a soup-fork and half as useful, they make bombs by packing black powder into pottery, wooden tubs, skulls, anything they can find.

AC 5, HD 1-2 (2hp), Att 1 × weapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19, MV 60’ (20’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 7 (9 with king), AL Chaotic, XP 5, NA 2d4 (6d10), TT R (C)

Fire in the hole - a bomber carries 1d4 black powder grenades. Every second round they can throw one with a 15' range. On detonation, 1d6 damage to the square it lands in and 1d4 to adjacent squares. on 1-in-6 the bomb explodes while the goblin is still holding it.

Goblin shaman

Shamans typically know a few low-level spells and prepare the beserker mead that drives a few goblin warriors into a killing rage.

AC 7, HD 1-1 (3hp), Att 1 × weapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19, MV 40’ (15’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 7 (9 with king), AL Chaotic, XP 5, NA 2d4 (6d10), TT R (C)

Spells known (one of): Remove Fear, Cure Light Wounds, Darkness.

1d3 pots of berserker mead: +2 Att and damage, +2 AC. Save vs poison to stop fighting.

Goblin regular

A bog-standard goblin as described in the monster manual.

AC 6, HD 1-1 (3hp), Att 1 × weapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19, MV 60’ (20’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 7 (9 with king), AL Chaotic, XP 5, NA 2d4 (6d10), TT R (C)

Goblin bully

Bigger than an ordinary goblin, and meaner too. Everything they have, they've taken from someone smaller.

AC 6, HD 1 (4hp), Att 1 × weapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19, MV 60’ (20’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 7 (9 with king), AL Chaotic, XP 5, NA 2d4 (6d10), TT R (C)

Gimme dat - if disarmed or jealous, a bully can take a weapon from a goblin in an adjacent square as a free action.

Goblin berserker

Frothing at the mouth, biting their own ears and attacking with no regard for an enemy's relative strength.

AC 8, HD 1 (4hp), Att 1 × weapon (+2, 1d6+2 or by weapon+2), THAC0 19, MV 60’ (20’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 7 (9 with king), AL Chaotic, XP 5, NA 2d4 (6d10), TT R (C)

Goblin pit boss

Pit bosses have years of experience at not dying to adventurers. With a pit boss bellowing orders and enforcing them with kicks and punches, goblins will function like (semi-) disciplined fighters.

AC 5, HD 1+1 (5hp), Att 1 × weapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19, MV 60’ (20’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 7 (9 with king), AL Chaotic, XP 10, NA 2d4 (6d10), TT R (C)

Tactics - if a pit boss has bombers, bullies will form up in front of them as a protective line while they throw bombs. If the pit boss has runts, they'll flank adventurers while the bigger goblins keep them tied up in melee. Pit bosses count as kings for morale checks.

Goblin champion

Champions have been round the block a few times, and collected a couple of souvenirs on the way. Each champion will have a minor magic item (1d6):

1. Wand of Cold, 1d6 charges.
2. +1 sword.
3. Ring of Control Animals.
4. Potion of ESP.
5. Potion of Heroism.
6. Wand of Fear.

AC 4, HD 1+2 (6hp), Att 1 × weapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19, MV 60’ (20’), SV D14 W15 P16 B17 S18 (NH), ML 7 (9 with king), AL Chaotic, XP 10, NA 2d4 (6d10), TT R (C)

Tactics - as pit boss.

Champions count as kings for morale checks.

Goblin hound

Inbred, abused and semi-feral mongrels who've had to fight for every scrap of food. On 1-in-6, they attempt to eat the closest runt instead of attacking the adventurers.

AC 7, HD 2+2 (11hp), Att 1 × bite (1d6), THAC0 17, MV 180’ (60’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F1), ML 6 (8 in larger packs), AL Neutral, XP 25, NA 2d6 (3d6), TT None

Boom - sometimes bombers like to strap canisters full of powder and nails with a short fuse to hounds.

B/X monster: Intruder undead

Art by OpenClipart-Vectors on pixabay

A B/X-compatible monster.

Ghosts are always unsettling and the stronger ones can be dangerous, but there's an even better reason you don't want them hanging around. Ghosts are an open channel between the living world and the afterlife, and sometimes that channel provides a way into the world for things that don't belong to either.

Intruder undead come from a third place which wizards have named the Plane of Restless Flesh. It's a place without structure, where boundaries constantly shift and there's no clear separation between the world and the creatures that live there. Apprentices less mindful of their dignity like to call it the Plane of Screaming Meat.

Some of the beings there have the power to possess ghosts and wear them like environmental suits that let them function in our world. They're not hostile in the way we understand it, but they have a destructive curiosity. They'll smash, rend or tear things (or people) just to see what the pieces look like.

From a combat point of view, once the characters have defeated and dismissed the intruder, they still have the ghost to deal with.

Minor intruder undead

AC 7, [12] HD 1-3* (4/9/13hp), Att x 1 (see specials), THACO 17, MV 90' (30'), SV F3, ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 13/25/50, NA 1, TT none

• Undead: Soundless until attacking, immune to effects that require a living target (eg poison, disease), immune to mind-effecting and mind-reading spells.
• Mundane weapon immunity: Only harmed by silver or magic.
• Poltergeist: Can lift or throw items up to the size of a backpack. Items moved this way transform partially to flesh.

 

Regular intruder undead

AC 5, [14] HD 5-6** (23/26hp), Att x 1 (see specials), THACO 15, MV 90' (30'), SV F5, ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 425/725, NA 1, TT none

• As minor intruder
• Fear: Instead of attacking, the intruder can project a fear aura that causes up to its HD in opponents to develop a sudden hysterical fear of their own bodies. Save vs magic negates.

 

Major intruder undead 

AC 3, [16] HD 7-8*** (32/36hp), Att x 1 (see specials), THACO 12, MV 90' (30'), SV F8, ML 12, AL Chaotic, XP 1650/2200, NA 1, TT none

• As regular intruder
• Possession: Instead of attacking, the intruder can attempt to possess a living being. Save vs magic prevents. They gain complete control and can make use of the following powers instead of an attack:
  Blood spray - can spray scalding hot blood from an eye socket. (2 x only, eye is destroyed in the process. Vision unaffected.)
  Crackbones - can break host's bones and extrude them through flesh to make an attack on anyone in 5" range. 1d6 damage.
  Tentacles - can extrude host's intestines through a slit in the stomach and control them like tentacles to grapple anyone in 5" range.

Body-based powers do 1d6 damage to the host each time, but the hp loss is only inflicted when the intruder leaves the body.

Scar artists

If you're a rich weirdo with access to miraculous medical equipment and if you need a distraction from the fact you'll die soon when the sun fizzles out, you might choose to spend those last days in hope and generosity, healing the needy... or you might silence your better nature with drink and drugs and become a scar artist.

Some of the medical machinery available to people living on Earth-at-the-end dates back five hundred centuries, but it works as well today as it did then.  The ancients built to last.  These devices can perform surgery without pain or blemish, cure infection, remove hereditary conditions and repair crushed, cut, burned, poisoned, or frozen tissue in moments. But they can't create flesh from nothing.  The raw material has to come from somewhere, and that's almost universally another person.

Needless to say, scar artists are attractive if that's their thing.  Lean, tanned, muscular, perfectly coiffed, exquisite faces.  It's an eerie beauty, though.  Somehow slightly removed from human.  Shake hands with a scar artist, and you could be shaking hands with three different people.  Those long, strong bones could be from one donor, that even-toned skin from another, and the muscles and veins could be from someone else.  Someone so destitute they sold a piece of themselves or just vanished in the city's back alleys late one night.  Those scar artists are disturbing if you consider the implications of their existence, but they're not the worst.

There's a faction that says becoming the platonic ideal of the human form just makes you first among a very bland group.  They want to push past beauty into artistry.  Transparent skin, veins that bulge and glow, feathers or fur or scales instead of hair.  Muscles that chime as they flex, lungs that exhale psychotropic vapours, glands under the fingernails that stain whatever they touch with swirls of iridescent pigment.  Creating that kind of exotic flesh needs experimentation, and there's an implied level of human wastage.  But creepy as they are, they're not the worst either.

There's a school of thought at the extreme forefront of scar artistry that says keeping the natural human body plan is timid, pedestrian, dull.  Take risks.  Go further.  Dare.  Take what you need, use what you need.  Cut your conscience out if it bothers you.  Become art.  And keep your mistakes alive, because they have a kind of beauty too.

Those are the worst.

Lord Scapho of the mad city Incarnari has a hole all the way through his torso.  He can reach through and shake hands with himself.  At parties, he encourages young ladies to put their heads through it, to the amusement of all present.  To achieve that he needed a second spine, and to replace his two adult kidneys with six child-sized ones.

Lady Vinta has a crown of eyes.  They blink in unison and swivel to face whatever has her attention.  She claims each one of them is a trophy forfeited by a lover, and only laughs if someone points out that not all of them are human.

The Daly Twins, sons of the city's wealthiest merchant prince, play a complex ongoing game of their own devising to see who gets to wear all the arms this week.  Their older brother was the first to experiment: he had the position of his arms and legs swapped.  He was a sensation for several months, but it made debauchery awkward, so he dispensed with limbs altogether and had himself attached to a distended floating gas sac.

Lady Margot, wife of the city's ruler, earned their respect by suffering for her art.  She had her breasts carved into the shape of roses the old-fashioned way -- a knife, a vial of poppy juice and a surgeon who loved money more than his reputation.  Now she heads the Critics, a clique of scar artists who kill the creators of what they consider bad art.

Scar artist Narcissist
Narcissists are the lowest rung of the scar artist ladder.  It's not the art that interests them, it's the health, youth and beauty.  They don't warp their bodies so much as fine-tune them.  They're physically tough as well as gorgeous.  They form the baseline for scar artist stats.

AC 4 [15], HD 1+2 (6hp), Att 1 × weapon (1d6 or by weapon), THAC0 19, MV 120’ (40’), SV D12 W13 P14 B15 S16 (F1), ML 8, AL Chaotic, XP 15

Scar artist Canvas
Canvas scar artists transform their bodies, but not so much as to be unrecognisable.  Roll a D6.  On a 1, 2 or 3, give them one feature from the table.  On a 4 or 5, two features.  On a 6, three.

1. Silver eyes.  Reflective like a cat's, can be any shape or even a symbol. Gives low light vision. *
2. Transparent skin.  Watch blood flow through veins, muscles flex and slide.
3. Hollow fangs.  After successful grappling, the scar artist can automatically do 1d6 damage and regain half that number (rounded down) of HP.  They take blood, bile, spinal fluid or eyeball jelly. *
4. Musical muscles.  Sounds like a violin, or some other instrument where strings are strummed with a bow.
5. Pheromone glands - as per Charm Person.  HD x daily.  One target in an adjacent square, only in an enclosed space. *
6. Bioluminescent markings.
7. Echolocation - dark vision. *
8. Mobile tattoos.  Usually of an offensive and/or erotic nature.
9. Thick skin - as leather, +2 to saving throws vs heat/cold. *
10. Skull ridges.
11. Scales. Equal to 2 points of AC. *
12. Feathers.  Colourful.
13. Quills.  On a successful grapple, target must save vs poison. *
14. Eyestalks.  Disturbing rather than practical.
15. Serpent tongue.  Enhanced sense of smell. *
16. Reversible joints. The life of any party.
17. Talons.  Never unarmed.  Att x 2, 1d4 damage. *
18. Striped or spotted skin.
19. Prehensile tail.  Adds to climb ability. *
20. Extra fingers or toes.

* +4 XP.

Scar artist Atrocity
Atrocity artists have redesigned themselves (and the test subjects they keep with them like pets) to capture attention and offend the senses.  1 - 3 on a d6 - one feature.  4, 5 - two features.  6 - 3 features.

1. Faces. The artist has extra faces on their body (and perhaps limbs as well if they're unusually large).  They uniformly wear an expression of fear and revulsion and some have independently-moving eyes.
2. Crab claws.  Serrated and bony, like giant scissors.  (d8 damage) *
3. Extra limbs. More arms, more legs or a combination of both.  They're often mismatched in length and position of joints, and may sprout from surprising places on the body.
4. Cloud.  The artist carries a visible miasma with them, coloured or simply blurry.
5. Shrieking.  When the artist moves, it's accompanied by screeching from joints and muscles remade to generate noise as they function.  Discordant and loud.
6. Wings.  Non-functional wings made from elongated finger-joints with skin stretched taut between them.
7. Protruding bones.  Sharp bones emerging from the skin, like spear points twisting erratically around them as they walk.
8. Symbiote.  The artist has one or more smaller creatures living inside their body.  Like wasps in the eye sockets or mice in body-holes.  Will emerge on demand to cause disgust or work mischief. *
9. Sticky.  The artist's skin continually secretes a viscous fluid.  It may be caustic, flammable or just unpleasant to touch. *
10. External organs.  Air sacs on the back that inflate with every breath, a pumping heart attached to the breastbone, pulsating tubes emerging from and re-entering the body.
11. Giant.  This scar artist is much larger than the average human being.  This one's more of a billboard for their work than a canvas. (+3 HD, 125 XP)
12. Bloody.  This artist's skin continually seeps blood, staining everything they touch.  Doesn't cause any harm to the artist, just inconvenience to anyone else.
13. Hot.  This body runs at a temperature much higher than normal.  Not hot enough to injure, but anyone in close quarters is going to feel uncomfortable fast.
14. Mutilated.  This artist has reconfigured him/herself to cause maximum distress with their appearance.  They're fully fit, but appear to be terribly wounded.
15. Stinking.  Continual or at will.  The artist produces a smell so reeking anyone within two squares must save vs poison or spend a round vomiting. *
16. Foul.  The artist is covered with small orifices that continually dribble body waste.
17. Pustulant.  Random body parts slowly swell, then shrink back to normal.
18. Sting.  The artist has a venomous stinger they can attack with.  May be obvious, or hidden. (Att x 1, 1d6 + poison) *
19. Armour plate.  Thick, stiff skin like a rhino's hide. (2 [17] AC)*
20. Electric.  The artist has sparks arcing over their skin.  If touched, delivers a shock to both the artist and whoever touched them.