Bookmark Dungeon: Foul Den of Eliza the Red Archmage

 

WotRP Map - Eccentric Residence

 More experiments with weird maps designs to try and get an alien feel. This was using some curve tools while drawing the shapes. Seems like this would be a nightmare for the mapper. I'm trying to imagine being a DM and describing the dimensions and shape of some of these rooms. Fun!

Colossal Polyandrium of Fangarena

 

Bookmark Dungeon - Dim Oratory of Epix the Unholy Hedge Knight

 Found some time to do a color version.

What is the OSR?

 Unless you've been living under a rock you have heard of ChatGPT, powered by the OpenAI technology that uses Generative AI to answer any question, or to describe virtually anything you can ask it. I posed the question of just what is the OSR? And here was its response:

OSR stands for "Old School Revival" or "Old School Renaissance," and it refers to a movement within the tabletop role-playing game (RPG) community. The OSR seeks to reclaim and celebrate the play styles, game mechanics, and aesthetics of early tabletop RPGs, particularly those that were popular in the 1970s and 1980s. The OSR movement has spawned a variety of games, supplements, and other resources that are designed to evoke the feel of classic tabletop RPGs. Some popular examples of OSR games include Dungeons & Dragons (particularly early editions such as 0e, 1e, and 2e), as well as various retroclones and independent games that are inspired by those early editions. The OSR community is known for its focus on player creativity, improvisation, and the "old school" approach to gaming.

Not too bad a definition really. It misses all the nuance, which I think is common to all the questions I've asked it. But as a base level this technology is impressive and a window into what the future holds from our tech overlords.

Odious Bug Man

Odious Bug Man
Medium Beast, Neutral, Underworld

No. Appearing: 1d4+1 (1d6+1)
Armor Class: 17
Hit Dice: 4+2 (18hp)
Move: 90’ (60’)
Attacks: 1 bite or 2 claws
Damage: 1d6+1 piercing, 1d4+1 slashing
Save: 15
Morale: 6
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 12
XP Value: 75

Odious Spray: 3 times per day the creature can emit a spray in a cone 30’ long, 1’ at the base to 10’ wide. Victim sprayed must Save vs poison or be covered in odious fumes.  This odor alerts and enrages other bug men giving them +1 to attack the victim.

Related to Noxious Bug Men, these creatures cohabitate in the same hive. They will often guard larval chambers. They are non-reproducing drones.

Bookmark Dungeon: Damned Shrine of Sediz of the Void Mogul

 

Bookmark Dungeon: Dark Consulate of Axynal the Vile Master

 

PotRP Design Diary #37 - Korad Facilities Building Map

 A more extensive map of a building in the ruins of Korad, a once grand and beautiful city built on a bay that was once a major port, it is now dry, crumbling and mostly occupied by Tharks and White Apes.

This is a facilities building. What does that mean? I leave that up to you.

Mystery Map: Misty Enclave of Awutulik the Haunted Corpse

 Awutilik was buried in an impenetrable tomb with false coffins to confuse any would be grave robbers. Each guarded by an undead sentinel. Every door was sealed with a riddle. His true coffin was hidden in a cave underneath the elaborate tomb. If disturbed his haunted corpse may be awakened.

PotRP Design Diary #36 - Korad Building Map

 I no doubt have mentioned just how many maps I am drawing for the Princess of the Red Planet adventure. Well, it's a lot. So between various illustration work and writing I take a break and draw another map. The goal is to convey the unique alien architecture and still provide a useful milieu for adventuring in.

Many of these I've drawn are based on a mandala with multiple points radiating out from the center. While this particular one is fairly simple, some of them get quite elaborate.

Devotion - Turning Alignment into a Stat

It looks like the next edition of DnD will get rid of Alignment.

Alignment is such a core part of DnD, going all the way back to Chainmail, it is hard to imagine the game without it. The Sword & Sorcery and fantasy genres that inspired the early campaigns in general are rooted in the struggle of good and evil. I'd like to propose an alternate alignment system that will preserve its place for older fans and make room for new generations to embrace the game. 

This is a system that preserves the idea of alignment while opening up the system for any ideas to come. This should satisfy established players of the game as well as be welcoming to new players who may not hold the same views.

Devotion

Devotion is your character’s life philosophy, cause, or religious beliefs and how devoted they are to it. Your character’s dedication to their beliefs is their devotion stat. This may be used to resist temptation, or to disobey mind control if being forced by dark magics to do that which is contrary to their beliefs. Each character starts with a Devotion stat of 10, this may be adjusted by class, ancestry, level, and behavior.

3-8:     weakly holds to their ideals 

9-11:     moderately holds to their ideals

12-15:    strongly holds to their ideals

16-17:    very strongly holds to their ideals

18+:         near fanatical devotion to their ideals

There may be temporary modifiers to a character’s devotion score. An influential and charismatic leader can increase devotion or even change beliefs.

There are many philosophies in the world. Law & chaos, good & evil are core elements of the swords & sorcery genre. Some want everything to have an order, to obey the will of the gods or of the king. Others want to indulge in anarchy, unbeholden to any man or god. Your character may hold compassion to be the highest ideal. Or you may believe that the god of war is the most powerful and the only one worthy of worship who all should bend the knee to. If the character violates his or her devotion then the GM may penalize them or reduce their devotion stat. Characters may also evolve and develop different devotions through game play.

By default the character is either Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic, but there is no limit to the different possible devotions a character may hold and a player may work with the GM to make one up that fits their character concept. Some example are described here:

Law: the character holds the rule of law to be the highest ideal.

Neutrality: the character does not want to take sides

Anarchy: the character rejects all forms of coercion by force of law, hierarchy, and order.

War: the character believes that conquest and war is the only way to unite the people and bring peace.

Compassion: the character feels deeply for others and wants no harm to come to anyone.

Nihilism: the character rejects all religious and moral principles, in the belief that life is meaningless and there is no point to the world.

Stoicism: the character believes in reigning in passions. “Fear does us more harm than the things of which we’re afraid.”

Good: the character is morally excellent, virtuous, and holds righteousness as the highest ideal. 

Pious: the character is devoted to the commandments of his or her deity.

Evil: the character is self centered, immoral, wicked, and of ill nature. Of course no one thinks they are evil so they will call their philosophy by another name such as

This was inspired in part by this old post on Alignment: https://dungeoneering.blogspot.com/2010/11/concentric-alignment.html

Warduke Wednesday

Dungeons & Dragons Cartoon Episode 05 - In Search of the Dungeon Master

Beastie of the Week - Noxious Bug Man

Noxious Bug Man
Medium Beast, Neutral, Underworld

No. Appearing: 2d4+1 (2d6+1)
Armor Class: 12
Hit Dice: 2+2 (10hp)
Move: 90’ (60’)
Attacks: 1 bite or 2 claws
Damage: 1d6+1 piercing, 1d4+1 slashing
Save: 14
Morale: 10
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 2
XP Value: 35

Poisonous: target struck must Save vs poison or or suffer from gut-wrenching cramps and nausea (-2 to attack rolls, saving throws, and AC) for 2d12 hours.

Noxious Bug Men are protective and territorial insect like humanoids standing between 5’ and 6’ tall. Their chitinous bodies have numerous appendages of varying sizes. While of very low intelligence, they do an admirable job of tending to and protecting their hive.

Any intruders to their hive are identified and slain as quickly as possible, and used as food for their larva.

 

The Battle Turkey

A new playable character race.

Battle Turkeys are the last remaining members of an ancient race nearly hunted to extinction for their delicious flesh.

Those that survived have become battle-hardened and inured to danger. They are fiercely combative and proud of their heritage. They are fighting for the day their people can once again have a land they can roam free in.

The Battle Turkey has the following special abilities:

Limited flight: they can fly in short bursts up to 120' and must rest 1-4 rounds before making another flight. This also allows them to fall from great heights with little or no damage. Falls up to 120' they take no damage. Falls from greater heights they take half damage.

Defense: +1 AC due to their thick feathers.

Dimwitted: battle turkeys have -1 Intelligence.

Mystery Map - Haven of Kenyx the Cursed in Blue

 Yesterday's map in non-photo blue.

Mystery Map - Haven of Kenyx the Cursed

 

Kenyx was a paranoid sovereign of Baulphor, he had a secret lair built far underneath his palace. The knowledge of it was once lost, but the entrance has recently been uncovered. What great treasures might it hold? What deadly traps may the paranoid ruler have set?

Projects Update

 I just sent an update out to the Gunslinger backers with an update on the project.

Placeholder wrap-around art, not final

The book has been sitting at around 90% done for a while because I keep editing, refining, and rewriting certain sections. I liken it to panning for gold, I don't tend to be very verbose in my writing. I like to make things succinct, which is a much harder way to write. 

The current todo list looks like this:

• Refine Movement Rules
• Tighten Class Abilities
• Fill out Random Encounter Tables
• Finish Critters Section (80% done)
• Fill out Treasure Tables
• Complete On the Arizona Hills adventure (90% done)
• Complete Preview Chapter of Princess of the Red Planet Adventure (50% done)
• Finish Maps
• ~25 Illustrations remaining

Aiming to be done with Gunslinger before the end of the year. Then again I thought this would be done in June. So what do I know?

Princess of the Red Planet

Progress on Gunslinger means progress on the Princess of the Red Planet adventure. I have an unhealthy addiction to making covers of books that may or may not ever be published. I've made several experimental covers for the PotRP adventure. While I like the homage to Keep on the Borderlands, there is something about those really old duo-tone module covers that are appealing too.

Mystery Map - Strange Wizard Tower of Gaz the Berserk Sentinel

A Real Life Dungeon Adventure Inside the Pyramid

 This virtual 3d adventure into the great pyramid of Giza is like a real life dungeon exploration. I can imagine a party of adventures, the fighter in front, wizard and cleric in the middle, thief watching the back or scouting side passages. This is what it would really feel like!

There are other tombs to explore in virtual 3d on this site as well.

https://giza.mused.org/en/guided/266/inside-the-great-pyramid

Beastie of the Week: Mesmerizing Winged Death Roach

Mesmerizing Winged Death Roach
Tiny Beast, Chaotic, Underworld

No. Appearing: 3d6+1 (6d6+1)
Armor Class: 17
Hit Dice: 1hp
Move: 30’ (60’) flying
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage: 1d4 piercing
Save: 15
Morale: 6
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 2
XP Value: 15

Mesmerize: the fluttering of the death roach’s wings is hypnotic, target must save vs. spells or fall into a trance for 2-5 rounds. While in a trance the victim will not defend themselves so they get no DEX adjustment to AC.

These bioluminescent insects often infest caves and dungeons. They will use their wings to mesmerize a victim and then the entire swarm will latch onto them and nibble until they are filled.

Warduke Wedneday

 

Warduke by Richard Whitters https://www.instagram.com/richardwhitters/

Project Update - Gunslinger Critters and Loathsome Horrors

 If you saw Monday's post about Damage Types in the B/X sets you know I'm deep into writing up monster descriptions. I was rereading the basic B/X books, in particular the introduction to the monster entries to see how Tom Moldvay, David Cook, and Steve Marsh handled those sections.

The Stat Explanation section for monsters (or Critters as they are called in Gunslinger) has been written with quite a bit of refinement. I really dug into the past editions of the D&D game for inspiration. Even including 5th edition, which I think handled monster stats very well. This is an area of Gunslinger I am really happy with how it came out.

The write up of this section serves multiple purposes as I will also be using this in future Beasties books. It is an attempt to make the monster descriptions even more universally useful regardless of your preferred edition. The next Beasties book is called Beasties: Loathsome Horrors and is designed to be used with Gunslinger if you want some Eldritch Horror like monstrosities to challenge your player's cowboys and natives characters with. Like all Beasties books it is designed to work with virtually any OSR system that is compatible with the original fantasy game.

You can see previews of this new Beasties book in the recent Monster of the Week posts. And yes I'm experimenting with AI art. I figure horrific tentacle beasts are kind of the ideal subject matter for where that tech is currently at. Of course I'm painting on top of them quite a bit, so don't think for a moment this is me being lazy. It is still a lot of work cleaning them up. I'm not using AI art in Gunslinger, it is all hand drawn.

Gunslinger comes with plenty of critters! This new Beasties book is just an added bonus for those interested in getting it.

Disambiguating B/X Damage Types

I was reminded of how far ahead B/X was for its time while reading the monsters section in the Basic and Expert books for research for the monsters in Gunslinger (where they are called Critters). Different types of damage are succinctly described in game terms as a handy reference. This is the beginning of the systemization of damage in D&D. Comparing this with damage types in 5e there are only a couple in common, and arguably a third.

B/X	5e
Acid	Acid
Charge	Bludgeoning
Charm	Cold
Continuous Damage	Fire
	Lightning
Energy Drain	Necrotic
Paralysis	Piercing
Poison	Poison
Swallow	Psychic
Swoop	Radiant
Trample	Slashing
	Thunder

5e has come a long way in clarifying and categorizing damage types, while B/X conflates damage types with attack types and with what would come to be called Conditions. The only shared damage types are Acid and Poison and possibly Energy Drain. Of the remaining types Charm and Paralysis are Conditions in 5e. Charge, Swallow, Swoop, and Trample are combat attack actions. 

This leaves Continuous Damage and Energy Drain. Of these two types Energy Drain has fallen out of favor (as if it was ever in favor!) and Continuous Damage which is really something of a modifier you could theoretically apply to any damage type.

If we look at Energy Drain a little closer it does exist in 5e, but in a very different form called Life Drain. It is sort of a condition/action hybrid. As a damage type it is similar to Necrotic damage. This is what it does:

Life Drain: Necrotic damage. The target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or its hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

At first glance reducing hit point maximum may seem a bit lame, not as scary as losing a whole level like in B/X. But it is far easier to calculate and more immediate, you can lose quite a bit of time looking up what it means to reduce a character's level. Also, it is scarier than you might think to the player as it reduces how much they can heal.

To disambiguate the Damage Types as listed in B/X it would look something like this:

Damage Types

• Acid
• Continuous Damage
• Poison
• Energy Drain

Conditions

• Charm
• Paralysis

Attack Types

• Charge
• Swallow
• Swoop
• Trample

I quite like this list and think it is a good start to creating a system of damages, conditions, and attack types. There is a clarity of thinking here that 1st Edition AD&D could have benefited from. Well, we did eventually get that in 2nd edition. Maybe a bit too much.

One other interesting note is the order the damage types are described in. They are not alphabetical in the book, so they come across as random train of thought. What is it about those early D&D books and the random inconsistent use of alphabetizing?

DriveThru RPG Books on Hold

DriveThruRPG has upgraded the paper they use in their Print on Demand books. The paper is thicker, so this affects the size of the covers, in particular how wide the spine is. So all the covers of PoD books have to be updated for the covers to fit properly. Some interiors are affected as well.

This means all the books are on hold until they go through the printer's approval process. It will take some time to get them all updated.

 In the meantime they are still available on Lulu: https://www.lulu.com/spotlight/studiodenmark

Compared side by side the Lulu books have always seemed just a tad better. Hopefully with this upgrade the DriveThruRPG PoD books will be just as good, or even better!

Warduke Wednesday

Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Coloring Book: The Crown of Rulership cover art by the outstanding Earl Norem (1923–2015, aged 92), known for his striking Savage Sword of Conan covers, as well as many other illustrations for Marvel Comics.

Projects Update

GUNSLINGER

Completed:
Random Tables
Random NPC generator
Critter Stat Block explanation
Treasure Table (tailored to the western genre)

Good progress on:
Critters
Random Adventure Hooks (I'm aiming for at least 20 good ones)
General editing throughout the book, I keep combing through for typos and areas for the text to be more clearly written.

ART! This is the biggest remaining task at this point.

New Additions:
I realized the Movement rules needed some improvement, so rewrote that section.
Intoxication rules.

PRINCESS of the RED PLANET

Detailed Outline completed
Each chapter is researched and blocked-in, what remains is fleshing them out, which is the bulk of the writing.

VALKYRIES

I haven't posted any Valkyrie descriptions in a while, but this is being developed concurrently with the Book of Valkyries art book. It is a lot of research and sketching.

HAWKMOOR

Some excellent progress on this high fantasy gonzo setting. I've been working on this world for nearly 40 years so I'm always thinking about and designing this place. My home D&D games are usually set here. The first draft text is roughed in. I'm currently working on maps - some of which are the Wizard Towers I've been posting. 

Join the forum and talk about games and stuff: https://nightowlworkshop.freeforums.net/

Mystery Map - Psionic Tower of Xuj the Wicked Wanderer

 

Warduke Wednesday

 Ultimate Warduke

The new Warduke figure looks badass. 

Gunslinger Intoxication Rules

So much carousing was going on each game (by the characters of course!) that it became clear that Gunslinger was going to need intoxication rules. After searching through various sources there really weren't any particularly satisfactory rules I could find. The 1st edition Dungeon Master's Guide pg 82 has some that are workable but could use refinement. I wrote these up for playtesting. They're still a bit rough but have potential.

Drink Strength

Weak: each counts as 1 point of intoxication. Such little alcohol most people can drink a lot and at most get a buzz, unless they have a particular vulnerability to alcohol.

Mild: each counts as 2 points of intoxication. This is beer and wine.

Strong: each counts as 4 points of intoxication. This is hard liquor.

Intoxication

Intoxication Threshold: your character can drink up to their Constitution score in alcohol points before beginning to become intoxicated. Intoxicated characters will have "Liquid Courage" and may behave foolishly as well as having some penalties to certain actions.

Tipsy (CON) the character will have -1 to Dexterity based efforts. Intoxication lasts for 3 hours after the last drink.

Drunk (CON x2) the character will be at disadvantage with most tasks that require Dexterity. They will have Liquid Courage giving them +4 Morale. Intoxication lasts for 5 hours after the last drink.

Blackout (CON x3) the character goes beyond just being drunk to blacking out and becoming unconscious. Those with alcohol tolerance may remain conscious but will act like a different person, with sometimes very dark and dangerous proclivities. Intoxication lasts for 7 hours after the last drink.

Detoxing and Hangovers: stimulants such as coffee will reduce the intoxication period by ½ (after the last drink). Intoxicated characters must save vs poison or get a hangover, leaving them at -1 to Dexterity and Intelligence based checks for 1d4 hours starting 4 hours after the last drink.

Long Term Effects

Alcoholism: Must make a DC 12 vs Wisdom to resist a drink. This DC increases by 1 for each level of alcoholism the character has. 

Alcohol Poisoning: Drinking a tremendous amount for a long period of time can lead to liver failure and poisoning. In some cases habitual drinking can lead to death if the character stops drinking, instead of slowly easing off. In either case save vs. poison or die.

Liver Damage: Extended heavy drinking for years can lead to severe liver damage and the character will start showing the signs of jaundice. Eventually this will lead to alcohol poisoning and death.

Jaundice: The skin turns yellow as the liver begins to fail.

Other Factors

Alcohol sensitivity: This has nothing to do with tolerance. this person has reduced resistance to the effects of alcohol and will get drunk faster. Someone with this condition exhibits symptoms that range from a red flush face to severe nausea depending on the severity of their alcohol sensitivity when they consume alcohol.

Alcohol tolerance: Tolerance is how resistant to becoming intoxicated someone gets when consuming alcohol. This person has increased resistance to the effects of alcohol and will take longer to get drunk. Treat each drink as ½ the points of intoxication.

Alcohol intolerance: this person has reduced resistance to the effects of alcohol and will get drunk faster. Reduce the threshold by ½ (treat Constitution score as half rounded down for purposes of determining intoxication).

Update:

The folks over at ODD74 forum had some good input:
https://odd74.proboards.com/thread/15645/intoxication-rules

And this old thread helped too
https://odd74.proboards.com/thread/11903/simple-rules-drinking-contests

So I'm thinking of simplifying this even further. Each drink roll 1d4, add the total. Add +1 (or more) depending on the strength of the drink. When you reach your CON you're intoxicated. Same progression and effects as above with CONx2 and blackout at CONx3. 

Lunging Spider Ape

Lunging Spider Ape
Medium Beast, Chaotic, Forest

No. Appearing: 1d4+1 (1d6+1)
Armor Class: 15
Hit Dice: 5 (20hp)
Move: 120’ (90’)/ 240’ (180’) Lunge
Attacks: 1 bite or 2 fists
Damage: 1d6+1 piercing, 1d8+1 bludgeoning
Save: 12
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 8
XP Value: 160

Paralyzing Bite: target bitten must Save vs poison or become incapacitated for 2d6 rounds.

Cocoon: paralyzed victim will be cocooned in 2d8 rounds. STR check to break out in 1-6 rounds.

The king of the spiders was fecund and mated with the queens of many different species. Usually these unholy unions resulted in sterile spawn, but on rare occasions the offspring could breed and become their own species. Spider apes are one such kind.

Found in thick jungles and sub-tropical environments they tend to form into small troupes of 2-7 individuals with one male ruling the group. They are highly territorial and protective, especially of their young.

Warduke Wednesday

 

From the AD&D Coloring Book - The Crown of Rulership

Frazetta Friday

COMBAT
(1965)

Cover art for Blazing Combat #1 Warren Publishing

A print of this was hanging on our barracks wall when I was in the Army, I always thought it was incredibly powerful full of energy and emotion.

Knotted Tongue Louse

Knotted Tongue Louse
Tiny Beast, Chaotic, Urban

No. Appearing: 1d4+1 (1d6+1)
Armor Class: 17
Hit Dice: 1/2 (2hp)
Move: 0’ (0’)
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage: 1 slashing
Save: 15
Morale: n/a
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 7
XP Value: 16

Replace tongue: target infected must Save vs poison or the louse lodges itself on the target’s tongue.

The eggs of this louse can be found in barrels of low quality old ale, musty water in dungeons, or in witch’s brews. It infects its host by being consumed when it is but a tiny egg. It attaches to the tongue and slowly devours it, replacing the tongue. This takes 2-7 weeks and is relatively painless because the louse secretes a numbing fluid. It then has full control over its host’s verbal output. It will say inappropriate things at inopportune times and develops a distinct personality, roll on the table below. 

Personality (roll 1d6):

1. Sarcastic
2. Belligerent
3. Dishonest
4. Contrarian
5. Indecisive
6. Insulting

A cure disease will remove it. Some sort of regeneration will be required to heal the tongue, the victim will be mute in the meantime.

A New OSR Blog: Rhoringhad

A new OSR blog? The heyday of old-school RPG blogs has long been over, much of the discussions have moved to various social media and forums. For many of us though blogs were, and still are, the best! (well, maybe G+ was right up there until Google unceremoniously shut it down)

It isn't as often these days you see new OSR blogs pop up.

Richard Whitters was art director over at Wizards of the Coast on both the Magic: the Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons lines. I've long enjoyed his work as it was a combination of old-school aesthetic with a bit of contemporary style. Really outstanding work. He is clearly someone who's loved D&D since the early days, and it shows in his art. Check it this cool Bulette he drew:

He has started a blog with fellow designer Matthew Walsh to document the development of a new OSR RPG called Ruttigers. I like this stated goal for the design: "Old School: Essentially, similar to the Classic play style, but set to hard mode, much like some of the oldest of old school games."

He's released a sneak peek of the initiative system and it is a nice streamlined method that takes advantage of the best of side-based and individual-based initiative. 

Check it out:

https://rhoringhad.blogspot.com/

Warduke Wednesday

 A new Warduke drawing by Timothy Truman (well, new to me as I haven't seen it before).

Credit to @YoDanno for posting on the Twatter app: https://twitter.com/YoDanno/status/1565088071896502273

Jugular Seeker

 

Jugular Seeker
Medium Plant, Chaotic, Forest

No. Appearing: 1d4+1 (1d6+1)
Armor Class: 17
Hit Dice: 6+2 (26hp)
Move: 20’ (10’)
Attacks: 1 bite or 2 claws
Damage: 1d6+1 piercing, 1d4+1 slashing
Save: 15
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 12
XP Value: 75

Attach: target bitten must make a STR check, if they fail the Jugular Seeker latches on to the victim’s neck.

Drain: target is drained of 1d6 hp per round until dislodged or the Jugular Seeker is satisfied.

Regenerate: recovers 1d6 hp per round while in contact with soil from a grave.

Weaknesses to Sunlight, Garlic, and Holy Water: The Jugular Seeker takes 2d12 damage per turn while in contact with these things.

This carnivorous plant is possessed by an evil soul. It seeks out the jugular veins of creatures from which to feed on. 

Appearing as a common monkshood with a faint blue-green bioluminescent glow this plant can be found in enchanted forests and haunted woods. When the blood of an innocent victim is spilled on it, and a vampire has been impaled nearby, this can create the right conditions for the plant to be possessed by the spirit of the vampire.

The Jugular Seeker much like vampires, is harmed by sunlight, garlic, and holy water. And it prefers to be planted in soil from a grave, especially from the home land of it’s vampire soul, where it will regenerate 1d6 hp per turn while in contact with this dirt.

An exorcise spell will banish the evil vampire spirit from the plant.

Infectious Mushroom Crab

Infectious Mushroom Crab
Small Beast, Chaotic, Underworld

No. Appearing: 1d4+1 (1d6+1)
Armor Class: 19
Hit Dice: 3+2 (14hp)
Move: 90’ (60’)
Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite
Damage: 1d4+1 slashing, 1d4 piercing
Save: 14
Morale: 6
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 2
XP Value: 75

Grapple: on a successful hit with both claws the target must make a STR check or become grappled. Grappled targets will be automatically bitten the next round.

Infect: target bitten must Save vs poison or become infected and will slowly transform into a Mushroom Crab over the course of 2-5 weeks. One limb at a time.

Mushroom crabs often infest damp or watery areas of the underworld where they feed off of debris left by other inhabitants. They are mostly reclusive and solitary, but during breeding season they seek out living prey which to infect and propagate. During these times they become highly active and agressive.

A Cure Disease spell can halt the infection, though any parts that have been transformed will remain.

Some witches insist that mushroom crab makes a delicious soup that has restorative properties.

Haunted Sapling

Haunted Sapling
Large Beast, Chaotic, Forest

No. Appearing: 0 (2d6+1)
Armor Class: 16
Hit Dice: 5+2 (22hp)
Move: 90’
Attacks: 2 claws
Damage: 1d6+1 slashing
Save: 12
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 10
XP Value: 195

Blight: trees near them will become tainted and eventually become Haunted Saplings.

Distrust fire: And those who wield it.

Surprise: On a 1–3, in a forest, due to being mistaken for a tree. Encounter occurs at 30 yards or less.

Animate trees: Each individual can animate 1 tree (within 60’; may switch trees at will). These fight as haunted saplings with movement rate 30’ (10’).

The cursed spawn of tainted Treants, Haunted Saplings are giant (12’ tall) humanoid looking trees. They dwell in forests and are primarily concerned with protecting the plants of their home with a vengeance.  They can speak common but talk in a slow long-winded and circuitous manner.

Unlike normal Treants, Haunted Sapling’s are malevolent and ill willed. They don’t just want to protect their forest, they want to see the elimination of any creature that may harm the woods, and particularly those who weild fire and axe.

They infest the trees and their blight spreads throughout the entire grove they live in, until the woods themselves seethe with anger.

Grungeling

Grungeling
Tiny Beast, Neutral, Swamp

No. Appearing: 1d6 (2d6)
Armor Class: 11
Hit Dice: 2 (8hp)
Move: 30’
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage: 1 piercing
Save: 16
Morale: n/a
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 9
XP Value: 50

Control: target bitten must Save vs Paralyze or fall under the complete control of the Grungeling.

This tiny barnacle like creature attaches to the base of its victim’s skull. It injects tiny filiments that slowly replace the synapses in the victim’s brain, eventually gaining full control. The host will develop a wanderlust and will seek out new swampy areas. The creature will be barely noticable as a small crusty mole or scab.

Under fetid and rotting wood where fungus grows thick these creatures lurk and wait for suitable hosts. They will attach to any intelligent or semi-intelligent creature, including animals, but prefer humanoids. They infect their host and use them to traverse to new areas where they can release spores into. Once they’ve done this the Grungeling perishes and will fall off like an old scab. The host will then return to normal, though they may be a bit groggy and confused for 1d4 days.

Removing the Grungeling by force may cost the host 1d4 points of damage.

Frazetta Friday

Frank Frazetta The Amsirs and the Iron Thorn Painted Book Cover Original Art (Fawcett, 1967).

https://www.frazettagirls.com/products/at-the-earths-core-print

Fearmonger

Fearmonger
Medium Beast, Chaotic, Extra Planar

No. Appearing: 1 (1)
Armor Class: 18
Hit Dice: 8+2 (36hp)
Move: 90’ (60’)
Attacks: 1 bite and 2 claws
Damage: 1d6+1 piercing, 2d4+1/2d4+1 slashing
Save: 12
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: V
Intelligence: 17
XP Value: 750

Fear: target must Save or become incapacitated, cowering in fear unable to perform any actions other than basic defense for 2d6 rounds.

Ethereal: they can become ethereal at will.

 Cocoon: if a target is incapacitated, the Fearmonger can encase them in a cocoon (DC 15 to break out) in 2-5 rounds. To preserve as a snack for later.

Ethereal Gateway: can open a gateway to the ethereal realm and pull cocooned victims in, then close the portal so they are trapped forever with him.

Spells: they may recall 1d4 spells from the magic-user they absorbed. Choose randomly.

A Fearmonger is a vestigial humanoid creature that dwells in the ethereal realm. It appears as a bloated carcass with strange vine like growths wrapped over its form. It is created when a Cosmic Horror absorbs the life force of a powerful mage, sometimes they metamorphose into a Fearmonger. These larger more powerful creatures seek to devour the life energy of anyone it encounters. They feed off the fear their presence brings. 

Common Spells Known

1. Charm Person
2. Sleep
3. Mirror Image
4. Haste
5. Slow
6. Confusion

Ear Worm

Ear Worm
Tiny Beast, Chaotic, Underworld

No. Appearing: 1d4+1 (1d6+1)
Armor Class: 17
Hit Dice: 1 (4hp)
Move: 30’
Attacks: 1 lunge
Damage: 1 piercing
Save: 15
Morale: 6
Treasure Type: M
Intelligence: 2
XP Value: 15

Luring Hum: target must save vs spells or be charmed and put its ear near the Ear Worm.

Acid Juices: exudes toxic juices that inflict 1hp per hour.

Larvae: devour their prey from the inside over the course of 3-18 days.

This dangerous carnivorous worm emits a pleasant hum that lures prey, when the target is near the worm jumps into the victim’s ear. This temporarily immobilizes the victim who will then be slowly devoured by the Ear Worm’s acidic juices. It will lay its eggs, which will hatch larvae that devour the prey from the inside.

It will not be obvious from the outside that a host is infected with Ear Worm eggs, they will lose 1 Intelligence point per day so will slowly become more vegetative.

The larvae can be removed by a loud thunderous sound, which is likely to cause damage to the host and a hum will persist and resonate in the victim’s ears for 1-6 weeks making them temporarily deaf. Lost Intelligence points will not recover unless a Cure Serious Wounds or better is used.

 

Death Nettle

Death Nettle
Tiny Plant, Neutral, Forest

No. Appearing: 1d4+1 (1d6+1)
Armor Class: 12
Hit Dice: 1+2 (6hp)
Move:  Once it uses all of its stings it takes 2-5 days to regrow new ones.0’
Attacks: 1-4 stings
Damage: 1d4 piercing
Save: 15
Morale: n/a
Treasure Type: Nil
Intelligence: 1
XP Value: 25

Death Sting: target stung must Save vs Paralyze or be incapacitated for 1-4 days.

Appearing as harmless plants growing in fields among other normal vegetation, until a tasty target comes within range. The Death Nettle unfolds its barbed tentacles and reveals its skull-like face and attacks.

Once it stings an opponent and incapacitates them the Death Nettle will slowly envelope the creature and start digesting it over the course of 1-4 days. Once it uses all of its stings it takes 2-5 days to regrow new ones.

Death nettles were cultivated by the monks of Nakari, goddess of death and darkness, while they were bored trying to fill time between their mediations.