Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Saturday, November 19, 2016
CAMPAIGN CLASSICS: THE LESSER TARRASQUE
LESSER TARRASQUE
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVE: 8" (+3" rush)
HIT DICE: 8
%IN LAIR: 20%
TREASURE TYPE: F
NO. OF ATTACKS: 5
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6/1-6/
1-12/16-25/1-10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSE: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE:
50% bolts and rays only
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT:Neutral
SIZE: L (25' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes:
Nil/nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VIII/1550 + 10
The lesser tarrasques are not as legendary as their unique namesake. Sometimes they are mistaken as such and attract monsters (including "men") of low intelligence in its proximity who will sacrifice to one as a living god.
Like their feared namesake, they have similar attacks although of lesser bent. Vicious claws (1-6 dmg), tail lash(1-12 dmg), razor sharp bite (1D10+15 dmg) and a rushing attack with horns (1-10 dmg altogether). The bite is not as devastating but it does more with damage. The carapace is tough but only benefits a 50% magic resistance against rays and bolt type magic. The lesser tarrasque does not regenerate tactically. It will heal all its hit points in one night of rest and it can restore limbs if held to the stump in two turns.
Like the tarrasque the lesser tarrasque are also hungry things but they have no dormant state so if they do not feed in a few days they rampage. Smashing through villages without regard for food until their rage subsides (20 turns). Once calm they will begin consuming all organic matter. After consuming all in sight, they will go into a bloated torpor under a lake. Lakes that have hosted lesser tarrasque become stagnant and some even poisonous (50% chance Type A insinuitive).
Upon its death the remains of its underbelly are turned into a metal of a quality that just reaches the properties of meteoric iron (+3). It is known among sages of the physical universe as "inferior tarascium" and has a value of 5 in encumbrance gp weight. The remains yield 5 to 10 in encumbrance gp weight which can make 1 to 2 shields. The hard carapace on its back when rendered down yields 10-100 poor quality diamonds (base value 500 gp).
Some lesser tarrasque have been used as mounts by powerful adventurers but this takes up to a year to break one in under the heaviest attention and they must never have been ridden before. They can be raised from birth and will bond with one rider for life but will never take another. Their eggs have a market value of 10,000 gp.
Unlike the tarrasque, the lesser tarrasque are quadrupeds. However they have some ability to manipulate things in their forepaws. They have an affinity at opening doors and manipulating objects of simple complexity. They only cohabit the same space briefly to breed burying their eggs deep in underground ravine wall cracks. When they hatch they go in opposite directions.
Description: They have a lion-like mane of green and are covered in silvery scales.
COPYRIGHT 2016 GENE WEIGEL
FREQUENCY: RareNO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVE: 8" (+3" rush)
HIT DICE: 8
%IN LAIR: 20%
TREASURE TYPE: F
NO. OF ATTACKS: 5
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6/1-6/
1-12/16-25/1-10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSE: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE:
50% bolts and rays only
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
ALIGNMENT:Neutral
SIZE: L (25' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes:
Nil/nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: VIII/1550 + 10
The lesser tarrasques are not as legendary as their unique namesake. Sometimes they are mistaken as such and attract monsters (including "men") of low intelligence in its proximity who will sacrifice to one as a living god.
Like their feared namesake, they have similar attacks although of lesser bent. Vicious claws (1-6 dmg), tail lash(1-12 dmg), razor sharp bite (1D10+15 dmg) and a rushing attack with horns (1-10 dmg altogether). The bite is not as devastating but it does more with damage. The carapace is tough but only benefits a 50% magic resistance against rays and bolt type magic. The lesser tarrasque does not regenerate tactically. It will heal all its hit points in one night of rest and it can restore limbs if held to the stump in two turns.
Like the tarrasque the lesser tarrasque are also hungry things but they have no dormant state so if they do not feed in a few days they rampage. Smashing through villages without regard for food until their rage subsides (20 turns). Once calm they will begin consuming all organic matter. After consuming all in sight, they will go into a bloated torpor under a lake. Lakes that have hosted lesser tarrasque become stagnant and some even poisonous (50% chance Type A insinuitive).
Upon its death the remains of its underbelly are turned into a metal of a quality that just reaches the properties of meteoric iron (+3). It is known among sages of the physical universe as "inferior tarascium" and has a value of 5 in encumbrance gp weight. The remains yield 5 to 10 in encumbrance gp weight which can make 1 to 2 shields. The hard carapace on its back when rendered down yields 10-100 poor quality diamonds (base value 500 gp).
Some lesser tarrasque have been used as mounts by powerful adventurers but this takes up to a year to break one in under the heaviest attention and they must never have been ridden before. They can be raised from birth and will bond with one rider for life but will never take another. Their eggs have a market value of 10,000 gp.
Unlike the tarrasque, the lesser tarrasque are quadrupeds. However they have some ability to manipulate things in their forepaws. They have an affinity at opening doors and manipulating objects of simple complexity. They only cohabit the same space briefly to breed burying their eggs deep in underground ravine wall cracks. When they hatch they go in opposite directions.
Description: They have a lion-like mane of green and are covered in silvery scales.
COPYRIGHT 2016 GENE WEIGEL
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
SECRET OF THE GREATER TROLLS PART SIX
YEEG (Eastern Troll/"True Ninja")
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 2-16
ARMOR CLASS: 3
HIT DICE: 9
% IN LAIR: 0%
TREASURE TYPE: C
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 or 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Sneak attack 1-10 chop
to back of neck, needle like claw attacks
(1-12/1-12) or by weapon (usually Eastern
medium and small knife swords 1-10
damage and 1-6 damage)
SPECIAL ATTACKS:
Surprise 5 in 6
SPECIAL DEFENSES:
Hide in shadows as 15th level thief, teleportation
MAGIC RESISTANCE:
Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSlONlC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes:Nil/nil
LEVEVX.P. VALUE: VII/
2700 + 14
Far to the East of the Swordlands, there are distant cousins to trolls call yeeg who are so greatly feared that human assassins replicated their magical nature and style to instill fear. Only the highest ranking assassins know of their existence and secretly ally with them.
These monsters have abilities like 10th level thief functions but they are as a 15th level thief with HIDE IN SHADOWS (99%). They have innate magical abilities: create smoke 10' radius lasts for 3 rounds, become an exact replica of medium-sized being (shape/smell/voice/mannerisms/clothing) for 1 round (must focus on the one it is copying for one turn. Once cast it has to recopy. Can be disbelieved as an illusion.) and teleportation (up to 100 feet in any direction)
.They randomly kill human and human-like beings for thrills and the assassin cults (ninja) cater to this depravity. They will never work alongside of demi-humans (For the purpose of moving away from the mentality of ORIENTAL ADVENTURES (1985) the term "yokai" will refer to Eastern elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, etc.) and consider them less than food. Ogre mages (Eastern ogres or "oni") they consider enemies and will foil their plans if they can. Other humanoids (called "henge" see "yokai" above), in particular, the teeg and flayers (see below for both). Note: the yeeg will sometimes dwell nearby these races in dark and inaccessible crevasses. In addition, the yeeg, contrarily by some weird tradition, will answer the summons of goodly nagas and good-leaning yakshas (treat yakshas as neutral ogre mages with tendencies for great good and evil) to terminate an evil enemy of theirs but will ignore their evil counterparts the spirit nagas and rakshasas.
They have 60' infravision and the cannot stand sunlight (-2 to attack on an overcast day; in direct sunlight they take 1-6 damage per turn)
Description: The yeeg are so dark their skin seems to absorb light. Their eyes are even darker with no discernible color and are barely visible.
% IN LAIR: 0%
TREASURE TYPE: C
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 or 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Sneak attack 1-10 chop
to back of neck, needle like claw attacks
(1-12/1-12) or by weapon (usually Eastern
medium and small knife swords 1-10
damage and 1-6 damage)
SPECIAL ATTACKS:
Surprise 5 in 6
SPECIAL DEFENSES:
Hide in shadows as 15th level thief, teleportation
MAGIC RESISTANCE:
Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: M
PSlONlC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes:Nil/nil
LEVEVX.P. VALUE: VII/
2700 + 14
Far to the East of the Swordlands, there are distant cousins to trolls call yeeg who are so greatly feared that human assassins replicated their magical nature and style to instill fear. Only the highest ranking assassins know of their existence and secretly ally with them.
These monsters have abilities like 10th level thief functions but they are as a 15th level thief with HIDE IN SHADOWS (99%). They have innate magical abilities: create smoke 10' radius lasts for 3 rounds, become an exact replica of medium-sized being (shape/smell/voice/mannerisms/clothing) for 1 round (must focus on the one it is copying for one turn. Once cast it has to recopy. Can be disbelieved as an illusion.) and teleportation (up to 100 feet in any direction)
.They randomly kill human and human-like beings for thrills and the assassin cults (ninja) cater to this depravity. They will never work alongside of demi-humans (For the purpose of moving away from the mentality of ORIENTAL ADVENTURES (1985) the term "yokai" will refer to Eastern elves, dwarves, gnomes, halflings, etc.) and consider them less than food. Ogre mages (Eastern ogres or "oni") they consider enemies and will foil their plans if they can. Other humanoids (called "henge" see "yokai" above), in particular, the teeg and flayers (see below for both). Note: the yeeg will sometimes dwell nearby these races in dark and inaccessible crevasses. In addition, the yeeg, contrarily by some weird tradition, will answer the summons of goodly nagas and good-leaning yakshas (treat yakshas as neutral ogre mages with tendencies for great good and evil) to terminate an evil enemy of theirs but will ignore their evil counterparts the spirit nagas and rakshasas.
They have 60' infravision and the cannot stand sunlight (-2 to attack on an overcast day; in direct sunlight they take 1-6 damage per turn)
Description: The yeeg are so dark their skin seems to absorb light. Their eyes are even darker with no discernible color and are barely visible.
TEEG (Lesser Yeeg/Eastern Hobgoblin)
NO. APPEARING: 30-300
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 9"
HIT DICE: 1
% IN LAIR: 40%
TREASURE TYPE: Individuals 1; C,
J (x2), Q ( X 5), S in lair
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8 or by weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES:Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: L (7+ tall)
PSlONlC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes:Nil/nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I/
10+1
Chongi(lieutenant): 10+1
Lanksho (subcommander): 35+3
Teeg are a distant subrace of the yeeg who they hold in highest regard. They cannot interbreed with yeegs but they will often mate together as well as have a yeeg as a total dictatorial leader. This total militaristic subservience has likened the teeg to Eastern hobgoblins to those wandering adventurers and knowledge-seeking magicians of the West.
They have no tribes and all go by sets of five hundred ("wubi"). Each group has a lieutenant ("chongi") for every 50 of them. Maximum hit points. There also will be a subcommander ("lanksho") for every hundred (3HD). Deep in the earth under misty shores and islands, they will have large dungeon lairs with wide training rooms for marching troop formations. For every number of males, there will be 200% females and 500% young. They always will be surrounded by troop areas in every direction with the exception of large underground saltwater rivers which run through their lairs which lead out to the sea. Their lairs always have a sewer stench but they keep the waterways clear for ocean predators which they treat as pets. Sometimes they will have evil cetaceans (whales, dolphins, etc.) working with them as bodyguards and spies. The presence of yeegs can be felt but they are never seen amongst teegs they control. They must be summoned by ritual feast preferably human sacrifice.
Teegs have the following typical weapon distribution:
20% Knife sword and long bow
20% Knife sword and spear
20% Knife sword and whip
30% Polearm
10% Spear
They fish but they do not like boats as a concept. Teeg prefer land but can hold their breath longer than humans (hence the smell of their lairs). When they rarely raid villages it will be a complete purge of the population with no regard for plunder (with magic being an exception). They will cover their tracks by knocking down everything to feign a storm.
Description: Teegs have pale white rubbery skin and light green pupiless eyes. They sometimes paint war paint on their face (Note: around their eyes and foreheads in the depiction).
CHAG (Eastern Mind Flayer/"Cave Flayer")
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 3-18
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 9"
HIT DICE: 5
% IN LAIR: 20%
TREASURE TYPE: Individuals M (x2),
FREQUENCY: RareARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 9"
HIT DICE: 5
% IN LAIR: 20%
TREASURE TYPE: Individuals M (x2),
C,S
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-4/2-4/2-6/
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-4/2-4/2-6/
2-6/2-6/2-6
or by weapon (see below)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: L (8'+)
PSlONlC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: IV/130+5
In the East, mind flayers are not found at all amongst subterranean underworlds, however, there is an Eastern counterpart that seems to be derived from some common ancestor: the chag as they have come to be known by cave delvers and dwellers.
These monsters are unlike their Western cousins in all except general appearance. They are larger in height, strong as a troll (18), have no psionic powers in any way and are quite dumb. They are very limber and muscular for weapon fighting but they limit themselves to short edgeless swords (sometimes made of wood or even stone 1-4 dmg). If they make two successful attacks with their four tentacles chag will pull opponents onto the pointed and unbladed spike for 3d6 damage. They call it their "tooth". Their tentacles stretch to 5' length and attack in a flurry of hooks. In addition their tentacle attack can be used to neutralize weapons if two make succesful hits in one melee round. The tentacles holding the weapon can be broken free in one round if opponent's STR is 18 with lower STR adding rounds for each increment below 18 (Ex: 15 STR would be 4 rounds, etc.)
If found in their lair there will be a chief (6HD, AC 4) and 3 subchiefs (max hp). Females are indistinguishable from males visually, and in prowess, but young are small (4' tall; 2 HD; claws 1-2/ tentacles 1-3). They will have many small to medium-sized cephalopods (treat as small as 1-2 hp/dmg and medium as 1-4 hp/dmg; AC 8; if poisonous use insinuitive type A.) as companions (some are even considered mates that they sleep with. They have no regard for other humanoid sexual behaviors and will sometimes walk around with a "second head" on its shoulder that is a cephalopod that it is in coitus with.). As they prefer land, they keep their tentacled friends in connecting pools in their dank lairs. All goods are below water stored in various mollusk shells which is their carnivorous usual diet but they have a strange craving for the pineal glands of bipeds with high INT, WIS, & CHA every once and a while.
Their amphibious skin is slick so they will not be far from caverns near seasides or under saltwater swamps.
Their coloration is a pale green head with black eyes but their bodies are completely black almost giving them the appearance of a medium-sized octopus (with 4 tentacles visible; the chag has four) if seen in a darkened water.
COPYRIGHT GENE WEIGEL 2016
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: L (8'+)
PSlONlC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: IV/130+5
In the East, mind flayers are not found at all amongst subterranean underworlds, however, there is an Eastern counterpart that seems to be derived from some common ancestor: the chag as they have come to be known by cave delvers and dwellers.
These monsters are unlike their Western cousins in all except general appearance. They are larger in height, strong as a troll (18), have no psionic powers in any way and are quite dumb. They are very limber and muscular for weapon fighting but they limit themselves to short edgeless swords (sometimes made of wood or even stone 1-4 dmg). If they make two successful attacks with their four tentacles chag will pull opponents onto the pointed and unbladed spike for 3d6 damage. They call it their "tooth". Their tentacles stretch to 5' length and attack in a flurry of hooks. In addition their tentacle attack can be used to neutralize weapons if two make succesful hits in one melee round. The tentacles holding the weapon can be broken free in one round if opponent's STR is 18 with lower STR adding rounds for each increment below 18 (Ex: 15 STR would be 4 rounds, etc.)
If found in their lair there will be a chief (6HD, AC 4) and 3 subchiefs (max hp). Females are indistinguishable from males visually, and in prowess, but young are small (4' tall; 2 HD; claws 1-2/ tentacles 1-3). They will have many small to medium-sized cephalopods (treat as small as 1-2 hp/dmg and medium as 1-4 hp/dmg; AC 8; if poisonous use insinuitive type A.) as companions (some are even considered mates that they sleep with. They have no regard for other humanoid sexual behaviors and will sometimes walk around with a "second head" on its shoulder that is a cephalopod that it is in coitus with.). As they prefer land, they keep their tentacled friends in connecting pools in their dank lairs. All goods are below water stored in various mollusk shells which is their carnivorous usual diet but they have a strange craving for the pineal glands of bipeds with high INT, WIS, & CHA every once and a while.
Their amphibious skin is slick so they will not be far from caverns near seasides or under saltwater swamps.
Their coloration is a pale green head with black eyes but their bodies are completely black almost giving them the appearance of a medium-sized octopus (with 4 tentacles visible; the chag has four) if seen in a darkened water.
COPYRIGHT GENE WEIGEL 2016
