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

SECRET OF THE GREATER TROLLS PART ONE

GREATER TROLL


FREQUENCY: Very rare

NO. APPEARING: 1-3
ARMOR CLASS: 4 (or armor worn)
MOVE: 15”
HIT DICE: 6-8
% IN LAIR: 40%
TREASURE TYPE: F, G (R, S).
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK:       2-8 /2-8 (or by weapon)
SPECIAL ATTACKS:       magic spells
SPECIAL DEFENSES:       regeneration
MAGIC RESISTANCE:       nil
INTELLIGENCE:                Average to Genius
ALIGNMENT:                Chaotic Evil
SIZE:                             L (10’ tall)
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE:     VII/2000- Warrior
                                                  2000 +100 per magic-user level-Warlock


    The little seen greater troll is so different from the average troll that they seem to be two distinct races. Though when a limb from a greater troll is severed a common troll is formed. According to a captive greater troll, they used the common trolls as servants. Under their direct command, the common trolls were completely controlled and forbidden to breed. For an offspring would not be controlled by the master troll. In the time since the greater troll civilization was sundered long ago, the free common trolls thrived and even evolved into various troll varieties. Displacing their forgotten masters in the world’s memory. 
    Greater trolls attack with two clawed hands or by enchanted weapon. They use the following weapons:
Battle-axes  (50%)
Swords  (25%)
Miscellaneous  (25%)
Swords will usually be of the large variety (two-handed types). Greater trolls will always use +1 or better enchanted weapons. They will sometimes wear plate or chain mail often of the magical variety (5%).
   They recover 3 hp per round and regenerate same as the average troll. As mentioned previously when a greater troll loses a limb the severed limb will eventually regenerate  into a common troll in 12d4 rounds. This common troll will serve the greater troll it originated from  until the greater troll is destroyed. All greater trolls have the following innate spell-like abilities:
Enchant Weapon: +1 Permanent (not cumulative)
                              takes 12 hours to complete.  
                              Immune to Fire: Unlike common trolls these trolls
                               love heat.
When exposed to direct sunlight they turn to stone. Greater trolls have 90-foot infravision.

   They are nocturnal and live in ruins located in deep, usually enchanted forests. Long ago they served the gods as artisans and craftsmen. The greater troll civilization was destroyed when they betrayed the gods and they were cursed to turn to stone if exposed to sunlight. This is why there are so few greater trolls seen in the realms of mankind.  For every 6 greater trolls encountered, there will be a leader with maximum hit points and high intelligence. Each one will have 1d6 common trolls serving them. Greater trolls are magical creatures and some (5%) will be mages of great power (level unlimited). These are known as the troll warlocks.
   The greater troll is a smooth skinned, straight backed humanoid resembling a giant cross between an elf and a goblin not at all looking like the average Troll. A greater trolls have green, smooth skin with dark green hair. Their apparel, armor, weapons and their culture in general will resemble that of the Norse and northern European barbarian styles only far more advanced and civilized.

Campaign Origins

   In Greyhawk the smallest remnants of the Troll civilization can be found scattered throughout the Thillonrian Peninsula and what used to be the Geat Kingdom. In an earth like setting use Scandinavia and France and Germany. Greater Trolls are considered extinct. So an encounter should be almost impossible. Here's some ideas though:
1. Frozen (Time, Ice, etc)
2. Ultima Thule (The island on top of the world, etc)
3. A weapon can have the mind of a Greater Troll
(to either just tell the tale or lead to ruins or even revive them)





Secrets of the Greater Trolls Part I

  Multiple Heads: The regenerative ability of Trolls was due to the strange sorcery of the Greater Trolls. It's original purpose was to enable a Greater Troll to split his head in twain therefore creating two heads after regeneration. This technique is only practiced by the most ancient Greater Trolls. These ancients will usually have two or three heads though five heads is not unknown. Each head is considered a separate being for benefits of class. For example, one head a magic-user/barbarian, one head a fighter/thief and one head a fighter/monk/cleric on a three headed Greater Troll would have the abilities of three characters without exception. This makes a very powerful opponent.

  

Copyright Gene Weigel 2016

Hobbit As A Race/Class

Hobbit Race Class

HD: D4 WIS: +1;DEX +1

Hobbits are very, very similar to halflings however they are altogether specific to their kind. These beings seem mundane and backwards but contrastingly unlike their garish cousins the elves they are far more powerful. Although they greatly admire elves' and dwarves' ostentatious natures (elves' culinary - meats and vittles, dwarves' lapidary - gems and treasures) they find them hard to get along with. They are of a magical nature on a core level. Moreso than any other race they often can detect and connect with things overlooked and forgotten. Unlike other races they have no inclination for fighting alone. They also have a strange knack for finding defensibility and the most straightforward hobbit form is hiding. There are subgroups of hobbits but for sake of this its irrelevant.

Find magic: A hobbit cannot detect magic but they can find persons, places and items of a magical nature (1 in 6).

Find cover: They have base 10% chance (starting at level add 10% per level;max 90%) of finding complete cover from anything (being seen or even combat damage, etc.) in lieu of a saving throw/hit points. If given a magical bonus to their AC it s +1 adds 10% (example 5th level hobbit has 50% to find cover from an undead seeker with a +1 ring of protection this becomes 60%) . (Note - this is what gave Bilbo/Frodo resistance to Sauron's eye.)

Combat: They use the thieves table for combat (and experience levels) however they are very exceptional in their combat routine. They have no combat bonuses except by magic. Hobbits are nonplus ONLY. They can only surprise opponents but cannot fight a melee. They can assist a combatant(s) or pounce for a singular surprise round but otherwise they will defend only. They surprise on 3 of 6. See "find cover" for more.

Innate glamer: Volume of hobbits is a critical situation if they're are too many they attract attention from beings who use or have innate magical powers. For every active hobbit (especially those not at home in a hole in the ground with a pot of fresh stew!) there is a 20% to attract the attention of a user of magic. However when they are not doing any actions treat as find cover above.

Equipment: They can wear armor but not use it effectively so its canceled in effect. They can use most small-sized weapons or proportionately short variants. Hobbit throwing stones do S-M1d4/L1d6. It takes a round or two for a hobbit to gather a throwing stone (1-6 stones) outdoors. Ruins/dungeons (stone/round).

Certain hobbits, those who have consumed ent draughts, can be treated as halflings more or less and lose their innate hobbit abilities.

At 10th level a hobbit will want to retire to a hobbit hole. They will turn away followers but will have many powerful visitors frequently.

COPYRIGHT 2016 GENE WEIGEL