Bringing together a list of monsters that I’ve posted on this blog:
Index
- Aadercap | a head-wearing residual psychic manifestation – blog link
- Abnormally large spiders | 5 new variants – blog link
- Giant assassin spider | snips PCs in half
- Huge net casting spider | pops a net-like web over victims
- Large gobbing (spitting) spider | spits a mass of webs
- Giant phase-snatching spider | only it’s jaws are in the Prime Material
- Huge web bolas throwing spider | throws web bolas at prey
- Disadherer | sticky; rips PCs apart – blog link
- Drachomeleon | even a dragon needs a buddy – blog link
- Eye Glog | a top-tier parasite – blog post
- Ford’s Faeries contributions – see body of post below for details:
- Aijoseizonsuki | collective of beasts on a fell mission
- Asudem | reverse medusa like monster
- Chambri | part crocodile part dryad
- Leachlich | undead that uses a live creature as a host
- Regängleppod | doppelganger-like monster lurking in reflections
- Musedusa | a gorgon type related to Medusa – blog link
- Phantasmal Blood Vine | illusionary trap monster – blog link
- Pit of Drelk | a trap monster – blog link
- Yfelcorn | a fell Unicorn – blog link
Ford Faeries
An edited version the below monsters appear in a collaborative bestiary, which can be downloaded for free here: Ford’s Faeries
Aijoseizonsuki
Armour class: As leather
Hit dice: 1HD per creature in collective (usually 6HD)
Move: Normal
Attacks: 1 per creature; averaging D4 damage
No. Appearing: 1 collective
Morale: 10
Treasure: Skins
Alignment: Chaotic
Background
Aijo-seizon-suki (Ajio) is not one creature, but a collective of sorts. The collective of beasts is possessed by the spirit of a familiar (the true Aijo), a familiar which in life betrayed its master. The beasts are the vassals of the spirit familiar.
The Aijo rejoices in self-inflicted schadenfreude, it is cursed to do so. To enjoy being sad, the Aijo befriends strangers only to turn on them, revelling in the remorse they feel at their own betrayal. As such, it is cursed to relive its original crime.
The collective is up to six creatures, one speaking for the group. A typical group is:
- Hare (DEX)
- Fox (CHR)
- Wolf (INT)
- Boar (WIZ)
- Bear (CON)
- Lion (STR)
One creature acts as a de facto familiar, and bestows on their adoptive companion a bonus to one of their ability scores, e.g. the Fox improves charisma.
The collective will fight for its companion, but not to its death.
Betrayal
When true enthalpy has been established, the Aijo will select an ill opportune moment to enact betrayal, usually after a great collective achievement. The Aijo starts by recounting the crimes their companion has committed, and then, eyes full of tears, heart full of great regret, the faithful beasts attack trying to kill their companion.
Combat
Mechanically, in combat, it is unimportant to consider which of the collective is alive or dead, the spirit of the familiar sustains the collective as a whole, sharing out the combined life force.
Weaknesses
Remove curse will destroy the spirit Aijo. It will not willingly enter a village, town or city, this may trigger betrayal.
Written for Eric Nieudan’s The Henry Justice Ford Monster Manual Project
This monster (Aijoseizonsuki) is released under this license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Asudem
Armour class: as mail
Hit dice: 4
Move: normal
Attacks: 2; as by weapon type
No. Appearing: 1, rarely D6+1
Morale: 6
Treasure: 1000 GP
Alignment: Chaotic
Background
Asudems are the progeny of unfertilised gorgon eggs. Rarely a clutch will hatch and stay together.
Asudems are comely creatures. They are distinguished from beautiful humans by having barely discernible shark-like scales. Every few years they moult, laboriously pumicing away their spent skin.
Asudems think of themselves as being above base ‘mortals’, even regal. While not actually immortal, they are very long lived.
Weakness
Asudems have a terrifying secret weakness. They find ‘mortal’ creatures immeasurably repulsive, to the extent seeing one will turn an Asudem to stone. Reptiles, while also unspeakably ugly, can be tolerated. Creatures capable of petrification are the very pinnacle of beauty to Asudems, and so Asudems willingly serve them, basking under their gaze.
To protect themselves from unwanted visitors, and so the risk of auto-petrification, the Asudems will don diaphanous coverings. This optical filter is sufficient to blur and blunt the repulsive mortal’s appearance. They even shy away from exposing their skin to ‘mortals’, fearing contamination.
Abilities
A creature hearing an Asudem speak its name must save vs magic, or be turned to pumice. Therefore, Asudems are motivated by means of congenial conversation to extract people’s names.
Their hypnotic hand dances induce sleep, save vs magic.
They can read the mind of any sleeper.
Combat
Asudems can fight two handed, but favour polearms.
Body parts
Petrified Asudem stone is very dense, making Bullets +2 damage. Against petrifying creatures, these bullets pumice flesh (triple damage).
Unbroken pumiced creatures can be restored by a Medusa’s gaze, or by limited wish.
Moulted skins make excellent bandages and have curative properties. They can also turn stone to flesh.
Written for Eric Nieudan’s The Henry Justice Ford Monster Manual Project
This monster (Asudem) is released under this license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Chambri
Armour class: As studded leather
Hit dice: 7
Move: Normal, fast swimmer
Attacks: Bite 2D8, tail whip 2D4
No. Appearing: 1
Morale: 7
Treasure: D1000 GP
Alignment: Evil
Background
When the intelligent but depraved crocodiles of Puk-Puk take a Dryad for a ‘bride’, the unhappy union is a Chambri.
First, the crocodile’s kin open and gut the renegade, eating the innards with cannibalistic pleasure.
Wrecked and hollowed, the crocodile goes to the Dryad’s steading. Contracting its muscular diaphragm, a discordant lament is piped through its split torso, consuming the crocodile’s waning life. All but helpless, moved, the Dryad bathes the bloody ragged tear with her freshwater tears and unhappily but willingly slips into the cooling envelope of the crocodilian carcass. A trapped tenant, the rent closes over. Her organs transplanting its, coldblooded, death repealed.
The malevolent symbionts harbour the mind of a coldblooded killer, with the voice and charms of a sylvan sprite; cynically singing sweet laments of lost love and beauty to any hapless sentient beings, which approach entranced, often drowning in brown water in ecstasy and rapture.
Abilities
Intoxicate with song – the victim entranced, often thinks weapons are common domestic items, and armour unnecessary and uncouth oddments.
Illusions – the victim often sees the projection of a beautiful maiden (in the likeness of the Dryad trapped within) in convivial surrounds. The huge lumbering form of the crocodile incongruously goes unnoticed.
Summon and command – D6 (normal) crocodiles from neighbouring waterways arrive in D4 rounds.
Swallow – on a natural 20 the Chambri attempts to swallow the victim.
Weaknesses
Wooden weapons taken from a tree in a Dryad’s grove, or blessed by a dryad, do triple damage; and on a natural 20 splits the union killing both.
Skin
Skin, worth 5000 GP; makes magical armour. Teeth, potions of crocodilian form.
Written for Eric Nieudan’s The Henry Justice Ford Monster Manual Project
This monster (Chambri) is released under this license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
– – –
Leachlich
Armour class: as per host
Hit dice: half the HD of host
Move: as per host
Attacks: as per host
No. Appearing: 1
Morale: 6
Treasure: 1000GP per HD
Alignment: evil
Background
The Leachlich is obsessed with power and forms a parasitic relationship with a host. The more powerful the host the more powerful it becomes. Therefore, like a hermit crab that has outgrown its shell, it’s always looking for better accommodation.
It’s thought the creature is a form of restless Wight that chooses to live in corporal beings rather than its barrow. Others think it’s the ember of a failed lich, a whiff of its malign consciousness which death’s hand cannot stay, an essence that craves power.
Appearance
Physically, the Leachlich looks like an unimpressive bag of bones being held or stowed by the host creature. Invariably, the Leachlich conceals the point where it has tapped into the host’s body. Initially it will play possum, using the host to lead communication with outsiders.
Spells, abilities and weaknesses
The Leachlich is a spell caster with a level equal to the host’s HD.
Once per day also casts one of: protection from good, command, raise dead or sleep.
It ‘turns’ like a Wight.
It possesses the same physical abilities as the host and is dependent on the host’s senses. If it uses any special ability of the host, it cannot simultaneously use its own magic.
Combat
Treat the Leachlich and host monster separately, but if the Leachlich is killed so is the host. Killing the host does not automatically kill the Leachlich.
Parasite
The Leachlich can disengage from the current host (which unconscious, bleeds out and dies) and insert it’s spine into a recently dead or unconscious victim taking it over. The host must have above animal intelligence.
Written for Eric Nieudan’s The Henry Justice Ford Monster Manual Project
This monster (Leachlich) is released under this license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Regängleppod
Armour class: None
Hit dice: 5
Move: Very fast
Attacks: 4 x limbs [each pummelling for D4]
No. Appearing: 1
Morale: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic
A Regängleppod is a type of Dopplegänger, trapped behind a reflective pane, e.g. a mirror or the surface of a still pool.
If the reflective pane is touched by living flesh (or an item in contact with living flesh), the reflective pane becomes permeable to the trapped creature. The creature will then attempt to pull the victim through the reflective pane and pummel the victim unconscious; and then pass through the permeable reflective pane. If the victim somehow dies before the creature can exit, the reflective pane closes and is no longer permeable. Upon exiting the reflective pane, the creature assumes the form of the trapped victim, albeit their mirror image (e.g. scar on wrong cheek).
If the trapped victim is not rescued within a month and a day, they too become a Regängleppod.
Abilities
Regängleppods can assume the form of any living thing that has ever looked or been reflected in the reflective pane.
The creature has one-way telepathy (projecting thoughts) within 3 feet.
Weaknesses
Regängleppods can be forced into any reflective pane big enough to allow their body to pass into it (e.g. not a hand mirror), which will then trap them. They are therefore very wary of still bodies of water and large mirrors.
Contact with mercury (even a drop) will also trap them, until the mercury is dropped onto a reflective pane, trapping them in the pane. If the mercury-trapped creature is forged into steel, it is trapped forever. The item gives the holder immunity to illusions and polymorph magic. The item will however project malign thoughts to anyone within 3 feet of the item, generally lowering group moral
Written for Eric Nieudan’s The Henry Justice Ford Monster Manual Project
This monster (Regängleppod) is released under this license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Goblin's Henchman 