-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Converting monsters from the second edition Monstrous Compendiums
- Thread starter BOZ
- Start date
- Status
Shade
Monster Junkie
From Dragon #182:
Linnorm, Land
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any non-arctic land
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional (15-16)
TREASURE: Special
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
NO. APPEARING: 1 (5% of 2)
ARMOR CLASS: -1 (base)
MOVEMENT: 18, SW 12, Br 12
HIT DICE: 13 (base)
THAC0: 7 (at 13 HD)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws/1 bite/1 tail strike + special
DAMAGE/ATTACKS: 1d10/1d10/3d10/2d10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spells, breath weapon
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Spells
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Variable
SIZE: G (48' base)
MORALE: Fanatic (17-18)
XP VALUE: Variable
Land linnorms are driven solely by greed, and they enjoy twisting both humans and the land to their own corrupt desires.
Unlike many other linnorms, land linnorms have four legs, the forelimbs being useful for combat. The scales of hatchling land linnorms are small, green, and glisten like gems. As the linnorms age, the scales enlarge, lose their luster, and begin to change at the individual linnorm's whim from various shades of greens to browns to grays.
Land linnorms speak their own tongue as well as the languages of all Norse dragons. Land linnorms learn languages quickly. There is a 10% chance that a hatchling will be able to magically speak with all intelligent creatures. The chance to possess this ability increases 10% per age category of the linnorm.
Combat: Land linnorms are cautious, sizing up their intended victims before engaging them in combat. Land linnorms will sometimes follow a target for days-in a human or animal form if the linnorm is old enough to polymorph--before feeling it knows all the target's strengths and weaknesses and is ready to attack. Land linnorms carefully plot their every move before striking, usually beginning an assault with breath and spells before closing to attack with claws and bite. Land linnorms use their physical attacks only if they are certain they can best their victims. They opt to abandon targets that seem too dangerous. These linnorms prefer to attack small groups of humans and demihumans, avoiding large groups that might pose a threat.
Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A land linnorm's breath weapon is a blast of heat 120' long, 5' wide at the lirmorm's mouth, and 40' wide at the base. All those caught within the cone must save vs. breath weapon for half damage. The searing heat instantly fatigues all those struck by it, whether or not they successfully save. Fatigued beings have their strength scores reduced by half (round down). Land linnorms' runes, selected at random or by the DM from the VCS, are always successfully cast.
Land linnorms are born able to cast transmute rock to mud and mud to rock each once a day. In addition, they gain other powers as they age, each usable three times a day: young--invisibility; young adult--dig; mature adult--polymorph self; very old--stone shape; wyrm--conjure earth elemental; great wyrm--earthquake.
Habitat/Society: Land linnorms are found in any non-arctic terrain, although they prefer hills near human communities. High perches allow them to watch the humans, noting any wealth leaving or entering the community. They make their lairs in caves; older linnorms use their stone shape ability to fashion their own homes, complete with traps and obstacles to kill trespassers.
Land linnorms typically join with others of their kind only to mate, the pair separating after the offspring have passed beyond the hatchling stage. The abandoned young linnorms are preyed upon by human and demihuman adventurers, giants, and other monsters of the land.
However, some land linnorms have been reported to join forces with others of their kind to attack a strong human or demihuman establishment or a group of humans too large for a single linnorm to consider taking on. Such alliances are usually brief, ending after the division of the spoils.
Land linnorms loathe humans and demihumans and go out of their way to kill them, as the linnorms are intensely jealous of the lesser creatures' ability to garner wealth. However, a few linnorms have been known to set aside their hatred, capturing humans with magical skills and forcing them to instruct the linnorms in new magic runes or to reveal treasures. In a few such cases, the linnorms have formed long-term partnerships with humans, with the linnorms receiving magical knowledge and material wealth while the humans are allowed to live as long as they serve their masters. Land linnorms are fond of wealth of any kind-gold, silver, gems, and especially magic.
Ecology: While land linnorms are capable of eating virtually anything, including stones, they prefer the flesh of maahisets and dverge. Land linnorms have no natural enemies.
Body length ranges from 1-12 (wyrmling) to 174-183 (great wyrm)
tail length ranges from 3-12 (wyrmling) to 162-171 (great wyrm)
Breath weapon is 1d12+1 plus 2d12+1/age category thereafter (max 23d12+12)
Magic resistance begins at 10% at age 1 and increases by 5%/age category thereafter
Land linnorms gain 1 rune at age 2 plus 1 rune thereafter (max 11)
The MC version is essentially identical, so I'm not going to retype it here.
Note that rune magic apparently comes from Viking Campaign Sourcebook.
Linnorm, Land
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any non-arctic land
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional (15-16)
TREASURE: Special
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
NO. APPEARING: 1 (5% of 2)
ARMOR CLASS: -1 (base)
MOVEMENT: 18, SW 12, Br 12
HIT DICE: 13 (base)
THAC0: 7 (at 13 HD)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws/1 bite/1 tail strike + special
DAMAGE/ATTACKS: 1d10/1d10/3d10/2d10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spells, breath weapon
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Spells
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Variable
SIZE: G (48' base)
MORALE: Fanatic (17-18)
XP VALUE: Variable
Land linnorms are driven solely by greed, and they enjoy twisting both humans and the land to their own corrupt desires.
Unlike many other linnorms, land linnorms have four legs, the forelimbs being useful for combat. The scales of hatchling land linnorms are small, green, and glisten like gems. As the linnorms age, the scales enlarge, lose their luster, and begin to change at the individual linnorm's whim from various shades of greens to browns to grays.
Land linnorms speak their own tongue as well as the languages of all Norse dragons. Land linnorms learn languages quickly. There is a 10% chance that a hatchling will be able to magically speak with all intelligent creatures. The chance to possess this ability increases 10% per age category of the linnorm.
Combat: Land linnorms are cautious, sizing up their intended victims before engaging them in combat. Land linnorms will sometimes follow a target for days-in a human or animal form if the linnorm is old enough to polymorph--before feeling it knows all the target's strengths and weaknesses and is ready to attack. Land linnorms carefully plot their every move before striking, usually beginning an assault with breath and spells before closing to attack with claws and bite. Land linnorms use their physical attacks only if they are certain they can best their victims. They opt to abandon targets that seem too dangerous. These linnorms prefer to attack small groups of humans and demihumans, avoiding large groups that might pose a threat.
Breath Weapon/Special Abilities: A land linnorm's breath weapon is a blast of heat 120' long, 5' wide at the lirmorm's mouth, and 40' wide at the base. All those caught within the cone must save vs. breath weapon for half damage. The searing heat instantly fatigues all those struck by it, whether or not they successfully save. Fatigued beings have their strength scores reduced by half (round down). Land linnorms' runes, selected at random or by the DM from the VCS, are always successfully cast.
Land linnorms are born able to cast transmute rock to mud and mud to rock each once a day. In addition, they gain other powers as they age, each usable three times a day: young--invisibility; young adult--dig; mature adult--polymorph self; very old--stone shape; wyrm--conjure earth elemental; great wyrm--earthquake.
Habitat/Society: Land linnorms are found in any non-arctic terrain, although they prefer hills near human communities. High perches allow them to watch the humans, noting any wealth leaving or entering the community. They make their lairs in caves; older linnorms use their stone shape ability to fashion their own homes, complete with traps and obstacles to kill trespassers.
Land linnorms typically join with others of their kind only to mate, the pair separating after the offspring have passed beyond the hatchling stage. The abandoned young linnorms are preyed upon by human and demihuman adventurers, giants, and other monsters of the land.
However, some land linnorms have been reported to join forces with others of their kind to attack a strong human or demihuman establishment or a group of humans too large for a single linnorm to consider taking on. Such alliances are usually brief, ending after the division of the spoils.
Land linnorms loathe humans and demihumans and go out of their way to kill them, as the linnorms are intensely jealous of the lesser creatures' ability to garner wealth. However, a few linnorms have been known to set aside their hatred, capturing humans with magical skills and forcing them to instruct the linnorms in new magic runes or to reveal treasures. In a few such cases, the linnorms have formed long-term partnerships with humans, with the linnorms receiving magical knowledge and material wealth while the humans are allowed to live as long as they serve their masters. Land linnorms are fond of wealth of any kind-gold, silver, gems, and especially magic.
Ecology: While land linnorms are capable of eating virtually anything, including stones, they prefer the flesh of maahisets and dverge. Land linnorms have no natural enemies.
Body length ranges from 1-12 (wyrmling) to 174-183 (great wyrm)
tail length ranges from 3-12 (wyrmling) to 162-171 (great wyrm)
Breath weapon is 1d12+1 plus 2d12+1/age category thereafter (max 23d12+12)
Magic resistance begins at 10% at age 1 and increases by 5%/age category thereafter
Land linnorms gain 1 rune at age 2 plus 1 rune thereafter (max 11)
The MC version is essentially identical, so I'm not going to retype it here.
Note that rune magic apparently comes from Viking Campaign Sourcebook.
Last edited:
Mortis
First Post
Which I'm assumming VCS stands for. There was also a runic magic system in the Northern Reaches gazetteer for Mystara. Very nasty everytime you learnt a new rune you lost a permanent point of Con.Shade said:
Anyway back to the conversion.
Breath Weapon that fatigues opponents even if they save for half damage - nasty. Although I assume that evasion would negate it.
Regards
Mortis
Shade
Monster Junkie
13 HD, Gargantuan
Ability scores of similarly-sized linnorms:
Corpse Tearer (G): Str 36, Dex 9, Con 26, Int 17, Wis 20, Cha 19
Sea (G): Str 38, Dex 10, Con 29, Int 14, Wis 20, Cha 21
Swamp (G): Str 32, Dex 10, Con 27, Int 15, Wis 20, Cha 18
Flame (G): Str 35, Dex 10, Con 25, Int 17, Wis 20, Cha 20
Frost (G): Str 32, Dex 10, Con 26, Int 18, Wis 20, Cha 19
Ability scores of similarly-sized linnorms:
Corpse Tearer (G): Str 36, Dex 9, Con 26, Int 17, Wis 20, Cha 19
Sea (G): Str 38, Dex 10, Con 29, Int 14, Wis 20, Cha 21
Swamp (G): Str 32, Dex 10, Con 27, Int 15, Wis 20, Cha 18
Flame (G): Str 35, Dex 10, Con 25, Int 17, Wis 20, Cha 20
Frost (G): Str 32, Dex 10, Con 26, Int 18, Wis 20, Cha 19
- Status
Similar Threads
