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<blockquote data-quote="The_Warlock" data-source="post: 6035179" data-attributes="member: 21215"><p><strong>44) The Grue</strong></p><p></p><p>At some point when the party has entered a dungeon or cave system, the find a section which has all normal ways of entry collapsed except for through an underground stream which passes into the section, with a swim just long enough to tax the breath holding capabilities of the least physically adept members of the party.</p><p></p><p>They will notice claw marks on the stone near the stream in the collapsed section, and occasional 4-toed clawed foot prints in section of sand or dirt - but never more than three foot prints.</p><p></p><p>The section is a confusing nest of passages, as well as natural and worked rooms. Any statuary in the worked rooms has had the head removed, nowhere to be seen, and the chest where the heart should be clawed and scratched out. Minor treasures and loot, some scattered, some trapped, is still to be found in these idle chambers.</p><p></p><p>So long as the characters are within the full radius of a light source, nothing attacks them. However, after the first 10 minutes of exploring the area, they will occasionally hear the click of claws on stone, or feel a slight breeze as if something moved past them.</p><p></p><p>Adventurers in shadowy light will feel a hot breath on the backs of their necks every so often. After the third breath, they will be struck for damage easily equal to a longsword, as if from nowhere. Wounds always appear as if from a four-taloned hand or paw. </p><p></p><p>No amount of mundane or magical vision will reveal the enemy before, during, or after the attack. A being with some form of truesight looking at the victim at the time of the attack, will see the briefest pulse of 4 glowing red eyes, and nothing else. </p><p></p><p>A creature who suffers damage from the attack becomes vulnerable to the attacker, even if healed or a long period is spent in light. Each successive attack on a previously struck victim suffers a greater amount of damage (based on system and balanced as the GM sees fit), and more claw marks are left behind with each attack.</p><p></p><p>A victim who is knocked out or killed by the attack is grabbed by some force and dragged out of the light into the darkness.</p><p>While the attacked cannot be trailed, the bloody marks of the victim can be followed.</p><p></p><p>Similarly, if a character finds themselves in complete darkness (the entire party has darkvision for instance) - the attacker strikes, but starts with damage equal to two longswords. If multiple characters are in complete darkness, it picks random targets for it's attacks. A character in complete darkness must also make a Reflex save or equivalent, or be dragged screaming off into the darkness.</p><p></p><p>The attacker strikes no more than once per minute. If a victim is being dragged off, the attacks stop for 30 minutes.</p><p></p><p>Whether by accident, or following the screams or blood trails of a comrade, the party can find a tunnel, hidden behind a long fallen boulder which needs the strength of at least 3 people to move. The tunnel stinks, and the walls and floor are crusted with filth. At the tunnel's end is a large room, with high ceiling and impressive buttresses, and arcane sigils carved and inlaid into the walls. Also set to the walls are strange-looking torch or lamp sconces, all of which have been broken and shattered. </p><p></p><p>The floor is covered with filth coated skeletons, and the missing statuary heads. Any victims or comrades are on the top of the pile. If it has been more than 30 minutes since they were taken, the only way to identify them is by the shredded clothing and scattered gear, as all flesh and organs are gone, replaced with a steaming red-black filth. </p><p></p><p>Less than that, and the body is intact (alive if dragged off in the complete dark), with an unseen and unknown force playing with and picking at the victims hair and clothing. </p><p></p><p>If light is brought toward the room, it dims further and further until even magical light is nothing but a candle's worth once the source is fully in the room. </p><p></p><p>Once the room is lit even feebly, there is a terrifying shriek (save vs fear) in the room, and any conscious creatures in the room are each attacked once per round until they leave or fall to the attacks.</p><p></p><p>This may be enough time to grab the unconscious comrade, and flee backward where the light will regain it's strength. </p><p></p><p>At no point is there ever a target to fight. If magical attacks which create light in an area are used, they will cause another Fear causing shriek, but the attacks will stop for a minute or more, depending on the power of the magic. But the skittering claws, and the occasional wheezy breath will still be heard at the fringes of the light for the remainder of the PCs movement through the catacombs. </p><p></p><p>Should the party reach the stream, the attacks will cease completely so long as light reflects off the water. </p><p></p><p>If the light is put out, the party member nearest the water will be pushed down and held underwater with unaccountable strength, but the 7 gnarled limbs and twisted face which mixes that of a beautiful woman and a locust will be seen as an empty "bubble" in the water by those with darkvision. </p><p></p><p>Attacks with fire, light, or silver can actually hit the beast where it's limbs plunge into the water, which causes it to scream and flail, but not release it's target, unless it is hit by three such attacks in one round, or by one such attack for a critical or maximum damage. </p><p></p><p>Should that occur, the drowning character is released, and the beast flees, invisible and invulnerable again.</p><p></p><p>Blood stains from the attacks upon it pool by the edge of the stream, and can be collected. </p><p></p><p>If the party chooses to stay in the catacombs, the stalking and attacks will begin again in no more than an hour. </p><p></p><p>Once outside, any treasure they looted from the chambers is still their's and appears to be free of any curse - though whenever such is used (whether weapon, coin, or magic item), they feel a hot breath upon the back of their neck.</p><p></p><p>Attempts to divine anything about the blood reveal nothing about the beast or it's lair, only that the blood is that of a virgin. </p><p></p><p>If the PCs ever return to the dungeon where they found the Grue, the entire collapsed section is missing, and in fact, the dungeon as they knew it has a section they never investigated.</p><p></p><p>However, months or years hence, when investigating a different dungeon, they may come across another strange collapsed section, a stream, and a nest of chambers with a new set of weird worked chambers from a wholly different culture or tomb - but with the heads of the statues knocked off...</p><p></p><p>And then, the hot breath on the back of their necks...</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="The_Warlock, post: 6035179, member: 21215"] [B]44) The Grue[/B] At some point when the party has entered a dungeon or cave system, the find a section which has all normal ways of entry collapsed except for through an underground stream which passes into the section, with a swim just long enough to tax the breath holding capabilities of the least physically adept members of the party. They will notice claw marks on the stone near the stream in the collapsed section, and occasional 4-toed clawed foot prints in section of sand or dirt - but never more than three foot prints. The section is a confusing nest of passages, as well as natural and worked rooms. Any statuary in the worked rooms has had the head removed, nowhere to be seen, and the chest where the heart should be clawed and scratched out. Minor treasures and loot, some scattered, some trapped, is still to be found in these idle chambers. So long as the characters are within the full radius of a light source, nothing attacks them. However, after the first 10 minutes of exploring the area, they will occasionally hear the click of claws on stone, or feel a slight breeze as if something moved past them. Adventurers in shadowy light will feel a hot breath on the backs of their necks every so often. After the third breath, they will be struck for damage easily equal to a longsword, as if from nowhere. Wounds always appear as if from a four-taloned hand or paw. No amount of mundane or magical vision will reveal the enemy before, during, or after the attack. A being with some form of truesight looking at the victim at the time of the attack, will see the briefest pulse of 4 glowing red eyes, and nothing else. A creature who suffers damage from the attack becomes vulnerable to the attacker, even if healed or a long period is spent in light. Each successive attack on a previously struck victim suffers a greater amount of damage (based on system and balanced as the GM sees fit), and more claw marks are left behind with each attack. A victim who is knocked out or killed by the attack is grabbed by some force and dragged out of the light into the darkness. While the attacked cannot be trailed, the bloody marks of the victim can be followed. Similarly, if a character finds themselves in complete darkness (the entire party has darkvision for instance) - the attacker strikes, but starts with damage equal to two longswords. If multiple characters are in complete darkness, it picks random targets for it's attacks. A character in complete darkness must also make a Reflex save or equivalent, or be dragged screaming off into the darkness. The attacker strikes no more than once per minute. If a victim is being dragged off, the attacks stop for 30 minutes. Whether by accident, or following the screams or blood trails of a comrade, the party can find a tunnel, hidden behind a long fallen boulder which needs the strength of at least 3 people to move. The tunnel stinks, and the walls and floor are crusted with filth. At the tunnel's end is a large room, with high ceiling and impressive buttresses, and arcane sigils carved and inlaid into the walls. Also set to the walls are strange-looking torch or lamp sconces, all of which have been broken and shattered. The floor is covered with filth coated skeletons, and the missing statuary heads. Any victims or comrades are on the top of the pile. If it has been more than 30 minutes since they were taken, the only way to identify them is by the shredded clothing and scattered gear, as all flesh and organs are gone, replaced with a steaming red-black filth. Less than that, and the body is intact (alive if dragged off in the complete dark), with an unseen and unknown force playing with and picking at the victims hair and clothing. If light is brought toward the room, it dims further and further until even magical light is nothing but a candle's worth once the source is fully in the room. Once the room is lit even feebly, there is a terrifying shriek (save vs fear) in the room, and any conscious creatures in the room are each attacked once per round until they leave or fall to the attacks. This may be enough time to grab the unconscious comrade, and flee backward where the light will regain it's strength. At no point is there ever a target to fight. If magical attacks which create light in an area are used, they will cause another Fear causing shriek, but the attacks will stop for a minute or more, depending on the power of the magic. But the skittering claws, and the occasional wheezy breath will still be heard at the fringes of the light for the remainder of the PCs movement through the catacombs. Should the party reach the stream, the attacks will cease completely so long as light reflects off the water. If the light is put out, the party member nearest the water will be pushed down and held underwater with unaccountable strength, but the 7 gnarled limbs and twisted face which mixes that of a beautiful woman and a locust will be seen as an empty "bubble" in the water by those with darkvision. Attacks with fire, light, or silver can actually hit the beast where it's limbs plunge into the water, which causes it to scream and flail, but not release it's target, unless it is hit by three such attacks in one round, or by one such attack for a critical or maximum damage. Should that occur, the drowning character is released, and the beast flees, invisible and invulnerable again. Blood stains from the attacks upon it pool by the edge of the stream, and can be collected. If the party chooses to stay in the catacombs, the stalking and attacks will begin again in no more than an hour. Once outside, any treasure they looted from the chambers is still their's and appears to be free of any curse - though whenever such is used (whether weapon, coin, or magic item), they feel a hot breath upon the back of their neck. Attempts to divine anything about the blood reveal nothing about the beast or it's lair, only that the blood is that of a virgin. If the PCs ever return to the dungeon where they found the Grue, the entire collapsed section is missing, and in fact, the dungeon as they knew it has a section they never investigated. However, months or years hence, when investigating a different dungeon, they may come across another strange collapsed section, a stream, and a nest of chambers with a new set of weird worked chambers from a wholly different culture or tomb - but with the heads of the statues knocked off... And then, the hot breath on the back of their necks... [/QUOTE]
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