Converting original D&D and Mystara monsters

From Goatmen of Kavaja (Bruce Heard, 2012)

The total accumulated resonance determines what abilities are available to a caprine. Only one day's worth of resonance can be accumulated at any time. Abilities can only be used once and require the use of a caprine's flute or other chosen instrument. Unused abilities remain available until the caprine begins a new day's work (frolicking, playing music, etc), which resets the process. What day to accumulate resonance remains at the player's discretion. Unspent abilities cannot be saved for later use when the caprine starts accumulating new harmonics. The powers described below cannot be empowered unless indicated otherwise. Some require a caprine to play music for more than a round. If it sustains from an attack. The caprine's music is interrupted and its effect ends.

* Resonance Abilities Table *

Charm: non-associated members within a 40' radius must save versus spell or be charmed and sit entranced while the caprine keeps on playing. The effect lasts as long as the caprine plays. (BECMI only*)

Covet: all within a 40' radius desire something or someone in the caprine's presence. A saving throw vs spells negates the effect. Those who fail become obsessed with acquiring the indicated object or gaining the company of the indicated person. How they approach the issue depends entirely on their intelligence (no mass suicides). The effect lasts one day per level of the caprine.

Damper: negates an attack relying on sound, such as the song of harpies, fear-instilling roars, etc. It also soothes shriekers and keeps them silent. (BECMI only*)

Fear/Remove Fear: similar to the clerical spell except it covers a 40' radius. Fear lasts for 1 round/level of the caster. Can be empowered.

Ferocity: +1 bonus to hit to companions within hearing range, or +10 bonus to a War Machine unit's BFR. The caprine needs to play his instrument for one round for dungeon encounters, or for the duration of a battle for War Machine encounters. (BECMI only*)

Killer Cheese: the caprine needs a vat or bucket of milk of any kind. His music turns it to cheese. Although its taste and consistency are outstanding, it begins to exude concentrated fumes 1d4+1 round after it is made. Its smell is strong enough to be detected within 200' in a dungeon, or within a mile outdoors, possibly attracting monsters.

Fumes are highly inflammable (unless the cheese is consumed) and, if within 10' of an exposed source of fire, the cheese explodes, inflicting 1d6 points of battering damage per level of the caprine. Unexploded cheese may be cut into chunks, as many as one creamy morsel per level of the caster or any combination thereof, and handled in anyway the caprine or his companions desire. Can be empowered.

March to War: causes 4 HD-worth of creatures per level of the caprine, and within a 40' radius, to fade into the ethereal plane along with the caprine. Unwilling creatures may save vs. spells to avoid the effect.

The effect lasts as long as the caprine keeps playing his music, after which everyone reappears in the Prime Plane. Anyone straying more than 40' from the caprine immediately reappears. While in the ethereal, the caprine may march as he plays. A successful attack will cause him to stop playing his music. Can be empowered.

Mask: alters the caprine's facial traits, voice, and body to appear as a human or elf (or half-elf for AD&D). Facial traits cannot be those of an existing PC or NPC, but can be recreated multiple times to impersonate the same character. The caprine's abilities are unchanged and the alteration lasts one night or 1d4+4 hours.

Morale: +1 bonus to retainers, allied NPCs, or +10 Morale to a War Machine unit. The caprine needs to play for one round for dungeon encounters, or for the duration of a battle for a War Machine encounter. (BECMI only*)

Sleep: as the sleep spell. Cannot be empowered.

Sound of Death: as long as the caprine keeps playing his heart-wrenching cacophony without being interrupted, all foes within 40' suffer damage equivalent to 10% of their total hit points per round (no save). It is a difficult and demanding dissonant tune tapping into the caprine's own life force, reducing his hit points 1d4 each round. If he does not play all ten rounds of the tune, the caprine permanently loses a point of Constitution. If he does complete it, the ethereal harmony is disturbed and no other abilities are therefore available until the caprine starts accumulating resonance once more.

Summon Fairy Folk: the caprine summons a number of HD-worth of fairies or woodland beings equal or less than his own and friendly to him. Dryads cannot be summoned. Summoned fairy folk appear on the next round if in a pastoral setting, or 1d4+1 rounds later in any other environment. They remain 3 rounds +1 per level of the caprine during which they will help the caster in any way they can. Can be empowered.

Taunt: foes within a 40' radius must save vs spell or charge toward the caprine to interrupt his offending music. The caprine may keep on playing if more potential victims are expected to show up.

(*) Eliminate an ability for the AD&D game if it duplicates a Bard ability.​

The bard's poetic ability raises the morale of associated creatures by 10%. It likewise can inspire ferocity in attack, so hit probability die rolls are given a bonus of +1. Both of these characteristics require 2 rounds of poetics to inspire the desired effect, i.e. 2 rounds of poetics will raise morale and cause ferocity, but 1 round will do neither. The effects last for 1 complete turn. Note that while engaged in this activity, the bard can engage in melee combat but not in any singing or spell casting.​

The bard may use his charm ability to affect Morale (either a +2 bonus to his companions, or a -2 to his opponents), or their eagerness to fight (+1 to hit for his companions, or -1 to hit for his opponents). These effects are automatic after three rounds (no save).​