D&D 5E Best monster for "cleaning up" dead bodies..

Satyrn

First Post
I vote otyugh. It's a classic monster and ticks all the boxes for your scenario so far as I can tell.

I recommend naming it "Gurgle," and the churn of its stomach can be heard from a good distance away. If the PCs are of much lower level than this monster, I'd also suggest putting it in an area of the adventure location that is off the beaten path and isn't necessary for the characters to explore to complete their quest. Kind of like an optional side encounter with terrain that works against the PCs and for the otyugh, perhaps down a spiked chute and into a chamber with knee-deep putrescence that is difficult terrain to Medium-sized creatures. Injury in this place invites disease. Somewhere in the muck hides a noteworthy treasure that the cultists overlooked.

So that's what was in the trash compactor!
 

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Shiroiken

Legend
How does one transport a gelatinous cube? In case they ask how the cultists got it to a manor. I like the simplicity of having them open the door and there is just a big jelly in their face. :eek:

But otyugh might be better from a story perspective since they are easier to transport.
The cube is easy enough. Find one, then lay out a line of treats for it to eat that leads into the pit.
 

aco175

Legend
Stump Bog is in most of the Forgotten Realms editions, just Google it and I think you will see copied info from 2e and 3e.
 


MarkB

Legend
Repeated uses of the Acid Splash cantrip could probably dissolve down a body within a few minutes. Use a nice stainless steel or ceramic bathtub to avoid damaging the furniture. Prestidigitation can clean up the blood stains.
 

77IM

Explorer!!!
Supporter
Ghouls!

They are totally satiated and have no interest in fighting. In fact, they are sitting around a table, chatting about their co-workers. They offer the party some "finger food" and a bit of bloody coffee, in return for the PCs' opinions on whether or not they should unionize.
 

Satyrn

First Post
Ghouls!

They are totally satiated and have no interest in fighting. In fact, they are sitting around a table, chatting about their co-workers. They offer the party some "finger food" and a bit of bloody coffee, in return for the PCs' opinions on whether or not they should unionize.

At one point their conversation shifts to discussing the possibility of building a rocket so they can fly to the moon and live in peace.
 

I

Immortal Sun

Guest
Ghouls!

They are totally satiated and have no interest in fighting. In fact, they are sitting around a table, chatting about their co-workers. They offer the party some "finger food" and a bit of bloody coffee, in return for the PCs' opinions on whether or not they should unionize.

It's like a super sad episode of the Twilight Zone where the zombie is the good guy.

With constant consumption and the lack of the detrimental effects of undead hunger, the ghouls become ever smarter until they begin to ask their creators "Do I have a soul? What is my purpose? Why are we here?" When their masters attempt to destroy them, the ghouls rise up, devouring their masters. They realize too late that without their masters, their food was gone and so to would be their newfound intelligence.
 

Hussar

Legend
Well, our Storm King's Thunder group found an intelligent bag of devouring... meant that we left every dungeon SPOTLESS. So long as we kept feeding the bag, it was happy.

Trapped fire elemental might work too. Force it into a summoning circle or something like that, and just use it as an incinerator.

Gotta admit though, the animating the corpses thing, for a group of cultists, makes pretty good sense. Self digging graves and cleanup.
 

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