Can't think of a monster

[carborundum]

I'm DM-ing Savage Tide again tomorrow, and the players will be entering the caves under Parrot Island. I've been expanding on what they find in one side of the caves but would like one more encounter - some sort of fungus, ooze or vermin - and a suitable challenge for 5 2nd level characters.
The caves are at sea level and populated by zombies and giant crabs (who avoid each other) and according to the story, the zombies have been here for a few hundred years. I can't stick just anything in as I don't want to give the idea there are more ways in or out than through one little underwater passage.
I thought of a few monstrous centipedes, but they crop up later in the adventure. I also thought of violet fungi, but they're in later too. Can anyone point me at other fungi or icky things that might be hanging around rotten barrels of food and old wooden boxes etc?

I'll be borrowing a stack of Monster Manuals tonight so I should have most books before it's time to run the game tomorrow.

 

[Thurbane]

The Rot Grub Swarm from Dungeonscape springs to mind...

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20070209a&page=5

 

[Kunimatyu]

I'm DM-ing Savage Tide again tomorrow, and the players will be entering the caves under Parrot Island. I've been expanding on what they find in one side of the caves but would like one more encounter - some sort of fungus, ooze or vermin - and a suitable challenge for 5 2nd level characters.
The caves are at sea level and populated by zombies and giant crabs (who avoid each other) and according to the story, the zombies have been here for a few hundred years. I can't stick just anything in as I don't want to give the idea there are more ways in or out than through one little underwater passage.
I thought of a few monstrous centipedes, but they crop up later in the adventure. I also thought of violet fungi, but they're in later too. Can anyone point me at other fungi or icky things that might be hanging around rotten barrels of food and old wooden boxes etc?

I'll be borrowing a stack of Monster Manuals tonight so I should have most books before it's time to run the game tomorrow.

Leech swarm in one of the stagnant pools. (Stormwrack, right?)

 

[pawsplay]

Leech swarm in one of the stagnant pools. (Stormwrack, right?)

Leeches live in fresh water.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Bat swarm, phantom fungus, gelatinous cube, large monstrous scorpion, gray ooze - all from Monster Manual

 

[pawsplay]

Can anyone point me at other fungi or icky things that might be hanging around rotten barrels of food and old wooden boxes etc?

An otyugh, of course.

Or a mimic disguised as a barrel of rotten sea biscuits.

 

[carborundum]

Thanks folks!
I'm almost tempted to go for the otyugh but I think it's a little bit too rough after the zombies and crabs. I'm thinking more scary and weird/ diseased/ poisonous than massive damage potential.
The rot grubs are great but CR 6 is overkill for 2nd level characters - the same goes for the mimic.
I have got Stormwrack - the leeches are perfect! It'll be such a great scene if the attacked character doesn't make any spot checks and suddenly goes limp in the water, then the players notice the blood...and the leeches! Yuck!

I'm a little unclear about one thing in the swarm rules, and it's a silly thing - if there are leeches they are basically one 5' square. If another player is in the water and I want him to be attacked too, that would basically equate to throwing a second swarm at the party, right?

 

[Hjorimir]

Parrot Island needs to have a ruined temple filled with iron golems that come to life when the moon is out so they can tear everybody apart while they are sleeping.

...sorry, was reading Conan last night and it reminded me of one particular story.

 

[carborundum]

Hmmmm, the Huecuva has been down there more than long enough to have built a shrine out of biscuit barrels and crab shells. Bit embarrassing though..

"Ohh Lord of Evil, accept this . . um . . pincer ... from a virgin ... uhm ... crab..."

Kind of like the devil worshipping scene in Bottom! ("Oooooh, blimey...")

 

[Agamon]

Don't make it too tough. We had a helluva time with those friggin' zombies. Didn't help we have no cleric I guess (I went favored soul...).