One of my old-timey favorites was the meenlock, which first appeared in the Fiend Folio.
If you've ever seen the movie Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, then you have an inkling about their origins, and they are the perfect Halloween Monster. Here's the end of the original description-
From the time of his 'marking' onwards, the chosen victim will received disturbing telepathic messages; the meenlocks can communicated telepathically over a 300' range. The messages will vary in content but the threat will be the same - that the meenlocks are pursuing the victim relentlessly and intend to make him one of them. The victim will also be conscious of stealthy movement in the shadows and of rustling, scratching noises (these will also be illusory and induced telepathically). Companions of the victim will hear and detect nothing and may conclude that their colleague is mentally aberrant. ...
When the party including the victim has bedded down to rest, the meenlocks will attack, moving very silently (80% chance of obtaining surprise against even a watchful guard - 100% against a sleeper). They will attempt to silence any guards and drag their victim away ... If they succeed in doing so, they will take the victim to their shaft, sealing it away after entry. After a short but gruesome treatment, the victim himself becomes a meenlock.
Sweet dreams!
If you've ever seen the movie Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, then you have an inkling about their origins, and they are the perfect Halloween Monster. Here's the end of the original description-
From the time of his 'marking' onwards, the chosen victim will received disturbing telepathic messages; the meenlocks can communicated telepathically over a 300' range. The messages will vary in content but the threat will be the same - that the meenlocks are pursuing the victim relentlessly and intend to make him one of them. The victim will also be conscious of stealthy movement in the shadows and of rustling, scratching noises (these will also be illusory and induced telepathically). Companions of the victim will hear and detect nothing and may conclude that their colleague is mentally aberrant. ...
When the party including the victim has bedded down to rest, the meenlocks will attack, moving very silently (80% chance of obtaining surprise against even a watchful guard - 100% against a sleeper). They will attempt to silence any guards and drag their victim away ... If they succeed in doing so, they will take the victim to their shaft, sealing it away after entry. After a short but gruesome treatment, the victim himself becomes a meenlock.
Sweet dreams!
