D&D 5E Iconic low level monsters

[Blackwarder]

Give them a baby dragon like in ghost of dragonspear castle.

Warder

 

[aramis erak]

A friendly beholder. So they learn not every monster is sword fodder and there are things you shouldn't anger.

One of the interesting oddities of the Spelljammer setting is that not every monster is out to eat one. Beholders WILL trade. Count your cargo twice and their coin thrice, but they WILL trade. Unless they need to feed the helm.

 

[MasterTrancer]

Owlbears
Rust Monsters
Carrion Crawlers
Kobolds
Gelatinous Cubes
A (baby) dragon

^_^

(I envy them a little: ah, to have another first taste of D&D!)