Paging Echohawk...
Echohawk
Shirokinukatsukami fan
Mosquito, giant
by Jeffrey Morris
Wriggler
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any Water
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Swarm
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Non (0)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 3-30
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVEMENT: Sw 6
HIT DICE: 4
THACO: 17
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M (5' long)
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: 120
Male
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Swarm
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Non (0)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 2-24
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVEMENT: 6, Fl 15(B)
HIT DICE: 6
THACO: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M (7' long)
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: 420
Culex
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Swarm
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Non (0)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 2-20
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 6, Fl 24(B)
HIT DICE: 7
THACO: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: L (9' long)
MORALE: Elite (14)
XP VALUE: 975
Anopheles
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Swarm
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Non (0)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 2-16
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 6, Fl 18(B)
HIT DICE: 8
THACO: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: L (12' long)
MORALE: Elite (14)
XP VALUE: 1,400
Giant mosquitoes are a plague to humans and other warm-blooded creatures. They can exist in any climate or terrain except in completely waterless deserts. They seek out mammalian blood to produce their young. A giant mosquito begins life as a larva or wriggler, then metamorphoses into either a female or male adult (the males of the two species described here are nearly identical).
Wrigglers look like large, aquatic caterpillars. Their broad heads have antennae on the front and compound eyes toward the back. They have long, hairy mandibles for biting prey.
Female adults have long proboscises equipped with internal sty lets for seizing prey; the males' proboscises have no stylets, but males do have sharp claws on their front legs. Otherwise, adult males outwardly resemble the females of their species. All giant mosquitoes have two wings, six legs, and compound eyes. When flying, they can hover, take off and land vertically, and fly backward at one-third speed.
Culex mosquitoes have mottled gray thoraxes. Their abdomens have black and gold bands. Culex wings are clear and scaleless, allowing them to fly faster and farther than Anopheles mosquitoes.
Anopheles mosquitoes have brown thoraxes and black bands on their abdomens. Their legs and proboscises are longer and more powerful than the culex's, and their wings are covered with heavy black scales.
Combat: Wrigglers grab prey with their mandibles. If the victim is small or tiny, the wriggler will hold on and try to swallow it; the victim takes no damage from the mandibles, but must save vs. death each round or be swallowed. Only killing the wriggler or a successful bend bars roll will free a victim. A swallowed victim suffers 1d6 points of acid damage each round until totally digested. A wriggler can be attacked internally only with small cutting weapons such as daggers, and then only if the weapon was in hand when the victim was swallowed, A wriggler's internal Armor Class is 7.
Males simply slash at opponents with their claws. They vigorously defend the swarm's females and never retreat or surrender.
Females stab victims with their proboscises. If a female giant mosquito inflicts six or more points of damage in a single hit, she has grabbed her victim with her sty lets and will begin draining the victim's blood the next round. Each round of blood drain robs the victim of one point of Strength and gives the female mosquito one hit point. When the mosquito has drained as many points of Strength as she has hit dice (seven points for a culex, eight for an anopheles), she detaches herself and flies away to lay eggs.
Lost points of Strength are regained at the same rate as lost hit points, either through rest or magical healing. However, all Strength losses must be restored before any damage can be cured., A victim drained to less than three points of Strength falls unconscious. A victim drained to a Strength of zero dies.
Many giant mosquitoes carry a horrible disease with variable effects. The chance that a mosquito carries a disease varies with the climate: Arid/tropical 25%, non-arid/ tropical 50%, temperate 10%, sub arctic 5%, arctic 1%. A creature bitten by a diseased mosquito must save vs. poison or develop the disease in 3d12 hours. A victim can acquire the disease only once during a single encounter with a group of giant mosquitoes. When the disease appears, roll 1d4 for the effect: 1. The victim becomes incapacitated by alternating fever and chills which persist for 1d3 days. These bouts of fever and chills recur every 1d4 + 1 months for the rest of the victim's life or until the disease is cured. During the initial attack, the victim must make a Constitution check each day or die. The recurring attacks, if any, are painful but not deadly. 2. One of the victim's limbs (determine randomly) swells to four times normal size and becomes useless. The victim loses one point of Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma; if the limb is a leg, the victim's movement is slowed by half. The swelling and penalties persist until the disease is cured. 3. The victim's eyes and eyelids become swollen, causing blindness. A cure blindness spell temporally restores sight (ld4 days), but the condition persists until cured. 4. The victim's Strength and Constitution drop by five points and the victim falls into a coma for 2d12 hours. If either ability score drops to zero or less the victim dies. The bouts of coma recur every 1d4 + 1 months for the rest of the victim's life or until cured.
Habitat/Society: Culex mosquitoes most often dwell in urban areas, where the supply of human and demi-human blood is abundant. Anopheles mosquitoes prefer animal blood, and usually are found in the wilderness. Female giant mosquitoes lay eggs every time they drain their fill of blood-10-30 eggs per clutch. A single female giant mosquito can lay as many as 300 eggs in her lifetime. About two-thirds of the eggs hatch and become wrigglers. Since wrigglers are cannibalistic, only about one in 10 wrigglers becomes an adult. It takes about a month for an egg to become an adult mosquito. Adult males live about one month, females live two or three months.
Giant mosquitoes travel in swarms of assorted individuals of the same species. To randomly determine the size of a swarm, roll once for males and once for females according to the entry in the Number Appearing entry. The swarms lair in hollow trees, caves, or abandoned buildings. If the temperature drops below freezing, most giant mosquitoes die, but some hibernate, especially wrigglers, who bury themselves underwater.
Ecology: Wrigglers consume fish, insects, and any other creatures they can catch underwater. Though they will attack and kill anything, the seldom eat creatures they cannot swallow whole. Wriggler meat is considered a delicacy in some parts of the world. Adult mosquitoes eat only blood. In addition to nourishment, females need large quantities of blood to stimulate their ovaries to produce eggs. Many insectivorous animals prey on giant mosquitoes, including giant bats, frogs, toads, and dragonflies; giant mosquitoes are too stupid to fear these creatures.
by Jeffrey Morris
Wriggler
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any Water
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Swarm
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Non (0)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 3-30
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVEMENT: Sw 6
HIT DICE: 4
THACO: 17
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M (5' long)
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: 120
Male
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Swarm
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Non (0)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 2-24
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVEMENT: 6, Fl 15(B)
HIT DICE: 6
THACO: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M (7' long)
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: 420
Culex
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Swarm
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Non (0)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 2-20
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 6, Fl 24(B)
HIT DICE: 7
THACO: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: L (9' long)
MORALE: Elite (14)
XP VALUE: 975
Anopheles
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Swarm
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Non (0)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 2-16
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 6, Fl 18(B)
HIT DICE: 8
THACO: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: L (12' long)
MORALE: Elite (14)
XP VALUE: 1,400
Giant mosquitoes are a plague to humans and other warm-blooded creatures. They can exist in any climate or terrain except in completely waterless deserts. They seek out mammalian blood to produce their young. A giant mosquito begins life as a larva or wriggler, then metamorphoses into either a female or male adult (the males of the two species described here are nearly identical).
Wrigglers look like large, aquatic caterpillars. Their broad heads have antennae on the front and compound eyes toward the back. They have long, hairy mandibles for biting prey.
Female adults have long proboscises equipped with internal sty lets for seizing prey; the males' proboscises have no stylets, but males do have sharp claws on their front legs. Otherwise, adult males outwardly resemble the females of their species. All giant mosquitoes have two wings, six legs, and compound eyes. When flying, they can hover, take off and land vertically, and fly backward at one-third speed.
Culex mosquitoes have mottled gray thoraxes. Their abdomens have black and gold bands. Culex wings are clear and scaleless, allowing them to fly faster and farther than Anopheles mosquitoes.
Anopheles mosquitoes have brown thoraxes and black bands on their abdomens. Their legs and proboscises are longer and more powerful than the culex's, and their wings are covered with heavy black scales.
Combat: Wrigglers grab prey with their mandibles. If the victim is small or tiny, the wriggler will hold on and try to swallow it; the victim takes no damage from the mandibles, but must save vs. death each round or be swallowed. Only killing the wriggler or a successful bend bars roll will free a victim. A swallowed victim suffers 1d6 points of acid damage each round until totally digested. A wriggler can be attacked internally only with small cutting weapons such as daggers, and then only if the weapon was in hand when the victim was swallowed, A wriggler's internal Armor Class is 7.
Males simply slash at opponents with their claws. They vigorously defend the swarm's females and never retreat or surrender.
Females stab victims with their proboscises. If a female giant mosquito inflicts six or more points of damage in a single hit, she has grabbed her victim with her sty lets and will begin draining the victim's blood the next round. Each round of blood drain robs the victim of one point of Strength and gives the female mosquito one hit point. When the mosquito has drained as many points of Strength as she has hit dice (seven points for a culex, eight for an anopheles), she detaches herself and flies away to lay eggs.
Lost points of Strength are regained at the same rate as lost hit points, either through rest or magical healing. However, all Strength losses must be restored before any damage can be cured., A victim drained to less than three points of Strength falls unconscious. A victim drained to a Strength of zero dies.
Many giant mosquitoes carry a horrible disease with variable effects. The chance that a mosquito carries a disease varies with the climate: Arid/tropical 25%, non-arid/ tropical 50%, temperate 10%, sub arctic 5%, arctic 1%. A creature bitten by a diseased mosquito must save vs. poison or develop the disease in 3d12 hours. A victim can acquire the disease only once during a single encounter with a group of giant mosquitoes. When the disease appears, roll 1d4 for the effect: 1. The victim becomes incapacitated by alternating fever and chills which persist for 1d3 days. These bouts of fever and chills recur every 1d4 + 1 months for the rest of the victim's life or until the disease is cured. During the initial attack, the victim must make a Constitution check each day or die. The recurring attacks, if any, are painful but not deadly. 2. One of the victim's limbs (determine randomly) swells to four times normal size and becomes useless. The victim loses one point of Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma; if the limb is a leg, the victim's movement is slowed by half. The swelling and penalties persist until the disease is cured. 3. The victim's eyes and eyelids become swollen, causing blindness. A cure blindness spell temporally restores sight (ld4 days), but the condition persists until cured. 4. The victim's Strength and Constitution drop by five points and the victim falls into a coma for 2d12 hours. If either ability score drops to zero or less the victim dies. The bouts of coma recur every 1d4 + 1 months for the rest of the victim's life or until cured.
Habitat/Society: Culex mosquitoes most often dwell in urban areas, where the supply of human and demi-human blood is abundant. Anopheles mosquitoes prefer animal blood, and usually are found in the wilderness. Female giant mosquitoes lay eggs every time they drain their fill of blood-10-30 eggs per clutch. A single female giant mosquito can lay as many as 300 eggs in her lifetime. About two-thirds of the eggs hatch and become wrigglers. Since wrigglers are cannibalistic, only about one in 10 wrigglers becomes an adult. It takes about a month for an egg to become an adult mosquito. Adult males live about one month, females live two or three months.
Giant mosquitoes travel in swarms of assorted individuals of the same species. To randomly determine the size of a swarm, roll once for males and once for females according to the entry in the Number Appearing entry. The swarms lair in hollow trees, caves, or abandoned buildings. If the temperature drops below freezing, most giant mosquitoes die, but some hibernate, especially wrigglers, who bury themselves underwater.
Ecology: Wrigglers consume fish, insects, and any other creatures they can catch underwater. Though they will attack and kill anything, the seldom eat creatures they cannot swallow whole. Wriggler meat is considered a delicacy in some parts of the world. Adult mosquitoes eat only blood. In addition to nourishment, females need large quantities of blood to stimulate their ovaries to produce eggs. Many insectivorous animals prey on giant mosquitoes, including giant bats, frogs, toads, and dragonflies; giant mosquitoes are too stupid to fear these creatures.
Shade
Monster Junkie
Sorry for the delayed response; I've been hectically busy lately. (And I note that I still haven't posted the critters from HR3.) I'll sort out the mosquitoes shortly. It is the beginning of mosquito season here right now, so those are nice and topical
Thanks, and take your time on the others.
Mosquito season has (thankfully) ended here, but it still bugs me (pun intended) over the lack of giant mosquitos in core D&D.
Shade
Monster Junkie
I'll take any of these when you get a chance.
From Wild Elves (DLS4):
-Ice Vampire - Undead
From Ivid the Undying:
-Fiend-Knight - Undead
From Scarlet Brotherhood:
-Ravenous - Undead
From Return to White Plume Mountain:
-Elevated Ghoul - Undead
-Skin Puppet - Undead
From Dungeons and Dragons Adventure Game:
-Vampire, Lesser - Undead
From Nightmare Lands:
-Lost Souls - Undead
From Servants of Darkness:
-Umbra - Undead
-Goblin Vampire - Undead
From Shadow Rift:
-Saugh, Dearg-Due - Undead
-Saugh, Gossamer - Undead
From Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium, Volume Two:
-Resident - Undead
From Ruins of Zhentil Keep:
-Burnbones - Undead
-Zhentarim Spirit - Undead
Polyhedron:
-Bloodstone Zombie - Undead (Polyhedron #76, p24)
-Rusalka - Undead (Polyhedron GC1, p14)
-Rusalka, Greater - Undead (Polyhedron GC1, p15)
-Rusalka, Lesser - Undead (Polyhedron GC1, p15)
-Saru - Monstrous Humanoid (Polyhedron #102, p24)
From Skull & Crossbow (SJA2):
-Death Shade - Undead
You can put the Celts Campaign Sourcebook (HR3) critters on the backburner.
From Wild Elves (DLS4):
-Ice Vampire - Undead
From Ivid the Undying:
-Fiend-Knight - Undead
From Scarlet Brotherhood:
-Ravenous - Undead
From Return to White Plume Mountain:
-Elevated Ghoul - Undead
-Skin Puppet - Undead
From Dungeons and Dragons Adventure Game:
-Vampire, Lesser - Undead
From Nightmare Lands:
-Lost Souls - Undead
From Servants of Darkness:
-Umbra - Undead
-Goblin Vampire - Undead
From Shadow Rift:
-Saugh, Dearg-Due - Undead
-Saugh, Gossamer - Undead
From Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium, Volume Two:
-Resident - Undead
From Ruins of Zhentil Keep:
-Burnbones - Undead
-Zhentarim Spirit - Undead
Polyhedron:
-Bloodstone Zombie - Undead (Polyhedron #76, p24)
-Rusalka - Undead (Polyhedron GC1, p14)
-Rusalka, Greater - Undead (Polyhedron GC1, p15)
-Rusalka, Lesser - Undead (Polyhedron GC1, p15)
-Saru - Monstrous Humanoid (Polyhedron #102, p24)
From Skull & Crossbow (SJA2):
-Death Shade - Undead
You can put the Celts Campaign Sourcebook (HR3) critters on the backburner.
Echohawk
Shirokinukatsukami fan
ICE VAMPIRE
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperate and subtropical/Forest
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Special
INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)
TREASURE: Incidental
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVEMENT: 12, Sw 18
HIT DICE: 6+6
THAC0: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Magic, charm
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or better weapon to hit, immune to cold attacks, vampiric regeneration
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 40%
SIZE: Variable
MORALE: Champion (15)
XP VALUE: 2,000
Not true vampires, ice vampires are the spirits of Kagonesti women who have drowned themselves in grief. They take two forms: a female Kagonesti surrounded by mist, or a pool of water (of varying size). Ice vampires feed off the warmth of living creatures, preferring humans, elves, and other intelligent warmblooded creatures.
Combat: In their human form, ice vampires can manipulate cold, which gives them the following powers, each usable once per day: ice storm, cone of cold, and waIl of ice, as 7th-level spellcasters. Their touch drains 2d4 hit points of warmth, which are added to their hit point total, to a maximum of 50 points above their normal hit point maximum. These extra hit points fade away after 24 hours. In their pool form, if they position themselves under a waterfall, they can enthrall one creature within a 240-foot radius; this includes creatures that are normally immune to charm (such as elves). The creature targeted must roll a saving throw vs. spell; if the roll fails, the creature is drawn to touch the water, losing 2d4 hit points per round until he dies or is pulled away by others (these hit points vampirically restore the hit points of the ice vampire, as above). It takes a round for the ice vampire to change forms.
Habitat/Society: The ice vampire is a creature of evil and does not have any social interaction. It prefers to live near waterfalls and pools. An unnatural chill can often be felt within a half mile of an ice vampire.
Ecology: The ice vampire is a spirit, and not part of the normal ecology.
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperate and subtropical/Forest
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Special
INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)
TREASURE: Incidental
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVEMENT: 12, Sw 18
HIT DICE: 6+6
THAC0: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Magic, charm
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or better weapon to hit, immune to cold attacks, vampiric regeneration
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 40%
SIZE: Variable
MORALE: Champion (15)
XP VALUE: 2,000
Not true vampires, ice vampires are the spirits of Kagonesti women who have drowned themselves in grief. They take two forms: a female Kagonesti surrounded by mist, or a pool of water (of varying size). Ice vampires feed off the warmth of living creatures, preferring humans, elves, and other intelligent warmblooded creatures.
Combat: In their human form, ice vampires can manipulate cold, which gives them the following powers, each usable once per day: ice storm, cone of cold, and waIl of ice, as 7th-level spellcasters. Their touch drains 2d4 hit points of warmth, which are added to their hit point total, to a maximum of 50 points above their normal hit point maximum. These extra hit points fade away after 24 hours. In their pool form, if they position themselves under a waterfall, they can enthrall one creature within a 240-foot radius; this includes creatures that are normally immune to charm (such as elves). The creature targeted must roll a saving throw vs. spell; if the roll fails, the creature is drawn to touch the water, losing 2d4 hit points per round until he dies or is pulled away by others (these hit points vampirically restore the hit points of the ice vampire, as above). It takes a round for the ice vampire to change forms.
Habitat/Society: The ice vampire is a creature of evil and does not have any social interaction. It prefers to live near waterfalls and pools. An unnatural chill can often be felt within a half mile of an ice vampire.
Ecology: The ice vampire is a spirit, and not part of the normal ecology.
Echohawk
Shirokinukatsukami fan
The Fiend-Knights
The Fiend-Knights of Doom are an elite squad of warriors created from normal men by spellcraft on the part of both Ivid V himself, and Xaene, and also using mindcontrolling magics crafted from baatezu relics. These servants are utterly, mindlessly loyal to the overking. Their statistics are:
ORGANIZATION: Group
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any (do not need food or rest)
DIET: Do not require food
INTELLIGENCE: Very (11-12), rarely higher
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Any evil
NO. APPEARING: Variable
ARMOR CLASS: 10 (unarmored), see below
MOVEMENT: 12, 24 mounted
HIT DICE: 4d10 - 9d10+
THAC0: Variable
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +3 or better
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to sleep, charm, hold
spells and illusion/phantasm spells below 4th level
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
SIZE: M (6'+)
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: Variable
Fiend-knights have the same number of hit dice as they had levels when mortal fighters. For example, a 5th level fighter would become a 5 HD fiend-knight. Nearly all of the fiend-knights are 10th level or below, with three exceptions—leaders of 11, 12, and 15 HD. These three leaders, and some dozen others, wear fiend armor +3 (plate mail). Others are 5% per level likely to wear magical plate mail (roll 1d10: 1-8, plate mail +1, 9, plate mail +2, 10, plate mail +3), else nonmagical plate. Fiend-knights always employ two-handed weapons, usually two-handed swords, and also composite longbows. Again, they are 5% per level likely to have magical weapons (roll as above, independently for each weapon type). Leaders always possess such items, and the 11+ HD leaders all possess powerful ones: a sword of cold +3; two-handed sword; and a two-handed sword +3, giant slayer. The fiend-knights have high ability scores. All possess Strength scores of 18/01 or better, and have minimum Dexterity and Constitution scores of 15. No ability ever has a score below 9.
The current composition of the fiend-knights, in addition to their leaders, is:
Approximately 80 cavalry, 20 of whom ride undead steeds (treat as heavy warhorses with immunity to sleep, charm and hold spells), the other 60 riding normal heavy warhorses. These troops have heavy lances, again with a 5% chance per level for a magical lance, and they employ footman's flails in addition to two-handed weapons. There are 120 heavy infantry, each of whom possesses long spears and a variety of pole arms in addition to other weaponry. They have a 2% chance per level for a magical pole arm.
As currently organized, the fiend-knights wear gold visors and have a heraldic emblem etched on to their armor over the heart. For cavalry, this is a tan horse, and for infantry it is a bronze baboon. The infantry are known as "The Howlers," for when they go into combat they howl and scream, hoping to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies.
Fiend-knights are not undead, and have none of the weaknesses of such (cannot be turned, etc.). They are simply wholly controlled humans, created by a precursor of the malign rituals which brought the animus to Oerth. The unfeeling nature of these fiend-knights, their insensibility to pain, and their "programmed" nature, make them alien and feared by all. Other of Ivid's troops hate and fear them, and loathe having to serve with them.
The Fiend-Knights of Doom are an elite squad of warriors created from normal men by spellcraft on the part of both Ivid V himself, and Xaene, and also using mindcontrolling magics crafted from baatezu relics. These servants are utterly, mindlessly loyal to the overking. Their statistics are:
ORGANIZATION: Group
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any (do not need food or rest)
DIET: Do not require food
INTELLIGENCE: Very (11-12), rarely higher
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Any evil
NO. APPEARING: Variable
ARMOR CLASS: 10 (unarmored), see below
MOVEMENT: 12, 24 mounted
HIT DICE: 4d10 - 9d10+
THAC0: Variable
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon type +3 or better
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to sleep, charm, hold
spells and illusion/phantasm spells below 4th level
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
SIZE: M (6'+)
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: Variable
Fiend-knights have the same number of hit dice as they had levels when mortal fighters. For example, a 5th level fighter would become a 5 HD fiend-knight. Nearly all of the fiend-knights are 10th level or below, with three exceptions—leaders of 11, 12, and 15 HD. These three leaders, and some dozen others, wear fiend armor +3 (plate mail). Others are 5% per level likely to wear magical plate mail (roll 1d10: 1-8, plate mail +1, 9, plate mail +2, 10, plate mail +3), else nonmagical plate. Fiend-knights always employ two-handed weapons, usually two-handed swords, and also composite longbows. Again, they are 5% per level likely to have magical weapons (roll as above, independently for each weapon type). Leaders always possess such items, and the 11+ HD leaders all possess powerful ones: a sword of cold +3; two-handed sword; and a two-handed sword +3, giant slayer. The fiend-knights have high ability scores. All possess Strength scores of 18/01 or better, and have minimum Dexterity and Constitution scores of 15. No ability ever has a score below 9.
The current composition of the fiend-knights, in addition to their leaders, is:
Approximately 80 cavalry, 20 of whom ride undead steeds (treat as heavy warhorses with immunity to sleep, charm and hold spells), the other 60 riding normal heavy warhorses. These troops have heavy lances, again with a 5% chance per level for a magical lance, and they employ footman's flails in addition to two-handed weapons. There are 120 heavy infantry, each of whom possesses long spears and a variety of pole arms in addition to other weaponry. They have a 2% chance per level for a magical pole arm.
As currently organized, the fiend-knights wear gold visors and have a heraldic emblem etched on to their armor over the heart. For cavalry, this is a tan horse, and for infantry it is a bronze baboon. The infantry are known as "The Howlers," for when they go into combat they howl and scream, hoping to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies.
Fiend-knights are not undead, and have none of the weaknesses of such (cannot be turned, etc.). They are simply wholly controlled humans, created by a precursor of the malign rituals which brought the animus to Oerth. The unfeeling nature of these fiend-knights, their insensibility to pain, and their "programmed" nature, make them alien and feared by all. Other of Ivid's troops hate and fear them, and loathe having to serve with them.
Echohawk
Shirokinukatsukami fan
Elevated Ghoul
The elevated ghoul has 13 Hit Dice and inflicts extra damage with each claw attack. In addition, any human, humanoid, or demihuman creature it touches must make a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation with a 4 penalty or be paralyzed for 24 hours. Characters slain by an elevated ghoul become standard ghouls thirty minutes after death unless a cleric casts bless on their remains. (Note that elves are vulnerable to the paralysis effect, but do not become ghouls after death.) The elevated ghoul has 20% magic resistance and is immune to cold-based attacks, sleep, charm, hold, and other mind-affecting spells, as well as weapons below +2 enchantment. Its amulet of repudiation renders it immune to clerical turning; otherwise it would turn as "Special." A protection from evil spell keeps the creature at bay for 1 round.
Elevated ghoul: AC -1; MV 9; HD 13; hp 85; THACO 7; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite); Dmg ld4+4/ld4+4/2d4+8; SA paralyzation; SD +2 or better weapon to hit, regenerate 1 point per round, spell immunities; SW protection from evil; MR 20%; SZ M (6’ tall); ML fearless (20); AL N; XP 4,000.
Special Abilities: slain victims become standard ghouls in thirty minutes unless blessed; SA-touch paralyzes humans, humanoids, and demihumans (including elves) for 24 hours (save vs. paralyzation with a -4 penalty to avoid); SD-immune to cold-based attacks, sleep, charm, hold, and other mind-affecting spells; +2 or better weapon to hit; SW-protection from evil keeps ghoul at bay for 1 round; turns as "special" without an amulet of repudiation.
Special Equipment: amulet of repudiation.
The elevated ghoul has 13 Hit Dice and inflicts extra damage with each claw attack. In addition, any human, humanoid, or demihuman creature it touches must make a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation with a 4 penalty or be paralyzed for 24 hours. Characters slain by an elevated ghoul become standard ghouls thirty minutes after death unless a cleric casts bless on their remains. (Note that elves are vulnerable to the paralysis effect, but do not become ghouls after death.) The elevated ghoul has 20% magic resistance and is immune to cold-based attacks, sleep, charm, hold, and other mind-affecting spells, as well as weapons below +2 enchantment. Its amulet of repudiation renders it immune to clerical turning; otherwise it would turn as "Special." A protection from evil spell keeps the creature at bay for 1 round.
Elevated ghoul: AC -1; MV 9; HD 13; hp 85; THACO 7; #AT 3 (claw/claw/bite); Dmg ld4+4/ld4+4/2d4+8; SA paralyzation; SD +2 or better weapon to hit, regenerate 1 point per round, spell immunities; SW protection from evil; MR 20%; SZ M (6’ tall); ML fearless (20); AL N; XP 4,000.
Special Abilities: slain victims become standard ghouls in thirty minutes unless blessed; SA-touch paralyzes humans, humanoids, and demihumans (including elves) for 24 hours (save vs. paralyzation with a -4 penalty to avoid); SD-immune to cold-based attacks, sleep, charm, hold, and other mind-affecting spells; +2 or better weapon to hit; SW-protection from evil keeps ghoul at bay for 1 round; turns as "special" without an amulet of repudiation.
Special Equipment: amulet of repudiation.
Echohawk
Shirokinukatsukami fan
Skin Puppets
Skin puppets are victims of Mossmutter’s special spore cough. Most are humanoid, though a few were once creatures of other species. As the name implies, the skin of this monster resembles an ill-made garment, torn and patched in numerous places. A gray fungal goo oozes forth from cracks and gaps in the skin, eventually hardening into "patches" of crusty material. Hundreds of fibrous threads cover the skin puppet like a too-tight bodynet; without this support, the whole creature would collapse into so much fungal jelly.
When a skin puppet dies, its confining skin splits, allowing the gray gel inside to spill forth onto the ground. The resulting pool of goo is actually a brand new, quarter-strength (15 hp) mold wyrm that must rest in its passive state for 8 hours before it can assume active form.
Skin puppets are subsumed minds in Mossmutter’s hierarchy. Unlike other subsumed minds, however, skin puppets have a modicum of free will and can decide to forego channeling spells to take their own autonomous actions, such as physically attacking foes.
Bone fragments incorporated into the skin puppet’s fingertips serve as claws for physical attacks, inflicting ld4 points of damage per successful hit. Furthermore, the gellike material of the creature’s inner body seeps down over the claws constantly, inflicting a lesser version of the mold wyrm’s spore cough on those who come into contact with it. Thus, every time the skin puppet inflicts damage with its claws, the victim must make a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation or suffer ld6 points of additional damage and cough violently for 1 round. While coughing, the victim receives a -2 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and proficiency checks. Multiple failures in the same round result in cumulative penalties; that is, a 4 penalty for two failed saving throws, -6 for three, and so forth.) No secondary infection results from such contact, however.
When not acting on Mossmutter’s orders, skin puppets arrange themselves in loose circles of 3d4+6 members, who sit separated from one another by 3 feet. This ring formation facilitates operations of the hierarchical mind, although there is no immediate detrimental effect on Mossmutter if several skin puppets break ranks to attack an intruder.
Skin puppet: AC 10; MV 9; HD 2, hp 6; THACO 19; #AT 2 (claw/claw); Dmg ld4/ld4; SA spell channeling, spore touch; SZ S (3%' tall); ML steady (12); Int non- (0); AL NE; XP 250. Special Abilities: SA-each skin puppet can join with two additional skin puppets to provide a channel for Mossmutter's spells; victim of any successful claw hit must save vs. paralyzation or suffer an additional ld6 points of damage and cough for 1 round (-2 penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability/proficiency checks while coughing; multiple failures inflict cumulative penalties).
Skin puppets are victims of Mossmutter’s special spore cough. Most are humanoid, though a few were once creatures of other species. As the name implies, the skin of this monster resembles an ill-made garment, torn and patched in numerous places. A gray fungal goo oozes forth from cracks and gaps in the skin, eventually hardening into "patches" of crusty material. Hundreds of fibrous threads cover the skin puppet like a too-tight bodynet; without this support, the whole creature would collapse into so much fungal jelly.
When a skin puppet dies, its confining skin splits, allowing the gray gel inside to spill forth onto the ground. The resulting pool of goo is actually a brand new, quarter-strength (15 hp) mold wyrm that must rest in its passive state for 8 hours before it can assume active form.
Skin puppets are subsumed minds in Mossmutter’s hierarchy. Unlike other subsumed minds, however, skin puppets have a modicum of free will and can decide to forego channeling spells to take their own autonomous actions, such as physically attacking foes.
Bone fragments incorporated into the skin puppet’s fingertips serve as claws for physical attacks, inflicting ld4 points of damage per successful hit. Furthermore, the gellike material of the creature’s inner body seeps down over the claws constantly, inflicting a lesser version of the mold wyrm’s spore cough on those who come into contact with it. Thus, every time the skin puppet inflicts damage with its claws, the victim must make a successful saving throw vs. paralyzation or suffer ld6 points of additional damage and cough violently for 1 round. While coughing, the victim receives a -2 penalty to all attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and proficiency checks. Multiple failures in the same round result in cumulative penalties; that is, a 4 penalty for two failed saving throws, -6 for three, and so forth.) No secondary infection results from such contact, however.
When not acting on Mossmutter’s orders, skin puppets arrange themselves in loose circles of 3d4+6 members, who sit separated from one another by 3 feet. This ring formation facilitates operations of the hierarchical mind, although there is no immediate detrimental effect on Mossmutter if several skin puppets break ranks to attack an intruder.
Skin puppet: AC 10; MV 9; HD 2, hp 6; THACO 19; #AT 2 (claw/claw); Dmg ld4/ld4; SA spell channeling, spore touch; SZ S (3%' tall); ML steady (12); Int non- (0); AL NE; XP 250. Special Abilities: SA-each skin puppet can join with two additional skin puppets to provide a channel for Mossmutter's spells; victim of any successful claw hit must save vs. paralyzation or suffer an additional ld6 points of damage and cough for 1 round (-2 penalty to attack rolls, saving throws, and ability/proficiency checks while coughing; multiple failures inflict cumulative penalties).
Echohawk
Shirokinukatsukami fan
Burnbones
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any land
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: High to genius (14-18)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 12
HIT DICE: 10
THAC0: 11
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2d10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Searing touch, heat aura, priest spells, can cast spell and attack simultaneously
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 or better magical weapon to hit, spell immunities, immune to poison, immune to fire, quarter damage from cold, half damage by weapon type, turned only by lawful good priests
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 40%
SIZE: M (6' tall)
MORALE: Fanatic (17-18)
XP VALUE: 12,000
The early days of the Banedeath did not go well for Cyric, the (then) new god of the dead, and many of his fledgling clerics were slaughtered at the hands of powerful Banites. Cyric soon after empowered select members of his clerical faithful with a portion of his power'so much power, in fact, that these clerics' mortal forms dissolved into nothing more than mere bones and the fiery power of the Dark Sun. These new undead, burnbones, are similar to the blazing bones found in the ruins of Myth Drannor in appearance, but that is where the similarity ends. Burnbones tend to wear the symbol of Cyric on themselves (as a holy symbol, for instance) as a sign of their devotion.
Combat: A burnbones causes 2d10 points of damage with its supernatural flaming touch, affecting even creatures or magical items that are immune to the harmful effects of fire or magical fire. Anyone standing within 10 feet of the creature also suffers 1d3 points of heat damage; magical spells and items can prevent this damage. In addition to its fiery attack, a burnbones can cast priest spells as it did in life. The creature has the spellcasting abilities of a cleric of at least 12th level. If the cleric was of higher level in life, it still retains its level for spellcasting purposes after the transformation. A burnbones requires no verbal, somatic, or material components to cast spells; the creature simply points its finger, and the spell issues forth. The casting time of the spell is unchanged for initiative purposes, and the spell (or another that the creature chooses of the same level) returns to its memory after a 24-hour period. A burnbones may attack with one hand and cast a spell with another simultaneously. Because of the way in which a burnbones casts a spell, it can never be interrupted during spellcasting and lose a spell. A burnbones is immune to all forms of normal and magical fire, and takes only a quarter of the normal damage from cold-based attacks. As an undead creature, the burnbones is also immune to sleep, charm and other mind-affecting enchantments, hold spells, and all poisons. Curative spells that restore hit points—such as cure light wounds—have the opposite effect on the creature, while the reverse of these spells cures damage. All weapons must be of +2 enchantment or greater to have any chance of striking a burnbones. Because a burnbones is a skeletal creature, slashing and piercing weapons only inflict half damage. A burnbones can only be turned by a cleric or priest of a lawful good faith. A burnbones is turned as a ghost. Holy water obtained from a lawful good faith acts like strong acid against these beings, causing 2d10 points of damage per vial. Other holy water is ineffectual.
Habitat/Society: Burnbones were created from Cyric's priesthood, and were are chosen for their fanatical loyalty. This loyalty led quickly to a somewhat insane and paranoid state of mind after their transformations. Burnbones exist only to serve the greater glory of the Prince of Lies, bending to his every whim. To do otherwise causes the creatures insufferable pain and anguish. Considering the unstable nature of the god they serve, it is not unheard of for burnbones to be apparently working at cross purposes while still working under their god's direct orders. Cyric created nearly a two dozen of these creatures at the onset of the Banedeath, and their numbers were soon halved by Banites and the forces of good in the Heartlands. As his enemies discovered means by which to destroy the creatures, Cyric sent some of the remaining ones into hiding until needed, and created others as reinforcements. Cyric has created new burnbones only sporadically however, for he seems to be easily distracted, with the result that only a handful of burnbones are created every year.
Ecology: A burnbones is infused with a portion of Cyric's power, giving Cyric complete control over it when he so wishes. All of the burnbones created at the time of the Banedeath were a minimum of 12th level before their transformation. When Cyric infuses clerics of lesser level with power enough to increase their levels as burnbones, the increased power bums out their corporeal forms in a short period of time. The greater the difference between the cleric's original level and that of the enhanced burnbones, the shorter the existence of the burnbones. (A one-level difference will generally result in a creature that lasts a year. For each level greater the difference is, subtract a month from the duration of the creature's existence.) Burnbones that are not “overcharged” last until they are destroyed.
CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any land
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Nil
INTELLIGENCE: High to genius (14-18)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 12
HIT DICE: 10
THAC0: 11
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2d10
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Searing touch, heat aura, priest spells, can cast spell and attack simultaneously
SPECIAL DEFENSES: +2 or better magical weapon to hit, spell immunities, immune to poison, immune to fire, quarter damage from cold, half damage by weapon type, turned only by lawful good priests
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 40%
SIZE: M (6' tall)
MORALE: Fanatic (17-18)
XP VALUE: 12,000
The early days of the Banedeath did not go well for Cyric, the (then) new god of the dead, and many of his fledgling clerics were slaughtered at the hands of powerful Banites. Cyric soon after empowered select members of his clerical faithful with a portion of his power'so much power, in fact, that these clerics' mortal forms dissolved into nothing more than mere bones and the fiery power of the Dark Sun. These new undead, burnbones, are similar to the blazing bones found in the ruins of Myth Drannor in appearance, but that is where the similarity ends. Burnbones tend to wear the symbol of Cyric on themselves (as a holy symbol, for instance) as a sign of their devotion.
Combat: A burnbones causes 2d10 points of damage with its supernatural flaming touch, affecting even creatures or magical items that are immune to the harmful effects of fire or magical fire. Anyone standing within 10 feet of the creature also suffers 1d3 points of heat damage; magical spells and items can prevent this damage. In addition to its fiery attack, a burnbones can cast priest spells as it did in life. The creature has the spellcasting abilities of a cleric of at least 12th level. If the cleric was of higher level in life, it still retains its level for spellcasting purposes after the transformation. A burnbones requires no verbal, somatic, or material components to cast spells; the creature simply points its finger, and the spell issues forth. The casting time of the spell is unchanged for initiative purposes, and the spell (or another that the creature chooses of the same level) returns to its memory after a 24-hour period. A burnbones may attack with one hand and cast a spell with another simultaneously. Because of the way in which a burnbones casts a spell, it can never be interrupted during spellcasting and lose a spell. A burnbones is immune to all forms of normal and magical fire, and takes only a quarter of the normal damage from cold-based attacks. As an undead creature, the burnbones is also immune to sleep, charm and other mind-affecting enchantments, hold spells, and all poisons. Curative spells that restore hit points—such as cure light wounds—have the opposite effect on the creature, while the reverse of these spells cures damage. All weapons must be of +2 enchantment or greater to have any chance of striking a burnbones. Because a burnbones is a skeletal creature, slashing and piercing weapons only inflict half damage. A burnbones can only be turned by a cleric or priest of a lawful good faith. A burnbones is turned as a ghost. Holy water obtained from a lawful good faith acts like strong acid against these beings, causing 2d10 points of damage per vial. Other holy water is ineffectual.
Habitat/Society: Burnbones were created from Cyric's priesthood, and were are chosen for their fanatical loyalty. This loyalty led quickly to a somewhat insane and paranoid state of mind after their transformations. Burnbones exist only to serve the greater glory of the Prince of Lies, bending to his every whim. To do otherwise causes the creatures insufferable pain and anguish. Considering the unstable nature of the god they serve, it is not unheard of for burnbones to be apparently working at cross purposes while still working under their god's direct orders. Cyric created nearly a two dozen of these creatures at the onset of the Banedeath, and their numbers were soon halved by Banites and the forces of good in the Heartlands. As his enemies discovered means by which to destroy the creatures, Cyric sent some of the remaining ones into hiding until needed, and created others as reinforcements. Cyric has created new burnbones only sporadically however, for he seems to be easily distracted, with the result that only a handful of burnbones are created every year.
Ecology: A burnbones is infused with a portion of Cyric's power, giving Cyric complete control over it when he so wishes. All of the burnbones created at the time of the Banedeath were a minimum of 12th level before their transformation. When Cyric infuses clerics of lesser level with power enough to increase their levels as burnbones, the increased power bums out their corporeal forms in a short period of time. The greater the difference between the cleric's original level and that of the enhanced burnbones, the shorter the existence of the burnbones. (A one-level difference will generally result in a creature that lasts a year. For each level greater the difference is, subtract a month from the duration of the creature's existence.) Burnbones that are not “overcharged” last until they are destroyed.
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