Paging Echohawk...

[Echohawk]

At long last, here is most of the sidhe entry from "Tall Tales of the Wee Folk". I've omitted the two tables, but will type them in if they seem pertinent to the conversion.

Sidhe

The word "sidhe," pronounced "shee," is in fact a general term for a fairy, so technically it could be correctly used to describe any of the other fairy races. But in this supplement we mean it in a more specific sense, excluding the other fairy races; though, as will be seen, it still applies to a very diverse group. In a sense, the sidhe are the "generic" fairies of legend; we are describing them in such a way that many fairies from literature and folklore could be described as sidhe.

Following is a description for "normal monster" sidhe.

---
Sidhe
Armor Class: Varies
Save As: Normal Man
Hit Dice: 1/2*
Morale: 7
Move: 120' (40')
Treasure Type: A
Attacks: 1
Alignment: Any
Damage: By weapon type
XP Value: 7
No. Appearing: 1-4 (1-100)

Were it not for certain peculiar traits and abilities, many sidhe might be indistinguishable from humans and deem-humans; they are at least as varied in appearance and temperament. Most appear to be humans, perhaps with slightly elfin features; others resemble the other deem-human races: dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings; and they may plausibly pass through all those societies without being recognized as anything different.
---

There are three characteristics that definitely distinguish the sidhe from humans and demi-humans: they are capable of becoming invisible to mortals at will; they are capable of breathing water as easily as air; and iron is poisonous to them. A more subtle difference, related to the last one, is that their blood is not so deep a red as that of other races, since it lacks iron.
Iron's poisonous nature is not quick-acting; for example, iron weapons do not cause sidhe additional damage. But long-term contact with the metal will slowly and permanently drain a sidhe's vitality (hit points and ability scores); ingested iron will do the same, but some damage can be reversed if the substance can be removed from the sidhe's system. In any case, sidhe will never have weapons, armor, tools, or anything else fashioned of this metal; they use instead various stones (flint, obsidian, etc.), and nonferrous metals and alloys (bronze, silver, gold, mithril, etc.). Note that most powerfully enchanted weapons (+3 or more) are made of alloys containing little or no iron, and may thus be used by sidhe.

Some sages have said, that as humans are to demi-humans, so the sidhe are to the rest of fairykind. Like humans, the sidhe are flexible. They can choose to combine either fighting or thieving skills with magic use; however, like other fairies, they can never become clerics. But again like humans, their general adaptability makes them natural leaders; the high king of fairies has been sidhe more often than of any other race.
Normal sidhe, like normal humans, have 1/2 Hit Die and few special abilities. Higher-level sidhe have more Hit Dice, and accordingly have higher-level abilities as magic-user and either fighter or thief. Those with fighting and magic abilities are warrior sidhe; those with thieving skills and magic are rogue sidhe.
Among large groups of normal sidhe, there will be some extraordinary individuals, possibly acting as leaders. Treat them as humans, except with regard to the differences just described. Exceptional individuals are totaled cumulatively. For every 10 sidhe, there will be a 2nd-level warrior sidhe (comparable to a 2nd-level elf), and a 50% chance of a rogue sidhe of 1st-3rd level. For every 25 sidhe, there will be a warrior sidhe of 3rd-6th level (1d4+2). Groups of 50 have either a warrior sidhe (33%) of 7th-12th level (1d6+6), or a rogue sidhe (33%) of 5th-12th level (1d8+4), or both (34%). Groups of 100 will almost always (95%) be led by a warrior or rogue sidhe (equal chances) of not less than 10th level.
The sidhe may be found anywhere at all, but they prefer to make their homes in beautiful, isolated, peaceful, natural locales, especially near woodlands. Sometimes they build grand palaces in underground caverns or underwater grottoes. Lairs are always well hidden and likely disguised, possibly by magic. Wandering is a favorite pursuit of the sidhe; while invisible to mortals, they love to travel around, playing jokes, assisting those in need, and generally looking for adventure. They are sometimes willing to befriend humans and demi-humans for long periods of time; it is even known for one of these fairies to marry into their societies. Many folk tales concern such fairies and their mortal families; inevitably the sidhe moves on, since his lifespan might cover millenia, and even an elven spouse would die of old age in a relatively short time.
All sidhe beyond normal monster level have fairy spellcasting ability, combined with either fighting or thieving skills; they may therefore be warrior sidhe or rogue sidhe. Most are the former; to be a rogue sidhe, a minimum Dexterity of 8 is required.
Both class combinations progress on the same level advancement table; but while warrior sidhe have eight-sided Hit Dice, those of the rogue sidhe are four-sided.

Table 15: Sidhe Level Advancement & Hit Dice
[not included, please yell if you need this]

No sidhe may use weapons or armor fashioned of iron; see the later section on "Equipment" for information on non-ferrous equipment. Otherwise, warrior sidhe can use any weapons or armor open to fighters, and rogue sidhe may use any open to thieves. Sidhe may use any magic item permitted to magic-users and either fighters or thieves, according to class combination.
Warrior sidhe make Saving Throws as fighters: and rogue sidhe as thieves, of the same level.

Spellcasting
Sidhe of 1st level and above have spellcasting ability, as shown on Table 16 below. As can be seen, their spellcasting ability is not equal to that of human magic-users, elves, or sprites, neither in terms of total spells nor speed of spell level mastery.
Spells are chosen from the list of fairy-charms (see page 41).

Table 16: Sidhe Spell Ability
[not included, please yell if you need this]
[list of fairy-charms from page 41 also not included]

Recommended Spell List Adjustment: The sidhe are particularly renowned shapechangers; for this reason, they may take polymorph self as a second-level spell. Also, the spell lasts until the sidhe wills to return to his old shape, is killed, or until a dispel magic spell successfully counters it.

Other Special Abilities
Warrior sidhe can make multiple attacks at higher levels, like fighters.
Rogue sidhe have the special skills of thieves of equal level (lockpicking, backstabbing, etc.).
All sidhe may become invisible to mortals; and, since they often have underwater homes, they breathe water and air with equal facility.

 

[Echohawk]

One round after the characters arrive, an extraplanar beast reveals itself and attacks. The thing looks like a 20-foot ovoid mass of looping and twining intestines that seem to fold in and out of reality. It attacks by extending loops or ends of the tubular growths and constricting or flailing at its prey. While it is visible it makes a terrible gibbering sound, like a mad chorus of inhuman opera singers.

The Thing That Should Not Exist: AC 1; MV Fl 12; HD 13; hp 62; THAC0 8; #AT 3; Dmg 1d10x3 (constriction or flailing); SA confusion or fear on its first appearance, immolation; SD +2 or better weapon to hit, invisible at will; MR 20%; SZ L (20' diameter); ML Champion (15); Int non (0); AL NE; XP 11,000.
Note: Its appearance causes fear (50%) confusion (50% for 1d4 rounds to all that see it for the first time (save vs. wands negates). The Thing can become invisible at will (although it becomes visible if it attacks). Once per day it can immolate a target within 100 feet, surrounding it in eldritch flames that burn for 6d8 damage (save vs. breath weapon for half).

 

[Echohawk]

The blade golem looks like a 12 feet-tall humanoid with sharp forearms; almost its entire surface is covered with blades of varying sizes.

Blade Golem: AC 3; MV 9; HD 9; hp 45; THAC0 12; #AT 1; Dmg 4d4; SA +2 to initiative rolls; SD +3 or better weapon to hit, immune to most spells, damages attackers; SZ L (12' tall); ML 20; AL N; XP 2000.
Notes: Electrical attacks slow the blade golem for 3 rounds; magical fire attacks heal 1 hp per die of damage; other spells have no effect. Characters striking the blade golem with hands or short hand-held weapons take 1d4 damage from the golem's sharp spikes.

 

[Echohawk]

STATUE THAT WALKS
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: 2
Move: 12"
Hit Dice: 100 Hit Points
% In Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 5-30
Special Attacks: Nil
Special Defenses: See Below
Magic Resistance: See Below
Intelligence: Non-
Alignment: Neutral
Size: L (18' tall)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil

Statues That Walk are actually oversized stone golems. However, they do not have the ability to cast a slow spell. Their strength is comparable to that of a fire giant.
The Statues were built as caretakers by a race long-since gone in the Realms when members of that race knew they were dying out from a series of plagues they could not fight. The race was proud of its monuments and buildings, and built the Statues to maintain the glory of these structures and tear down anything that would detract from them.
The Statues performed their duties for centuries until the magic-users and priests of the lizard-men who supplanted the builders found a method of stopping them (a very long and drawn-out ritual taking days and needing special glyphs to be drawn on everyone of the Statues. The Divine Precept will discover this ritual in a few months). The lizard-men could not harm the Statues, but they could take apart the buildings they guarded and did so, using them for their own structures which were later taken down and reused by the humans who supplanted the lizard-men.
The Statue will march into the town and, when it runs into a building, tear it down, then go on to the next one. The town is on the site of one of the monuments built thousands of years ago by the creators of the Statue. At this point, the remains of the monument are about 200 feet under the current ground surface, but the Statue knows where it should be by the number of paces he took to get to it, and he will keep tearing the town apart until he finds the monument or is certain that he cannot find the monument, at which time he becomes rigid again and waits for orders.
If the ritual for stopping is not performed on each of the Statues, they will each stop when they get to the site of one of the monuments or buildings they are supposed to take care of and find that it is not there. They are awaiting the order to go on to the next job on their rounds. They stop because the lizard-men's spell permanently destroyed the Statues' ability to move on from one job to the next. They have to be started by the ritual the Precept of Gheldaneth performed to go on to the next assignment.
There are no known vestiges of the original culture remaining except the Statues. However, you can assume that one or two (being used for entirely different purposes, of course) are still around if you want to surprise the player characters by having a Statue approach an ancient wizard's tower and start polishing it.

 

[Echohawk]

Just beyond the door stands the Clockwork Warrior, a giant black-iron construct with dwarf-like proportions that is broad enough so none can pass into the tunnel beyond. It hums with the sound of gears turning. Its ornate armor plating is scored with weapon damage and stained with what could only be dried blood. Inscribed across its chest (in partially effaced dwarven runes) is "Guardian of the Highforge Pick-Axe" -- proof that the party is on the right track.

Clockwork Warrior: AC 3; MV 4 (or less; see below); HD 16; hp 70; THAC0 5; #AT 1; Dmg 30 points (punch); SA + 1 attack bonus; SD recharge to full power, immune to charm, sleep, hold, poison, paralyzation, illusions, and spells that affect only organic beings, immune to nonmagical weapons, repaired by fire (see below), edged weapons used against it have cumulative 10% chance per strike of breaking; SW loses energy when detached from power source (see below), retreats momentarily from electrical attacks; SZ L (10' tall); ML fearless (20); AL N; XP 11,000. Str 23, Int 4 (actually mindless but programmed to operate as if semi-intelligent).

Creaking and whirring, the Clockwork Warrior takes a step toward the PCs and extends one finger. If they look closely, they see a keyhole set into the fingertip. If the Keeper's key is inserted into the keyhole, the Warrior steps aside. A PC who attempts to pick the lock suffers a -30% penalty to his or her Open Locks roll and has only three rounds to complete the task before the golem attacks, striking out against whoever is nearest. Any attack immediately provokes the golem to attack in response.
When it attacks, the Clockwork Warrior moves toward the nearest aggressor and punches. The second step it takes severs it from its winding sprocket in the floor, which goes on spinning free until the golem returns to power up again. Only magical weapons can damage this sprocket; it absorbs 30 damage before breaking. The creature must periodically return to its power source or lose power, eventually becoming immobile and unable to fight. After one turn its movement drops to three, then two, and so on. Its attack damage also drops 1d1O per turn during combat, but only if it attacked the previous turn (it won't waste energy swinging at empty air).
The Clockwork Warrior breaks off its attack if necessary to concentrate on anyone who tries to sneak past into the tunnel beyond. For purposes of smashing or lifting things, its strength is 23, and it gains a +1 attack bonus because of its long reach and the close quarters. Engaging the drive sprocket with the transmission hole in either of its feet completely recharges the creature in one round. It never runs down if allowed to fight while "plugged in."
The Clockwork Warrior is immune to all magic that affects organic beings and cannot be influenced in any way. Because of its heavy iron plating, it can only be damaged by weapons of +1 or better magical bonus, and each blow delivered to it by an edged weapon has a cumulative 10% chance of breaking that weapon. Electrical attacks cause the golem to back away from the spellcaster (though it will never leave the mine), but fire attacks repair 1 point of damage for each 8 points inflicted.
If only one nimble PCs attacks and no one tries to sneak past the Clockwork Warrior, it can be lured away from the tunnel entrance and forced to run out of power without grave injury to the party members (let them figure this out themselves!). As long as it is within the Warrior's movement ability to do so during the turn before it would run down, it breaks off all engagements and returns to its drive gear to recharge. The only way to stop it from doing so is to deal it more than 20 points damage during its retreat (which causes it to fight back) or to enter the tunnel it was set to guard (which causes its guardian function to override its self-preservation function). Remember that the PCs will have real trouble getting out past this mountain of metal if it runs down in the tunnel itself.
After any part of the Clockwork Warrior's body (such as an arm, chest region, or so on) receives 10 or more points of damage, the PCs can see that only the outer armor plating is made of iron. Inside, the golem's clockwork of gears, cogs, levers, and so on are fashioned of platinum and gold: The Keeper could imagine no better form for treasure to take than the machine-works he loves, so he has spent the past 60 years or so forging precious metals into components for the machinery the PCs will encounter.
Note: Most devices that operate the traps that await the PCs contain a number of removable gears (a convenient shorthand for treasure); these gears are each worth 8 gp if sold as metal or 80 gp if sold to the right buyer as a specialty item. Disassembling a device requires two minutes per gear, something for the PCs to consider since time is an issue. Hacking a device into easily transported bits reduces its gear-treasure to the lower value. The Clockwork Warrior contains 130 such gears.

---
[Later in the same adventure…]

Small Clockwork Warriors (16): AC 6; Mv 4 (or less); HD 4; hp 25; THAC0 15; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6+3 (pick-axe) or 10 points (punch); SD recharge to full power, immune to charm, sleep, hold, poison, paralyzation, illusions, and spells that affect only organic beings, immune to nonmagical weapons, repaired by fire, edged weapons used against it have cumulative 5% chance per strike of breaking; SW loses energy when detached from power source, retreats momentarily from electrical attacks; SZ M (4' tall); ML fearless (20); AL N; XP 650. Str 21, Int 3 (actually mindless but programmed to operate as if semi-intelligent).

These smaller versions fight as does the Clockwork Warrior but lack its +1 attack bonus and have only half the chance of weapons breaking upon their metallic exterior. It is impossible to distract all of them from returning to their winding sprockets. If they lose their pick-axes, they punch their targets with their steely fists. For purposes of smashing or lifting things, their Strength score is 21. Each golem contains 45 gears.

 

[Echohawk]

Leonis's Automata

Those few besides the tinker gnomes who've seen Leonis's creations assume they're golems. After all, they're magical constructs that come in a variety of sizes and materials. But Leonis's automata are fundamentally different. Golems are animated by bound elemental spirits, but these constructs are actually alive. This can be explained only by the nature of the demiplane itself. Those who try to build such devices on any other plane, even Mechanus, always meet with failure. Similarly, automata taken off the demiplane cease to function.
While there are dozens of variants of Leonis's creations, they do share some characteristics, which are summarized here.

- They obey Leonis. The wizard creates everything for a reason. If he takes the time to invent a living machine, it's going to be one he can use. The automata are incapable of defying him, with the exception of Vita (see "Major Inhabitants" below). They always attempt to fulfill Leonis's orders to the best of their ability.
- They have intelligence but not emotion. Machines don't know fear, hate, love, or any other human passion. Thus they're immune to spells that produce or in any way deal with emotions (such as cause fear). Those who fight the automata will quickly find out they don't know mercy either.
- They require neither food nor fuel. The automata owe their continued existence to magic alone and don't need to be recharged in any way.
- They do not breathe. Automata are immune to gas-based attacks of any kind and can survive in airless environments.

Below is a summary of game information for three dominant types of automata here. However, Leonis has done a lot of experimenting over the last century, and it's possible to find any number of forms, or variations on these adapted to different environments. Designing your own variants can help bring this setting to life.

Leonis's Automata

Flyer
Climate/Terrain: Leonis
Frequency: Common
Organization: Work group
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Nil
Intelligence: Low
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: Neutral
No. Appearing: 1d4
Armor Class: 4
Movement: 3, fly 16 (D)
Hit Dice: S: 3-10
THAC0: 3HD: 18, 6 HD: 15, 8 HD: 13, 10 HD: 11
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage/Attack: 3HD: 1d6, 6 HD: 1d8, 8 HD: 1d10, 10 HD: 1d12
Special Attacks: None
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: None
Size: 3HD: S, 6 HD: M, 8 HD: L, 10 HD: H
Morale: Fearless (20)
XP Value: 3HD: 270, 6 HD: 975, 8 HD: 1,400, 10 HD: 2,000

Flyers
Leonis has a particular fascination with flying, which is no doubt why he lifted his tower above the landscape. He's built more flyers than any other type of automaton. There are small constructs with string-and-canvas pinions akin to those of birds, and ungainly flying coffins with hinged metal batwings that could never get aloft without the aid of magic. Most have clawed legs similar to those of birds of prey, though Leonis has experimented with hooks and wheels on some.
The flyers were built for a variety of purposes. Some are strictly meant for combat, others carry passengers strapped below their bellies in slings (a not-entirely-comfortable ride), and still others haul cargo.

Juggernaut
Climate/Terrain: Leonis
Frequency: Rare
Organization: Solitary
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Nil
Intelligence: Low
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: Neutral
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: -4
Movement: 9
Hit Dice: 15
THAC0: 5
No. of Attacks: 2d4
Damage/Attack: 2d6+2
Special Attacks: Overrun
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: 20%
Size: G
Morale: Fearless (20)
XP Value: 8,000

Juggernauts
The wizard constructed two devastating war machines to protect the demiplane. Mounted.on rollers and festooned with wicked, rotating blades, juggernauts are designed to break infantry formations and cause fear in the enemy. In obedience to the demiplane's rules, these automata are in the shape of charging beasts: one is a bull and the other is a rhinoceros. Each has a cargo compartment that can hold up to ten soldiers, but Leonis has no troops to exploit these-yet. One day, perhaps, he'll get around to crafting metal myrmidons to fill their bellies.
A rolling juggernaut can work up a respectable speed, and with its enormous momentum it's nearly unstoppable in close combat. Anyone in its way must move aside or be crushed.
Each round, the juggernaut can overrun enemies within its movement range. Those who make a successful Dexterity check can leap out of the way; anyone who fails takes 2d20 points of damage from the impact. Close-combat opponents smaller than size G can't stop the juggernaut's advance; it can move up to its full movement rate every round as well as attack normally. Its whirling blades slash at all within reach. Each round, 2d4 of these blades strike for 2d6+2 points of damage each.
The juggernaut's solid construction and magical nature give it unnatural toughness: Piercing and slashing weapons inflict only half damage. It's also completely immune to attacks by nonmagical missiles, except those of siege engines.

Organ Gun
Climate/Terrain: Leonis
Frequency: Uncommon
Organization: Tactical
Activity Cycle: Any
Diet: Nil
Intelligence: Low
Treasure: Nil
Alignment: Neutral
No. Appearing: 1-2
Armor Class: 0
Movement: 6
Hit Dice: 8
THAC0: 13
No. of Attacks: 0
Damage/Attack: 0
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: None
Size: L
Morale: Fearless (20)
XP Value: 5,000

Organ Gun
It's probably for the best that Leonis's creations don't function off the demiplane. The organ gun would have made warfare truly terrible. This automaton looks more like a weapon or a perverse musical instrument than a sentient being, but it does have intelligence. It's basically a wheeled, self-propelled carriage made of metal, with five small cannons on rotating mounts. The cannons sprout from an adamantite box enchanted to store up to 25 delayed blast fireballs.
The organ gun can fire in two ways. It can shoot all its barrels at once, producing a delayed blast fireball causing 10d6+10 points of damage. Alternatively, each barrel can fire separately to create five smaller, separately targeted fireballs for 2d6+2 points of damage each. With either option, the fireballs can detonate instantaneously or be delayed up to 5 rounds, as per the delayed blast fireball spell.
Once the stored spells are used up, the automaton can't fire its guns again until recharged. However, mounted underneath the five barrels are what looks like a pair of human hands made of gleaming bronze. These can cast burning hands once per round for 1d3+20 points of damage; this attack can't be combined with cannon fire.

 

[Echohawk]

This encounter is an abstraction of Baron Lum's showdown with his former general Leuk-o. The battle itself was a bloody draw, with Lum and his Machine sent here; Leuk-o's fate is unknown. This was not the outcome Lum desired, and he thirsts for closure.

You appear on a podium suspended 12 feet above an oversized chessboard, 100 feet on a side and apparently made of marble. The podium floats over a set of white chess pieces; another podium faces you above the black pieces, where an iron golem sits atop a throne. The golem is crafted with ornate armor and an elaborately plumed helmet, and it carries a sword of archaic design. The chess pieces are human-sized and look like smaller versions of the golem. Looking around, you can see that the chessboard is floating high in the sky. The ground is so far below that it's impossible to see.
The golem addresses you in a surprisingly human voice and says, "You may move first."

Unless they want to attack immediately, the PCs have little choice but to play a game of chess. They can play as a group or appoint an individual. To make a move, a character simply announces it; the pieces do the rest.
The PCs can attempt to question the golem as the game goes on, though its answers are of limited value. If they ask its name, it replies, "You may call me 'General.'" If asked why they must play this game, it says, "Too much blood is between us. Our feud ends today." Further questions get vague and unhelpful answers, like "You know as well as I," or "One of us must triumph."
To resolve the chess game, the party makes a Gaming proficiency check (or a Charisma check at a -2 penalty if no one has Gaming), using their average score (if they play as a group) or the nominated character's score. The DM rolls for the golem. If you prefer, have the players actually play out the chess game, since its outcome is unimportant. No matter what the result, at the end of the game the board resets. The golem announces, "The game is a draw. We must play another."
The second game too is declared a draw, regardless of its outcome, and the golem insists on yet another. It will continue to do this indefinitely. As the games go on, the golem's voice becomes more and more agitated. "The game must end. One of us must be victorious!"
Eventually, the PCs are likely to become tired of the game and have at the iron golem. (You might have to nudge them, though, if they don't resort to this; for example, taunts and insults from the golem.) Once they attack it, the golem jumps down to the chessboard and rallies its black "troops." This force charges the party and their white pieces, which are likewise able to fight in the characters' defense.

Iron Golem: AC 3; MV 6; HD 18; hp 80; THAC0 2 (short sword of wounding); #AT 1; Dmg 4d10+1d6+1; SA poisonous gas once per 7 rounds, short sword of wounding; SD +3 or better weapon to hit, immune to poison and most magical attacks, healed 1 hp/die by magical fire; SW slowed by electrical attack, vulnerable to rust monster; SZ L (12' tall); ML fearless (20); AL N; XP 15,000.
Special Equipment: short sword of wounding -- damage can't be regenerated, inflicts 1 additional hp per wound. Note that this sword is part of the golem's construction and is destroyed when the golem is.

Chess Golems (32): AC 3; MV 6; HD 6; hp 25 each; THAC0 15; #AT 1; Dmg by weapon +3 (see below); SD +1 or better weapon to hit, immune to poison, fear and charm spells; SZ M (6' tall); ML fearless (20) AL N; XP 1,400 each.
Notes: Pawns are armed with spears; bishops, footman's maces; knights, heavy lances; queens, longswords; and kings, two-handed swords. Rooks use a crushing attack for 1d12+3 points of damage.

Rather than fight out the details of the chesspieces' combat you can use a simple resolution system. Have the party make a Gaming proficiency check each round, using the same rules as for the chess game above. Each successful check removes two black pieces from the board; each failure removes two white pieces. If the iron golem is defeated, proceed.
The iron golem falls to the ground with a resounding crash. All the remaining chesspieces crumble, leaving the board strewn with debris. With its last pulse of life, the golem says, "The battle is over at last. You are the victor, Baron."
A stair leading up shimmers into existence on the party's podium. This is the way out; as each party member reaches the top, he or she is magically transported to the next location. If the PCs have visited this location before, or if you aren't using the Machine's quest, consult Table 4: Vortex Movement. Otherwise, the party is translated to the Examination Room. (See the "Oral Exam" section above.)

 

[Echohawk]

Okay. That's everything on that list except for the transient golem. I have scanned that too, but the entry takes up three and a half full pages and is in a suprisingly OCR-resistant font, so I still need to edit it. I'll get to that sometime this week.

Shade, are there any other entries from earlier in this thread that I missed? I took a quick look through and didn't spot any but I have a nagging feeling there were some critters that I didn't scan when you originally asked me to.

 

[Shade]

Thanks, Echohawk!

I can't think of any you missed upthread. In my eventual "to do" pile, these are the only others I have listed for which I don't have access to the source material:

From Falconmaster (WGA2):
Weisshund - Magical Beast
Yphoz - Vermin

From Practical Planetology (SJR4):
Gyre - Magical Beast
Holbag - Aberration
Imbul - Animal
Scavver, Sky - Magical Beast
Zat - Magical Beast

From Heart of the Enemy (SJQ1):
Hummerfly - Magical Beast
Inaii - Magical Beast

None of those are a priority, though. We've got plenty to work with in the meantime. I'm sure there are others still in the unconverted lists that we'll need down the road.

 

[Echohawk]

Transient Golem

"You... must not count on your reality as you feel it today, since, like that of yesterday, it may prove an illusion for you tomorrow." -Luigi Pirandello

Biography
Often there are stories of golems that curse life and those who thrust it upon them. This sad creature of mist simply craves to live at all, as something more than semi-sentient air and water. Only in corporeal form can it feel physical sensations and human emotions. Only in corporeal form can it reason and remember. Sadly, the transient golem acquires substance only by stealing life from others, and the too, too brief hours of its conscious existence fade away if it does not steal again and again and again.
This unusual golem may exist as a single, unique creature, or it can become a kind of RAVENLOFT monster, depending upon your interests and on the adventurers' handling of the story outlined below.

Appearance
In its natural form, the transient golem is virtually indistinguishable from mundane fog as well as the notorious Mists of Ravenloft. People and creatures with sensitive noses (your call!) sometimes detect a slight tang of hot copper in the air when they inhale the monster (give them 2 in 6 chance, with a +1 bonus for actively sniffing). But even the scent may fade as the creature instinctively blends with the surrounding mist, drawing thin or coalescing to match the thickness and visual texture of its cover.
When empowered by the essence of any living creature, the transient golem takes on that creature's form and appearance. Whether a wolf, a hero, or some other living thing is drained, the golem becomes a perfect twin. Even clothing, armor, and weapons are duplicated, although they are merely solidified mist and possess little or none of the physical or magical qualities of the original items. The golem can dissolve at will, but it rarely does. Instead it waits until it has exhausted the energy drained from its host, and it has no choice. The sight of this transformation requires a horror check: The creature diffuses from the outside in. First, the outer layer of skin becomes translucent and swirls away, then the inner layers of skin dissolve, followed by the muscles, the skeleton, and finally the internal organs. This six-second process is excruciating to the golem, and the agony is horribly apparent to those who look upon it.

Transient Golem

Neutral
Armor Class: 10
Movement: 3
Level/Hit Dice: Nil
Hit Points: Nil
THAC0: Nil
Morale: 20
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 1d10 x 10% of victim's hp
Special Attacks: Infusion; system shock; sustain current form
Special Defenses: Impossible to attack in natural form; Mist summoning
Special Vulnerabilities: Abjuration/protection magic; turned as "special" zeitgeber
Magic Resistance: 100% (except against abjuration/protection magic)

Str: Varies*
Dex: Varies*
Con: Varies*
Int: Varies*
Wis: Varies*
Cha: Varies*
XP: 650

*Varies with form taken.

The statistics above describe the golem in its natural state. In this vaporous form, it shares several qualities of the geist (see MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM Appendix III: Creatures of Darkness): No form of attack, physical or magical, can harm the golem, because its essential spark of life resides in a phylactery-like crystal, lost in the Mists. Its Armor Class is 10 for the purpose of striking at it, but no harm results. Also like the geist, the transient golem has no level or Hit Dice, hit points, or THAC0 while in natural form.
In physical form, the golem retains its Armor Class of 10, but it is now vulnerable to all forms of attack. Moreover, the transient golem functions as a a-level character unless its special mimic ability manifests. (See the "Extraordinary Abilities" section, below.)
Infusion: The golem's parasitic drain of a living host is called infusion. Quick and insidious, it requires no assault, and while detrimental to the host, it is not overtly hostile. Like the odem (also see the MC Appendix III), a transient golem can simply enter any orifice of a living creature that is accessible to air. The action requires a single round, and the creature automatically wins initiative. Once the infusion has begun, protective magic is too late; only expulsion magic cast in the same round as the entry can prevent the ensuing drain of energy.
In round two, the transient golem absorbs 1d10x10% of the host's current hit points. It always drains a minimum of 5 hp, so the victim's hit points may drop below 0. (This mechanic works best if 0 hit points is not considered the point of death.) The infusion often kills 0-level creatures and the weak, but the trauma also has a severe effect upon tougher hosts who lose half their hit points or more. They must make a successful system shock roll or lose 1 point from each ability score for 1d4-1 days, due to the immense and sudden strain of the theft. In any event, the victim at least blacks out for 1d4+1 rounds,following the attack.
In round three, the transient golem flees the host's body and moves off to safety. The flight is obvious, for the golem's color has changed to crimson. In a single round, it can assume the physical form of the host it has drained, possessing the hit points it took. The creature burns these points like fuel at the rate of 1 per hour. As described above, when the golem exhausts its supply of hit points, or if it loses those points to sustained damage, it reverts to its mist form until it can find another host. Note that the crimson mist can be physically attacked and damaged just like the solid form it takes.
Sustain Current Form: Once the transient golem has assumed a physical form, it can maintain that form indefinitely by absorbing more hit points before its current supply is exhausted. It can render itself partly insubstantial and reach into a living creature to steal more energy, yet keep the physical form it has already assumed. The theft is so swift and subtle that the golem can do this in a crowd without anyone noticing, including the victim (who unexpectedly suffers a seizure and passes out a moment or two later).
Special Defenses: As mentioned, the transient golem is invulnerable to attack, physical or magical, while in its natural state. Furthermore, the creature cannot be detected except by a detect magic spell, which reveals the presence of something (conjuration/summoning magic) in the air.
In its adopted physical form, the transient golem can leave the Mists at will, but it can silently call to them and make them rise thickly within 1d4 rounds -- or within just one round if any form of fog already exists. Once the Mists have risen, the golem can step into them and become completely and instantly obscured; treat the creature as though it were affected by an invisibility spell. This is an effective escape mechanism. Special Vulnerabilities: Any spell designed to expel creatures -- such as banishment, dismissal, or dispel evil -- will drive off the mist form. Spells designed to prevent intrusion -- such as avoidance, globe of invulnerability, protection from evil, repulsion, and even sanctuary -- are effective deterrents to the golem's infusion ability. You may wish to allow other means undertaken by adventurers to repel the transient golem, especially if the solutions are clever or reasonable.
Like a mist horror, the transient golem can be turned by a 9th level (or greater) priest who presents a holy symbol. The golem is considered "special" on the Turning Undead table.

Construction
The transient golem is a creature of mist. But it also has an essential physical component that serves as the actual construct, the Created. (Without it, this unusual monster could not be classified as a golem.) The true physical vessel of the transient golem is a crystal ball about the size of a man's fist. It lies in the Mists, and the souls of thirteen mist horrors have been trapped within the crystal, forming the golem's critical "spark of life." Though the reason is unclear, this crystal ball can never leave or be taken from the Mists of Ravenloft. (Perhaps the crystal innately attracts them.) Because the Mists seem to exist outside the boundaries of normal space, the transient golem can manifest anywhere they do. Provided the golem is within the Mists, it can summon the crystal to its feet, though it rarely does so. Of course, when it adopts a physical form, the golem can leave the Mists at will, yet they always float somewhere within 100 yards of the creature. The crystal lies within that veil, and spellcasters can use locate object to find it, provided they know what they're seeking.
Mental Abilities: When the transient golem assumes a physical form, the creature does not normally retain any of the host's memories or abilities, nor does it possess any consciousness of the mist horrors trapped in its crystal ball. The golem begins physical life much like a complete amnesiac; its memories go no further back than the very moment it took shape. The golem picks up the first language or languages it hears almost instantly, and it learns extremely quickly. It can understand others within a few rounds, it can speak its first halting sentence after listening to others talk for about an hour, and it can speak fluently within a day. At this rate of acquisition and retention, the transient golem can blend into most societies within a week. Extraordinary Abilities: Each time the transient golem assumes a new shape, it has a 10% chance of adopting the abilities of that creature. Armor class, THAC0, spells, proficiencies, nonweapon proficiencies, and all other salient abilities function as innate powers that work identically to those of the host. You can adjust the boundaries of the golem's acquired abilities to suit the balance and tone of your campaign.
Zeitgeber: This creature has a peculiar Achilles' heal: It cannot resist fresh blood. In its natural state, the transient golem is most attracted to any character who happens to be bleeding. In physical form, the creature cannot resist touching any open wound it sees. Interestingly, the bleeding host experiences nothing like an infusion. There no pain whatsoever, and the contact completely closes the wound. It can even save a character's life because the golem's touch is tantamount to binding wounds, even upon a character who has suffered massive damage. Witnesses have called the results a miracle. If the golem has an appropriate form, they often believe it has the powers of a paladin. The truth is not so rosy. While the wound is closed, no hit points have been restored. Rather, the transient golem has absorbed the character's lost hit points, represented by the flowing blood. You can simply transfer all lost hit points to the golem or roll percentiles to determine how many points from the injury at hand would actually be present in the flowing blood. If the creature is in mist form, it will assume the wounded character's appearance (after moving to a safe place, away from retribution). If it already has a physical form, the golem can use the stolen hit points to sustain its present appearance.

Background
The creator of this golem remains a mystery. (The identity has been left uncertain so you can choose someone who suits your campaign.) Scholars speculate that the creator served the likes of Azalin, Strahd von Zarovich, or some other domain lord who is obsessed with escape from Ravenloft. One thing is sure: Whoever created this being was a powerful mage. The wizard was probably seeking a way to navigate the Mists by constructing a golem made of their very fabric -- a golem with which he or she could maintain a telepathic link.
This creator prepared a crystal ball with a trap the soul spell, then found his way into the Mists (probably with the aid of the Vistani) and wandered there until encountering a mist horror, whereupon he triggered the spell and ensnared the creature. He repeated this process until he had entrapped thirteen mist horrors, then returned to his laboratory. There he cast many enchantment, illusion, and necromantic spells over the crystal, binding the mist horrors' life forces to the glass and transforming them into a single entity. The golem's first self-directed act was to summon the Mists and then infuse with its creator, absorbing his living essence (or unliving essence, as the case may be) and taking physical form.
The adventure to follow assumes a certain history for this golem. At first, the creature was grateful for its new life, for it loved the physical and emotional sensations that flowed through it. But the golem passed through all five stages of mental development very rapidly: feeling dependence, confusion, betrayal, contempt, and finally hatred toward its creator. The wizard prevented the golem from feeding until the very last second when he was displeased (perhaps he was a sadist), and the agony of partial diffusion quickly taught the golem that its creator was neither benevolent nor beloved. The creature called upon the Mists to steal away the crystal, and to this day the object is well hidden in their embrace. Having gained control of its own phylactery, the golem repeatedly drained the wizard until he died.

Psychology
In mist form, the golem has only one instinct: to locate a host and absorb life energy so it can attain real life. There is no evil intent in the assimilation of another's life energy, so a paladin does not detect the creature's approach, and spells that involve good and evil (other than abjuration and protection magic) have no effect upon the transient golem.
Once the creature assumes a physical form, its next instinct is self-preservation, and it will take the most direct course of action available to it to maintain its new shape. The monster also begins to accumulate experience and memories immediately, and it quickly develops sophisticated methods to sustain itself without revealing its true nature. For example, the transient golem might gain human form and then make its way to another domain, where it could set up shop as a butcher. There it could feed subtly and indefinitely on the life energy of slaughtered animals without anyone being the wiser, and it could even establish itself as a respected citizen. Such a creature would have something of a dual personality, perhaps reaching a point where it didn't even recognize what it was doing as it absorbed life energy to sustain itself -- the golem would come to believe it is exactly what it appears to be.

Combat
Using its infusion ability, the golem approaches an unprotected host almost undetectably and enters the body. The host can feel the unwholesome mist filling his lungs, and he (or a companion) can expel the creature provided an appropriate abjuration spell is cast in that same round. Otherwise, the host is seized with searing pain throughout his or her entire body, resulting in the loss of 1d10x10% of current hit points (minimum of
5 hp) and a blackout of 1d4+1 rounds. Those who lose 50% or more of their hit points must make a successful system shock roll or lose 1 point from each of their Ability Scores for 1d4-1 days.
Characters who witness the seizure, particularly if the transient golem took them unaware, are subject to fear checks at the sight of a friend suddenly writhing in agony and then passing out. Similarly, they are subject to horror checks when they see blood-red smoke pour out of the body after the host passes out.
Once in solid form, the golem avoids combat, which certainly is not its forte. Until it acquires enough knowledge and memory to blend into its surroundings, it will employ brutal, ruthless tactics to sustain itself. Thereafter, it sustains itself as subtly as possible, avoiding any circumstance that might expose its true identity. Nevertheless, the golem's hunger is cold, and given the opportunity it will take as much life as it can, even if its actions result in death.
As its identity develops, the transient golem's tactics become more refined. It soon discovers regular and reliable sources of energy within the means of its species. In other words, in cat form, the transient golem might scratch a few humans for their blood at first, but it would eventually learn to hunt mice for its energy (which is a way to sustain itself without getting kicked). A human transient golem might initially attack young, weak women and children in a back alley, but eventually might become a barber trained in the art of bloodletting for health -- it's less likely to draw a vengeful crowd.
Whatever the golem's form may be, its zeitgeber remains in effect. The mere sight of exposed blood overwhelmingly commands the creature to touch and absorb.

 

[Shade]

Echohawk,

When you get a chance, I could use a few more Polyhedron critters.

Any of the following would be appreciated (with the humanoids being the lowest priority).

Air Fish, Catfish - Magical Beast (Polyhedron #69, p23)
Air Fish, Goldfish - Magical Beast (Polyhedron #69, p23)
Air Fish, Neon - Magical Beast (Polyhedron #69, p23)
Air Fish, Piranha - Magical Beast (Polyhedron #69, p23)
Air Fish, Ray, sting - Magical Beast (Polyhedron #69, p23)
Air Fish, Shark - Magical Beast (Polyhedron #69, p23)
Air Fish, Trout - Magical Beast (Polyhedron #69, p23)
Armor Boar - Animal (Polyhedron #67, p14)
Doppleganger, Uran - Monstrous Humanoid (Polyhedron #72, p10)
Dragite - Humanoid (Polyhedron #67, p19)
Geran - Monstrous Humanoid (Polyhedron #74, p2)
Hagertral - Monstrous Humanoid (Polyhedron #2, p10)
Laputans - Humanoid (Polyhedron #106, p10)
Lycanthrope, Werecamel - Template (Polyhedron #29, p24)
Men, Emezon - Humanoid (Polyhedron #23, p30)
Whirling Dervish - Monstrous Humanoid (Polyhedron #29, p24)
Yahoos - Humanoid (Polyhedron #106, p12)

Thanks!

 

[Echohawk]

Just letting you know that I have seen this, but it'll be a while until I can help out with these. Work is insanely hectic at the moment, and I've not been able to give monsters much attention lately

 

[Shade]

No rush. Thanks!

 

[Echohawk]

Weisshund

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivorous
INTELLIGENCE: Average (10)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral good

NO.APPEARING: Variable
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 15
HIT DICE: 4+8
THAC0: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-8/3-8/3-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: Variable (see below)
MORALE: Champion (15-16)
XP VALUE: 650

These rare creatures are encountered only in temples and shrines of St. Cuthbert. They are the result of centuries of breeding and training by specialized clerics of St. Cuthbert.
Weisshund appear as beautiful dogs with thick white fur. They have heavy, loose skin which provides protection and agility. Even when grappled by an opponent or by another animal's jaws, their loose skin allows them to twist and turn toward an opponent in order to continue the attack. Their thick fur makes it difficult for other animals to hold them with their jaws.
Weisshund stand approximately 2' high at the shoulder. They are agile, lean, and strong, although their appearance belies this. Their thick skin and fur makes them appear chubby and harmless. They sleep most of the time, enhancing their facade of harmlessness. Weisshund appear to be completely docile lapdogs until they are provoked into a fight.

Combat: Weisshund have a limited empathic sense that allows them to recognize evil and hostility. They can sense these elements at a range of 60'. A sleeping weisshund will awaken if an evil or hostile creature comes within 60' of it. When a weisshund senses evil or hostility, it becomes extremely agitated, growls at its suspect, and will attempt to alert one of its masters. It will not allow the suspect out of its sight. If a master is not within range (if the weisshund would be forced to leave its suspect in order to locate a master) it will always opt to guard its prey rather than find a master. It will bark until a master arrives or will attack if necessary.
A weisshund is always cautious about whom it attacks. It will not attack merely because it senses evil or hostility, but will guard such persons, maintaining a distance of roughly 20', while growling at its captive. As long as its captive does not threaten or attack the weisshund, its masters, or persons whom it has been trained to protect, the weisshund will not attack. As soon as the suspect makes an agressive move, however, the weisshund will begin its transformation into temple guardian.
Upon viewing an act of agression [sic] by a suspect or upon command by a recognized master, a weisshund will grow in size until it is approximately 4' high at the shoulder and 6' long. Its skin and fur maintain their thickness and protective qualities, and an enlarged weisshund looks exactly the same as it did in its smaller form.
This transformation requires five segments, after which the weisshund may attack with full force. The weisshund may not attack during the transformation, and those attacking it must roll a 7 or greater on 1d10 to avoid being surprised by the transformation. Those who are surprised may not attack during that round.
The weisshund is not any easier or more difficult to hit during its transformation.
A weisshund attacks with its front paws and its bite. Its paws have dull claws, but damage from the paws is due to the size and force that the paws exert. This damage compares to a victim being struck by a 10-pound rock: the sheer force and impact cause the injury.
A weisshund's bite is similar to that of any other large dog, but it will attempt to knock its opponent to the ground and hold the victim's neck in its jaws, pinning him to the ground. It may also sit on its victim in order to subdue him. If the victim ceases its struggle, it will simply hold him, but if the victim attempts to continue his attack, the weisshund will attack in whatever manner is necessary to hold or subdue him. The weisshund is so finely trained that if a pinned victim offers no struggle, it can hold the victim without so much as a toothmark.
If more than one target is encountered, a weisshund will alternate between victims in an attempt to scare them into submission.
The weisshund will not attempt to pin a victim if more than one attacker is present. Weisshund work well in teams and understand their own fighting techniques so well that even two unfamiliar weisshund can work together as a well-orchestrated team.

Habitat/Society: Weisshund are found only in temples of St. Cuthbert. They are bred by the clerics in a secret location. Most weisshund that are encounterd [sic] in temples are males, although females are encountered 5% of the time. Females are generally kept for breeding purposes, and pregnant females are especially protected. Females that become pregnant outside the sanctuary are immediately sent to the sanctuary for their protection and care. Females are able to become pregnant only twice per year, and litters are never larger than two puppies.

Ecology: Weisshund live as any normal house dog. When a puppy becomes six months old, it enters training for its future as a temple guardian.

 

[Echohawk]

Yphoz

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Subterranean
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Swarm
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Scavenger
INTELLIGENCE: Animal (1)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil

NO.APPEARING: 4-32
ARMOR CLASS: 9
MOVEMENT: 6, Sw 12
HIT DICE: 2
THAC0: 19
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poison
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: T (1'-2' long)
MORALE: Unreliable (2-4)
XP VALUE: 65

Yphoz appear in a variety of shapes and sizes. Old adult yphoz may reach a length of 2'. Newborn young are typically 2-3" in diameter. They are composed of a gelatinous substance that matches the color of the water in which they live, ranging from black to varying shades of brown to varying shades of green or yellow. They may even be colorless. This feature makes them almost impossible to detect in their home pool (PCs in yphoz-infested water rolling 4 or less on 1d6 are surprised).
A yphoz is typically shaped like a short, broad cone with a low dorsal fin, but its gelatinous composition allows it to vary this as necessary. They are not amorphous, but their bodies can change shape to allow for movement over almost any kind of surface, including traveling on land, up cave walls, and across ceilings. They also possess two long, whip-like tentacles. Their bodies excrete a sticky slime that helps them adhere to walls and ceilings. This slime will dry to a gummy substance on walls, floors, and ceilings, and a cave inhabited by a large number of yphoz will aquire [sic] a build-up of this elastic, gummy substance over time.

Combat: When a yphoz is in water and another creature swims within 20', the disturbance of the water will alert the yphoz to the presence of a potential meal. It will swim toward its victim and use its tentacles as "feelers" to locate its prey. Once it contacts something solid, it will swim in that direction and begin wrapping its tentacles around the victim. Should the victim start to swim in another direction, the yphoz can follow, towing itself on its unsuspecting meal.
The yphoz have no teeth, but are able to suck blood directly through a victim's skin, draining a victim of hit points. The gummy substance excreted by the yphoz will adhere to a victim even underwater, and contains a numbing contact poison. While the poison will not kill a victim, the numbness can cause a victim to lose muscle control, and if swimming, the victim could potentially drown. One yphoz can cause one limb or torso to become numb and useless in 3 rounds. Three yphoz can cause one limb to become numb and useless in one round. A victim may make a saving throw vs. poison to avoid these effects. The victim must save once per round for each yphoz it contacts. Once all yphoz are removed from the victim, the poison will wear off and the limb will function normally after 4-6 turns. If a victim's head is touched by a yphoz, the victim will fall unconscious after six unsuccessful saves (e.g. six yphoz contact it in one round, or one yphoz contacts it for six rounds, etc.).
When a yphoz hits a victim, the DM should roll 1d6 to determine which part of the victim's body was hit: 1-head, 2-right arm, 3-left arm, 4-torso, 5-right leg, 5-left leg [sic].

Habitat/Society: A yphoz will never venture farther than 100 yards from its water source unless fleeing an attack or seeking a new habitat. It can survive no longer than 24 hours if isolated from water under damp conditions, and will die sooner if conditions are dry. A yphoz would probably survive no more than one hour in a desert setting.
Yphozs feed by absorbing organic matter, insects, and small worms. They also feed in the manner of a leech, attaching themselves to a victim and sucking blood directly through the victim's skin. If a potential meal is too large to be absorbed, the yphoz will feed in this manner. A yphoz will feed on cold- and warmblooded creatures alike, but cannot attach to animals with fur thicker than that of a rabbit. The yphoz also cannot feed on animals with hard scales (fish and snakes are in the yphoz's diet, but turtles are not).

Ecology: These slimy, filthy creatures make their homes in wet caves and pools of stagnant water. Their survival depends on a source of water, whether fresh or putrid.

 

[Echohawk]

Gyre

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperate forests
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVE TIME: Day
DIET: Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Animal (1)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral

NO. APPEARING: 1 (1-4)
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVEMENT: 3, Fl 24
HIT DICE: 5
THAC0: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-12/1-4/1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Fear, surprise on 1-4
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: H (20' wingspan)
MORALE: Elite (14)
XP VALUE: 400

The gyre is a huge feathered bird similar in appearance to the terrestrial condor. While its wingspan is 20 feet or even more, its body length is rarely over 6 feet. The upper surfaces of its body and wings are a rich green, while its underbelly and the undersides of its wings are a pale grey-blue. This coloration makes for excellent natural camouflage. When roosting in the treetops, wings folded, its green coloration blends in with the leaves around it; when soaring overhead, its grey-blue underside makes it difficult to see against the sky.
Gyres are perfectly evolved-for the sky, and can remain aloft for tens of hours without landing.

Combat: Gyres prefer to attack by swooping down on their victims from above. Their eyesight is unmatched at picking out movement, although they are less capable of distinguishing targets that remain motionless. When they swoop on their prey, gyres can bite with their wickedly-curved beak, or rake with their taloned feet; they are unable to use both attack forms simultaneously. If a gyre hits with both talon attacks, it is able to carry away any creature weighing less than 75 pounds. A victim so snatched automatically suffers maximum claw damage on each subsequent round, and the gyre is able to bite at it with a +4 bonus to hit. In addition, the gyre is able to drop the victim at any time, for potentially lethal falling damage.
A gyre has an innate ability to induce magical fear on any creature under 4 HD or levels that is beneath the bird as it flies. The maximum vertical range of this power is 500 feet. Creatures within this fear effect must save vs. spells or flee in terror from the gyre. (Note that this makes it difficult for prey to remain immobile, and hence unnoticed by the gyre.)
The arrangement of a gyre's feathers are such that it is almost silent in flight. Combined with its coloration, this gives the gyre a much greater chance to surprise its prey. Gyres will rarely attack anything of size M or larger. If anything approaches within 500 feet of the gyre's treetop nest, however, the bird will attack to try and drive the interloper away. If there are young in the nest, the gyre will fight to the death to protect them.

Habitat/Society: Gyres live in large, untidy nests constructed in the tops of the tallest trees. They are normally solitary predators, but in the spring, they seek mates. Courtship displays, performed by the male, involve climbing to extreme altitudes then tipping over into steep, screaming glides, pulling out scant feet above the tops of the trees near where females are roosting.
After mating, the female lays one or two eggs. Fertility rates are low, however, so there is only a 50% chance that any given egg will hatch. Hatching occurs in high summer, and the parents cooperate in feeding the hatchlings. The parents teach the young to fly in late fall, at which time any encounter with gyre has a 75% chance probability of being with a family group (1 or 2 parents, with 1 or 2 young, 1080% mature). When the young reach full maturity, in late winter, the family group breaks up.
The gyre lives for approximately 15 years.

Ecology: Gyre are straightforward predators, preying on other birds and on animals that they can snatch out of the upper branches of the trees. When hunting, gyre use an interesting tactic for picking prey from lower down in the trees. They go into a shallow dive, then tuck their wings and draw in their long neck. Like blunt, feathered projectiles, they smash through the thin branches, snatch their prey, then wait until there's enough room for a wingbeat or two to bring them back up out of the trees.
Gyre hunting in this manner can be heard at great distances. (It doesn't always work, of course. Broken bodies of gyres found on the forest floor are mute testimony to the fact that the big birds sometimes just don't find the room to take those one or two wingbeats...)
Gyre are near the top of the food chain. The only creatures that prey upon them are the Bodi elves - who sometimes hunt them with longbows - and green dragons. Their natural camouflage gives the gyre some protection against both, of course.

 

[Echohawk]

Imbul

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Rocky plains
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVE TIME: Any
DIET: Omnivore
INTEllIGENCE: Animal (1)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral

NO. APPEARING: 1 (3-7; 2d3+1)
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: 9
HIT DICE: 2
THACO0: 16
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/AITACK: 2-5
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poison, surprise on 1-4
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: S (3' long)
MORALE: Unsteady (7)
XP VALUE: 45

The Falx imbul, or rock lizard, is a large, heavy lizard, about 3 feet long (4-5 feet including tail), resembling a pugnacious iguana. Its color ranges from dusty grey to dark brown, and its remarkably thick skin is very similar in texture to rock. When the creature remains immobile, it is very difficult to spot (80% chance of not being noticed).
Its eyes are small and red, and protected by protruding ridges of bone. It has a crest atop its head which normally lies flat along the back of its neck, but which it can erect as a threat display. It has stubby legs, but moves rapidly for all that. Its wide mouth doesn't have teeth, as such; instead, the creature bites and chews its prey with bony ridges.

Combat: The imbul's primary attack is its bite. The bone ridges within its mouth are jagged and sharp, and can inflict terrible wounds. In addition, the imbul's saliva is highly toxic. Anyone bitten by the creature suffers an additional 3-18 points of damage (a successful save vs. poison decreases the damage to a flat 2 points). There is no limit to the number of times an imbul can inflict this poison. The imbul itself is totally immune to this poison.
The imbul has another attack form which it uses only as a last resort to save its life. Once per day, the creature can regurgitate its highly toxic digestive fluids and expel them in a cloud of poisonous mist. This cloud takes the form of a cone, originating at the creature's mouth, that is 15 feet long and 6 feet in diameter at its widest point. Any creature that inhales this cloud of mist must save vs. poison or die instantly from heart failure. Holding one's breath is no sure protection against this mist, although it does decrease the damage potential. The toxic liquid can be absorbed through the skin, as with a green dragon's breath weapon, and inflicts 4-24 points of damage (save vs. breath weapon for half damage). Use of this "breath weapon" is highly painful for the imbul, and so it will use it only if the alternative appears to be death. Also, the poison mist causes tissue breakdown in its victim which makes the target inedible for the imbul. Thus the creature will never use this weapon when hunting for food.
In personality, the imbul is a bully, preferring to attack creatures smaller than itself. It will attack larger creatures, but only if it can do so with surprise. If faced with determined opposition, it tries to escape. (This personality trait is reflected in the creature's low morale score.) The only exception to this is in the case of adult imbuls accompanied by young. In this situation, both parents will give their own lives if necessary to protect their offspring; their effective morale score increases to 20.
Imbuls are partially resistant to heat and fire. Attacks based on fire or heat do only half damage. Electrical attacks do normal damage, and cold-based attacks do double damage. Imbuls are totally resistant to acid.

Habitat/Society: Imbuls are generally solitary predators. Every spring, however, adult imbuls seek mates. It is the females that perform most of the courtship rituals, and nonlethal fights are common between females contesting for mates. During the mate-seeking period in early spring, female imbuls will challenge anything that moves with a threat display. This involves erecting the head crest, hissing and making mock charges. (Obviously, this cuts down the number of females somewhat, since making a mock charge at a tarrasque has predictable and unpleasant. consequences.) Once a pair has mated, they remain bonded until their offspring reach maturity. After impregnation, the female lays 1-4 eggs, which hatch in 60 days. The newborn imbuls are 1/2 HD, with no attacks. They grow rapidly, though, and reach maturity by fall. At this time, the family group splits up and the individuals go their separate ways.
During summer, there is a 50% chance that any encounter with imbuls is with a family group of 2d3+1 creatures. Two will be adults, while the others are immature young, 10-80% grown.

Ecology: Imbuls are by preference predatory carnivores, hunting other lizards across the hot, flat terrain of Falx. During the winter, imbuls are omnivorous, and will attack each other. If no live game is available, however, the imbuls will feed on the carpet mosses that cover the landscape. They rarely kill these great colony organisms, however, preferring to tear off mouthfuls as they get hungry.
In turn, imbuls are prey for tarrasques and larger lizards.

 

[Echohawk]

Holbag

CLMATE/TERRAIN: Third layer, Alabeth
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVE TIME: Any
DIET: Aerial "plankton"
INTELLIGENCE: Animal (1)
TREASURE: None
ALIGNMENT: Neutral

NO. APPEARING: 1 (1-3)
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVEMENT: Fl2 (5) MCA
HIT DICE: Special
THAC0: 3
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 4-80
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Lightning, ram
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Regeneration
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 5%
SIZE: G (see below)
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: 1,000

Holbags are huge, gas-filled bags that float in the atmosphere of the third layer of Alabeth (refer to the description of that planet for details on layers, etc.). They are somewhat like onions in shape: circular when viewed from above, flattened on top, and tapering to a point beneath. This lower point is tipped with a dozen short tendrils. The largest circumference of the creature - which is just below the flat top - is ringed with 144 slender spines, each of which is equal in length to about one-twentieth the diameter of the holbag.
The size of a holbag is almost unbelievable for a living creature. Mature specimens measure between 3 and 5 miles in diameter, and exceptional specimens up to 10 miles in diameter have been spotted. This means that the equatorial spines are between 750 and 1,350 feet long on an average specimen, and almost 3,000 feet long - more than half a mile - on extreme specimens. The shorter tendrils attached at the creature's lower tip are about half the length of its equatorial spines.
Holbags float slowly about the atmosphere of Alabeth. They are lighter than air because they secrete gas much lighter than air into a huge internal cavity, and then heat it to generate even more lift. In effect, holbags are massive natural dirigibles. Their bodies are thick and muscular, and very rubbery in texture.
The amount of damage that can be absorbed by a typical holbag is absolutely immense. Their muscular walls are a hundred yards or more in thickness, and it would take upwards of 300 hit points - all inflicted on exactly the same spot - to puncture one. Such a puncture will cause the creature to deflate slowly, sinking downwards into the cloud deck below, where it dies. With a single puncture, it will take an average holbag 20 turns to lose enough gas to start to descend. (Since the creatures regenerate rapidly, an enemy would have to work to keep a puncture from closing.)
Holbags have no eyes or optical organs, and operate solely on senses other than sight. They seem to respond to pressure changes caused by large objects - i.e., those over 50' in size - moving nearby, but can also detect large motionless creatures at a range of 500 yards or more. Some sages speculate that the holbags detect the slight electrical fields created by all living things.

Combat: Holbags defend themselves against natural enemies - most importantly, sky scavvers (cf.) - with magical lightning. They can fire a single lightning bolt every 5 rounds. The bolt extends straight outward from anyone of the holbag's equatorial spines, to a maximum range of 500 yards. These bolts always strike their targets, and inflict 4d20 points of damage on impact (save vs. breath weapons for half damage). A holbag can use its lightning against a spelljamming vessel, inflicting 4d2 points of hull damage; the vessel receives a saving throw vs. lightning for half damage. There is no limit to how many times a holbag can fire its lightning. (Note: This damage and range figure reflects an average individual. Exceptionally large holbags might have a maximum range of 750 yards, and inflict up to 8d20 hit points, or 8d2 hull points, of damage.)
Although they move very slowly, adult holbags can do significant damage by ramming a spelljamming vessel. (The creatures don't have precise enough senses to detect any creature smaller than about 50' in length or diameter.) Use the standard rules for ramming and crashes on page 65 of the Concordance of Arcane Space.
Because of their rubbery, muscular structure, holbags cannot be harmed by blunt or bludgeoning weapons (note that this includes blunt rams). Piercing and slashing weapons do normal damage. Holbags are totally immune to lightning; fire- and cold-based attacks do normal damage. Since holbags have no mind in the normal sense of the word, they are immune to charm, illusions and other mind-affecting magic.
Holbags regenerate, at a rate of 2 hit points per round. This means that a puncture will eventually close unless an attacker makes a conscious effort to keep it open.

Habitat/Society: Holbags are usually solitary creatures. Under normal circumstances, adult holbags won't approach within one mile of each other. Every 10,000 standard days or so (about 27 standard years), however, holbags enter their mating season. When this happens, adult holbags "pair up." For several days, pairs of the massive creatures enact great and cumbersome aerial "dances" around each other. Then the two holbags approach each other slowly until the come into contact.
The great equatorial spines of each creature sink into the flesh of the other, and they remain locked together like this for as many as 50 standard days. During this period, the creatures' senses are extremely sensitive, and they can detect the approach of a possible enemy at almost twice the normal range. If anything is foolish enough to approach two mating holbags, both of the great creatures will attack the interloper with their lightning bolts. Bonded holbags can each fire a lightning bolt only every 10 rounds (1 turn), but these bolts have double range and inflict double damage. After about 50 standard days, the two holbags separate, and return to their standard behavior (i.e., never approaching within one mile of each other). Five hundred days later, one of the holbags gives birth to an immature creature. (Sages have found no way of predicting which individual in a mated pair will actually give birth to the offspring.) The offspring emerges from an orifice at the lower tip of the mature creature.

Immature Holbags: At birth, a holbag is tiny compared to its parent: no more than 250 yards across. In appearance it resembles its "parent": the relationships between diameter and spine length are the same as with adults. Immature holbags are considerably faster fliers than their parents: a movement rate of 5 rather than 2.
Immature holbags are much less resilient than their parents. A newly-born holbag can sustain only 25 hit points or so inflicted in the same spot before it is punctured. The young creatures regenerate at the same rate as their parents, however.
A young holbag can fire lightning bolts, but only to a range of about 75 to 100 yards. These bolts inflict only 1d20 hit points of damage, or 1d2 hull points, on a target (save for half damage).
Immature holbags grow slowly, taking about one mating cycle - 10,000 standard days - to reach full size and maturity. While it's young and undersized, a holbag will usually stay close to its parent, often snuggling up right against it, so the "baby's" equatorial spines are sunk into the flesh of its parent.
Unlike the adults, which seem totally insensitive to pain, immature holbags react strongly to pain, particularly heat. They will move rapidly away from a strong source of heat. The elves who dwell atop the mature holbags will often use this characteristic to control immature specimens. A group of elves will climb aboard a young holbag, and then will apply heat - usually magically-created - to the margin of the creature directly opposite to the direction the elves want to go. The holbag will move to avoid the heat, allowing the elves to control its movements.

Ecology: Holbags subsist entirely on the "aerial plankton"
that drifts down from the second layer of Alabeth. They absorb these microscopic creatures through pores in their great bodies, and through the orifice in their undersides. The holbags have only one significant natural enemy: sky scavvers (described below). These monstrous creatures risk the damaging attacks of the holbags' lightning to dart in and rip huge mouthfuls of flesh from the floating gas bags. These attacks rarely puncture, let alone kill, an adult holbag. Although sky scavvers will attack mature holbags - often to their detriment - they prefer to harry the small, immature specimens. When these smaller creatures stray too far from their parents, they are relatively easy targets for the "sky sharks." Sky scavvers seem to understand instinctively about the young creatures' response of moving away from a source of pain. Thus the sky sharks will always make their first attack on a young holbag on the side closest to the creature's parent. In response to the pain of the attack, the young holbag will move further from the protection of its parent, lessening the risk of a lethal attack from the mature holbag. This technique is very effective, and the mortality rate for young holbags is high - approaching 95%. Holbags are extremely long-lived. An average specimen might live through 20 mating cycles - 200,000 standard days, or almost 550 standard years - and exceptional specimens have been said to be considerably older than this. The population of holbags on Alabeth seems to be remaining roughly constant.
Holbags seem totally unaware - or at least unconcerned that their topsides are home to Alabeth elves and other creatures. The relationship between these smaller creatures and the holbags is pure commensalism: the elves and others receive benefits, while the holbags receive neither benefit nor detriment from the relationship.

 

[Echohawk]

Scavver, Sky

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Third layer, Alabeth
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
ORGANIZATION: Solitary/pack
ACTIVE TIME: Any
DIET: Predator
INTEllIGENCE: Semi- (4)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (evil)

NO. APPEARING: 1 (1-4)
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVEMENT: Fl 18
HIT DICE: 22
THAC0: 3
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 4-40/3-30
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Swallow, lightning bolt
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: G (100')
MORALE: Elite (13)
XP VALUE: 12,000

Apart from their size, sky scavvers are identical in structure to the other five known species of scavvers: long, fishlike creatures, dominated by a single huge, glowing human-like eye at the leading edge of the head, with a wide, sweeping mouth full of sharp carnivore's teeth. The sheer size of the sky scavver is enough to set it apart from its space-dwelling brethren, however: the average mature specimen is about 100 feet in length.
Sky scavvers fly through the air of the third layer of Alabeth, using a modified form of the more well-known scavvers' innate spelljamming ability. They are pure predators, living off the many aerial creatures that occupy the third layer of the might [sic] air world. While they will eat virtually anything that crosses their path, their favorite food is the holbags - the gigantic floating gas bags native to Alabeth's third layer.

Combat: The sky scavver's primary attack is a bite from their huge, tooth-studded mouth. Such an attack inflicts 4d10 hit points of damage. The mouth is big enough to allow the creatures to bite even something as large as a spelljamming vessel, inflicting 1d4 hull points of damage. In addition, an adult sky scavver can swallow whole any creature of size L or smaller, and will do so on an attack roll of 13 or more. The sky scavver has a gullet poison similar to the brown scavver - victims must save vs. poison or die in three rounds - but lacks the ability to expel it into the air. Its interior is AC 5, and it is possible for a victim to cut his way out with small handheld weapons. The bellies of sky scavvers will sometimes contain undigestible residue from earlier meals: metals, stones (including gems) and the like. Sky scavvers can also deal a punishing tail-slap like that of the kindori. This attack inflicts 3d10 hit points of damage, or 1d3 hull points.
The sky scavver's most dangerous attack, however, is its ability to fire a powerful lightning bolt from its single eye. This bolt has a maximum range of 250 yards, and inflicts 2d20 hit points, or 2-4 hull points, of damage (save vs. spells - or lightning, for ships - for half damage).
Sky scavvers are totally immune to electrical-based attacks. Other attacks inflict normal damage. Although they have some intelligence, their minds are sufficiently different. from those of demihumans that they are totally immune to charm, illusions and other mind-affecting magic.

Habitat/Society: Sky scavvers usually operate as solitary predators. When they're attacking holbags, however, they hunt in packs of 1-4. They are as ferocious as the void scavver, but won't kill other members of their species who try to "muscle in" on their prey. There is a strongly-defined "pecking order" within a sky scavver pack, however, with the strongest individuals always feeding first.
The intelligence of sky scavvers is sufficient to let them plan the best manner of attack against larger opponents. (The technique these creatures favor against immature holbags is discussed in the section describing these great gas bags.) Many people who have seen sky scavvers operate claim that their intelligence is actively malign.

Ecology: Sky scavvers are simple-minded predators. They have no natural enemies as such - that is, creatures that feed on them. Attacks against mature holbags are highly dangerous, however, and lead to the deaths of many sky scavvers. Since the holbags eat nothing but aerial plankton, the bodies of dead scavvers simply fall into the lower layers of Alabeth's atmosphere - presumably to be devoured by other creatures.

 

[Echohawk]

Zat

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Fire ring (Garrash only)
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVE TIME: Any
DIET: Special
INTELLIGENCE: Unratable
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral

NO. APPEARING: 1-2
ARMOR CLASS: Armor Rating 0
MOVEMENT: SR 5
HIT DICE: 20 hull points
THAC0: 3
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 6 hull points
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Ram
SPECIAL DEFENSES: None
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 15%
SIZE: G (100')
MORALE: Fearless (20)
XP VALUE: 2,000

Zats are huge, metallic creatures built like delta-winged planes. Their bodies are cylindrical and about 100' long, while their knife-edge metal wings span about 150'. The "stem" of their bodies are blunt, while their "bows" are sharp enough to act as piercing rams. Zats are made entirely out of high-melting-point metal alloys, which has an almost perfect mirror finish. In another universe, they might be considered to be artifacts; in the SPELLJAMMER game universe, however, they are definitely alive. They soar through the fire-ring of the planet Garrash, apparently using their huge wings to "tack" against the light pressure from the fire world like huge solar sailors.
Zats are highly intelligent, although their mentality follows a totally different model from that of most life-forms. They communicate among themselves using subtly-changing magnetic fields. This type of communication is virtually instantaneous, and its range is measured in the millions of miles. It requires a clear line-of-sight, so although a zat has the range to communicate with another such creature on the other side of Garrash, the mass of the planet would block the communication.
Communication can be established with zats by using telepathy, but not much comes through the link. The spell caster would receive a colossal sense of surprise, followed by a welter of incomprehensible thoughts. A spell caster trying to penetrate this confusing flood of thoughts must save vs. spells. A failed save leaves the spellcaster confused for 1d10 turns. A successful save means he has established communication with the zat.
Zats are peaceable creatures, and very curious about things that happen in "their" area of space, although they are indifferent about virtually everything else. They seem to be immortal, and have observed the planet Garrash for several million years. Unfortunately, what a zat considers to be important isn't the kind of thing a demihuman would want to know. Zats notice changes in thermal and luminous flux from the fire world, changes in the density of the firering, and such things. They have no conception that there are living creatures on the planet, and honestly couldn't care less. They speculate endlessly on complex philosophical issues that would leave even thri-kreen totally confused.
Any spelljamming vessel approaching or entering the ring will attract the attention of 1 or 2 zats, who will approach to observe the "strange creature" that has come to visit them. (Considering their size, it's only logical that the zats would think that the ship itself is a living creature. It won't be easy to convince them that the ship is inanimate, and the controlling intelligence lies with the insignificant specks scurrying about on deck.)

Combat: While zats are basically peaceable creatures, they share with virtually every other living thing a strong sense of self-preservation. If they're attacked, they'll definitely fight to protect themselves.
Combat with a zat uses the same techniques as ship-to-ship combat, as detailed in the SPELLJAMMER boxed set (thus the fact that their movement is described in terms of "Ship Rating"). Their only attack is a ram, which can't be used against anything smaller than 1 ton (e.g., an elven Flitter). There is some characteristic - as yet unexplained - about the zat's sharp "bow" that inflicts more hull damage than a "vessel" of its size should be able to.
Zats save as "hard metal," and are totally immune to heat- and fire-based attacks. Electrical attacks inflict only half damage. Note that a zat's "HD" figure is expressed in terms of "hull points." It takes 10 hit points of damage inflicted on exactly the same spot - to cause 1 hull point of damage. They are totally immune to charm-based magic, and other magical and quasi-magical powers that affect the mind (illusions, psionics, etc.).
Although zats are basically fearless, they aren't stupid, and won't fight to the death except under the most exceptional of circumstances. They can use their long-range communication to summon more of their kind if things are getting dicey. Militant PCs should soon realize that, no matter how tough their ship is, it's not up to "dogfighting" with a whole squadron of zats. All in all, it's much safer to talk than fight.

Habitat/Society: Zats are basically solitary creatures. They enjoy philosophical discussions with others of their kind, but their long-range magnetic communication means they don't have to congregate to do this.
Nothing is known about zat reproduction. In fact, the zats themselves can't even comprehend the concept when they've been asked telepathically. The most widely held belief is that all existing zats were created - by what or by whom is a key question - at some time in the distant past, and they have no need or capacity to reproduce.
If a zat is killed, every other zat within communication range - about 75 million miles - knows it immediately, and receives a "mental picture" of who or what caused the zat's death. All surviving zats will feel an implacable - and eternal - hatred for whoever or whatever killed one of their fellows. (Thus, any spelljamming vessel that dispatches a zat will find Garrash's ring a very inhospitable region until the end of time...)

Ecology: Zats have no orifice through which they can absorb matter. The only conclusion to draw from this fact is that they don't have to. The fire-ring of Garrash is definitely a high-energy environment, and it seems likely that the massive creatures absorb all the energy they need to survive from that source.