Well, I wanted to talk w/ Dru about this first, but he hasn't gotten back to me and it's doubtful this will show up in your campaign at this point. Here's a series of rules about sanity damage and the monsters who inflict it. I originally got it to Dru for the whole Far Realms adventure, but it could work nicely for the Mournlands as well. There are also some higher level stuff for this system, so let me know if you want to use it later in the campaign. The whole thing was based off of the Gamecube video game Eternal Darkness, which itself largely was inspired from Lovecraft's work.
Eternal Darkness Information:
All Children of the Ancients have some properties in common. All have the Sanity Damage and Critical Vulnerability traits. Except for Zombies, all are also Children of Chaturgha (Matter,) Ulyoth (Magic,) or Xellotath (Mind.) Children of Mantarok also theoretically exist, but since they are not dealt with in the context of the game, their exact properties are up to the individual’s imagination. The exception are Zombies, who sometimes are Children of Mantarok, but are essentially regular zombies with the other Children of the Ancients properties.
Sanity Damage (Su): All Children of the Ancients that have some sort of visual ability possess a gaze attack. Thus, most normal living beings, as well as undead and constructs, have this ability, but creatures that really on tremorsense or blindsight as their only means of detection do not. Sanity Damage works as a normal gaze attack, but it normally only affects the first non-Children of the Ancient who enters the gaze’s range. After that, it will not work again for 1d4 rounds. At that point, it will again affect the first person to look at the monster, or one at random if multiple targets are in range. However, very powerful Children of the Ancients sometimes have a Sanity Damaging Gaze that works as normally, affecting every non-Ancient in range every round until it is destroyed! The attack causes a certain amount of sanity damage, with a Will save for half. The DC for the save is 10 + ½ the creature’s Hit Die + Charisma Bonus.
Essentially, Sanity Damage is like Wisdom Ability Damage in most ways. It affects a character’s Will Saves, Wisdom checks and relevant skills, Divine spellcasters, and so on. However, Sanity Damage doesn’t cause the victim to fall into a coma if their Wisdom drops to 0 as a result. Instead, no more Sanity Damage can normally be taken, but the character takes 1 point of damage per Hit Die/level (to a maximum of 10 HD/level, and thus 10 hit points,) for every point of sanity damage taken until some of the sanity damage can be healed, as the madness that has infected the victim literally suffers brain damage from the insanity around them.
The sanity damage has another nasty side effect. When a person is reduced to 75% or less Wisdom as a result of it, they start having hallucinations. Some of these are constant, but fairly minor. For example, the character can see blood spurt from the walls or ceiling, hear footsteps, or have strange voices whisper in their ears in some alien, twisted language. The lower the Wisdom gets, the more extreme the effects, to the point where the victim sees statues turn their heads to watch him or her, paintings and other artwork appear to be scenes of horror, the whole world appears skewed at an angle or tinted blood red, and the voices are now a constant stream of demonic laughter or weeping. Those around the victim will notice that he or she is increasingly agitated. They might start mumbling to themselves, or even screaming about seemingly random things.
Every three rounds of stressful situations (like combat) or three minutes of more normal situations, this damage can manifest as something more extreme. The character must make a Will Save, with the DC equal to 10 + the amount of Sanity Damage taken. Upon failing a check, the character is dazed for 1d4 rounds. During that time, the victim imagines him/herself in some sort of usually horrible vision. They could imagine themselves surrounded by monsters, or shrunken to nothing, or sinking into the ground like quicksand, or their head and limbs start to literally explode. At the end of the dazed period, the character suddenly realizes this vision isn’t really happening, and can act as normal again…until the next failed check.
Sanity Damage can be recovered like any ability damage. For example, the Restoration spells can be used, and it also recovers with rest. In addition, killing a monster with the Sanity Damage ability can help boost one’s sanity. The recovered amount is equal to half the monster’s maximum, so a monster with a 1d4 Sanity damage will give the user 2 more points of Sanity back. Normally, this can be used to more or less keep one’s sanity at an even amount. However, some unusual effects can do sanity damage above and beyond the normal gaze effects. In addition, when dealing with a group of adventurers, it’s entirely possible that someone other than the person affected by the sanity damage performs the kill, wasting the possible recovery. If the Child of the Ancient killed is one of the stronger types mentioned above with the persistent gaze effect, the recovered Sanity will instead be released in a burst around it equal to the range of the gaze attack, potentially healing many affected individuals, and it will also give the specific killer another double-strength restoration, potentially giving said killer three times the normal healing effect if within the gaze range!
Extreme strong, especially epic, Children of the Ancients might cause additional Sanity Damage in excess of the victim’s total Wisdom Score in addition to the physical damage mentioned above. However, since Wisdom has already been zeroed out, the only purpose of this additional damage is the make the hallucinations harder to save against, and any healed Sanity Damage (including that earned from killing a Child of the Ancients,) will reduce the Sanity Damage back to the normal Wisdom maximum and then also recover more as normal.
Critical Vulnerability (Ex): All children of the ancients are affected by critical hits, and other abilities like critical hits, like favored enemy and sneak attacks. This is even true for monsters that are normally immune, like undead or constructs. In addition, the limbs these beings are surprisingly easy to sever. There is a 50% chance that any critical hit will sever a limb. If so, roll randomly to see if it is a hand or head. Besides removing any attack associated with the limb (slams for arms, bites, for heads, etc.) removing a head will normally afflict the creature with blindness, and remove any chance of using further sanity damage. Of course, if the creature is a living being normally susceptible to critical hits, decapitation also usually kills it.
Effects of the Ancients (Ex or Su): Each of the three main types of Children of the Ancients adds additional effects to the creature. A Child of Matter gains fast healing 2, has two more Hit die than an equivalent creature, and has +4 Strength. In addition, all damage from natural weapons are treated as if the creature was one size larger. For example, a weapon that normally does 1d4 damage now does 1d6. Children of Magic gain +4 intelligence. In addition, every successful attack, including special attacks and spells, that they do drains one randomly chosen spell of the highest level from a spellcaster. It drains 4d4 power points from psionic beings instead of levels. From non-spellcasters, it does 1d4 points of Intelligence damage. These drained points or spells can be regained using normal means. Children of Mind cause additional sanity damage equal to their normal gaze effect with every attack they make, including magical ones, with the same save for half.
Mantarok Zombie
Medium-Sized Undead
Hit Dice: 2d12+3 (16 hp.)
Intitative -1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares, can’t run)
AC: 11 (-2 Dex, +2 natural,) touch 9, flat-footed 11
Base Attack: Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Sanity Damage
Special Qualities: Critical Vulnerability, DR 5/slashing, Single actions only, Fire Vulnerability, Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +0, Ref –1, Will +3
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 8, Con –
Int -, Wis 10, Cha 11
Feats: Toughness
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization Gang (2-5,) squad (6-10,) or mob (11-20,)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None.
Alignment: Always chaotic evil.
Advancement: None.
Unlike most Children of the Ancients, the zombies are blessed with additional powers beyond the standard abilities of their kind. The exceptions to this rule are the Children of Mantarok, who only have the standard Ancient powers of Sanity Damage and Critical Vulnerability, as described above, and stronger sense of self than most zombies, which comes from their link to their dying quasi-god.
Combat:
Mantarok Zombies fight like all typical zombies; with no tactics, and simply use numbers and mindless force against their foes.
Sanity Damage (Su): The Sanity Damage for a Zombie of Mantarok is 1d4 points of damage, with a DC of 11 for half the effect. The range is 30 feet.
Fire Vulnerability (Ex): Mantarok zombies are extremely flammable. When exposed to any fire-based attack, they must make a Reflex Save (Dc 14,) or get caught on fire, as described in the DMG. This is even true of normally instant fire effects, like fireballs and swords with the flaming descriptor.
Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.
Critical Vulnerability (Ex): All Children of the Ancients are affected by critical hits, and other abilities like critical hits, like favored enemy and sneak attacks. This is even true for monsters that are normally immune, like undead or constructs. In addition, the limbs these beings are surprisingly easy to sever. There is a 50% chance that any critical hit will sever a limb. If so, roll randomly to see if it is a hand or head. Besides removing any attack associated with the limb (slams for arms, bites, for heads, etc.) removing a head will normally afflict the creature with blindness, and remove any chance of using further sanity damage. Of course, if the creature is a living being normally susceptible to critical hits, decapitation also usually kills it.
Chaturgha Zombie
Medium-Sized Undead
Hit Dice: 4d12+3 (29 hp.)
Intitative -1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares, can’t run)
AC: 11 (-2 Dex, +2 natural,) touch 9, flat-footed 11
Base Attack: Grapple: +2/+5
Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d8+3)
Full Attack: Slam +5 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Sanity Damage
Special Qualities: Critical Vulnerability, DR 5/slashing, Fast healing 2, Single actions only, Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref 0, Will +4
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 8, Con –
Int -, Wis 10, Cha 11
Feats: Toughness
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization Gang (2-5,) squad (6-10,) or mob (11-20,)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None.
Alignment: Always chaotic evil.
Advancement: None.
Chaturgha zombies are more powerful than most zombies. They appear better preserved than most zombies, but their musculature is completely visible, as if they had been skinned.
Combat: Chaturgha zombies are unusually ferocious, and like all Children of the Ancients, have a stronger sense of self due to the power they gain from their master. They still lack the mental prowess for more complicated tactics than charge and attack.
Sanity Damage (Su): The Sanity Damage for a Zombie of Chaturgha is 1d4 points of damage, with a DC of 12 for half the effect. The range is 30 feet.
Fast Healing (Ex): Unlike normal fast healing, a Zombie of Chaturgha can regenerate lost limbs. Limbs are regrown 1d4 rounds after they are lost
Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.
Critical Vulnerability (Ex): All Children of the Ancients are affected by critical hits, and other abilities like critical hits, like favored enemy and sneak attacks. This is even true for monsters that are normally immune, like undead or constructs. In addition, the limbs these beings are surprisingly easy to sever. There is a 50% chance that any critical hit will sever a limb. If so, roll randomly to see if it is a hand or head. Besides removing any attack associated with the limb (slams for arms, bites, for heads, etc.) removing a head will normally afflict the creature with blindness, and remove any chance of using further sanity damage. Of course, if the creature is a living being normally susceptible to critical hits, decapitation also usually kills it.
Ulyoth Zombie
Medium-Sized Undead
Hit Dice: 2d12+3 (16 hp.)
Intitative -1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares, can’t run)
AC: 11 (-2 Dex, +2 natural,) touch 9, flat-footed 11
Base Attack: Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d6+1 and Magic Drain)
Full Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d6+1 and Magic Drain)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Sanity Damage, Singing, Magic Drain
Special Qualities: Critical Vulnerability, DR 5/slashing, Single actions only, Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +0, Ref –1, Will +3
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 8, Con –
Int -, Wis 10, Cha 11
Feats: Toughness
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization Gang (2-5,) squad (6-10,) or mob (11-20,)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None.
Alignment: Always chaotic evil.
Advancement: None.
While most children of Ulyoth are unusually intelligent, the zombies of Ulyoth are as mindless as an average zombie. Ulyoth zombies look like they were drowned, and tend to have blue skin, and a bloated form covered with fungus.
Combat:
Ulyoth zombies fight with the same mindless tactics that all zombies use. They tend to attack in numbers, to maximize the effects of their singing.
Sanity Damage (Su): The Sanity Damage for a Zombie of Ulyoth is 1d4 points of damage, with a DC of 11 for half the effect. The range is 30 feet.
Singing (Ex): Zombies of Ulyoth are filled with a deadly mix of volatile gasses. When reduced to 0 or more hit points, a zombie of Ulyoth will remain standing for one round. During that time, they will start uttering a wailing noise, which has been morbidly called singing by those who fought them. After 1 round, or after taking any other damage, the zombie will explode, doing 2d6 points of damage to all within a 5-foot radius. This effect can be halved with a reflex save at DC 10 (save is Constitution-based.) Even worse, if any other Ulyoth zombies are caught in the blast, they will automatically explode as well, doing the same damage to all within their 5-foot radius. A zombie who has been decapitated will lose this ability, as the gas has safely been released through the neck.
Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.
Critical Vulnerability (Ex): All Children of the Ancients are affected by critical hits, and other abilities like critical hits, like favored enemy and sneak attacks. This is even true for monsters that are normally immune, like undead or constructs. In addition, the limbs these beings are surprisingly easy to sever. There is a 50% chance that any critical hit will sever a limb. If so, roll randomly to see if it is a hand or head. Besides removing any attack associated with the limb (slams for arms, bites, for heads, etc.) removing a head will normally afflict the creature with blindness, and remove any chance of using further sanity damage. Of course, if the creature is a living being normally susceptible to critical hits, decapitation also usually kills it.
Xellotath Zombie
Medium-Sized Undead
Hit Dice: 2d12+3 (16 hp.)
Intitative -1 (Dex)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares, can’t run)
AC: 11 (-2 Dex, +2 natural,) touch 9, flat-footed 11
Base Attack: Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d6+1 and Sanity Damage)
Full Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d6+1 and Sanity Damage)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Sanity Damage
Special Qualities: Critical Vulnerability, DR 5/slashing, Spectral Limbs, Single actions only, Darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +0, Ref –1, Will +3
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 8, Con –
Int -, Wis 10, Cha 11
Feats: Toughness
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization Gang (2-5,) squad (6-10,) or mob (11-20,)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None.
Alignment: Always chaotic evil.
Advancement: None.
Xellotath zombies look like they have been partially mummified. They appear to be much older than other Children of the Ancients zombies as a result, and like most mummified corpses, are wrapped in bandages. However, the ritual of mummification was far less elaborate in the case of these zombies compared to the more typical undead mummies, and the bandages now barely hide the hideous body underneath.
Combat:
While not very powerful physically, their general immunity to the debilitating effect of lost limbs and their sanity-draining attacks make Children of Xellotath powerful foes.
Sanity Damage (Su): The Sanity Damage for a Zombie of Chaturgha is 1d4 points of damage, with a DC of 11 for half the effect. The range is 30 feet. In addition, the normal attacks of a Xellotath Zombie have this same effect.
Spectral Limbs (Su): While a Xellotath zombie can be critically hit like a normal Zombie of the Ancients, the normal loss of attacks or vision and sanity damage gaze does not occur. Instead, lost limbs are instantly replaced with incorporeal ones that work as well as the originals. These cannot be severed, and will last until the zombie is destroyed.
Fire Vulnerability (Ex): Xellototh zombies are extremely flammable. When exposed to any fire-based attack, they must make a Reflex Save (Dc 14,) or get caught on fire, as described in the DMG. This is even true of normally instant fire effects, like fireballs and swords with the flaming descriptor.
Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.
Critical Vulnerability (Ex): All Children of the Ancients are affected by critical hits, and other abilities like critical hits, like favored enemy and sneak attacks. This is even true for monsters that are normally immune, like undead or constructs. In addition, the limbs these beings are surprisingly easy to sever. There is a 50% chance that any critical hit will sever a limb. If so, roll randomly to see if it is a hand or head. Besides removing any attack associated with the limb (slams for arms, bites, for heads, etc.) removing a head will normally afflict the creature with blindness, and remove any chance of using further sanity damage. Of course, if the creature is a living being normally susceptible to critical hits, decapitation also usually kills it.
Bonethief (Base)
Medium-Sized Aberration
Hit Dice: 5d8+10 (32 hp.)
Intitative +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
AC: 17 (+3 Dex, +4 natural,) touch 13, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Claw +6 melee (1d4 + 3)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +6 melee (1d4 + 3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Sanity Damage, Improved Grab, Implant
Special Qualities: Critical Vulnerability.
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 17, Con 14
Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14
Skills: Disguise +10*, Hide +9, Move Silently +8, Spot +6
Feats: Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or Gang (2-5,)
Challenge Rating: 4 (5 for any of the three standard types.)
Treasure: None.
Alignment: Always Chaotic Evil
Advancement: 3-8 HD (medium,)
9-15 HD (large, though some Bonethiefs remain Medium sized regardless of HD, to better infiltrate a standard human population.)
While zombies have unusual powers in addition to standard abilities of the three ancient types, bonethiefs and all other creatures have only the standard abilities. Thus, only the based abilities are listed, and the other abilities can be applied as appropriate. If desired, these base types can be called the Mantarok variants, since this would continue the pattern of the zombies, which have no other unique properties. One minor exception appears in Xellototh Bonethiefs. They start with spectral heads, similar to those of decapitated Xellototh Zombies, which means that any critical hit that targets the head has no effect, doing no damage. This isn’t enough of a benefit to warrant a CR bump higher than that of a normal Child of Xellototh, however.
Bonethiefs are among the most insidious servants of the ancients. With their powers, they can serve as shock troops, or subtly invade human society, and attack it from the inside. Bonethiefs speak common and at least one other language, which usually is the typical language of the region, to better blend in with the populace.
Combat: Most bonethiefs that are encountered are already inside a humanoid host, and attack only when their host is destroyed, or is in the process of looking for a host. They are fond of using the after-effects of their host’s destruction to drain their enemy’s sanity, before moving in to finish the job. When attacking, they dislike standing still, preferring to leap towards his enemy, and grapple with his claws.
Sanity Damage (Su): The Sanity Damage for a bonethief is 1d6 points of damage, with a DC of 13 for half the effect. The range is 30 feet. Bonethiefs who are children of Chaturgha have a DC of 14, due to the higher HD.
Improved Grab (Ex): If a bonethief hits an opponent of its size or smaller with either claw, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action. The grapple check is made at +6. If it succeeds, it can automatically hit with both claw attacks on future attempts. The bonethief can also take a –20 penalty to his grapple check, to hold the opponent with only one hand.
Implant (Ex): If a bonethief kills an opponent while grappling it, it can burrow into the body as a free action. It can also enter a dead body normally as a standard action, but only if the body has been dead less than 4 rounds, and it is still relatively solid. The body must be the same size as the bonethief. Clever bonethiefs can also enter willing humanoid undead (like zombies of their own kind.) Once inside the body, it can control it perfectly. Attempting to discover that a person is actually a bonethief takes a Spot check opposed by the bonethief’s disguise check, though alignment detection and similar abilities can usually find them. The bonethief can even make the creature attack, using the creature’s strength and dex modifiers and its own base attack bonus. If it chose to enter an active creature, like a zombie, it has no control over the creature, and merely has to wait as the monster attacks or acts normally. A dead body controlled by a bonethief has 2d8+3 hit points, just like a normal zombie.
When a bonethief’s host is killed, the bonethief bursts from the corpse in a sudden burst of gore. The effect is so horrific that it inflicts 1d6 points of sanity damage to all within a 30 foot radius, with the same save DC as the normal sanity damage gaze. In addition, anyone who witnesses it and has taken any sanity damage as a result occasionally sees signs of other bonethiefs in innocent beings. To their eyes, these beings might suddenly utter a noise better suited to an insect, its laugh might seem less innocent and more horrific, or a mundane action (like making a meal,) could suddenly appear hideous (the ingredients could appear to be human organs, for example.) This has no in-game effect, but paranoid players may act on these urges anyway.
Critical Vulnerability (Ex): All Children of the Ancients are affected by critical hits, and other abilities like critical hits, like favored enemy and sneak attacks. This is even true for monsters that are normally immune, like undead or constructs. In addition, the limbs these beings are surprisingly easy to sever. There is a 50% chance that any critical hit will sever a limb. If so, roll randomly to see if it is a hand or head. Besides removing any attack associated with the limb (slams for arms, bites, for heads, etc.) removing a head will normally afflict the creature with blindness, and remove any chance of using further sanity damage. Of course, if the creature is a living being normally susceptible to critical hits, decapitation also usually kills it.
*Bonethiefs gain a +10 bonus to disguise checks when inside a human host, and tend to take 10 on this check when no in immediate combat.
Template:
Any of the three Children of the Ancients templates can be added to any type of monster. Humanoids change their type to monstrous humanoids, all other living beings change their type to aberration. Outsiders, Elementals, Monstrous humanoids, aberrations, undead and constructs have unchanged types.
HD: Give Children of Matter 2 extra Hit Dice.
Attacks: If a Child of Matter, all natural attacks are treated as if the creature was one size higher. Children of Magic gain the magic drain ability to all natural attacks, and Children of Mind gain sanity damage equal to their gaze attack.
Special Attacks:
Sanity Damage (Su): All children of the ancients with some sort of visual ability gain the sanity damage ability. The amount of damage is based on the hit die of the creature as indicated on the table below. Alternately, a Child of the Ancients with at least 10 HD can have a persistent gaze instead of the normal one-shot gaze. However, they are treated as having half their normal HD for the purpose of the Sanity Damage they do. For example, a 15 HD Child of the Ancients would normally have a 1d8 Sanity Damage gaze, but if it had a persistent gaze, it would instead do 1d6 damage.
HD Sanity damage
Up to 4 1d4
5-9 1d6
10-19 1d8
20+ 1d10
Singing (Ex): Zombies, and only zombies, with this template also gain Singing if they are children of mind.
Special Qualities: All Children of the Ancients gain Critical Vulnerability. Zombies, and only zombies, may gain other abilities as well. Unmodified Children of the ancients gain fire vulnerability, Children of Matter gain fast healing 2, and Children of Sanity gain spectral limbs and fire vulnerability.
Abilities: Children of Matter gain +4 strength unless it’s a non-ability. Children of Magic gain +4 intelligence unless it’s a non-ability.
CR: For base children of the ancients, CR is +1 normally, or unchanged if the creature lacks visual ability.
For any of the three main children types, CR is +2 normally, or unchanged if the creature lacks visual ability.
Alignment: Creatures with intelligence scores of less than 3 or a non-ability in Intelligence change a good alignment to neutral, but are otherwise unchanged. Creatures with intelligence scores of 3 or higher are always chaotic evil.
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
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