Thursday, October 30, 2014

The Devil's Right Hand: The Infernal Emissary. (OSR)

"  In the year 1502 there was a peasant named Pierre Burgot who was tending
sheep while a large and fierce storm broke out. From seemingly out of nowhere
rode three men dressed in black riding upon three black horses. One of the men
called himself Moyset, tall and pale, sunken eyes with long black hair. Moyset
told Pierre he would let his hands watch over his herd and give him great
fortune if he would obey him, Pierre agreed. In the next meeting, Moyset stated
his commands, to reject a so called "god", the false virgin, the baptism and
confirmation. Burgot accepted the demands and swore loyalty by kissing the hand
of the Moyset, which was as cold as the hand of the dead."

Infernal Emissary 

No. Enc.: 1 (1)
Alignment: Lawful (evil)
Movement: 120' (40')
Armor Class: 7/12
Hit Dice: 12
Attacks: By weapon
Damage: by weapon (+2 strength)
Save: C12
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: XVII
XP:  4,400

An Infernal Emissary is a representative of the Adversary on Earth. He is a recruiter of the desperate and a corrupter of souls. The single duty of the Emissary is to collect the signatures and pacts of those willing to sell their souls to Hell for power and favor.

The Emissary is dressed head to toe in black and travels on a powerful black horse. He is often accompanied by minions similarly dressed and mounted. The Emissary is marked by his allegiance to the Powers of Darkness with a pale and sinister cast and a curious and otherworldly deformity such as a coldness of the flesh, as if of the dead, or a blackened hand, as if frost bitten.

The Emissary is drawn to those who are desperate, deranged, or evil. Offering wealth and promises of fulfilled desires, the Emissary will recruit the damned if they accept the Adversary as their Lord and Master, reject all that is good and dedicate themselves to do evil, and finally to seal the pact with a kiss upon his corpse cold hand or sometimes a signet ring or other special item. The damned will be required to attend Sabbaths, to spit out the Host as given in Mass, and other heretical actions to show their rejection of the faithful and their allegiance to the Adversary.

Once the damned are in his debt, the Emissary will meet with them to give gifts such as money and special salves, ointments, or other evil charms to aide them carry out their evil. These items are often ointments to fly, salves or wolf-skin girdles to change into werewolves, poisons to sicken and kill their neighbors, or any other item to war on the faithful and sow the seeds of fear and panic among them.

An Emissary will sometimes preside over the Black Mass and Sabbath's. Dressed in goat, dog, or other animal skins, he will lead the blasphemous and horrible rituals, feasting, and revelry. An Emissary is thoroughly corrupted of soul and damned to Hell. They are evil, and there is no salvation for them.

An Emissary is always wealthy due to his power and status. He will be an experienced traveler, well networked with others who serve the Adversary, and often hold high positions in the community he lives in, using his powers, wealth, and influence to appear as a gentleman and fit into society around him.

An Infernal Emissary has the spellcasting and special abilities of a 12th Level Witch (or Cleric in Fantasy settings). He will have a number of potions, charms, and magic items a appropriate to the setting and the DM's game. If challenged by a powerful force of faith or good he may call upon his Master for aide in the form of a demon, powerful undead, or other servitor if the DM sees fit.
Due to his connections to the Adversary, he cannot be harmed by normal weapons, only those of silver and magic.

His fierce eyes are hypnotic and three times per day he can use them to Charm a victim. If the victim makes his saving throw the Emissary cannot try to charm him again for 24 hours.

Finally, the marked or black hand can be used for a touch attack three times per day. Success causes paralysis as if a ghoul had attacked the victim.

"There is a record of a child werewolf as well. He was Jean Grenier ofAquitaire. His story was more or less like that of Burgot. When his father had beat him, he ran away from home and wandered around the countryside. One evening another boy named Pierre La Tihaire took him to the depths of the woods. According to them, the Lord of the Jungle was there. He was a tall black dressed dark man upon a dark horse. The Lord got off his horse and kissed Grenier with icy lips. In the second meeting both of the boys submitted themselves to the acclaimed Lord who scratched tattoos on their thighs as brands. He brought out a wine bag and gave them a drink. He also presented them wolf skins and an ointment. The Lord taught them how to rub their bodies with the ointment before putting on the fur."

The Emissary's Steed
Especially powerful Emissary's may be mounted on a Nightmare.

Minions
The Emissary may be accompanied by minions, each dressed in black, and riding black horses if travelling or on business.
The Minions are 5 HD Fighters and will fight to the death for the Emissary.


Monday, October 27, 2014

Weird and Horror Races for Victorian and Pulp Games (OSR)

Victorian adventure, horror, and fantasy stories often have a number of non-human or near-human races in the mix. Here are a few classics and a few from more modern horror for Player's to chew the scenery with.

NOTES: A number of these races have attribute modifiers at character creation. I know not everyone likes this method but I happen to like it as helps me better mechanically flesh out the archetypes I'm putting forth here. Not all stat bonuses/penalties are equal. Some have more than others. Same with Abilities and Drawbacks. The balance shouldn't be too far off but, to be honest, I'm more concerned with fun and flavor than perfect character balance.

Attributes are still minimum 3/maximum 18 after all adjustments.
Don't like them? Simply ignore them and use the races otherwise.

Apeman

-2 Int
Brought back to civilization as adults or raised by scientists, they are remnants of a lost civilization in hidden parts of the world such as the lost city of Opar. Savage or civilized, they are fearsome in appearance and a curiosity in the modern Victorian age. Apemen are primitive, with apish features, long arms, and twisted muscular bodies covered in hair ranging from rusty red to brown and black.

Abilities

  • Berserk: If angered or attacked  the Apeman must make a saving throw or go into a violent rage attacking the source of his distress with a +2 bonus to hit/damage with melee weapons, a -2 penalty with ranged weapons, and a -2 penalty to AC. Once combat is over (the irritation is dead or has successfully fled) the Apeman must make another saving throw to calm down and not attack his allies in his frenzy. He makes this saving throw check each round til he comes out of the rage.
  • Climber: The Apeman's body is adapted to climbing as a Thief of the same level.
  • Gristle: +1 to AC from fur and muscle.
  • Inhuman Strength: The Apeman is far stronger than a human. To reflect this he gains a +2  (in addition to their normal Strength bonus) to all  melee and unarmed damage rolls, as well as to attempts to open doors. The +2 is also used as a bonus to any Strength attribute checks.

Drawbacks

  • Fear of the Unknown: Apemen have a natural fear of the unnatural and strange. They receive a -2 penalty to saving throw checks vs magic. 
  • Freak: Because of his bestial appearance and mannerisms the Apeman is a freak in normal society, looked upon as a subhuman or an animal. He effectively has a Charisma of 0 when dealing with normal people. Some may overlook these traits however and become tolerant or even affectionate if the Apeman has earned this.
  • Primitive: Coming from a primitive society the Apeman often finds unfamiliar technology frightening and confusing. They receive a -2 penalty to rolls while using modern inventions such as firearms, vehicles, etc. Some devices such as a telephone, typewriter, etc will require an intelligence check to use properly without assistance.

Atlantean

+1 Con, +1 Int
Mutated amphibious descendants from the sunken city of Atlantis. The Atlanteans sometimes venture from their sea kingdom to explore the rest of the world. Others are exiled for crimes against their kin. The Atlantean can blend in well with normal Victorian society. The only traces of his ancestry are slight webbing between fingers and toes and a set of gills on the neck, easily covered by a high collar or scarf.

Abilities

  • Amphibious: The Atlantean can breath both water and air.
  • Dark Vision: Attuned to the murky depths the Atlanean can see in the dark up to 60'.
  • Icy Depths: +2 bonus to saving throws versus cold due to their life in the frigid waters of the deep sea.
  • Swimmer: In water the Atlantean is incredibly fast and can swim with a speed of 18.


Drawbacks

  • Dehydrate: The Atlanteans have two problems with this drawback. First: they require twice as much water as the average human to keep thenselves hydrated. If they does not get enough water they begin to dry out and will lose one hit point per hour until death. Secondly: they recieve a  -4 penalty to saving throws vs fire or heat.


The Created

+1 Dex. +1 Con
Victor Frankenstein’s experiments inspired others to experiment on the dead. Over the decades partial and flawed copies of his notes have made their way into forbidden circles of colleges and mad doctors dreaming of creating life.  From these clues a rare few discover the secrets of resurrection and the Created is the result of these experiments. Most do not survive more than a few minutes after their awakening. Those that do often go mad and turn on their creator, destroying the creator, themselves, or sometimes both. Those that do survive and escape find they are outcasts in the world. The Created are a horrific sight of a gigantic body of stitched together body parts.

Abilities

  • Ageless: The Created do not age.
  • Inhuman Strength: The massive bodies of the Created are frighteningly strong. To reflect this it gains a +3  (in addition to their normal Strength bonus) to all  melee and unarmed damage rolls, as well as to attempts to open doors. The +3 is also used as a bonus to any Strength attribute checks. 
  • Iron Constitution: Due to their inherit toughness the Created only take 1/2 damage from cold (1/4 with a successful saving throw.)
  • Massive Stride: Due to their long stride and muscle they move faster than an ordinary man. They move at a 15.
  • Spark of Life: Part of the resurrection of the Created involves massive jolts of electricity. This life spark has allowed them to regenerate damage when struck with electricity.They receive one hp up to their maximum total hp's for every dice of electrical damage done to them.

Drawbacks

  • Fear of Fire: A deep primal fear of fire still lurks in the resurrected dead brains of the Created. When confronted with fire as a weapon or a massive wall of flame the creature must make a saving throw. Success allows it to act normally but with a -2 penalty to all actions. Failure causes it to go Berserk sending it into a mindless rage attacking those who wish to hurt it or get in its way.  While berserk the creature receives a +2 bonus to hit/damage with melee weapons, a -2 penalty with ranged weapons, and a -2 penalty to AC. Once the attacker is dead or the creature has managed to flee the wall of fire it can make another saving throw to calm down and not attack anyone in its way. The creature makes this saving throw check each round til it comes out of the rage.
  • Freak: Because of its grotesque and unnatural appearance the Created is shunned by normal men and women who are horrified by it. It effectively has a Charisma of 0 when dealing with normal people, even allies. This may be overcome given time and actions by the Created's actions.

Demon

+1 Con, +1 Int
Summoned to by witches covens, banished to Earth by their masters, or accidentally dropped through an inter-dimensional portal Demons sometimes end up trapped in the Victorian world. All are physically twisted in some way. Many have a bestial appearance (horns, hooves, claws, toad's features; the list is endless) while others look like beautiful men or women with red skin and only a few animalistic features. All tend to scheme and crave power and dominion over those around them.

Abilities

  • Darkvision: A Demon can see in the dark up to 60'.
  • Fire Breath: 3x per day a Demon can spit fire up to 20' for 3d6 damage.
  • Horn and Claws: The Demon can make one attack with its horns or claws for 1d4+Str bonus damage.
  • Fire Tolerance: The Demon receives a +4 bonus to saves versus fire and only takes 1/2 damage (1/4 on a successful saving throw.)
  • Flight: A Demon possesses wings allowing it to fly at a speed of 18. It can fly for a number of rounds equal to it's Con score before having to land and rest for 1d6 rounds.

Drawbacks

  • Cold: Demons are vulnerable to cold attacks and take a -4 penalty on saves vs cold.
  • Freak: Demons look horrific and even the beautiful ones are bizarre and frightening to the minds of the Victorian populace. Religion and mythology have firmly ingrained the idea of the Demon as an infernal enemy and living breathing symbol of evil. They effectively have a Charisma of 0 when dealing with normal people, even allies. This may be overcome given time and actions by the Demon, but even this is uncertain due to the religious beliefs of many.
  • Unholy: A Demon cannot approach within 10' of a holy object, bible, holy water, or sacred ground without making a saving throw. Even then they take 1d6 damage if they come into physical contact.
  • Vow: Demons live by their word. They cannot break any vow, oath, or bargain they make unless a successful saving throw with a -4 penalty is made.

Dhampir

+1 Dex, +1 Con
Children born of a human mother and a vampire father they exist in the world of both the living and the undead. As a number of vampires have spread out across the western nations, the number of Dhampir has risen as well. They are often successful vampire hunters, able to detect undead. They are also cursed with their father's lust for blood. Many are nomads, rejected and feared if their true nature is discovered. Dhampir's appear as normal men or women with small fangs and pale skin.

Abilities

  • Bite: The Dharmpir's razor sharp fangs inflict 1d4 bonus damage.
  • Blood Healing: For every 2 hp damage the Dhampir causes with his teeth he can drink and regain 1 hp. He can only do this with living human or animal blood.
  • Darkvision: A Dhampir can see in the dark up to 60'.
  • Sense Undead: When within 30' of an undead creature the Dhampir gets to automatically roll a saving throw to sense the creature.

Drawbacks

  • Curse of Blood: When exposed to fresh blood the Dhampir must make a saving throw or attempt to feed on the source.
  • Sunlight: In the sunlight all of the Dhampir's actions are at a -2 penalty.

Ghoul

+1 Con, -2 Cha
Ghouls are men and women who have transformed into a monstrous parody of themselves either by a curse or degeneration and are compelled to eat the rotting flesh of corpses. They haunt morgues and graveyards searching for corpses to sate their fiendish desires. They often live in shabby underground tunnels and warrens beneath graveyards, away from normal society, only emerging at night to prowl around. Ghouls look like normal men and women but with unusually sharp, dirty teeth and an unsettling but hard to place oddness about their features and paleness of skin.

Abilities

  • Bite: The Ghoul's jagged teeth inflict 1d4+Str bonus damage.
  • Burrowing: The Ghoul is adept at tunneling through earth to get to their meals and to build underground warrens for their kin to hide and breed in. They can burrow through dirt at a rate of 5' per round.
  • Darkvision: Years of living underground have given the Ghoul the ability to see in the dark out to 60'.
  • Hardy: The unnatural diet and lifestyle has given the Ghoul a +4 bonus to saves vs poison and disease.
  • Rubbery: A Ghoul's body undergoes subtle changes as it degenerates from human to monster. Their bodies are pliable and slightly rubbery giving them an easier time of slipping through tunnels and small openings in tombs. It also grants them a +2 to AC.

Drawbacks

  • Curse of the Grave: Ghouls crave rotting human flesh. They must eat several pounds of it daily or begin to lose one point of Con per day until they expire. Feeding causes this damage to stop and return at the rate of one point per day as long as they keep feeding. In addition to this any Ghoul who comes near dead human flesh must make a saving throw with a -4 penalty or attempt to devour the flesh.
  • Sunlight: The nocturnal existence of the Ghoul has given it an aversion to sunlight. All daylight actions are at a -2 penalty.

The Living Dead

+1 Str, +1 Con, -4 Cha
The Living Dead are intelligent reanimated corpses with free will and a craving for living flesh. They can be the result of black magic, alchemical experimentation, radiation, and other bizarre methods. They appear as corpses with varying levels of decay. Once reanimated their rate of decay is halted by the eating of living flesh. The Living Dead, with the proper precautions, can blend into society and try to lead a normal life. At least until their craving overwhelm them and they eat their neighbors. With makeup, cologne, and poor gas lamp lighting even severely decayed ones can pass for a living human.

Abilities

  • Eat the Flesh: The bite of the Living Dead (1d3+Str bonus damage  allows them to feed on living flesh. They regain 1hp for every 2hp devoured.
  • Immune: The Living Dead are not affected by Sleep and Charm spells.
  • No Biologic Functions: They need not eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. They are immune to poison and disease.
  • Nonvital Organs: Their nonfunctional organs and dead flesh make them harder to damage. +2 to AC.

Drawbacks

  • Curse of the Flesh: The Living Dead is cursed to crave the flesh of the living. It must eat at least 4 hp of living flesh by dusk each day or begin to crave to feed. When this happens the Living Dead must make a saving throw when sighting any live creature (humans preferred) or attack the living to devour its flesh.
  • Unhealing: The dead body of the Living Dead does not naturally heal. It must repair itself by consuming living flesh.

Serpentman

+1 Dex, +1 Int
Their ancestors ruled the primordial world before men became men. Hiding in tunnels and secret places in the earth the Serpentmen have existed along side mankind, waiting for their chance to reclaim their lost glory and empires. Modern Serpentmen are adept at blending in with mankind either by magical disguise or stealth and trickery, often using minions as their public face. They view humans as inferior 'monkeys' and most desire nothing short of ruling the world by gaining knowledge and power. Theirs is a tradition of powerful magic and sorcery; it is not uncommon for Serpentmen to belong to magic using classes.

Abilities

  • Climbing: The Serpentman's sinewy body and limbs allow it to climb as a Thief of equal level.
  • Darkvision: The Serpentmen can see in the dark up to 60'.
  • Poison Resistance: Serpentmen have a natural +4 save bonus vs poisons.
  • Poisonous Bite: The Serpentmen have a nasty fanged bite dealing 1d4 damage. In addition, 3x per day, they can inject venom with the bite. Damage is 2d6, save for half damage.
  • Magic Resistance: Serpentmen have always dealt in magic and the blood of powerful sorcerers run in all of their veins. +2 bonus to saves vs spells.
  • Scaly Hide: The scales of the Serpentmen give them a +1 bonus to AC.

Drawbacks

  • Cold Blooded: Serpentmen do not tolerate cold very well. They have a -4 penalty to saves vs cold.
  • Freak: Serpentmen are walking snake-men. They are a horror to the average man or woman who will most likely run screaming or try to kill it if discovered. They effectively have a Charisma of 0 when dealing with normal people, even allies. This may be overcome given time and actions by the Serpentman, if he can treat the people in question as more than lab monkeys or food. 

Victorian Robot

+2 Int
These rare creations are the result of advanced, often far ahead of their time, inventors and scientists who have managed to create self-aware machines. Running on steam, clockworks, and sometimes radioactive materials the Victorian Robot is self-aware and a true oddity and marvel of Victorian Science. Although they are viewed with curiosity and often mistrust and fear from society the Victorian Robot often seeks approval and a sense of self-worth.  For convenience and to mimic humanity they are often humanoid shaped metal constructs.

Abilities

  • Armor: The Robot is sturdily constructed. +4 bonus to AC.
  • Hands of Steel: The Robot does 1d6+Str bonus in unarmed damage.
  • Hardened: The Robot receives a +4 bonus to saves vs fire and cold.
  • Immunity: The Robot is immune to Sleep and Charm spells. 
  • No Biologic Functions: They need not eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. They are immune to poison and disease.

Drawbacks

  • Freak: Because of their odd appearance and origins they are looked upon as property by the majority of society. They effectively have a Charisma of 0 when dealing with normal people. This may be overcome given time and actions by the Robot, especially if it can convince those people that it is more than a talking garbage can.
  • Power Source: Because of their relatively primitive construction (compared to modern machines) the Victorian Robot must replenish its power source once every three days or it will begin to lose one point of Con per hour until it reaches 0 Con and shuts down. After shut down it can be reactivated with proper fuel and regains Con at the rate of two points per hour. 
  • Repairs: Victorian Robots do not naturally heal but must be repaired. The mechanic must make an Int check each hour to repair 1d6 hp for that hour of work.

Werewolf

+1 Con, -1 Cha
Werewolves are men or women who are afflicted with the curse of transforming into a raging wolf-man on the three nights of the full moon. They can control the change on other nights, changing at dusk and back to human at dawn. They appear normal, but a bloodthirsty beast resides in their soul, waiting to burst free and kill anything around it. They are damned and most cannot live with the guilt of their monthly rampages and attempt to confine or imprison the Beast when it manifests. Often they come to a point where they kill themselves. Others embrace the Beast inside and in their madness become evil predators in their human form as well.

In Human Form
Abilities

  • Alertness: The Werewolf is only surprised on a 1 on a 1d6.
  • Change at Dusk: On non-full moon nights the Werewolf can choose to change into his Wolfman form at dusk. He is in control during this time, unlike during the full moon. He must stay in this form until dawn.
  • Pentagram Mark: The Werewolf has a +2 bonus to saves vs magic.
  • Track by Scent: The Werewolf can follow a scent trail on a 1-4 on a 1d6.

Drawbacks

  • Animal Panic: A Werewolf cannot come within 10' of an animal or that animal must make a saving throw or try to flee in panic from the Werewolf.
  • Curse of the Full Moon: Werewolves, on the three nights of the full moon, become agitated as the moon begins to rise. They are irritable and twitchy, often uncomfortable in clothing and around others. Once the moon reaches its zenith the human form undergoes a monstrous change. Over the course of five rounds the human form sprouts hair over the entire body, the joints twist and reform as muscle and bone are increased, the nails and teeth become monstrous claws and cruel fangs, the ears elongate, and the eyes become wolfish as a short muzzle dominates the face.
  • They regain their human form upon the rising of the sun. A Werewolf cannot fully remember what it has done in the form of the Wolfman The memories are spotty as if from a half-remembered nightmare.

Using its Berserker ability the Wolfman will viciously attack anyone it sees until its victim is dead or the beast is driven off. It will make no distinction between friend or foe. It will ravage anyone in its way. Those who are bitten by the Beast and survive are cursed to become Werewolves upon the rising of the next month’s full moon.

In Wolfman Form
-2 Int, -2 Wis
The Wolfman has the same HD that he did in human form. Add +2 hp per HD for the new hp total.
These hp are subtracted from the human form's total when he changes back at dawn. This may bring him below 0 hp.
Attacks are at +1 per HD, as any normal monster.
Saving Throw is the same as human form.
Cannot use any class abilities in this form.
Cannot speak in this form.

Abilities

  • Alertness: The Wolfman is only surprised on a 1 on a 1d6.
  • Berserker: If angered or attacked  the Wolfman must make a saving throw or go into a violent rage attacking the source of his rage with a +2 bonus to hit/damage and a -2 penalty to AC. Once combat is over (the opponent is dead or has successfully fled) the Wolfman can make a saving throw to come out of his rage and not attack his allies in his frenzy. He makes this saving throw check each round til he comes out of the rage. On nights of the full moon, the Wolfman can use this ability at will. 
  • Bite and Claw: The Wolfman can attack with two claws(1d6+Str bonus each) or one bite (2d4+Str bonus.)
  • Inhuman Strength: The Wolfman is far stronger than a human. To reflect this he gains a +2  (in addition to their normal Strength bonus) to all  melee and unarmed damage rolls, as well as to attempts to open doors. The +2 is also used as a bonus to any Strength attribute checks. 
  • Pentagram Mark: The Wolfman has a +2 bonus to saves vs magic.
  • Regeneration: The Wolfman regenerates all damage but silver at a rate of 1 hp per round.
  • Runner: The Wolfman has a movement of 15.
  • Supernaturally Tough: The extra bone and muscle gives the Wolfman a +2 bonus to AC.
  • Track by Scent: The Wolfman can follow a scent trail on a 1-4 on a 1d6.
  • Weapon Immunity: The Wolfman takes 1/2 damage from all sources except silver or magical weapons. These do full damage.

Drawbacks

  • Animal Panic: A Wolfman cannot come within 10' of an animal or that animal must make a saving throw or try to flee in panic from the Werewolf.
  • Freak: He's a huge werewolf. He'll send the average man or woman into a screaming panic or a catatonic coma. Wolfmen effectively have a Charisma of 0 when dealing with normal people. This may be overcome given time and actions by the Wolfman.




Dark Shadows: Vampires and Barnabas Collins stats.(OSR)


If you've not seen the original show go check it out on youtube. It's great Gothic RPG fodder!

Based on viewings of the old show and various sites about the series on the web the following should be pretty close to what a classic Dark Shadows TV Vampire would look like. Strong but not overwhelmingly strong, with several classic powers and weaknesses.

To build a Vampire, simply make a character with a character class. Then apply the Abilities and Flaws below.
Viola! Dark Shadows Vampire.

Abilities

  • Batform: The Vampire can transform into a large bat. The transformation is instantaneous but the creature cannot do any other action that round except move.
  • Bite: The Vampire's razor sharp fangs inflict 1d4 damage.
  • Blood Healing: For every 2 hp damage the Vampire causes with his teeth he can drink and regain 1 hp. He can only do this with living human or animal blood.
  • Curse of the Vampire: Two ways exist to become a Vampire. The first is to be cursed by a poweful Witch or Warlock. The second method involves the bite of the Vampire. If a target is drained to death by a Vampire he or she will rise three nights later as one of the undead. These newly formed vampires are usually subservient to their more powerful master.
  • Darkvision: A Vampire can see in the dark up to 90'.
  • Hypnotism: The gaze of the Vampire can affect his target as if a Charm Person or a Sleep spell  had been cast. The target receives a saving throw to avoid this but it is at a 4 penalty if the Vampire has previously bitten the target.
  • Immune:  Vampires are not affected by Sleep and Charm spells.
  • Strength of the Dead: As undead creatures they have an unnatural strength when compared to mortals. To reflect this the Vampire gains a +2 (in addition to their normal Strength bonus) to all  melee and unarmed damage rolls, as well as to attempts to open doors. The +2 is also used as a bonus to any Strength attribute checks. 
  • Travel: The Vampire can disappear and reappear from sight, teleporting from one location to another. This is limited to 30' per hit dice of the creature and can only be used a limited number of times per day: once per day per every four HD of the Vampire.
  • Undead: Vampires need not eat, drink, sleep, or breathe. They are immune to poison and disease. Their only need is blood. Their nonfunctional organs and dead flesh make them harder to damage. +2 to AC. The Vampire is incapacitated when a stake is driven through his heart (-8 attack.) If the stake is removed the Vampire returns to life. Cutting off the head gives them a final death.

Drawbacks

  • Anchoring: A Vampire is compelled to sleep in a coffin to hide from the sun. If a crucifix is placed on the coffin and it is wrapped in chains the Vampire is trapped within, paralyzed and unable even to use itsTravel ability to escape.
  • Curse of Blood: When expcosed to fresh blood the Vampire must make a saving throw or attempt to feed on the source. If the Vampire does not drink at least 4 hp of blood daily he ages 1d4 years and Strength, Dexterity, and Charisma drops by one point. These an never go below one however and can be healed up by one point per day with normal 4hp feeding.
  • Holy Items: Vampires cannot approach within 10' of a holy object, bible, holy water, or sacred ground without making a saving throw. Even then he will take 1d6 damage if he come into physical contact. 
  • Sunlight: Any exposed flesh causes a smoking, withering damage to the Vampire. The damage is variable: 1 point for a finger, 1d2 for a hand, 1d4 for a limb or head, 1d6 for a torso or full exposure.

Batform
The Vampire retains all statistics except his Str, which effectively drops to 0.
His movement is now 180 (60),
He has a bite attack of 1d6.

In the show Barnabas Collins and others showed various powers which could be explained by their back-stories of dabbling in black magic. In addition to mundane character classes the Vampire may have studied the Dark Arts and gained levels in magic using classes.

Here is a write-up for Barnabas Collins, central character for most of the original Dark Shadows TV series

Barnabas Collins

Vampire Soldier 5/Witch 3
Str 13
Dex 12
Con 13
Int 14
Wis 15
Chs 13

HP: 45
AC: 14 (+2 Soldier, +2 Vampire)
Save: 10 (Best of both classes)
Attack: +5 melee, +4 ranged (two attacks per round)

Special:
Soldier Abilities
Vampire Abilities
Witch Abilities (Folkloric and Infernal Magic options)
Spells

Equipment:
Fine clothing, cape, black signet ring, silver wolf-head cane (dmg: 1d3+4 Str/Vamp bonus).


Sunday, October 26, 2014

Lovecraft Dreamlands Creatures (Labyrinth Lord/OSR)

A few Dreamlands creatures converted.

A few relevant creatures from this previous entry:
Bhyakee
Deep One
Ghoul
Nightgaunt
Serpentman
Shoggoth

Blupe

No. Enc.: 1 (1d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement:
Fly/Swim: 90’ (30‘)
Armour Class: 9*
* Take minimum damage from physical attacks. Fire-based does normal damage.
Hit Dice: 1
Attacks: 1 pseudopod
Damage: nil. See below.
Save: F1
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: none

Blupes have no effective attack except against fire-based creatures, which they extinguish.

Extinguish Fires: A Blupe can extinguish normal fires with a touch, but take damage as follows:
candle 0, torch 1, camp-fire 1d6, bonfire 2d6 (or more). A Blupe may also make a melee touch
attack against a Fire Elemental in an attempt to damage or destroy the target. Such an attack does 2d6 damage to the Fire Elemental, but also does 1d6 damage to the Blupe. Against a Fire Elemental of 2 HD or less, such an attack kills the target outright unless the Blupe itself is killed by the damage it takes.

Blupes are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, critical hits, and may survive without air
indefinitely, Blupes are flying amoebae-like watery-blue creatures, floating through the air with a smell like fresh rain. They can be summoned by wizards and priests to combat fire-based menaces.

Blupes understand common, but cannot speak.

Buopoth

Use Herd Animal.

This creature is little larger than a horse, but resembles an elephant in general outline. Its short fur is mauve with light green mottling the back and sides. It has large liquid eyes, ears that are more human-shaped than elephantine, and a long proboscis that ends in a mouth. It has two rows of protuberances along its back.









Cat, Dreamland
No. Enc.: 3d6 (10d10)
Alignment: Lawful
Movement: 120' (40')
Armour Class: 7
Hit Dice: 1d4 hp
Attacks: 3 (2 claws, 1 bite)
Damage: 1d2, 1d2, 1d2
Save: T1
Morale: 8 (9 vs. Zoogs)
Hoard Class: VI

Cats cannot wear armour or use any weapon except their natural teeth and claws. They can attack three times per round, two claws and one bite, for 1d2 dmg + Str bonus per attack.
Cats are stealthy little creatures. They can use the Thief abilities Move Silently , Climb Walls , Hide in Shadows , and Hear Noise as a Thief of three levels higher than the Cat. (A second level Cat makes his rolls as if a fifth level Thief.)

The naturally stealthy cat also surprise foes 1-4 on a 1d6.

Because they are so small, cats have a lower armour class (-2) when attacked by creatures greater than human sized.

Leap to the Moon:
Once per night, a cat may leap from the Earth to the Moon and then back.
A group may also take non-cats along with them, with a weight limit equal to the cats' total mass.

This power is rarely used by a single cat due to the dangers to be faced on the Moon such as Moon-Beasts and Cats from Saturn. A typical Cat army numbers 50-100. The journey takes about one hour, and cannot be aborted once started. During this time, the leapers are protected from the dangers of space (including attacks by monsters).

Dreamland Cats come in all varieties and colours known on Earth. Dreamland Cats are of human intelligence, understand common, have their own language, and have a highly organized society based on military service in wars with Cats from other worlds such as Saturn and Uranus. They also wage war on Zoogs and others who harm Cats.

Dhole

No. Enc.: 1 (1d6+2)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 240’ (80‘)
Burrow: 150’ (50‘)
Armour Class: -10*
* Only hit by +3 weapons or better.
Hit Dice: 50
Attacks: 1 (engulf, spit, or crush)
Damage: swallow, see below, see below.
Save: F19
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: VI

Once per round they can attack with one of three ways.
Engulf: This is an area attack 25’ in diameter. Each victim within that area must make a saving
throw vs. dragon breath with a -4 penalty to the roll or be swallowed. Each victim swallowed takes 3-36 (3d12) points of damage from the bite, plus 4-48 (4d12) points of automatic digestive damage each round.

Spit Goo: Range of two to three miles. Covers a circular area 25’ in diameter. Any living thing
engulfed is stunned for one round and completely covered. Climbing out requires a roll of Str or
less on a 1d100. Those trapped take one HP damage per round from caustic acid and cannot breathe, beginning drowning procedures.

Crush: If crawled over, the character must make a Save vs. Death or be annihilated. If the Save is made the character is barely alive at 1 HP.

Dholes (also known as Bholes) are huge, slimy worm-like horrors, at least several hundreds of
meters long with a gigantic maw at the fore-end, burrowing beneath the masses of bones in the Vale of Pnath.

Dragon, Dreamland

Red Dragon stats. Int 6.
Dreamlands dragons are savage creatures of low intelligence not even capable of speech., with scaly black or green hides and smouldering red eyes. They do not cast spells or use items and only exist to eat, ravage, and steal treasure.

Fire Worm

No. Enc.: 1 (2d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 60' (20')
Armour Class: 4
Hit Dice: 2 - 10
Attacks: 2 (tail lash and bite)
Damage: (2-4 HD) 1d6/2d6, (6-7HD) 2d6/3d6, (8-10 HD) 3d6/4d6
Save: F1 - 5
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: none

The worm can ignite its body at fill for six rounds, three times daily, catching flammable materials on fire and adding +1d6 heat damage to its tail lash and bite.

Serpent-like creatures ranging in size from six to forty feet, they have deeply sculpted and
segmented natural armour plates of blue and orange covering their limbless bodies. Their flaming bodies glow like embers through the chinks in their armour They are native to the jungles of Parg where they slowly creep through the undergrowth leaving smoking and fiery trails.

The fire worms are peaceful animals unless bothered, then they are ferocious in their defence.
Every fifty years they swarm in massive numbers, burning and devastating the landscape, after
which they die off, and none are seen for a full decade.

Ghast

No. Enc.: 1d6 (2d6)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 150’ (50’)
Armour Class: 5
Hit Dice: 5
Attacks: 2 (bite and kick)
Damage: 1d8, 2d6
Save: F3
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: XXI

When exposed to sunlight they sicken and will die. Each round of exposure causes 2d6 damage to the Ghast.

Large semi-human bipedal creatures the size of a horse. Horrible to behold with no nose or
forehead, they have hoofed feet on long kangaroo-like legs, fangs, and yellow-red eyes. They exist in the light-less Vaults of Zin, preying on those they catch, cannibalizing one another if no other creature is available. In packs they will cooperate to bring down and eat the massive Gugs.

Gnoph Keh (Degenerate Human Race)
A forgotten and near-mythical tribe of degenerate humans living somewhere in the icy northern
realm of Lomar. They are savages and cannibals. They are Stone Age primitives, wearing crude furs and wielding primitive stone axes and clubs. They subsist on hunting snow apes, bears, foxes, seals, and anyone who falls into their hands. They will weed out the weak, the lame, and the old among them in cannibalistic feasts. They worship and name themselves after the Gnoph Keh.

Use the stats for Neanderthal.

Gug

No. Enc.: 1d6 (2d6)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120’ (40’)
Armour Class: 3
Hit Dice: 10
Attacks: 2 or 1 (2 claws or 1 bite)
Damage: 2d6, 2d6 or 2d8
Save: F5
Morale: 10 (5 when facing ghouls)
Hoard Class: XX

Unclean giants, banished beneath the earth for unspeakable and terrible rites. They are hairy,
standing twenty feet tall with great fanged maws split vertically from chin to forehead. Each of their great arms are split into two terrible clawed hands.

Lamp Eft

No. Enc.: 1 (1d4)
Alignment: Neutral
Fly: 60’ (20’)
Armour Class: 7
Hit Dice: 1 (1d4 hp)
Attacks: 1 (tap-ray)
Damage: Spell Drain…see below.
Save: F1
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: None

The creature’s only attack is a ranged touch attack: the tap-ray. This attack has a range of 60’ and can be employed once per round. Once it has successfully “tapped” one target it will be sated and flee. The creatures can automatically sense spell ability within 120’. If given a choice they go for true spell-casters first.

The attack only effects those with spells or spell-like abilities.
If the target casts memorized spells or spell-like ability, a random memorized spell or ability is lost. If the target has memorized spells or spell-like abilities from more than one class, randomly
determine which class loses the memorized spell or ability.

Spell ability lost to the tap ray is regained when the victim is able to regain his daily allotment of
spells.

The tap-ray can dispel creatures of magical shadow. The target must make a Save vs. Spells or be effected. Undead shadows are destroyed, shadowy “Outsiders” or demons are sent back to where they came from, and shadow spells or items are affected as if by a Dispel Magic cast by a fifth level caster.

Lamp-Efts can emit light, as per the spell, from its eyes at will. They can turn this ability off or on as a free action.

Lamp-Efts are small phosphorescent creatures resembling salamanders with huge glowing eyes. They are purely nocturnal creatures who drift above the upper atmosphere, only descending to feed. They ingest magical energy rather than food and are attracted to characters with magical abilities.

Spellcasters familiar with the creatures may use the Summon Lamp-Eft spell to bring them forth.

The creatures can understand common, but cannot speak.

Man of Leng

Almost humans inhabiting the dreaded plateau of Leng. They have too wide mouths, short horns, and goat legs and cloven hoofs. They were enslaved long ago by the slippery toadish Moonbeasts, serving as soldiers, slaves, and, if plump enough, food. They prefer to wield scimitars and wear long dark robes and turbans to disguise themselves among men. They sail the black ships south to trade with the men of the Six Kingdoms, taking on gold and slaves from the jungle kingdoms.









Moonbeast

No. Enc.: 2d6 (5d6)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 90’ (30’)
Armour Class: 5*
Hit Dice: 2
Attacks: 1
Damage: by weapon
Save: F2
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: XIX
*Moonbeasts take minimum possible damage from piercing weapons.

The Moonbeasts are greyish-white slippery toad like things based on the moon, which they reach in black flying ships piloted by their Lengish slaves. They worship Nyarlathotep and have a love of torturing other races which fall into their rubbery paws.





Phosphorescent Monster

No. Enc.: one per Wenelian Pirate
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 60’ (20‘)
Fly/Swim: 300’ (100‘)
Armour Class: 0
Hit Dice: 10
Attacks: 2 (wing blast and mouth scoop)
Damage: 1d6 and see below
Save: F5
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: none

The monster attacks by buffeting opponents with its wings and sucking everything in its path into
its massive vacuuming maw . Those hit by its wings (normal attack roll) take 2d6 damage. As it is beating its foes with its wings, everything in a 100’ radius in front of its mouth must make a Save vs. Breath Weapon to avoid being sucked into the creature’s gullet. Everyone and everything sucked inside takes 2d6 damage per round from digestive acid.

The Phosphorescent Monster is a great glowing green quadruped thing. It has vast bat-wings and stands more than 30’ at the shoulder. Their predominant feature is their gigantic scoop mouths which suck nearly anything in their path into the beast’s belly. The monsters serve as mounts for the Wenelian Pirates who fly them through the void of space to attack and raid other worlds. The beasts are stupid, and may suck in inanimate objects, small buildings, and even an occasional unfortunate Wenelian Pirate who gets too close to the mouth.
(NOTE: In the Dreamlands, the space between worlds is only slightly colder than a bad winter and is filled with a breathable substance which also allows ships, other craft, and certain mounts to travel through it.)

Shantak

No. Enc.: 1d3 (2d6)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 90’ (30‘)
Fly/Swim: 240’ (80‘)
Armour Class: 3
Hit Dice: 7
Attacks: 1 (bite)
Damage: 3d6
Save: F4
Morale: 9 (will always flee nightgaunt attacks)
Hoard Class: none
Shantaks are immune to cold and vacuum and can fly through space.

Gigantic lizard-birds , often described as noisome and loathsome, they are larger than elephants with heads reminiscent of horses and slippery scales. They are steeds of various servants of the Outer Gods, summoned by the Summon Shantak spell. They have been known to unwary riders to the throne of Azathoth, and to the riders doom.

Shantaks have an extreme fear of Nightgaunts, and will always flee from them.

Spider of Leng

No. Enc.: 1d3 (2d6)
Alignment: chaotic
Movement:120’ (40‘)
Climb: 90’ (30‘)
Armour Class: 5
Hit Dice: 8
Attacks: 1 (bite or web)
Damage: 2d6 + poison or web (see below)
Save: F8
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: XX

The Spiders have a virulently poisonous bite. 3x per day they can inject a poison with a successful bite. The poison does 3d6 dmg, Save vs. Poison at -4 penalty for half damage.

The Spiders can also expel a blast of webbing to entangle foes 3x per day. This ability functions as per the Web spell.

Spiders of Leng are huge arachnid monstrosities, newborns are reported to be the size of ponies. They are purplish and black in colour with bloated bodies and long bristly legs. They are intelligent, cunning, and very dangerous. Whole valleys in the plateau of Leng are webbed over by these creatures with miles of tunnels running vertically and horizontally through the web. They are incredibly territorial, attacking all outsiders. They are also cannibalistic, turning on one another during times of famine.

Wenelian Pirate

No. Enc.: 2d6 (1d6 x 10)
Alignment: chaotic
Fly (Float): 60’ (20‘)
Armour Class: 7
Hit Dice: 1+1
Attacks: 1 (calcite snout dart)
Damage: 1d8
Save: F1
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: XIX

The Wenelians primary weapon is a tiny calcite dart fired with amazing force from their tubular
proboscis. This dart has a range of 20/40/60. There is no ammo rating for the darts, the Wenelians somehow create it in their alien bodies in an unlimited amount.

The Wenelians have a special attack they can employ 3x per day, the Blue-Black Vapour.
The vapour is emitted by the Wenelian and covers an area 30’ in diameter. Those caught inside the vapour cloud have their eyes and ears clogged with the stuff, interfering with attacks, spell casting, and ability use. All attacks are at a -4 penalty, all spells have a 50% chance of being miscast, and all abilities such as thief abilities are at half normal chance. The vapour dissipates normally at 1d4+2 rounds, faster at the LL discretion for high winds, etc.

The Wenelian Pirates are bizarre alien raiders from the planet Yundu. They rarely come to the
Dreamlands, but are fierce and ruthless when they do, riding their horrifying and deadly
Phosphorescent Monsters and raiding towns and taking slaves for some dark purpose.

The Wenelian bodies are bloated, sausage like tubes, beautifully coloured in shades of golden
yellow, mouse grey, ochre, and emerald, which they can contract and extend like a leech. At the
head of the body is a wrinkled tubular proboscis. A pair of ear-like fins sits above this snout, and a pair of long eye-stalks sit behind these. The eyes are cruel black globes. The Wenelians are a species that floats, writhing along above the ground.

Zoog

No. Enc.: 2d6 (5d10)
Alignment: chaotic
Movement: 90’ (30‘)
Climb: 60 (20‘)
Armour Class: 7
Hit Dice: 1d4
Attacks: 1 (bite or weapon)
Damage: 1d2 or 1d3 (tiny dagger) or 1d2 (tiny dart, 10/20/30)
Save: F1
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: XIX

Like Cats, Zoogs cannot wear armour but they do often employ tiny weapons, daggers and darts, in addition to their vicious little bite.

Also like Cats, they are stealthy little creatures, able to use the Thief abilities Move Silently , Climb Walls , Hide in Shadows and Hear Noise as a Thief of three levels higher than the Zoog (a one HD Zoog makes its rolls as if a fourth level Thief.)

The naturally stealthy Zoog also surprise foes 1-4 on a 1d6.

Because they are so small, Zoogs have a lower armour class (-2) when attacked by creatures greater than human sized.

Zoogs are small rodent-like creatures, the size of cats, with large eyes and toothy maws surrounded by a cluster of short pink tentacles. They have dexterous forepaws with which they use weapons and tools. Their hairless tails are prehensile, allowing them to hang from limbs and bars like opossums. They live in the Enchanted Wood in the Dreamlands, where they live off of fruit, fungi, and the the flesh of the unwary.

They live in family groups but gather in large groups at secret sites to trade stories. Their leaders (such as they are) are those among them who have collected the most stories or those who are adventurous and lucky enough to have survived exciting adventures.

The curiosity of the Zoogs has lent them to the occasional habit of parleying with other races for
information, rather than just ambushing them for meat. They will even befriend specific individuals that bring them new and exotic stories or foods, but they are fickle and dangerous to deal with.

The Zoog language is a fluting sounding thing. They can learn other languages and often do, but
cannot physically speak them without magical aide. They will only teach their language to their
most trusted friend.


Lovecraft Mythos Creatures (Labyrinth Lord/OSR) Part I

Halloween is around the corner. Let's do a few reposts in tune with the season.
Up first, a few of my Mythos write-ups.


Bhyakee

No. Enc.: 1d4
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 60’ (20‘)
Fly: 240’ (80‘)
Armour Class: 7
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 2 (claws) or 1 (bite)
Damage: 1d8 claw, 1d8 claw or 1d10 bite + blood drain*
Save: F6
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: none
* With a successful bite attack, the Bhyakee will attach itself to its victim, automatically draining
1d6 points of blood per round until the victim is dead, the Bhyakee is killed, or the Bhyakee is
damaged and brought to below half of its hit points.

The Bhyakee are immune to cold and the vacuum of space, where they often serve as mounts
carrying visitors from one world to another.

The Bhyakee are described as “ hybrid winged things… not altogether crows, nor moles, nor
buzzards, nor ants, nor decomposed human beings…”. Horrible interstellar creatures, larger than a humans, they can carry one medium sized creature or smaller as a rider. They are alien to most worlds and must be summoned with the Summon Bhyakee spell.

Colour Out of Space

No. Enc.: 1
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: Flow along the ground. 60’ (20‘)
Fly: 180’ (60‘)
Armour Class: 9 *
Hit Dice: 10
Attacks: 1 (ability drain or disintegrate or bash)
Damage: see below
Save: F10
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: none
*A Colour is immaterial and is only hurt by magic and magic weapons.

The Colour has two types of ability drain attacks. The first is aggressive and the second is
insidiously passive. When the Colour is draining/feeding on the life energy of it’s victims, the
victim’s skin and face glow with the colour Those attacked with the aggressive rapid drain find
themselves quickly withering and greying, flesh cracking and flaking away in powdered sloughs.
Those effected by the passive drain slowly waste away to crumbling grey ash.

With the aggressive attack, those attacked by the Colour have a 1-4 in 6 chance of noticing the glow of the thing or a smell of ozone as a warning, otherwise it gains surprise and the victims will most likely not even realize what is happening. The thing flows over the target making a touch attack. Those successfully attacked must make a Save vs. Paralyse or lose two points from each ability score. Fleeing the area is most likely the best way of escaping the Colour’s aggressive attack. Death is the second most likely.

The passive attack is subtle and horrid. The creature can insert itself into an ecosystem with a five to ten acre radius. Once integrated it begins to feed on all life in that area over the course of many days. Plants and animals will succumb quickly, but intelligent creatures may have a chance to fight off the effects to last longer. For each day in the vicinity of the Colour, a victim must make a Save vs. Paralyse or lose one point from each ability score. Each failed save imposes a -1 penalty on all future saves against the Colour.

The power of the Colour over its victim is so strong that if the victim wishes to leave the area the Colour controls, he must make a Save vs. Spells to break the thing’s hold over him.
The Colour can also focus its energies to disintegrate objects. This is identical to the spell
Disintegrate. It rarely uses this as an attack form, however, as it requires a great deal of its energy and is a waste of food. The disintegration is mainly used to excavate a lair if no suitable sanctuary is available.

Finally, the Colour can concentrate part of itself into a transparent tentacle-like organ which it can grapple, grab/manipulate objects, or bash for 1d6 damage.

Bright lights do not harm, but do inhibit the Colour. It will not be active in daylight, hiding in cool,
dark, and often wet places. If attacked by a light source stronger than a torch or oil lantern, such as a Light spell, it must make a Save vs. Paralyse or it will not enter the area of the light.

Colours Out of Space are incredibly dangerous beings composed of nothing but colour; it is
immaterial and without true substance in it’s normal state. When it moves it appears as a weird
amorphous cloud of alien and unknown colour flowing over the ground or flying through the air.
Though it does not physically touch its victims, it’s passing leaves a feeling of a leprous, unclean
vapour.

Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath

No. Enc.: 1 (1d3)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120’ (30‘)
Armour Class: 5
Hit Dice: 8
Attacks: 4 (tentacles) or trample
Damage: 1d8 per tentacle or trample (see below)
Save: F8
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: none
* The Dark Young take minimum damage from piercing weapons. Other weapons do normal
damage.

They are immune to heat, acid, electricity, and poison.

If a Dark Young hit’s the target by more than 5 on its attack roll, it snatches the victim up to its
mouth for an extra 1d10 in bite damage. The victim must make a Str check at -5 to break free or continue to be chewed on. A victim can continue to attack while being constricted.

When a Dark Young gets close to its target it may attempt to trample the victim with its massive
bulk and hooves. This attack adds +4 to hit if the opponent is human-sized or smaller and does 3d6 damage.

Because of its tree-like bulk and silhouette, the Dark Young can hide in darkened woods with 80% proficiency, gaining surprise on unsuspecting victims that wander by.

The Dark Young are gigantic beings, the size of large trees. Their top halves are clusters of black, ropey, slimy tentacles which merge with the large multiple tree-like hoofed legs. Great gnashing mouths dot the surface of the beasts. They smell like carrion and, when trampling and attacking, create a deafening sound of hooting, roaring, and screaming from their multiple mouths.

Deep One

No. Enc.: 1d6+2 (3d6)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120' (40')
Swim: 120’ (40‘)
Armour Class: 6
Hit Dice: 2+1
Attacks: 1 (claw or weapon)
Damage: 1d4 or weapon
Save: D2
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: XVIII

Deep Ones can wear any armour and use any weapon although this is somewhat limited by their aquatic natures. They will not wear metal armour underwater as the weight is too great, and they tend to favour thrusting weapons such as tridents or spears.

Deep Ones have a natural claw attack doing 1d4 dmg, and have tough scaly skin that improves their natural AC by 2 (if the Deep One is wearing armour, he uses the armour AC instead.)
Deep Ones have infravision of 60 feet. They are amphibious, preferring to live in the ocean but can survive on land indefinitely.

Deep Ones parties will normally be led by an exceptional leader with 4 HD and doing +2 on
damage rolls. Rarely a champion is encountered, having 6 HD and +3 to damage.

Deep Ones have priests devoted to Cthulhu, able to cast spells as a Cleric of their HD.

The Deep Ones are an amphibious race, living in mighty cities beneath the cold ocean waves. They worship the mighty Cthulhu and serve two gigantic and powerful Deep Ones known as Father Dagon and Mother Hydra. They are effectively immortal, only dying by violence or accident. Their lives are arrogant, cruel, and violent; they are a warlike race raiding coastal communities to plunder gold, gather sacrifices, and, horribly, to sometime mate, for they are driven by a monstrous desire to breed with humanity to produce hybrid spawns.

Elder Thing

No. Enc.: 1d8
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 90’ (30‘)
Fly/Swim: 150’ (50‘) / 60’ (20‘)
Armour Class: 4
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 4 (tentacles)
Damage: 1d4 per tentacle
Save: F6
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: XXI

Elder Things take half damage from heat and cold attacks. They are also amphibious, able to
survive in water just as easily as land.

An Elder Thing stands over eight feet tall with most of it being a ridged barrel-like torso. Thin
horizontal arms radiate like spokes from a central ring. Knobs or bulbs project from the head and base of the barrel torso, each of which being the hub of a system of five long, flat, triangular tapering arms arranged around it like a star-fish. Large membranous wings fold out from slots in the torso. The Elder Things communicate with piping whistles and their otherworldly senses allow them to operate unimpaired in total darkness.

The Elder Things are a strange race from beyond the stars, arriving billions of years ago. They built great empires and changed the world. After many aeons they lost the ability to fly through space on their wings. They built vast empires and created the deadly Shoggoths. They fought vicious wars with the Mi-go and the Star spawn, but lost, driven out of their mighty Cyclopean cities and into the Arctic regions and beneath the seas where some may still dwell, hidden beyond the memory of the races who came after them.

They are masters of advanced surgery and capable of tampering and changing life: are they not the creators of the terrible Shoggoth? When encountered, will often attempt to capture races and creatures to autopsy for study and cataloging.

Fire Vampire

No. Enc.: 1 (2d6)
Alignment: Neutral
Fly: 150’ (50‘)
Armour Class: 2*
Hit Dice: 2
Attacks: 1 (fiery touch)
Damage: 2d6 + level drain
Save: F2
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: none
* Composed of living flame. They are immaterial and immune to fire and all material weapons
except magic weapons, water, which does 1d6 per bucket, or a substance such as sand which can smother it for 1d3 damage per bucket. Spells (except fire based) affect them normally.

The touch of the Fire Vampire, in addition to normal damage, drains one level from its victim.
They also set anything flammable on fire with the slightest touch.

Fire Vampires appear as a foot tall mote of living fire. It is an intelligent gas or plasma and is
capable of reasoning and tactics. They are not native to this world, and appear when summoned, appearing as flaming meteors in the sky. A rare swarm of Fire Vampires is impressively beautiful and horrifically devastating.

Flying Polyp

No. Enc.:
Alignment:
Movement: 90’ (30‘)
Fly: 150’ (50‘)
Armour Class: 2*
Hit Dice: 12
Attacks: 2d6 (tentacles) ignores armour and shields
Damage: 1d10 per tentacle
Save: F12
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: none
*Flying Polyps partially incorporeal and unaffected by normal weapons. They ignore cold and
poison. They take half damage from acid. Polyps are vulnerable to fire, taking normal damage, and extremely vulnerable to electricity, taking half again as much damage as normal.

Flying Polyps primarily attack by shooting a number of tentacles from their cancerous bodies each round. Phasing in and out of existence, they ignore armour and shield bonuses as the pass through them to attack their foes bodies.

Flying Polyps can become invisible at will, but the mad piping and wind sounds emanating from
them allow foes a chance to attack, using normal invisibility rules.

The Flying Polyps have the power to control winds.
Once every five rounds, they can create a wind blast, a funnel of wind 10 yards in diameter, with a range of 60 yards. Those caught it the blast take damage based on how far they were from the Polyp, as the wind dies out the further it gets form the Polyp. 3d6 damage up to 20 yards away, 2d6 up to 40 yards, and 1d6 out to 60 yards. The victim is also thrown back 3 feet per point of damage taken. The damage is due to windburn, dehydration, and flayed flesh.
Flying Polyps can also interfere with their targets movement using the wind to suck them back
towards the Polyp itself. A wind from the Polyp actually pulls them back towards the creature. It
most often uses this ability to slow down escaping prey. The attack may be used within a thousand feet of the Polyp and can affect targets around corners or through unobstructed hallways. Targets must make a Save vs. Spells to move at half speed away from the Polyp each round that the ability is activated. The Polyp can affect a number of targets equal to its HD.

Several Polyps can work together to create a violent wind-storm several miles across. The first
round of cooperation creates a strong wind which grows steadily each round. By the second round, movement is cut to ¾, by the fourth round movement is cut to ½, by the sixth round movement is ¼, and by the eighth round a Save vs. Paralyse is necessary every round to move five feet. Anyone exposed begins taking 1d3 damage on round six, 1d4 at seventh, and 1d6 at eighth and every round until the storm ceases.

The Polyps can maintain the storm for a number of rounds equal to the total number of hit dice of the Polyps involved.

The Flying Polyps are an eldritch race of flying creatures, vaguely resembling massive, writhing
cancerous and polypous masses, somehow seeming semi-plastic, with random eyes, mouths, and tentacles. The whole thing is dripping with horrid slime and other putrescence as parts of the creatures phase in and out of sight and dimension. They are constantly surrounded by a alien piping and faint whistling noise, as of a strong wind blowing.

They came from the blackness of space millions of years ago and raised great black and windowless cities of black basalt towers. They warred for millennia with other eldritch races before being driven underground by their foes, eventually rising up to destroy them utterly. They still dwell in their abyssal pits beneath ruins, occasionally emerging when summoned or when their cavern openings are disturbed.

When encountered they are murderous and ruthless, stalking their prey until they or their victims
are destroyed.

Ghoul
No. Enc.: 1d6 (3d8)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120’ (40’)
Armour Class: 6
Hit Dice: 2
Attacks: 2 claws or Damage: 1d4, 1d4* or 1d6 bite or by weapon type
bite or 1 weapon
Save: F2
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: XX
*If both claws hit the ghoul automatically hits with its bite.

Ghouls have infra-vision up to 60 feet. Because they live out their lives underground in vast tunnels and warrens, they have a 2 in 6 (1-2 on 1d6) chance of detecting traps, false walls, hidden construction, or noticing if passages are sloped. However, Ghouls must be actively searching for these abilities to function.

Ghouls are masters of hiding and camouflage. They have the uncanny ability to disappear into the shadows when underground, in both natural and man-made structures. There chance is 65%. They gain a 5% chance per HD past 2nd. They can also hide in shadows or behind other forms of cover in wilderness or urban settings with a chance equal to half of the above %, rounded up, but they must be silent and motionless.

Ghouls are slippery creatures who get a bonus of +1 to initiative rolls when alone or in a party
composed only of Ghouls.

Loathsome rubbery creatures who eat the dead. A Gug corpse can feed a Ghoul community for a very long time. They live in warrens and bone-filled caverns beneath the earth. They emerge,
usually at night, to rob burial sites of treasure, weapons, and, most horribly, of the dead to feast.

They are not a warrior race, it is their normal tactic to retreat unless their homes are threatened, only then will they attack with great ferocity to defend their lair.

Ghouls are known to be connected with or even ally with Nightgaunts.

Ghouls are known to worship the Great Old One Mordiggian. His priests wear concealing hooded purple robes and metal skull-shaped masks, which double as disguises when the ghouls wish to walk among humans.

Ghouls appear to be a separate species from humans, breeding and living as their own society, but it also seems that some humans can slowly become ghouls, though the exact means are unknown.

Gnoph Keh

No. Enc.: 1 (1d2)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 120’ (40’)
Armour Class: 3
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 3 (1 horn and 2 claws)
Damage: 1d10*, 1d8, 1d8
Save: F6
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: none
*If the creature can move at least 20’ it can charge and do x2 damage with its horn. This is the only attack available to the creature in the round.

The creatures are capable of causing fierce localized blizzards. Three times a day for 1d6+2 hours per blizzard. The radius of the storm is 1500’ and is so intense the visibility is limited to 10’ or less and those not properly protected will take 1d6 damage every fifteen minutes of exposure.

The Gnoph Keh are a race of massive, shaggy, white bear-like creatures with a large horn on their foreheads and six heavily clawed feet. They are incredibly intelligent, but do not speak. They inhabit extremely remote northern glaciers and icecaps, far from humanity. Especially harsh winters or a scarcity of food sometimes a Knoph Keh to the south and into settled regions. They are not overly aggressive but they will defend themselves and their territory with incredible ferocity.

Great Race of Yith

No. Enc.: 1d10 (1d10)
Alignment: Lawful
Movement: 150' (50')
Armour Class: 5
Hit Dice: 8
Attacks: 2 or 1 (2 claws or weapon)
Damage: 1d8/1d8 or weapon
Save: MU8
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: None (See below)
The Great Race are strange creatures with bodies shaped like cones 10' tall and 10' wide at the base with four 10' long tentacles at the top, they move quite swiftly by muscular snail-like foot at base of the cone, two of the tentacles have claws like those of lobster at their ends, one ends in cluster of four fleshy trumpets and the last tentacle ends in globe with array of sensory organs that vaguely resembles a head with several antennas on top, three eyes and small manipulating tentacles at the bottom of the globe.

The Great Race communicate with a form of telepathy similar to the ESP spell that is constantly
active and requires no concentration, they can send a telepathic message to anyone whose surface
thoughts they are reading (allowing two-way communication).

The Great Race themselves are immune to all forms of magical mind control like Charm Monster,
Geas or Irresistible Dance spells.

The Great Race have a special form of Magic Jar available to them that they use to switch bodies,
instead of placing the soul in a gem or large crystal the target's soul ends up inhabiting the body of
that member of the Great race that has switched to the target's body. Members of the Great Race
can try to switch bodies once per day, those involuntarily trapped in their bodies can not. It is
rumoured by sages specializing in such knowledge that the Great Race can, when especially
prepared, switch bodies regardless of time and distance between them and the target.

The Great Race uses body switching with Magic Jar to travel undetected and learn more to sate
their thirst for knowledge The usually distressed target inhabiting the body of the Great Race is
closely guarded and made to write down what ever knowledge they might possess.

The Great Race are highly intelligent and surprisingly dexterous and use equipment with ease.
They sometimes use melee weapons that are a type of pole arm but they prefer to use strange
devices that duplicate the effects of magic items. Their favourite weapon is a "lightning gun" that
works just like Wand of Lightning Bolts but is much bulkier and based on strange alien technology
instead of magic. It can be assumed that if they are expecting trouble when encountered they are
equipped with lightning guns or devices that duplicate the effects of other rods, staves or wands.
Humans coming in to contact with them are sometimes rewarded with gifts of knowledge but other
times whole adventuring parties come back from the deepest underground reaches with alien minds
inhabiting their bodies.

The Fungi from Yuggoth

Mi-Go
No. Enc.: 1d6 (2d6)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 90’ (30’)
Fly/Swim: 120’ (40’)
Armour Class: 4
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 2 (nippers) or weapon
Damage: 1d6, 1d6 or weapon type
Save: F3
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: XVII

The Mi-Go are immune to cold and hard vacuum. They can withstand the rigours of space flight.

The Mi-Go have access to advanced weaponry. Here are some of their devices.

Brain Cylinder
The Mi-Go, with their advanced surgical techniques, can extract a brain from a living creature and place it in this device. They are a foot high and somewhat less in diameter. Three sockets set in a triangle lie over the front convex surface. The cylinder is filled with a nutrient liquid which helps preserve and sustain the living brain within. Mechanisms within allow the brain within to interact with the world via machines hooked up to the sockets, allowing it to see, hear, and talk. These artificial senses are rudimentary and primitive. The voice sounds tinny and hollow. When the machines are unhooked, the brain falls into a semi-coma filled with insane visions and dreams.

Electric Gun
The device is a knobby doorknob sized lump of black metal, buttons, and wires When activated it fires a bluish bolt of sparking electrical energy doing 1d10 damage with a range of 20/40/60. The target must make a Save vs. Paralysis or be immobilized for a number of rounds equal to damage taken.

Mist Projector
A device appearing to be a mass of twisted metal tubes projecting a cone of killing icy mist. It
functions exactly as a wand of cold with 20 charges.

The Fungi from Yuggoth are upright walking pinkish things the size of men. They resemble
crustaceans with large dorsal wings and several sets of segmented limbs terminating in lobster-like claws. Their heads are a balled brainish mass of short antenna structures which they communicate with by changing colours They can speak terrestrial tongues with a buzzing intonation. They cannot ingest Terran food and must import or create food native to their worlds. Mi-Go are not wholly animal, fungus, or something else, but a strange combination of all three.

The Mi-Go hide in the shadows, plotting their plans and using agents to carry them out. They are loathe to reveal themselves and will act quickly to preserve their secret manipulations when they are discovered.

A few Mi-Go know magic and can cast spells as either a Wizard or Cleric of level equal to their HD.

The Hounds of Tindalos 

No. Enc.:  1d4+2
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement: 90' (30')
Fly/Swim:  240' (80')
Armor Class:  4
Hit points (HD): 25hp (5 HD)
Attacks: tongue attack
Damage: 1d8 dmg + Special
Save: F5
Morale: 12  
Hoard Class: None
XP:  920

The Hounds of Tindalos live millions of years in the past occupying the angles of existence whereas normal life inhabit the curves of space and time. They are utterly alien to life as we know it and are vicious predators of both ethereal vapor and strange matter. They do not communicate; they only hunt and destroy. If an entity physically or mentally travels to the distant past of these creatures he risks attracting their attention and inevitably becomes hunted through time and space.

The Hounds are a fearsome enemy. They are not easily defeated.  

Travel Through Angles
The Hounds travel through time and space using angles in our reality as doorways: any angle such as corners of rooms, ceilings, doorways, etc. The angle does not have to be large as the Hound assumes a vaporous form to travel through the angle gateways, but it must be sufficiently angled: at least 120 degrees.

When entering and exiting an angle gateway the Hound stretches and becomes vaporous. It takes three rounds to completely pour itself through and reform on the other side of an angle. 

While vaporous it can only be hit by magic weapons and spells. 

Flawless Track
Once they Hounds take notice of an individual they can track him unerringly across time and space. They will arrive at the victim's time and location at the DM's discretion and their arrival will be announced by the pouring of an ethereal vapor or smoke pouring from the angles they are sliding into that dimension through. They are tireless in their pursuit and do not give up.

Blue Ichor 
The Hound exude a thick blue ichor or pus from their bodies. This ichor, covering their body in sufficient quantities
, allows the Hound to regenerate 2 hp per round. If the Hound is submerged, lit afire, or some other means is used to wipe the coating from the Hound it does not regenerate until the blue ichor reforms over enough of their bodies. It takes 1d4 +2 rounds to sufficiently reform for regeneration.

If the Hound is grappled or the blue ichor comes into contact with a living being not from the Hound's existence the victim must make a Saving Throw vs Poison or lose 1d4 hit points. This effect lasts for 1d6 rounds and the victim gets a Saving Throw each round to avoid damage. The blue ichor can be wiped or washed off taking a full round to do so. 

Tongue Attack
The tongue of a Hound is a horrific thing allowing it to attack creatures withing 10' of its position. In addition to normal damage the Tongue drains vital fluids and life force from the victim, causing horrific wounds in its wake. 

There are two ways a DM can interpret this ability, depending on the level of lethality they wish to inject into their game. 

The first option is a Level Drain: 
The classic feared and permanent method of harming the foolish or unlucky.

The second option is a Constitution Drain: 
1d4 Constitution is lost per hit. The character is dead at 0 Constitution.
No hit points can be healed until all of the Constitution damage is healed. Constitution can be healed at the rate of one point per week of total rest. Healing magic will heal one point of Constitution per healing dice involved plus any modifiers. 
(Example: a spell healing 1d6+1 hit points would heal two Constitution points.)

Miri Nigri

No. Enc.:  2d6+4
Alignment:  Chaotic
Movement: 90' (30')
 Armor Class:  6 
Hit pts. (HD):  9 hp (2HD)
Attacks:  2 claws 
Damage: 1d3 each
Save: F2
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: None. All treasure is for Chaugnar Faugn.
XP: 50

The Miri Nigri are a dwarfish race of inhuman servants,dark skinned with toadish features. They are tireless in serving their creator and god, the slumbering Chaugnar Faugn. They are sent forth to steal men and women for the vampiric hunger of their god.

The subterranean  Miri Nigri have infravision of 90'. 
Their dark coloration, natural stealthiness and small stature give them an advange when surprising opponents. They surprise on a 1-4 on a 1d6.  Their amphibious nature also allows them this bonus when in water.

Nightgaunt

No. Enc.: 2d4 (3d6)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 90’ (30’)
Fly/Swim: 180’ (60’)
Armour Class: 6*
Hit Dice: 2
Attacks: 1 (clutch and tickle)
Damage: see below
Save: F2
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: none
*Nightgaunts are immune to cold, electricity, and fire.

Stealthy and dark, the Nightgaunt surprises victims on a 1-4 on a 1d6 as it attacks.
If successfully attacked, the Nightgaunt’s victim takes no damage but is clutched by the Nightgaunt.

Multiple Nightgaunts can gang up on the same victim. If the victim does not successfully damage
the Nightgaunt clutching him before its next attack, the victim remains grappled and is tickled by
the Nightgaunt’s barbed tail. The victim must then make a Save vs Paralysation at a 4 penalty or is immobilized for 1d6+1 rounds.

After this time, another Save is allowed, although the victim may want to hold on if he is far above the ground by then.

If a particularly bothersome victim annoys a Nighgaunt, it can elect to dive at the ground, or at an object, releasing the victim to slam into the obstacle. If flown into an object, such as the side of a mountain, the victim takes 1d6 dmg for every 10’ the Nightgaunt was moving. The Nightgaunt may also decide to drop the victim, causing normal falling damage.

Cold, slim, rubbery creatures with black whale-like skin, a wickedly barbed tail, bat wings,
inwardly curving horns, and a blank featureless face. The serve Nodens by guarding Mt. Ngranek and other places of mystery and loneliness, only coming out at night. Intruders to their eyries are often flown away and left in the most dismal and horrible places the Nightgaunts can find. The Nightgaunts understand the gibbering of the Ghoul language and are friendly and often work with the Ghouls.

Serpentman

No. Enc.: 1d4 (2d6)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120’ (40‘)
Armour Class: 5
Hit Dice: 1
Attacks: 1
Damage: weapon or spell or bite
Save: E1
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: XVII

Serpentmen can wear any armour, and their tough scaly skin improves their natural AC by 1 (if the Serpentman is wearing armour, he uses the armour AC instead.) They can use any weapon.

Their fanged mouths can bite for 1d4 damage and, 3x per day, inject a dangerous poison, doing 2d6 damage with a Save allowed for ½ damage.

Serpentmen are masters of magic. They can cast spells as an Elf and may wear armour while
doing so.

Serpentmen also have infravision of 60 feet.

An ancient race, the Serpentmen are humanoid ophidians with scaled skin, fanged snake-like heads, and snake-like tails. They possess great magical abilities and many powerful Serpent men use spells to disguise themselves as a human.

The Serpentmen are remnants of a mighty ancient empire which fell to darkness and death. The
surviving Serpentmen dwell in enclaves hidden underground or in wild, remote places such as deep jungles, deserts, and swamps. They worship the great serpents Set and Yig. A few renegades worship even older and darker gods, but if discovered, they are killed or cast out from their kin. A few of these renegades have corrupted entire enclaves which have fallen into barbarism and madness, worshipping foul dark gods brought to them by the outcasts.

Shoggoth

No. Enc.: 1 (1d4+1)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 120’ (40‘)
Armour Class: 1*
Hit Dice: 20
Attacks: 1 (area attack engulf)
Damage: 5d6
Save: F10
Morale: 12
Hoard Class: none
* Shoggoths are immune to poison, sleep, charms, paralysis, polymorph, and critical hits (if such
things are allowed.) Acid, electricity, and fire only do half damage. Non-magical weapons do only one point of damage.

The Shoggoth attack by engulfing its foe to bite, claw, crush, and suck its target apart. It covers a 15’ radius and everyone within takes damage. On a successful Save vs. Breath Weapon, the victim takes only half damage, is not trapped, and can try to flee. Failure indicates the victim is trapped by the beast and continues to take damage the next round. A Saving Throw is allowed each round to try to escape. Trapped creatures are carried with the Shoggoth as it moves along.

Shoggoths are amphibious, surviving on the deep ocean floor as well as on land.

Shoggoths are massive black amorphous bulks constantly forming and retracting sense organs,
mouths, claws, etc. They are terrible to behold, relentlessly flowing forward with many mouths
gibbering and crying out in a horrible chaotic symphony.

The Shoggoths were created eons ago by the beings known as the Elder Things. They rebelled and destroyed their masters, but they can sometimes be encountered in remote places, or even in the service of powerful wizards or servants of the Old Ones or the Gods, but they are surly servants, growing more rebellious and intelligent, imitating their masters speech and thought, as time goes by.

Terror from Beyond

No. Enc.: 1d4
Alignment: Chaotic
Fly: 90’ (30‘)
Armour Class: 9*
Hit Dice: 3
Attacks: 1 (tendril)
Damage: 2d8
Save: F2
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: none

Partially existing in other dimensions the Terrors are difficult to harm. A +1 weapon is required to hit one.

Spells of force such as Fireball and Lightning Bolt can effect the Terrors, as can spells that provide penalty to subjects, such as Bless reversed. All other spells fail against them.

Terrors are normally invisible to the naked eye. Spells which reveal invisible creatures (excepting Dispel Magic), the powder of Ibn-Ghazi, or other means approved by the LL will reveal the Terror’s form. Ordinarily Terrors are just as oblivious to creatures from normal reality as we are to them. Only when a material creature senses the Terror does the Terror have a chance of sensing them. If the viewer does not move and remains silent the Terror only has a 1 in 6 chance of sensing the observer. If the observer moves or speaks the terror has a 1-4 in 6 chance of sensing the observer, and will attack viciously, ripping chunks of the victim into its own reality and devouring them. To those who cannot see the Terror, the wounds appear as if from out of nowhere. If they render their victim unconscious, they drag them into their own mad realm to be devoured completely. Their clothes and effects stay behind, but anything clutched in their hands is lost forever with them.

Terrors from Beyond look like putrescent, translucent bags of semi-solid flesh trailing nests of
writhing tendrils. Most of these are sense organs, but the thickest tendril ends in a cruel fanged
mouth. They are extremely predatory and will constantly attack and feed on one another in their
own realm.