Monster Ecology Anthology

Hag "They sneak through our world, gobbling up naughty children, seducing the men and wreaking havok. There is not a single race of the material plain that can consider itself safe so long as the Hags and their cousins roam free and alive." --Speech from Guildmaster Trex prior to his guild vanishing. Introduction An extraplanar being of uncompromising malice, I have found myself the captive and unwilling mate of several of these beasts, I have watched them birth horribly offspring stemming from myself. I was lucky enough, however, to have been allowed to keep my notebook. I decided that though I may die here I will record everything I can. These creatures are exclusively female, they rely on captive males such as myself for breeding purposes, though this sometimes leads to a male offspring, I shall condense my notes on them later on. I have witnessed them eating children stolen from a nearby village, orks, goblins, anything they could steal away. I doubt there is any race on this plain that tolerates their existence. Horrendously ugly there are still several varieties I have seen coming and going from my prison. They speak common with no regard if I overhear them, I fear that means the worst. I will piece together tales I have heard as well as things I have seen so I may learn what I can before my end, and hope against hope that someone finds my notes. Variable types Annis Hag This creature seems to use magic, not to disguise itself as a maiden as some of her sisters will do but rather to make herself seem more fierce. Usually a giant or ogre of some sort, though they always strive to make them an exceptionally attractive specimen of whatever race they pretend to be. Though it is hard to be exact from my tiny prison I would venture a guess that these specimen are at least 8 feet in height. Though physically they will, when not in disguise, appear as merely some giant though particularly ugly, old woman. Having heard tales from friends of mine who had gone adventuring I can tell you for certain these beasts are both physically overpowering and dreadfully clever. They use tactics on the battlefield that simple minded creatures simply could not fathom. No doubt they have taken the life of many adventurers with such fearsome abilities. Green Hag I know not the proper name for many of these beasts; they spoke it in a tongue I do not comprehend, so I will merely call this one a Green Hag as it describes it well. Like most of its Hag sisters a Green Hag seems to have the ability to hide its true form and make itself look like any beautiful young lass you might see, say for example, in a farming village as you ride by, recently having spent a year in the underdark studying the beasts to be found there. One should always be wary however of any maiden who seems overly eager to be rid of her flower or you may find yourself in a cramped cell with only a notebook for company. These beasts seem to favour swamplands, or else very desolate forests. They seem to be capable of keeping as pets creatures far more intimidating than themselves which lends credence to their true powers and capabilities, I have seen several different ogres come and go from this place taking orders from these beasts. The only tales I had heard of them say they prefer trickery when combat is unavoidable, they will mimic the sound of nearby beasts to make unwary adventurers drop their guard and then attack from the shadows without warning. Sea Hag Once more a name spoken in tongues I do not know, this one however can be seen dripping with coral and seaweed. I recognized them immediately; a dear friend lost his life escorting me to the underdark to one of these foul monsters. They favour the water, seas or deep lakes he told me. Unlike their cousins they do not hide their true forms, once more looking like a decrepit and in this case drowned old woman who time was particularly cruel to. And unlike Sirens they do not call out to men to lure them to drowning or crashing upon the rocks. Instead they prefer a direct attack method whenever possible. I have found myself losing even my ability to write in their presence and more than once after they have glared at me the sun has moved in the sky. I know not how long I have been here, days, months, dear Pelor how long have I been here. I shudder to think how many of these abominations my carelessness has helped create. Night Hag Wherever it is I am being held this beast seems to be the one in command. Slender fingers shape into claws at the end of its hands; horns grow out of its head in a strange spiral, its skin pitch black and its eyes a glowing fierce red. I have never heard this one speak at all, though I see her and hear her in my nightmares. I am never allowed to rest, they haunt even my attempts at sleep. I fear they seek to drive me insane, I only prey they end me before it comes to that. These creatures seem to be the most dire of the Hags I have otherwise seen from my hole. I have witnessed this one give birth, steal away into the night and return with a human child, no more than a year old, I can only imagine they traded their young for this one. They feasted on it as though it were a spring lamb. I closed my eyes and tried to block the noise. It did little good. 201

Dusk Hags A mere tale I have heard from one of my friends long long ago I think, my hands are looking older, how long have I been here? I must keep my sense of mind, I must keep writing. Dusk hags are sometimes the offspring of Night Hags, rather than the black skin of their mothers theirs is more akin to old paper, very yellowed with time. Tales I have heard have said these Hags are less confrontational and prefer to be left alone, though they can seek companions and often times prefer the company of their sisters. Those same tales also warn of the Dusk Hag and its most insidious ability, that of prophecy. Emperors have ruined their entire realm chasing after some misinterpreted words from a Dusk Hag, and many lesser men have done the same. The prophecy is never wrong, however it is always vague, and this is also why many bands of hags keep them around, to help them plan whatever fiendish cruelty they seek to accomplish. Hagspawn Occasionally from the mating of Hags and their male captives, a son is born to this all female race. The child is accepted neither by the Hags nor by humanity. I have heard that some go out into the world seeking their fortunes or for their own reasons not unlike the Dhampyr. A guild master I was friends with once told me both creatures make exceptional adventurers. Unfortunately I do not know much else about them, they are fierce fighters and they often slightly resemble the Hag breed their mothers come from. Social Observations The hags themselves often form small groups, known as Covey, where they exist as a trio with several dangerous creatures like ogres and giants acting as pets for all intents and purposes. The three seem to be capable of being any variety of hag, the ones noted in my book here are only the ones I have seen or heard tell of, there may be more. They exist in this trio to make best use of their powers. They are fiercely intelligent creatures and often I can see them concocting plans for the nearby town. I wish I could know how many of these creatures exist among them, or how many came from me. Behavioral Observations There is not much I can say about their behaviour, they feast on living members of other species, plot in languages I do not know and breed whenever their vile wombs are empty. I am not their only captive, but I am the only one still alive after so long. They have kept me here for longer than I have been able to keep track of, I just want it to end but they won't, when I beg for it they laugh and cackle with those raspy monstrous voices and tell me I have so much more use to them. I fear they let me live now out of cruelty, wishing me to be tortured for as long as what little sanity remains to me stays intact. Intra-Species Observations With the exception of the Hagspawn and Dusk Hags their main interactions with other species involves either tricking them into mating with the hag or simply feeding on them. And often times from what I have seen the Hag will feed on her mate immediately after they are finished anyway. When their children are born they replace children from homes sometimes in cities miles away, I was nowhere near Ravenloft when I was captured and yet when I had the chance to speak to a child of four I found out that is where she came from. Replaced by the Hags whelp no doubt to be raised by this girls parents in her place. I have seen Goblin children replaced in much the same way, I can only assume any race with live children may face the same fate. Once they are ready they feast on the children they bring home. I have grown numb to the dark feasts. Dusk Hags they treat as treasures almost with their gift of foresight and Hagspawn they care not for, they will either kill it or set it into the wild and let nature do the same. Relatively few Hagspawn live long enough to encounter their mothers, not that either would ever know. DM's Toolkit With such a large variety you can fit hags into pretty much any setting, and with their guards consisting of Orcs and Giants you have a lot of variety you can toss towards what could easily be a boss encounter of a short quest at the right levels. Family finds out their child was replaced and hires you to go track down the Hags before their midnight snack consisting of baby organs, or perhaps they captured a lot of men or an important NPC for mating purposes and you want to save them. They can also be more middle quest foes as well if the party is strong enough you can toss them in the path without question if at least one party member is male. They make for good ambush foes as well given their predilection for sneaking around and ambushing, and they could easily get the drop on party members. If you're looking for a longer quest goal for them you could just have the party meet and mate with a hag in disguise and then they go off in search of his child before they use their profane rituals to turn their young child (at puberty) into a proper Hag like them as for all intents and purposes as children they appear to be completely normal until such a ritual takes place and could pass off as human their entire lives. The Hagspawn as well can make for a good PC class if the player is looking for something a little out of the ordinary. 202

Half-Dragon "She'll be fine." I told myself as I watched the figure ride over the horizon. "She's got fire in her blood and her dad is a dragon." Known as Migakh (pronounced My-Gah) in the draconic tongue, half dragons are an interesting breed. While one can come about in various ways, they are most commonly created simply by parentage. It is fairly well known that many dragons have a penchant for polymorphing into humanoids and comingling with the "lesser" races. It is not unheard of for a dragon to sire a child with a member of the humanoid races, often with powerful or interesting individuals. The humanoid parent (who is not always the mother) is almost always saddled with their unique offspring, as most dragons want nothing to do with them. The second way Migakh come about is far more difficult to predict. Wild magic, spellplague, and "unique" encounters with dragons have all, in rare cases, resulted in people gaining the benefits of draconic blood. Half pseudodragons, half Faerie dragons, and most non humanoid Migakh come about in these ways. I met an individual who spent a few weeks eating nothing but the heart of a slain dragon, gradually taking on its traits. She ended up becoming quite powerful. It should be noted these cases are the exceptions; you are far more likely to be poisoned by the foreign blood of a dragon than you are to be strengthened by it. Consult your cleric before trying to transmogrify your very essence. Physiological Observations Migakh appear as one would expect humanoid dragons who are usually a bit larger and more muscular than the race they come from. While Migakh always have the protective scales, claws, tails, and the deadly breath of their progenitors, it is also very common to carry a smattering of other traits relating to their parentage. A half black dragon, for example, will likely have horns that extend around the side of their head pointing forward and webbed digits. Beyond the broad strokes, Migakh vary quite wildly in appearance, as with most half breeds. Some individuals inherit the elongated skull of a dragon, while others retain their humanoid structure. Most Migakh do not possess wings, and even fewer possess wings powerful enough to sustain flight. Migakh almost always live longer than those of their parent race, usually living two or three full lifetimes. The largest exception to this rule are those of elven parentage who may actually lose a century or two off the elves' near millennia of life. The prevailing theory as to why this is the case is the dissonance created by the conflicting magical nature of dragons and elves. The only major physical drawback Migakh experience is that they are all entirely sterile. Some are perfectly content with their inability to sire offspring, while others may spend a lifetime hunting down a way to circumvent this limitation. Social Observations As with most half breeds, Migakh tend to find themselves on the fringes of society. Most humanoid races fear and shun them, principally if their scales are chromatic in color. This means Migakh usually find themselves fighting whether it's for survival or as a career path. Their unique abilities tend to make them superior to the average individual when it comes to combat and many become quite well known for their talents. Many people believe Migakh would be able to find kinship with the dragonborn, but this shows a complete lack of understanding of dragonborn culture. While they may look similar, the two races are no more alike than humans and drow. The majority of dragonborn see half dragons as abominations or agents of their hated foes. Migakh rarely have any knowledge of dragonborn culture and society. It is often far harder for them to assimilate into a dragonborn clan than a human one. The one place a half dragon may inherently find acceptance, and in fact reverence is with Kobolds. On several occasions, Kobolds have been found to serve under a Migakh who fills a role somewhere between warlord and demigod. For any given Migakh, their relationship with their draconic parent varies widely. Some actively seek them out in hopes of finding kinship or vengeance. Others have no desire to track down their parent due either to resentment or disinterest. As for the dragons, each may have a different response to meeting their half-blooded children. One may be delighted to find their offspring wandering into their lair, while another may be disgusted by the very idea that such a lesser being should stand in its presence. Behavioral Observations As with any half breed the Migakh are not entirely beholden to their bloodline when it comes to their morality and personality. It should be noted however that there are often latent traits exhibited by half dragons that relate to their lineage. Half blue dragons are more likely to be vain and arrogant whereas half white dragons tend to more impulsive and quick to anger. Those born as Migakh tend to have difficult childhoods. While there blood is no direct indication of personality or behavior, the nature of humanoid society often treats Migakh with hatred and scorn. Leaving most as loners (whether by choice or necessity), often with a contemptuous view of humanoid society as a whole. It is hard to predict exactly how one reacts to becoming half dragon later in their lives. They tend to have a different mindset depending on the circumstances of their transformation. Many in a particularly dangerous line of work see becoming a Migakh as an honor or triumph over something as powerful as a dragon. These individuals tend to wear their scales with pride. Others (often those who became Migakh due to an accident), find their new appearance as a mark of shame or a horrible curse. 203

Non-humanoid Migakh While it is most common for humans or elves to birth draconic children, it is not unheard of to find a myriad of other creatures created of draconic blood. Because it is exceedingly rare for a non-humanoid Migakh to actually have a dragon parent, these creatures are often the results of magical manipulation. Whether the intent is to create a living weapon or simply an accident, the result is always something powerful and dangerous. The most notable examples of these creatures are the steed of the great hero Wuuzeulan who is said to ride a dragon-like pegasus into battle. There have also been tales of the deadly dracolisk, an amalgamation of the feared basilisk and a dragon. It is said they guard the abode of a great wizard. DM's Toolkit -Half dragons are an interesting way to spice up npc's. Whether they're friends or foes it adds an air of strength to them. -It's almost inevitable that a PC will want to be a half dragon at some point. It should be noted that half dragons are significantly more powerful than the standard player races. Usually they're worth a class level or two to make up for their innate strengths. -It is better (in my opinion) to have a player become a Migakh later in their adventures as part of the story. There are a myriad of events that could result in a PC's transformation and it can make a wonderful "reward" for overcoming a great foe. 204

Harpy WARNING: Harpies are seriously messed up creatures. I held off writing this article for a long time because my mind kept going to horrible, horrible places every time I sat down to write it. But there aren't a whole lot of ways around the implications of things like how Harpies actually reproduce. If the first line of this article bothers you, you might want to skip to "Encounters and Variants" at the end. I've worked to make sure the stuff there is PG13. Introduction Harpies are sexual predators. When considering this statement, note that emphasis is placed firmly on the word "predators", for the harpy fulfills the evolutionary imperatives of sustenance and reproduction through the same means. This can make it difficult to properly discuss the harpy from a strictly ecological standpoint. On the one hand, there are individuals who do not take harpies seriously. Various fraternities, for example, at magical colleges and military academies around the world have attempted to use harpies in their hazing rituals. This practice invariably ends with the new pledges being eviscerated and cannibalized. This, of course, leads to distorted rumours reaching students at a college one town over in time for next year's hazing. Do not mistake a harpy for a harmless seductress. On the other hand, we have the genuine discomfort of discussing a creature that reproduces through violence and force. It is not a subject to be taken lightly, but it lies at the core of the harpy's continued survival, and so I cannot truly avoid it. Physiological observations Harpies resemble women, generally either human or elven, with wings sprouting from their backs and legs that end in taloned feet. Typically these resemble the wings and talons of a vulture, although there are a wide variety of harpy subspecies resembling other avian species, ranging from hawks and eagles, who tend to be stronger physical specimens inclined to a more solitary lifestyle, to the vibrant plumage of parrots, who lack the enchanting song of their sisters, but instead wield powerful illusory magic. All of these subspecies, however, are united in their basic predatory nature. Harpies are not cleanly creatures, and as a rule one can gauge just how dangerous a given specimen is by the rankness of her odour. The more successful a huntress she is, the more layers of gore cake into her feathers and the fouler she smells. Indeed, among the more social varieties of harpy, an individual's stench is one of the most important factors determining her place in the pecking order. A harpy's den is one of the foulest places in all the world, second only to the immediate vicinity outside a Harpy's den. While the remains of past victims will litter both inside and out, a Harpy at least has the decency not to relieve herself inside her own den. Of course, the most well-known hallmark of the harpy is her enchanting song. No matter how vile and hideous a harpy's visage is, her song is capable of entrancing an individual and bending them to her will. This song can be used to lure prey away from companions and into an ambush, or to leave the victim so captivated that they walk off a cliff in their distraction. Needless to say, this song is one of the Harpy's most potent tools when hunting her favourite prey: men. Harpies despise men, be they elf, dwarf, halfling or otherwise, and yet as a single-sex species, they must rely on men to reproduce. Harpies do not find this troubling, as they are also cannibalistic. To the harpy, a "mate" is just another slab of meat. The fact that said meat might furnish her with a child is largely incidental. Several students have assured me that this attitude is remarkably similar to ex-boyfriends they have had in the past. So far, the review board has turned down all of our grant requests to investigate this connection more closely. Harpies in heat are truly vicious creatures. They will band together and seek out the strongest male humanoid they feel they can reasonably overpower, and use their song to lure him away from any companions. When their prey is along, they will then attempt to incapacitate him. This is generally accomplished by working together to lift the man into the air, and then drop him from a height low enough that he will survive, but high enough that his legs break on impact. Once their quarry is incapable of escaping, the harpies will compete with each other to establish dominance. This involves elaborate posturing, wafting of their wings to compare stench, and occasionally in outright combat, though the loser rarely suffers any permanent injury. This determines the order in which the harpies will first mount, and then devour their victim. One month after mating, a harpy will lay a clutch of two to four eggs, which hatch three months later. Members of the aerie take turns warming the eggs, allowing the mother to go out and hunt. After hatching, baby harpies reach adolescence at ten years of age, and full adulthood at seventeen, often helping to raise their younger sisters until they are old enough to have children of their own. Origin There are numerous stories which claim to tell the origin of the harpy. The typically this involves something about a woman who was spurned by her lover, and whose subsequent bitterness changed her into the monster we know today. Personally, I find these stories lacking. They don't speak to the heart of the harpy's nature. No, my favourite origin story is altogether different. There once was a woman whose tribe venerated their Ancestors, the great men who had led the tribe throughout their centuries long history. She lived according to the laws and traditions of the Ancestors, and none could match her singing of Ancestor's Hymn, the epic cycle of their great deeds. And the men of the village coveted her, until one night they set upon her and left her bloody and weeping in the morning. She beseeched the tribe for justice, but they refused her, saying she had corrupted the Ancestor's Hymn, turning it to an instrument of seduction with her voice. Then she beseeched the Ancestors for justice, but they turned from her, for she was no longer pure in their eyes. Then she beseeched the demons for justice, and the demons answered. 205

And so they forged her into an instrument of terror that she might visit upon her abusers what had been visited upon her. They twisted her beauty to foulness in the wings and talons of a vulture, that those who lusted after her would be revolted when she set upon them. They imbued her with unnatural strength, that she might tear a man apart with tooth and claw. Yet they preserved her voice, and made it yet more beautiful, that the Ancestor's Hymn might truly be turned into an instrument of seduction. So it came to pass, that the tribesfolk heard the Hymn once more, yet they had never heard such words set to its melody. And such was its beauty that they all stood enraptured, even as the song foretold their doom, and the end of the Ancestor's Hymn. Then she was upon them, and the screams of the tribe played counterpoint to her song. And when at last she stood alone among the tents of her people, she befouled the altars of the Ancestors with filth, and with the entrails of her people, and they were heard no more. Thus was the first harpy born. Social Observations Most harpies are social animals, banding together into tribes of up to a dozen known aeries. While aeries have a loose hierarchy based on stench, physical size, and other dominance cues, there is rarely a centralized leadership and harpies demonstrate a remarkable cooperative spirit unless directly competing for a resource. Indeed, the harpies of an aerie share an almost sisterly affection towards each other, and some reports indicate that harpies occasionally engage in romantic pair-bonding. While it is rare for an aerie to exceed sixteen individuals, from time to time several aeries may unite behind a singularly strong harpy. Such Harpy Queens tend to arise on the outskirts of densely populated regions, and may exhibit elements of fiendish or draconic blood. Harpies have incredibly strong maternal instincts, and watching a Harpy mother tend to a newborn child is an oddly tender experience (if one discounts feeding, which is carried out in a manner similar to birds). So strong is this instinct that Harpies have even been known to adopt orphaned humanoid girls, especially when the harpies themselves are responsible for orphaning the child. There have been a surprising number of reports from adventurers, who cleared out harpy nests only to find a gore spattered seven-year-old grieving for her lost "family". From time to time, it is possible to find a harpy living alone. These creatures are generally stronger and more cunning than their sisters, and often gravitate to urban areas. There are unconfirmed reports that in these plentiful hunting grounds, urban harpies routinely seek out men who victimize women for their prey. Solitary harpies often adopt a more cleanly lifestyle, bathing to rid themselves of their telltale stench, and discretely disposing of the remains of their victims to better blend in with their environment. They are also generally much more open to bargaining and cooperation. As sapient but feral creatures, Harpies are prone to the worship of demons and similar entities, especially ones whose portfolios include hunting, womanhood, or nature. While they do not generally have an established clergy, those that are blessed by their profane patrons tend to favour druidic magic over clerical. Of course, neither of these is anywhere near as common as the bardic magic which naturally complements the harpy's inborn song. Interspecies Observations It is understandably rare for harpies to have amicable interactions with humanoids, although as intelligent creatures, they can be reasoned and bargained with, especially if one has particularly gaudy pieces of jewelry to offer. Notably, harpies are not overtly hostile towards women unless one intrudes directly into their territory, or offers resistance in defense of one of her male companions. Harpies will never willingly serve a male warlord. On more than one occasion, a band of adventurers successfully enlisted the aid of an aerie to overthrow their master. On the other hand, Harpies regularly ally themselves with female monsters and matriarchal tribes such as lamia or gnolls. Perhaps the most notable example of such collaboration was the Conception of Queen Phiralee. Ancient prophecy spoke of a champion, born in lightning, who would lead the harpies into a golden age and feast upon the kings of men. To sire their champion, the harpies enlisted the aid of a coven of hags. In the night, hundreds of harpies assaulted the lair of the Great Blue Dragon Xyroquel, pinning him to the floor with the weight of their numbers. The hags then enacted a ritual, binding the dragon within the form of an elf. The greatest warrior of all the aeries then mounted the dragon, and ate of his flesh. In time she bore Phiralee, Queen of the Skies, who indeed feasted upon many a king before she was vanquished, and her army dispersed. DM Toolkit Concept TL;DR: This section is basically a lengthy discussion of making harpies scary by inverting the typical image of rape. If that's not cool with you, no sweat. It's fucked up stuff. Scroll down to "Encounters and Variants". I've tried to make the ideas there useable at any table. As I said before, this article took me to some dark places, and it took me a long time to work up the courage to write it. I just struck me as inescapable that harpies are rapist cannibals. Not necessarily elements that you should just drop into any game at random and if you want to gloss over the rapist part and play up the cannibal, that's totally valid, and probably a wise choice 90% of the time. But done right, it's an amazing concept that really turns a lot of tropes on their heads. (Side note: Ed Greenwood got around the harpy reproduction problem in his original ecology article by asserting that male harpies exist. They just look exactly like female harpies. I thought that was stupid. Of course, this all being related to me by Elminster sitting in Ed Greenwood's kitchen eating cookies, so I was having a lot of trouble taking things seriously at that point.) 206

First off, people tend not to take "seductress" monsters seriously. A succubus will kill you, but you'll have a lot of fun in the process. Let's face it; anyone who dies at the hand of a succubus will be the object of both ridicule and a little bit of envy forever after. I don't want that for harpies. Harpies should be scary seductresses. A harpy will break your legs, rape you and eat you. String up intestines like party streamers, emphasize the mutilated genitalia of harpy victims, make fake blood and pour it over your face when you want to portray harpy characters. What Dan O'Bannon wanted to do with Alien I wanted to do with Harpies. Everything else was just predicated on, "How do I turn played out tropes on their head?" Spurned love is a boring origin story, almost as played out as "A wizard did it". I mean, if you look in the Monster Manual, the first harpy basically just moped herself into existence. Lame. So, I went with the poetic justice angle. My harpy rapes her rapists and then shits on her old gods (side note, in early myths like the Aeneid, Harpies don't have the whole siren song ability. All they do is shit on all the stuff you're trying to keep clean, like your food, and then laugh in your face). I'd popped out the idea of powerful halfdragon harpies early on. Then I asked myself, "Wait, how would that happen?" There was the easy answer: Dragons are pretty much the apex rapists of D&D. But this article isn't about dragons. It's about Harpies. So I had to figure out how to make harpies their bitch. I think my campaign setting just got a new Chuck Norris level badass. Encounters and Variants Okay, let's get safe for tabletop now. Harpies can actually be a lot of fun used right. Here are a few general variants, first. Regal Harpies: I personally prefer to jack up the CR on my harpies a bit. Pathfinder actually makes them CR4, and I'll often add levels in barbarian, sorcerer or bard on top of that. Try advancing the hit dice on your 5e harpies to create a monster that could hold her own against a low level party solo. These fit well as urban huntresses, or just the alpha bitch of a harpy aerie. They might have features more akin to hawks or eagles. Parrot Harpies: I originally though these up as part of a tropical island in my homebrew setting. Swap out the enchanting voice power for a few illusion spell-like abilities. Minor illusion, ghost sound, that sort of thing. A parrot harpy might confuse travellers into getting lost deeper and deeper in the jungle by creating false images of landmarks the party has already seen, or deter them from certain pathways by sounding the roar of a lion from one direction or another. I might make them a little less physically adept, and give them the power to use colour spray instead. Harpy Queen: Get a tough harpy like the Regal variant and slap a template on her. Half-fiend, half-dragon. Take your pick. Stack some character class abilities on there too. Have a multiattacking, greatsword wielding, fire breathing badass. Now, here are a few encounter scenarios I've been kicking around my head. The Harpy Mob: One nice thing about CR 1 harpies in 5e is that you can swarm higher level characters with them. Have a half dozen or so gang up on a PC they've picked out, and lift them into the air, trying to drop them from a significant height. They're not interested in a fair fight, so if it seems like the odds are even slightly turning against them, they fly off. We all know the "orc babies" dilemma. Well, here's a twist pulled from my article above. The harpies have adopted an orphaned human girl, and she has been raised alongside a pair of baby harpy sisters. If the PCs harm the baby harpies, or separate the girl from the harpies, she begins to cry inconsolably, and it becomes evident this girl has no real conception of civilized society. The PC's objective lies on the other side of harpy territory. There's too many to just fight their way through, but perhaps a persuasive female PC could negotiate safe passage. To do so, though, she will have to pass a test of initiation into the aerie. A test that requires her to master a verse of the harpy song. If you're a fan of the Maximum X-Crawl setting (you play professional wrestlers dungeon crawling for fabulous prizes), I've wanted have a magical rock band encounter. Harpy on lead vocals and guitar, with bard/fighter levels, backed by a 3 man orc band. Pink mohawks encouraged. The harpy uses her song (subtly, roll will saves in secret), to entice the PCs into a central dance floor location. Under the dance floor is a giant flamethrower trap. Treat it as a fireball spell of appropriate will save. Once the trap detonates, she switches over to a bardic inspiration song, her guitar extends into a double-headed axe, and the orcs start smashing their instruments over the PCs heads. She'll surrender if she gets dropped to low enough HP, and possibly ask a particularly rugged fighter type on a date if it'll sweeten the deal. Silly, over the top, and absolutely in line with a typical X-Crawl game. 207

Hellhound "Stealing the Mythos gems? No problem. That's what I'd thought anyway. I broke into the mansion at night. It was chilly. Harvest season was almost done. I snuck past every trap and every guard in the place. It seemed almost a little too easy at first, but I've never been one to question luck. I got to the room that the informant had said the gems were in. I grabbed the gems and threw them in a bag. That's when I heard it, the low growl behind me. I turned around slowly to see two red eyes glaring at me from the corners of the room. Then it moved forward and fire entered my sight. Even with the heat of the flames, my blood froze". -- Euryndas' Journal Introduction Hellhounds are extremely intelligent creatures that possess an evil nature from birth that is ingrained into them. Because of these traits coupled with their fierce loyalty and strength, they are a favorite pet for most evil villains especially those affiliated with fire such as fire giants and devils. There are three main kinds of Hellhounds. First, there are the ordinary Hellhounds. These hellhounds are believed to have been created by Primordials when the world was still young. The next species of Hellhound is called the Fire bred hellhound. These are said to have been bred from captive populations of the original hellhounds for size and power by the fire giants. These hounds are loyal to their age-old masters, the fire giants. Finally, the Nessian Hellhounds that reside in the ninth layer of Hell in the palace of Asmodeus. These are perhaps the most vicious of the hellhounds, with an innate ability for breathing fire as well as the ability to bite as if their teeth were flaming spears. Physiological Observations For observations of the physiology of the Hellhounds, I shall separate the species into three sections, one for each kind of hellhound. The first species we shall examine is the original hellhound. These monsters stand approximately 4-1/2 feet tall with dark skin. They are surrounded by an aura of flame that burns any opponent who moves to close to it in battle, burning them with the aura of hellfire from their home, Baator (the nine hells). These creatures boast a thick and hardy coat of fur which blocks many arrows and weaker weapons allowing the creature to withstand assault from fierce foes. Hellhounds also possess excellent eyesight able to see in pitch dark up to 60 ft as well as heightened senses to track prey. Because of the hellhound resides primarily in Baator, it has evolved a resistance to fire but cannot stand cold temperatures. These hounds usually travel in pairs or in groups of 9-12. Fire-bred Hellhounds are larger versions of their counter parts. These monsters stand at 5-6 ft. tall with hardened muscles. Their fur is thicker as well and is able to resist all but the most powerful of weapons and magic. Their claws are sharper than the claws of ordinary hellhounds and their larger jaw muscles make their jaws more powerful with bites. Because they were bred for more power, their flames tend to be hotter and Fire-bred Hellhounds have the ability to create bursts of fire directly pulled from the 8th layers of Hell, an ability that ordinary hellhounds lack. The senses of Fire-bred Hellhounds are also sharper making them better trackers and much more fearsome foes. They boast an almost doubled resistance to fire as well. Interestingly, this species has evolved to lack the susceptibility to cold that it's weaker counterpart has. Its powerful leg muscles make it faster. These monsters live primarily in the upper realms rather than Baator, usually near volcanoes that house the Fire Giants. Finally, the most terrifying of the species are the Nessian Warhounds. These creatures are a breed that reside only in Nessus, the 9th layer of Hell and are the pets/servants of Asmodeus, the lord of Hell and the strongest of the devils. The Nessian Warhounds are the largest species of Hellhound, standing easily at 7 ft. tall. Bred to inherit the strength of Asmodeus himself, Nessian Warhounds move the fastest of hellhounds thanks to their enhanced muscles. Their bites have nearly four times the force of the ordinary hellhound and their claws can cause permanent damage to its quarry by tearing tissue while causing severe burns to the tear. The hounds have thick hides that resist weapons as well as the hides of the Fire-bred Hellhounds however; the Nessian Warhounds are completely immune to fire. They usually are also fitted with chainmail suits. They retain the weakness to cold that the original Hellhounds have albeit a much smaller weakness. Nessian Warhounds are surrounded by flames from the 9th layer of hell, the hottest of hellfires. They are able to breathe fire and their teeth bear the traits of flaming steel. Because of their master's prowess, the Nessian Warhounds act as the Emissaries of the lord of Hell and often forbearers of tidings of his arrival. They track down his enemies with ease and are used to eliminate those Asmodeus hates. Asmodeus occasionally tests his enemies with these Warhounds. Nessian Warhounds, like every other Hellhounds, cannot speak. They are able to learn languages and understand them, unlike the other Hellhounds which only understand Infernal. 208

Behavioral Observations Hellhounds are relentless trackers and hunters. Once assigned a mission, the hounds track their quarry to the ends of the earth and create ambushes and traps in order to take down prey. Because of relative weaknesses to cold, they may not always proceed into colder climates, bidding their time to strike instead. The Hounds are immensely intelligent as well. They have the ability to understand orders and follow them. They can create traps and plan ambushes. They are well versed at working together and understand the orders of hierarchy. In addition to their intelligence, Hellhounds are fiercely loyal to their masters, willing to die for their masters without a second thought. Because of their insane loyalty, the hounds are always lawful. But, due to their evil nature, they refuse to be merciful. Hellhounds disdain weakness in every way and for that reason; deformed pups are often killed instantly. This trait is most exaggerated in Nessian Warhounds due to Asmodeus' hatred of mercy. Hellhounds are creatures that make great pets, provided you are equal or stronger than them and are evil. They enjoy company and I've noted from a pet or two I've had that they love a good belly rub or a scratch behind the ear. Throw them a bone from the latest annoyance you crushed or perhaps pick up a human child to give to your hound as a play thing. They love playing fetch with their masters. Social Observations Hellhounds spend most of their time in the company of their masters. Ordinary hellhounds, created by evil Primordials spend their time roaming the nine hells, avoiding the 9th layer except for the rare occasion. There they spend time torturing the poor souls cast there by the gods for punishment or serving the lords of the respective circle on missions. Fire-bred Hellhounds are not as loyal to the inhabitants of Baator. Rather, they serve the Fire giants that bred them over thousands of years. They spend time with species like Azers and Fire giants acting as hunting dogs and brutes to terrorize weaker races that interfere with the work that their masters plan. (Note: This species enjoys sleeping by itself far more than a belly rub or games of fetch. Don't bother them. I've lost many foolish apprentices who decided to bother a napping Fire-bred Hellhound). Nessian Warhounds are only loyal to Asmodeus. They refuse to serve any other master. The entire species seems to have formed a pact that at least two of them should stay with their master to eliminate anyone who dares to bother him. Hellhounds regard any creature weaker than them prey and enjoy devouring the flesh of the weak. This flesh fuels the fire inside the hellhounds making them stronger and far more fearsome. Intra-species Relations Hellhounds by natures prefer to remain alone in groups of 2 or in packs similar to wolves. However, they rarely interact with other species. Fire-bred Hellhounds especially avoid the other two groups due to the strange smells from Baator that mark them. Nessian Warhounds prefer to work in groups of 2 but for larger missions or ones that require man power, a Warhound may take over a pack of 5-12 ordinary hellhounds. DM's Toolkit Ordinary Hellhounds are the perfect guard dog. They are the perfect creature to trap your PCs with when they break into the mansion of their enemy and grab whatever item they wanted. With a simple level of 7, ordinary Hellhounds are more than a challenge for weaker parties in groups of 1 or 2 and for your stronger parties; groups of 5- 12 are common. For parties above level 10, Firebred Hellhounds are a great tool. Their fierceness makes them the perfect monster to fight in hotter settings. Most importantly, a Fire-bred hellhound means that Fire Giants and Azers are nearby. Together, they make a powerful enemy. If either group were to find one of their hellhounds dead, it'd spark an entire settlement to hunt your PCs, a great thing to have in your bag of tricks, especially for parties that consist of pesky murder hobos. Nessian Warhounds are perhaps the toughest monsters to have in your toolbox. They are hard to hit, relentless trackers and extremely good at planning traps and ambushes. They can be very patient as well striking once and then striking again weeks later when PCs thin they're safe. To make encounters tougher, 2 Nessian Warhounds can easily be accompanied by 24 ordinary hellhounds or a powerful devil spawned by the blood of Asmodeus. If the PCs do defeat the Warhounds, there is no guarantee that more won't be sent. Even worse, killing the pets of the Lord of the Ninth Circle may cause Asmodeus himself to send his avatar to check on the enemy, a great way to strike fear into the heart of any player (especially if you see the stats and skills of the guy). 209

Helmed Horror Tallien had always known that his greed was going to get him killed. Dashing around a corner, the rogue stumbled on the stones of the ancient dungeon as blood dripped from the wound in his side. The glowing suit of armour followed in hot pursuit, clanking with every movement. Putting its sword down, the helmed horror unsheathed its crossbow to take a shot at its quarry. Introduction Helmed horrors are animated suits of armour, imbued with sentience by powerful practitioners of magic. Unlike the bulk of other constructs, helmed horrors are intelligent beings that are capable of nuanced judgment. Physiological Observations Helmed horrors are walking suits of plate armour, filled only by a red-purple glow. Each horror will look different based on the armour that it was created with. Helmed horrors also possess blindsight, but are blind beyond a radius of 60 feet. The creation ritual for a helmed horror is complex, taking up to a full day to complete. Limitations on behaviour and freedom are given during the creation process - in order to prevent the exploitation of loopholes, a helmed horror's initial orders must be worded as delicately as a wish spell, as these orders cannot be changed once given. Once created, helmed horrors make magnificent guards, as they are able to follow the intent or spirit of their orders, not just slavishly carry them out to the letter like other constructs. Helmed horrors will follow their orders even after the death of the one that gave them, making them highly prized as guards for important places or objects. Their loyalty is uncompromisable and eternal, and a group of helmed horrors can be organized into a deadly fighting band. Physically, helmed horrors are incredibly tough. They're immune to undeath and poison, and the plate armour that constitutes a horror's body provides great protection from blades and arrows. Most helmed horrors are given a longsword and crossbow to fight with, but are able to fight ably with most common weapons. Horrors also have immunity to a small selection of spells, chosen during the creation process. These commonly include spells that could warp the horror's metallic body, such as fireball or heat metal. The appearance of a helmed horror varies wildly - there are as many different helmed horrors in existence as there are different sorts of plate armour. Horrors can be in any condition (from rusty to gleamingly polished), but will always be suits of plate armour. Many who create helmed horrors do so out of ornate and gem-encrusted armour sets in a display of power and wealth - and also because thieves are more likely to try to steal it, leading to an untimely and brutal demise. Social Observations Social interaction with a helmed horror is nearly impossible if you aren't a telepathic being - they can understand the language of their cantor, but can't speak. If you do so happen to have the power of telepathy, you'll find that helmed horrors aren't the greatest conversationalists - their responses are automatic and repetitive. Like the majority of constructs, helmed horrors can't be argued or bargained with. Their loyalty to their masters is absolute. Behavioural Observations Helmed horrors are generally restricted to their posts, and as such are sedentary for long periods of time. Not needing sleep, food, or drink means that horrors aren't forced to leave their posts by hunger, thirst, or exhaustion. When on guard, helmed horrors will remain perfectly still, only shifting when intruders approach. When in combat, horrors will go for either magic-users or the foes that they perceive to be the weakest. A helmed horror exists to follow its orders to the best of its ability. Even after its master dies, a horror will continue to follow its orders - there have been cases where the construct has been left with orders that command it to pursue and kill those who were responsible for the death of the master. The very rare helmed horror that manages to gain complete independence from its creator wanders the world, feared by most and a source of curiosity to many. Inter-species Observations Being silent and almost always alone, helmed horrors don't tend to interact with other species very much at all. Most of their actions towards foreign beings can be boiled down into three categories. Depending on the horror's given orders, they can either attack foreign beings, ignore them, or let them pass. The fact that helmed horrors only understand the language of their creators and can only be reached through telepathic means if you don't speak that specific language is a huge hurdle in social interaction. Otherwise, helmed horrors can't be communicated with. 210

D M ' s To o lkit A h elm e d h o r r o r o r t w o is a n e x c elle n t alt e r n a tiv e t o t h e u n t hin kin g a n d u n fe elin g g ole m. H elm e d h o r r o r s a r e m o r e in t ellig e n t t h a n m o s t o t h e r c o n s t r u c t s, a n d c a n a c t in c o n c e r t wit h o t h e r h elm e d h o r r o r s t o p r e s e n t a w ella r m e d a n d a r m o u r e d t h r e a t t o a p a r t y o f a n y le v el. Resistances to bludgeoning, piercing, a n d sla s hin g d a m a g e fr o m w e a p o n s t h a t a r e n't a d a m a n tin e, im m u nit y t o fo r c e, n e c r o tic, a n d p ois o n d a m a g e a s w ell a s t h e blin d e d, c h a r m e d, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, and stunned conditions makes them extraordinarily tough opponents for martial- and magic-focused groups alike. Helmed horrors make good guards for ancien t t o m b s o r d u n g e o n s, a s n o e x pla n a tio n is n e e d e d a s t o w h y t h e y'r e w h e r e t h e y a r e, a n d t h e a n cie n t s uit s o f a r m o u r t h a t t h e h o r r o r s a r e m a d e o f c o uld m a k e fo r a n in t e r e s tin g bit o f lo r e, o r e v e n a plo t h o o k in a n d o f it s elf. Helmed horrors are CR4 m o n s t e r s, m a kin g fo r a g o o d c h alle n g e fo r lo w -le v el p a r tie s, b u t a g r o u p o f t h e m c a n b e a t h r e a t t o in t e r m e dia t e - o r hig h -le v el g r o u p s. A n A C o f 2 0 m e a n s t h a t a h o r r o r will m a k e fo r a t o u g h fig h t. Being the flavourful and uncom m o n m o n s t e r s t h a t t h e y a r e, h elm e d h o r r o r s will m a k e a c olo u r ful a d ditio n t o a n y c a m p aig n, w h e t h e r in t h e fo r m o f a n h e a vily o r n a t e a n d o r n a m e n t al s e t o f a r m o u r t h a t s p rin g s t o life w h e n a p p r o a c h e d, an old and rusted set of armour deep in a swam p, or a set of strange and wonderful plate armour deep in an ancient tomb. 2 1 1

Hippogriff Often mistaken for being a griffin from far away, hippogriffs aren't in any way lesser threats that griffin themselves. With an equal lust for horseflesh, hippogriffs strike fear into the common farmer when he sees one out hunting. Introduction The hippogriff, also known to scholars as Dimidium Aves Accipitridae Equus, is a specie which is a close relative of the Griffon, also known as Dimidium Aves Accipitridae Felidae. In comparison, the hippogriff possesses an intellect that is inferior to that of the griffin, making them more suitable to be trained as mounts. This is especially true for hippogriffs trained from their birth. They also lack the dangerous talons, although this barely appears to impact their effectiveness in combat. The origin of the hippogriff is strongly debated, although general consensus agrees that it most likely was a deliberate fusion between the horse and a hawk, most likely through the magical applications of a wizard. Physiological Observations A hippogriffs torso and hind legs are that of a horse. Its wings, head and front feet are that of an eagle, however. A hippogriffs wings usually have a wingspan not short of 20 ft. Colorations amongst hippogriffs vary greatly. Their horse-like bodies have colours ranging from bay and brownish to grey and black tones. Their feathers typically have birdlike colours ranging from light to midtone brown, although white and black feathers are not a rare sight. A hippogriffs diet primarily consists of meat, with a strong (and ironic) preference for horse meat. Other favoured meals include fish, game and livestock, the latter often bringing them into conflict with farmers. Hippogriffs often graze after particularly large meals, supposedly to aid digestion. Captive hippogriffs have shown that they are omnivores. They have been observed being able to sustain themselves on grass and plant matter for about up to a week, provided that small amounts of meat of up to two pounds are available each day. This also is the likely reason why they are able to thrive in the barren hills and prairies where they typically live, as other predators need more abundant resources to sustain themselves. Social Observations Hippogriffs are predominantly solitary creatures. They are very territorial and will protect their lands against intruders, whether they are of their own or a different species. Unlike griffons, they do not mate for life. During mating season, males compete with other males to claim a female for themselves. Only after claiming a female will two hippogriffs live together as pair. During this period two hippogriffs will build a nest, usually in the female's territory. There the female hippogriff will lay an egg, which will hatch after about a few weeks. The young hippogriff is then raised for about 5 to 6 months, after which it is strong enough to survive and is driven off to fend for himself. The female will then in the coming week drive away the male from her territory. Young and inexperienced hippogriffs are known to group together into 'flights' of up to 7 hippogriffs, though flights of up to 12 hippogriffs have been examined in some rare cases, where food sources were in abundance. These flights live a nomadic life style in which they move from region to region when local food sources have been depleted. However, once a hippogriff reaches maturity he will leave the group to find a domain for himself. Behavioural Observations Due to their ability to see well in the dark, and the danger of other predators that also hunt hippogriffs, like dragons, wyverns, drakes and other large beasts, hippogriffs tend to hunt in the dark during the early morning hours or very late in the evening. During day they will stay close to their nest or lair, during which time they will rest and groom their wings. When out hunting, they use hunting patterns comparable to that of eagles: turning in circles until they have located prey, after which they will dive and carry off their meal back to their nest. Or, if the area is relatively safe, they will consume their meal on the spot. After especially large meals they will consume grass, grazing near their nest. If grass is not readily available, leaves are a readily available alternative. The nests behaviour varies wildly between gender, and indeed between individual hippogriffs. There is a somewhat common appearance between most nests, however. Males tend to build rather simple nests to rest in which are mostly made from branches and leaves. Females, however, have been observed building their nests from a multitude of materials: leaves, branches, fur, feathers and even the hides of their prey. Inter-Species Observations As noted before hippogriffs are solitary creatures, even amongst their own. Other species are either regarded as prey, or predator from which they rather flee. However, due to their intellect that is comparable to that of a horse hippogriffs make great (winged) mounts. Capturing and training adults are rather dangerous affairs, though a hippogriff raised after hatching is just as easily trained as a horse. DM's Toolkit Hippogriffs; you can somewhat envision them as slightly weaker (and less intelligent) variants of the griffon. They do not quite make the social impact of an enslaved (or charmed) griffon and neither have their majesty. However, they make great mounts for players who want a flying horse-like companion, or for lower level BBEG's who will likely charm a hippogriff or have bought a hippogriff egg on the black market. Or in mid-level campaigns hippogriff may serve as the general mount of either a good or evil army. Plot hooks related to hippogriffs may include black market operations (eggs and/or young) or hunting one to stop a village from getting harassed by it. Alternatively, you can use the stats for a hippogriff as the stats for a younger griffin. 212

Hobgoblin "Hobgoblins are much more dangerous than all other goblinoids, especially when they're leading the latter." --Fyril Goblincleaver, elven general of the Truesilver Woods They break before our shields They fall beneath our blades Their home is ours to conquer Their children our slaves. Acheron, Acheron! Victory is ours! --Hobgoblin war chant Introduction It is a common opinion of scholars, goblinologists and generals alike that hobgoblins are the most dangerous of all goblinoids, for one glaring reason: They're smart. Hobgoblins are arguably just as intelligent, organized and even civilized as we humans. And by that is meant that they, as we humans, run the gamut from tribal goblin-mongering oligarchs of their lesser kin, to brilliant scholars and rulers of mighty civilizations. The more civilized varieties build strongholds and even occasionally cities; they are capable of great feats of architecture, sophisticated arcane and divine magic and are quite technologically advanced. How quite unfortunate for the other sentient creatures of the world that all these talents are focused on aiding their war effort, for whether tribal or civilized, hobgoblins are prolific warmongers. Their malefic deity created them to be the ultimate warrior race, and since the dawn of time, hobgoblins have embroiled themselves in conflict after bloody conflict, painting the sky red with fire and blood, and drowning the earth in rivers of the latter. The sons of Acheron cometh to wage war, conquer and rule, and the world trembles at their approach. Physiological Observations The best way to kill a hobgoblin is to kill his friend first. The reverse is also true. Old saying among adventurers. "A hobgoblin is war made flesh and blood. They make fantastic specimens for undead minions." Unknown The hobgoblin is quite the physical marvel, as would befit a race created specifically for the purpose of war. Hobgoblins stand upright, usually around at least 6 feet, or 180 centimeters, which is significantly taller than the average human. Like with humans, there are many varieties of hobgoblins as the species has spread across the face of the earth throughout the centuries. Generally hobgoblins are deeply orange-skinned, the tint of which can vary according to sunlight exposure, with some northern species exhibiting pale yellow skin and southern ones having almost reddish skin. Male hobgoblins can sometimes have a blue or red nose, which is a sign of virility and strength. A hobgoblin is pretty much built for fighting. Their nails on both hands and feet are hard and tough, and their mouth is filled with a row of powerful teeth. While none of these are as impressive as that of predatorial animals, it is said that the phrase to fight with tooth and nail was coined by someone fighting hobgoblins, and indeed, reports have existed of disarmed hobgoblins doing this with great ferocity, like cornered wolves. Hobgoblins do have molars in the back of their tooth set, and are capable of eating plant-based material, but most of their front teeth are intended for biting things and tearing through meat. Like all goblinoids, hobgoblins are inherently quite dexterous and agile, and due to their harsh warrior lifestyles and rigorous training, the varieties encountered by adventurers tend to be strong and tough to boot. Though not reported to be as strong as orcs (Indeed, human warriors of similar training have been known to go toe-totoe with hobgoblins physically) their natural dexterity and uncanny reflexes tends to give them an edge in combat even against physically equal or superior foes (Of which there are rather few). Indeed, their manual dexterity in combat is frightening to behold; hobgoblins have excellent hand-eye coordination skills and reflexes, and are known to make superb bladesmen, javelin throwers and archers. These natural talents play into the ability that has made hobgoblin soldiers famous throughout the eras: Hobgoblins are excellent at coordinating their own attacks with those standing beside them. Hobgoblins who are well-trained learn to analyze the attacks not just of their opponents, but of their battle brothers too, and immediately and decisively react. When a hobgoblin strikes an enemy and forces him to parry, that creates an opening in the enemy's defenses, which the next hobgoblin in line will immediately take advantage of. Though hobgoblins need some level of training to perfect this skill, fighting cooperatively comes naturally to them. It should be noted that this ability to effectively work and coordinate effort as a team when fighting translates into many other aspects than combat. Hobgoblins are generally good at cooperating regardless of the task, and thus make for good and efficient workers as well as warriors. Hobgoblin craftsmen sometimes work in pairs or even groups; one hobgoblin legend tells of six master weaponsmiths who could finish a sword six times quicker than anyone else because they could all hammer on the metal at the same time without interfering with each other. Though this legend is unlikely to be true, it has a nugget of truth to it. Too many hobgoblin cooks might not spoil the broth after all. Regardless of its other applications, however, this instinctive ability to coordinate their own attacks with that of those beside them has made them quite frankly superb formation fighters; as one arena master once said, It is a fairer fight for an orc to fight a hobgoblin, than for two orcs to fight two hobgoblins. 213

Social Observations Hobgoblins are incredibly social creatures. It seems like a contradictory statement at first, for hobgoblins are very much capable of intrigue, egoism and betrayal, and they are not known to be fast friends. Indeed, those who align with philosophies of cosmic balance would be quick to deem them evil. What they lack in friendly comeliness however, they have in an instinctual sense of pragmatism and loyalty. Hobgoblins work naturally well as a team, and thus are naturally driven to do so. It is both hard-wired into hobgoblin nature and reinforced by their warlike, martial, caste-driven culture to stick together and work together when needed, and to attempt to forget personal disputes temporarily for the greater good of the tribe, nation or empire. The latter doesn't always work (Hobgoblins are individuals, after all, not modrons), and given that all hobgoblins are different, not all hobgoblins work well with each other. The most successful hobgoblin leaders, from sergeants to generals, are those who can effectively avoid putting hobgoblins who hate each other to the same task. Due to the above, hobgoblins very rarely leave their tribes and communities. They feel secure and at home around other hobgoblins, and the social stigma that comes with leaving a tribe can be quite lethal at times, as hobgoblins do not take kindly to traitors. In regards to hobgoblin society and worldview, it is central to understand their religion. Hobgoblins are a creation of one of the vile and brutal lords of Acheron, the Plane of War: the Mighty One Maglubiyet Fiery-Eyes, allfather and High Chieftain of all goblinkind. Hobgoblins believe that they were created in the image of their war god as the perfect warrior species, which will one day conquer not only the material world, but also the Plane of War itself, which Maglubiyet aspires to rule unconditionally as the ultimate War God. Hobgoblins believe that conquest of the material world and the subjugation of all other inferior species is their destiny. However, in the long run it is little more than a test of their mettle before they join the spirit army of Maglubiyet in Acheron, and the True War, as it is called, begins. As such, hobgoblins see fighting as the only purpose to their material existence, and they do not fear death in combat. Rather, they seek it out, for death in combat is the only way to reach the glorious afterlife of eternal war. A captured hobgoblin will often do virtually anything to escape simple execution; begging for mercy or betraying vital information to the enemy is not nearly as shameful as dying to a headsman's axe or a torturer's blade. It is a popular misconception that all hobgoblins can do and ever do is fight. As previously mentioned, they are capable at organizing projects and cooperating regardless of the task at hand. Though it is true that their society is thoroughly martial, hobgoblins are not purely a warrior race, for as any landholding knight or army commander will tell you, only a small percentage of the total population can be full-time warriors. Any war machine needs cogs to keep it going, and warriors need food, equipment, dwellings to live in, and they need to have time to train without being bothered with any of the beforementioned. Hobgoblins are no exception to this limitation, but due to their belief that being anything but a warrior excludes one from the glory of Acheron, hobgoblin leaders try to overcome this limitation in two ways: Either, through using other races as laborers and slaves (Usually goblins), in which case the hobgoblins will be a small and elite minority, or through imposing an incredibly strict social hierarchy of castes where only the higher castes get to be warriors, and the lower castes (hobgoblins though they may be) are treated as lesser beings not worthy of the glories of the afterlife, and as workers before warriors. Due to the fact that the first option requires roughly 9 slaves for every 1 hobgoblin, larger organizations of hobgoblins lean toward the latter. The most common hobgoblin organization, the Legion, is a mixture of the two. A huge tribal band organized into a strict hierarchy, with a large amount of goblin slaves at the bottom, followed by hobgoblin farmers or herders, workers and laborers, artisans, craftsmen, smiths, beastmasters and finally fulltime warriors, priests and magi, and commanders in that order. A Legion is a well-oiled war machine, and like any machine, needs its cogs to stay more or less in place. However, Legion hobgoblins practice a sort of meritocracy where a priest of Maglubiyet judges every newborn hobgoblin child and tries to divine its path in life. Usually hobgoblins remain in the caste they are born into, but exceptions do occur. Members of lower castes may also be drafted into the warrior caste if the latter needs reinforcements, and most hobgoblins regardless of societal standing train in the ways of war in hope that they might one day get to fight. Less organized, smaller tribes of hobgoblins tend to rely a lot more on goblins to do the work for them; often a few dozen hobgoblins will be found dominating goblin tribes of hundreds or more. In such tribes, every single hobgoblin, male or female, is a born and bred elite warrior, mage or priest. Finally, historical great hobgoblin nations, cities and empires with thousands or even millions of hobgoblins living in them have been recorded as absolutely totalitarian and hierarchical. Keeping that many hobgoblins in line doing non-fighting related work requires immense tyranny and discipline, and an utter conviction that only the elite will ever reach the Iron Heaven. 214

Behavioral Observations Hobgoblins have the intelligence of man, the grace of elves, the spirit of dwarves, and the agenda of orcs. They are civilized engines of destruction. Dwynn Steelnose, Dwarf veteran fighter and philosopher. While hobgoblins build, study magic, forge their own tools, build shrines and statues to their gods and cities for their people, it is all meant for a single purpose: War. Hobgoblins are justifiably perceived as cruel and merciless creatures. However, they do possess a crude notion of honor, though it varies from tribe to tribe and is more akin to a warrior's pride than any inclination of paladinic justice. Moreover, hobgoblin honor only applies on a personal level, and mostly focuses around personal duels. In warfare, almost everything is fair game. Though hobgoblins tend to prefer direct and glorious confrontation, they are adept at subterfuge, sabotage, ambush tactics and covert ops as well (Usually utilizing goblins for the more dirty work). Also, most of the hobgoblin code of honor (which includes such things as never fighting an unarmed foe, attacking without warning or challenge, or denying a warrior the right to die by the blade) does not extend to any non-hobgoblins. Hobgoblins are nonetheless very precarious about what honor they have; as previously mentioned, dying outside of combat is the ultimate dishonor, as is surrendering to an opponent or using any form of poisons or trickery in a duel. The twin concepts of honor and glory define everything about hobgoblin society. One's prowess in battle equals prestige, though prowess in battle translates both to leadership ability, tactical or strategical genius, the ability to cast spells or mere skill at fighting. Hobgoblins value leadership and magical skill just as high, if not often higher, than individual fighting prowess (Though dying in the safety of a commander's tent is tragic and dishonorable). This, along with their exceptional formation fighting ability and humanlike intelligence, makes hobgoblins among the deadliest creatures on the planet. Whereas other monsters tend to dwell in caves and deep jungles far from the cares of society, occasionally raiding the civilized societies in ragtag hordes, hobgoblins are a civilized species as well as monsters. Hobgoblin archmages, warlords, liches and dragonslayers all exist just as well as their more benign humanoid counterparts, and they are all hell-bent upon the destruction of all nonhobgoblins. When at war, hobgoblins fight extremely strategically and tactically. They rarely declare war before having planned for months and scouted the enemy they plan to invade extensively; indeed, many cities and nations have had peaceful relations with hobgoblins for years or even decades, only to be overwhelmed by a well-executed campaign at exactly the right time. Hobgoblins tend to employ great formations of infantry, armed primarily with spears or other polearms, and swords or daggers as backup weapons. In these tight formations, every hobgoblin warrior fights in unison with those around him, bringing their deadly cooperative abilities to full use. A wall of hobgoblin spears is a deathtrap for any unprepared army. While infantry is the backbone of the hobgoblin army, hobgoblins also utilize archers, battlemages and warpriests (the former depending a little on their relative level of sophistication), not to mention large amounts of warbeasts. Beast mastery is an ancient hobgoblin tradition whose origins are utterly lost to time, but hobgoblins have a natural affinity for animals. They use horses, mules and dogs for transportation and other everyday things, as well as in war. They use trained pidgeons and ravens for communication, and their lairs are often guarded by savage wolves. Some exotic hobgoblins have been reported to train everything from lions, elephants and dinosaurs to wyverns. The most common and iconic warbeast of the hobgoblins is the Worg, however, a great and mighty wolf that serves the most elite hobgoblin cavalry in battle. Hobgoblin warworgs are living embodiments of frenzy, and are just as dangerous (if not more) than their rider. Horse-riding cavalry has also been known to occur, but is generally seen as less prestigious. Intra-Species Observations Goblins: Hobgoblins consider their lesser cousins to be inferior, put there by Maglubiyet to serve their needs. Cleanly put, hobgoblins utilize goblins for everything they do not want to do. When a job is too dirty, too pathetic, too laborious or too dishonorable to do, hobgoblins get a goblin to do it. Goblins grow food, tend animals, sew clothes, wash dishes, or perform sabotage missions like raiding local farmsteads or poisoning water supplies. Many of the quests that young adventurers are sent to complete involving goblin activity is really just the preparation for a larger, hobgoblin-based assault. Sometimes, a large wave of goblin raids is just an attempt to mellow the defenders before the true storm arrives. Bugbears: Hobgoblins have a tenuous relationship with bugbears. Bugbears share not the same ideology of honor, war and glory as hobgoblins do; indeed, they don't even worship the same god, and hobgoblins see their larger cousins as decadent, selfish and even cowardly at times. However, bugbears willingly hire themselves out as mercenaries for hobgoblin armies, provided they get paid and fed very well, and their amazing size, dexterity and stealth can prove to be quite useful indeed for the hobgoblin cause. Orcs: The historic enemy and rival of hobgoblins, for they, too, was created by a Greater God of Acheron: Gruumsh One-Eye. Hobgoblins and orcs, and their respective deities, have feuded for ages uncounted against each other for the title of ultimate warrior race, both in the material world and in their respective spirit armies in the Plane of War. Whether in life or in death, hobgoblins and orcs will feud. It does happen occasionally, however, that a group of hobgoblins take control of an orc tribe, but they rarely regard their servants with much respect. 215

Worgs: Hobgoblins are well-known beastmasters, and they are especially fond of worgs, and vice versa. The pact between hobgoblins and worgs is ancient and lost to time, and both species know almost by instinct to seek out and trust one another. One is rarely found without the other, though wild worgs do exist, and tame worgs will quickly leave the service of any master they find do not treat them well enough. Elves: Hobgoblins envy the connection to nature and mastery of beasts and natural magic that elves possess, yet the reason for why hobgoblins loathe the pointy-eared wood folk is not well understood. One hypothesis claims that the gods of the elves took away the ability for hobgoblins to become druids (Though this has never been proven to be true), and stripped them of most of their powers of beast mastery, which were much more potent in ancient times. Everyone else: To hobgoblins, there are generally two types of creatures: Enemies and future enemies, or in other words, slaves and future slaves. Future enemies or slaves refer to creatures which it would be unwise to wage war with currently, either because they are too strong or because the hobgoblins are busy fighting other creatures. Future enemies are treated much as temporary allies; as long as hobgoblins are not at war with someone, they may offer limited trade, mercenary services or even temporary military alliances with other creatures. They are exceptionally quick to scheme against and sever any ties they have with other creatures if an opportunity for conquest presents itself. DM's Toolkit Hobgoblins are the Sauron of D&D. The militant, totalitarian war machine that is just as organized, numerous and civilized as the rest of the world, but hell-bent on conquering the latter. Hobgoblins are an excuse to have the players fight smart and competent monsters. Hobgoblins have mages, priests, plate armor and siege equipment just like everyone else, and they're terrifyingly good at everything related to war. If you're tired of your party roflstomping stupid orcs or weakass goblins, line up some hobgoblins with heavy armor, pikes or halberds, pack 'em close together so you can utilize Martial superiority, and give them the polearm master feat and some superiority dice, throw in a fireballthrowing war wizard, a commander and a healer, and watch the world burn. Oh, and traps. Don't forget traps. The cool thing about hobgoblins is that they can be as civilized as you want them to be. You can have primitive hobgoblin tribes, cavedwelling underdark monsters, or illustrious empires of smoke, fire and death a la Mordor. Or they could be semi-civilized Vikings or Mongolstyle steppe nomads. Hobgoblins are a swiss army knife of player death. Use them well. I can personally recommend researching a bit about actual medieval military tactics to get some inspiration for using them. Spoiler alert: Polearms are your friend. Hobgoblin-related quests and plot-hooks: The local goblin tribes are raiding (Again), but this time in a slightly more organized manner. After the adventurers has slain one hundred goblins and killed their warchief, they find out that he was merely a puppet of a larger hobgoblin force headed straight for the party. A wounded hobgoblin scout offers to give the party vital information about his Legion if only one of them will slay him in a duel before he loses too much blood. The ghost of a hobgoblin warrior wants the party to take vengeance on a group of orcs who captured him, executed him and desecrated his remains. Once the orcs are defeated, the ghost animates his dead body and asks to fight one of the party members. A hobgoblin nation has been founded in the hills/mountains/whatever, and they are sending emissaries to the players' kingdom offering an alliance against an enemy kingdom... The hobgoblin nomad tribes on the steppe are slowly being conquered by a powerful Khan. His horde is ever-growing, and the settled societies are beginning to worry... A valley occupied by orcs and hobgoblins has been contested for almost five generations, neither side gaining the upper hand. Either side asks the party for help, and promises the blessing of their respective Acheronian war god in return. 216

Homunculus "At first I was just ignoring the little pecker. I mean, it was just a little thing slightly bigger than a bug, and with the witch and the hobgoblin we had a full plate. Then the little bastard bit me, and at first I thought, What the heck?, because it didn't feel like more than a pinprick, but then this wave of nausea came over me, and I got dizzy, and I realized that damn thing had poisoned me. But Erinor slapped it down with little more than an off-handed swat and we moved on." -- Therion, the Archer. Introduction Homunculi are tiny constructs. A caster of some sort creates the body and then infuses it with magical essence. The result is a tiny construct with a magical bond to the caster. The creator (master) has a telepathic link that is restricted only by the fact that they have to be on the same plane to communicate. If the creator dies, so does the homunculus, as it is the creator's magical essence that sustains the homunculus. A homunculus is similar to a familiar in many respects. It follows the creator's telepathic intentions, it aids the creator, and a caster can only have one homunculus at a time. It, however, cannot deliver touch spells the way a familiar can. Most homunculi are merely general servants who perform mundane tasks for their creator, and, like familiars, are generally incidental if combat ensues. However, in combat, the homunculus can deliver a poison bite that can have an influence. A homunculus can also carry a potion of healing (perhaps two) that can it can administer to a downed party member in an emergency. Some casters are capable of creating more advanced homunculi. There are innumerable qualities that can be imbued in a homunculus. Physiological Observations Homunculi vary in appearance, and appearance is determined by the creator. Usually the form of the homunculus reflects the character of the creator. So a neutral good life cleric might have a homunculus that looks like an angelic cherub, while a neutral evil warlock might have a homunculus that looks like an oversized bat. Some creators deliberately create a homunculus that doesn't reflect the master's nature as a deception, or for a special mission. Homunculi often share a physically noticeable feature with their master. A homunculus whose master has a nose of an unusual shape, will often share that. Or an unusual eye color, or thick/thin lips, etc. Social Observations Much about a homunculus is determined by its creator. A creator that brings his homunculus to social events will educate the homunculus in the ways of society even if it is just a byproduct of exposure to social situations. But if a homunculus is deprived of social interaction, it will be little different than a beast. Homunculi are mute, so communicating is difficult - except for with its master via telepathy. Still via pantomime an exchange of information can occur with a homunculus; they are not unintelligent. As a homunculus carries out the intent of its master, it will generally have the biases as the master. If the master hates elves, then the homunculus will, too. Behavioral Observations While a homunculus has a personality that mirrors its master when it is created, if a homunculus endures for a long time, it can develop divergent properties. Never will it turn against its master, but it may develop a slightly different perspective on certain things. For example, while the master may absolutely hate elves, the master's homunculus may be swayed by repeated kindnesses it has experienced from elves and has a slightly softer attitude towards elves. However, in the end the homunculus has absolute dedication to its master to the point of sacrificing itself in the service of its master. Inter-Species Observations Like so much of a homunculus, their interactions with other species is determined by the intent of its master. Further, if the master's attitudes towards other species change over time, almost certainly, so will the homunculus' attitudes (perhaps with the aforementioned minor quirk). 217

DM's Toolkit At first glance, a homunculus is almost a throw away monster. But if a DM spends much time, he will see that for 10 XP, he can do some interesting things with a homunculus. As written, the homunculus can carry a potion of healing or two and as a tiny creature it can take total cover in most terrains - flying out to administer a healing potion and then taking total cover again. Its ability to impose the poisoned condition makes it a challenge at any level that must command attention for at least one attack. It can also use the Help action in various ways. If a DM is willing to modify the homunculus, it can present a challenge greater than its CR0 implies by adding traits that specifically do not increase the CR from the DMG's special traits table (p.280-281). Specifically, flyby, and invisibility can do nice things for a CR0 homunculus. So can innate spellcasting, but one needs to make sure that the spells cast do not increase damage, effective AC, effective HP, or to hit. Further, note that the homunculus is mute, so while innate spellcasting often doesn't require the material component of the actual spell, it would be a significant variation to allow a creature to innately cast a spell with a verbal component without using a verbal component; so that brings the realistic list down to the cantrips friends and minor illusion; at 3rd level there is counterspell and hypnotic pattern, but that may be pushing the expectation of a CR0 creature. Something that I've done quite often, is reduce the hit dice from 2 to 1 (giving it 2 hit points instead of 5) and giving it immunity to other damage types in addition to poison. The idea that it is constructed lends it to the proposition that with the right material, it could be immune to whatever damage the creator chooses; I often use fire, force (for eldritch blast and magic missile) and piercing. There is no mechanism for a player character creating a homunculus (in 5th edition). One could have a spell similar to find familiar or add a Create Homunculus Feat (if using Feats) or special magic item (Manual of Homunculi). Regardless, a good strategy is to allow the construction of the base CR0 Homunculus via a method of choice, and then allow for improvements - different immunities, flyby, invisibility, better ability scores, innate spellcasting, (the list of improvements is limited only by the imagination) Different improvements would require different ingredients in the creation mixture (for example, immunity to force damage might require adamantine) and the search for those rare ingredients are grist for encounters or entire adventures. Finally, the homunculus is a pretty good platform for advancement. I've gone from a variant CR0 version to a CR20 version here. 218

Hook Horror "It starts as a slight tap, maybe a stone falling. You hear it again but as if two small pebbles fell. Then you hear it more clearly. The distant clacking of something knocking against stone creeps closer and becomes louder. Pray you never hear a second source as doom may be upon you" --Ardonel Drow Scout Introduction This information was obtained through me via a hidden outpost in which I observed a clan of Hook Horrors for some time. This was constructed with the aid of a Drow city in efforts to learn more of the dangerous creatures and how to proceed with threats of a clan settling near a city. I also had traveled far from that city in efforts to find more clans, and while successful I didn't observe them for nearly as long as the clan in which the observatory watched. The Hooked Horror is a brutal and gruesome predator. Their kills are not clean, they are not quick, they are not merciful and they are not quiet. Clackers, Vulture Beetles, and Hooked Horrors are the most notable and common names for them. They prey upon one and all. Despite their bestial nature they are cunning. Running into a Hooked Horror is an ordeal, but running into more than that is a sliver at a chance of life. Unfortunately the latter is more common. With ambushes and surprise attacks that may surprise even in the most visible conditions, they are experts at catching prey. Never underestimate the hunters in the dark. It is theorized by many, especially the Drow, that they are descendants of the Vrock that have slipped into the underdark to make their homes. This accounts for their almost torturous way of killing prey and some physical features they possess. I find this conclusion clumsy and uninformed, although I had not worded it that way to those who employed me. Physiological Observations Hooked Horrors are monstrous in many ways. If one could see in the lightless tunnels they roam it would strike fear into their hearts. They are a large mix between a vulture and a beetle that stands bipedal around 9 feet tall. They have bird like featherless heads with large pale eyes, large shelled bodies and stalky feet. The most notable is the enormous hooked claws that serve as their arms. Despite being monstrous looking the most horrifying experiences that most have are the lead up to confrontation and that brutal attack. Their bodies are large beetle like shells that have sharp spiked spines running down the sides and where the backbone would be if they weren't exoskeletal creatures. They have short wide almost vulture like feet ending in terrible claws. Their beaks are sharp and able to easily tear flesh off of the thickest skinned Basilisks. Despite their size, they are remarkably light. Usually only reaching 400 or so pounds. Being exoskeletal a majority of the weight is that outer shell and the muscles to support them. Among their features the arms are most notable. Extending a full 7 feet at times they have horrifying hooks for arms. The arms seem to be structured as a cross between the clawed leg of a beetle and a man's arm, until the elbow that is. The claw extends 4 of the 7 feet past the elbow as a stiff straight single caw that turns back at the end in a wickedly sharp hook. These claws are hard and strong, able to support many times their weight. They have 2 main purposes for their incredibly strong claws. First is that for battle which is the most obvious. They can easily dismember and rend flesh with a simple swipe. Second is for climbing. They use these hooks to find even the smallest jags in their tunneled environment and can climb just as fast as a man can move on flat ground. Using their sharp foot talons to aid them they can even move at a walking speed across the rocky ceilings. Most of the creature's senses are dull and unremarkable. They lack any real advantage in smell and though they can see well in very low light, this often doesn't aid them in their almost completely lightless world. A Hook Horror's hearing is where they excel in sensing the world. They can hear remarkably well and would put the most observant ears of an elf to shame. They mostly see in the fashion a bat does via echolocations. This is where the name of clacker comes from. They tap the stones or their own hard bodies in intensity equal to the distance they want to sense. This bounces sound around them and back to them so they see through their ears. They also can see using the shrill horrifying almost mechanical sounding cry they emit sometimes. This cry is distinct as it is very high pitched, loud, with clicking in the middle of a distorted vulture cry. Fortunately for most folk Hook Horrors almost exclusively live in the underdark or deep cave systems. They are extremely adverse to bright lights and have no means of heat regulation thus prefer the constant temperatures of cave systems. Drow who do live in these regions are quiet and cautious enough to usually avoid Clacker territory but can fall prey to them if not careful as farmer to wolves. Despite their bulky brutish looks they are not stupid beasts. They are omnivores of excellent hunting skills. While able to eat mosses and mushrooms they prefer meat. They love to ambush prey disguising their echolocations pings as soft falling of a pebble every once in a while. Observant individuals know pebbles falling are almost never rhythmic. They hide on walls, ceilings, over the lip of a cliff or anywhere they have the advantage seeing around a blind spot. They are hard to be spotted within their environment not only from darkness but also infra-red vision. The body temperature is very close to that of the stone around them making them almost invisible except to the most sensitive in that manner in sight. This all would be troubling if they were alone but alas they usually are not. They are pack hunters. 219

Social Observations Hook Horrors are surprisingly a clan based society. An astonishing finding if ever I had one. They live in groups of 20 to 30 individuals ruled by a large Matriarch and to a lesser extent a Patriarch. The females live in their communities caring for them in all aspects. The males are the hunters and the Patriarch is the coordinator of hunting groups. These clans etch out hunting grounds and fiercely defend them from any and all creatures. What makes this society possible is that Hook Horrors surprisingly have a language. They clack their claws or grunt to make complex noises forming if not words at least ideas of communication. The depth of which this language goes is a complete mystery as it was far beyond my understanding. They communicate seemingly with no regard to others communicating. As in they say what they need and then act based on other information if needed. I almost considered it a hive mind but it seems that they are individuals in understanding. The community is constantly clacking with communication through all hours. Hook Horrors all listen and obey the Matriarch without err. Only the patriarch commands such attention as she, but only from the male hunters. The matriarch often is very loud and commanding in the communication and roams the community boarders. I theorize she's the clan's primary guard and protector which may be why she commands such attention. In one occasion I did see a male hunter from another community approach the home of another clan only to be summarily killed brutally and without hesitation by the matriarch. Mating seemed to hold no reason among the individuals it just seemed to happen. They didn't have any courtship or regular partners. It just seems that some females are mated with at certain times of the day by various males. This behavior for reproduction indicates to me that they are not too fertile and require multiple sessions to bare children. While Hook Horror ages are hard to tell it seems they only live within the span of 3 decades. No reports of an individual Hook Horror have been seen for any more than that. Young are cared for by many females and are hatched from clutches of eggs. The female after only a few months of gestation lays these eggs in a seemingly community incubator that was placed near a warmer area of the cavern. I suspect under a warm draft from a natural vent below. Young seem more beetle like with only the vulture head and feet distinguishing from their insectile nature. The arms and legs are much as like an adult but the claws are significantly shorter and seem to grow with age. Instead of standing upright immediately, much like humanoids, they seemed to learn how to stand and walk in the earlier years of life. Caretakers of the clan seemed to rotate with different age groups up until adulthood. It seemed that no biological parental importance was given or even known among the community. Each member had their place and worked accordingly. These members were not hard to distinguish and were as follows: Hunters: usually male and organized by the patriarch. They hunted for food to bring back for many hours at a time. Teams of 3 to 6 would venture out looking for food. Gatherers: usually males who organized in pairs find lichens, mosses and mushrooms for an alternative food source. Organized by the Matriarch though often autonomous most days. Guards: Usually females that scouted not far from the community and organized by the Matriarch. They also were mobilized to deal with larger threats and prey needing the attention of more than a hunting team. Teachers: usually females that over looked young in the community. It's also seems that these are the only child bearing individuals as only teachers were observed in being mated with. Other Species Relations Hook Horrors are not interested in communicating with any other creatures despite our best efforts. In first attempts they didn't respond to long distance mimicking of clacking of wood or bones against cavern walls. We had even tried the large claw of a deceased individual and still no response despite knowing where we were based on their communications. They usually attack any individual in their territory and hunted as prey if possible. Hook Horrors kill and eat almost any creature. They will fight with a ferocity and brutality almost unmatched by any being. They are not interested in fighting to the death though and when an individual is too hurt to fight or feels outmatched they run or more often climb to safety. This is purely on an individual basis as other member care not to flee. Only 1 creature was observed in which they avoided and that was a shadow dragon that was passing through the observed clan's territory. As mentioned before they are excellent ambushers and love to drop upon prey from the ceiling plunging their claws into victims. The attack with lunging strikes of their arms and attempt to knock down then finish opponents. They often hook legs and pull tripping or sometimes severing the appendage. They seem to need no other means of attack and swipe with their claws with abandon, unrelenting in the assault. They are not particularly fast in their swings but they are powerful. When faced with foes they attack with abandon. They are best described as clumsy fighters and seemed to only attack in general areas. When a creature takes the hit or blocks the next claw comes right in. There's a hesitance if it misses its strikes. It seems to agitate them when missing as they scream out the grating screeches between strikes. I theorize that this is not the case though as they rely on echolocation for sight. Each hit makes a sound allowing them to see to strike again. If the opponent is quiet enough they have only that to go on and when they miss they shriek to see again. Of course this isn't confirmed as not many of the Drow were willing to fight the creatures and only sent slaves to battle which posed little of a fight. Their evil and cruel nature came from when they won a fight. While gruesome and it chilled me to watch I needed to in order to properly record what happens. If a foe is downed usually they are unable to finish the being quickly. 220

As their strikes are more so aimed in the general direction of the opponent they often don't hit lethal areas. This causes a death that can take many blows that don't kill immediately. I would surmise that this is due to their reliance on echolocation for battle and less so out of any malice or cruelty. Variants There are a few differences in types of Hook Horrors that were discovered in my extensive research Black Clacker: This is the main variation in which is described above. They are usually 9 feet tall and dark grey to Black in color. Volcanic Clacker: These live in the hotter and more volatile areas of the underworld with crimson shells and claws with yellow to orange coloring elsewhere. Their shells are perforated and blow lethally hot steam that releases excess heat stored in their bodies. Stag Clacker: These types live in the more brightly lit areas of vast underground mushroom forests. They are far less hostile seeming to mostly eat the provided fungi in their homes only with opportunistic kills for meat. They climb the giant stalks and hang in the underparts of the caps if easy prey happens their way. Their communities are more lightly guarded be more death traps for unsuspecting creatures. They are a soft purple or blue that more or less mirrors that of the glowing mushrooms they live amongst. They also are smaller standing usually only 5 to 6 feet tall. They are called stag clackers for the almost stag beetle like horn protruding from the top of their shell up and over their head. DM's Toolbox Hook Horrors are a great ambush for a party. They also can be a wonderful tension builder with a strange clacking noise growing and growing to the crescendo of a brutal fight. Don't be too hasty to make them mindless brutes although they may conduct battle as such. 221

Hydra Introduction Depending on the bard, the legends of the origins of the Hydra are based in a trickster god, witch coven, or a plot of terrible diabolism. Whatever the entity, the Hydra is believed to be a blend of Troll and Dragon. Most scholars contend that the marrow of a Troll (that is, the source of its astounding regenerative abilities) is somehow implanted in a Dragon's egg. Due to the incredible care and dedicated protection normally taken to their eggs, it must be assumed that the parent Dragon has either condoned the act, or was slain in guarding its young. Both prospects are quite troubling. Physiological Observations A Hydra hatches wingless with a single head, and assumes this is the norm, and will protect this head as much as we might our own. Either due to predators, or to artificial influence, a young Hydra will eventually lose its head (wizards have perplexed themselves endlessly, trying to explain the sensitivity of the spinal column in these creatures, but to no avail). It notices, as we do, that the injury not only heals, but heals in double the quantity of what was lost. This is, as astonishing and influential though it may be something of a loaded gift. A Hydra finds its ideal state to be between three and six heads. As it begins to accrue more, the mind begins to fracture, as the brain (located deep in its guts) struggles to adapt itself to the growing number of appendages. Upon surpassing about fifteen heads, a Hydra's mind begins to break down completely. The greatest number of heads seen on a Hydra was sixty-one, and the creature was a pathetic mess. It was put down more out of pity than any other cause; indeed, the beast seemed to be hardly aware of what was happening around it. In other respects, a Hydra follows many rules similar to Dinosaurs and Dragons. Overlapping scales form a natural armour, useful for its role as a predator of larger beasts (the rhinoceros is a favoured delicacy). It is a warmblooded creature, allowing it to survive in a myriad of environments. However, particularly arctic conditions can prove deadly, as it goes unprotected by fur. Heralding its Draconic heritage, Hydras have been observed utilizing fire and ice based breaths. The source of the power does not lie in its chest, but in each individual head. In lieu of the brain, the fiery organ of Dragons is found in each skull. Fortunately, it is less of a breath so much as a temperatureresponsive mucous. The slime coating its throat is expelled, and ignited or chilled by the cranial organ. The Hydra only unleashes this power when it feels particularly threatened. Social Observations More than any other creature, a Hydra is driven by an almost crippling hunger. The regenerative qualities of the Troll demand constant sustenance. A Hydra will only interact with another when pursuing a common prey, or when mating. Otherwise, all other creatures, especially other Hydras, are competition for desperately-needed food. Hydras originate in magical or alchemical processes, but have since survived to reproduce on their own. Male Hydras are one of few creatures in the world that have been seen attempting intercourse with a non-consenting female. As such, female Hydras sleep with at least one or two heads awake, to threaten off encroaching males. On the other hand, female Hydras will often forsake their young after laying their eggs, sometimes even eating them themselves. Male Hydras will keep watch over any eggs they happen across, and will also sleep with one head awake. This seemingly distorted behaviour, of a male with a maternal instinct and a female disinterested in her young, has been accorded to the awkward mingling of the Draconic and Trollish natures, the former demanding the perpetuity of its own glory, and the latter filling it with a short-sighted hunger and natural propensity for violent cruelty. Behavioral Observations Hydras are either eating or looking for something to eat, and everything in between is incidental. Even mating is relegated as an inconvenient itch needing to be scratched. Sleep is useful only for digestion. The beasts are defensive and ornery when eating, and hunting when not. Any animal or humanoid is open game, though larger creatures are preferred. A truly desperate Hydra will risk an attempt on more dangerous prey, such as humanoids or magical beasts. If it cannot feed for an extended period of time, a Hydra will retreat to a cave or crevasse and enter a comatose state. Such creatures are likely the monstrosities of legend, with enormous bodies swelled from decades of rapacious feeding, slumbering in the deep places of the world. Intra-Species Observations Almost all animals are seen as more or less dangerous sources of food. Evil outsiders and mortal tyrants exploit this indifferent penchant for killing, using Hydras as terrifying guard dogs. No matter how often they feed it and placate it, the creature will always have enough appetite to feed on would-be heroes. Hydras can seem unpredictable, but quite the contrary: few other creatures can be relied upon in such a cause-and-effect way. 222

DM's Toolkit Hydras make for great oh, no, not now moments, as additions to bosses rather than bosses themselves. Paradoxically, Hydras are more dangerous at higher levels, as taking 25 points of damage at once severs a head, regenerating two for one at the end of its turn. Fire and acid negate this problem, just as with Trolls, but it can still quickly grow out of hand for a melee based party. Think of the encounter in Disney's Hercules. Also effective is its water-breathing. If you just have one head up, it can look like a big water serpent. You can have two or three heads coming up at a time before the party figures out there's more to the story beneath the water's surface. And look at all that it is resistant to! This sucker, as long as it has more than one head, has advantage rolls on being blinded, stunned, charmed, deafened, frightened, and being knocked unconscious. Depending on the edition you are using, a Hydra may or may not have a breath weapon. If it does, using it as an opening can seriously unnerve your party. If you can, spread the usage out, so you have one head doing it at a time. Hydras don't have that big an encounter level, but used right, it can be a terrifying and unexpected problem. 223

Intellect Devourer "Don't cry. We have no intention of eating your brain. In fact, your brain is going on a wonderful journey. " -- Qorik El-Slurrk, Mind Flayer. Introduction Intellect Devourers are perhaps the foulest creatures to inhabit the known Universe. Generally, these vicious and evil monsters spend their time in the service of Mind Flayers in the Underdark. They are perhaps the most deadly creatures to wander these lower realms, despite being in control of their masters. These monsters pose the largest threat to sentient beings because the intelligence of sentient beings is their food. Even the stupidest of trolls can become a feast for these monsters. Combined with their extraordinary ability to find and hunt prey, the Intellect Devourer's ability to control the bodies of those it has consumed allows it to lure more prey. For this reason, it is most dangerous to traverse the underdark alone. Physiological Observations The Intellect Devourer stands around 1-2 feet tall with the majority of its body, exactly 68% actually, being a brain enveloped in a crusty coating. This crusty coating is a paste applied during the ritual used to create these monsters made from the bones of a Mind Flayer's thrall mixed with powdered iron and spells of protection. These spells preserve the brain preventing it from deteriorating. The remaining 32% of the beast are its 4 beast legs on which it walks. These legs resemble the legs of a lion or tiger. Once in my life, the legs were reminiscent of a dragon's. These legs have claws which act as powerful weapons for the Intellect Devourer. Intellect Devourers are blind. However, they can still "see" thanks to their enhanced senses. These senses allow them to "see" up to 60 feet only though. Beyond that range, they are effectively blind. Intellect devourers are particularly deadly to anyone who has ever progressed past infancy. What makes these monsters so strong is that they attack multiple ways at once. They first strike with their powerful claws which breaks down any mental barrier their prey might attempt to erect. Then, they launch a powerful mental attack. If the mental attack succeeds, they devour the intelligence of the prey potentially erasing their minds and then stealing their body. This stolen body acts a puppet under the Intellect Devourer's direct control and helps it lure more thrall. When in control of a thrall, the Intellect Devourer can speak any language a thrall speaks. Perhaps what makes the Intellect Devourer even more deadly is its incredible resilience. Thanks to the crusty coating covering it, the monster is immune to bludgeoning of all kinds. It cannot be pierced or slashed by any weapon that is nonmagical. It cannot be blinded or put to sleep (they don't sleep). It's tiny size makes it hard to hit as well as makes it fairly stealthy. It's perception makes it hard to fool as well. When Intellect Devourers are being created, the brain of the thrall is injected with a serum. This serum is created from the venom of the Violet Fungus, the venom of 4 separate snakes, and Alchemist's fire. This strange serum is injected into the brain as a team of mages chant long spells which protect the brain from damage and allow the brain to absorb the serum. This serum's absorption drastically modifies the brain allowing it to sense any sentient creature in a 300 foot radius. Sometimes, not all of the serum is absorbed and develops into pockets. No more than 3 pockets form in a single Intellect Devourer. These pockets do not damage the Intellect Devourer but an unfortunate adventurer may pierce or cut into this pocket causing the serum to spray and damage or destroy his/her weapon as well as, in worst case scenarios, permanently damage or kill the adventurer. 1 in 5 Intellect Devourers have the serum pockets. There is no way to differentiate between those with pockets of serum or those without. Intellect Devourers cannot speak but do understand deep speech. They can communicate using telepathy if the creature they are attempting to contact are within 60 feet of them. Creation Methodology In this section, I shall highlight how the Intellect Devourer is created. I will be going into as much detail as I can, however, I shall leave out the specific spells as some moron may attempt to use my research to create these aberrations, which would then kill him and return to the Mind Flayers. The first step of the creation process is obtaining and nurturing a suitable brain. Intellect Devourers require healthy brains that are somewhat intellectual. Generally, children/baby brains are great because they allow the Mind Flayers to put the information they consider best in immediately. They usually kidnap the children of sentient beings for this reason. These thrall are evaluated. 3/4ths of the thrall is used for food. The other 1/4th is nurtured for two years to become Intellect Devourers. They are kept far away from the food thrall to avoid the Intellect Devourers from "catching the stupid". For adults, they spend the 2 years in libraries learning. Babies have the information placed in their minds telepathically. After the two years, these thrall are taken to a laboratory. In the laboratory, they are tied to stone tables. There are usually 20 thrall in a single ritual. There, a slow acting poison is administered to the thrall. The poison's contents are a closely guarded secret. It has the foulest of smells. I describe it more in my book, My Time with the Mind Flayers. For the next 5 days, the poison slowly and horrendously painfully melts away any viruses, bacteria, and immune cells in the body of the thrall. The screams of pain caused by this poison often echo throughout the Underdark. Next, a second poison is administered. This poison is made of dragon's blood, troll fat, and nightshade. It serves to remove all senses from the body of the thrall as well as eliminate the ability to talk for the thrall. As it courses through the body of the thrall, spells are cast which allow the thrall to communicate telepathically. After an hour, another dosage is applied. This dosage strangely makes the thrall only obedient to the Mind Flayers, the reasons for which are still unknown. 224

N e x t, t h e t h r a l l i s c o m m a n d e d t o k i l l 1 0 b a b i e s t o m a ke s u r e i t c a n a c t h e a r t l e s s l y. T h o s e w h i c h fa i l t o d o s o, undergo the process from the beginning. Those who p a s s, continue (19 out of 20 usually pass). These are tied to the stone slab again. Another poison of banesroot and deathcap is administered. This poison slowly suffocates th e t h r a l l o v e r 3 d ay s w h i l e t h e t e a m o f m a g e s c a s t s p e l l s p r o t e c t i n g t h e b r a i n a n d n e r v o u s s y s t e m. Once the thrall dies, it is sedated and b r a i n a n d n e r v e s a r e r e m o v e d. T h e n e r v e s a r e c u t aw ay. T h e b r a i n i s c o v e r e d i n t h e p a s t e m e n t i o n e d e a r l i e r a n d t h e s e r u m i s i nj e c t e d a t t h i s p o i n t. T h e n, t h e b r a i n i s d r e n c h e d i n t h e b l o o d o f a b a b y w h i l e a p a r t i c u l a r l y c r u e l s p e l l i s c a s t. T h i s c a u s e s t h e l e g s t o g r o w a n d fi n i s h e s t h e p r o c e s s o f c r e a t i n g t h e I n t e l l e c t D e v o u r e r. Social Obs e rvati o n s I n t e l l e c t D e v o u r e r s a r e v i c i o u s t o a ny s e n t i e n t c r e a t u r e t h a t i s n o t a M i n d F l ay e r. H o w e v e r, t h ey r e m a i n n e u t r a l t o n o n - s e n t i e n t c r e a t u r e s a n d a c t a s g u a r d d o g s fo r M i n d F l ay e r s. They are incredibly loyal for the Mind Flayers and serve them in anything that Mind Flayers ask for. They work primarily in this relationship as hunters obtaining thrall fo r t h e M i n d F l ay e r s. Behavioral O b s e rvati o n s I n t e l l e c t D e v o u r e r s a r e v i c i o u s a n d i n t e l l i g e n t. T h ey s t a l k t h e i r p r ey l a u n c h i n g a t t a c k s fr o m p l a c e s t h a t a r e l e a s t e x p e c t e d a n d u s u a l l y p r e fe r a t t a c k i n g s o l i t a r y p r ey. T h ey o ft e n s e p a r a t e t h e w e a ke s t m e m b e r o f a ny g r o u p a n d t h e n s t e a l t h e i r b o d i e s. U s i n g t h i s b o d y, t h ey l u r e m o r e p r ey a n d t h e n r e t u r n t h e s e t h r a l l t o t h e M i n d F l ay e r c i t i e s. A s m a s t e r s o f s t e a l t h, s u r p r i s e a t t a c k s a r e t h e fav o r i t e t a c t i c. Amongst the Mind Flayers, they act just like hunting d o g s. T h ey a r e g o o d g u a r d s a s w e l l. Intra-Species Observati o n s T h e s e m o n s t e r s u s u a l l y e nj o y e a c h o t h e r's c o m p a n i e s. They hunt together in groups of 2-5 and act like wolves sometimes hunting in packs of larger. The oldest Intelle c t D e v o u r e r i s u s u a l l y t h e l e a d e r o f t h e s e p a c k s. T h ey d o n o t b r e e d. I n t e l l e c t D e v o u r e r s a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y fo n d o f t h e m o m e n t w h e n a c r e a t u r e r e a l i z e s t h a t i t's l o v e d o n e i s b r a i n d e a d a n d w a s j u s t u s e d t o l u r e t h e m i n t o d e a t h. DM's Toolkit So, how can you use the Intellect Devoure r in y o u r c a m p aig n s ? Fir s t a n d fo r e m o s t, t h e y s e r v e a s o n e o f t h e s t r o n g e s t o p p o n e n t s fo r lo w e r le v el parties especially those who do not have magical weapons. They force the party to run and use tactics rather than try to fight straight away. They are also great for trap encounters when your party is careless in caverns or attempting to break into a Mind Flayer settlement. Against larger parties, using trusted NPCs under Mind Flayer control to show the party how easy it can be to be betrayed. 2 2 5

Invisible Stalker "We were supposed to protect Balthur Jorgenson, the ambassador to the Elves during the 16 Year War. We weren't really worried seeing as we were in his office. One second he was talking to us about how it looked like the peace negotiations were about to be a great success, the war about to end after 3 long years. The next second, I felt a gust of wind and heard a scream. Balthur Jorgenson looked like he'd been beaten to death by a club. Never knew what hit him." -- Oric Smithson, General of the 7th Kingdom. Introduction Invisible Stalkers are faultless trackers and merciless hunters primarily composed of wind from the Air Plane. These monsters are summoned by powerful magicians to do their bidding. Once summoned, these invisible elementals only obey their masters. They remain on any plane the master summons them to which is outside their home, the Air Plane as long as there is magic provided to bind them there. These monsters are often the perpetrators of crimes such as murder and theft that go unsolved. Physiological Observations Invisible Stalkers are made entirely from Air. As a result, as the name indicates, these elementals cannot be seen. They can still be heard and felt however. They do not possess any particular form either. A see invisibility spell used to detect these monsters would only show the vague outline of these monsters. A spell or potion of true sight will show a roiling cloud. Many times, when one feels a sudden gust of wind or hears sudden wind, it is simply an Invisible Stalker is passing. Because they are made of air, Invisible Stalkers do not eat, drink, sleep, or rest. They cannot be restrained able to slip through the smallest of holes or gaps. Invisible Stalkers do possess size however. They are considered large creatures because of their size making them approximately the size of a golem. However, they retain the principles of gas that they do not have a constrained volume and can expand or shrink provided that they do not become too compressed or too expanded. The most an Invisible Stalker can expand is to 4 times its size and the most it can compress to is 1/4 its size. Because the Invisible Stalker is made of air, it cannot be knocked down. Far more importantly, the Invisible stalker is incredibly hard to hit or even touch by ordinary means. Only magic or magical weapons can hurt the Invisible Stalker. This trait combined with the Invisible Stalker's invisibility makes it even more formidable as an assassin. Even with magical weapons, the Invisible Stalker is hard to attack. Its ability to change form allows the Invisible Stalker to avoid attacks fairly well. Invisible Stalkers, as air, are resistant to poison. They cannot be paralyzed or put to sleep. They cannot be knocked unconscious. As air, they can escape their foes momentarily using their incredible speed to replenish health quickly and easily from the air present in their surroundings. To completely heal from a totally weakened state, the Invisible Stalker takes exactly 2 hours. This speed, durability, and invisibility make the Invisible Stalker particularly strong. It does not tire. It heals quickly. Worst of all, it hunts without giving its opponent more than an hour or two of respite. An Invisible Stalker attacks as air does. It batters brutally tearing apart its quarry with blunt force. The Invisible Stalker has two methods of attacking with blunt force. The first method is to surround the foe with its body before smashing inward with condensed force crushing bones, muscle tissue, and organs. This method is used when the Invisible Stalker wishes to impart a faster death to its opponent. Against foes it particularly dislikes, the Invisible Stalker takes its time. It flies by the opponent twice smashing into the limbs of the prey brutally ripping the enemy apart, literally. Both methods are used primarily for assassination. Invisible Stalkers are immortal everywhere but the Air Plane. When killed in any other plane, the Invisible Stalker is freed from its containment and returns to the Air Plane. Summoning process To summon an Invisible Stalker is a strange task that is only a little complicated. The most complicated thing about summoning this monster is that it requires a tremendous amount of energy to be expended since the Invisible Stalker draws energy to remain on planes that are not the Air Plane. To counter this large drain of magical energy from one's body, it is recommended that for 2 weeks prior to summoning this monster, an object be used to store the magic in. The better the quality of the item the magic is stored in, the more magic can be stored in it. The magic in this item should be replenished as needed. The moment the magic leaves this item or this item is destroyed the caster's hold on the Invisible Stalker is destroyed. To summon an Invisible Stalker, first a gate must be built. The best gate for this situation would be timed gate for which your magic storage item can act as the key or for safety, one might choose something different. Once the gate is open, the proper incantation need to summon the Air Elemental is Berið mér byr. Uppfylla óskir mínar. This spell also enslaves the Invisible Spirit to your will. Once this is done, a command must be given to the Invisible Stalker. This command must involve retrieving something or killing someone otherwise the magic holding the Invisible Stalker will release and the Elemental will return to its home. A word of caution here: The Invisible Stalker resents tasks of complication or length. If given such tasks that are not perfectly clear, it will find ways to pervert them. For example, if you command this monster to hunt down the hooded dwarf that attacked you last week, it will kill every hooded dwarf it finds, leaving copious evidence that it was your fault. Behavioral and Social Observations The Invisible Stalker does not speak with anyone but its master. It understands common but can only speak Auran. The Invisible Stalker is not a social creature. They do not work with others. They do not enjoy companionship from those of other plains other than Auran. They are merciless, ruthless killers or retrievers who wish only for freedom and to return home. They are chaotic at times and lawful at others. They can serve those who are good or evil. They are truly neutral much like wind is. Like the wind, Invisible Stalkers do not forgive. They do not pity. They do not care or love. They are primal forces of nature driven to fulfill their task that's it. If you are ever unfortunate enough to encounter one improperly equipped, do not waste time attempting to reason or fight. Simply run. 226

In their home world, the Invisible Stalkers are simple Air elementals which converse with others and enjoy their time flying freely and rather happily. Interspecies Observations Invisible Stalkers do not work together when they are commanded by a master. If commanded to do opposite tasks, they will happily kill each other comfortable in the knowledge that doing so will only return the other to freedom in the Air Plane. DM's Toolbox This is probably my favorite monster to have in my Monster tool kit. It's incredibly strong and hard to stop. It's invisibility means that it's hard to detect. The ability to squeeze through cracks, compress, and expand makes it hard to predict and harder to prevent. It makes the perfect assassin to send your PCs running all over the place frantically especially if they don't know what's going on. The best way, in my humble opinion, for the Invisible Stalker to be used is just as an assassin. It can be used as a great plot hook. The important and powerful citizens of a city are suddenly being wiped out and no one is ever seen approaching them. All that is ever discovered is an open window and a breeze. Another great way for your villains to antagonize the PCs is for the PCs to be assigned to guard multiple people in the city and then have the Invisible Stalkers assassinate these members. If the PCs were to be after an artifact or protecting the artifact, if the artifact suddenly lifted into air and flew away, then they'd probably be thrown for a huge loop. 227

Jackalwere The common Jackalwere, like it's cousin the Wolfwere, bares a passing resemblance to the traditional Therianthrope. However their origin is much less tragic than that of the Were-creatures. The name is an obvious compound of "Jackal", a scavenging animal found normally in warm climates and an archaic word for "Man", owing to their ability to take human form. The typical diet of a Jackalwere consists of... -Septimus, Titus G. Magnus Libro Monstra Fortis: Ventura Publishing, 349. Introduction The Jackalwere is to the common bandit or conman what a lion is to a housecat, though they are fundamentally similar things one is a much more dangerous foe. A Jackalwere lives a similar lifestyle, one of confidence trickery and bloodthirsty raiding, but the end goal is much more deadly: a square meal. Ravenousness characterizes the Jackalwere and most of its actions are dedicated to finding more ways to sate their bloodlust and hunger. It is not uncommon for Jackalweres to be mistaken for Lycanthropes; however there is no evidence that the condition of the Jackalwere has ever had anything to do with the curse that creates Lycanthropes and the few who have ever been interviewed have found the concept insulting. Also unlike the Lycanthrope Jackalweres are unaffected by silver, instead finding weapons of Cold Iron to be anathema. The Jackalwere must therefore be classed as a separate race of demihuman, rather than an unfortunate afflicted by a curse. The question of origin is one still under debate; various scholars advance the theory of the meddling of an outside influence as in the case of Gnolls. Others reject the idea of outside interference and contend that the Jackalwere originates in mortal experimentation or wild magic merging the spirits of man and jackal into one being. Physiological Observations Long-term observations of a single Jackalwere reveals them to have a shapechanging ability that gives them great elusiveness and ability to physically blend in. However their humanoid mannerisms are often underdeveloped and they lack the forethought or sophisticated physiology of other shapeshifters such as the Doppelganger. A Jackalwere employs three forms: a jackal, a humanoid and a hybrid. Its jackal form is only distinguishable from the mundane animal by the way it acts: the common jackal becomes much more submissive in the presence of a Jackalwere and a pack of jackals becomes much more aggressive when lead by one. The Jackalwere's human form is likewise physically indistinguishable from that of an ordinary human, the beast is capable of modifying its human form at will to disguise itself and get closer to human targets. Typically though Jackalweres have only a limited sense of how to behave around humans and are difficult to get along with for an extended period of time. Their animalistic nature leaves them with little sense of personal space and a complete lack of table manners. The Jackalwere's preferred target in this form is thus the traveler and the outcast, particularly those who sleep rough. The hybrid form is the one in which a Jackalwere can be recognized for what it is, and also the one to which they revert under the influence of anti-shapechanger magic. The head of the Jackalwere becomes that of a Jackal, and they grow thick fur all over their bodies along with vicious claws and large paws. This is the form in which a Jackalwere will prefer to fight humanoids, holding them down with their hands and devouring them alive with their teeth. Social Observations Jackalweres are not inherently prone to liking one-another, though some affection has been observed for litter-mates and partners. For the most part Jackalwares will live among their animal kin, using their unusual influence on them to turn them into a pack of deadly hunters. However in hard times or during migration to new areas groups of up to ten have been observed to travel together, presumably for mutual safety. The Jackalwere mates only in its Jackal form and shows no interest whatsoever in anything not a jackal or a Jackalwere. The children of two Jackalweres are always Jackalweres, while those born to a Jackal and a Jackalwere have a roughly 30% chance of being Jackalweres. A Jackalwere mother gives birth quickly, typically within 4 months; to what appear to be ordinary jackal pups. These pups grow at a similar rate to dogs and within a year can assume hybrid form, with the ability to transform into a human firmly established by the age of three when they are considered fully grown. Though Jackalwares usually live away from other members of their species they are not totally isolated, observations have shown that each Jackalwere and its pack of jackals forms just one part of a complex hierarchy of respect and submission to elders. When Jackalweres cooperate, typically under outside influence or to pull off a raid beyond the abilities of an individual, they are almost always coerced in some manner by the oldest and wisest of their number, who also commands the most jackals. Behavioral Observations Jackalweres resemble nothing so much as a slow tide when they migrate. Disliking the idea of staying in one place forever and always keen for fresh blood each individual will slowly follow the lead of its overarching "tribe" and move across the landscape. Its pack may accompany it if it is sufficiently strong or charismatic enough to make them. A tribe of Jackalweres has a hunting area of hundreds of miles due to their dispersion and their mobile nature means that establishing an exact range for their activities is near futile. 228

Inter-Species Observations Other species are regarded as food by Jackalweres, who make no real distinction between sentient and non-sentient creatures when selecting prey. Jackalweres are ruthless predators and any semblance of empathy shown for anything that isn't themselves is usually a lie, indeed Jackalweres are consummate liars in their interactions with humanoids and often seem to be physically distressed by the idea of telling the truth about themselves or their plans. A Jackalwere tribe can be convinced to go along with a villainous scheme or to join an army on a temporary basis, if they can be convinced that it will allow them to kill more than they would otherwise be capable of. A Jackalwere's loyalty is fleeting however, and they have little concept of discipline. Their tendency to bring packs of scavenging jackals with them is also a drawback to any evil overlord. Altogether they make poor minions in anything but dire circumstances, and are more likely to be eliminated as a nuisance to a conquering force or villainous fiend than they are recruited. As yet unmentioned is the Jackalwere's most powerful weapon, its hypnotic gaze. The mechanism by which this works is similar to that of most traditional enchantment magic, however it is inborn rather than learned. In any form the Jackalwere can use this strange ability on a creature that is not hostile, which will put their target to sleep and allow for easier feeding. Many will avoid this however if they feel there is more fun to be had in the slaughter of a conscious and screaming human being. DM's Toolkit The Jackalwere is a creature without a huge deal of background, meaning that there's a good deal of leeway for you to mess around with it. This means that you can have them organized however you really want and have whatever origin you need to fit the story, a blank slate of background lore. The Jackalwere makes a great fakeout for Lycanthropy. Confuse your party when the human tracks lead AWAY from the gory crime scene and then turn into animal tracks, rather than the other way around. This can also make adventurers paranoid about getting bitten, when in reality the Jackalwere isn't contagious at all. That plus their canid jaws makes them an excellent fauxwerewolf to pull the wool over a player's eyes. Fighting the Jackalwere promises a struggle, though they are savages who love nothing more than killing and eating humans and demihumans they can be surprisingly intelligent and cunning. They aren't simple beasts and will lay ambushes, set traps and gain the confidence of their food before sending them to sleep with a look. If the gaze fails then the Jackalwere usually has its pack to hand, who will fall in like a pack of dogs and act as a coordinated group. Picture a cross between Kobolds and Gnolls. If a villain is hiring Jackalweres they will usually be destructive, ill disciplined and prone to impetuous action. Unused to gathering together for a long amount of time younger ones may fight amongst themselves and generally they make themselves a nuisance to all involved. However as a blunt instrument for a larger intrigue they are highly effective, good at causing terror and panic in locals and generally wrecking havoc. As a template Somethingware has some potential, animals who transform into humans (no curse involved) could be used for subtle purposes such as a Snakewere or a Spiderware, or for big bruisers such as a Tigerware, a Wolfware or an Elephantware. However it's a bit of an odd one that players will probably be weirded out by, apply with caution. 229

Kenku A knock at the door, a low moan of pain from outside. "Let me in," I hear the voice groan, slightly muffled through the cheap, flimsy door. "Let me in," the voice says again, "please." I ignore it. There's work to do, information that must be transcribed from memory with regrettable hastiness, and for that--those colleagues of mine who might read this sloppy draft--I apologize. First Encounter The squat little creature steps out from behind a crate further down the alleyway, shuffling in heavy, ragged robes. A deep hood covers its head, which it keeps bent downward into even deeper shadow. It drags its feet along the pavingstones, I note, because it doesn't want to risk revealing them by walking normally. Its arm reaches out, palm turned upward to the sky. From the hood comes a gentle clinking sound, exactly like coins jingling in a coinpurse. "What's this?" This dim query comes from one of the hired hands to my right, one of two brothers. New to town, I'd managed to snatch them up for some work before the tongue-waggers could scare them off with slanderous lies. Not terribly bright, but... "What is this?" He asks again. "Where's the baby you were looking for? We came in here because you heard a baby crying..." "There was no baby," I cut him off. "Keep your eyes open." The hunched figure gestures its open hand at me again, more urgently this time. The sound this time is of heavy gold coins hitting a wooden table-top. I smile thinly. "No," I tell the figure. "You'll get nothing from me." The figure then makes another sound--that uncanny accuracy!--and this time it's the sound ripping leather, a purse torn open, and coins scattering violently on the ground. As if this were some signal, three more hooded figures suddenly slide from out of the shadows of the alley, creeping towards us with knives drawn. The one in front of me rears up, stronger than its originally hunched form would suggest, and for the first time its long, dark beak is visible in the dim light of the alley, its clawed birdlike feet poking out from under its cloak as it shifts into an attack stance. Small round eyes flash as it, too, reaches for its blade. "Leave at least two alive," I tell my hirelings as they hastily draw their own weapons. "I'll need them." Physiology and Appearance A total of ten Kenku were captured over the course of two weeks for observation. Six currently remain. Direct observation of the creature with clothing removed reveals a fairly squat, but strong, animal. Bipedal with humanoid proportions not dissimilar from dwarves, the Kenku tend to stand approximately four to four and a half feet tall, though the creatures tend to sulk and slouch. Their skin is dark, with individuals of the species varying from a light gray to a near-black charcoal color. Their arms and legs are bare. Dark, glossy feathers begin to appear at the upper thigh and shoulder areas, quickly thickening into a coat that matches any raven or crow on their chest, back, neck, and head. Their heads are distinctly crow-like, an almost identical engorgement of a normal bird's appearance. Dissection confirms that the arm and shoulder muscles have no apparent capacity for flight, even a vestigial one. My dissections were further concerned with how these creatures are able to mimic sound so precisely. By dissecting several of the captured number, I have found in each of them a resonating chamber in the throat surrounding the vocal cords. This semi-bony chamber is partially compartmentalized, and I am certain that manipulation of the vocal cords within these chambers is what allows them to make such unconventional mimicry possible. Despite the fact that they can imitate spoken words and phrases, and sound precisely like the original speaker, they seem incapable of forming language on their own. Perhaps some kind of mental deficiency explains this. I'd also heard stories that thieves and other miscreants had used these animals to forge documents for them. Curious, I provided one with ink and parchment, showed him an old map of the city from the days of its founding, and ordered him to replicate it. Though I'd only allowed the thing to look at the map for approximately two minutes, he was able to copy it down to the tiniest detail. I marveled at this, noting that the creature had even included a smudged ink blot over one of the western gate's watch towers, a blemish from the original map. Social and Behavioral Observations The Kenku appear to live in small communal 'flocks,' for lack of better term. Their area of the slums is rarely traveled, but interviews with residents nearby have led me to believe that this city's flock is comprised of anywhere from twenty to thirty individuals at most. Considering the size of the city and the ample opportunity for thievery, begging, and scavenging that it provides, I can assume that flocks at smaller metropolitan areas would shrink accordingly. I can determine no form of government, no rigid social structure, no alpha male or female. Observations of the captive group in their pen shows constant infighting, sharp words and glances exchanged. The Kenku communicate with one another in silence most of the time, using only brief gestures and exchanged glances to convey some kind of meaning to one another. Only when conversations become apparently heated do they use sound, stealing expressions and noises from other creatures; a dog barking while angry, a woman's long sigh when acquiescent. They choose the darkness and the squalor, I am certain. They shrink from my torch when I draw near to their cell, their eyes sparkling with understandable hatred. They are vengeful creatures, spiteful. I had focused my one-on-one behavioral observations with the Kenku I'd referred to as 'Mapmaker.' It was through him that I learned that their written and verbal mimicry seemed limitless, and had rewarded Mapmaker with clothes and extra food. After two days of this, I found Mapmaker lashed to the bars of the cell by his entrails, his broken arms spread wide. The clothes I'd given him had been torn to ribbons and draped, blood-soaked, over his arms. I wonder if there was some relevance to their bird-like appearance that the method of execution and display that they'd chosen had given the flightless Kenku the appearance of wings. 230

A Brief Conclusion "Let me in," the voice still moans as I write. Damn it all. Pages of notes and observations back at my home. I'd been fooled by these little beasts. I'd found the cage door open, the remaining subjects gone and my experimental equipment scattered. I assumed that the creatures had escaped and fled. What a fool I'd been! Had I not known they were vengeful? As I began cleaning up the mess they'd left behind, I felt a searing pain in my side. Out of the shadows, out of nowhere, one of my Kenku had appeared and driven the short scalpel into my ribs, mercifully no deeper than a flesh wound. But I had never seen or heard the creature before it attacked me! It hissed with a cat-noise and slashed at my side again, opening another wound. Even as I shoved the creature away and scrambled to my feet, the others appeared out of the shadows with disturbing silence. Their hands gripped short blades, bone saws--my own autopsy equipment. I turned and fled, slamming the door shut behind me. I fled here, to this filthy little inn, a place where I would get little notice and the patrons would ask fewer questions. I staggered to the door and pounded upon it in my disgraceful panic, calling hoarsely "Let me in!" I still had enough gold on my person to pay for this room for a hundred nights, but I now know I won't need nearly that long. "Let me in," says the voice at the door. "Let me in," says another, and more than two fists are trying to turn the knob, trying to scratch at the door. "Let me in," says a voice outside the shuttered and barred window. A scraping sound from the roof, and I am convinced that even through the thick slats I can hear the voice in the night-breeze whispering let me in... All of these voices, desperate. All of them begging. All of them, exactly like my own. DM's Toolkit The Kenku are a very flexible creature to use in your campaigns. Their mimicry, talent, and demeanor allows them to run the interactive gambit from annoying, to useful, to comical, to disturbing. Kenku attack in groups, always preferring ambush. The key tactic for luring targets in is by mimicry. On a normal basis, this could be a baby crying, a woman screaming for help--any generic sound the Kenku might have heard (or caused). For Kenku who are stalking and following the target specifically, perhaps they mimic a shout for help or inviting phrase one of the party members have used. The above can be a great psychological tactic for freaking out your players. The player knows that you, the DM, have just called out to their character with another PC's voice and lured them somewhere. The character has no reason to assume anything is amiss. There are times were players having OOC knowledge is in your favor for setting the tension. Kenku can be random muggers or even a facet in a thieves' guild, using their talent at forgery. Forgery could be another tactic the Kenku use to lure the party in--a fake letter from a friend, whose handwriting they recognize. Kenku conversations can be amazing for RP - in one of my campaigns, the party gained the trust of a Kenku in attempts to find out where kidnap victims were being taken. The Kenku made a series of sounds that gave vague clues to what had happened to the missing people. Stringing sounds together, or snippets of conversations between people, is a great excuse for having your party put their detective cap on. If you have the tech and the know-how on hand, having small sound files on-hand to play could be a fun and immersive tactic. 231

Kobold Introduction Damn kobolds! Dog-faced baby-snatchers. Wicked cowards with no sense of decency. You know one of their traps will more often just injure you so they can track your bleeding hide back to your home and family. Then the real fun begins. And may the gods, wicked and wonderful, deliver swift death before they drag you into those holes of theirs. No wonder the Croc-kin of the Great Rill hang their bastard corpses on rocks or twist them into those weird totems. They want to send a message. I'd send one too if they'd not taken my legs. This intro is less about the monster and more about my take on it. Kobolds are a great low level creature that I like due to its trap-oriented nature. Of all the lackies, this is one of the best. However, we currently have a lot of reptile humanoids: Kobolds, Lizardfolk, Yuan-ti, Troglodytes. Of this list, I felt troglodytes have the weakest thumbprint so I folded them into the kobold species. Physiological Observations Kobolds are a reptilian humanoid, shorter than a man, and commonly mistaken for a different race of lizard folk- much to the disgust of lizardfolk who view them as humans view goblins. In fact kobolds are actually related to troglodytes. Here is the connection one learns shortly before being consumed: troglodytes are huge, hungry, egg laying kobold queens. Such prodigious egg laying requires a huge consumption of meat- the fresher the better. It's the reason kobolds as a whole are such good trappers and trackers- to take down prey larger than they are. Social & Behavioral Observations Kobolds typically make lairs in natural cave and favor abandoned keeps or castles built by humans. One or two bands have even been known to dig extensive tunnels connecting homes in a human town raided and abandoned by orcs. Goblin warrens also make a perfect habitat for kobolds with a few modifications to widen chambers for troglodyte egg laying. Interesting, kobolds will raid dwarven settlements but find them too cavernous and spaciousharder for the kobolds to defend. Elven settlements let in too much sun and drow cities are too well defended or, if abandoned, filled with too many predators. The day to day of a kobold is mostly spent running traps, building traps to guard entrances to settlements, and bullying those of lower social status into raiding bands. The bands constantly jockey for troglodyte attention either through meat or gifts. Band leaders who consistently bring for instance the most food, the freshest food, or the most magical food (i.e. non-cleric magic users) rise in status. As the band leader's status grows, so does this kobolds size and hunger for fresh meat. Soon troglodyte characteristic appear, sex is altered, and egg-laying ability arises. The ability to change morphology makes troglodyte livers especially sought after to improve polymorph spells and transmogrification rituals (add one dice, level, or lengthen duration of the spell). They worship some gods; especially predatory ones or gods of hunger and pain. More likely is that they know of a local dragon or other intelligent predatory who they worship as a sort of divine prophet. The kobold lair will be reworked to accommodate such a creature. In combat: Kobolds and troglodytes are about as smart as human thugs but more cunning. When attacking, half the kobold band moves to engage with knives and short spears, while the others take cover and use slings or throwing spears. They will not fight to the death, but will try to greatly weaken the prey, and stalk/track at night waiting for the right time to strike. Kobold will also try to keep combat around one or more of their traps, hoping to spring it at the right moment. If troglodytes are present then these huge beasts will often wait for an opening then attack the largest threat. The only time both fight to the death is in defense of clutches of eggs. Interspecies Observations Kobolds have few friendly interactions with other creatures. They are either in competition with like creatures such as lizardfolk, goblins, and ettercaps or they worship the predator that could cause them great harm such as dragons, chimeras, and manticores. When near humanoid settlements, kobolds will begin by trapping trails and merchant lanes. If there is little interruption, they will begin moving in on shepherds and outlying farms. As the troglodyte population grows, raid will occur on moonless night with infants and young children being taken from cribs. If that goes unchecked, then the kobolds will make a bold rush with most of the colonies troglodytes to raid the town. They will keep those who resist and drag back those unable. Variant Observations Kobolds come in a wide variety of shapes and colors matching the predominant environment they reside in. In temperate regions for example, kobolds are mottled green and brown with strong claws for digging. Kobolds residing by large bodies of water tend to have darker dorsal colorations with lighter bellies, flat alligator-like tails for swimming, and webbed hands and feet. Jungle territories can find themselves infested with kobolds of vibrant colors and with long fingers and toes perfect for climbing and leaping the large tall trees around them. Some scholars even report wings! Kobolds residing for several generations on flat planes or steppe regions are known to have incredible speed and a kick that can break a horse's leg or unseat its rider. While within a clime most kobolds vary only in size, cunning, and cravenness, trogolodyte queens can be quite different depending on their diet. Some queens consume a lot of meat and simply grow very large, become venomous, develop powerful muscles, and a bite strong enough to snap a mailed-man's arm from his shoulder. Others still gain a fondness for large chopping or bludgeoning weapons such as axes, hammers, or orc cleavers. They might also reward kobolds who come back with pieces of armor. Those troglodytes who feast on wizards, warlocks, and sorcerers are stranger still because with the aid of their draconic lineage can develop the ability to breath and manipulate fire. 232

D M ' s To o lb o x W h e n e n c o u n t e rin g a k o b old b a n d o u t sid e o f t h eir lair, D M's s h o uld a s s u m e t h e pla y e r s h a v e w a n d e r e d in t o a t r a p p e d t e r rit o r y t h e k o b old s a r e m o nit o rin g. 1 o r 2 t r a p s ( pit t r a p, n e t, e c t.) s h o uld b e p r e s e n t b u t hid d e n u nle s s t h e P C s look for it. Otherwise while in combat, there is a 2 0 % c h a n c e a t le a s t o n e o f t h e p a r t y m e m b e r s will t rip it. T his in c r e a s e s 1 0 % p e r t o t al p a r t y r o u n d ( o r p e r 4 pla y e r s fo r p a r tie s o f 5 + ) a s t h e k o b old s will p o sitio n t h e m s elv e s t o fo r c e P C s t o t rip it. Tro glo d y t e s m a k e s u p a b o u t 1 / 1 0 o f t h e k o b old p o p ula tio n, s o h u n tin g b a n d s o f a r e: 1 d 4 x 1 0 k o b old s wit h 1 t o 4 t r o glo d y t e s. D4 Kobold Species Trait 1 Temperate strong claws for dig gin g ( 1 d 4 d m g ) 2 W a t e r s wim a s c r o c o dile 3 J u n gle s pid e r clim b a s gia n t liz a r d 4 Plain s le a p a s gia n t fr o g D 6 Tro glo d yt e Tra i t s ( i n a d d i t i o n t o K o b old S p e c i e s ) 1 L a r g e siz e ( u s e G n oll F a n g s t a t s ) a n d will break, snap, and tear arms on a natural 18 - 2 0. 2 Large size (use Gnoll F a n g s t a t s ) b u t v e n o m o u s bit e - C O N s a v e o r vic tim will become incapacitated in a number of roun d s e q u al t o t h eir C O N b o n u s. 3 Large size (use Gnoll Fang stats ) a n d c h a m ele o n s kin, g e t s a d v a n t a g e o n S n e a k c h e c k s / dis a d v a n t a g e t o S p o t. 4 Possesses a great ax, hammer, or trid e n t 5 P o s s e s s a c olle c tio n o f a r m o r ( A C + 3 ) 6 C a n b r e a t h e fir e a n d / o r m a nip ula t e fir e 2 3 3

Kuo-Toa Do you want to see the dreams of mad kings come alive? Do you want to labor under the good intentions of the just? Do you want to live in a world where mere mortals can influence creation as they feel the gods should? No? Then destroy that spawning pool! Introduction Kuo-toa are man-size fish-ish & vaguely amphibian/reptilian humanoids. And if bullywugs are a mockery of civilization, kuo-toa make a mockery of religion. Their hard to define nature matches their hard to define origin. Some say they were a city of sea faring people who angered old gods prone to curses. Other say they were the result of foolish wizards. Sages say they are the experiments of Mind Flayers, but sages spend far too much time in dusty rooms with only crows and scrolls as company. Whatever their origin, Kuo-toa are more a natural disaster than a recognized threat because their proximity to civilizations cause individuals to manifest divine and simi-divine power. Often with disastrous results. Physiological Observations Imagine a body roughly human with clawed webbed feet and legs like a frog, scales like a reptile, and the head of a deep sea fish- that would only vaguely describe a kuo-toa. Their thick rubbery skin provides plenty of protection from a wide variety of insults and apparently prevents them from drying out. The wide mouths of kuo-toa accommodate their habit of swallowing things whole much like a giant frog species would. The other notable wide features are their eyes, which seem as big a dinner plates and whose tears are said to provide sight to the farest planes of existence. Despite their hastily assembled appearance, kuo-toa are quite strong and more physical than they appear. Social Observations Kuo-toa cabals are composed to two important factions: The High Tide (majority) and The Deep (minority). Roll on the Cabal Worship table to figure out the composition of the two factions- they are never the same. The Deep will constantly seek to undermine and over take The High Tide. The Deep will use PCs to further this goal through acquisition of a weapon or even assassination of The High Tide leader. The High Tide on the other hand will use the PCs to kill The Deep or further The High Tides goals in humanoid communities. Because the Kuo-toa exist in ecclesiastical frenzy any grand action performed in front of them or in their presence, then that person becomes the object of intense religious obsession. A New Deep will form surrounding that person (or even object). The Kuo-toa who witnessed the even or best knew the person will become the new prophet. This New Deep will then attempt to overtake the old Deep and eventually The High Tide. Inter-species Observations Kuo-toa cabals are terrible. Their ecclesiastical and reality warping powers leak into the surrounding lands. First the dreams of the sick and mad come alive at night or in the corners of society. Those who dream of power and wealth find that they become more real, more possible, more alluring no matter how unrealistic or dangerous. Rulers taste it and seek it. And if they find the cabal- they will invite emissaries back to their respective places of power. There a root of sickness takes hold and a co-dependant relationship forms. The rulers and kuo-toa will protect each other. Spawning pools will be set up and even sacrifices will be made for blood, sport, and breeding. Slower the ruler will manifest divine power, the slowly lose ego, and finally transform into the avatar of kuo-toa worship. This is what mind flayers want to study and if looked for hard enough some might be found. Eventually this new godling fails The Hight Tide, The Deep takes over, the godling is killed and maybe the cabal driven back. The cycle starts anew, but not before leaving death, destruction, and hearsay in its wake. After kuo-toa cabals are scrubbed clean, strict rulers follow with strong laws and rigid codes. Variant Species The kou-toa are. There is no variation because the kou-toa view themselves at a single concept and due to their power, they are monolytic. They appear physically as they always have. The only difference is that The High Tide or The Deep might each take on some aspect of their devoted worship. They might wear a claw on one hand. Or maybe practice lockpicking if they worship the leader of a thieves guild. 234

DM's Tool Box God Makers: Given the Kou-toa's bizarre power to manifest divinity in humanoids, PCs (and NPCs) run the risk of becoming an object of worship. Anytime a PC in the presence of the Kuo-toa: Rolls a natural 20 Beats a DC of 20+ Deal enough damage to make someone at the table go oh, man that's a ton The Kuo-toa will stop what they are doing and begin praying to the PC as the manifestation of a god- this is the beginning of a new faction. The PC must make a WIS save or become enthralled with this new worship. Each day the PC stays with the kuo-toa, a save much be made. If a week passes, the PC will lose a sense of self and start to become a godling. Godlings: Manifest the worst traits of their class. Thieves will want to steal, fighters to battle anything, clerics to convert, wizards to seek power ect. In the presence of the kuo-toa, the godling is treated as 1 level higher for every 2 kuo-toa to believe are present. Godlings powers are only limited by what the kuo-toa believe they can do or what spheres of the influence the godling is under. If all the worshipping kuo-toa for the godling are killed, the godling must immediately make saves as if they are at 0 hp. Roll Twice on the table below for a kuo-toa cabal's High Tide and Deep factions D6 God Purpose Icon Consequence 1- 2 Blibdoolpoolp The Creator A lobster-headed goddess Kuo-toa will attract outcasts/local to swell ranks 3- 4 Dagon The Devourer A large kou-toa with a hand full of humanoids Kou-toa will breed monitors and seek to kill and consume all around them 5 The Pearl The Destroyer A large black pearl To destroy the area and prepare for the arrival 6 Local NPC NPC trait Any icon Kou-toa are looking for a savior and have taken a local nobel born as their savior. This has created a cult of [trait] with problematic consequences. 235

Kraken Away from curs'd isles of man, lies the savior, the grace. The wanderer, damned by land and sky to its wretched place. Anchor to the water, seabed far below. Gnawing at the foundations of the world, when the seas rise and clouds fall there ye find the last hope curl'd round the roots of Yggdrasil tall. Anchor to the water, seabed far below. Introduction A Kraken is a titanic monster that plagues the deep seas and coastal regions of the world. Krakens are the apex predators of the ocean, regularly preying on Dragon Turtles and other megafauna while also using their malevolent intelligence to control hoards of Kuo-Toa and Mer. Living for millennia, they hatch plots that take centuries to unfold - toppling coastal empires with the ripple effects of a single event. Mariners fear the Kraken not because it is particularly likely that they will encounter one, but because it is a serious concern to encounter its minions on the seas: raiding Mer, sacrificial Kuo-Toa cults, and vicious Sahuagins and Merrow. Cults dedicated to Krakens, specifically Elder Krakens, can be found in coastal and semi-coastal settlements of civilized races; often these malevolent sects seek to end all land-life, but some religious groups simply treat the Krakens as temperamental Gods, seeking to please them in order to have safe passage and good health. Krakens dominate literature, prose, and arts about the sea; capturing the imagination of many a city-dwelling scholar or civil mer. Their deep intelligence also makes them proficient in the trades and magical arts, although their detachment from civilization and insidious rage often makes them simply intelligent and lacking in wisdom. Physiology and Life Cycle Real fuckin' huge, that's how we usually describe them. Then yer thinkin' - well, shit, beastie's huge, must be barnacle-brained or slow as a manatee, right? Yea, if'n ye want to get fuckin' locked in the abyss of those jaws go on thinkin' like that. Me? Seven trenches and fourty hells I'd go through before ye make me try and go on and get a real g'lookin at a damned kraken. - Trenchgullet, Retired Warden of the Depths, Awakened Kelp herder. Mer. A Kraken's anatomy is variable with location, age, and whoever is describing them. The murky water surrounding their lairs, their lethality, and relative detachment from civilization make them incredibly difficult to accurately study. Most often a kraken is described as simply a gargantuan squid-like cephalopod, but a kraken may have traits found in crustaceans, gastropods, and other mollusks. This calls into question the exact origin of the krakens - which are almost piecemeal amalgamations of the most advanced traits of sea animals. Are they creations of celestial beings? Offspring of magical experimentation? Almost certainly, whatever their origin, the krakens are fearsome and extremely developed for marine life. Massive gill systems that can trap unaware divers, triple-heart cardiovascular systems, and natural armors of chitin all contribute to their prowess. Krakens may have only one massive tentacle that can demolish a fishing-village in a single strike while others may have a mass of hundreds of razor sharp tentacles able to obliterate schools of whales. Krakens universally posses a single maw, usually in the form of a toothed beak roughly the size of a mammoth. Some krakens posses many layers of compounding chitin that are bolstered with metals forged in hydrothermal vents while others may have translucent skin able to camouflage their massive bodies into mirages of long lost treasure hoards drawing in unwary adventurers. Krakens live for many centuries, reaching maturity around 200 years and a state of advanced age around 3000. Past this, it is unknown how long krakens may live; although it is rumored the oldest Elder Krakens rival even the aboleths in their age. Mandilaan Krakens reproduce sexually, with males able to reproduce after two centuries and females entering reproductive fertility after their first millennia. Once a female becomes fecund, she releases pheromones across the oceans for thousands of nautical miles to sexually mature males. Males who fall under the influence of the pheromones enter a state of psychosis and they immediately seek the female, with the pheromones being powerful enough to even catch human males in its allure. The resulting sexual frenzy is referred to as the Mandilaan, where the krakens cluster in a single mass, the males tearing through one another to mate with the female at the center of the mass. This process utterly shreds the female kraken, whose destroyed body and fragment shells house the hundreds of eggs that have been fertilized by the destructive process. After a year of incubation, the eggs hatch and the baby krakens, indistinguishable from mature octopi or squids, fight over the dead bodies of the mother kraken and males who did not survive the Mandilaan. Only a small number of the eggs will be female, and they will hatch much larger than their male counterparts and often feed on them before moving on to the immediate consumption of small whales and unsuspecting Mer. The Mandilaan is viewed as a calamitous event by some and by others as well-regarded, if dangerous, erotic festival. The mixture of viscera, essentials, ink, and other liquids from a Mandilaan is an extremely high-valued aphrodisiac, although caution must be taken as the product of offspring created under its influence may have scaly patches, vestigial limbs, or webbed feet. The resulting surface whirlpools above Mandilaans sometimes spew gouts of this mixture, leading to the mariner colloquialism "kraken cum and bile." 236

Behavior and Intelligence Mendekatlah dan mati bodoh fana! ... Berbicara umum? Tentu saja. Is this better for your feeble mind, hunter? I thought so. Now you won't die confused and alone. You'll just die alone. Born in frenzy and combat, krakens are solitary beings that only come together for the Mandilaan or against massive threats to their position at the top of the aquatic food-chain. They often resent most lifeforms, especially sentient races of the land. Krakens, although solitary, are not prone to psychosis or madness because of their advanced intelligence and developed resilience. Thus, rarely is a kraken a thrall for a cult of mind flayers or aboleths, but if successfully tamed they would make formidable beasts of burden and siege engines. Krakens inherently understand Deep Speech, and by maturity have been exposed to Infernal, Celestial, and the Common Tongue. Their advanced intelligence allows them to project telepathic fields up to 120 feet around them. Krakens' personalities vary as much as any other sentient race - from extremely temperamental, to measured restraint, to even goodness in an exceptionally rare few. The incredible intelligence of a kraken makes them veritable libraries of knowledge of the workings of the seas - one benevolent Kraken, Perdambawa, was interviewed on the eve of his death. He could recall with complete accuracy the exact tidal patterns, weather occurrences, and celestial events going back to thousands of years - and accurately postulated four centuries into the future the natural happenings of the oceans. Their raw intelligence makes krakens willing to attach themselves to civilization exceptionally capable magi and their psionic powers can be honed if allowed. Krakens are not necessarily religious, oftentimes too egotistical to subjugate themselves to the wills of a deity - preferring instead to be revered by seaside tribes. Inter Species Observations ... It is thus, the decree of this sovereign state, that all adventurers are hereby given imperative leave to slay the foul beast Kapu-Rasak, in reward are the accumulated lands of the southern coasts bounded by the Wilderton Forests - so long as they swear by oath to not reveal that this decree has been issued. Gods help us all. Krakens form deep connections with the beings they do come in contact with it - be them fierce blood feuds or a deified status. The single most significant enemy of the krakens are the aboleths, who oppose everything about krakens. Considering themselves pure and untainted, the almost mutated and visceral nature of krakens are considered disgusting by aboleths. While a single kraken will easily kill a single or multiple aboleths, swarms of aboleths have been known to ambush krakens who infringe upon their territory. If a kraken does have a relationship with land-dwelling species, it is usually one of control, with tribute payments often being made to it. However, there are a few cases of krakens willingly entering partnership with other species for great bounty. One notable example is the kraken, Guritasai, the gatekeeper of the Mer city of Venthelm that is secluded in a massive trench. Elder Krakens have reached especially advanced age and amassed enough magickal prowess to rival entire universities of magical study and minor gods. These are typically deified by less advanced races and small villages of sentient races. Elder Krakens psionic prowess and magical ability thus allows them to give boons to their believers, altering weather patterns and migratory patterns of fish to benefit adherents. Variant Subspecies Marsh Krakens inhabit massive estuaries, snaking their bodies along the mud to blend in indistinguishably with the environment until it is too late for unwary adventurers. Infernal Krakens are fiendish, planar monsters inhabiting the Hells, Abyss, and Elemental Plane of Fire. They utilize magma for respiration instead of water and are known for their slow speed, rock-like hide, and abilities in conjuration. Celestial Krakens are only found in old tales of them flitting between the planes and stars, primarily as benevolent guides. Tiger Krakens are fast moving, predatory and boastful Krakens. They are the most likely kraken to be encountered by mariners, as they enjoy the sport of hunting ships, aboleths, dragon turtles, and fishing copper dragons and coastal rocs. Jörmun Krakens are snake-like, appearing closer to gigantic sea serpents than a cephalopod. They are known to form a coiled mass indistinguishable from a seabed, lying in wait while Mer form massive settlements on its hibernal body before awakening and feasting. Virgin Krakens are female krakens who have forcibly prevented or somehow survived the Mandilaan. Because female krakens continue to grow until death, these supermassive krakens can easily be as large as entire seas and cause massive ecological consequences until eventually their gills become too clogged with debris to breathe. Their corpses provide a bounty that often bolsters the population of previously displaced aquatic life and may hold treasures of the past. 237

DM's Toolkit The fitting end to any seafaring adventure, a kraken is an intelligent force of nature. They are very similar to a Lich in that they are good for a high-end hunting expedition, campaign building, and general long-term super-plot machinations. Roleplay wise, be sure not to overdo the insidious and haughty nature of krakens. They are, of course, arrogant like aboleths, but never forget a kraken is a wild creature that often will be too concerned with protecting itself and destroying everything to be self-conscious about its image. Krakens are most fun when they are completely unexpected. Don't have the party's boat attacked by a kraken and do the classic "Kill this tentacle to escape." Instead, have the putrid beak of the kraken consume the entire boat whole and go from there. Want to go krakencrazy? Krakens in mountain lakes! Krakens in palace fountains! Baby krakens in your cup of grog! Krakens everywhere! Ya-harrr! Adventure / Encounter hooks provided. The party gets a message from a wizard who claims to live in a lighthouse, seeking a cure to a "most strange transformation curse." The party wants to build their super-awesome fort, but shipments of stone and building materials have been halted by a stoppage of sea trade. Boats vanish miles from port. In their adventures across the planes, a mishap occurs and the party is shunted into deep-space. A strange passing Celestial Kraken offers its assistance, but only if the party helps it save their cursed brethren. A Mer city has recently been having a variety of workplace-related safety incidents in their hydrothermal vent forges. A Mandilaan happens. The party's adventure to a ruined Aboleth city leads them to encounter a frantic female Kraken, who is desperately searching for a way to prevent the release of her pheromones... in an hour. A sea-side village offers the party home and hearth. Nice recreational activities, cute kids, refreshing sea air, good inn rates, the whole deal. They are strangely nice. Nothing particularly bad happens, and the party passes through rather amicably. The party diviner finds leeches on them for the next few weeks. A Kuo-Toa shaman approaches the party on their journey, he is very frustrated, claiming he's been bullied out of his position by a "big fuckin' fish-snake." 238

Lamia "Throughout my many years of research into various subjects of arcane knowledge, most of which are nebulous and ever-changing, there is only one thing of which I am sure is universally true, regardless of context: If it seems too good to be true, it is. This is a rule that is as true for life as it is for dealing with lamias." --Aldus Bluncan, Professor of Divination at the Arcanus University. Introduction Many questions plague the mind of a young adult when an attractive individual, whom they thought would never notice them, decides to approach: Do they really like me? Are they just playing a practical joke? Are they mistaking me for someone else? Are they going to strip my bones, occupy my skin and use me to add to their collective hive intelligence? If that last question strikes you as odd, rejoice! You have never had to fear being the prey of a lamia. Or despair, because you're the perfect kind of prey. The Flash Purge & Subsequent Revival There is some confusion as to why, from a certain date, lamias in their true form went from being described as bestial, hybrid human/lioness' to relatively new descriptions involving intelligent swarms of beetles. The fact is, depending on what time period you are drawing your research from, both descriptions are accurate. One day, it came to light that a lamias ability to alter their appearance was not a natural ability and was, in fact, simply the result of a tradition to teach the change shape spell to their offspring as part of a coming of age ritual when they reach adulthood. This knowledge meant that disguised lamias could be more easily uncovered using detect magic, as opposed to other, natural shapeshifters. Thus began the Flash Purge, an extremely systematic and secretive elimination of all detectable lamias. Kingdoms, city-states and empires from all over sent wizards to almost every populated settlement within and without their own borders in an unprecedented feat of cross-species political coordination. Over the course of 10 years, virtually every single lamia was secretly found and tracked until the powers that be deemed they had located them all. On purge day, over the course of 5 hours, every single identified target was beheaded with an axe. Estimates suggest over 99% of the lamia population were systematically eliminated. It was believed that survivors died on their own, fear of being found making them less likely to emerge from hiding and causing them to starve out. We now know that a sizeable group of survivors banded together and, in a last ditch effort to ensure the survival of their race, performed a dark ritual that changed the very nature of their circumstances of life. Being a race that felt closer to the world of nature than of civilization, and recognizing the need to repopulate quickly while maintaining their apparent extinction as a cover, they found inspiration in the hidden world of insects, and began taking advantage of the new abilities their beetle form provided to reproduce, repopulate, and take revenge. Further new research suggests there may even be previous few proto-lamias left living in isolation, who have perhaps undertaken their own repopulation efforts. Physiological Observations (Proto-Lamia) Proto-lamia, or Prides, as they call themselves, were beings with the body of a lion and the upper body of a humanoid female, their distribution of anatomy being similar to that of centaurs. In their true form, prides possessed all of the strength and imposing physical abilities of a lioness which would make them formidable fighters were it not for their tendency to be cowards in close-quarters combat. It is true that proto-lamia were all born as females but, they were also all born with a complete reproductive structure, meaning they could impregnate as well as be impregnated. Curiously, while this led to widely anticipated hedonist orgies during designated mating seasons, it also created a taboo with regards to masturbation being deemed selfish, as their particular circumstances of reproduction became increasingly tied to feelings of community and belonging. Physiological Observations (NeoLamia) Neo-lamia, or Swarms, as they call themselves, are almost alien beings. A single neo-lamia is actually a swarm of malicious beetles with a hivemind-like intelligence which forms a semblance of individuality between swarms. The ability to break from their disguise into their swarm form gives them the tactical advantage of being easily able to flee any situation. Unlike prides, swarms are born sexless, a mass of perfectly androgynous beetles. However, when they consume and occupy a humanoid, they can use all the capacities of their victims, and can thus reproduce through sex. They also have the ability to retain the first form they ever occupy, and can magically shape change into it at any time. Social Observations They are extremely tight-woven in their own communities. This is reflected in both of their forms: whether you are a member of a pride of lions, or a swarm of insects, all of your actions are for the good of the group and your family. Acts that are deemed as selfish are regarded as the worst kind of crime, subject to immediate exile from the community. These include assault of another member of the group, theft of another's possessions, and any acts for the sole purpose of self-gratification. They are always highly encouraged to aid those in their community, and it is extremely uncommon to find them travelling alone. Many day to day actions are also done in conjunction with other members of their group. All meals are prepared and eaten collectively, child-rearing is regarded as the duty of the greater community instead of solely the parents, and every collective decision is made by individual vote, as in a pure democracy. Sometimes a figurehead will be chosen to represent the will of all, but if they are found to be attempting to manipulate/deceive the ones who chosen, they are remorselessly executed. This is because while they are extremely conniving and manipulative by nature, they deem that is only acceptable with regards to oppressing others, and to do so to your own people is to show a profound lack of respect for them, as well as yourself for placing yourself above (and therefore apart from) the community. 239

Behavioural Observations Interestingly, one of the biggest differences (other than appearance) between the two types of lamia is that while a pride will always be in their true form unless they believe they are being watched, swarms generally prefer to remain in their retained first humanoid form. They have no qualms with turning into their beetle form when convenient, but apparently the fact that the nature of their hivemind simulates a peculiar type of individuality, they find it more comforting to walk the earth as a single being whenever possible. Reproduction is also done differently between the two splinter races. While proto-lamia will have spontaneous, designated mating seasons (decided by democratic vote based upon when would be collectively convenient) wherein they will assume their pride forms, engage in a mass communal orgy and generally double their population, neo-lamia do not reproduce with each other at all. When a neo-lamia slays a humanoid creature, it adds another beetle to its evergrowing swarm. When the swarm grows too large, it reproduces by first slaying a worthy fey creature such as a powerful eladrin. Rather than consuming the body, the swarm then divides itself, filling the corpse with hundreds of its beetles. Over time, these beetles devour the corpse and arise as a new lamia. This newborn swarm gains much of the victim's memories and knowledge in the process, making them excellent infiltrators and dangerous enemies. Alternatively, if the need to reproduce quickly arises, a neo-lamia can simply have sex with a member of another species, during which the second party will begin to fill very ill before exploding into a collective of beetles equivalent to its former mass, thus instantly giving birth to a new swarm. What both types of lamia do have in common, though, is their love of hunting and devouring humanoids. Lamias lure their victims to death by assuming a pleasing humanoid guise While proto-lamias seem to essentially limit themselves to female forms, their counterparts have no objections with appearing under the guise of males, and will, in fact, use the myth that they are confined to the appearance of a single gender to fool those who they discover may be hunting their kind. Some lamias, driven by the need to consume other sentient creatures, simply stalk humanoids wherever they can find them. Others possess a twisted thirst for knowledge, seeking to acquire arcane lore and magical power at any cost. Inter-Species Observation While they do love to hunt, consume, and kill, many lamias enjoy manipulation purely for manipulation's sake. In fact, this is often the bulk of their interactions with other humanoids, the optional (but encouraged) killing serving only as a climax to the days, weeks, or sometimes months of deception and manipulation they put their victims through. Every other humanoid is usually seen as a means to an end, in one way or another, though they can develop friendships. Sometimes, for example, to make sure the nearby village of their community is not exposed as being a complete cover for a lamia clan, one of them may develop bonds with a local politician in power. They may actually come to like this individual, opting not to kill him during convenient moments of isolation. However, if at any point it would be more useful to simply assume their identity rather than subtly pull their strings, the lamia will feel no remorse in killing them and taking on their appearance for the good of the community. Lamias disregard any kind of monster or unnatural creature, and will swiftly wipe them out unless they are more powerful than the combined might of however many members of their family a single pride or swarm may assemble to help them. This means they avoid the Underdark, or the homes of giants, dragons, and other similarly powerful beings. They do however, revere animals, especially animals with a deep focus on any kind of community. Wolves, lions, bees, apes, ants, and many other species sharing similar behaviours will often be left alone if they approach lamia territory, whereas more solitary animals will be the ones who are actively hunted for sustenance or wiped out for convenience. The only beings which lamias will greet with open aggression and hostility are, in fact, their own racial counterparts. Any time prides and swarms meet, it is almost always in hostile confrontation. While the protolamias believe their newer cousins to be heretics who have turned their backs on the ideas of community with which the species have ingrained themselves, neo-lamias view their predecessors as selfish whose time has passed, and whose commitment to pride over the continued survival of their families marks their beliefs as outdated and insulting to the ideals they pretend to hold dear. 240

D M ' s To o lkit L a mia s a r e n o t c r e a t u r e t h a t a r e o ft e n s e e n o r e v e n t alk e d a b o u t in c a m p aig n s, w hic h m a k e s t h e m p e r fe c t t o pit a g ain s t p a r tie s, a s t h e y c a n b e e a sily c o n fu s e d wit h o t h e r s h a p e s hift e r s wit h o u t c o n c r e t e e vid e n c e, a n d will s o m e tim e s s c r e w wit h p a r tie s j u s t fo r fu n, w hic h will fr u s t r a t e a n y w a n n a b e d e t e c tiv e s t r yin g t o fin d a g r e a t e r p u r p o s e. A serial kille r is o n t h e lo o s e! E v e n w o r s e, t h e vic tim s k e e p a p p e a rin g t o t h eir lo v e d o n e s a ft e r t h eir d e a t h s, e x c e p t n o cle ric in t h e la n d c a n m a n a g e t o b a nis h w h a t t h e y a r e s u r e is a g h o s t o r d e m o n, b u t is in fa c t a la mia a s s u min g t h e g uis e o f d e c e a s e d lo v e d o n e s t o t o r t u r e in divid u als. Alternatively, the victims of the mystery killer have been spotted leaving the city, days after their death. A king hires the party to eliminate what eye - wit n e s s a c c o u n t s c o n fir m is a m alicio u s s h a p e s hift e r w r e a kin g h a v o c in his kin g d o m. T h e p a r t y k n o w s t h e c r e a t u r e m u s t h a v e a w e a k n e s s, but is it a doppelganger? A demon? A wizard using illusion spells? And will they be prepared when it is not one individual, but a coordinated clan of lamias slowly taking over the city? The party needs to explore a forgotten temple to find a mystical artifact. The temple was once part of a mighty empire, is massive and spans many miles centered around a central structure where the object is located. Many people have gotten hopelessly lost and been forced to live in the mega-temple, including other groups of former adventurers, refugees from foreign kingdoms, and other isolated bands of survivors. Little do the PC's know this is also an ancient holy site to lamias, and both prides and swarms are warring against each other to claim the temple as their own, using the lost humanoids as pawns. Do the PC's wipe out both sides, including the survivors in case they are disguised lamias? Or do they sympathize with either swarms or prides, and help them claim their religious right? 2 4 1

Lich It was gallant, chivalrous - you could say. It started like any other fairy tale, although my colleagues didn't seem to think so. My goal was justice against that which stole my wife, my children, and even my livelihood. That bastard, who beat me down and spat on me and didn't have the courtesy to finish me off. A few experiments, trips to shady alleys, and a few tragic encounters were all it really took. I say tragic, but they were mostly tragic for my colleagues - they were put to good use. With every expedition people grew more worried, every ritual seemed to make me less popular with the students. Damn the students. They were young, happy, vibrant. They had their lives ahead of them. I didn't want that. What had life given me? A wife with water in her lungs, and children born dead. I wanted a second chance. I wanted to avenge them. I wanted to be reborn like my children were. From the womb of magic and might, I wanted to breathe void and speak power. I thought I wanted to prove them wrong - to right a wrong. It was the moment I woke, after those days in agony, that I truly realized what it had all been for. I didn't want to beat life. I wanted to enslave death. Introduction A Lich (litch) is an undead being who has escaped the mortal coil by ritualistic and magical means. They have imbued an object with intense magical energies to become a phylactery (fuh-lack-tery, phi-lack-tor-e), which holds their undying soul. Their corporeal form, usually rotted away with the passage of time, is destructible but not permanently so; the phylactery reintegrates this form in a matter of days. A Lich lives forever; usually alone, feared by society, despised by colleagues, and abhorred by kin. The only way to permanently slay a Lich, a matter of much importance to many adventuring parties, is to destroy the phylactery. A Lich grabs hold of the imagination of the people - tales of the horrific deeds inspire both chivalry and infamy as the fate of the world can change on the whim of a sole being. More powerful sorcerers than vampires, despised more than dragons, and the ultimate lords of nigh-all undead; a Lich commands fear and awe wherever it chooses to make itself known. They may be good, they are often evil. A Lich, simply put, is terrifying. Creation It began, like most horrible and atrocious things, with a rather brilliant idea. I wasn't born a God, but I would become one. The single most frequent question on Lichdom is how does one become a Lich. An innocent enough question on a late-night filled with tales of werefolk and mermen but the pursuit of Lichdom is no mere undertaking, and accidents abound. For every Lich ever existing, hundreds of mages lie dead (or worse) from failed or misinformed pursuits. Because of their cataclysmic nature, most all centers of magical inquiry and study put a general ban on the study of Lichdom past finding the best way to kill them. Even citadels and colleges tolerant of necromancy will usually draw a line at Lichdom in "civilized" society. But in magical groups that do not abhor Liches, even those that celebrate them, especially in Mortocracies, the pursuit of Lichdom is well-regarded. The problem is that even before Lichdom, necromancers do not want to reveal what they know for fear of having their power or position stolen. Often lectures are shaded in conjecture and duplicity, and more often describes the cautions one should take. The first step to Lichdom, is knowledge. A Lich craves knowledge more than anything - a king mad to know the future of his legacy, a wizard lusting for the final component of his research, a druid holding fast to study the inner workings of an ancient forest. The ritual of Lichdom is not standardized - and what rituals are useless and what are critical steps are indistinguishable until a mage dies and either rises again or rises nevermore. To become a Lich an ordinary mortal must look for the knowledge stolen away by past Liches or held fast by ancient patrons. Expeditions to abandoned temples or deep beneath the sea, any lead will be pursued by a mortal running out of time. Often a mortal mage will resort to bargaining with an otherworldly being to attain Lichdom. These Liches will often be bound in submission and altered by their patron to suit their ultimate will. In canon, Liches who have subjugated themselves to another entity in exchange for their powers are known as Bound Liches. Common myth holds that the secrets of Lichdom are usually spread apart across the planes, but certain repositories of grand knowledge may exist. Books such as the Necronomicon, the Black Book, and the Living Thought are said to exist that hold the entire secrets of Lichdom. Some scholars, mostly of monastic orders, purport that the pursuit of Lichdom is simply escaping the cycle of reincarnation by truly knowing the self. Whatever the case, classical Lichdom has a few known rituals that are relatively well researched. The beginning step, some middle-level rituals, and the final ritual are all relatively well-documented although variations do exist. The first step to Lichdom must always begin with the Knowing. This is the point at which a necromancer forsakes 'good' deities and embraces the total pursuit, from this step there is no going back. Usually a simple prayer to evil deities (which often leads to a Bound Lich) some True Liches claim to have started with a ritualistic slaughter in the name of themselves. In this way, a True Lich also begins the first step on its path to Divinity. It is yet undocumented how a Good Lich passes through the Knowing. Some elven communities speak of sagacious Baelnorns - immortal elders who have sacrificed their mortality and eternity in paradise in exchange for guiding future generations. 242

Most middle-level rituals are simple evocations or conjurations designed to produce the materials for the final ritual. This includes strengthening the phylactery, infusing reagents, etc. Often the raw magical energies required for this process will begin to rapidly age the proto-Lich - and being too consumed with the pursuit of Lichdom to maintain appearances, this is also the stage at which it becomes easier of locating a proto-Lich. During this stage, depending on the nature of the Lich, the environment around their laboratory and ritual sites will change. Most plant life will die, water will become poisoned, and animal life will grow sick and their flesh will become necrotic. This is not to say all Liches produce these results. There is one instance of a Bound proto-Lich in service to a mighty Dao clan near a mining town that mysteriously found a massive vein of gold ore. Another in service to a god of Quaggoths began to cause the nearby village to devolve into lustful and cannibalistic frenzies. The final ritual is the most well documented because it is the point at which a proto-Lich is most vulnerable and their presence is most observable. The central ritual is for the proto-Lich to kill itself on the night of a celestial event. The most traditional means of this is through an Elixir of Defilement on the night of a Full Moon. The means by which the proto-Lich performs this ritual is also dependent on their patron and alignment. Most Liches will create the final Elixir with the ichor of a mighty celestial being - most commonly devas or Unicorns - and the viscera of an ancient natural being - krakens, rocs, dragons, etc. The rarity of the celestial event seems to influence both the strength of the Lich and their bolstered magical prowess. After killing themselves, the proto-Lich will lie dead for a day before rising the next night as a full Lich. The entire process of Lichdom has been examined for centuries, and it has been suggested that the process of Lichdom is not necromancy at all - it is the process of ascension. Liches thus would be a corrupt and limited form of demi-god - and True Liches who have attained undeath by their own will are on the path to true ascension. The Lich Gods: Vecna, Lady Vol, and others are said to be the complete manifestation of Lichdom. Physiology What did you expect, whore? A shining knight? A dashing king? This is what you wanted! This is what I spent lifetimes working for! Look at my flesh - I love this flesh! I have bones stronger than mythril; a drop of my blood can kill a kingdom. Look at your weak, decrepit form. You're filth. I did this for you, and you have the arrogance to call me subhuman? I am not beneath you. You're dying. I... I am alive. The Lich experiences a much more enjoyable state of undeath than most undead. Like most, they do not require sleep, food, drink, or air but they have been known to be able to enjoy them. A Lich exhibits the general status of necrosis among the whole body, with drawn flesh and viscous blood. Feathered and furred species that enter Lichdom will molt and shed the vast majority of their outer coverings, and skin often sloughs off in large portions. This process of decomposition can be carefully staved off, but the motivation to do so is usually not that present in the reclusive Lich. They still have excellent sensory input and response however, even though their eyes are usually among the first to be eaten by maggots. The undead body of a Lich is deceptively strong. In addition to their ability to reform, their corporeal form is extremely strong and their viscera are very potent. Bones are as strong as the strongest metals, blood is extremely toxic, and even the touch of a Lich makes flesh necrotic. Liches can paralyze mere mortals with this touch, and conjure forth hordes of undead minions at their will. Bound Liches are often imbued with great powers in line with their patron also. A Lich retains perfect recollection of their past life, and often claim to have sharper wits and a more subdued disposition. Depending on the patron of a Lich and their alignment, some Bound Liches exhibit a slow decline into madness (especially among chaotic deities and fiendish patrons.) The immense timeframe that a Lich has to implement plans, along with the tomes of knowledge they gain on their path are counted among Liches as their strongest asset. The magical energies of a Lich are amplified by the potent rituals and excruciating trials one must perform to become a Lich - the sheer force of will alone; the drive and ambition of a proto-Lich is a nexus for the raw magical energies of undeath. But this toll of everlife is exacted upon a Lich in the form of requiring souls to fuel their phylactery's energies. Several subspecies of Lich exist that react differently to Lichdom, some notable Liches are Alhoon Liches, Dracoliches, Arcliches, Baelnorns, True Liches, and Bound Liches. The Demilich is an advanced form of Lichdom; one that has been starved of souls whose consciousness travels without regard for planar boundaries. The specific form of phylactery is traditionally depicted as a metal strongbox stuffed with scrolls and parchments with strange runes. It is safe to assume that most Liches choose an alternative form as adventurers take to smashing all objects and casements that look like they might have a few coppers in. A phylactery must be of strong material construction, certain rarity, or personal importance so as to grant it magi-corporeal binding stability. A relatively easy to attain form is a that of an exotic gem, which is relatively safe from being smashed and easy to disguise as a simple magical pendant. Phylacteries may also be imbued with magical properties beyond that of Lich-magic, such as Contingencies, curses, and illusions. These act as a defensive mechanism to protect the phylactery if the series of minions and hordes of undead are swept away. To continue existing in their current form, a Lich must feed souls to its phylactery. The amount of souls required seems not to vary, but has been known to increase with great magical exertion. Many Bound Liches attest that if significantly trusted, their patron will imbue the phylactery into their divine presence - thus rendering the Lich completely immortal unless the bond between divinity and Lich is severed (usually in consecrated or desecrated grounds, with specific binding magics, and a powerful gem designed to capture the unbound Lich soul upon severance) 243

Variant Liches Mother never was fond of my... tendencies. A failed tadpole was regarded as useless to most of the others, but I always thought of death as an opportunity. No one thought much like me, which made me the renegade mind. That's in the past though, long ago I... eliminated those objections. Ah, but what is one without their heritage. The taste wanes with every year it seems, but I can never resist the desire to enjoy a fresh mind. Old habits die hard, it seems. The ecology of Lichdom is a controversial and vast field - for every sentient species so too are their respective Liches and sub-classes of Liches. Some races of course are simply too aggressive or unintelligent to support more than one or two exceptional Liches: goblins, orcs, Quaggoth, and others. But truly advanced species often have similar rates of Lichdom as the common human: elves, dwarves, halflings, tieflings, and others all are prone to Lichdom. Certain qualities of a race make them more or less predisposed to Lichdom. Races the live for long or indefinite periods of time, such as elves, gith, celestials, or fiends often are not drawn to infinite lifespan of a Lich. Races with already inherent magical prowess also do not tend towards Lichdom. Lichdom is more prevalent among the ambitious races: humans, dragons, half-elves. Races concerned with purity such as yuan-ti, nagas, and some dragon sub-species are even less so inclined towards Lichdom. The Demilich is considered by some Liches to be a degeneration of Lichdom, and by others to be the next evolution of a Lich. A Demilich has been deprived of souls for such an extended period of times that the magics sustaining the body (and some would say consciousness) of the Lich can no longer function - slowly dissolving a Lich into a sole bone body part - usually a skull or hand. In this state, Demiliches claim to exist as "an ethereal conscious." Whether this is simply a constant state of divination magic - in which the scrying matrix fuses with the psyche - or a limited form of divine presence is still unresolved. Dracoliches are the draconic form of Lich, who along with inheriting the strong magics and temperament of the race also have a unique feature among Liches. A Dracolich may imbibe itself and soul into the body of another drake such that it has full possessive control (not unlike fiendish possession.) Celestial beings are thought to be incapable of becoming Liches, but rumors of fallen Deva and Planetars seeking godhood through Lichdom do exist. Fiends and other outsiders can become liches, classified as lichfiends. Especially in the intrigue of the Hells, it is not uncommon for a fiend to essentially steal the souls of lesser devils to prevent a rise of power similar to their own. These beings exist solely by the will of a superior fiend, however, and at any moment their soul may be cast down back to the Maggot Pits of Avernus. It is unknown if the Lich deities were once pure or if they ascended as Liches. Some theologians posit that the divine essence could not be corrupted in such a way - but the matter is often reserved for a matter of thought experiments. Inter-Species Observations I simply do not understand the fears of these mortal traders. Their lives are not at too horrible a risk. Our vampire clans are safely regulated in most of our provinces. Even the zombie hordes have somewhat accurately measured migratory patterns. A Lichdom is a... relatively safe government. A Lich's quest for domination often leads it to the ultimate evil: a political career. Fueled by a sense of absolution, infallible logic, and a keen distaste for living governments - a Lich will often assemble hordes of the undead to be governed by their will. These Lichdoms are tyrannous blood-hordes at best, but some rumors exist of relatively peaceful, almost utopian, societies where the dead serve the living and a Lichking rules in tandem with a mortal king. A sole Lich who does not pursue the creation of its own state will often hole up in ancient tombs, caverns, towers, cairns, etc. In these locations the Lich will extend its reach of power with subjugated mortal envoys and undead servitors. A Liches physical nexus of power is almost never the location of its phylactery, which is kept in much more secretive and less extravagant (though much more deadly) locations. Liches are haughty in comparison to all races, especially mortal ones, viewing them as little more than ants. Immortal or long-lived races may garner some respect, but even then a Lich will always call into question their "inferior intellect." Even minor divines are often treated lukewarmly by Liches. Trickster gods enjoy Liches as they are the ultimate source of entertainment, gladly manipulating them into performing inane tasks or foiling their plans for world domination. 244

D M ' s To o lkit A Lic h is ic o nic t o t h e D u n g e o n s a n d D r a g o n s e x p e rie n c e. F o r e v e r y kin d o f N P C t h e r e is a diffe r e n t kin d o f Lic h. A c c o r din g t o R A W, a Lic h is only suitable as the finale of an epic level-20 campaign, or the massive expedition of groups of lower-level players. But the roleplay opportunities, the minions the Lich sends out, and the overall flavor they can bring to a campaign makes them a near-mandatory aspect of any DM's career. Don't cheapen Liches however, they should be surrounded in mystery and taboo. Also, the quest to become a Lich is a n g r e a t d o w n tim e - c o n s u m e r fo r a sin gle pla y e r - givin g a D M ple n t y o f o p p o r t u nitie s fo r in t e r - p a r t y p olitic s a n d pla y e r d e v elo p m e n t. A Lic h s h o uld b e a big p e r s o n alit y t o o, wit h a s olid b a c k s t o r y fo r e a c h o n e. No matter what, rem e m b e r t h a t a Lic h is n't j u s t a n o t h e r s t a t s h e e t. A d din g o n e t o a c a m p aig n is a c o n s cio u s c h oic e t o alt e r y o u r c a m p aig n alm o s t fu n d a m e n t ally. F o r t his r e a s o n, I've included campaign/adventure hooks instead of my usual encounter hooks. Enjoy. A member of the party finds a book bound in human leather inside the robes of a dead necromancer. Scrawled on it are the words "Do not open" written in blood. The party awakes to find themselves imprisoned in a cell. A nearby prisoner tells them to "Remember the true king" as an undead Minotaur grabs him and leads him off to the gallows. Screaming is heard. A close party-mate or NPC of the party dies at the hands of a Lich. But it offers the party a solution: get rid of the Lich's master and their friend will be resurrected. The catch? To get to the master, they'll have to go through Hell. The party arrives on a tropical shore after a long voyage to the new world. But everything is different in this hostile new world, where undeath is the norm. A vicious assassination in the capital has caused a court noble to seize power, but recent reforms have rumors of foul magic befalling the kingdom. The party's adventures in the Far-EastTM have ended, but on their way back to Totally-Not- Medieval-Europe, they find themselves lost in a desert. Here, pyramids shift with the sands, massive cities live in dunebanks, and a vision of what the party thinks is a mummy haunts their dreams. A Lich of the Shadowfell has decided the Prime world is his next target, deciding to open planar rifts throughout the world to cause an apocalyptic merging of the two worlds. 2 4 5

Lizardfolk "You would do well to tread carefully in the swamps, human. Not all of my kin are well fed and wouldn't find you any less appealing a meal than you would a fat pig" -- Lizard Folk Shaman Introduction Lizardfolk or Rak'Ta (what they refer to themselves as) are a large seemingly primal race of reptilian humanoids. They have many colors and variations which can help depict heritages and regions. Lizardfolk are carnivorous and dangerous to any humanoid aside from another Lizardfolk. This does not make them evil it is simply just their way of life. Meat is food and you are meat is as close to an apology anyone will ever hear. Lizardfolk are entirely alien in thinking to most races, they care about one aspect and that's survival. They do not seek progress like many races and they don't seek to make more defensible kingdoms or communities they band together simply to survive. This doesn't mean that they are uncaring; neigh they are a tight knit community. There is a lot to be learned still about the reptilian race and the more I can relay the better relations can be handled with them in the future. Physiological Observations Lizard folk stand at 6 to 7 feet tall and are typically well muscled strong individuals. Resembling a mix between a burly barbarian and a shorter snouted monitor lizard they can be menacing even to the toughest Dwarves. Lizard folk are strictly carnivores and sustain themselves on a substantial amount of meat each day. Lizard folk as mentioned come in many colors but most commonly are that of lighter greens, blacks and forest greens. This usually indicates the habitats in which they live for better camouflage. They have large yellow eyes with vertical slits for pupils. Their heads on average resemble a carnivorous monitor with large sharp teeth. Their teeth are typically very clean and white as their diet consists mostly of fresh sanitary meat. Lizardfolk while ravenous carnivores are not barbaric in their consumption and acquisition of food. They are excellent and intelligent hunters using well-honed tactics of brute force, stealth and well put together traps to bring as much food to the table as possible. Rak'Ta are surprisingly warm blooded so they must consume a large amount of meat every day. For an average specimen standing 6 Ω feet tall they must consume over 7 lbs. of meat a day for normal sustenance. They can survive for 2 to 3 weeks without food but will become slower and more preservative of energy with each day of a missed meal. They do cook and flavor their food typically with plants and other vegetation. It can be said Rak'Ta are some of the best meat cooks in the lands with their technique and spices, although they are not discriminate on the animal it comes from so it's best not to ask. Males and females are very hard to distinguish for most other races. Females are typically more slender in stature and males are slightly wider and taller. Males are typically also more vibrant in color much like their distant lizard relatives. This is useful to lizards for mating practices but to the Lizardfolk this makes hunting skittish prey more difficult as they can stand out in the dense foliage of their environments. For this reason Males tend to be more openly aggressive in hunting and fighting while females with their slightly muted colors are more apt to stealth and subversive tactics on the hunt and in battle. Lizardfolk while fully reptilian do carry some amphibian like traits. They are foremost air breathers but through special small gill pouches inside of their mouths they can filter oxygen from the water. Most Lizardfolk communities live in dense jungles, forests or swamps and typically near water as to take full advantage of variety of prey. They are excellent swimmers and as much as at home in water as they are on land. Social Observations Lizardfolk while seemingly brutish and barbaric in appearance are far from in social form. They are primal yet sophisticated socially. They live in tribes of around 30 to 50 adults and typically between 1 and 2 children per adult couple over the span of their lives. That equates to a lot of food and thus many members are hunters. Very few adults do not hunt. Those few, who do not hunt, watch the tribe's children and teach them. The children are all taught together the lessons in cycles of the year and how to hunt and gather. Luckily children learn quickly as they reach adulthood at only 5 years of age. Rak'Ta are caring parents to their children but also care deeply for the children of others. The family in their eyes is the whole tribe and while they favor their own offspring they do care for everyone's children in some way. Couples are typically joined together after their first mating making them bonded not unlike marriage. This typically is a budding relationship by familiarity with another and grows over time. It is rare for a couple to split as they are monogamous but if one is unfaithful the cuckolded one typically finds another mate also. These splits are most often unpleasant and sometimes lead to one or more members leaving the tribe. For growing up so quickly Lizardfolk live long lives naturally. They can reach ages of up to 60 years when not stopped short by disease, battle, or other unnatural deaths. Childhood while short is typically very fondly remembered. They do their lessons in the mornings and by mid-day they are left to roam the areas near to the tribe's encampments to explore and play to their whims. This of course is supervised from the teachers from afar in case of dangers but the young are capable fighters on their own. They also tend to stick together in small group of 4 to 5 younglings to play games with each other. 246

Among the tribes there's a structure similar to barbarians with elder council and a shaman giving council to a Chief. The Chief seems to always listen to their advisors and make an informed decision when needed. The elders are always members who have been prominent in their tribe in some way. Weather battle exploits or benefited the tribe in some other way the council will agree amongst each other and invite a new member based on their deeds. The Shaman and Chief are typically passed down in a family of the most promising offspring to fit the job. It is rare but it can happen where another young is chosen to be groomed for such a position if no suitable offspring are produced. Lizardfolk live in these tribes with strong but temporary stitched and lashed together wooden homes. They follow the best food sources for their areas and move when needed to follow a herd or if simply nothing's left to hunt. In colder regions and months they will line homes with skins and wear skins to further keep warm. Although typically they hunt a primary animal in a region they will kill and eat what they can since they need large amounts of food. It's not unheard of for a tribe to eat 4 to 5 full grown horses in a day. Fighting between tribes can and does happen. If they intersect and food becomes scarcer the tribes will then diplomatically try and express their wishes for the other to leave. These talks rarely end well though and war breaks out soon after. These wars are often short and decided in 1 large battle. The refugees and survivors are typically forced to move and start anew in a different area with significantly smaller numbers. This can cause bitter rivalries in clans that can last decades and in 1 case I've been told centuries. During most of the daylight Lizardfolk are determined and actively either busy cleaning and repairing their homes, hunting or gather. During the night they share stories and talk amongst each other much like the patrons of any tavern. They eat only 1 time a day and take their meal and drinks of water all at once and need to digest so they socialize operating at a lower energy level. Digestion does take a bit more effort for them than most other humanoids and in this time they are more lethargic and unable to effectively fight. For this reason there's typically the group of the most elite warriors that eat only after the majority of the tribe have finished with their digestion period. These warriors are given the title of Grafta which roughly translates to a deadly poison in common, and are well respected in the community. These warriors are typically found in a group of hunters and are can be far more dangerous than the average Lizardfolk. While they primarily consume water Rak'Ta do have their own drink they use in occasions. This drink is typically made from fermented fruit and plants and is strong as dwarven ale. It is a despicable taste of rotting plants and stagnant water but they seem to favor it. Lizardfolk are not of an organized zeal or religion but they do greatly favor and respect larger reptiles, either by giving them wide-birth or simply never attempting to hunt them. Commonly this is a dragon that they do not disturb or even in some cases huge carnivores like a Tyrannosaurus. They will sometimes strike deals with dragons and act as a first wave of protectors for their lairs in exchange for food and protection from the dragon. Socially males and females are not distinguished in any way. There are no such qualms over sex among Lizardfolk. Each member of a community knows their place and does their job and in that absolute practicality they rarely take time to even consider such matters and focus on survival. Anyone typically holds any position in the tribe as for the most part it is all based on deed. Inter-Species Observations Lizardfolk typically just consider most other animals as food unless they are far outmatched. As mentioned before, this commonly will be only dragons but in more remote reaches larger dinosaurs can be included in this exclusive group. This does not mean they will immediately attack intruders in their territory as they understand negotiations can bring them greater amounts of food then simply just killing and eating them. Any amount of long term alliances or trade typically breaks down because of neglect by the Lizardfolk to continue talks. As they are mostly self-centric in thinking of survival they don't pay heed to other matters especially social ones during the day. This is why when speaking to Lizardfolk in any diplomatic fashion is always favorable at the later hours of the day as they are more open to ideas with their bellies full. Lizardfolk in abundant food areas do take other animals as pets or working animals for many things. Hunting dogs, wildcats or even bears are not unheard of but they favor reptiles and seem to relate with such creatures easier. In regions where dinosaurs live Lizardfolk inevitably find plentiful food and keep Velociraptors or Deinonychus as a human would hunting dogs. When fighting Lizardfolk typically carry swords and shields as their main weapons. The shields are made of tempered and treated wood making them very sturdy and not easy to break. They are skilled in many weapons but more often than not have only clubs. Most weapons are spoils of victory against other races. Outside of a club and they favor the sword. Although rare they can make their own weapons if the tribe has a blacksmith. While blacksmithing isn't common some tribes do learn such ways and forge weapons. Even rarer if a tribe happens to have a magic user among them they will typically have enchanted weapons and armors. Lizardfolk spell-casters almost always focus on Nature, Evocations and Creation magics. This stems from the drive to better their communities and will for the most part use the spells to further their tribe's success. When outsiders are encountered by Lizardfolk hunting parties they typically start peacefully recognizing other sentient races. Pre-designated spokesperson will greet the strangers with the group holding back ready to fight in an instant. The more stealthy females will slowly attempt to flank the strangers if possible to better their odds in-case of the coming fight. They will allow travelers through in trade for food or sometimes even weapons. A common adage of one region is Passage through the swamp requires 3 swords and a buckler. 247

When fighting Lizardfolk use their whole bodies when fighting. They trip with their tales and bite when then can. They are skilled in weapon combat but mix in their natural weapon for surprising maneuvers or feints. The Grafta are far more skilled and could be considered experts of their chosen weapon in almost any land. Males will typically roar and charge in the front while females attempt to ambush from the sides and flank of an enemy or group. They attempt to overwhelm with ferocity and numbers but eventually fall into steady fighting patterns if the prey still resist. Tactics when hunting are not very different. For more skittish prey they will use bows from ambush but for more sturdy prey that fight they treat them much like when fighting a group. Variations Lizardfolk are a diverse group and detailed differences are bellow. Jungle Lizardfolk: they are lighter green and typically are striped with blacks and red lines down their bodies. Forest Lizardfolk: Darker green in color and have a more mottled appearance with dark brown mottles skins that help blend in with the forests foliage. Swamp Lizardfolk: These Lizardfolk are typically solid black and favor ambush from the dark murky waters. Snow Lizardfolk: Far rarer these varieties hunt and follow large mammoth herds or even caribou. They are smaller only reaching 5 feet at max and are white with light blue stripes down their spines. Desert Lizardfolk: These light to golden brown individuals eat smaller animals and bugs, foraging for large amounts of them. They do however attack and eat humanoids far more often and will attack groups on sight if they think they can win. DM's Toolbox Lizardfolk are easily made into a monstrous adversary or ward against the wilderness. As a DM basic enemies can get boring and maybe you could try and stop fighting between tribes that would awaken the wrath of one of the tribe's protector dragon. Don't be afraid to break out of the norm and use the Lizardfolk in different ways. 248

Magmin "Without setting anything on fire, you will heat only the area inside the furnace to the stated temperature. You will then maintain the temperature of the furnace until you are ordered to stop. When you are given the order to stop, you will continue to refrain from setting anything on fire while you allow the furnace to cool and await further instructions." -Acclaimed wizard Cyrus von Hardt's orders to a summoned magmin Introduction One of the most valuable skills for a summoner is knowing which tool is suited for which job. While magmin may lack the subtlety of other summoned creatures, they excel at causing chaos and destruction. In fact, magmin are so specialized to this purpose that it is difficult to use them for anything else. Magmin are difficult creatures for summoners to work with - they believe that burning is the natural state of all flammable objects, and all of their instincts drive them to burn everything in sight. Further, they are free-spirited troublemakers, and are ill-suited to the simple, monotonous tasks that golems excel at. If not kept on a tight leash, a magmin can turn even the simplest of missions into a chance for arson. On the other hand, if you want something burned to the ground there are few creatures more suitable for the job. Physiological Observations Magmin are not naturally occurring creatures. Similar to golems, they were originally fire elemental spirits, but the summoning process that bound them to the Material Plane also trapped them in a black shell of hardened magma. This shell is hard and thick enough to repel most weapons. If the shell is ever broken completely the volatile innards of the magmin explode outwards, raining fire and magma down upon everything nearby. The hardened shell of a magmin glows a faint red from the fire within, and particularly flammable materials can be set ablaze just from the heat radiated by a magmin. This heat is particularly concentrated around the hands, where small holes in the palms release the flames trapped inside the magmin's shell. Magmin have a limited amount of control over the fire within, allowing them to force small jets of flame out through the cracks in their shell. This ability is normally used to illuminate the surrounding area. Magmin can choose not to stay alight, but unless specifically bound to do so by their summoner they may occasionally set themselves alight as a simple reflex. Some magmin have exhibited the ability to use this flame as a ranged attack, but that extent of control is exceedingly rare. Magmin are usually small and compact; some researchers have theorized that a more powerful elemental could be used to create a much larger magmin, but so far their studies have failed to stabilize the elemental within a solid form. Social Observations Magmin are seldom able to create their own cultures; as summoned creatures, they are usually at the beck and call of their summoner. However, when released from a summoner's control after his death or for other reasons, magmin will travel in a disorganized tribe with no discernible leader, wandering the Material Plane until they come across a source of immense heat, such as a forest fire or a volcano. A number of magmin will remain behind while the rest of the tribe moves on, continuing their destructive wandering. For this reason, volcanic eruptions are often accompanied by magmin raids, as magmin follow the heat outside of their temporary home. Behavioral Observations The destructive habits of the magmin are not born of malice, but of instinct and innocence. With faint memories of the Elemental Plane of Fire, they associate fire with comfort rather than pain and destruction, and can never be made to truly understand the fear of fire exhibited by other creatures. In their ignorance of the pain fire causes to beings of flesh and blood, magmin find the panic of a creature set aflame highly comedic. If left to its own devices, magmin do not actively try to attack other creatures, though they may attempt to set them alight out of curiosity or boredom. When attacked, they prefer to flee rather than fight back. If forced into a corner, however, they are capable of fighting with their superheated hands. Simply being touched by a magmin is enough to cause severe burns. While magmin do not move particularly fast when they reach out, the heat haze that surrounds their hands can make the attack difficult to dodge. Inter-Species Observations Magmin are often summoned by fire giants and efreeti for use in warfare. Being immune to fire, an army of fire giants can fight alongside magmin without fear of their destructive habits. Attracted to all sources of extreme heat, magmin tribes sometimes end up following red dragons, which may tolerate them if they pay it the appropriate amount of respect. DM's Toolkit Magmin can make a very good addition to combat encounters across many levels. With resistance to nonmagical weapons and their signature death burst, magmin are a large challenge to melee-oriented classes, so they can be a good way to make casters shine. The addition of magmin to an encounter drastically alters the tactical situation. Magmin encourage the party to spread out and move around constantly to avoid being caught in the blast radius; a steady flow of magmin can be a good way to make a fight more dynamic for a party that tends to remain stationary. The predictability of the magmin can also make them good as a decision point. A villain might release a group of magmin as he escapes, forcing the party to choose between pursuing him and letting the town burn. 249

Medusa "A woman with snakes for hair is just the thing to get me rock hard." -Every adventurer ever at some point in a tavern. Introduction Once mortal beings obsessed with their own vanity, medusa are immortal creatures forever cursed by the means they took to achieve youth and beauty. Whether it be from dark lore books, favors from evil wizards, or sacrifices to demons, these beings lived many years of bliss, having obtained what they seeked. However, although their beauty never faded, their hair became a nest of vipers and no one that looked upon their visage became able to sing praises of their aesthetic appearance. Cursed with immortality, the medusa locks itself away in its, by now, dilapidated estate or dungeon, forced to live in virtual solitude, their beauty they sold their soul for now being useless. Physiological Observations Since any sentient humanoid race can have the vanity necessary to achieve the curse of the medusa, each one can have a varied physique: from short, stocky, once-Dwarven medusa, to tall, lanky, pointed eared medusa. Through the whole spectrum of shapes and sizes, men and women, some traits, however, always remain constant. Regardless of age, they will have eternally youthful and very beautiful faces. The medusa's face will look like the epitome of beauty in the culture of its previous race (i.e. Dwarven medusa have long beards and strong jaws, Elven medusa have high cheekbones and fair skin) This being the prize they paid their souls for, a medusa's face will never receive a blemish, wrinkle, or imperfection. Their eyes are rumored to be a creamy white color, vacant of any pupil or iris. This is only a hypothesis, as even in death, the medusa's gaze can likely turn an onlooker to stone. The final similarity is that the medusa's hair becomes a nest of extremely poisonous snakes. Any person able to avert their gaze long enough to approach the medusa will soon find themselves on the ground, their systems shutting down as the venom from one or more of these several dozen snakes courses through their blood stream. After a medusa is killed, the snakes die shortly after. After an autopsy, it was determined that these snakes have the identical biological systems to that of any naturally occurring viper. It is unclear whether or not a medusa's hair transmutes into the snakes, or if their hair falls out and these grow in its place. Social Observations Medusa are some of the most solitary beings in existence. Since even other medusa, including themselves, are subject to the petrifying gaze, they do not even share company with others of their kind. Because of this prolonged seclusion, the longer a medusa lives with its curse, the stranger its personality may become. They can forget the language they spoke in life, becoming almost entirely feral. In this case, medusa become afraid or hostile to other life, and attempts at contact will be met with vicious attacks and unintelligible screams and shrieks. Another response to eternal loneliness can be desperation for company. These medusa yearn to speak to other creatures, and will try to keep those in their lair alive and talking for as long as possible, their voices being the first the medusa has heard in years. Depending on how hostile the medusa is, this can result in either a hunter playing with its prey as long as possible before killing, or simply a lonely hermit wanting its first guests to never leave. However, if this docile medusa senses its only guests might desert it, the medusa can very quickly become aggressive and act as malicious as the previous example. Behavioral Observations Even though they are almost entirely cut off from the world, even medusa know that they are infamous for having lairs littered with statues of fallen adventurers and once loved ones. Aware of this, medusa are likely to use these petrified creatures in one of two ways, depending on their temperament. Some medusa, after holding onto this curse for so long, have accepted their fate and decide to lock themselves away in solitude. These creatures want to be left alone, and do not wish to be disturbed. Medusa of this nature leave the statues of their foes strewn about the dungeon. They do this as a warning, hoping to ward off most adventurers and treasure hunters from disturbing them. Other medusa, ones that are more malicious, have found a new use for their fallen enemies. These medusa are more cunning and find hunting and killing unknowing trespassers as the only joy left in their lives. These medusa do not want to warn the intruders of their presence, and don't wish to scare anyone away. So instead, when a new enemy is turned to stone by them, the medusa destroys the statue, breaking it into hundreds of pieces. After the statue is crushed beyond recognition, the bits are scattered all along the floors of the dungeon. This works as a makeshift alarm system for the medusa, seeing as the constant kicking of pebbles and stones is very easy for its blind minions (such as grimlocks or hook horrors) to detect. Now all in the dungeon is aware of the adventurer's presence, while he is unaware of all that awaits him. Intra-Species Observations Since anything with eyes turns to stone at the sight of a medusa, there is little to no information on the intraspecies mingling of them. The creature does usually have minions, either recruiting blind monstrosities such as grimlocks and grell, or by collecting constructs immune to its gaze, such as golems and gargoyles. Most creatures capable of existing in the domain of a medusa are incapable of meaningful company, so very little interaction is had between the medusa and its subjects aside from basic commands. 250