Monster Ecology Anthology

DM's Toolkit The medusa is a great monster to use as a boss for lower to mid-level parties. The thing that I love about them most is how recognizable they are, even to new players. Everyone knows about the gorgons they are based on. What makes the medusa even better from a DM standpoint is that they aren't exactly like the gorgons everyone knows. They look and act slightly different. This means that there is just enough known about them to cause fear in new players, but enough different about them that knowing about gorgons doesn't give the players a guaranteed plan of attack. Remember that fighting a medusa is two encounters in one: finding out how to hit something you can't look at and once you find the method, then killing it. Have fun with the environment and objects around the party when fighting the medusa. If they just look at the ground of a square, featureless room, that just means it will take longer to kill a creature (because they have disadvantage) and the fight becomes a chore. However, if the creature has minions with polished shields that reflect their gaze, or waterfalls and ponds with pristine, reflective waters, or other reasons to keep the party moving their feet and heads, the fight becomes more intricate and memorable. 251

Merfolk She saved me laddie, she did. There I was, adrift at sea, clingin' to a piece o' driftwood and she came right up to me. Oh Johnny her voice, if only you'da heard her voice. She carried me to shore, she did. And when I was safely ashore, she left me with a kiss. Aye, what a kiss! Introduction Merfolk keep mostly to themselves, staying within the protection of the waves. Only by chance would a land dweller meet one of the Merfolk. Although there are those starry eyed mariners that tell of the romantic occasion on far away isles. The following ecology assumes Fifth Edition. Physiological Observations These aquatic humanoids have the upper body of a human and the lower body that resembles a fish. Merfolk are as varied in color, size, and culture as humans of the surface. Some looking as though their human upper body were taken from a human itself, others with the upper body being vaguely human, with fins and gills instead of hair, and a mixture of skin and scales throughout the upper body. The life span of the Merfolk also closely resembles that of the land dwelling humans. They reach adult hood at around the age of twenty one, and will live until they are about eighty, the oldest case being one hundred and fifteen. Sexual dimorphism is apparent within Merfolk society, with females being slightly smaller than their male counter parts. It is easy to distinguish male and female due to significant physical differences. First being that females have breasts, males do not. Second being the body shape, males tend to be large and muscular, while females tend to be sleek and their faces more angular. Merfolk give birth in the open water to warm blooded offspring. They will find a secluded coral shoal in which to give birth, with their offspring able to swim minutes after birth. Multiple births are very rare, and are looked upon with suspicion in most Merfolk societies. All Merfolk are amphibious, being able to survive both at land and at sea. They are, however, much more equipped to be in the water. They are natural swimmers and can swim comfortable at a very fast pace. Land is a very different story. Without legs Merfolk are incredibly slow and have to use their arms to trudge through land. Along with their amphibious nature comes the need to maintain the moisture on their skin, much like other amphibious creatures. If one of the Merfolk is too dry their bodies stop functioning. If a death like this occurs, the body shrivels and starts to desiccate. Social Observations Merfolk by nature tend to be very secluded. Because they lack the ability to forge metals, keep lore, and shape stone, Merfolk tend to live in small hunter-gatherer societies. Each of these societies are unique, all with different values and creeds. Merfolk will only occasionally unite under a single ruler. These unifications happen in order to face a common threat or to complete an undersea conquest. When these events happen and a unification occurs, it often leads to vast kingdoms with dynasties lasting for hundreds of years. Vast undersea caverns and huge coral mazes are where Merfolk feel the most secure, thus those are the most natural places for Merfolk societies to settle. However, Merfolk have been observed living in great sunken cities. In all cases, Merfolk societies are always within sight of the sun for these societies also depend on the sun for time keeping purposes. It has also been observed that some Merfolk settlements go much deeper than previously thought. Sometimes going down in a vast undersea cavern, or in a city that has sunken so deep that not even the sun is within its sight. When observed, these settlements are lit by other means of natural light. Bioluminescent flora and fauna, such as jellyfish, light these settlements with an alien aesthetic. Behavioral Observations Depending on previous experience with land dwellers, Merfolk can be either hostile, or friendly. Merfolk memories are also very long, so misdeeds that happened decades ago are still fresh in their memory and can easily start a tidal wave of anger. Merfolk will usually try to avoid combat, but when forced into a combat situation they will always use the ocean to their advantage. They are incredibly fast swimmers so they will use hit and run and flank tactics. They will also use guerrilla warfare whenever possible, sticking to the nooks and crannies of the coral mazes they so often call home. Having the natural separation from most of the world, Merfolk also tend to be very neutral in alignment. Their priorities are always towards their homes and societies. Merfolk are not downright evil but neither are the absolutely altruistic. They do what they need to so that they may survive in peace Inter-Species Observations Since Merfolk are rarely seen above the surface, they don't have a real observable relationship with the land dwellers. When a Merfolk is spotted above the water it is usually by a mariner, and the sighting is seen as just a story or a prolonging of a legend of creatures that live under the sea. Merfolk thrive in the ocean. They are mostly hunter gatherers, going out to hunt for fish and scouring the seabed for edible plants. However, there have been instances where Merfolk have been spotted as a farming community. They have coral farms that they cultivate and use to grow edible plant life such as seaweed and kelp. Along with the coral farms, Merfolk also herd fish, much like a farmer would herd cows or sheep. Farming communities are most likely found when an undersea dynasty has been founded. One thing that Merfolk depend on the land dwellers for are metals. Specifically metals that have been forged into useful tools. They find these metal tools, mostly weapons, in shipwrecks or along the beaches close to their homes. If such metal tools are not found, they will carve what they need from coral. 252

Merfolk do have natural predators such as sharks and undersea dinosaurs, but the Merrow are far more dangerous than any other threat to Merfolk life. The Merrow used to be Merfolk themselves until they were twisted and transformed in the darkness of the abyss. Merfolk are always on the lookout to defend against their demonic cousins. If Merrow are spotted, a coalition of Merfolk societies will rise up to rid the ocean of those twisted creatures. DM's Toolkit One of the easiest, and most cliché, ways to use Merfolk is to make a society much like the one in The Little Mermaid. This would be a great dynasty that formed to accomplish a goal, like hunting down the merrow. This is great for some rich backstory and history that your players could learn through role play. Another way that I like to use Merfolk is much like the Doctor Who episode The Curse of the Black Spot. The players are on a ship that has been caught in the doldrums. Then a single Merfolk, typically female, starts dragging the crew to the bottom of the ocean one by one. The reasons why this happens are up to you. Merfolk can also be changed physically depending on how you want to portray them in your game. You can have the stereotypical Merfolk look with a completely human torso, or you can make them a sort of human/fish hybrid, making the upper half mostly humanoid, but not necessarily human. The latter option makes the Merfolk even more alien and separated from the land dwelling world. 253

Mephit "Small? Yes. Bothersome? Very. But tell me that mephits aren't dangerous too, boy, and I will never let you live it down." --Torgard Cragbane, scolding his squire. Introduction Mephits are small, imp-like beings that dwell within the elemental planes. Gathering into small groups and mobs, these capricious tricksters can go from annoyance to deadly foe in an instant the moment their numbers swell. Physiological Observations Mephits are small creatures, and at first glance resemble imps. Small, winged, and with lanky limbs that extend from their hunched torso, some have even mistaken mephits for a rare species of imp. The fastest way to distinguish a mephit from an imp, however, is also its most obvious trait. Mephits originate from the Elemental Planes, and because of the diversity of the planes and their environments, mephits follow the same trend. Mephits come in a variety of elemental types: dust, ice, magma, mud, smoke, and steam. Each element is a combination of two of the more basic elements, with fire, water, air, and earth mephits being ancient ancestors of the modern mixed subspecies of mephits. Each mephit's appearance follows their elemental origin, with steam mephits leaving trails of hot air behind their twisting, amorphous bodies, and droplets of lava sticking to the burning skin of magma mephits. Mephits always seek to live in areas that suit their elemental nature, whether it be a swamp for a mud mephit, or a frozen cavern for an ice mephit. Social Observations Mephits congregate in large mobs, but usually only ever with their same elemental kin. Each type of mephit demonstrates different trends in personality, and because of this as well as their own selfishness and distrust for others, they tend to gravitate away from other mephits of differing type. A mephit mob can consist of up to 50 individuals, with no designated leader or roles. Because of this, mephits act within their mobs very independently, almost selfishly. While swarming a target is simple enough, mephits have no hesitations when it comes to retreating and leaving their companions to die amidst the chaos. Even though mephits are very loose in their organization, those that have the rare ability to summon other mephits stand as pseudo-leaders within their mobs, and these are the only mephits that can force another to obey. Mephits also have no need to eat, drink, or sleep as well, making them very self-sufficient when alone. Some academics theorize that this is why mephits have no true chain of command or power structure, as their needs for survival are very simple and require no cooperation amongst others. Mephit mobs only survive through natural protection from their environments, and a single mephit can move through several mobs during its existence. Behavioral Observations Mephits are rude little tricksters, and commonly harass other creatures through mockery, stealing, and occasionally a breath attack if they truly wish to be malicious. Mephits may enjoy annoying others, but they don't stick around if things seem dangerous. Mephits are selfish and cowardly, preferring safety over glory in combat. Sometimes mephits become too caught up in their mockery, getting into name-calling fights with other creatures, occasionally at their own peril. It's this blind rudeness and malice that gives mephits their biggest weakness. Even though mephits don't usually know Common, they convey their teasing though Terran and use hand signs and movement. Intra-Species Observations Mephits have a great distaste for non-elemental creatures, and even see their fellow elementals as simply dumb, big cousins. Mephits have been known to be used by wizards and sorcerers as familiars but these servants are rarely loyal and never imposing as guards. Mephits may hate other creatures, but their cowardly nature makes them little more than irritating to the typical creature. It's when mephits gather as mobs that solitary creatures become more wary. DM's Toolbox Mephits can be described as having two distinct qualities: they have a breath weapon aligned with their element, and they have the ability of death burst, to explode upon death and send their element flying in all directions. This makes hordes of them potentially deadly when a chain of magma mephit explosions create an explosion of immense proportions. This also means mephits can be from virtually any elemental origin. Lightning, acid, necrotic, and many other types of elements are left out of the typical mephits, allowing for a great deal of options for more unique types of mephits. Mephits are commonly familiars to more powerful creatures that can control them with fear and magical prowess, making them passable minions for rakshasas, efreetis, and evil spellcasters. 254

Mind Flayer (Illithid) Where do the illithids, whom men call the mind flayers, come from? asked the mage in a trembling voice. The githyanki's eyes narrowed. Mind flayers are not of your world. They are not of any known world. They have been traveling the planes for so long, not even they know where they come from. From a secure base underground or from a darkened planet they send out projections of themselves to new prime material planes, scouting and searching for a new realm to conquer and enslave. *Once a realm is discovered, it is doomed; the mind flayers have one of their number remain projected at the new plane while others use their psionic powers to enter the Silver Realm, that which you call the astral plane. These others then follow the scout's silver cord to the entry point to the new plane, use psionic science to enter that plane, and begin bringing about its downfall. Our mages believe their lost home plane was anti-magical, and that they possess the same nature, for they resist magical influences so strongly that even the most accomplished wizards are taxed to slay them. I saw a githyanki warrior older than any of you here, even you elves, charge a mind flayer - and in seconds it ruined his brain with blasts of mental energy. Three times it hit him - three times! The warrior was dead before he took ten more steps. It took five warriors more to bring the braineater down, and I was the only one of the five to come away with my brain and mind still intact.* The room was silent, and the githyanki continued. *Yes, brain-eater. That's what I said. Illithids relish the brains of humans and similar beings the way you eat the meat of cattle and fowl. To them, eating brains is a symbolic gesture. All illithids believe that they are the master race, the true and rightful rulers of all sentient creatures. They have no kinship to humanity or any other known race. They worship no gods, because they deem themselves the ones who should be worshiped. Being as intelligent as they are, endowed with psionic powers, and as physically weak as they are, the illithids believe that the mind is everything and all-important. The githyanki tapped the yellowed skin of his temple with a bony finger. To eat the brain of another race is the ultimate symbol of dominion over that race. They consume that which is important to them. Their tentacles have bony ridges that cut flesh and bone with ease, exposing the inside of the skull. -Excerpt from Roger Moore's "Ecology of the Mind Flayer", Dragon Magazine, issue 78 (October 1983). Introduction In eons past, illithids controlled empires that spanned many worlds. They subjugated and consequently warped whole races of humanoid slaves. Connected by a collective consciousness, the mind flayers hatched plots as farreaching and evil as their fathomless minds could conceive. Solitary illithids are likely rogues and outcasts. Most belong to a colony of sibling mind flayers devoted to an elder brain. Mind flayers are the scourge of sentient creatures across countless worlds. Psionic tyrants, slavers, and inter-dimensional voyagers, they are insidious masterminds that harvest entire races for their own twisted ends. Four tentacles snake from their octopus-like heads, flexing in hungry anticipation when sentient creatures are near. Physiological Observations Illithids have a humanoid body with an octopus-like head. They have four tentacles around a lamprey-like mouth, and require the brains of sentient creatures as part of their diet. An illithid who snares a living creature in all four of its tentacles can extract and devour its living brain. Their eyes are pale white, and they can see perfectly in both darkness and light. Their sense of hearing is slightly poorer than a human's; they have difficulty distinguishing between several sounds mixed together, yet they are good at discerning from which direction sounds come. Their skin is purplish blue to gray-green and covered in mucus, and is very sensitive to sunlight. They loathe sunlight because it is irritating to their skin, drying the mucus. Illithids are hermaphroditic creatures who each spawn a mass of larvae two or three times in their life. The larvae resemble miniature illithid heads or four-tentacled tadpoles. Larvae are left to develop in the pool of the Elder Brain. The ones that survive after 10 years are inserted into the brain of a sapient creature. Hosts are determined in a very specific manner. Hosts generally are humanoid creatures that are between 5 feet 4 inches and 6 feet 2 inches. The most desirable of races for hosts are Human, Drow, Elves, Githzerai, Githyanki, Grimlock, Gnoll, Goblinoid, and Orc. Upon being implanted, the larva then grows and consumes the host's brain, absorbing the host's physical form entirely and becoming a physically mature (but mentally young) Illithid. This process is called ceremorphosis. Illithids often experiment with nonhumanoid hosts, but ceremorphosis involving other creatures usually fails, killing both host and larva. When an illithid undergoes ceremorphosis, it can occasionally take on some elements of the absorbed host creature's former mind, such as mannerisms. This typically manifests as a minor personality feature, such as a nervous habit and/or reaction (e.g., nail-biting or tapping one's foot), although the process that determines the type and number of traits so inherited appears to be stochastic. An adult illithid has even been known to hum a tune that its host knew in life. Usually, when a mind flayer inherits a trait like this, it keeps it a closely guarded secret, because, were its peers to learn of it, the illithid in question would most likely be killed. This is due to an illithid legend of a being called the Adversary. The legend holds that, eventually, an illithid larva that undergoes ceremorphosis will take on the host's personality and memory in its entirety. This Adversary would, mind and soul, still be the host, but with all the inherent abilities of an illithid. Occasionally, ceremorphosis can partially fail. Sometimes the larva does not contain enough chemicals to complete the process, sometimes there is psionic interference. Whatever the reason, it has happened that ceremorphosis has ended after the internal restructuring, resulting in a human body with an illithid's brain, personality and digestive tract. These unfortunates must still consume brains, typically by cutting open heads (as they lack the requisite tentacles). These beings are often used as spies, where they easily blend in with their respective host types. 255

The illithid society also maintains a long-standing taboo related to deviations to or failures of the ceremorphosis process, and hunt and destroy such exceptions. Occasionally, mind flayer communities are attacked (often by vengeful githyanki and githzerai) and their inhabitants must flee. This leaves the larvae unattended. Bereft of exterior nourishment, they begin to consume one another. The survivor will eventually leave the pool in search of food (i.e., brains). This unmorphed larvae is known as a Neothelid. If the neothelid consumes an intelligent creature it will awaken to rational thought and psionic abilities and grow to immense size, while retaining its memories of savage survival. Social Observations An illithid colony is ruled by a creature called an Elder Brain which lives in a pool of cerebral fluid in the colony's center. When an illithid dies its brain is extracted and taken to the pool. Illithids believe that when they die their personality is incorporated into the Elder Brain, but this is not the case. When the brain of an illithid is added to the Elder Brain, the memories, thoughts and experiences are consumed and added to the sum of the whole, but all else is lost. This fact is a closely guarded secret of the Elder Brains, since all illithid aspire to a form of immortality through this merging process. An extremely ancient Elder Brain is called a God-Brain because its psionic powers are almost limitless. Since the Elder Brain contains the essence of every illithid that died in its community, it functions, in part, as a vast library of knowledge that a mind flayer can call upon telepathically. The Elder Brain, in turn, can communicate telepathically with anyone in its community, issuing orders and ensuring everyone conforms. Illithids generally frown upon magic, preferring their natural psionic ability. Psionic potential is an integral part of the illithid identity, and the Elder Brain cannot absorb the magical powers of an illithid mage when it dies. They tolerate a limited study of wizardry, if only to better understand the powers employed by their enemies. However, an illithid who goes too far and neglects his psionic development in favor of wizardry risks becoming an outcast. Denied the possibility of ever merging with the Elder Brain, such outcasts often seek their own immortality through undeath, becoming alhoons(liches). Illithids typically communicate through psychic means. They project thoughts and feelings to each other in a way non-illithids can scarcely comprehend. When they do feel the need to write, they do so in qualith. Instead of typical alphabet-based writing, illithids write in qualith by making marks consisting of four broken lines. They use each tentacle to feel the breaks in the lines, making it similar to braille. However, qualith is extremely complex, requiring the ability to understand all four lines simultaneously to discern the meaning. Intra-Species Observations Illithids seek to rebuild their former empire where all other species were their slaves. They view any sentient creature as worthy only of being their slaves or their food. They are pragmatic, however, and will trade with other races, such as dark elves and gray dwarves, who may be too strong to be conquered. They also trade with the Neogi in order to obtain slaves. Their archenemies are the githyanki and the githzerai, descendants of the rebellious slaves who destroyed the illithid empire millennia ago. Hunting and slaying illithids whenever they can is an integral part of the Gith cultures. Illithids fear the undead because these creatures are immune to telepathic detection and manipulation, and have no brains to consume. Confronting such mindless creatures can even be traumatizing to them. According to long lost history, Illithids are one of the few races respected by the aboleths. This is because the aboleths remember the origin of almost every other race, through their hereditary memory. However, illithids, as far the aboleths can remember, just appeared without preamble, which scares them. DM's Toolkit Mind flayers typically reside in areas void of sunlight as part of a colony. Against strong resistance, they avoid initial combat as they order their thralls to attack through telepathy. Like a physical extension of the illithids thoughts, these thralls interpose themselves between mind flayers and their foes, sacrificing their lives so their masters can escape. That is not to say that a mind flayer is defenseless against attacks. Sentient creatures can easily be detected via their thoughts inside illithid lairs. Not only can they employ powers of domination, but their mind blast ability can easily incapacitate a large quantity of foes in order to escape or feast on each euphoric brainy snack stunned by the attack. As they wrap their tentacles around their humanoid victims, potentially stunning them in their grip, they are capable of extracting the victim's brain devouring its contents including memories, personality and inner most fears. Sometimes victims will instead have their brains harvested only to be used in part of some alien experiment or transforming it into an intellect devourer. Typically, because of the mental link between the illithid colony with its Elder Brain extreme caution must be taken when tackling these psionic commanders. Even solitary mind flayers often have a network of command via their thralls making pinpointing their location or involvement difficult. 256

Minotaur Snort "You have bound me Wizard, and I have bound you. While you make your profane gestures and expend your will to hold me in this place. I have captured your scent and bound it to my soul. I know what your blood smells like and I the taste of your fear. My herd comes, you must escape with your wounded now to have any hope of fleeing. I can smell the fear on you, what will do you do when your focus breaks? What will you do when your magic is not strong enough? My blood is stronger than your magic. When I am free again there is no place you can hide that I will not find you." "My magic has stopped you now, and it will stop you again." "I KNOW YOUR SCENT! I WILL TASTE YOUR BLOOD! THE BLOOD IS STRONGER THAN MAGIC! I WILL CRUSH YOUR BONES!" Introduction Most adventurers know of Minotaurs as monstrous hybrid creatures, a large, bloodthirsty mixture of bull and man dedicated to the Horned One. Most adventurers would be completely accurate in this assessment of the Minotaur, most of the time. However there is more to the Minotaur than a mindless dedication to savage, bloodthirsty evil and through observation and study we can discover what really lay at the center of the labyrinth of fear regarding those who have been gifted with the blessing of the Horned One. Physiological Observations Common Minotaur are large, hulking creatures, standing 10 feet tall and weighting over 86 stone. The head of the Minotaur resembles that of a large bull, usually with two horns. A large variation in the expression of the horns exists. Some Minotaur have horns that sweep forward to fine points. Other Minotaur have horns that extend out to the side beyond the shoulders. Below the head is a strong neck and broad shoulders. The entire body of the Minotaur ripples with muscle granted from the blessing of the Horned One. The weakest Minotaur is stronger than all but the most exceptional of common races. While pure blood orcs might seek out a Minotaur for a test of strength, this will not usually end well for the Orc. The entire body of the Minotaur is covered with a thin fur coat that ranges in color, a transferred trait from the beasts that are imitated in the formation of a Minotaur. Minotaurs that are born naturally possess similar coloration in fur to the parents. The arms of the Minotaur end is thick fingered hands. The metamorphological process that creates Minotaur usually binds two of the digits of the fingers. A Minotaur's hand has only three fingers and a thumb, in spite of this change Minotaurs can be observed using tools and possess average dexterity. The legs of the Minotaur are powerfully muscled and long, terminating in large hooves. As with most hooved creatures it appears as if the knee of the Minotaur bends backwards. The truth is the hoof only represents the ends of the toes, with the thin potion of the leg above being the rest of the foot. The Joint above that would be the human ankle, then calf, then knee at the forward point on the leg, then powerful thighs. This means that the Minotaur, like all animals that have adapted to walking on toes or hooves can generate considerable power from the legs. The Minotaur uses this power in the legs to drive the body forward in aggressive charging attacks. The diet of the common Minotaur is entirely carnivorous. The blessing of the Horned One makes the Minotaur incapable of consuming anything but flesh and bone, and it prefers the flesh of sentient creatures, the wide grinding teeth of the minotaur are capable of sheering bone and pulverizing it during eating. While many creatures who kill with such bloodlust do it in a frenzy of hunger and will stop to consume the fallen immediately, the Minotaur will prioritize hunting over killing and only stop to eat once all the quarry have been chased down. A Minotaur will never forget where it has left a kill, and will use trees, spikes, stalactites to impale a fallen foe while it hunts down the remainder of a group. This diet of blood and bone meal often mats and stains the fur and snout of the Minotaur and the breath of a Minotaur is like an abattoir. The Minotaur's ability to track is exceptional. They are compelled to hunt those who flee, and are implacable adversaries. Once a Minotaur has started to chase you, your only hope is to slay the beast or take flight to an area beyond the Minotaur's ability to pursue. A Minotaur will always remember the scent of prey that fled it, and will resume the chase immediately if the scent presents itself again. In addition a Minotaur can always recall a path it has traveled, they never become disoriented by surroundings or lost. This perfect direction sense even applies when magic or dungeon craft are used to alter the surroundings of the Minotaur, a Minotaur faced with a sudden unexpected obstacle will find the best way around the obstacle with perfect accuracy. As the observers at the Cult of the Great Maze learned, sometimes the Minotaur will prove that the best way around an obstacle is through. A Minotaur will not hesitate to charge through thin walls in pursuit of fleeing prey. There is little difference between Bull and Cow Minotaur. While there might be a small size difference between the two, it is marginal at best. Unlike the animals they have inherited traits from the female Minotaur have no distinguishing sexual features, there are no udders for the nurturing of young, and both Bull and Cow Minotaur have horns. While Minotaur do possess pronounced gonads and genitalia they frequently cover these parts of the body with thick hide skirts and aprons to protect them during battle. 257

Social Observations Minotaur only socialize if they are hunting or breeding. Lacking any prey to hunt, they will wander apart in pursuit of prey or quickly start battling each other. With a presence of an outsider driving them to hunt, the Minotaur will be overwhelmed with the pursuit of the prey and will temporally band together to run the prey to ground. Beyond this, the Minotaur have no mind for strategy or tactics, they will not cooperate to harry prey, and they do not flank, organize or execute pack tactics. The foul breath and blood scent of the Minotaur has been observed to serve a social purpose. When encountering another Minotaur the two will spend several moments inspecting each other's scent markings. Each Minotaur can perceive these scents as a record of the blood the other Minotaur has tasted. The Minotaur rank each other based off these scent markings, the Minotaur who has feasted on the most blood might become the temporary leader of a hunting herd. Minotaur breeding is a bloody, violent affair. When a herd gathers for a hunt, the female members can be identified quickly. The drive to hunt and bloodlust bleeds in to the process of mating, after any other prey is run down the female Minotaurs are often perused. Males will fight among themselves during the breeding process and female Minotaur often fight as well to ensure that they survive. While Minotaur are driven to breed they do so chaotically and with no concern for the young offspring. Minotaur can breed at any time, they have no seasonal needs. The blessing of the Horned One allows them to gestate and produce offspring quickly, within a single month's time. Minotaur calves are always born during the next full moon. Thankfully for all of the good races of the light, Minotaur calves do not often survive to adulthood. The Minotaur process no drive to care or nurture young. A hungry or excited Minotaur adult will consume a calf, even if that calf is its own offspring. Such callous bloodlust is not found often even among the most bloodthirsty of races. Outside of a hunt, Minotaur will challenge another on absolutely any grounds. The same blessing that creates them and drives them makes them incapable of forming bonds with each other. Every Minotaur is an alpha in its own mind and will never bow or give itself over to the service of another. This unbroken will is almost supernatural in nature, and makes Minotaur impossible to enslave or organize. They do not respect even power capable of destroying them and do not form hierarchies of strength. A Minotaur put in a position of slavery will often kill its captors, and if completely incapable of killing its captors will lose itself to bloodlust to the point of its own heart exploding. A chained Minotaur will fight against its chains to the point of breaking its own neck. Magical compulsion fares only slightly better, the Minotaur have a natural resistance from the strong will against such things and know that such forms of entrapment are temporary. A Minotaur caught in a spell binding it in place will simply wait out the duration of the spell, drawing in deep breaths of the scent of its captor, once the Minotaur is free again, will pursue the magic user with great and violent prejudice. Behavioral Observations A Minotaur's horns are a source of power and pride for the Minotaur and it is common for them to dress the horns. When the Minotaur encounters something on a kill that it cannot consume, it might adorn itself with the item, especially if the quarry had demonstrated strength or cunning during the chase. Some Minotaur wear horn decorations made from golden armbands, or bloodstained pieces of armor. When fighting, Minotaur will charge whenever possible, using momentum and horns break up groups of prey. The goring charge of a Minotaur can hit with more force than a charging lance strike and is enough to kill a common opponent. Those who are not killed are often knocked to the ground, the Minotaur will follow up with swings from a massive weapon, or even another charge attack. Minotaur favor large weapons, they are commonly found with massive axes or mauls. Any weapon that allows them to deal considerable carnage is acceptable. Due to the size of the Minotaur and the preference for large weapons, a Minotaur can create a considerable presence in a fight. They will often wade in to the center of a fight recklessly, swinging their weapons at anything that still moves. For those who can stand bravely against the weather of blows, this presents the best opportunity for survival. Since the Minotaur pays no mind to tactics, they can often be harried by opponents who are tactically prepared to exploit every advantage in combat. Inter-Species Observations No discussion of the Minotaur would be complete without disclosure of the occult origins of the species. The first Minotaur are said to have been created by cults dedicated to the Horned One. The mythic survey of these cults seems to display an association with dark druidism and a desire to return the world to the Wild at any cost. The Horned One offered a means to do so, and a relationship was formed between the Horned One and the cults. Deep in the woods, great hunt rituals were undertaken. First, the cults were encouraged to hunt beasts naturally, chasing them down with claws and teeth. As the cultists completed the rituals hunting larger prey, soon the Horned One began asking for prey that was smarter. The cults started to abduct and chase sentient prey. The legends go that some of these cultists were rewarded, turned in to the first Minotaurs, creatures driven by bloodlust, consumed with the desire of the hunt, but most importantly, free of all the bonds of the modern world. Many of these Cults are believed to still be active, in cities they conduct rituals in gardens, forgotten labyrinth catacombs and other mazes. In the wilderness, thick woods or twisting cave structures are utilized. Every generation has those who want to seek strength, power, freedom or a return to the Wild. These cults offer corruptions of all of these things. In other places, the Cults are no longer active, instead the labyrinths are the endless hunting grounds of the Minotaur themselves. 258

Variants: Abrasaxian Minotaurs: These Minotaur have conquered their bloodlust and have sought the worship of divine concepts of peace and law, seeking to temper the violent bloodlust with tranquil meditation in glacial canyons far from conflict. They can be fanatical interpreters of law, and some are occasionally found as paladins serving gods of balance, justice and divine retribution. While the physical size of the Minotaur blood remains, they no longer suffer from the bloodlust and chaos of the common Minotaur. Instead they give themselves over to the service of Law and Order and find peace for themselves. It should be noted that they still love the hunt and are relentless pursuers of quarry making them excellent bounty hunters or avenging Templar. Auroch: Socially and behaviorally these Minotaur are the same as common Minotaur. The primary difference is that they are much larger, the size of Hill Giant, and covered with a thick dense fur that grows in long bands. They have a stronger magical resistance and are more physically imposing. Found in higher mountains they frequently fight with Yeti for territory. Eland Minotaur: Eland Minotaur are still bloodthirsty hunters, but they are thinner and more cunning. With long twisting horns that extend straight up. They possess some innate ability for magic and have been known to detect magic, summon fog and move through the woods without trace some have been known to dispel magic or manipulate the woods in to ensnare or grasp prey. Syncerus Minotaur: Black furred with smaller curved horns, the Syncerus is a Minotaur found in hotter regions. They are the size of a common Minotaur but have the same magical resistance of an Auroch. They also have pronounced resistance to wounds, with thicker hides that protect them from small weapons, allowing them to shrug off most damage. Selinusian Minotaur: The Selinusian Minotaur is the combination of a Minotaur and a Satyr. Larger than a Satyr and possessing a goat's head in place of a Bulls the Selinusian Minotaur is a creature of excessive passion. They are found in large herds from excessive breeding, and often have mutations or corruptions from inbreeding where opportunities to mate are slim. 259

Lycanthrope The full moon rose and shone forth with all its light, and yet still Elhand did not turn. The assembled crowd murmured uncomfortably, confused. We struck him down all the same, for the spirit of blood and justice surged through us. Elhand cackled as the blood poured from his wounds and with his dying breath shout out, 'I die, guiltless, while my accusers hide from the full moon.' It was true that neither Brelove nor Leoril stood among the crowd. There shall be more blood yet before this town cleanses itself of the werewolves. - Anonymous Priest's journal discovered in an abandoned village Introduction The curse, or blessing depending on interpretation, of Lycanthropy has been observed throughout history and across every mortal plane. If it came from anywhere, its origins are lost in time. Some consider it a natural part of the mortal condition that some are affected. Other heretical histories of the gods claim that all lycanthropes are a creation of Melora, and react to both moonlight and silver due to a feud between Melora and Sehanine Moonbow, but the nature of the feud as well as Melora's purpose in creating lycanthropes are not well explained in these accounts. Regardless of where the curse came from, it can affect any humanoid being. They could be anyone, anywhere. Those afflicted may or may not be aware of their condition; those aware may or may not be able to control their bestial impulses. Those impulses are animalistic and evil, compelling the victim to hunt and kill. Good people with some control over their transformation carry with them the risk of losing control and committing atrocities, so prefer to remain isolated from normal society. Those who embrace the evil of their curse have significantly fewer scruples in this regard. Physiological Observations Lycanthropy is most famously passed on as a curse by being bitten by a lycanthrope, but some are born. Any child born to a parent who has the curse inherits it themselves. While a remove curse spell can heal a lycanthrope who inherited their curse by bite, a natural lycanthrope can only be cured by a wish. Lycanthropes can take on any of three forms, depending on the situation. Most remain in their humanoid form until the light of the full moon transforms them. Some can control this transformation to occur at will. As humanoids, they appear normal in every way. The longer an individual lives with the curse, however, the more they begin to take on aspects of their transformation even in their humanoid form. Werebears will grow large, muscular, and hairy in their humanoid forms, Wererats will appear small and nervous with wiry hair, and the Werewolf become sleekly muscular with sharp teeth. The second form is that of the animal they are cursed as, be it tiger, bear, wolf, rat, or other. In their animal form they are clearly not natural, growing to significantly larger sizes than any common or even dire beast. Moreover, their eyes will glow red with a malicious intelligence. This is the least common form most lycanthropes take on, taking on the form to gather packs of common beasts or for utility and ease of movement not afforded their larger, more conspicuous forms. The third form is a hybrid between the two, combining man and animal into a terrifying monstrosity larger and more powerful than either. As a hybrid, they generally remain standing on two feet, can wield weapons in addition to gaining natural weapons such as teeth and claws, and are capable of speech. The curse may be transmitted to a victim from biting or clawing attacks in either of the latter two forms. Social Observations Lycanthropes who are aware of their condition tend to gather in groups similar to how their animal name sake might gather. Werewolves and Wereboars tend to gather into packs in the wilderness, while Wererats will do the same in urban environments. Werebears and Weretigers tend to live solitary lives far from civilization, rarely ever living in any grouping larger than a small family if that. Those unaware of their condition continue to attempt to live normal lives, and generally manage to do so. When the full moon rises, however, they transform and become a threat to their communities. The transformed lycanthrope will attempt to find a safe and secret place to retransform prior to the rising of the sun. After these nocturnal episodes, the victim will often have vague recollections of the atrocities they committed at night, and assume they were nightmares. Behavioral Observations Regardless of their animal namesake, lycanthropes are intelligent creatures with all the cunning of both their human and animal halves. In their uncontrolled transformed forms, all lycanthropes are consumed by bloodlust and the desire to hunt. Even the oldest and most experienced lycanthropes have difficulty controlling these urges, which is why so many either exile themselves from society or embrace and harness the evil within themselves. This is not to say that they pursue their prey blindly and without concern for their own wellbeing. Lycanthropes use their animal cunning and humanoid intelligence to stalk, separate, and kill their prey with the methodical precision of experienced hunters. They are strong and powerful, more so than a normal beast, but wait for situations where they can employ their might discretely and effectively. The first time a person transforms after receiving the curse is often the wildest, and tales of bloody rampages almost always involve the newly cursed, but these are exceptional and rare cases. Pack animals like Werewolves, Wererats, and Wereboars will use group tactics to chase down and isolate single targets before closing in for the kill. Individual hunters such as Werebears will attempt to injure and wear down their prey through exhaustion before landing the killing blow, and Weretigers are particularly fond of ambush. 260

Inter-Species Observations Lycanthropes are generally reviled by normal society, and rightly so for their tendency towards bloodlust and violence. They must either leave their communities or maintain their secret. Each type of lycanthrope is also quite familiar with the mundane versions of their animal. Werewolves will often lead packs of wolves and dire wolves, and the same goes for Wereboars and Wererats. This sort of arrangement makes the animals doubly dangerous, as their leader has a human intelligence to guide their tactics. As pack animals, they are more likely to want to spread their curse and thus enlarge their pack. However, they are likely to target those humanoids which appear weaker, killing the strong outright, since they will not want their leadership over the pack challenged. The more solitary versions, such as Werebear and Weretiger, are far less likely to establish a rapport with other animals, and are much more careful about passing on their curse. Weretigers are especially solitary and reluctant to initiate new Weretigers. Werebears are generally good beings, and pass on their lycanthropy to other protégées who similarly want to act as wardens for the forest, but there are exceptions. Anything which is not part of their pack is considered prey for the lycanthrope. They are aware of their own capabilities and will not hunt a superior foe, so like their animal namesakes prefer to hunt the easier targets. However, while other animals are valid prey, during the bloodlust of a full moon, they prefer to hunt humanoids. DM's Toolkit Lycanthropy can be cured by a remove curse spell, a third level spell available to Clerics, Warlocks, and Wizards at 5th level, Bards at 6th (Lore) or 10th (Valor) through Magical Secrets, and Paladins at 9th level. So long as the party does not have access to this spell, fighting with lycanthropes of any sort carries the risk of catching the curse. The roleplaying possibilities are abundant for these situations. Because of this threat, lycanthropes are most dangerous and best utilized at the early levels. The pack animals such as Werewolves remain threatening well afterwards due to the power of numbers, and can add additional threat to wilderness encounters above dire animals. But pay attention to your party, mid-level adventurers who missed their chance to gain access to remove curse are still vulnerable. It is cliché, but the hunt for a Werewolf terrorizing the village who does not know their own crimes is a classic standby to turn a sleepy town into a one-shot adventure. Even at later levels where the actual killing of the Werewolf once found might be easy, the intrigue and mystery of lycanthropes living secretly within society is a powerful plothook. Wererats are often found in cities where they run often run criminal organizations or gangs, inducting new members into the group by infecting them. They could be a rival of the local thieves' guild or perhaps a secret (or not) circle within the thieves' guild itself. Their reach can and should extend well beyond their challenge rating. Wererats do not have to be the only society of lycanthropes. A well-known example is the Circle of the Companions in Skyrim, where people try to harness the power of being a Werewolf in their capacity as mercenaries. The social characteristics of Werebears would mix well with a Ranger or Druid organization, or possibly even the Harpers if you want to put a new spin on them. The Were- template can be applied to most any sort of animal to create a new breed of lycanthropes. These could be dangerous threats, such as Werespiders or Weresharks, or lighthearted foes like Werecats or Werehumans. That very friendly and eager peasant the bard took back to his room last night could turn out to be the innkeeper's mastiff, who is afflicted with Werehumanism. Better roll a Constitution saving throw to see if the Bard has picked up a form of lycanthropy. 261

Manticore Langim Thistlegrinder ached all over. He smelled foul to his own sensitive nose, and he couldn't remember when he'd last eaten fresh food. Lying still under his invisibility cloak for hours or creeping slowly about the tumbled mountain-top boulders had left him weary. But all his pains and frustrations evaporated when, after months of false hopes and dangerous close calls, he finally peered into what most would call The Nine Hells on Faerun. A hidden depression shadowed by the mountain's peak held his sought-after treasure, a Manticore nesting ground. Introduction Mystery and confusion shrouds the Manticore from full scholarly understanding. Known as a man-eater in most cultures, the Manticore is a four-legged predator with an arsenal of deadly attributes. Until the publication of this book, the details have been argued and debated in adventurer's halls and academic classrooms. However, through one gnome's insatiable desire to fully understand this creature, Glinting & Scribbindorf offer the Complete and Authoritative Natural History of the Manticore. Physiological Observations All of the old texts were correct in the basics: Four legs on a large feline body, a humanoid-shaped face with many teeth in a gaping mouth, and a long tail ending in a spike. But I now observe the source of the confusion regarding the details of the Manticore's physiology. For unlike most magical beasts of the material plane, Manticores seem to exhibit a great deal of variety between individuals, even between parent and offspring. Some indeed have the three rows of uniformly triangular teeth as described in Gygax' epic poems. Others only have one row of teeth more like that of a lion. A few, usually the largest, have bat-like wings. I noted at least one male that had distinctive curling horns protruding from its forehead. Other minor oddities in proportion, coat, markings etc. were too numerous to fully document in my limited time among the beasts. While all the individuals that I observed and catalogued had long tails, I identified at least four common types of tail: 1. Scorpion, virtually identical to the carapaced arthropod's poisonous stinger. 2. Forked, a typical feline tail terminating in two articulated claw-like spikes (possibly poisonous) 3. Mace, an excessively long furred tail ending in a sphere covered in thin, porcupine like spines. These were observed to be poisonous even to other Manticores (see Social Observations) 4. Shedding, a heavily-muscled tail (I observed both furred and armored versions) with several heavy spikes all facing to the rear. These seem to grow rapidly, as adult Manticores would periodically shed these spikes intentionally by a flick of the tail. Much of these notes were written using these non-poisonous spikes as quills, and I returned with an ample supply gathered from the many thousands that were scattered about the nesting ground. Social Observations While anecdotal observations had pinned the Manticore as a solitary creature, my discovery of a nesting ground has completely upset the assumptions once made of the creatures. I observed courtship displays, active parenting, caste squabbles and social grooming within the first few hours. It appears that the nesting ground operates under a loose hierarchy based on strength and intelligence. The older more humanoid individuals were heard speaking to each other in a harsh, broken Common; but most often disputes were settled quickly by a duel of tail spikes. Weaker members often sustain moderate injuries in these duels; it was in this way that I witnessed the poisonous effects of the Mace tail spikes. Immediate swelling and discolouration was noted, but the wounded Manticores seemed to recover from such injuries faster than tooth and claw marks. What initially appeared to be utter violent chaos was eventually determined to be a complex set of established rules enforced by the elders yet constantly tested by the younger Manticores. I identified three paired mates, each raising a brood of cubs via quick, painful discipline. Yet the parents were protective, and even affectionate with their young as well. The reputation for being solitary would appear to arise from Manticore hunting practices, as only single individuals were documented as leaving the nest or returning with their catch. Behavioural Observations Much like their appearance, individual Manticore behaviour varies greatly from creature to creature, with the limitation that unacceptable behaviour is not long tolerated in the group. Some individuals constantly stalked about cautiously as if every corner held danger, while others nearly pranced along, head aloof and attitude careless. Argument and fighting is quite common, and I find it hard not to presume that some Manticores seemed to be enjoying the battles. Manticores have a voracious appetite, and will eat almost anything. While I could not be certain, I do believe that their reputation for eating men whole is substantiated. When large game was caught, it was torn into large pieces and shared with a few others. However, the creatures did not masticate their portions, but rather swallowed the chunks whole. They possess an unnaturally wide jaw bone and seem to be able to unhinge it to allow the passage of food almost as large as the creature itself. During my time in the nest, I saw them eat a variety of wild ungulates, bears, birds, livestock, sapling trees, and sadly humanoids. On my fourth day, one of the winged males dropped seven goblins into his pack of cubs. However foul goblins may be, I will never forget that brutal carnage. I noted little behavioural differences between males and females, when I could rightly determine the sex of the creatures. Both participate in hunting, raising cubs, guarding the nest, and participating in the nearly constant bickering. Unlike most big cats, Manticores do not sleep often, nor for long. When asleep, they appear restless and alert to the sounds around them. Surely the most unexpected behaviour that I encountered however, was the singing. The voiced Manticores sang eerie ballads of the past, and the dumber creatures crooned and trilled with their bestial attempts at following along. 262

This occurred most often at night, and had I not sat hidden watching the creatures, I would have described it more like Elvish or Mermish singing. Mountain travelers BEWARE! Lest you be lured unawares by the beasts unlikely song. Inter-Species Observations Most of the other species Manticores interact with become meals. The nest was unusually free of small scavengers that one observes near other apex predators, as the cubs and young adults make quick work of anything moving nearby. Only my magical wards and practiced skills as a scientist kept me from becoming food as well. During my search of the mountain prior to finding the nest, I observed an average variety of creatures large and small living among the rocks. Part of what led me to find the nesting ground was the distinct perimeter of lifelessness around it. Much like the leafcutter ant on a grander scale, no bit of lichen nor tiniest of seeding is left to grow inside this ring of death. The more intelligent mammals and birds quickly learn to avoid the area, while those too dim to notice are quickly consumed. My how I wished to attempt to speak with one of the elders, to explain my purpose and hopefully interview one for a more personal and enriched understanding of these magnificent creatures. Sadly, both my desire to see this evidence published and my deep desire to remain alive overwhelmed my curiosity. With my new understanding, I hope to raise enough funds to return with magic sufficient to allow an attempt at communication. -Langim Thistlegrinder DM's Toolkit Due to the Manticore's various mythological and gaming publication stats, it is a very flexible tool for the DM. First, while the ecology describes a nesting ground, I strongly encourage you to ONLY use this against a large and high level group of PCs. Most common encounters should be with solo hunters or with groups of 2-3 at most. The nesting ground might make for a bizarre and dangerous boss fight towards the end of a mountainous or magical beast-themed campaign. This ecology was written to justify the use of not just one, but several various styles of Manticore. Including or excluding some of the abilities allows the DM to tailor the creature to suit the encounter: Including a poisonous attack provides for postcombat roleplaying to cure the periodic poison damage Encountering ranged spikes after an encounter with non-ranged spikes will remind the players to not make assumptions about their opponents Including wings greatly changes combat techniques and gives ranged and magic PCs a chance to shine. Intelligent Manticores could have agendas other than eating and defending their home. Some forms of the myth speak of Manticores singing or crooning to lure in prey not dissimilar to Mermaid and Kelpie tactics, though I could not find reference to it in any of the D&D publications. Many of the legends speak of Manticores eating someone equipment and all. To include this bit of mythology, have the adventure start with a missing person leaving no trace and end with no treasure to be looted from the Manticore's lair. Further, this could be a solution to that pesky magical item you regret giving a player, if you really must remove it from the game. 263

Mimic "Another good haul," said Surrey, throwing back the orange tarp that covered the wagon. Crates of glassware and silverware filled the bottom of the wagon's carriage bed, and Milo knew that the dwarf's calculating mind was already tabulating how much their fence would give them through it. Milo was uneasy though. Something didn't feel right. He had robbed several caravans in the short time that he had joined up with Surrey's group of bandits, and normally the people he robbed acted different, more frightened. The driver had seemed frightened, this much was true, but not of the bandits. On the contrary, he had stayed firmly planted in his seat during the attack, not even trying to dodge until a flaming arrow struck the wagon. Then he had taken off like all the demons of the Abyss were after him. But was he running from the bandits, or something else? It almost seemed like he had been trying to get away from the wagon itself! Milo's train of thought was interrupted by Surrey. "Milo! Stop staring around like a slack jawed yokel and inspect the horses! If they've still got all their teeth, we might be able to pass them off as riding horses and get seventy-five gold for them." He walked to the front of the wagon, noticing to himself how tightly the horses were bound to the yoke, almost as if the wagon and the horses were one singular unit. It would be hell to get those harnesses off them; that was for sure. Milo walked in front of one of the horses, ignoring the dead-eyed stare it gave him, and pulled its front lip back to count the horse's teeth. There were no teeth. The interior of the horse's mouth was a single white mass, as if all if the teeth had been fused together. Milo recoiled in shock, drawing his hand back, and it was this instinctive gesture which saved him from the fate of the rest of the bandits. "Well Milo?" the dwarf demanded. "How mu-" Surrey never got the chance to finish his question. The tarp that had covered the wagon bed flapped over him, suddenly looking like nothing more than an enormous tongue. Introduction Unlike many monstrosities, the history of the mimic is quite easy to trace back, for those scholars with the dedication and perseverance to look. The first known appearance of the mimic was at the fortress of the wizard Balboas, a Nerathi noble of mild renown for his hedonistic bacchanalias. Documents of the period clearly describe living furniture that molded itself to the contours of the user, while preying on insects and rodents to keep the fortress free of vermin. This first documented appearance of the mimic would be nothing more than a footnote in history were it not for a war that sprung up shortly thereafter between Nerath and another long-dead kingdom named Arkhosia. Records of the war indicate that Balboas' wondrous furniture was repurposed as a tool of guerrilla warfare, assassinating high-value Arkhosian military officers. The specificity and planned nature of the attacks suggests that Balboas had some way to remotely direct his creations. The nature of this control will never be known, as Balboas was targeted for assassination by an elite group of Arkhosian adventurers. Upon his death, the mimics he had created became uncontrolled predators, gradually spreading across the world. Physiological Observations Mimics are asexual predators. In their natural form (which they assume upon death), they appear similar to a giant amoeba, with a sophisticated nervous system attached to the nucleus. Mimics can secrete a variety of substances, including adhesive, acid, and a translucent substance that hardens gradually over time into something similar to keratin. Mimics can control the coloration of this substance, and reabsorb it swiftly through exposure to their acid. Because of this ability, a mimic nucleus is an essential component in the crafting of the magical item known as a Jug of Alchemy. When a mimic hits a certain size, it generally buds off part of itself, splitting off part of its nervous system and a small portion of its own nucleus over a period of ten hours. This new mimic is born with all the abilities of its parent. Some mimics choose not to split off, and instead continue growing to extremely large sizes, to the point where they can no longer disguise themselves as furniture and instead impersonate wagons, privies, or even small houses. Social Observations Mimics come in two distinct varieties, house mimics and hunter mimics. The two varieties are almost indistinguishable in terms of their physical characteristics, but differ greatly in temperament. House mimics (which are very rare) are docile creatures. They are content to move into a house and can live symbiotically there for decades, posing inconspicuously as furniture. They subsist on kitchen scraps and vermin which they hunt at night. House mimics tend to live in groups, gradually replacing more and more of the existing furniture as they procreate. On one notable occasion, a travelling merchant who used a crystal ball to scry upon his wife (whom he was convinced was cheating on him) was shocked to discover that every single piece of furniture in his house was actually a mimic. Hunter mimics (the kind that adventurers are more likely to encounter) are by far the more common variety. They are solitary predators that avoid each other whenever possible. Hunter mimics are aggressive killers and often create vicious traps near themselves, designed to split a group up while it attacks one of them. They typically lair near very narrow tunnels (such as drainpipes) that double as an emergency escape: if the mimic finds itself outmatched, it adopts an ooze-like shape and vanishes down these narrow tunnels. Behavioral Observations It is hypothesized that house mimics are the descendants of the mimics that Balboas used as furniture, while hunter mimics are the descendants of the mimics that Balboas repurposed for assassination. This is based on the fact that hunter mimics demonstrate the same mentality as guerrilla soldiers conducting warfare behind enemy lines. They keep their attacks as quiet as possible, and try to eliminate any witnesses that happen to discover their existence. One interesting observation is that well-fed hunter mimics tend to avoid attacking unarmed humanoids, possibly because they are considered civilians. This might indicate that mimics have a genetic memory and are still programmed with the instructions of their ancestor's original function. 264

Inter-Species Observations House mimics are generally cooperative with humanoids. In fact, when properly fed and tended they can be wonderful pets, assuming the shape of whatever furniture is desired, from trampolines to ladders to mattresses. They attack only when they feel threatened or attacked. Hunter mimics, by contrast, are downright vicious. They behave like soldiers embedded behind enemy lines, and take any opportunity to kill enemy targets (a category which includes almost everyone). They are capable of cooperating in the short terms with humanoids whom they do not consider a threat, but any display of weaponry by their allies quickly results in conflict. For this reason, mimics who are allied with humanoid groups are typically left as guards or traps in remote, secluded areas. Adding to this complication is the fact that a mimic often suffers short-term (or occasionally even long-term) memory loss when injured. This is most likely as a result of the need to reconfigure the parts of their nervous systems that suffer damage. Because of this, even a mimic that has formed an alliance with a group of humanoids may end up turning on them later, having completely forgotten the agreement. DM's Toolkit Mimics are best used as traps rather than creatures. They are ambush predators, and always strike from surprise. DMs are best served by using imaginative forms for mimics beyond the classic treasure chest trope. Curtains, suits of armor, even doors or walls are good potential forms for a mimic. 265

Merrow "The ocean turned to blood and the sea boiled with rage. The mad king wanted to slaughter everyone, but a few survived. Now we must protect ourselves from the monstrosities that come from their hate." -- Merfolk Tribal Leader Introduction Long ago a Merfolk tribe found an idol of Demogorgon, The Demon Prince, and everyone that touched it went insane. Overwhelmed by the madness the leader of the tribe began a ritual, slaughtering those that refused the idol. Demogorgon brought the twisted Merfolk into the abyss and slowly they became the hulking monstrosities known now as the Merrow. Physiological Observations Merrow are larger than their Merfolk counter parts, growing to be ten feet long, if not longer. Their scales have adapted to the harsh environment of the abyss and have become more rigid and hard. It is often noted that the scales of Merrow also tend to be sharp around the edges. Their fins are also almost always torn and rough, showing the monsters brutality. Merrow have also developed their natural weapons while spending time in the abyss. Their teeth have grown larger and sharper with serrated edges used for tearing flesh apart. Needing more than just teeth in the abyss, Merrow also have large claws that extend from their huge hands. They will keep these sharp as well to use as weapons against their enemies. With the increase in size, Merrow have also observed a dramatic increase in strength. Their brutish strength has also come to dominate their mind however, as such Merrow have trouble problem solving and have the mental capacity of a child just entering their teenage years. But what they can't solve intellectually, Merrow will solve with brutality. While in the abyss, Merrow adapted to their new dark environment and thusly can see quite well in the dark. Their eyes are always dark in hue, mostly in shades of blue, grey, or black. Their eyes are much like a shark's, just sharper. Social Observations Merrow follow strength, for in the abyss only the strongest will survive. A Merrow will lead until he is shown to be weaker than another. When a stronger Merrow challenges for leadership, it is a fight to the death. The victor will lead the group. A large part of Merrow life is the upkeep of the lair. Making sure the borders of their territory are marked and well defended, and making sure whatever cave or grotto they have inhabited have proper defenses. It is important that whatever loot that has been collected is properly defended. When not hunting or keeping up on the defenses, Merrow will also hold contests of strength. These contests have a wide range, and a wide social aspect. It could be a challenge between two individuals, or it can be a contest that is being observed by the entire hunting party. The contests themselves can be anything from a quick wrestling match, or a test of strength against a creature of the sea. Merrow will also perform various rituals to please the Prince of Demons. Those sacrificial rites will always include blood. Any blood will do but blood drawn from those still living pleases Demogorgon the most, thus it is common that there will be prisoners in the Merrow lair being kept alive for a sacrifice. Merrow only form hunting parties between 10-50 individuals. No larger community has ever been observed outside of the abyss. There is speculation that Merrow will form large armies to conquer, capture, and sacrifice large communities of Merfolk, but no concrete observations have been made to substantiate this claim. Behavioral Observations Aggressive behavior is the trademark of the Merrow. Nothing they do is without anger. Even mundane chores become tasks that can be used as a way to release the inherent fury that drives a Merrow. Insults and commands are barked in the same manner as mundane sentences. Inter-Species Observations Merrow hate the Merfolk and will do anything they can to destroy them. Merrow see the Merfolk as inferior beings and unsuitable to live in the world. Merrow will use brute force and overwhelming numbers in order to destroy any clan of Merfolk that they happen upon. Merrow also hate everything else that lives, just less so than Merfolk. They will hunt anything that they deem are too weak to live, mostly creatures that are smaller and weaker then themselves. When hunting Merrow will always use their brutality much like any other predator would. They use flank tactics, speed, and numbers to kill their prey. When their prey is dead, the Merrow will take it back to their territory to feed, whatever they don't feed on they use to mark their territory. Merrow dominated water is surrounded by corpses tied to kelp and other seaweed. The bodies serve as a marking and a warning, if one was to enter the territory, it is highly likely they will join the tied off bodies. DM's Toolkit An interesting way to use Merrow is to set them up as a small hunting parties that are easy to deal with separately, then to have one incredibly fierce Merrow bring them all together as an army that threatens to overwhelm an underwater settlement. It is also interesting to make a NPC Merrow that despises his own people and is searching for acceptance elsewhere. Much like Drizzt Do'Urden and the Drow. It would make for some interesting RP opportunities and a fun and memorable party helper. As always, use Merrow as a way to surprise your party. Make the Merrow a concrete threat that needs to be dealt with as soon as possible. Make it a priority that the Merrow need to be exterminated. Or maybe the Merrow have acquired a certain item that needs to be recovered from the lair. In any case, put the sense of chaotic dread into your characters. 266

Modron "Ah yes I remember it like it was yesterday... what an odd day..." "Can you to elaborate?" "Well, it was some 285 years ago on a especially windy day during the rainy season. I had just made the long climb out of the mines after my shift and made my way to the Prancing Pegasus for a stout. But then, just one gulp in, we all felt it. A strange.... Rumbling. It shook the whole tavern. It shook our entire outpost. Everyone made their way outside, and that's when we saw it. A strange tear in the air. Some kind of portal, shimmering and made of what appeared to be mercury... And that was then they came. A procession of thousands-nay-hundreds of thousands of them. Marching in perfect step, ten wide. For three days they constantly streamed out, ignoring our questions. And just as quickly as they came, they were gone and the portal closed. Headed north toward the Axe Mountains." "Thank you for your time Thrizen Ironbeard. This will be very useful knowledge for my studies." -Excerpt from Thristane's Planar Manual. Recorded using voice crystals Introduction Modrons are an oddity. They are usually very rarely seen on Toril. Slightly more so on the Astral Plane. They are the creations of the mysterious being known as Primus. It is assumed that almost all modrons reside in their home plane of Mechanus, with a few still scattered around the various planes. They are beings of absolute law. Modrons cannot be persuaded or intimidated to act against their current instructions and inherit instinct for order. They maintain the clock-workings of Mechanus and have an extremely varying level of intelligence. Physiological Observations The physical attributes of modrons vary wildly depending on their "rank." But they all share a few fundamental characteristics. They are all constructs. With none of the organs, blood, or muscles that most sentient creatures take for granted modrons are entirely mechanical. They have gears, pistons and universal joints. A complete examination of their inner-workings is impossible due to the fact that upon their "death" they disintegrate into dust. This has made my study of their physiology very difficult. It is unknown how they are powered or how their minds work. I have discovered that as rank increased, so did intelligence and motor skills. A task impossible to complete for a monodrone would be child's play for a tridrone. I have tested this hypothesis repeatedly. Social and Behavioral Observations Modrons are creatures of hierarchy. They communicate with modrons of the same rank, one rank above, and one rank below their current station. Other modrons are either too intelligent or too simple for them to understand. Most have very little understanding of the physiologies of organic creatures. Tridrones and quadrones have shown an exceptional understanding of the weak points of most humanoids due to their usage of the spear and shortbow respectively. Besides combat and tool related information, modrons know almost nothing about the day to day lives of humanoids. They have no concept of sex, jealousy, rage, subtlety or any of the other social motivations most humanoids experience. The closest modrons come to emotion is a strange and powerful uncomfortableness when they see mechanical objects destroyed, or any acts of unnecessary destruction. Inter-species Observations Very few in human settlements know of their existence, and even fewer humans have seen one in person. But in communities of beings who live for many years, such as elves and dwarves remember. Most Dwarves only live to see a single Clockwork Singularity in their lifetimes, and thus do not see the pattern. Elves are a different matter. Most elvish cities have laws that account for the coming of modrons. After poring over the hundreds of law statures in the City Hall of the elvish city Glasstower, I found a series of laws that deal with The Cycle. They dictate that every 289 years, the authorities of Glasstower must bring out prototypes of any new inventions that have been patented over the past 289 years and place them in the city street. According to Slivaris PatentMaster, after the Modron Army marches through the city streets these prototypes are gone and the city can easily resume its day to day activities. Some Creatures of the Outer Planes like to enslave modrons as they make excellent workers. Sometimes githyanki pirate ships are found to be run by monodrones hundreds of years old in their underbellies, enslaved by the astral pirates centuries before. DM's Toolkit Modrons can be difficult to use. They are pretty weak but would never be found by themselves, so can make decent combat encounters for lower level parties. They can also be effectively used as a "world shaking event." Maybe The March begins and interrupts a party of adventures trying to travel through an area. Maybe something goes wrong and when it reaches 289 years the modrons DONT march. Lots of options. Also they can be utilized as slaves for really anything that hunts the Astral Plane. 267

Mummy "Most of 'em were pummeled into submission... beaten senseless by an unholy strength, until bones splintered and organs turned to mash. Those were the lucky ones. The most cowardly among our number tried to run, and it worked for a while. Be we're talking about an unrelenting force here; a few locked doors or makeshift snares can't slow them down. Most of 'em didn't get far enough away, but a couple did... those unlucky bastards got the worst of it - the rot. The horrid rot. I'd much rather be beaten senseless and die with a weapon in my hand than end up bedridden for a week before being lost to the breeze." --Dondrick the Thrice-Blessed, sole survivor of the last expedition into the tomb of Ahmand-Rak. Introduction When one pictures a mummy, one envisions a stereotypical shambling corpse wrapped in ancient linens and resting in a dusty sarcophagus - this is a common misconception, perpetuated by old folktales passed along from explorers visiting a very specific part of the world. In the technical sense, any well-preserved corpse could be considered for re-animation as a mummy. Bodies buried deep in a glacier, submerged in a mossy bog, lost on a remote mountain peak, preserved in alchemical brines, or sealed in an airtight tomb are all prime candidates to become proper mummies. The sole criterion for classification is that the body is kept well enough after death to avoid rotting away under normal conditions. Where a zombie eventually turns to mush and a skeleton has long-since lost most of its form, a mummy's body is able to last for centuries, even millennia. The most powerful mummies even manage to retain their memories, skills and even the personality they had in life. Just as diverse as their methods of preservation are the means by which the mummies come to animate. While usually evil and unholy in nature, the origin of a mummy can vary from case to case. Some mummies animate as a result of an ancient curse bestowed upon their corpses by a powerful being. Others are the product of alchemical or arcane experimentation, not unlike the creation of an undead golem (though mummies are significantly less obedient). Some are born of freak accidents or wild surges of necromantic power, while others are purposefully prepared to rise as mummies many centuries later to serve as guardians over sacred sites. A few mummies are bound in unholy scripture and blasphemous edicts from which they draw their unlife. Some rise from death under the sheer force of their evil will; these are the most dangerous of such creatures... spiteful souls who usually mean to end all life from beyond the grave. Academics often argue the differences between mummies and liches; as a general rule, mummies are animated through some outside force that sustains them and drives them to violence, whereas liches are undead by choice and generally retain more of their mortal semblance, personality-wise. Physiological Observations While the origins of mummies are varied and diverse, their basic anatomy is quite simple - a well-preserved corpse (either from environmental factors or through special treatment after death) with mostly intact organs and firm muscle sinew hardened through the preservation process. This corpse need not be humanoid in nature; rumors persist of mummies formed from beholder-kin, naga, and even dragons who have long since expired. Its undead appearance bears a striking resemblance to the creature as it appeared in life; the preservation process usually protects more delicate features, and ensures that very little decay actually affects a mummy's body. In particular, mummies who originate as frozen corpses or bog bodies are almost entirely unaffected by the ravages of bacterial consumption, and can sometimes pass themselves off as a living being if viewed from a distance. A mummy is supernaturally strong, owing to two factors: the first is that in death, muscle tissue naturally stiffens under the effects of rigor mortis. These extremely tough muscle fibers are gradually made more pliant after centuries of gentle stretching, resulting in a much denser muscular frame covering the skeletal structure, one which breaks less easily and can be subjected to more strain. The second factor attributed to a mummies great strength is a unholy spark somewhere within the creature that urges it ever forward (despite the notable handicap of being dead). Generally speaking, the more evil the creature was in life, the stronger its drive to obliterate at any cost. This same power makes a mummy significantly tougher than the sum of its parts - where a slash might cut through tissue and bones on a normal cadaver, mummies are often able to shrug such attacks simply because they will themselves not to be slowed. In spite of its strength and conviction, a mummy is still a slow and shambling combatant. Years, even centuries, of low mobilization forces a mummy to essentially re-learn how to move like a normal creature. A mummy often has a signature "shuffle" in the way it walks that results from withered legs and atrophied tendons. It swings its arms in wide, stiff arcs rather than swift, fluid motions. Often times, the material used to bind a mummy can likewise restrict movement. This stiffness becomes less pronounced as a mummy spends more time moving around, but never quite disappears entirely. One aspect entirely unique to mummies is their curse of mummy rot. Technically, mummy rot is a form of advanced disease that develops only from within the well-preserved body of a being fueled by unholy power. Mummy rot damages living organisms through the rapid consumption of water from living cells, and can therefore not harm the mummy host, whose cells have already died. Victims of mummy rot feel an extreme dehydration for the duration of their curse, until such a time as their cells are completely drained of water, leaving behind only a pile of dry dust that used to be their body (to the untrained eye, it looks as though the victim has turned to sand, giving rise to the belief that the victim had been cursed to transform). 268

Social/Behavioural Observations For the most part, the most basic and primitive of mummies absolutely abhor the living. The hatred a mummy feels towards the living is not confined to certain species or races - they simply wish for all that is not dead to become dead. Scholars believe a mummy's drive to end life stems from the same programming that allows simpler forms of undead (such as zombies) to follow the commands of their creator; in the case of lesser mummies however, these commands are self-deriving from a core of evil intent. Whether divine or arcane, the spark of evil that drives a mummy will constantly demand that the creature take only one action: kill. Ironically, the more complex a mummy's mind, the greater the chance that it can fight this supernatural programming, to the point where it only kills when it wants to (rather than through constant compulsion). Advanced mummies are able to suppress their murderous urges long enough to commit to other tasks, such as academic research, lair maintenance, or even intelligent debate. For this reason, the more powerful the mummy, the less likely it is to leap straight into bloodthirsty combat. There are instances of novice explorers leaving unscathed after an accidental encounter with a mummy lord, simply because they were able to convince the mummy that they weren't a credible threat. That being said, the intent and actions of a powerful mummy are just as unpredictable as any living creature - they are just as diverse in their personalities as the living. However, due to the sheer unholy presence required to sustain a mummy over centuries of unlife, it is usually a safe bet that they aren't the nicest of beings. Many of them are also driven to madness through centuries of isolation, which further makes mummies unpredictable when engaged diplomatically. Whether simple in mind or not, a mummy will almost never willingly follow the commands of a living being. They can be briefly controlled by those who hold sway over unholy powers (such as devils, evil priests or very powerful necromancers), but a mummy will fight this control at all times, often exhausting its controller so much that they are seldom worth the effort. When given the chance, a mummy almost always turns against those trying to control them; this is especially the case with the more powerful, intelligent mummy lords, who were usually figures of great importance (and great ego) in life. Intra-Species Observations As specified earlier, mummies almost never coexist peacefully with living beings. If forced into such a situation, time will not be on the side of the living; a mummy's selfcontrol will eventually be overcome by the unrelenting spark that drives them to kill. When a mummy freely allows this drive to consume them, they become relentless in their pursuit of a designated target, far beyond their capacity for self-preservation. Not only will a mummy kill, but they will travel to the ends of the earth to do so. Fortunately, many mummies are confined to their tombs or bound in sarcophagi, but again, time is on their side and they will eventually break free. Other undead creatures are by-and-large ignored by mummies, who often view their lesser undead cousins as necromantic tools, pawns, or feral creatures. Because they do not possess the vitality of life, mummies do not concern themselves with ghouls, skeletons, and the like. If a mummy is bound to a tomb as part of a group, they often share a bond with their interred brethren, but nothing akin to emotion; their connection is more like that of an associate or colleague, rather than a friend or family member. An exception can be found when a group of mummies are bound to a mummy lord, who usually commands the lesser mummies as their de facto leader (a phenomenon stemming from their social dynamic in life - mummy lords were usually former high priests or cult leaders, while lesser mummies were often acolytes and/or followers in the same organization). More intelligent mummies may develop preferences and even take a liking towards another being, living or dead, though they acknowledge that such relationships will be short-lived and generally do not attempt to prolong them in any way. Variants Lesser Mummy: Usually a person of little accomplishment in life, reanimated through no choice of their own. Lesser mummies are dimwitted, hateful, and stubborn to a fault, mindlessly hunting down the living to the exclusion of all other activities. At best they can be compared to a stronger form of zombie; at worst, an unchecked force of evil and death run rampant. Mummy Lord: A powerful and intelligent mummy, usually created as the result of a terribly sinister ritual or whose evil actions in life were strong enough to fuel its actions in death. Mummy lords can command lesser mummies provided the lesser mummies had some connection to the mummy lord in life as a subservient. Some mummy lords embrace their unlife as a means of carrying on their goals after death, while others lament the curse that won't let them rest in peace. Bog Mummy: These poor souls were interred inside the airless waters of a bog or marsh, providing ideal conditions for the preservation of their corpses. They tend to reanimate through more natural causes rather than deliberate ones, and are usually left to wander aimlessly among the reeds. The nature of their environment provides them with an unusual affinity for swimming in shallow waters and the ability to move unfettered through the deep mud. Because bacteria could not eat away at their bodies and damage tissue, they are swifter and more agile than other mummy types, although not quite as strong. Glacial Mummy: Once and a while, an ancient body entombed in an ice floe breaks free of its confines and reanimates. Their skin blackened from frostbite and their muscles stiffened from atrophy, these mummies are easily identified and best avoided. Though they are slower than a lesser mummy, their chilling touch can freeze living flesh as solid as the ice from which they emerged. If a glacial mummy is only freshly freed from the ice, it will usually lack the mummy rot disease afflicting the other variants. 269

Chemical Mummy: Created not through magic, but rather through twisted alchemical practices, these mummies can be found suspended in tanks of strange bio-goo, ready to be unleashed onto intruding player parties. Though they usually lack the mummy rot touch, their bodies have soaked up more than enough strange chemicals to pass along in an attack; striking them in a forceful manner may even cause them to burst in a chemical explosion. Animated Wraps: Sometimes a rampant case of mummy rot can persist long after the preservation of their mummy hosts' bodies. In these cases, the mummy rot itself becomes a semi-sentient creature inhabiting the old funerary wrappings of the expired mummy. Tomb explorers report being attacked by bandages and shrouds as swift and agile as living serpents, though much more aggressive. The preferred tactic of animated wraps is to strangle living creatures while also spreading the mummy rot disease. Non-humanoid Mummies: Can come in many varieties and possess many different abilities. They are best avoided when possible, and must be approached with extreme caution. Fake Mummy: A zombie wrapped in bandages/toilet paper, designed to fool opponents into thinking it is a much stronger enemy. Fun to play as a practical joke. DM's Toolkit Mummies can fill a unique role in any campaign. They can act as a plausible means for an entire organization or cult to exist centuries after a normal lifespan. They can provide a sort of hierarchical system of undead inside a tomb, crypt, temple, or other ruins. They can also act as independent wild undead whose existence does not stem from a necromantic master/creator. They can be scaled to act as either plausible minor guardians of long-abandoned ruins, or as a powerful boss monster at the end of a dungeon. Mummy rot can provide a suitable quest hook in searching for a cure that can lead players to new locations if they don't have the resources to cure it themselves. Similarly, a strong mummy can "chase" the players along a campaign, constantly in the background and forcing the group ever onward to avoid being caught. Intelligent mummies might be bargained or negotiated with to provide passage through their tomb. They can act as an NPC character to be interacted with in places where DMs would have a hard time explaining the presence of living beings. Similarly, they might be cursed to fulfill some bizarre obligation by their creators, forcing the mummy to act on their behalf even centuries after they've left this world (good for passing along ancient information, maintaining traps, or proctoring an ancient test/trial). You can also use mummies as a way to extend the longevity of major enemies in a campaign by having them return to fight the party as an intelligent undead being. 270

Myconid "They were everywhere, man! Everywhere! Mushroom people, I tell you! MUSHROOMS WITH FACES!" --Anonymous inmate, Rafanar Asylum Introduction Mycellium Myconidis, the Myconid civilization, is an incredible story of a nearly perfect biological organism married with the adaptability of an intelligent, fecund species. These so-called Fungus People are a misunderstood race of beings that is as far removed from humanity as is possible. There have been centuries of study based on almost only a handful of information sources, and they have postulated a rigid caste structure for the Myconid society, based on mostly second-hand (or spurious) information as recent scholarship has shown, and it's time to for new findings and fresh research to correct a number of long-standing mythologies. Sub-Species It has long been believed that there was only 1 form of Myconid adult, a (2 feet tall), crudely humanoid with arms, and hands with 4 fingers; legs, with feet of three toes; and a face, with eyes, nostril slits, and a mouth. It has been noted that this form moves at perhaps half the speed of a human, and cannot climb or swim with any speed or grace. While this form is part of the Myconid physiology, it is by no means the only one. The society is made up of a diverse range of intelligent fungi that can, and do, take many forms to fill many roles needed for their civilization to function. The sub-species that fits the traditional description that was described, above, belongs to the Mycon. Mycon are living spore factories. Their great bulbous tops can pump out social and defense spores in their untold trillions when in need. They are the core species most often observed, because they are the most common type appearing in the blooms (60%), and they are the ones who do the most work, securing the colony's safety and pursuing what appears, to all recorded observations, is simply spreading the species wherever it can. No larger goals have been reported, but without the means to decipher the Sporechatter, it is impossible for anyone to do any except speculate about what philosophies the Myconid might be pursuing. Enoki are long, slender fungi, with small caps atop a willowy stem that can grow to 3 meters if needed, but are more often found around 1 meter. They are the Watchmen of the society. They can walk and run if they have to, but they prefer to remain rooted for their entire lives. They use the sporemist to keep their senses keen, and they surf that wave of communication - tapped into the entirety of the colony's Sporechatter, their Alarm spores are larger than most of the other species, appearing as normal sized "dust" and not the fine powdery-type spores of the other Myconids. They have defenses as well, as reported by a few lucky survivors, spores that paralyze, induce terror, and pacify, and who knows what else. They are the second most common type of Myconid found in a bloom (40%)Puffballs are a light, mobile form that is easily propelled by winds and water, as well as an internal gas reserve, that the puffball uses to jet itself along when in need. They are uniformly grey in color and approximately 1 meter in diameter. Puffballs are the breeders of the species. A decaying puffball will seed a bloom. That is it's whole purpose, propagation. They are not easily destroyed (AC 14), and not easily caught if chased, jetting along without any wind, they can reach speeds of 10 feet per second (60 feet per round). It is otherwise defenseless, only being able to create three types of spores - Alarm, Communication and its main spore type - Life. The Life spore does two things - it alerts the colony that a new bloom has been "born" and kills the puffball, mixing its chemistry with its organic host, whatever that may be (as long as its dead) to give life to a new patch of Myconid. Puffballs appear with every bloom. Usually 4-6 are created, and these numbers are outside the normal number appearing for the other sub-species types (6-10 generally, as mentioned, below). Lumins are the Holiest of the Holy as far as scholars can determine. The presence of even one will sometimes derail and entire colony's current activities and the whole area gathers around them and they appear to hold some kind of reverent communion with the Lumins, the sporemist becomes so thick that only the eerie glow of the Lumin can be seen. They colony remains transfixed like this for many hours, up to a day has been observed. No research or evidence has clarified if they are helpless in this state. After this initial "ceremony", the Lumin seems to be ignored, allowed to wander through the colony, and spreading its spores as it travels. The extent of the Lumin Sporechatter is unknown, but obviously Communication and Alarm are present, as with all Myconid, but only a spore that gave birth to blooms with only Puffballs (who in turn, seem to seed blooms that favor the Agarite sub-species in number) have been observed beyond those. Their glowing qualities has been reported as being steady in brightness, with little to no variation, and lights up an area nearly 40 feet across (triple that in the complete darkness of subterranean areas). The color variation seems to be random, but only 3 Lumins have ever been observed, and there may be some larger pattern that scholars cannot account for at this time. It is not known if they are formed from blooms or if they are, in what quantities, but only individual Lumins have been counted. 271

Agarites are a rare species. It is believed that they can only be created by Lumin Myconids, but there isn't sufficient evidence to rule out their presence in normal blooms. Agarites are small and highly aggressive. They are quite fleet, moving upwards of 5 feet per second (30 feet per round). They are also highly poisonous, able to deliver powerful toxins via the physical growths on their caps and also by sporemist - they have several levels of lethality, and all of them are deadly to animals, humanoids, and monstrous creatures. The Poison spore causes vomiting and racking pain, but the Flux spore also causes internal bleeding that can lead to death by exsanguination via the vomiting reflex. The Choke spore causes swelling of the victim's lungs, making it difficult to draw breath, and if enough sporemist is inhaled, it can lead to death by suffocation. There may be others. The physical toxins on its flesh act as the Poison spore does, although it can be washed off, it requires a large quantity of liquid to do so, as the spores seem to stick to body hair. Agarites, when they have been observed being created in a bloom, are the only species and usually 4-8 are formed. Dewcaps are another specialized sub-species that serves a vital role in the culture. Dewcaps extrude liquid from their bodies in the form of sticky balls that serve some need to the society that has only been speculated about up to this time. Myconid have not been seen to eat or drink, but they do ingest these globules from the Dewcaps from time to time, but not by the entire colony and not on a regular basis, so there is speculation that this liquid is not a nutrition source, but perhaps the Myconid do not need to eat regularly? No evidence can support this either way. The effects of this extruded liquid on humanoids, however, is well documented. It is a powerful hallucinogen, and can induce powerful effects that last upwards of 24 hours, after which time the ingester breaks his fever (which has been steadily climbing during the experience), after which large quantities of water and a day of bed rest are needed or the user dies of extreme dehydration. Animals are also drawn to, and affected by, the Dewcap's sweet-smelling "nectar". Dewcaps always move to the periphery of the colony, and position themselves in areas where they can protect the colony from intruders. Dewcaps are considered rare and appear infrequently (10%) and generally only 1 or 2 spawn at most. "Gobblers" have been observed only once, in dim light, when an adventurer reported seeing a companion suddenly scooped up by monstrous jaws and then the victim began screaming about being drowned, and was seen to be reaching out through the weird "jaws" before the witness bolted in abject fear (he claims he was just protecting his interests, but there are doubts that this story is even true, as the observer is a known thief and liar). Blooms Most of the current knowledge revolves around one source, Umlaut's "Observations While Spelunking & finding the Fungal tribes of Tentennering", a rambling journal/essay of a long expedition into the cavern systems found at the foot of the Greenwood Mountains, in the far West. Professor Umlaut's reported finding a "straygne and fasinating culture of living fungus, whome we expeckted would bring greate harm to us all, instaed welcomed us with gifts and a foule smelling concotion, more evil in its rotting tayste." He then describes what could only be interpreted as a halluncinogenic experience, wherein the "fungyl caretakers showed us the wonder of their socitee." The Myconid were described as having a heirarchical structure, with a single leader, and each Myconid fulfilled its role, and only its role in keeping the society running efficiently. A great "Melding of the mynds took place in a greate hall of stone, and all the fungalfolk gathyrd togethyr and the Auld One released tinee brown spores into the aire, in great quantities, and soone all the folke seemed to find themselves in the Great Web of Lyfe and I felt it too, and tho I was an outsyder, for a moment, I was one with the folke." Recent scholarship has challenged this "lazy paradigm of accepted fact, a fantasy of hopes and dreams from a oncerelevant scholar." This burst of activity has been mostly fueled by the rise of the Adventurer's Guild, and subsequent Cartographic Societies, who pay hard coin for good maps and verifiable, repeatable information. The Guild trades in Facts. A cohesive picture has been forming from the sale of a number of notable monographs on the creatures found within the journals buried deep in the Guild's Archives. That picture shows a very different Myconid society, one that may in fact, have no human parallel. Myconid "blooms" (rapid growths of the juvenile forms of the species) have been reported at all depths of the Underdark and many are found close to or even on the surface, and there are no consistent reports on the usual types of Myconid sub-species that forms in these blooms. None of the reports match, which means that our understanding of the full Myconid species is incomplete. This essay can only speak to the sub-species on record, although no single societal norm (as we perceive it) is threaded through any of the Myconid observations. The Myconid bloom in patches generally 2-10 feet in diameter, and over the course of only 24 hours, and rapidly form from a fungal "mat" of mycelium, and generally spawn between 6 and 10 of the Myconid race. These new spawn instantly begin to fulfill whatever roles they are supposed to serve in their society, but consistent behavior from these species has not exhibited itself. The bloom requires organic matter to grow, and this normally takes the form of rotting vegetable matter or deceased creatures. These "beds", depending on size, can be the source of many blooms, forming over and over again, slowly consuming the organic matter that allows this procreation. A rotting tree could support 2-4 bloom cycles, a humanoid 1-2, and a large creature 4-8, generally. 272

Colonies Blooms of Myconid are instantaneously able to function as adults. They have no juvenile form, and there are only scant moments after their "births" of inactivity, as the first communication spores are exchanged between them. There is strong evidence to suggest this form of communication among the species is as complex as ant or bees, with concepts as well as single representations able to be exchanged and understood. Our only proof of this is the reports of adventurers and rogue-scholars who have observed them in the wild. Spores are like breath to the Myconid, and vast clouds of them are constant in their vicinity, 50 to 300 feet sometimes aboveground, and as much as a mile underground, where, in breathless caves, the spores hang in the still air for days, sometimes weeks, waiting for a Myconid receptor or a humanoid host. The Myconid are organized, and function well with one another, regardless of the mix of sub-species, and they will secure their spawning grounds first, by filling the area with sporemist, this creates the environment that allows the Sporechatter to function, and is constantly replenished by active Myconid with Communication spores. The Puffballs will jet away, hunting for suitable bloom-hosts and any subspecies will move to fill their roles. The Mycon will send half of their numbers out to find living captives; whether animal, man, or beast, it does not seem to matter. These prisoners are kept somewhere deep in the colony, no eyewitness accounts exist of their condition, and serve to create new blooms, as the colony's population growth is directly related to the number of local disappearances. The species can reproduce very quickly, 24 hours for a bloom to birth up to 10 Myconid, and the population can quickly run into the hundreds if left unchecked. There is an account, spurious at best, of sighting a colony numbering in the thousands in the Underdark, and perhaps a whole network of these Fungal Cities. There does not appear to be any leadership among the Myconid. The Lumin sub-species does hold some place of regard in their society, but scholars have been unable to say with any certainty what that role fulfills for the species. All the sub-species are obviously communicating, as they will cooperate to repel invaders, and perform functions within the colony, and there is speculation that the Hivemind is what directs their actions - some ancient memory, that allows each member to understand what needs to be done without the need for direct control from a superior member of the society. All seem to know their purpose and fulfill it independently, which gives is great strength and versatility. However, it is the very nature of the hivemind in which the species lives, that is its greatest weakness. Cut a Myconid away from the colony, and it will lose focus very quickly and become confused. The few that have been captured, and interrogated without success, have died some 48-72 hours after being isolated from other Myconid, some inner process initiates it, or perhaps it is, as one sage has theorized, "that they cannot function as a single unit. Without the hivemind, they have no purpose, and quickly wilt and die." Social Interactions Myconid are hostile, there can be no doubt about that. All of the accounts, regardless of their source, point to this. Of course, this may mean just the opposite, as overwhelming evidence without a single dissent is often the framework for duplicity, and there very well may be peaceful Myconid societies. Ruling this possibility out is the function of a closed mind, as all will agree, but our only recorded evidence is of overwhelming aggression and hostility from the Myconid. The colony will begin a spree of killing on any living thing within the immediate vicinity of the colony, usually up to a mile around the first bloom. This rapidly increases with each subsequent bloom, and soon patrols of Myconid are spread over a vast area. If civilized areas are nearby, the colony's numbers will explode exponentially, as Puffballs and Agarites swarm in numbers amid the Mycon hordes. The Myconid do not torture, they do not violate, they do not even feed on their victims. They kill by spore infection to create more Myconid. They have no malice. They exist to procreate, and they almost never make allies, but there are exceptions. Violet Fungus and Shriekers are almost always (90%) found in Myconid colonies, and are nurtured by the Myconid, who seem to treat these Deadly Fungi with the same reverence they do their own. Dryad and Galeb Duhr and Shambling Mounds have also been known to cooperate with them. Gas Spores are mortal enemies of the Myconid. The Gas Spores will feed on blooms and even on Myconid themselves, and are always immediately attacked by the colony and driven off by Aganites if any are present, or Enoki if not. Under no circumstances will the Gas Spores be destroyed (although accidents do happen), as the Gas Spore's death causes an explosion of its own spores, that can infect the Myconid and kill them, giving rise to more Gas Spores. 273

DM's Toolkit I have taken a very different view of these creatures. Gone are the slightly-expansionist-butmostly-hippie-type-mushroom-dudes of AD&D. That's not to say you can't keep that paradigm, and brew as many sub-species as you like to serve your individual preferences. This is just my take. Lifeforms serve the Spore. Anywhere things live, the Myconid can be found. In the underdark, they can be terrifying. The first time you encounter the presence of Myconids is almost always the sporemist. That means saving throws. I've experienced not even getting close to a real live Myconid because my character has wandered off, Confused, or worse, Poisoned. The sporemist is an active defense that does not require the immediate presence of the Myconid themselves. Hamlets and villages are great places to stage Myconid invasions. Played carefully enough, they could serve as the Mysterious in a missingvillagers whodunnit. They can also quickly destroy pockets of civilization, and not only through direct attack, but by taking all the local game and wildlife, starvation is a real possibility. This is your scaling device. The sporemist. The Myconid themselves could have their numbers moved around, but taking the approach of the sporemist as the thing that needs to be defeated, is the key to a different type of encounter paradigm. Of course, the removal of this area condition, via magical means, such as Gust of Wind, is the fastest way to remove a colony in its early stages, as this will confuse and scatter the Myconid and they will be easier to isolate and destroy. They could be modified to include weapons in their society. Taken from victims and absorbed into the Hivemind's repository of knowledge, they would probably be clumsy with them, but I could see that being a nice escalation to their natural aggression. The Sporechatter, a collective term for all the individual spore types can be whatever you want. The Monster Manual lists only 4 - Pacify, Rapport, Animate and Hallucinate. I have replicated those here, and used Puffballs in place of the Animation spore type. I like to mix and match, so any list of spore types would frequently change, I think. Spore types mentioned in this post: Communication Alarm Paralyze Fear Calm Life Commune Poison Flux Choke Hallucination 274

Naga "A dragon? You expected a dragon?! Bah! Disgusting monsters. You should be glad I am not a dragon. If you try to kill me, I will let you. I will let you go on your way with your stolen relic. You'll sell it for some gold. That merchant will die and I will take it back. You'll buy passage on a ship headed back home. Everyone on it will die. You'll return home and treat your loved ones to your wealth. They will also die. And when you come for me again, we can start over." -- Turomark the Guardian Introduction Nagas are an intelligent race of monstrous snakes, who possess a humanoid face and a large serpentine body. Created by a long-lost civilization or god, they are a haughty race of immortal guardians who claim to be the pinnacle of the serpentine form. Much like dragons, some are good and some are evil, some are necromantically corrupted, and some are even ethereal. Nagas killed by any but the most powerful and lasting means reform in a matter of days; this immortal nature causes them to hold their bonds and allegiance absolute. A Naga does not forget, although some may forgive. They do not value life in the traditional sense, holding the experience and spirit of it in higher regard than the simple manner of existence. Physiological Observations Nagas are large snake-like creatures, with the head of a humanoid and the hood of a cobra. Nagas as a species are all generally the same size, around 12 to 16 feet long at maturity and weighing anywhere from 300 to 400 pounds. They usually "stand" at about 8 feet in height. Beyond a similarity in size, the physical appearance of Nagas may vary greatly between the subspecies. Nagas, universally, do not require food, water, sleep, or air. There exist a variety of subspecies of Naga, for the purposes of this ecological study four will be examined: the Guardian Naga, the Water Naga, the Dark or Spirit Naga, and the Bone Naga. The Guardian is among the largest, most intelligent, and most noble of the Nagas. Some claim they are the rarest and most uncorrupted form of the original creation of Nagas. Their scales are regal, uniform, and an iridescent green. Their human face is beautiful and exquisite, if somewhat unsettling. The Water Naga is the most bestial and least intelligent of the Nagas - though still capable of elevated dialogue. They prefer to live in the sea, preferably in warm waters. Their scales are a varied mixture of greens and blues. Many merchants attempt to pass off the green scales of a Water Naga as those of a Guardian Naga. The two are easily discerned under careful observation as Water Naga scales will secrete a fish-like slime. The Dark and Spirit Nagas are technically two different forms, but are closely related; that is, a Spirit Naga is a progressively more corrupted form of the Dark Naga. A Dark Naga has black and grey scales and a rat-like face, always wearing a sinister smile. A Spirit Naga, however, is pitch-black and many missing scales with a horribly disfigured face. Both are smaller than the Guardian Naga and possess nearly as much intelligence. The Bone Naga is the result of Yuan-Ti and others attempting to stop the process of the Naga's regeneration. A living Naga is restrained and then a necromantic ritual is performed that sloughs off the flesh of the Naga leaving only the bone. The Bone Naga is bound to its creator and retains only a fragment the magical prowess it once had. Other varieties of Naga exist, although not nearly as numerous as the above. The astrologically-attuned Lunar Naga watches the skies and violently strike against any who get in the way of their observations. The Royal Naga is said to be the divine fusion of five Nagas into one, much like a Hydra, tasked with guarding the most sacred relics and valuable treasures. Nagas have two sexes, male and female, and are capable of reproduction. They mate only during important cosmological times, such as eclipses and solstices, and lay two to four eggs. Most are infertile, however. The fertility and subspecies is reliant on the rarity and type of the cosmological event, often causing a pair of Nagas to seek the reclusive Lunar Naga in hopes of a well-timed event. The eggs take a year to hatch, and the tiny Naga must be kept in a guarded place as it dreams for one hundred years. During this time it slowly grows to full strength and size, but if awoken before then it is stuck in a catatonic state unless blessed with strong healing magics (an easy task for a powerful Naga, of course.) The scales and hide of a Naga are very resilient but not preternaturally so - the strength of a Naga lies more in its spirit than its corporeal form. Social Observations Nagas interact with one another with a certain degree of mutual respect among subspecies and a sense of hierarchy among different subspecies. The Dark Naga, when meeting a Guardian Naga, will be curt and jealous. A Guardian Naga will have a certain assured nature. Nagas, over time, become obsessed with purity, power, and guarding items and sites of great power. Where Guardian Nagas form the equivalent of templars and orders, Dark Nagas and Spirit Nagas form covetous camps and covens. Bone Nagas are reclusive and viewed the same as a human might judge a zombie or skeleton. Nagas make nests and small groups, but do not otherwise form large societies like the Yuan-Ti, often devolving into debates and posturing before making meaningful establishments. In any group of Nagas there will be a clearly established leader, who often claims to speak to one of the various deities purported by the Nagas. Among Dark and Spirit Nagas this is an unstable position, with scheming and plotting often having the leader disposed - or the entire group dissolving into eternal feuds. In groups of Guardian Nagas the hierarchy is absolute, with complex titles and commandments for each individual Naga. Any attempt to deviate would require centuries of subtle maneuvering and subterfuge. 275

Nagas mate with the same partner only once, taking dozens of different partners over the course of a millennium. The kind of Naga does not dictate the form of the offspring (rather, it is reliant upon the cosmological activity at the time of mating) - yet it is rare for different subspecies to mate due to differing dispositions. Even among Nagas of the same race, there is an alpha in mating relationships too, this position is not reliant on sex, however. Behavioral Observations Nagas are, at their heart, domineering and arrogant. They view themselves as perfect, and all others inferior save the divine, their creators, and some other Nagas. They have a strong desire to rule over their environment but not improve it. Even Guardian Nagas, though benevolent, view their "subjects" as weak-minded and weak-willed. This causes communication difficulties between them and others, with Nagas often distrusting those they lack respect for. Their intelligence and immortal nature causes them to be long-term planners or schemers who can wait decades before putting a plan into action. They often get wrapped in layers of conspiracy when in groups, especially among Dark and Spirit Nagas. This is the inherent fault of the Nagas as guardians. They become so obsessed in what they are protecting or controlling they lose sight of any outside world. It is not uncommon to encounter Nagas who have seen a thousand dynasties rise and fall without ever caring to learn their names. When first approached most Nagas will be willing to communicate, often condescendingly, to others. That is, unless it is a fellow Naga, in which case the two must approach in a formalized rite of greeting and announcements. Nagas are not gatekeepers, however; they do not let their site or treasure out of their sight. If someone has bypassed them or entered unannounced a Naga will not hesitate to strike first and ask questions later. They are suspicious of all others including other Nagas. They will seize any opportunity to capture their prey and interrogate them for years on end before killing them. Sometimes the information gleaned from this will prompt a Naga to leave their territory in order to retrieve an object of importance. Nagas, when talked to, will be hesitant to disclose information on what they are protecting or what their purpose is, along with refusing to answer any questions about their original creators. They will also be hostile to any Yuan-Ti, and especially vitriolic to any reptilian or snakelike beings they encounter. An easy way to discern if one is close to a Naga's nest is to look for any snakes nearby, if one cannot find any, one may be close as a Naga will magically exterminate all mundane snakes in a large proximity around it. Inter Species Observations Nagas interact with other species in a manner that only can be described as tyrannical. Although this may be benevolent, it is usually malevolent and designed to supplicate the urges of the Naga. A Naga does not build, it only keeps structures in stasis. A group of kobolds in servitude to a Dark Naga will rarely deviate in population and Nagas would rather kill all of their servants than have a single one escape the control of their will. Nagas will not work for or be in servitude to another creature, unless it is a divine being or another Naga. And even then, they will do so distastefully. For most creatures this is simply an unreasonable way of life, but Nagas simply inflict themselves with magical ailments and regenerate days later, far away. There are tales of heroes and villains teaming up with Nagas to accomplish joint goals, but to be treated even as an equal by a Naga one must destroy their corporeal form twice. They are not soldiers, but rather covetous generals for the armies of evil or good. Nagas have been known to stalk a familial line for generations, slowly killing off the descendants of those who wronged them until the family tree is ruthless pruned. Yuan-Ti and Naga have a bitter hatred and rivalry deriving from both claiming to be the perfect form of the serpentine beings. They will usually attempt to kill each other on sight. Nagas have never made any significant headway in eliminating the Yuan-Ti, though, as they become too focused on their individual projects and goals. 276

D M ' s To o lkit N a g a s m a k e a r c h e t y p al g u a r dia n s. T h e y'r e alm o s t like dragons in their obsession, and almost like undead minions in their allegiance. Their arrogance and extreme drive is an easy way to give a Dungeon Master the motivations of a Naga NPC. But the most important aspect of the Naga is its ability to reform and immortal patience. A Naga killed by a fluke at early levels can come back at full force to a mid-level party. They hold grudges better than any, and will wait for the perfect moment to strike. They're inherently off-putting, even among Guardian Nagas, with strange personalities that vary as much as any sentient race. The Dark and Water Naga are not included in the 5th edition monster manual but I find the Spirit and Bone Nagas, respectively, to be alright reskins. Their difficulty lends them to be fantastic obstacles to the MacGuffin or the next step in a mid-level adventure. I have included a variety of adventure and plot hooks based around Nagas for inspiration. The party finds a Spirit Naga in an ancient temple, and it claims to be a long lost God. An annoyed Dark Naga bludgeons its skull into a wall after half-heartedly refusing to allow an adventuring party into a ruined castle. Inside the castle is a Guardian Naga who has not seen anyone in over a thousand years. A Bone Naga finds the party on a road and asks them for help in enacting revenge against a coven of Spirit Nagas. The party sets sail for a uncharted island to find it is infested with Water Nagas anxiously awaiting mating season: a total lunar eclipse. A haggard old man asks the party for protection from a spirit that has haunted his ancestors and killed each of them on their 70th birthday, which he turns tomorrow. A deranged Spirit Naga violently protects a rickety chair of little significance deep inside a tomb. A Guardian Naga guards the doorway to the Upper Planes, and haughtily mocks their unworthiness - an adventuring party's first clue that the Upper Planes are not necessarily perfect. 2 7 7

Nightmare "I only wish I could have saved him. When I finally found Uoitha he was eating a freshly killed human on the side of a popular roadway. I regretted my duty to rid the world of the beast he had become and I did so with a great sadness in my heart. Goodbye my friend I whispered and I fired my arrow true." -- Elven Pegasus Rider Yuli Riverheart Introduction Nightmares are twisted, evil, magical creatures that prey upon the living and serve the dead. They are undead flying horses with a fiery mane, tail and hooves. They eat anything that suits them as long as it's meat but prefer to kill their food and take pleasure in the screams. They particularly favor humanoids for this reason. Nightmares are not a creature to be trifled with, as while they are brutish and violent they are intelligent. This makes them prized mounts for forces of evil. Liches, vampires, and dread lords all seek a Nightmare for their trusty steed. Physiological Observations Nightmares resemble a large horse with flames for a mane, tail, and just above the hooves. Their skin color is always coal black and their eyes burn with a fiery red. They always look slightly emaciated with their rib cages showing through and clear definition of the hips. Their teeth are sharp and numerous as they are strictly carnivores. Nightmares are not a naturally occurring creature and there's a limited amount of them in the world. They have been known to be summoned from some of the lower planes of hell but they are not natural inhabitants of those planes or any other. Nightmares are created through a brutal and evil ritual that involves a pegasus tortuously having its wings removed. Driven mad from the pain and the magic used they are set on fire and rise as a nightmare. If the ritual is not properly prepared, in a fit of rage the nightmare will murder and eat all those around it unless there's a fresh kill to satiate it. The new fiery dead body is immune to all forms of heat and flames. Nightmares are evil and vengeful creatures that have no desire for redemption. In life, Pegasi make lifelong friends and trusty steeds to heroes and people of great goodness. They even mate for life in a loving relationship. In death a nightmare actively hunts all who knew it to feast on their flesh. Sometimes while under service of great evil masters they put this quest aside but they will attack past ties on sight. Many past pegasus owners have tracked down the nightmare only to fail to realize that there's no hope for it, and fall victim to either death or despair. The nightmare can be aligned with greater evils for the mere price of food. Sometimes they demand attention like grooming but only for hygienic purposes as they hold no fondness for their masters or themselves even. They are also terribly vindictive. If a nightmare feels mistreated it will strike its rider at the least opportune moment. Nightmares have been known to be ridden in a pinnacle battle only to buck off the rider and pin them for the enemy to finish off and then fly away to freedom. Nightmares have no natural or preferred habitat and if they are roaming free they stalk villages and townsfolk coming at night and taking away anyone they can. They like to swoop down from the sky and bite a running victim, carrying it off into the night. Once safely away from town the nightmare then bites the head off letting the body drop to the ground and swoops down to finish the meal after their favorite part is devoured. While they cannot speak they understand many languages. Typically they know the languages they knew in life which are usually common and elvish. They are not much for communication to begin with and even as a mount tend to do their own thing. This suits evil riders well as their orders are typically to attack and kill the nearest opponent. Social Observations Nightmares are known to travel in groups in places where multiple nightmares are found. This is most common in the lower planes of the hells as they are more apt to kill a demon rider due to mistreatment. This leaves the nightmare free to roam the planes and once they find others they group up for safety in numbers. This group has no real leadership and essentially is first come first serve to a meal. This can lead to a shark like feeding frenzy that leaves a huge mess behind of what used to be prey. In fighting it is also common to have something as small as an accidental bump during a charge spark a hatred between members that can result in one fewer member in the group. They are not usually very social with each other and instead only stick together as two nightmares are more of a scary target than one. This behavior is thought to have developed in the lower planes as there are many more active dangers to a nightmare there than on the material plane. Inter-Species Observations Nightmares are sought after by evil beings for their independence to not need much orders during battle, their battle prowess, the immunities they have and provide for a rider, and finally as a source of entertainment as many evil beings enjoy watching their steed rip apart the enemy. Nightmares often enjoy the prospect of war and bearing a general as a rider. It means more food for them, and a powerful rider can protect them more than any other nightmare. It's unfortunate to other creatures they once knew that they burn with a hatred that causes them to kill any ties to a past life. They are feared by pegasi as they will kill any they see on sight. Any spark of their past life only infuriates them and drives them into a frenzy. Any creature unfortunate enough to cause this outburst is in for a fight. Nightmares do not enjoy company of other creatures but instead prefer to be alone. While they enjoy numbers for safety, they simply want to be left alone. The madness and burning hatred is all consuming in them and they plot and scheme on their own to bring down any who wronged them or they believe they were wronged by. It's a harsh existence forced upon them that they can never recover from. 278

Variati o n s T h e n i g h t m a r e c o m e s i n a fe w d i ffe r e n t fo r m s, e a c h i s d e s c r i b e d b e l o w. E a c h v a r i a t i o n i s a d i ffe r e n t v a r i a t i o n o n t h e r i t u a l t o c r e a t e o n e. War Nightmare: This i s t h e fi e r y v e r s i o n d e s c r i b e d a b o v e. These nightmares are intended for great battles as their fire immunity to themselves and rider are sought after in many wars. This is by far the most common ritual. The ritual involves burning off the wings or burning the wings and then forcibly removing them. Pestilence Nightmare: This variation has a sickly green, boiled and bloated body with a blackish fiery mane and tail. The eyes are like black pits, although they are there. They are surrounded by a constant buzzing noise of thousands of flies and gnats which if observed close enough can be seen stuck together in strands making the hair for the mane tail and other parts. They spread disease and plague wherever they go and are immune to all sorts of poisons and venoms granting riders the same. They prefer to eat rotting meat. The ritual involves purposely causing an infection of the pegasus wings and then removing them once the infection has reduced the wings to featherless, swollen and pussy limbs. Famine Nightmare: This variation is still black but emaciated to almost a skeleton. Its mane and tail have a purple hue and are almost smoke like in look. Their eyes are a smoke filled purple. They are immune to any form of mental attacks and give a rider the same as they are possessed by an all-consuming hunger. They are easier than other variations to work with as food is their only desire. They are created in the ritual by process of force feeding a Pegasus its own wings and feathers. Death Nightmare: This variation is also black and looks much like that of a war nightmare. They exude a chilling aura with solid blue eyes and blue fire that seems to be moving at only half the speed of a natural fire. They are immune to any cold and grant the rider the same ability. Most undead do not worry about cold, which makes this form less common. They are created by freezing a pegasus to death during the ritual. DM's Toolbox Nightmares are traditionally an evil mount. They can be used in many situations and even on their own but work much better to enhance a BB's abilities in a fight. Here are some suggestions for using them in any campaign. Any variation used as mount for the BBEG or just a BB. A town is losing citizens every night and sometimes they only find a headless body. Evil sorcerers have captured a pegasus for the ritual and must be stopped. 2 7 9

Nothic "It was Balezif... Or rather it once was Balezif. We had called him friend, and we had sought him out to try to convince him - once again - of the folly of his actions. No one should aspire to live forever, especially at the cost of one's soul. He had never listened to us, and I guess that was his downfall. He had transformed, and did not appear to recognize us, but I recognized him. or rather the remnants of him." -- Elstad, half-elf adventurer. Introduction The Nothic is the result of a wrong turn on the path to lichdom. Perhaps as prank of Vecna, or perhaps as a curse by other powers wanting to deter those arcanists who yearn for the power of being a lich, a significant number (perhaps most) of those seeking the immortality of being a lich wind up as a degenerate nothic. Physiological Observations Nothics are aberrations that appear as twisted, naked humanoids with a single, oversized eye. They often exhibit nervous ticks or obsessive/compulsive behaviors. Social Observations Nothics are inherently suspicious, and often they will become convinced that a creature or creatures are hiding important information from him. He can easily, and irreversibly become fixated on such creatures, and turn violent when the creature does not (or cannot) reveal the information the nothic is sure it is hiding from him. Nothics do not form communities, establish culture, advance science, or reproduce. The only research they conduct is towards the singular goal of reversing their condition and becoming a lich. Behavioral Observations Nothics are sentient, but they are incapable of focusing on any topic long enough to hold a conversation with the exception of topics specifically related to acquiring more knowledge that will help them on their path. Knowledge is their currency as well. Often a nothic will hold some piece of information that is important to someone else, and if the nothic becomes aware of this fact, it will delight in leveraging the information it holds for information from the other creature. However, again, the only information the nothic values is information that can further it along its path to lichdom. So even if a negotiator has an extremely valuable piece of information, unless it can be framed as something that will help the nothic reverse his condition and/or move towards becoming a lich, the nothic will have no interest in it. All nothics hold the compulsion that somewhere there exists some information that will reverse the curse that has transformed it and allow it to resume its path towards immortality. It is their sole course of action. They may be able to engage in a short task as a means to the end, but they must have a sincere belief that the task will result in some key piece of knowledge. Nothics almost never attack instantly. Their compulsion to find information drives them to investigate whether any sentient creature encountered has some piece of information that will further its cause. However, once a nothic realizes that a creature it encounters (other than another nothic, see below) doesn't possess such information, that creature is instantly reclassified as food to be harvested. However, nothics are not suicidal or stupid; indeed their primary drive is immortality, so if presented with the proposition that they will likely die, they will attempt to escape. Inter-Species Observations Nothics often inhabit a location that has a repository of information such as a library. And these locations can become havens for several nothics. Indeed, such a location can be cursed so that anyone who uses the knowledge stored inappropriately degenerates into a nothic. These cohabitating nothics do not form a community. Each is driven by his own obsessions, and while they don't interfere with each other, they don't socialize with each other, either. An attack against such a group is not met with organized resistance; the nothics defend without tactics. Nothics form no bonds to other creatures. They will tolerate other nothics, because they know that they seek the same information, and if another nothic discovers the secret there is a chance he can acquire it from the discoverer. Other species are food unless they can immediately present the possibility that they hold knowledge that can help the nothic in its path. DM's Toolkit The nothic of 5th edition (CR2) is probably too strong for a party of 1st level PCs. His AC15 and 45 hps are pretty high and his damage output can put most 1st level PCs at 0 hps in one round. Even 2nd level parties will likely have some trouble with the nothic. The difficult part of a nothic encounter is figuring out how to include support around it. There could be a lingering imp/quasit familiar that has hung around out of curiosity. There could be undead to reflect the necromantic nature of lich directed wizards who are still attuned to the directions of the nothic. There could be animated objects to reflect the innate residual magical power. The nothic is interesting in that it can be advanced to be a challenge of any level of PCs. As a former arcanist, one can reasonably add innate spellcasting. As a creature seeking lichdom, a DM can make a specific nothic a Legendary creature with Legendary Actions and/or Lair Actions. A DM could draw upon the Miniatures Handbook version of the nothic to advance it as a martial creature. Or a combination of both. Finally, the nature of the nothic (the fact that it accumulates information) makes it ripe for adventures. It could literally have any sort of important piece of information for the PCs to launch them on a mission to find the nothic. 280

Ogre "Ogres be scary and big but easily defeated they be. If you gots enough coin that is." -- common goblin adage Introduction This information was obtained in a study on the usefulness of Ogres in a human army. Public officials wanting to bolster defenses of their un-named city have employed me to study the Ogre kind in order to determine if they could cooperate with humans in such a fashion. I have spoken to a few individual Ogres, elvish historians, A Fire Giant and a Hill Giant to glean this information. Studies from afar on 1 individual and 1 group of 6 Ogres were also undertaken. Ogres are gigantic, menacing, and frighteningly strong brutes. Their tantrums can level a city before their rage subsides. Unfortunately for them they lack in drive, direction, and most of all intelligence. Often found employed by goblinoids or orcs they'll work for little more than a few coin and food. While not usually associated giants they do fall into their social structure, also known as the Ordning. They are at the lowest rank in giant kind and often will listen to any giant without question. I found this interesting as it indicates that Ogres are part of the larger giant kind but it's not openly admitted among giants. Records indicate that my suspicions are true and that at one time they were part of the ancient civilizations of giants. Physiological Observations Ogres stand between 9 and 11 feet tall. They are humanoids with large bulging muscles and bellies. Their face takes up the entire front of their head. The mouth, filled with large yellow and green crooked teeth, takes up a large portion of their face. Often dressed in the skins of animals, and sometimes humanoids, they usually wear little more than a loin cloth. Their eyes sunk back from their flat noses are yellowish and sleepy looking. When angered the veins in their eyes pop out and turn their visage into a mask of utter rage. Just an Ogre's face when angry is enough to frighten most. Their lifestyle is one of laziness and fighting. They survive by killing and eating everything and anything they can. They prefer the flesh of elves, dwarves and Halflings. They are known to eat humans, but there are few creatures they are not known for eating. Ogres do little other than engorge themselves with food, sleep and then find another meal or treasure. Sometimes they enjoy playing with food and will allow a captured meal a chance to fight the ogre. These fights are often very one sided in the Ogres favor. They have a fascination with treasures and coins specifically. Violent confrontations between Ogres have occurred over a mere few gold coins. They like to keep treasure in a large sack usually strapped to their waste. Sometimes treasures can be trophies taken from a hated enemy that they managed to not eat. These Brutes are little more intelligent than animals and can only speak broken giant and or common. They communicate mostly by pointing as they often are only indicating something they want. Conversations with Ogres are difficult and rarely result in any useful information. Occasionally a more intelligent Ogre can give recipes on cooking various humanoids but I didn't care to hear the details. Ogres are very sensitive to criticism. Any indication to them in an insult, comment on their looks or any negative perceived slight will through them into a blinding rage. They become violent and smash anything and anyone in reach. One such tantrum came from an ill-advised negotiation attempt by my employers outside of their gates. The Ogre was willing to fight for the food and gold offered but also demanded a place to stay inside the city. When refused the Ogre became agitated and pressed the question. When denied once again, 3 soldiers died; 1 being used as a weapon to fell the other 2. Then a good portion of the city wall was damaged before the soldiers felled the Ogre. Ogres are semi-nomadic in nature. They make lairs in caves, groves or other natural shelters for week until the easier game or food sources are depleted or ran off. This often is no more than a few months. Once bored the Ogre moves on to the next place it can find. It's not uncommon for rural housing attacked by an ogre to just simply take the barn as a home for some time. They can be found in most climates as they dress more in colder regions and quite unfortunately less in warmer climates. Social Observations Ogres just as often as not are solitary or in a small group. These group never number more than 6 as confrontations are not easily resolved. They are far more resistant to criticisms by fellow ogres of their groups often poking fun and joking amongst each other. They have no need to be in a group but do so if they find it suits them to gain more wealth or food by advantage of numbers. Groups of raiders do have a somewhat coordinated attack but rudimentary at best. They simply split up their numbers and attack different areas of a city or different sides of one force or foe. They care not for tactics or their other members in the moment and often keep fighting even if a fellow Ogre falls. This trait led many to believe they would make useful soldiers. This is far from useful though as any semblance of strategy is forgone. Ogres reproduce seemingly only out of lust. Males and Females engage in relations openly in a group. No shame or hiding occurs. As actions are purely lustful in nature jealously rarely occurs between members. They simply engage in such actions when they please to. This also goes for other races as employed Ogres usually force themselves upon a mate resulting in many half Ogres called Ogrillions. Ogrillions are most commonly half human or orc as any other humanoid is only ever eaten. The women carry the child for 6 to 7 months and take care of them as any human mother would. That is until the age of 5 in which the child develops into adult size and is no longer in need of such coddling. It does seem that parents care for their child emotionally but certainly not to any great extent. They are often protected by both parents when maturing, but I've seen no indication of special interaction or treatment. 281

Ogres can live a long life if they don't meet an early end. They live up to 100 or so years and then succumb to old age. Arthritis and dementia are extremely common in elder Ogres starting at the age of 80. Most don't survive long at this point as dementia makes hunting much more difficult, and accidents almost ensured. They are still large and dangerously strong, so some do still survive by luck. Most elders are cast off to live on their own if they lived in a group. Interactions with other Species Ogres are simple in their goals. They want treasure, food, and to be entertained. They are agreeable and even possibly pleasant if all 3 are met. This doesn't guarantee safety from a tantrum though, as they are easily angered and quickly turn on everything in arm reach. Ogres most often work with orcs as orcs do not care about a few casualties for the strength of an ogre. Goblins have just as much success though they have a harder time keeping an Ogre from snacking. Ogres enjoy the excitement of battle when they are employed yet have no drive or reason to actively fight for any reason other than immediate gains. Ogres fight with any weapon they can find. They often pull a smaller tree from the ground and wield it as a makeshift club. If in a fight without a weapon it's fairly common for them to take a smaller humanoid and use them as a weapon. They do value a good weapon and will greatly appreciate weapons made for their size. They have no means of making weapons themselves so often they only obtain such weapons from services to a group or spoils of battle. Ogres will cooperate with many races given the right payment is received. The biggest issue is that an Ogre is indeed an evil creature and has little restraint. Working with humans in an army may indeed be militarily effective but at a great cost to allies, decency or even relations with other forces. If they chose to destroy a building in a fight they will do so regardless of any orders. Employing Ogres is playing with fire. Ogres will probably never cooperate with dwarves, elves or halflings. They are very fond how each of these races taste and value them as game and nothing else. They hold little restraint regardless of the situation when in the presence of their favorite food and immediately attempt to eat any and all members encountered. Ogres treat giants as gods and often without payment serve them without question. They are far more disciplined and eager to listen to a giant. It's not uncommon to find a hill giant with Ogre guards. They are still no doubt lazy and will not do much of anything until told to do so though. In my talk with the Hill giant he did at the time have 4 Ogre underlings. All other creatures are merely food or a foe to be beaten. Ogres often mistake Dragons for big lizards and try and club them with a tree. Many Ogres die the first time they see a dragon. They are also often victims of disease or horrific deaths as they try to eat almost any creature. Undead typically cause them issues as they'll eat every single one they can and often die from eating rotten meat in such vast quantities. Ogres are not graceful fighters and often attack head on. They snack as they go shoving what they can into their mouths foes, small enough or slain. They will hesitate to do so if fighting a challenging foe. Their tempers can flare up in the heat of battle if they feel things aren't going their way. This makes them even more reckless but also stronger. One account of how a younger dragon lost their life is toying with an ogre instead of immediately finishing it off. I was told by the witness that a Great Red in its hubris had its head pulled off while still living due to such a mistake. I thought these claims unfounded until I spotted the Ogre sometime later sporting a younger Red's skull used as a helmet on a wondering Ogre. Variants Ogres do have a few variations that are detailed here. Hill Ogres - These ogres are light skinned to dark skinned depending on the climate. They are the most common kind and described mostly above. Mountain Ogres - Mountain Ogres are larger and are usually solitary. They live in caves on their mountains roaming around looking for food. They are unique in that they can sustain themselves on mere vegetation but prefer meat by far. They live for long lifespans and mate very infrequently as running into other mountain Ogres is not common. Jungle Ogres - these Ogres live in lush jungles and despite their size are adept climbers. They often drop down from trees with devastating blows with their weapons using the downward momentum. These Ogres are almost always in groups of 3 to 6. The biggest and strongest by contest is the leader and rarely hunts and instead sends the others off. War Ogres - These Ogre are part of a long line of Ogres bred for battle. More lean and finely tuned for battle. While hardly capable of independent thinking they make excellent soldiers. Often employed as foot soldiers by some factions of giants. They are usually quiet and stoic although still short tempered. This temper is hones into a battle rage that focuses that unbridled rage upon their opponents. These Ogres are also more often well equipped with heavy armors and immense weapons. I still do not advice the use of this variant in human relations as they still have a complete lack of regard for their fellow allies in battle. DM Tips Ogres are quintessential large dumb monsters. They are good for a physical threat that can challenge a party focused on combat. Manipulating and deceiving Ogres is a classic tradition also as seen famously in the Hobbit. 282

Oni Lock the door, blow out the light; The hungry Oni haunts the night. Hide and tremble, little one; The Oni wants to have some fun. Hear it scratching on the door; See its shadow cross the floor. The sun won't rise for quite a while; Till then, beware the Oni's smile. --Children's rhyme Introduction Fearsome bogeymen, oni (pronounced OH-nee) are creatures of myth and legend, haunting the dreams of children and adults alike. Yet they are very real and always hungry. Often called "ogre mages" because of their innate magical ability, oni are only distantly related to ogres; they are actually grouped into a separate classification of creatures called yokai, which in addition to oni, contains creatures such as tengu and kitsunes. Cunning creatures, oni will stop at nothing to devour their prey. Physiological Observations Oni resemble large humanoids in build, lean and muscular. This is in stark contrast to the bulky ogre. They stand anywhere from 8 to 10 feet tall (240 to 300 centimeters), and normally weighs around 700 lbs (320 kg). They possess dark green or blue skin, either dark or white hair, massive clawed hands and feet, and a pair of ivory horns protruding from their brows similar to traditional depictions of devils. The "whites" of their eyes are very dark, with striking white pupils and irises, and their claws and sharp, pointed teeth are jet black as well. Oni have the innate magical ability to turn invisible and cover an area in darkness, as well as take on gaseous form, temporarily charm a creature into doing its bidding, lower the temperature of an area low enough to deal physical damage to creatures, and magically put creatures to sleep. They also have powers of flight and have regeneration abilities similar to that of a troll. Possibly their most infamous and feared ability, however, is that to take on human form and walk among them unsuspected. Social Observations Oni are very intelligent and dangerous creatures. Cruel and rapacious by nature, oni often lead raids for food, slaves, and treasure. Status among oni is measured by wealth. Oni don't generally associate with their own kind, but they sometimes enact elaborate schemes in competition with each other to amass the most riches. Behaviourial Observations By light of day, oni hide their true forms with magic, attempting to gain the trust of those they intend to betray when night falls. In humanoid form, they can pass through towns unsuspected, pretending to be travelers or frontier folk. In such a form, an oni observes the selection of humanoids in a settlement and devises ways to abduct and subsequently devour some of them. Oni dwell in fortified structures or in underground lairs, either living alone or with a small group of followers. Oni view themselves as powerful lords deserving of lesser creatures' respect. An oni that feels that it has been treated with disrespect is often driven to arrange and intricate scheme of vengeance, humiliation, and comeuppance. Inter-Species Observations As noted above, oni believe themselves superior to most other creatures. Oni often have ogre or orc followers, who, quite possibly never having seen magic before, might see oni as gods worthy of respect. They share the ogres' habit of allying with other evil creatures. Oni rarely submit themselves to other creatures, only serving a master if doing so proves lucrative or provides it with a luxurious, well-defended home. An oni might also serve a wizard or a hag in exchange for magic items, as oni covet magic. The oni will never see itself as inferior to such creatures, however, having served them of its own volition and having done so for its own personal gain. At best, the oni will see itself and its "master" as equals. However, for all of their pride, oni do see one race as superior to them: giants. Oni (and other giantkin such as ettins and fomorians) occupy the lowest caste of the giants' complex social structure, known as the ordning. DM's Toolkit I feel Oni should be portrayed like they are in Japanese folklore - that is, creatures of myth and power. Maybe an oni is abducting children from a village? They could work great as a low-level campaign's BBEG (big bad evil guy/gal) that keeps sending orc and ogre followers to attack a village/town. They could work well in a labyrinth at extremely low levels (1-4) as a sort of creature that you really want to avoid. At higher levels, oni would probably lose in direct combat, but they could still make things difficult for the PCs due to their at-will Darkness and Invisibility spells. You may even want to give it class levels rather than use multiple oni due to their solitary nature. I personally try to keep true to their Japanese origins as terrifying monsters that should be feared, not slain. 283

Ooze "Oh come on! It's just some stupid goop. This dungeon's a cake-walk. Nothing here can even hu-- blurgegurgle" --Rickard Borden. Ex-half-elf, Ex-thief Introduction Ooze infested Dungeons are not safe, But Lady-takeit if they aren't clean.. As nature's garbage collectors Oozes eat organic matter full-stop and inorganic matter too if the ooze is the right color. Quiet and full of acid, goo, and other nasties, Oozes and Slimes present a large problem for adventurers without magic protection and can still cause trouble for even the most powerful of parties. Physiological Observations An Ooze is about as simple a creatures as can get. No bones, no blood, no organs even. An ooze is a living blob of acidic hunger. The intelligent adventurer knows to pay attention however to the color of the ooze, as that is sometimes the only indicator of the oozes next action. Because they possess no mind of their own Oozes cannot be directly controlled outside of extremely specific conditions (coughVermin DruidcoughOoze Wizardcoughcough). Oozes unique physiology can cause interesting problems for the spell casters as if the color of the Ooze is disregarded then there is no rhyme or reason of the resistances and weaknesses of some Oozes. Some are weak to fire, other heal by it. To some a Cure Disease is anathema, while to other to even touch the slime is bad news. In general, however a sharp blade is more effective than a spear or, Lady Forbid, a blunt instrument. For wizards perhaps simply dropping the Ooze in a pit and going around it could be suggested? Social Observations Ooze have no culture, other than perhaps, that of a Bacteria. They possess no intelligence, not even that of an animal, no method of speaking with which to convey that stupidity, and no means of even communicating another way as other creatures might. The only social actions an Ooze might make with another is to fuse together with another to make a new type of Ooze, or split apart to propagate the Ooze race. Behavioral Observations An Ooze cares only for one thing: Food. To an Ooze anything that moves that isn't another Ooze of the same color is food. As such their behavior is based around what feeds the Ooze. There exist nearly-transparent Oozes which remain still and wait for the prey to walk into its proverbial mouth, Oozes which climb onto ceilings and drop onto the heads of unsuspecting wanderers. Even Oozes which explode into tiny Oozes when anything gets close then swarm it and eat it before grouping itself back up. Intra-Species Observations As mentioned before an Ooze exists to eat and eat only. If you are not an Ooze, you are to be Ooze food. Oddly an exception to this rule exists in the Oozes formed from the blood of Gods as rare as they are. These Oozes have full intelligences and can communicate fairly well though spelllike abilities and telepathic power. Beware these for only rarely do they wish you well. DM's Toolkit Oozes can be the most versatile enemy in a dungeon. They can be made from or use any element (Sonic Ooze? Sure. Vile Ooze? No problem!) There's a rumor going around that a high level druid cast Awaken on a Gelatinous Cube and now that Cube has taken levels in Druid itself! What happens when an Ooze emits positive energy rather than acid when it engulfs an enemy? A traproom is set up of Gelatinous Cube and enemies wearing Cloaks of Acid Resistance and Rings of Freedom of Movement so they can move through the Cubs without taking damage or impediment. I've heard about a King Ooze, which when threatened calls Oozes from across the whole land to protect itself. It can even fuse with every other type of ooze until it's the size of a whole city! 284

Orc Introduction Orcs are a savage, violent and aggressive race of humanoids which take delight in plundering and killing innocent people. They once dominated Avistan in the Age of Darkness, where they appeared after they were expulsed to the surface by the dwarves in their Quest for Sky. But thousands of years later their most prominent presence has been reduced to the harsh lands of the Holds of Belkzen, which lies wedged between Varisia and Ustalav. Physiological observations A typical male orc stands about 7 feet tall and weigh around 300 to 400 pounds, with females being slightly smaller and lighter. An orc is born with a deep green skin colour which becomes more greyish as they age. The skin of an orc becomes entirely grey near the end of its lifespan, though few orcs live to witness that happen. Except for their skin, orcs are most recognizable by their short, pointed ears and the lower jar tusks, which they sometimes use in combat. Orcs are all nearly bald, except for some sparse filthy black hairs on the back of their head. Orcs are known for being extremely ferocious: able to keep on fighting after receiving fatal wounds before succumbing to them. The true origin of the orc has been debated by many scholars, with some claiming them to be corrupted elves and others going as far to claiming they evolved from the goblinoid races. Whatever their origin, it is a fact that orcs surfaced after being expulsed from underground during the dwarves' Quest for Sky. These orcs differed a lot from the orcs as we know today, being shorter (only up to 6 feet) with more rounded ears and grey skin tones. This kind of orc can still be found in the most remote mountain ranges, where dwarves have not yet migrated. Orc anatomy is similar to that of other humanoid races: an Orc has relatively thick bones to support their 7 feet height and posses excessively large muscle groups. Another evident difference is their digestive track, which is relatively short due to an Orc's carnivorously oriented diet. Given the grey skin of subterranean Orcs, scholars assume the green skin is an evolutionary development to act as camouflage. Social observations Politics Orcs group together in tribal communities for food, protection and numbers. These communities are ruled by a single individual, a chieftain which is often a warlord or shaman. A chieftain wields the highest power within a community, and dictates the laws of a tribe. In larger tribes, where the community is split into a main camp and several peripheral camps, the chieftain may anoint paramount chiefs to rule in his name. These chiefs collect and pay tribute to the chieftain in the form of food or plunder. The sudden death of a chieftain (which is not at the hands of a challenger) and subsequent lack of an immediate successor almost inevitably throws a tribe into chaos and infighting, until a new leader arises and establishes dominance. The chiefdoms themselves are also relatively unstable forms of organization. Orc tribes are prone to periods of collapse and renewal, where tribes band together but eventually fragment through some form of social stress, after which they slowly band back together. In some unique cases female orcs have been observed to rise to the position of chieftain. These females are more vicious and intimidating than their male counterpart, and they rule their tribe with an iron fist. Not surprisingly, they alleviate the females within a tribe of some of their tasks. A female chieftain also brings a considerable change in the looting behaviour: tribes become more systematic and selective in the towns they attack, maximizing their returns and minimizing their losses. Religion Orcs are merely interested in satisfying their own needs, which in itself is a reason why an orc would not worship a god. But they also dislike having a master, and they perceive the worship of a deity as subjugating themselves to it. Despite this, shamans frequently rise to power and enforce the worship of a god to exert control over the tribe. The gods that shamans devote a tribe to directly influence the amount of control they have. Thus, they typically choose gods which portfolio suits an orc the best. Typically, this is either Asmodeus or Gorum. But tribes worshipping Norgorber, Rovagug or Zon-Kuthon are not unheard off. There have been some unique cases in which a shaman has successfully engaged a tribe in worship of himself. These forms of devotion rarely last long, as a shaman's rivals will disprove his divinity as the first possible opportunity. Warriors Orc raiding parties are, thankfully, uncoordinated, disorganized and opportunistic, striking only at targets weaker then themselves. It is due to this lack of the ability to effectively coordinate that orcs rarely develop a lasting nation. However, sometimes great leaders arise which are able to unite a number of tribes together and stand at the head of almost unbeatable orcish hordes, which will ravage across the land and plunder every town and village they'll come across. On an individual level, however, orcs are still fearsome warriors who plunge themselves in combat with great strength and ferocity. We have been able to identify a number of types of warriors within the orcish ranks. Orc warriors make up the brunt of many tribes across the Holds of Belkzen. These orcs charge into combat against the nearest foe they can find. They'll keep attacking with their falchions until either their enemy (or they themselves) are beaten, after which they seek out another target. Foes that resist will quickly find numerous orcs ganging up on him until he is worn down. Orc berserkers, sometimes also called Orc barbarians, are the most fearsome sight in a battle. These brutes occasionally lead a charge, but more often seek out the strongest enemies on the battlefield to match their strength. They fight with great axes and can take an incredible amount of punishment. 285

Orc riders are an uncommon sight. These orcs were brave enough to tame a worg and ride it as a mount. Since these orcs lack in numbers, they often perform skirmishes on the flanks of an enemy, or after a battle pursue anyone trying to flee. Behavioral Observations Male-female interaction Males are, unsurprisingly, the dominant gender within a tribe. If they are not out raiding, or occasionally patrolling a camps perimeter, they spend their time indulging themselves with food, torture [of slaves] and fighting rivals. Male orcs rarely take up professions as they disgust at even the thought of having to go through the effort to create something themselves, instead of taking it. However, in some cases a male might take up the craft of armour- or weaponsmith and become a valuable and protected asset of chieftains. Females fulfill the role of the lesser gender within orc society, which is most likely attributed to having a much calmer and collected nature, compared to their male counterpart (this does not mean a disgruntled female orc wouldn't tear off an arm). Males delegate much of the dayto-day tasks to the females within a tribe. These activities include, but might not be limited to: cooking, cleaning, nursing and herding. Females also seem to be more likely to take up a profession, like leatherworking or seaming to create or repair both tents and clothing. Reproduction & childhood With love seeming to be an almost alien concept among males, orcs do not form lasting relationships. Males rather see females, and their offspring, as 'property' . Males thus create harems of females, the size of which is directly linked to their position within a tribe. Males do not partake in care for their own children, though they might occasionally teach their sons to fight. Children are instead raised by their mothers and learned how to survive within a tribe by assisting them in their day-to-day tasks. Reaching adulthood is no small feat for orcish children. After leaving infancy they almost immediately have to fend for themselves against older members of the tribe. Already in childhood do most males, encouraged by their fathers, start intimidating children of the same age or younger than them. When reaching adulthood, male children are initiated by leading the charge in a raid, in which the survivors of the vanguard are considered adults. Females don't receive an official rite, though they are deemed adults once they develop their secondary sex characteristics, at which point they are forced into a harem. Inter-Species Observations Orcs take little regard for members of their own species, and even less for members of others. They enjoy raiding neighbouring towns, and always enslave survivors of such endeavours. Male slaves are sold off for gold, weapons and armour. Female slaves have the less fortunate fate of becoming part of the 'daily entertainment' within a camp. Negotiating with an orc is almost always entirely fruitless, for they will keep increasing their demands after an agreement is made or lose their temper during a negotiation and satisfy themselves with whatever the negotiator(s) have on hand. The best way to have an orc cooperate is by being more dominant than the orc itself, often accomplished by intimidation. However, unless the orc is restrained or otherwise prohibited from engaging in combat, he will have to be literally beaten into submission. This is no small feat, as most orcs fight to the death rather than being taken, as this would make them the laughing stock of the tribe. On a political level, cooperation with orcs is even more problematic. Eradicating a tribe is easier than keeping them as vassals, due to an orc's tendency to either rebel against or backstab their superiors. More often, nations that have to deal with orcs and who have been unable to do this by military means often placate them with gifts of food or treasure. History has shown that providing arms and weapons has always proved counterproductive, as these seem to, almost inevitably, often be used against the gifting nation itself. DM's Toolkit Orcs should instill terror into the hearts of (lowlevel) PC's, due to their immense strength and ferocity. They rarely negotiate, like to plunder and fight to the death. They are also very dangerous to kill due to their ferocity ability, which keeps them fighting longer then a normal creature. Orcs fit a small variety of roles like religious fanatics, slavers and aggressive nomadic humanoids endangering a local village. From a BBEG's perspective, getting control of a tribe of orcs would grant him a powerful tool in his plans. This usually means controlling the ruling chieftain, which can be done through mind-controlling magic or by sheer force. Due to the rebellious nature of orcs, the BBEG should take care not to rely to much on them, though. Orcs are therefore useful as distractions, slave takers or merely expendable shock troops. 286

Otyugh "The rot-eaters made their home in the old dump outside the city. You'll know them by the stink of decay, and the horrible squishing noise they make when they walk. We didn't think too much of it when they arrived. Thought it might be good -- we were running out of space for our garbage. But now there are so many. What happens when they've finished eating all our waste? Will they come for us?" --Eun Soo, merchant of Gwangcheon (River City to southerners) Introduction The Otyugh is hunger made flesh. An ambulatory digestive system, it knows nothing in the world except it's endless urge to eat. And it eats. And it is never full. And it just keeps growing. The origin of otyugh is unknown, but we class them as aberrations because such a creature could not have come to be through any natural means. Some speculate that they were seeded across the world by a hungry denizen of the far realm, and that every time an otyugh eats, that unnamed being grows a little bit as well. Other people think they are the creation of a mad druid, perverting the cycle of life and death by isolating the growth impulse, and letting it out into the world as its own being. Physiological Observations The outward appearance of an otyugh does not reflect the weirdness of its physiology. Otyugh have no internal organs to speak of, they are made up of a rubbery ooze similar in consistency to dried pudding. This substance has digestive properties, and can absorb any organic matter that the otyugh takes in through its mouth. The otyugh does not even have a separate brain - it's neural system is distributed through the entirety of its body. Externally, the otyugh's most noticeable feature is its cavernous mouth, which looks as though a gash had been cut into the creature, and then filled with teeth. It also typically has three tentacles: two that are prehensile and used for grabbing things and in combat, while the third rises up above its head, and holds the otyugh's eyes. Because the otyugh can eat nearly anything and is effectively immune to disease, it's mouth is a cesspool of germs. If an otyugh bites someone and they escape, the otyugh may follow them for some time to see if they die of the infection. Otyugh are functionally immortal - they do not die of old age. They can continue to grow indefinitely, and they are capable of absorbing food at such a rate that it is nearly impossible for an otyugh to overeat. Otyugh themselves produce very little organic waste, instead converting most of what is consumed into new body mass. If given an unlimited supply of food, an Otyugh could double its body size roughly every week. When Otyugh exceed about 800 pounds, they seek a secluded place where food is available, and reproduce through binary fission, first entering a cocoon-like state, then dividing into two otyugh of 1/2 the mass of the original. The process takes about 3 days, during which time the exterior portions (teeth, claws, etc) of the otyugh dissolve, and then the newly divided otyugh extrude new ones. The child otyugh retain some but not all of the memories and abilities of the parent. Otyugh burn calories very quickly, so it usually takes a significant amount of time for them to bulk up to 800 pounds. Social Observations Otyugh do not need to form social connections since they reproduce asexually. However, it is not uncommon for otyugh to form small colonies of 3-8 members. These can be of two kinds: inter-divisional colonies, and divisional colonies. Inter-divisional colonies form when otyugh meet later in their life cycle, and form a cooperative or collaborative alliance. These colonies are usually temporary, and are vulnerable to outside interference. These otyugh can usually be bribed - they will accept benefits to themselves to undermine or betray their colonies. Divisional colonies are different - the otyugh remember a time when they were unified, and do not view themselves wholly as individuals separate from the colony. For that reason, it will be very difficult to persuade a member of a divisional colony to betray the others. Divisional colony members cooperate very efficiently, and are effective at working and fighting in tandem. Colonies of otyugh do not have a clear hierarchy, and relative social power can vary based on who is healthier and stronger at the time. It can also depend on intelligence and force of will - otyugh are able to telepathically communicate with anyone, but between otyugh it can actually rise to the level of limited telepathic control. Otyugh have been occasionally known to create a megacolony made up of a number of smaller colonies. These usually congregate around one of the scarier otyugh variants, or very rarely around a non-otyugh that has magical or psionic powers and can feed the otyugh to their satisfaction. Behavioural Observations Otyugh are nocturnal if living aboveground due to their sensitivity to bright light, but awake most of the time when underground - otyugh only need to sleep in short bursts, and so will spend about 18 hours a day awake. They spend most of their time following their strong sense of smell to the closest food source unless they have a ready supply. Otyugh therefore do not normally have lairs, because they will not stay in a place once the food supply has run out. There are two exceptions to this behavioural pattern. The first is if an area has a routinely recurring source of food. This can include sewers or waste disposal areas, graveyards, butcher shops, etc. The second is when an otyugh has a good thing going, and someone else is willing to provide them with sizeable quantities of food in order for them to stay in one place and act as a guardian, etc. They will readily agree to such an arrangement, and will follow it to the letter, but they will take any chance they can to obtain additional food without technically violating the rules - this includes undermining the goals of their bargain partner where they think they can get away with it. 287

If otyugh are left unchecked long enough, they will grow exponentially in number, and can consume all organic matter in an area. A forest infested with otyugh may over the course of 10 years be essentially consumed: the otyugh will eat up the forest litter and ground cover, then they will start eating trees that are weak or ill, then healthy trees until there is nothing left. However, in practice this rarely happens because 1) otyugh hate bright light, and will not spread into areas where there is a great deal of light, and 2) other beings will seek to clear out otyugh that become a nuisance. In the grand scheme of things, otyugh are not particularly powerful. Otyugh are cautions and cunning (although not particularly bright) and will avoid situations that are dangerous for them. However, if they have not eaten in more than a day they will become increasingly frantic in their search for food. If a hungry otyugh smells food, they will pursue it aggressively and at considerable risk to themselves. Otyugh variants Otyugh Titan: This is an otyugh that, for whatever reason, did not enter the reproduction phase after reaching nearly 1000 pounds. These titans range from 1000 to 10000 pounds, and can be truly massive in size. They are usually very old, and found only in food-rich environments. They are generally highly intelligent, and many have some form of psionic power because their distributed brains have grown massively, providing increased mental capacity. Breeder: A breeder is an otyugh that has essentially metastasized: instead of dividing in half via binary fission, it grows tiny otyugh that drop off and wander away in search of food. These smaller otyugh will not have memories of the parent, unlike one created via division. Breeders are a huge problem, because otyugh can grow very rapidly if they can get enough food. One breeder otyugh can turn into dozens of otyugh in a matter of weeks. Swarmers: These otyugh divide rapidly, at around 100- 150 pounds instead of close to 1000. They are three feet high, and their smaller mass means they are considerably less intelligent than ordinary otyugh, and lack their psionic communication abilities as well. Librarian: So called because they most often arise in abandoned libraries, Librarians are otyugh that consumed a source of magic powerful enough to permanently alter them. Librarians hunger specifically for magic: books, potions, scrolls, and items that they can consume. Once a librarian consumes a magic item, it gains the properties of that item to deploy at will. These otyugh will have a random array of magical effects at their disposal, from the ability to instantly trigger potions they previously consumed to the ability to cast spells from the scrolls they have eaten. DM's Toolkit Otyugh are aberrations, unnatural and creepy, so they work well as a cipher for an idea that scares or unsettles us. In particular, I think that they are evocative of cancer: functionally immortal, endlessly growing and destructive to the environment in which they reside. An Encounter Individually, they are little threat to any organized group. They are bruisers that do some damage and potentially cause disease. But a colony that is growing aggressively or running out of food could ravage crops and livestock, or even hunt people. Making conflict with otyugh interesting requires more than putting the players against a level-appropriate opponent. It's all about flavour, feel, and situation. Otyugh are cancerous: they rot things around them, they feed on everything, they grow and reproduce rapidly. It's also important to keep the players guessing about what the otyugh are capable of - if they know that mechanically they're just a bag of hp with a grapple attack they lose their mystique. Don't name them - consider giving them a creepy nickname that the NPCs will use instead. Describe them in a grotesque fashion. Use their limited telepathy in ways that unnerve your players. They are also selfish, and all about hunger. Otyugh don't want to stay in a fight, they want to eat something. So they're not going to stand there taking hits while holding a grappled player. They're going to go find a good place for a secluded snack. The Situation If the otyugh are your primary antagonist, things become more interesting if the colony is too strong for the party to confront directly. In that case, they need to rely on strategies such as denying them access to food, turning the otyugh against one another via bribery or manipulation, or stealth/hit and run tactics and catching otyugh in the process of division when they are helpless. Their fickle nature also makes them an interesting ally to your antagonist in a low level campaign. The party could probably separate an otyugh from the antagonist's interests temporarily, or find a loophole that lets them circumvent the issue now, but that otyugh doesn't necessarily stop being a problem. If you're trying to get into a dungeon you have to bribe it every time on the way in and the way out, for example. 288

Owlbear "You don't have to outrun the owlbear, you just have to outrun the other guy." -- Phalen Tarsus, wilderness guide Introduction Owlbears' origins are disputed; the prevailing (non-elven) opinion tracing them back to being the result of some mad wizard's insane experiment, while many elven scholars contest Owlbears are natural inhabitants of the Feywild. Whatever their source, owlbears are undoubtedly one of the most feared predators of the forest. Their large size, large appetite and aggressive nature makes them one of the more compelling reasons to never wander in a forest at night. Physiological Observations An owlbear resembles a grizzly with the head of a giant owl - feathers cover much of their shoulders, gradually fading into fur towards the animal's rear and belly. An owlbear's coat is usually a dark- to medium-brown, but many variations have been observed, depending on the surrounding environment. Physically on par with the largest mundane bears, a male owlbear weighs up to 1500 lbs, and stands around 8 feet tall on their hind legs. Females are very slightly smaller. Both sexes are extremely powerful, able to kill a man with a single blow of their large, clawed paws. Owlbears have many calls, used for territorial declarations, mating and basic hunting communication, but the most commonly-heard owlbear call is a triumphant signifier of a successful kill. It's unknown whether this is intended as a broader intimidation tactic towards future prey, or simply a primal manifestation of their savage aggression. Captive owlbears have a lifespan of around 20-25 years, though they rarely die from natural causes in the wild. In most cases, a younger owlbear will eventually challenge an aging one for its territory, though the victor will not consume the slain opponent. Social Observations Owlbears tend to dwell and hunt in mated pairs, and are strictly monogamous. They give live birth to 3-5 cublets, which remain with the parents until they are old enough to hunt for themselves, about 3-4 years. Once considered adults, the cublets leave the den, and will be killed if found encroaching on the parents' territory. Extremely territorial, owlbears will rarely tolerate the presence of another owlbear in its domain, aside from their mate or cublets. Intruders are dealt with lethaly, but not eaten. Behavioral Observations While not strictly nocturnal, owlbears tend to be more active after sundown, though they appear to easily adapt to their prey and surroundings to maximize hunting potential. Owlbears lair in small caves, with little concern for the tidiness of their area. You will often smell an owlbear's lair before you see it, as the stench of rotting prey is often used as a lure for more potential meals. While their razor-sharp beaks and claws are already quite deadly, owlbears have also been observed rearing on their hind legs to crush opponents with their powerful forelimbs. While not commonly seen, this practice is widely-known, giving birth to a common phrase to impolitely request someone to leave, "Go hug an owlbear." Inter-Species Observations Owlbears are extremely aggressive, regarding nearly any other living being as food. They will attack without provocation, and will attempt to slay other creatures on sight. Being magical beasts, Owlbears are more intelligent than many mundane animals, roughly on par with dogs. With the right approach (and a lot of caution), a cublet can be trained as a guard or mount, though a firm and consistent approach is required throughout the owlbear's life. Many a would-be owlbear trainer has found themselves disemboweled and eaten after inadvertently making eye contact or sudden moves at the wrong time. It is also not an uncommon practice to raise untrained owlbears for use as free-range guard animals within a large, contained area - a sort of living moat. Provided the owner has a means of staying clear of the owlbears himself, they make for very effective deterrents to intruders. DM's Toolkit A classic, right? If you want to give your PCs a fight with something big and scary without having to think about a lot of tactics, an owlbear (or pair!) might be a good way to go. They can make good encounters for lower-to-mid-level characters, and retained as good flavor creatures forever. They can definitely be a good way to remind lower-level characters of how dangerous the forest can be, just by having them hear calls (hootroars?) around them as they camp at night. Polar/snowy owlbears are obviously a thing, right? There are about 20 published (mostly unnecessary) variants of this creature, including winged ones (which I suppose makes sense), so you can really make them into whatever you like. A young owlbear could be used if you need to scale one down (and make the PCs feel bad for killing it), and you can always scale them up. A "Greater Owlbear" is an established thing - maybe some wizard decided to further tinker with one to make it gigantic? (Fun idea, though it'd probably devour everything in the forest pretty quickly. plot hook?) An awakened owlbear would be pretty terrifying. Want your players to know that druid is a badass? Have her ride in on an owlbear. Sure, owlbear cublets are super-cute, but become lethal early - within a month? Better know what you're doing! PCs who want those fun little pets may find themselves stuck in a very small cave with a very angry owlbear parent standing in the doorway. Need to add some extra difficulty to breaking into the noble's mansion? Give him a large, wooded yard around his manor with a couple of prowling owlbears. Only let the PCs find his secret entrance if you're feeling nice. ;-) 289

Pegasus "Uoitha is no mere steed, He's my best friend and companion. I couldn't imagine life without him at this point. I could not imagine a more majestic creature than my best friend Uoitha." -- Elven Pegasus Rider Yuli Riverheart Introduction Pegasi are majestic creatures that inspire hope by their mere presence. They are used by some elves as a mount but only in the situation of a deep bond and friendship. Pegasi are noble and undeniably always on the side of good. It is theorized that their origins come from the gods themselves as a gifted horse was granted immortality and flight when a demigod had ascended. This theory holds some water as claims say that their friend was bestowed upon them by their deity in a time of need. Physiological Observations A Pegasus resembles a large healthy muscled white horse with a brilliant coat and a pair of large white eagle like wings. They stand easily 7 feet tall at the shoulder and always have brilliantly flowing manes. A Pegasus uses its powerful wings to propel itself through the air with amazing speed and a fair amount of agility. They gallop as they fly as if from instinct alone or simply the joy of flight. They seem to prefer flight as their means of travel but can run with any horse on the ground. While flying, a Pegasus can bear a medium size creature with almost no loss of mobility. Although resembling a horse with wings in appearance a Pegasus is much more than a horse when it comes to body structure. With massive muscles to power flight they have larger chest areas and back they have less muscled hind quarters for running. When running without flapping their wings for further speed they can't match a horse in speed in stamina as a result. The skeleton of a pegasus is much lighter than that of many horses. They have more hollowed out bones that appear as webs of supporting structures in the bones rather than solid. This makes them not as strong as a horse in bone density but enables flight with the drawback of a slightly more fragile frame. This also makes them less common as a beast of burden than a horse and will often not pull wagons or such vehicles unable to constantly exert strength much like a horse. Pegasi are good natured patient and noble animals. They will often keep to themselves but do aid those in need when they hear distress. They have been known to come to exceptionally good individuals and bond with them for life in a lasting friendship. This is thought to be a sign from a goodly deity but that is not always the case. A Pegasus will strive to make the world a better place and befriending those who can help achieve that goal. The diet of Pegasus is no different from any horse. They graze on grasses and wheats common among planes. If they live in more heavily wooded areas they are known to each tree fruits for sustenance. A Pegasus tends to live in open plains and forests where they can easily take to the skies. They're nests are high up as possible and very large. They are constructed from branches and twigs woven together on a high perch. Social Observations Pegasi on the material plane are not common but they can be found. They are very social creatures with each other. Among themselves they are playful open and even somewhat loud. They chirp, whinny, and grunt in vigorous play and flight. Among their own kind they seem the very definition of happy. Pegasi stay in groups much like horses and usually grow in numbers with each new birth. There doesn't seem to be any kind of hierarchy or competition for position. They are creatures of love and roam in a family looking out for each other and protecting their territories from the likes of evil and wrong doing. Once in a while a member will leave for an unknown ambition of their own choosing often to befriend an interesting individual. Pegasi mate for life in a deep bond as they form with many trusted creatures. Offspring are not frequent and maybe will only produce 2 to 3 colts in a lifespan of 70 years. The time at which a colt is produced has no determined timeline and seemingly is random when a pair decides to bear a child. Often times Pegasi who have bonded with a humanoid in deep friendship will not chose a mate and remain celibate. Intra-Specie Observations A Pegasus has an amazing judge of character and will often easily identify individuals with dis-honorable intentions. They keep to themselves in the wild but will always stay close to a trusted friend or rider unless instructed otherwise. Pegasus avoid evil where possible but do not shy away from a fight. Elves are the most common humanoids in contact with Pegasi and in elven communities it's not uncommon for them to have at least 1 Pegasus rider. Any humanoid of a goodly wheel can form a bond with a Pegasus given they are truly good and honorable. There is one tale of a goodly orc who rode upon a Pegasus into battle. Pegasi are not broken like horses by many races into service. Every bond is that of mutual trust and friendship that must grow. Being skittish animals in general the first impression to a Pegasus is the most important. Even the most goodly of folk can dissuade a relationship by being too assertive for a humble Pegasus. When confronted with evil they will fight beside a rider, friend, or their family to the end. On their own they prefer to avoid such confrontation and will usually flee. If another being is being harmed a lone Pegasus has been known to swoop in to the rescue on that individuals behalf. When fighting a Pegasus will swoop in low to the ground and slam them with the momentum of their flight with their hooves. They swoop back and forth until their enemy is defeated or backs down. When on ground they are often more apt to running but when forced to fight on the ground they favor battering with their stronger front hooves and using their wings for momentum in the attack. They do kick and buck with their back legs if needed but as their back legs are not as strong they tend to avoid that option even still. 290

Variants Pegasus are for the most part the same with a few exceptions White Steed: this is the standard variation of a Pegasus as described above. They are able to understand the language of a bonded humanoid and if unbounded common and celestial. They do not speak but understand languages they are familiar hearing. Herald of Gold: This variation speaks and understand celestial and the language of the demigod they are in service to. They are exceptionally rare and used as messengers from a deity or demigod signaling their arrival. They are very intelligent and it is theorized the origin to all Pegasi. Blue Trickster: These Pegasi are smaller and not much larger than a pixie. They are very fast and flutter around playfully and happily chirping in their own songs. They love to play small pranks on other animals such as playing tag, dropping sticks on their heads and general mischief. It is unknown as to their origin but are often not far from fairy dragons. DM's Toolbox Pegasi can be a great companion to a party or NPC. Having a Pegasus as a mount is a powerful thing as being able to fly changes a lot of things but there are more uses for a Pegasus than just "horse + 1" rescue mission: a Pegasus is in trouble and if not saved it may turn out to be a nightmare random friendly helper: having a tougher fight? Super Pegasus to the rescue! 291

Peryton "An eagle as big as you or I, with huge antlers and dripping fangs, with the shadow of a man? That's a Peryton. That's when you decide if you want to die today. It will never stop hunting you. It loves to hunt and kill. You can see it in its shining eyes." --Olaf Brambledis, retired guide Introduction The Peryton is a wholly magical being. It was created by a vivisectionist for the express purpose of creating a race of winged assassins and sentinels for his laboratory complex. It is a terrifying creature, extremely intelligent and driven to pick a victim and stalk it relentlessly until either the victim, or the peryton, lay dead. Peryton are feared by humanoids, and rightfully so, because only the fresh-plucked heart of a humanoid victim will allow the female of the species to become fertile. Physiological Observations The creature stands 5 feet tall, with a 12 foot wing span, and appears as a giant eagle with the head of a nightmarish stag, with huge ebony antlers, cruelly spiked with curved spines. It's eyes glow a dull orange-red, and its wings and torso are a sickly green-black. The males are identified by the patch of light-blue chest feathers, and the females patch is a drab brown. The strangest feature is the creature's shadow, which only reflects its owners true form in the female of the species, and only in the scant few hours when it's in heat and ready to mate. Otherwise, the peryton casts a shadow in the shape of a humanoid. Even stranger is that when stalking prey, the shadow changes to reflect the shape of its victim. It's feathery hide is much tougher than it looks, and has been enchanted to resist strikes from normal weapons. Only magical armaments have any chance of piercing it's skin. Social Observations Peryton are not a social species. They form small pair bonds and raise a few young, with the youngsters being forced out of the parent's territory upon reaching maturity. All peryton families are hostile to one another, and will fight quite viciously if intruders enter their territory. These fights are not for show alone, or dominance, but always to the death. The nests are always found high in the mountains or among the tors of rocky hills and canyons. They are always hidden from observation from the ground and air, usually with very clever natural camouflage. Peryton are quite vocal, and many scholars suspect their language is quite complex, and even able to express abstract ideas. They speak in loud screeches and roars, and always sound as if they are distressed or in pain, regardless of if they are or not. Behavioral Observations Peryton are extremely intelligent, ranking a 10 on the Moldvay Scale, and have shown to be crafty and patient foes. Because of their engineered design, they have a predilection of hostility towards humanoids, and seem to delight in outsmarting and killing them. They will hunt any creature in their territory if they think they can do it successfully and from ambush. They never attack large groups, preferring to pick off the unwary and the stragglers. When not hunting they spend most of their time patrolling their territory, and aggressively defending it from intruders. The areas around their lairs are notoriously bare of life, and no carcasses are found, as they serve as food for both the adults and the young. The creatures need humanoid hearts to allow the females to mate. Once a victim is slain, the males will call the female to him and tear the victim's chest open with its large teeth. The female will devour the heart and undergo hormonal changes in the next 10 minutes that forces her into heat. This fertile state is very short-lived and in 3-6 hours the female will be unable to reproduce. The couple will then mate and the female will lay a clutch of 1-2 eggs in the stillwarm corpse of the victim. The pair will then carry the victim's body to their lair where the female will guard the eggs for 72 hours, after which time the young will hatch. If there are 2 eggs, one young will always devour the other for sustenance, and if there is only 1, the female herself will feed it with the soft, rotting pieces of the victim. Females generally lay 1 clutch a month, as the young are extremely weak and vulnerable, and will remain so for another 24 days, during which time the male will bring between 4 to 6 victims as food for the young. After this feeding period the hatchling will mature into an adult peryton. The parents will then turn on it, kicking and biting it, driving it from the nest, forcing the new adult to fly. The parents will drive their young out of their territory (approximately 4 square miles). If the child returns, it will be killed. Perytons are relentless foes. They soar high above the ground, searching for lone humanoids, mostly, and swooping down on them at great speed, usually snatching the victim up in its talons and either killing it on-the-wing or dropping it from a great height. It usually reserves the latter for victims who aren't as helpless looking as first appeared. They are as fast as eagles and just as maneuverable. Their eyesight is also quite keen, but they cannot hunt at night. They generally hunt in pairs. If forced, it will stalk it's victim on the ground, using it's antlers to block and parry weapon strikes, and biting with its sharp teeth when given the chance. It will use short hops and flights to gain a tactical advantage, and is not above fleeing to return later. The peryton is as smart as a human, and will not throw it's life away needlessly. It's hungry nature and one-mindedness means it will never let the victim go, stalking it for days if necessary. It will never switch targets, even if it's tactically disadvantageous, it's hunger sometimes outweighing it's good sense. 292

Inter-Species Observations Peryton consider themselves superior to all other creatures, and will never willingly aid or ally with anything short of a dragon, and even those interactions are filled with duplicity and malice. DM's Toolkit Peryton are a good foe for low to mid-level characters without any modifications. They are immune to normal weapons, have a fast fly speed, and two attack forms (Gore and Bite). They attack by ambush if they can, and will flee or retreat to gain a tactical advantage, always returning to ambush again. I have modified these on occasion, giving them resistances to magic or physical attacks, able to spit poison, and once I gave them a Vampiric Touch (well, Bite in this instance). They, like everything, are easily modified for high level parties, or scaled down for low-level. I have a clear memory of a 1st level Rogue cut off from the party in the mountains who was stalked by a pair of Perytons for 2 terrifying days before he was ultimately rescued. Later, the player told me that it was an extremely nervewracking experience, being hunted by this huge evil birdthing that was ambushing him and leading him into indefensible places seemingly for its own amusement. I hope you find some room in your game for these evil winged bastards. They can be great fun if used properly. 293

Piercer "I think I'd have rather the thing got me I tell ya, I smelled worse than me wife for weeks!" --Drunken miner Introduction: Piercers are rarely seen by the majority of the population, though deep miners and residents of the underdark are familiar with their habitat and habits. Silently waiting in deep surface caves and the Upperdark, piercers appear as stalactites to all but the most trained and experienced eye. Strange in appearance, piercers are the larvae of ropers who are thought by most scholars to actually be native of the Material plane, though some (and consequently their young) have been recorded in other planes. Physiological Observations: Clinging to the ceilings of caverns and large subterranean passages, piercers blend in perfectly with natural rock, they are of varying colors depending on where they reside and if they move positions their coloration and pattern will change slowly over time to further camouflage them, dropping in silence to impale unsuspecting foes on the ground below. A rock-like shell encases a piercer's body, giving it the look and texture of a stalactite. That shell protects a soft, slug-like upper body with claw-like mandibles around a circular mouth with countless sharp teeth made for shredding meat. The mandibles allow the piercer to move across cavern walls and ceilings to position itself for prey. With its eye and mouth closed, the piercer is difficult to distinguish from ordinary rock formations. The larvae of ropers, piercers are thought to spend the beginning of their existence in the mouths of their roper parent(s) where they feed off of excess food and each other, though no account of roper mating has ever been recorded from a reliable source. Certain adventurers and more exotic monster breeders suspect they mate through one of their tentacles burrowing through the rock and linking where they can store seed from one another for exceedingly long amounts of time, they seem to produce offspring whenever food is plentiful. Piercers have an observed maximum size of 5ft in length, 1.5-2ft in girth at the base. Upon reaching this size they enter a state of stasis as their shell grows over the upper portion of their body, their mouth remains agape and eye closed. The digestive fluids in the mouth attract small creatures and insects which are unable to escape if they traverse into it, at which point they are digested. After an unknown period of time they become a roper and tend move from their previous location to the cave floor nearby, or a different location if food is scarce. Patient Hunters, piercers can see, but they can also respond to noise and heat, waiting for living creatures to pass beneath them, then falling to attack. A piercer that misses its chance to kill must make its slow way back to the ceiling. A fallen piercer excretes a foul-smelling slime when attacked, making most predators think twice about eating it. Some piercers have been reported to emit a noxious gas that damages the lungs with a horrifying stench of rot and decay. The few unlucky enough to have survived this reported that anything worn, even metals, kept the stench for months on end. Piercers gather in colonies to maximize the effectiveness of their attacks, dropping simultaneously to increase the odds of striking prey. After a piercer successfully slays a creature, the others slowly creep toward the corpse to join in the feast. If one happens to land awkwardly enough to cause it's death it is eaten by its nearby brethren. Social Observations: Piercers are very rarely ever seen alone, they're too weak to kill practically anything by themselves and the chances of their attacks landing cause pack hunting to be more effective. Despite this they don't often exist in numbers greater than 20 as food in their environment is infrequent and they would likely starve if it had to be shared between so many. Ropers are frequently found in proximity to piercers, though larger ropers tend to be found on their own or in small groups of less than 4 as their ability to quickly devour food leaves the smaller and slower of their kind hungry. Ropers often wait for their young to drop before appearing to block off the exit to those attempting to escape and close in on their prey. Behavioral Observations: Piercers are simple creatures that are very predictable in nature, they will act in groups, often in tandem with ropers, to attack prey from above, in front and behind to ensure the highest chance of killing their prey. They almost always drop in groups, often simultaneously, though some may remain rooted to the ceiling if prey is obviously too far away to land on. After quickly devouring prey they quickly climb back up the walls and ceiling to secure their position again. A piercer that has gone an extraordinarily long time without food will go into a stasis or hibernation mode where only loud movements such as other piercers dropping, loud footsteps or the calls of creatures will wake them. After an unknown amount of time in this mode it is possible for them to starve, at which point they will fall and their own kind will eat them. Inter-Species Observations: Denizens of the underdark are far more likely to have encounters with piercers and consequently may know some of their favorite locations at busy (well busy is a relative term in the underdark) intersections of caves and important areas where potable water is located. There are accounts from some mining operations whose encounters with piercers and ropers were so frequent that it warranted them to keep livestock and lead the animals in ahead of them a hundred feet or so, causing any potential ambushes to slaughter the animal and not the miners. 294

T h e r e a r e s o m e l a r g e p r e d a t o r s i n t h e U n d e r d a r k t h a t h av e l e a r n e d t o a s s o c i a t e t h e s m e l l r e l e a s e d b y a p i e r c e r w h e n i t m i s s e s i t s p r ey w i t h t h e a r r i v a l o f a c h o i c e m o r s e l fo r i t s e l f, though none have been documented actually eating the piercers. Apparently the rocky exterior and foul smell are repugnant to even the creatures of the darkest depths. DM's Toolkit: While not threatening singly or even in a pack to all but the lowest level of parties, piercers can be put to great use as a dangerous surprise to escaping parties with low health members or as a trap if the party has an experienced guide who knows where to look for them and want to lure a creature under them. If you'd like to make a particular section of cave have an appearance of being abandoned for centuries to any form of life you can throw in some dead cones of piercers lying about and beginning to calcify as long as the party would have some way to know that indicates nothing moved through here for an obscenely long time through either a knowledge check or again a guide. Piercers and their older brothers ropers make great zone exclusion areas in combat and make for great surprised mid combat, having them drop on party or enemy as they move from area to area. A smaller group of piercers wouldn't be likely to attack a larger party but if that party had someone scout ahead by themselves or in duos they could be caught off guard and even killed if low level. Side notes: I had never actually heard of these before I did this project but they provide a lot of fun situations to throw at party members and I can't wait to make it rain disgusting slug rocks. I also didn't include variations besides the poisonous gas one because I felt that any stronger piercer would just be a roper. 2 9 5

Pixy A trio of individuals stomp through the forest journeying to some far off place. In the back of this little band a man in a blue cloak pushes back his spectacles as he examines the blooming flowers, the shafts of light breaking through the trees, and the various sounds of life around him. Every time he takes a moment to furiously scribble in a journal, his other two companions drag him forward. In the middle of the group walks an elf. He too is glancing around at his surroundings but with an uneasy look in his eye, as if ready for the trees to ambush them. His hand hovers over the sword at his hip with an eager twitch. Leading the small band is a dwarf wearing full armor, grumpily stomping on every flower he can. As the three reach a small glade, the elf leaps forward to grab the dwarf by the collar. He suspiciously glances around the glade, then bends down to the earth before the dwarf. Pushing aside some twigs, the elf indicates an almost imperceptible trip wire made of finely woven grass fibers. Carefully he traces the wire up a tree to a small plant bulb. Raising an eyebrow he waves over to the human still writing in his journal. "Look here, somebody set this trap. They probably thought they could catch us off guard with some nefarious poison." The human looks at the elf quizzically for a moment. "It's a plant bulb, it's not especially magical or anything. I am certain there isn't some monster stalking us with vegetables". He pats the elf on the shoulder and goes back to writing. The elf gives the bulb one final glare and, as if waiting for the invitation, the bulb bursts open expelling a cloud of bright yellow pollen. He reels coughing, and immediately goes for the sword at his hip. "Alright you bastard, show yourself!" He shouts into the forest. The Dwarf grumbles something and stands up to help his friend. A distinct metal ping echoes through the glade as, piece by piece, his armor falls off leaving him with nothing but his undergarments. The human decisively closes his journal to ready a spell only to find himself floating several feet above his companions. Grabbing a nearby tree, the human pulls himself towards the ground. Hanging upward from a branch, he looks around at the dwarf sheepishly collecting up his armor and the elf, covered in pollen, defiantly menacing the underbrush. A faint smile works its way across his face, that smile develops into a grin, and finally he breaks into full blown laughter at their predicament. The dwarf, clutching his chest plate like a child's blanket sits down and joins in. Whatever was going on was a nice break from death and fear as per usual. After a final apprehensive glance around the glade the elf lets his guard down with a sigh and allows a small chuckle at his expense. As their laughter dies down and they collect themselves, the group hears an almost inaudible giggle. The trio reel to face it, but all they see is a faint rustling of leaves and glittering dust flitting through the air. Pixies are tiny fey that can be found almost anywhere in the world. While pixies tend to prefer forests and grasslands, they have been encountered on the fringes of humanoid society as well as inhospitable environments such as desert and tundra. Exceptionally joyous creatures, pixies are responsible for many of the small beauties of the world. From sprinkling dew upon the morning grass to cultivating beautiful fields of wildflowers pixies relish in beauty in all its forms. Physiological observations Pixies generally stand about a foot tall yet it is not unheard of for one to reach twice that height. Their appearance mirrors that of elves with long pointed ears and sharp features. Unlike many elves, a pixie's skin tone is always of pastel colors such as green or blue. Each pixies possesses a pair of fine wings similar to those of a butterfly or dragonfly. In flight, these wings usually leave a small shower of glittering dust that has various magical properties. Pixies are also naturally gifted with the power of invisibility which they use to great effect whether it's to spy on others or avoid conflict. It is exceedingly rare for a pixie to be seen unless they choose to be. A pixie's affinity for beauty extends to themselves as well. They often fashion resplendent clothing from flower petals, silks, tiny furs, and other materials they find in their environment. With a small sprinkling of pixie dust, their regalia often shines and sparkles like freshly fallen snow. While not especially vain creatures, a compliment of a pixie's attire will go a long way as they spend countless hours working on it. Pixies produce a unique substance known colloquially as pixie dust. While we are unsure how exactly pixies produce this dust, it can be seen glittering in the air behind a pixie as they fly. The dust has a seemingly unnatural knack for catching and refracting light in truly beautiful ways. Attempts have been made to infuse glass with pixie dust to capture its properties with middling success. The dust itself consists of nearly imperceptibly tiny grains that, upon close examination, look not dissimilar to shards of stained glass. What is most fascinating about pixie dust is the magical properties it exhibits. It is common knowledge that even a tiny sprinkling of pixie dust will grant one the ability to fly for a short time. However, pixie dust has a multitude of other magical properties that many aren't aware of. Pixie dust sprinkled on one's face, ears, or head will cause the subject to be disoriented or knocked unconscious, legends have also spoken of people being concealed in plain sight by this material. Furthermore, pixie dust is massively valuable as an alchemical reagent. Unfortunately, attempts to discern further uses of pixie dust have been fruitless. While pixies themselves use the dust for a myriad of purposes, the majority of applications have been inaccessible to researchers. 296

Behavioral Observations Pixies are exceptionally curious creatures, always excited to meet somebody, learn something, and investigate happenings in their environment. It is unlikely that any creature appreciate their environment to the same degree as pixies who keep close watch over the land around them making sure everything operates in the correct manner. This means coloring the occasional leaf that refuses to lose its green hue well into autumn and arranging branches to allow just enough sun for their favorite sapling. Details that many individuals pass up are carefully monitored by pixies, even the most fleeting beauty is cared for. While curiosity and care drive pixies, timidity tempers them. Unlike their spritely cousins, pixies are strictly pacifist and avoid violence in any form. Unfortunately, the world at large is indifferent to their lifestyle and the dangers abound give most pixies pause before they introduce themselves to a unique individual or investigate the rock that fell from the sky. Pixies love to play minor pranks on those they meet. Sometimes it is to gauge an individual's temperament, other times it's simply (mostly) harmless fun. An individual who gets exceptionally angry at a pixie's joke is likely never to meet her, whereas one who takes it with a chuckle may make a new friend. Pixies also delight in tricking the selfish and the greedy out of their possessions. Some even amass small hordes of treasure gained this way and they are usually happy to share the spoils with a friend. While pixies avoid large groups of humanoids, they often live in the vicinity of small villages. These pixies commonly enjoy caring not only for the natural surroundings, but the homes of kind folk that live there. Farmers have been known to leave out small gifts to woo or show appreciation for their local pixies. In return, a pixie will tend to the fields at night, shoo small predators away, and (as some believe) bring good fortune upon them. It is also not uncommon for village folk (particularly children) to see a local pixie as a friend or playmate as well. Pixies also have a special love for horses. At night they often slip into stables and take a horses out for a midnight ride. The only evidence left the following morning is the intricate braids they often leave in a horse's mane. A farmer who leaves the stables open at night is likely to find their horses to be healthier and better trained than they would otherwise expect. Social Observations Being naturally inquisitive and explorative, pixies don't often spend much time with their own kind. Usually, they spread far and wide across a land as a consequence of their nature. Pixies love to explore every facet of the world and would hate to have their fun ruined by another. That said, pixies are not wholly independent creatures. They often make friends with the local humanoids in their region and do congregate several times a year. We know they celebrate several holidays linked to many things such as celestial events, seasons, and manic whims. Only one of these holidays, known as Dr˙t, has ever been recorded by nonpixies. Dr˙t roughly translates to "Festival of Friends" and there are several accounts of individuals who have befriended pixies being invited to it. According to various firsthand accounts, it is characterized by a grand feast (Surprisingly provided by the pixies themselves), drinking, and dancing under the moonlight. Each pixie in attendance brings somebody they have befriended that year, and it is not uncommon to see individuals from many species and all walks of life in attendance. The largely tangential connection most pixies have with most "civilized" cultures lead to interesting misconceptions and superstitions about those cultures that spread between pixies. For example, a human's propensity for lying, double dealing, and spreading falsehoods lead many pixies to believe it's a biological trait. Some even believe it is a social faux pas to open a conversation with actual truth and thus will start out any conversation with a human with a few good natured lies. Often, pixies will attempt to touch the very tip of an elf's ears for it is said to bring good fortune upon them. Finally, a dwarf's beard is said to be where they store their knowledge. While only the most bold of pixies would even consider peeking within, many judge a dwarf's intellect by their beard. Naturally, a pixie's capricious disposition leads to some extreme outliers. Some find themselves more reclusive than their peers, taking up residence in libraries or ancient ruins. Others take their outgoing pixie nature to the extreme, even to the point of joining mercenary guilds or a traveling circuses. There is even a legend of a world renowned pixie swordsman. Accounts say he moved with the erraticism of a butterfly and struck like an enraged bee. DM Toolkit There is little reason for a party to ever actually fight a pixie. They're almost universally good and don't directly oppose evil in any direct manner. One that has a problem with the party would simply annoy them with increasingly mean pranks or would attempt to confound the party with magic. A particularly bold pixie may attempt to steal something key to the party (such as a McGuffin), but it is unlikely this will result in serious combat. Pixies do make good allies, scouts, and quest givers. If the party can win their favor (largely by not being assholes) then a pixie could prove to be a useful ally. Their natural ability to sneak into places and deep knowledge of their homes can be incredibly valuable. It is not unlikely that a pixie would have information that the party desires. Pixies tend to value different things than most humanoids do. Gold and hollow promises are likely to hold less sway than seeds and a wellplaced compliment. Pixies can also have an effect on your campaign without even coming into direct contact with the players. Their natural powers of invisibility make sticking to the shadows particularly easy, but the party can see their effects after the fact. For example, a pixie might try to indirectly lead the party to a group of orcs or goblins causing trouble in the forest. 297

Pseudodragon "Hey mister, that is a really cool lizard you have! Can I pet it?" Hiss! "Ow, I think it bit me" Introduction One of two tiny dragons, pseudodragons are elusive, intelligent creatures that can form strong telepathic bonds. Naturally inclined towards harmony, pseudodragons avoid larger dragons and evil beings. Physiological Observations Pseudodragons are the smallest form of true dragon, a fully grown common pseudodragon only grows to a length of two feet from snout to tail. They possess reddish brown scales and a ridge of tiny horns. Adult pseudodragons have well developed wings spanning almost 4 feet. Like all dragons, pseudodragons possess perfect dark vision. Hatching from small eggs, young pseudodragons are only a few inches long. Like all true dragons, hatchling pseudodragons are capable of hunting and instinctual care within minutes of hatching, a hatchling pseudodragon is a voracious hunter and will use its stinger and jaws to hunt anything that moves, usually small forest creatures. If small enough creatures are not available, then the parent dragons will often carry wounded but still living small prey back to the nest. Another quality of note is the pseudodragon's poisonous tail. The tail of a pseudodragon is sharp and strong enough to pierce thick hide and some are even known to be strong enough to pierce steel. Each sting delivers a powerful sedative, capable of staggering a full sized orc, or knocking a human unconscious for an hour. The sting can be very harmful to children and Halflings, care should be taken that smaller companions not startle or insult the dragon. Social Observations Female pseudodragons produce eggs only in the early summer, and only if food has been abundant. Each season will produce between 6 and 12 eggs, with the eggs being infertile unless fertilized by a male. During the 6 week gestation that starts in late spring, the female pseudodragon will find a quiet, undisturbed place to burrow and prepare a nest. Old trees, caves, and soft earth all are common nests. Once a nesting site is established the dragon will return to the nesting site yearly, so long as the site remains undisturbed. At the first sign of any disturbance, especially the presence of a larger dragon, the mother will abandon the nest. Pseudodragons mate as pairs, the natural telepathic abilities of the species cause them to form deep bonds and a mated pair will defend themselves or their hatchlings to the point of death. As pseudodragons grow they will start travel further and further from the nest, after approximately six months the pseudodragon will be large enough to be fully independent of the parents. However, if food is abundant and the area then the youngling will stay close the parents. In cases where food is abundant and hostile predators rare extended family units of pseudodragons can be found nesting together. However, if predators are common, or food scarce, a youngling will soon take to being nomadic. Pseudodragons can fly for several miles before stopping to rest, and will often fly at night to prevent them from being spotted by aerial predators. A pseudodragon on the wing can fly as fast as a hawk. While the dragon can soar and coast for long periods without tiring, extended sprints or rough winds can exhaust them. When a nomadic pseudodragon finds a location that feels right, isolated and with abundant food and shelter, the dragon will find several different hollows, holes and caves to lair in. It will maintain each nest separately. On bright sunny days pseudodragons can be seen by quiet and calm observers sunning themselves on stones, but the first sign of hostility will send them a flight to the nearest hidey hole. Behavioral Observations Most pseudodragons have a strong sense of draconic nobility, while this generally doesn't manifest in the form of haughty lording the way it does with larger dragons it does mean that a pseudodragon, once insulted, embarrassed, criticized or harmed, will never forget the action but might forgive if amends are made. One of the most significant qualities of the pseudodragon is its pronounced telepathic ability. They are able to communicate with any creature they can see within a moderate distance and can learn to associate words with concepts. In the wild Pseudodragons almost entirely communicate in emotions and occasional draconic exchanges, but dragons who have had extensive exposure to the fey or common races will quickly learn common. An excited pseudodragon will communicate with a barrage of images, emotions and words while at the same time hopping and chittering. The telepathy, combined with the keen senses of the dragon, make it capable of clearly perceiving invisible creatures that are nearby. Pseudodragons that live on the fringes of common race societies are often bound as familiars. This bond replaces the mating bond. Instead the pseudodragon takes ownership of the bonded subject, becoming protective and seeking to guide its charge. Often a pseudodragon who bonds with a member of a common race sees incredible potential in the charge. The pseudodragon will give up on isolation for the sake of the bond, but only if effectively given tribute. Food, trinkets, coins and gems can function as tributes for a pseudodragon. In regards to food and drink, it is very important that a pseudodragon never be given alcohol. The will be drawn to powerful liquors that they can smell, and will drink readily and fully, far past the point of being healthy for the dragon. A pseudodragon allowed to dip its snout in a glass of its charges wine will soon knock over the whole glass to get more. But the true impact is found in the effects of intoxication, the dragon will seek to consume all available alcohol and will become violent and hostile if denied. It seems that liquor brings out a specter of dragon hording and covetousness in the small dragons. In the event that a bonded dragon does become intoxicated it is important to restrain the dragon immediately, isolating them from further exposure until the effects can wear off. 298

In combat against a larger opponent, the pseudodragon will almost always poison the subject, then quickly flee to safety. A pseudodragon will only fight to the death to defend a bonded ward, mate or young. Pseudodragons can kill but generally do so only to feed or to defend a wounded mate, bonded ward or young too small to escape. When a large pseudodragon nest is disturbed, several of the larger adults will sting the intruders while the younger, weaker or smaller dragons escape to safety. This is very uncommon as any large nest will have sentries, a telepathic alert will be given to members in the nest long before any outsider can reach the lair. Intra-Species Observations It is not uncommon for giant eagles and giant owls to align themselves with pseudodragons, while giant vultures despise pseudodragons and will chase them from the skies, sometimes hunting them for days and harassing them any time they attempt to land to rest. Eventually the pseudodragon can no longer fly due to exhaustion and will need to land. A lone giant vulture will still have a dangerous adversary on the ground, but a pack of giant vultures will easily overwhelm an exhausted pseudodragon. In fey rich areas pseudodragons will form relationships with sprites, pixies and dryads. While pseudodragons can get along with faire dragons and the two are not adversarial, they do not stay in the same areas for long. It is theorized that the chaotic nature of faire dragons irritates the sensitive empathic attunement of pseudodragons. However, it should be noted that it is possible to breed the two dragon species, resulting in a dragon subspecies known as the mercurial dragon. Nothing will drive a pseudodragon to abandon its home faster than the presence of a chromatic dragon or kobolds. Chromatic dragons and kobold chieftains will kill or enslave pseudodragons. Some kobold tribes believe that the consumption of pseudodragon meat and eggs will cause them to give birth to the winged Kobolds known as Urds. Chromatic dragons are also known to seek live pseudodragon captives. As pseudodragons are true dragons like the chromatics, it is possible for the two races to breed, this creates Chromatic pseudodragons. DM's Toolkit Variants: Mercurial dragon, this dragon appears to be a pseudodragon with white scales with purple tips. This dragon combines the innate invisibility and magical nature of a faire dragon with the poison tail and stronger telepathy of a pseudodragon. The poison tail of a mercurial dragon causes paralytic euphoria. A mercurial dragon can cast spells as a faire dragon. Chromatic Pseudodragon, these dragons have been corrupted by the influence of a chromatic dragon, Pseudodragon offspring of chromatic dragons are evil beings, larger than a regular Pseudodragon and with a thicker hide. The wings of chromatic pseudodragons are often malformed, making them incapable of proper flight. Chromatic pseudodragons possess the breath weapon attack of the draconic parent and are capable of natural speech. The telepathy of these dragons is enhanced to the point of being able to enslave others, they can cast detect thoughts, command, suggest and hold person. Aquatic Pseudodragons, these rare dragons have adapted to underwater life, in place of wings is a single fin running the length of the dragon from shoulder to tail. The tail of an aquatic pseudodragon is thinker and strong. In place of a poison stinger is a small organ that produces a toxic ink cloud this cloud has a pronounced slows and blinds creatures caught in it. Umbral Pseudodragon, it is unknown if the subterranean pseudodragon is a subspecies or completely separate species. Observation indicate that the umbral dragon is approximately the same size as the common Pseudodragon but the wings on this species have been replaced with tentacles similar to those found on displacer beasts. The umbral Pseudodragon has adapted to applying its poison through these tentacles. Another interesting adaptation is the dragon's ability to climb on any surface. 299

Purple Worm "We thought ourselves safe at last, the city was only days away. Then we felt it, moving beneath us. Amarik went down first, swallowed before he could react. After that it was chaos." -- Hashun, Caravan Guard Introduction Few creatures inspire such terror as the monstrous Purple Worm. Traveling below the surface until their tremorsense alerts then to potential pray, the creatures strike without warning or mercy. Survivors are rare, and tales of the Worm's ferocity haunt the inns and way stations of many a desert settlement. Physiological Observations Purple Worms are massive creatures, covered in thick armor plates that darken and harden with age. Young worms are born pink and soft, but their color darkens as they grow into their armored body. In similar manner, the oldest specimens are deep purple, bordering on black in extreme cases. Worm lifespan has been estimated at 150 years, an extraordinary amount of time for an invertebrate, although adults often die in battle long before old age can claim them. Adult Purple Worms can reach anywhere from 60 to 80ft in length, weighing anywhere from 30,000 to 40,000 pounds. A few extraordinary individuals have been reported exceeding 100ft in length, but accurate measurements are difficult to prove. The Worm will typically have a girth of six to seven feet in diameter, more than sufficient to swallow a man or horse whole. The most prominent feature of the Purple Worm is its maw, a set of powerful stone crushing jaws lined with inward facing incisors for tearing apart prey. A pair of small secondary flaps exist on the sides of the beast's mouth, folding inward to help push food down its gullet. Within the mouth itself are multiple circular rows of teeth designed to help tear apart food as it is pulled towards the Worm's stomach. If its jaws and size proved insufficient, the Purple Worm has another deadly weapon at its disposal. A tail stinger armed with enough venom to bring down creatures as large as a bull elephant. The venom itself is fast acting, causing muscle paralysis, nerve damage, and ultimately death. An anti-venom can be derived from the Worm's blood, but collection proves a monumental undertaking. Social Observations Purple Worms are by nature solitary creatures. They inhabit a range of territory that can cover up to a hundred square miles of open desert. A Worm patrols its territory in an endless quest for sustenance. The only times multiple adult Worms are seen in close proximity is mating and territorial disputes. Should one Purple Worm be driven into another's territory, either through external forces or by having its own home range usurped, the only outcome is combat. Adult Worms will not suffer another within their domain, and when they sense opposition they travel in immediate haste to meet the threat. Two competing adults will immediately engage in combat, wrapping around each other, biting and stinging mercilessly. Their bodies immune to their venom, the tail stinger can still inflict severe puncture wounds. The loser will disengage, retreating battered and maimed, often times being pursued by the victor. Death is a common result when two worms clash, and the slain corpse of a rival makes a grim reminder who truly rules the dune seas. Behavioral Observations Purple Worms are hermaphrodites, being both and neither sex simultaneously. It is unknown what triggers the need for reproduction, but the affected Worm will assume the role of a female, beginning ovulation as it travels in search of a mate. The "female" Worm will emit powerful pheromones identifying itself as a mate, not a threat, while helping to draw a partner to it. When they meet the two Worms will engage in an elaborate courtship ritual with the "Male" coiling around his partner as she remains rigid on the surface. Two adults will mate several times over the few days, ensuring successful fertilization. The "Female" will then return to her home range, giving birth to 8-12 live young after a 4 month gestation period. Young worms are allowed free reign to travel through adult territories unopposed. Presumably they are not considered threats until they reach adulthood, although cases of cannibalism among Purple Worms is not unheard of. Young worms often carve out small territories in the border region between two larger adults, overtaking more land as they grow in size. When hunting a Purple Worm swims several meters below the surface, sensing for movement using its keen tremorsense to feel for potential prey. Once detected the Worm will ascend at maximum speed, bursting through the surface directly below its victim. Prey is either swallowed whole, torn in half, or sent flying from the assault. Large prey that cannot be devoured whole is coiled around as the Purple Worm crushes the life from its foe, stinging repeatedly if the victim puts up sufficient struggle. Prey is consumed in quick order and the desecrated remains are left to rot in the hot sun. Inter-Species Observations Purple Worms are ruthless creatures that hold no regard for any life but their own. They will attack any creature or object that triggers their instinct to kill. Prey is quickly consumed and anything inedible is regurgitated and discarded. Worms cannot be tamed, they lack the higher intelligence to distinguish friend from foe. They are incapable of higher thought beyond their immediate needs and all attempts to prove otherwise have ended in disaster. Desert faring races hold particular contempt for the Purple Worm, building towns atop thick sandstone deposits for added measure of protection. Caravans are well defended and all but the most foolish traveler stays clear of known Worm hunting grounds. 300