Tuesday 16 December 2014

d6 Weretoad Variants

Weretoads are cursed inhabitants of the swampy Ruinlands. Without check from brave genocidal adventurers the Weretoads population has  grown, spread and mutated. The "regular" Weretoad is found here, and a mini dungeon from which these vile creatures spill forth upon the world can be found here.

All Weretoads have two forms, the change in these being triggered by the morning and evening movement of tides in the closest body of fresh water. During the day they will appear as naked, wart covered men with bulging eyes and lolling tongues. The Weretoads described here all have specific, pronounced and bizarre changes to their human forms stemming from their toad-form mutations. In this form Weretoads are vaguely intelligent and encountering them may prompt a reaction roll (at a penalty of 6). In the evening hours Weretoads appear in their much more grotesque, true toad-form. At this time their human intelligence has melted away and they are aggressive to any they encounter.

Every 1 in 6 Weretoads will be one of these variants. Assume Chaotic alignment for all Weretoads. All Weretoads traverse land and water at the same rate. All Weretoads have the following special abilities (unless otherwise noted); As a man: Ability to hide or scale sheer surfaces/climb, 4 in 6 chance. As a were-toad: Ability to hide, 4 in 6 chance, ability to scale sheer surfaces/climb with impunity.  

AC is ascending with unarmored human base of 11.  

1) Surinam:

Human Form: Bent over double, hands basically dragging across the ground, hunchbacked, weeping sores and popping boils cover backside.

HD: 1, Movement: 100',
AC: 10 (clumsy, slow from hunchback),
Attacks: 1 (Spear or Bow), Damage: d6,
Save: F1, Morale: 6, XP: 100,
Special: Ability to hide/scale sheer surfaces/climb diminished due to deformity, 2 in 6 chance.

Weretoad Form: Bulging, pulsating, quivering backside. Countless pockets of slime hold squirming sacks of  thin, black, spine and spike covered toads. Hunched over, thickset and slow moving.

HD: 1, Movement: 100',
AC: 12 (thickened blubbery skin, often walks backwards with back as shield),
Attacks: 1 (Spear or Bow), plus ability to release spawn (see special), Damage: 6,
Save: F2, Morale: 8, XP: 200,
Special: Once per round, forgoing other attacks, a Surinam can unleash a barrage of d6 spine and spike covered black toads to a distance of up to 40'. The target of this barrage must make a Save Vs. Breath or  find themselves being bitten and cut by the toads now covering their body (each toad doing 1 HP of damage per round, including the round they were launched). d4 toads may be removed if a victim focuses on this task for a round and passes a Dexterity check. Surinam Weretoad's ability to scale sheer surfaces/climb is diminished to a 4 in 6 chance

2) Chythrid:

Human Form: Suffers from a constant hacking cough and wheeze, Skin and hair is white, scaly, dusty and shedding. Clumps, clusters and colonies of  fleshy fungus cover the body.

HD: 1, Movement: 120',
AC: 12 (hardened skin from constant fungal infection),
Attacks: 1 (Spear or Bow), Damage: d6,
Save: F2, Morale: 6, XP: 150,
Special: Engaging in melee combat for more than 3 rounds results in possible transfer of fungal infection. Save Vs. Poison or suffer a fungal infection of the (d4): 1) Skin, 2) Eyes, 3) Respiratory System, 4) Armpits/genitals.

Weretoad Form: Mushrooms, puffballs and bracket fungus cover the body. The extremities, especially the hands, have become near useless due to fungal growth and infection.

HD: 1, Movement: 120',
AC: 12 (Fungus covering body),
Attacks: 1 (club like fist). Damage: d4,
Save: F2, Morale: 8, XP: 200,
Special: When struck by any martial weapons the Chythrid will release a 20' cloud of spores (which other Weretoads are immune to). Those caught in the cloud must Save Vs. Poison or suffer one of the following d4 effects: 1) As per Sleep spell, 2) As per Confusion spell, 3) d6 rounds of psychedelic hallucinations (-5 penalty to all actions), 4) d6 rounds of severe hacking cough (-3 to all actions). Chythrids do not have the ability to scale sheer surfaces/ climb.

3) Paratoid:

Human Form: Constantly sweat profusely, an oily, slippery type sweat. Emit a severe stench (rot, urine, chlorine). Are friendlier than most other Weretoads (always wears a smile, no reaction roll penalty) but appear confused and deranged.

HD: 1, Movement: 120', AC: 13 (Blows will often glance and slide along oily skin),
Attacks: 1 (Spear or Bow), Damage: d6,
Save: F1, Morale: 10, XP: 150,
Special: No longer has the ability to scale sheer surfaces/climb but is an excellent contortionist/escape artist (4 in 6 chance).

Weretoad Form: A constant torrent of milky slime and mucus leaks from the skin. Puddles and pools of the milky, oily substance form wherever the Paratoid goes. The mucus of the Paratoid has a variety of properties that the Weretoad has control of (see Special).

HD: 1, Movement: 120,
AC: 14 (Extremely slippery, wet skin),
Attacks: 1 (Spear or Bow). Damage: d6,
Save: F4, Morale: 10, XP: 400,
Special: They're are three main Bufotoxins produced by the Paratoid Weretoad all inducing their effect when coming into contact with another beings skins and that being failing a Save Vs. Poison. 1) A toxin which complete stuns the body for d6 rounds. 2) A toxin which produces severe d12 rounds of severe psychedelic hallucinations (all actions taken at a penalty of -5). 3) An extreme adhesive mucus that can fuse together any material whatsoever for d12 rounds (ambulatory beings receive a Save Vs. Paralyze to avoid being stuck in place).  The Paratoid may splash these substances on targets within 10', create pools and puddles as traps, or encourage other Weretoads to dip their weapons into the mucus to augment their attacks. Paratoids no longer have the ability to scale sheer surfaces/climb or hide due to the massive amount of liquid they produce at all times. 


4) Tongue Priest:

Human Form: Very long, lolling tongue, reaching down to rest on the sternum or draped over a shoulder (resulting in an obvious speech impediment), obscenely bloated stomach. Less aggressive and more intelligent than other Weretoads (only a penalty of 2 to reaction roll). Will be holding/wearing crude religious symbols/artifacts. Will appear as the natural leader in a group of Weretoads.  

HD: 2, Movement: 120, AC: 11,
Attacks: 1 (Spear or Bow), Damage: d6,
Save: F2, Morale: 8, XP: 200,
Special:  Can cast Cure Light Wounds 3 times a day, has the ability to communicate with swamp/aquatic animals as per Speak with Animals spell at all times. Will be accompanied by some sort of swamp creature as an animal companion.

Weretoad Form: 5 to 10 foot tongue emerges from mouth and is draped across body or head as a turban or shawl. Skin crawls with insects and smaller amphibians who are docile and timid. Treated with the utmost deference and respect by other Weretoads.

HD: 2, Movement: 120', AC: 11,
Attacks: 1 (Spear or Bow), Damage: d6,
Save: F4, Morale: 10, XP: 300,
Special: Same special ability as per Human Form, plus the following: Gives all other Weretoads within visual range +1 to hit, damage and all other actions, these Weretoads will never attempt to flee combat while the Tounge Priest is alive. If slain all Weretoads in visual range must make a Moral check. Can direct hordes of stinging insects, flys, frogs and any other minor creature to waylay/irritate targets as the GM sees fit (ie: a horde of mice eating supplies, a horde of flies reducing vision/movement (-1 penalty to all actions), etc).


5) Queen:

Human Form: Obese pregnant woman, bowed over under the weight of bulging stomach, feet are swollen severely as to be nigh immobile. Other Weretoads nearby to a Queen.  are extremely protective and aggressive.

HD: 2, Movement: 40',
AC: 9 (Very slow and cumbersome, difficulty in movement),
Attacks: 1,(Spear or Bow), Damage: d6-1,
Save: F1, Morale: 6, XP: 50,
Special: If a Queen flees all other Weretoads in visual range will follow and protect her.

Weretoad Form: Massive bulging pustules and flesh sacks cover the lower half of the body. Legs have either disappeared or been hidden by pustules, giving a slug-like appearance. Dark, pygmy toad-men can be seen floating in some of the translucent flesh sacks.
HD: 3, Movement: 40', AC: 11 (Thickened, blubbery skin),
Attacks: 1 (Bite or Claw). Damage: d4,
Save: F3, Morale: 6, XP: 300,
Special: Once per round, forgoing other attacks, a Queen may release d4 pygmy toad-men (1HP, armed with d6 claws or bite). These pygmies will rush and randomly attack any non Weretoad beings within sight, seeking new targets until killed or collapsing from exhaustion. A Queen may release a total of d20 pygmies a week. The birthing process of the pygmies leaves behind an extremely slippery mucus that any non Weretoads must make a Save Vs. Paralyze to avoid slipping and falling prone in. Queen Weretoad's ability to hide/scale sheer surfaces/climb is diminished to a 3 in 6 chance.


6) Ornata:

Human Form: Armless and obese, severely limited intelligence. Bald with an oversized mouth accompanied by massive, low hanging jowls. Will squeal and moan unintelligible while rushing to attack anything non Weretoad that it encounters.

HD: 2, Movement: 120',
AC: 11,
Attacks: 2 (Kick and Bite). Damage: Kick: d6, Bite: d4,
Save: F2, Morale: 8, XP: 150,
Special: Inability to scale sheer surfaces/climb.  

Weretoad Form: Squat, very thickset, low to the ground - almost crawling and squirming in the dirt propelled by large muscular legs. Oversized head and mouth accounting for nearly half of body mass, no arms. Head counterbalanced by obscenely large/protruding rump. Wild, erratic and solitary - often ostracized and abandoned by other Weretoads. Will often burrow slightly in the dirt or mud to appear as a rock or log, then surprise and waylay passerby's.

1 in 6 chance at the beginning of each combat that an Ornata will attack friend rather than foe. 

HD: 2, Movement: 120',
AC: 12 (Thick, blubbery skin, muscular),
Attacks: 1 (bite), plus the ability to swallow (see Special), Damage: d8,
Save: F8, Morale: 10, XP: 200,
Special: Ornata's can swallow anything Halfling size or smaller, or happily engulf half of a Human, after a successful bite attack. The creature being swallowed has a Save Vs. Paralyze to avoid this. Once swallowed, beings Halfling size or smaller have d4 rounds before they suffocate and die, larger beings suffer an automatic d8 bite damage every round until death. Ornata Weretoads can not attack other beings while swallowing another. If an Ornata attempts to swallow anything larger than a human, it must make a Save Vs. Poison to avoid suffocating itself on its oversized prey.  Ornata Weretoads no longer have the ability to scale sheer surfaces/climb but can hide on a 5 in 6 chance. 

Thursday 11 December 2014

Lord Purpon, The Hoarder

Inspired by a classical being from Demonology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purson), here's a supernatural creature (demon) intended to alter and affect the area around him. Ideally tucked away behind a secret or locked door on a megadungeon level Purpon will change the contents of the rooms nearby (Emanations), set in motions his owns plans and plots (possibly interfering with an adventuring party's plans) (Plottings), and offer deals and contracts for goods and services (Bargains)

d6 Names:Not every group or individual that is aware of Lord Purpon's existence will know him by the same name (this applies to most strange beings), roll a d6 to determine what he is called by a specific group/region: 1) Lord Purpon 2) Master of Keys/Secrets 3) The Chest Keeper/Gardener 4) The Hoarder 5) Liar's Bane 6) Old Snake Head.

A party of adventurers may be directed towards Lord Purpon if they are searching for lost or hidden things, if they require secrets or intelligence on a specific person or being, if they need to know the specific history of an area or a prediction for the future.  

Description: Standing 7 to 10 foot tall, Lord Purpon has the horned head/neck of a python, and a thickset, shaggy fur covered body of a bear like humanoid. The matted, dreadlocked long fur on his body is knotted about uncountable keys which either stick close to his body or hang loose, jingling as he moves. He also wears chains of keys around his neck, arms, waist and legs. He will often be seen clutching a small wooden chest, apparently filled with tattered and filthy notes and cloth scrolls. His legs end in cloven hoofs. 

Lord Purpon is well spoken in all the world's languages. When conversing he has the unsettling habit of echoing the final three words of the being he is speaking to, as those words are said. This gives the impression that he knows exactly what some one was going to say and when they were going to finish speaking. This habit dissipates when he converses with beings from far away lands and he also exhibits much more enthusiasm in talking to them. Though well spoken and some what fond of conversation, Lord Purpon prefers communicating at a distance to those he is not familiar with, through notes and his army of Mimics. 

Lord Purpon is accompanied at all times by 22 Mimics camouflaged appropriately in whatever environment Lord Purpon is in. This gives any space Lord Purpon inhabits a disconcerting effect as these 22 camouflaged mimics shift and scamper, making the room appear transitory and in constant movement. Additionally to these 22 mimics Lord Purpon has a vast army of mimics under his command, employed as spies to gather him secrets. Lord Purpon also has knowledge which enables him to raise and train more mimics.

Lord Purpon has a perfect photographic memory, and will never forgot anything he has ever seen or heard. 

Lord Purpon seems most preoccupied with the gathering of secrets, specifically knowing where other beings hide their most valuable possessions. This knowledge is contentment enough for Lord Purpon who will very rarely snatch valuables for himself. This fact has not stopped the rumor that he is in the possession of an invaluable horde of lost treasures. A byproduct of Lord Purpon's mimic spy network is he learns of many secretly planned events, giving him foresight into the future. He also has an interest in cartographic knowledge, but prefers to remember and mentally visualize maps  rather than keeping or reproducing physical ones.  

Often, Lord Purpon will take a disliking to an individual he has been spying upon (most especially liars - whom he hates), at which point he will either steal their most valuable possession, or take a friend or lovers most valuable possession and plant it upon that person for discovery. He relishes hearing one of his spies mimic the exclamations in misfortune of those he does not like. Further he takes great pleasure from creating elaborate series of events that lead to the seemingly random death of those not in his favor. 

Statistics: HD: 12+10, Alignment: Neutral, Movement: 160', AC: 20 (keys form metal hide), Attacks: 3 (claws x 2, bite). Damage: d10 claw, d8 bite, Save: F12, Morale: 10, XP: 3000xp, Special: Lord Purpon will probably allow his Mimic's to fight for him while he attempts to escape any physical confrontation, He will know of any weaknesses his foes have if that weakness has been verbally discussed within a day's travel of his lair, He has the ability to Open Body: Taking a key from his person Lord Purpon inserts the key into his enemy's flesh (he must score a hit on an attack roll), if the target fails a Save Vs. Magic their body will open as if on a hinge, internal organs falling loose upon the ground, resulting in death. If the target passes the Save they simply take d8 damage. 

Purpon Mimic: Ambulatory, carnivorous mushrooms with very rudimentary intelligence and the ability to disguise themselves as inanimate objects (furniture, masonry, rocks, other vegetation, etc) . They excrete a extremely strong adhesive goo which can be used to stick to ceilings and walls or trap prey. Purpon mimic's have the ability to talk and have inherited their master's perfect memory - allowing them to recite things they overhear as if recorded. Their voice box and lips are concealed in a locked pocket of flesh, only open-able with a specific key designated by Lord Purpon (the mimics themselves can not open this pocket of their own accord).  Purpon Mimics, like other mimics have an aversion to sunlight (weakening and stunning them), so will travel overland in the evening. They attack with a hidden club-like appendage. The "default" appearance of a Purpon mimic is that of a round, mushroom-like chest.

HD: d10 (the HD of the mimic will be reflected in its size), Alignment: Neutral, Movement: 100', AC: 12, Attacks: HD divided by 4 rounded down. Damage: d10, Save: F in HD, Morale: 10, XP: 50 x HD, Special: Any thing striking a Purpon Mimic (weapon, fist, foot), must make a Save Vs. Paralysis to avoid being stuck to it for d6 rounds.

Lair: 

The entrance to Lord Purpon's lair will be hidden behind several secret doors, all secured with a number of extremely elaborate locks. Though hidden, the entrance will be close to a major thoroughfare or high traffic area. The lair itself will have an extremely spartan presentation, a column or two, a stone throne, a stone bench. Most notable will be the mounds of empty chests, discarded throughout the area and the floor carpeted in keys of all types, ages and varieties. A nursery of young mimics will be growing towards the back of the lair. A bonfire will smolder in a corner with evidence of burnt/burning documents/scrolls. The walls of the lair will be honeycombed in small tunnels, leading to grates, pipes and other small apertures in the area - a transportation network for mimics.  

There is only 1 treasure in the lair, an open chest filled with recently acquired notes, scrolls and maps all of highly secretive and sensitive nature - those that Lord Purpon has not yet committed to memory and destroyed.


d12 Emanations:

1)  A Purpon Mimic appearing as a low wooden table bearing an engraved map of the immediate area is to be found in an otherwise bare room. The map is accurate and marks some points of interest. The mimic will follow any one displaying an interest in the map, recording their conversations and movements. Lord Purpon may swap the Mimic for a very similar appearing Mimic while the followed group rests. This new map will either be completely inaccurate or now mark traps rather than profitably points of interest. 
2) d8 malformed, rogue mimics fill a room. They are no longer under the control of Lord Purpon. They are confused and mad, as such they are attempting to disguise themselves as several different things at once. Half chests will poking out of door arches, rocks will jut out at weird angles supported by blades, half doors will be connected to a mushroom cap, etc. These mimics will attack any that enter their room. 
3) Mimics will follow the party, the same seemingly mundane furniture keeps re-appearing in every room. This furniture will be disconcertingly identical and missing from previous rooms if the party checks on such a fact. Over time there will be a large mass of mimics following the party, every piece of mundane dungeon dressing they have encountered previously will be crammed into each new room they enter while previous rooms become bare. 
4) Two factions in the area are in open conflict with one another, both claiming the theft of a precious treasure belonging to their leader by the other. Their energies will mostly be spent on violently reclaiming said treasure, rather than regular dungeon duties. During the conflict an unusual amount of chests are to be seen clinging to the ceilings. 
5) A team (d10) of large (HD 8-10) mimics have been tasked with disguising the normal doors and passageways of an area to confuse and baffle travelers. Every time a group leaves a room the mimics will hide or reveal different exits and entries, giving the illusion to the architecture of constantly warping and changing. 
6) The weaker, lower HD entities in the area (of at least minimal intelligence) and even some of slightly larger stature will sneak about and spy upon the party, rather than openly engaging them. They will be jotting down rudimentary notes. If caught and interrogated the spies will claim "the furniture told me to do it!". 
7) Transcripts of the party's conversations (from any where with in a days travel of the current location) written in ink on fine scrolls of parchment are to be found conspicuously placed in rooms they enter. Preferably these conversations are of a sensitive nature. 
8) Small mimics (1HD) appearing as singular letters or words made of wood or stone spell out messages to the party as they enter a room, then scamper away down the small pipes and tunnels that form the mimics transportation network. 
9) Unlocked mimics, open their flesh pockets, scream and wail with intensity whenever the party enters a room. When approached they scamper and disappear in small, nearby pipes and tunnels.
10) An inhabited area nearby to Lord Purpon, a village, town, etc, has been thrown into chaos recently through the release of  all inhabitant's  secrets. A chest of secrets was delivered in the dead night to every individual home or dwelling. Tensions are high, as are fist fights, murders and riots. 
11) Many locked doors and locked chests, sometimes leading to further locked doors and chests, containing nothing, empty. 
12) Mounds of abandoned, empty, discarded and open chests. 


d6 Plottings: 

1) Through a set of messages and gifts left in passive, unlocked mimics, Lord Purpon encourages the party to steal an important item from a prominent individual in the area. 
2) Lord Purpon is currently on an expansion effort of his intelligence network, either a particular dungeon location or a settlement. He is hoping to blackmail certain individuals to carry out some of the heavy lifting.   
3) Lord Purpon is experimenting with the mobility of his Mimics, ideally to give them more of a resemblance to wild animals. Stemming from this are reports of bizarre animal/inanimate object hybrids, or wilds animals that stay frozen stiff in place. Regular wild animals are disappearing at a rapid rate. 
4) Lord Purpon has set his army of Mimics to steal vast stores of food. Mimics filled with grain and meat have been seen scuttling into the wilderness and further underground. Lord Purpon is interested in further reducing the local food supplies via black mailed individuals. Ultimately he wishes to record the depravity/camaraderie the famine brings out in people. 
5) Lord Purpon has been delivering chests of gold, goods and weapons to those impoverished in an area. These chests are also filled with sensitive secrets of those in more powerful positions. He wishes to record the outcomes of his meddling. 
6) Lord Purpon has placed Mimics at the entrance to churches, public buildings and stores with recordings of their occupants clearing saying vile, despicable, or otherwise horrible things. These voice pockets are unlocked, and their small lips emit the voices loudly, audible from some distance. 

d4 Bargains: Those dealing with Lord Purpon in any way will undoubtedly be a future focus of his spying efforts. With those he does not know well, he prefers to communicate via distance through unlocked mimics with written notes. Lord Purpon can offer secrets of local identities, treasure maps, treasure locations, some insight into the future, complete knowledge of previous events/history in the area and mimic companions for recording/storage/transport. 

For these goods and services he will ask; 

1) Secrets he does not know or maps of areas he has not been to be written/recorded and placed in Purpon Mimic chests. 
2) Wagon loads of chests or keys. Interesting/unique keys/chests and other lockable receptacles may interest him singularly. 
3) Provide an escort for one of his mimics to a sensitive/difficult to reach area. And/or the need for escorting the Mimic back to his person. 
4) Help with the excavation/installment of mimic transportation networks.