(ENG) D&D 5a Ed. - Monsters of Myth - Flip eBook Pages 1-50 (2024)

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 1 Contents FOREWORD 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 2 ANTLERIN 6 APIS BULL GUARDIAN 6 ARCHERFISH, Giant 7 ARRIVAUNT 7 ATLACA 8 AVIANT 9 BALLISTA BEAST 11 BARROW CORPSE 11 BEDLAM WITCH 12 BEGUILER 13 BEWAILING CICADAS 14 BHANNOG 15 CALADRIUS 16 CAVE WITCH 16 CAVERN GLAZER 18 CENTIPEDES, Nest of 19 CHALKEION (The “Men of Bronze”) 19 CLAM, GIANT LEOPARD (FRESH WATER) 20 CRAB, GIANT FIDDLER 21 CRAWLING CORPSE 21 CROWS, Murder of 22 DARK ENVOY 23 DECEIVED OF SET, The 24 DEMONS 25 JHABARA DEMON (Demon With Matted Hair) 25 PUNJAR DEMON 26 SHADOW CAT 26 DRAKES 27 DRAKE, Guardian 27 DRAKE, Red Troll 28 DROWAD 28 EARTH BRAWLER 30 EARWIG, giant 31 EELKRAKE 32 ENTELODONT 32 ERCINEE 33 FIRE STAG 35 FLOATING MOUND 35 FUNGHEMOTH 36 GAPING MAW 37 GARRECHIDNA 38 GHOUL MONKEY 39 GIANT, JOTUN 40 GIANT, SAND 41 GIANT, SEA 42 GLITTERING SLIME 42 GLOW JELLY 43 GOBLIN BATTLE-SPIRIT 44 GOBLIN, SHADOW 44 GOLEMS 45 BRASS GOLEM 45 VOUDOUN GOLEM 46 GRIMLING (Devil Children) 47 KARKADANN 57 KHEPH 58 LACIG MOTH 59 LANCER JUGGERNAUT 59 LEOPARD, GIANT 60 LIKHO (The Hag of Despair) 60 LITHONNITE 61 MAGOG LOCUST SWARM 62 MAMMOTH, TUNDRA 63 MINDSCARAB 63 MISTWEIRD 63 MONKEY 65 MOTHMERE 65 MYNAKH 66 NAGA, HANU- 68 NAVANAX, GIANT 69 NIGHTCREEPER 70 NIGHT SHADE 70 NIGHT VAPOR (Esphictor) 71 NUCKELAVEE 71 OCULETHE 73 ONOCENTAUR 74 OZAENA 75 PASTINACA 76 PIRANHA 77 POD-MEN 77 PUDDING, ALIEN 78 RAJKAMI 79 RIMMESERKER 80 ROC, SNOW 80 ROCKROACH 81 SAND NEWT 82 SCUTTLER 82 SCYLLA (Sea Hydra) 83 SEA-MARE 83 SERPENT, EARTH 84 SEWER THUG 85 SHADE WALKER 85 SHADOW VETCH 87 SHRIEKER, BLACK 88 SHROOM 89 SKELETON, ALTERED 90 SKELETON, SLIME (JELLETON) 90 SLEEPER 91 SLITHERING HIVE 92 SNAGWORT, HANGING 92 SNAKE, CONDOR SERPENT 93 SNAKE, JAVELIN 93 SNAKE, WINGED VIPER 94 SPINY HORROR 95 STILT WALKERS (Anthrophalangidae) 95 STING LICHEN 96 STONEFISH (Giant Stonefish) 96 STYGIAN SERPENT 97 THORN CREEPER 98 TOMMO 99 TROGLODYTE, HOMINID 99 TUNNEL PRAWN 100 ULYULENG 101 VAMPIRE MOSS 102 VELIKUL 103 VERMINVINE 104 VERMITH 104 WILLOW MEN 105 WISHING CARP 106 WYRM, NORTHLAND 106 YOX 109 YUUN, Riders of 109 YUUNSTEED 110 ZUUL-KOAR, “the Forgotten” 110 FOREWORD TO STEVE MARSH’S SECTION: 113 STEVE MARSH PRESENTS: 113 DRIFT NETS 114 KJA KHADA 114 KTTHJJ 114 ROACHEPHANT 116 SHADOW VAMPIRE 117 SPIDER GECKO 118 SPIN DRYAD 118 SPINDLES 119 TROLL 119 FELL TROLL 119 SPIDER TROLL 121 TWISTED EARTH TROLL 121 TSUNG PATHET 121 VIADANN 123 VOID SHARK 123 APPENDIX: RANDOM ENCOUNTERS 124 PART 1: LIST OF CREATURES BY LEVEL 124 PART 2: LIST OF CREATURES BY TERRAIN TYPE 125 Open Game Content Designation: 127 OPEN GAME LICENSE Version 1.0a 127 END OF LICENSE 128

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 2 MONSTERS OF MYTH™ First Edition Adventure Games™ A Knights & Knaves Resource Edited by Matt "Mythmere" Finch and Stuart "PapersAndPaychecks" Marshall FOREWORD The First Edition Society is dedicated to preserving the rules of 1e as a living game and promoting the "old school" gaming style common in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I started writing this book in 2005 with the idea that I would describe ten monsters or so, illustrate them, and put them up on the Internet. As Stuart Marshall and many others kindly began to contribute material to the project, it grew quickly into something much larger than I had originally planned. Indeed, this work would never have seen the light of day without Stuart Marshall and Rob Ragas’ help. As is often the case with me, my bipolar disorder caused me to completely drop the project for a period of some months, and these gentlemen picked up the torch, keeping development going and polishing it up into the very high quality piece of work you now have before you. Throughout the book’s development, our goal has been to present relatively short and open-ended monster descriptions, leaving considerable latitude for the game master to adapt the monsters into a variety of different settings and a variety of different adventure scenarios. Monsters of Myth is intended as a spur to creativity rather than a substitute for it; a resource rather than a limitation. We have also labored diligently to craft a work that is an enjoyable read as well as a good gaming resource. The harried game master, his efforts often under-appreciated, should at least enjoy the process of poring over his rulebooks. Hopefully we have succeeded in our efforts to produce a bestiary of monsters that reads more like good fiction than a mere catalogue of dry statistics and "factual" recitations. Failure in this regard is entirely upon my shoulders as the editor of this work, but credit for its success is attributable to a number of individuals who have given freely of their time and resources to see this book through to completion. Since this is my introduction, I would especially like to mention my family: my wife Madison, my daughter Tessa, my sons Thomas and Atticus, and Phoenix. I hope you enjoy the book: good gaming! Matt Finch, 2006. The only thing I have to add to Matt's excellent foreword is my warm thanks to Mr E. Gary Gygax, Mr Dave Arneson, my wife Theresa and my son Connor. Stuart Marshall, 2006 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Editors: Matt "Mythmere" Finch and Stuart "PapersAndPaychecks" Marshall. Front cover art by Mark Ahmed (www.markahmed.com) Illustrations: Matt Finch, D. Poirot, Matt Steward, Tony Rosten, Mark Ahmed, Doug "Black Prince of Muncie" Sanders, Wes Blair and Peter Mullen. Special Thanks: Jerry Mapes, the Knights & Knaves Alehouse, and the Alehouse Regulars. Contributing Authors: M. Ahmed, James Carl Boney, Matt "Mythmere" Finch, Chris "Bones McCoy" Hopkins, Sean "Stonegiant" Stone, Trent Foster, Stuart "Papers & Paychecks" Marshall, B.J. "Stranger" Poirot, S. Ahmed, Tony "Wheggi" Rosten, Bill "The Dungeon Delver" Silvey and Steve Marsh. "First Edition Adventure Games" is a trademark of the First Edition Society, used with permission. "Monsters of Myth" is a trademark of Matthew J. Finch "Knights and Knaves" is a trademark of Jerry Mapes

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 3 Each of the monsters in this book has descriptive text to give the game master a detailed picture of the monster's appearance, unusual qualities, and other pertinent information. In game terms, the monster's statistics are presented above the description using headings for these numbers. The meaning of each heading is described here. FREQUENCY: -- The monster's relative rarity in a "normal" game world can fall into five categories. A "unique" monster is the only one in existence. "Very rare" monsters are seldom encountered, and when they are seen it is a matter of great interest to naturalists and sages. A "Rare" monster is one that is usually known to the average peasant, but only in rumor and folklore. Uncommon creatures are known to the common folk of the world, but they are not often seen. Common creatures are usually well known, and when they appear it may be cause for alarm but not surprise. Rarity values are useful for the Game Master in creating encounter tables, because they provide rough guidelines for the probability of an encounter with any particular monster. NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: -- This represents a guideline for the GM, and should vary according to the place in which the creature is found. The GM must use logic and reason in addition to the dice when determining the number of monsters present in a given encounter. SIZE: -- Three categories are normally possible here, being Small, Medium and Large. These are relative to normal human size, so a Medium creature has approximately the same mass or volume as a human, even if it is not necessarily manshaped. The size of large creatures is usually given in parentheses or described in the text, since large creatures can vary from as small as 8ft tall to gargantuan monsters weighing many tons. MOVE: -- Movement is expressed in feet per turn (and round), or otherwise as described in the OSRIC™ rulebook or other compatible rules used by the Game Master. Some creatures will have separate movement categories for flying, swimming, burrowing or other special movement forms. ARMOR CLASS: -- Armor class ("AC") is expressed on a sliding scale from 10 (worst) to -10 (best). The AC value for a creature does not necessarily mean that it is wearing the equivalent armor type, so an AC5 creature may not necessarily be wearing chain mail, even if it is generally similar to a human. HIT DICE: -- The number of hit points for a creature is determined by rolling dice. Usually hit dice are a d8 unless specified otherwise. Some creatures have hit points in the format "X+Y" or "X-Y", in which case X refers to the number of dice rolled and Y refers to a numerical adjustment applied to the total. Thus, a creature with HD 4+1 has 4d8+1 hp, for a total possible range of 5-33. ATTACKS: -- This entry refers to the number of attacks per round the creature normally possesses in melee. The number may be modified by certain spells such as haste or slow, and does not include any special attack forms such as a breath weapon. DAMAGE: -- This entry indicates the number and type of dice to be rolled for damage if the creature's physical attacks hit. If the value provided is "by weapon", then the GM should refer to the OSRIC™ rulebook or other compatible ruleset, as applicable, to determine the damage inflicted. Certain special attack forms will do more damage than indicated in this category, and may offer a saving throw; see the relevant creature text for details. SPECIAL ATTACKS: -- This entry is a short note regarding any unusual attack forms the creature may possess. In most cases, these unusual attacks are fully explained in the descriptive text below the game statistics. SPECIAL DEFENSES: -- This entry, like the entry for special attacks, is really just a signal to the GM that the monster has unusual or magical protections described in the descriptive text. MAGIC RESISTANCE: -- This is the chance, expressed as a percentage, that the creature will be unaffected by any magic specifically targeted at it. Even if the chance fails, the creature may still receive a saving throw if the spell or magical attack form normally calls for a saving throw. The percentage is predicated on a caster of 11th level of experience, and should be varied by 5% upwards or downwards per experience level of the caster above or below 11th. LAIR PROBABILITY: -- This indicates the chance that the creature will be encountered in its lair. Creatures not met in their lair are termed "wandering." Generally, most creatures will keep some or most of their treasure in their lair, so if the monster is met away from the lair, the players will need to locate the lair in order to obtain the full amount of the monster's treasure.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 4 INTELLIGENCE: -- This indicates the intelligence of the creature relative to the average human. Possible values include "Non-", "Animal", "Semi-intelligent", "Low", "Average", "Very", "High", "Exceptional", "Genius", or occasionally even higher. A non-intelligent creature effectively has an intelligence score of 0, and a "genius" has an intelligence of 18. ALIGNMENT: -- See the OSRIC™ rules, or other compatible ruleset as applicable, for a detailed explanation of alignments. The alignment shown for any given type of monster may not represent the alignment of an individual creature of that type. In the case of less intelligent creatures, there is usually very little variation from these alignments, for they represent instinct more than reasoned thought. Variation in alignment is one of the attributes of humanity and the civilized races allied to humans. Monsters do not usually vary nearly so much. It is worthy of note that in a Game Master's individual campaign the alignment of any particular type of creature is merely a guideline. LEVEL/XP VALUE: -- See the OSRIC™ rules, or other compatible ruleset as applicable, for a detailed explanation of this category.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 5

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 6 ANTLERIN FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 2d12 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 180ft ARMOR CLASS: 4 HIT DICE: 4+4 ATTACKS: 2 (antlers + weapon) DAMAGE: 1d4 + by weapon SPECIAL ATTACKS: None SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: 5% LAIR PROBABILITY: 20% INTELLIGENCE: Average ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 4/ 165+5/hp Chief: 5/ 275+6/hp Shaman: 4/ 240+5/hp Antlerins are evil fey creatures that lurk in the dark forests of temperate and colder climates. They have the head and legs of a black-haired stag, with a human torso. These malevolent beings bring harm and danger to any travelers in their wilderness domains, and often venture beyond their territory to engage in bloody raids against the folk of civilized lands. They usually fight with great halberds, disdaining missile weapons that are not hurled (most carry hunting javelins). APIS BULL GUARDIAN FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d3 SIZE: Large MOVE: 90ft ARMOR CLASS: 4 HIT DICE: 7+3 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 2d4 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Withering breath SPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or better weapon to hit MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75% LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil INTELLIGENCE: NonALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 7/ 1100 + 10/hp A Antlerin - Apis Bull Guardian – Archerfish, Giant – Arrivaunt – Atlaca – Aviant Although normal antlerins have no remarkable fey powers, all are slightly resistant to magic. They do not leave tracks in the snow, and winter is thus their preferred season for raiding. Antlerin bands of 12 or more may (50%) be led by a chief with 5+5 hit dice and a +1 damage bonus. Bands of 20 or more will always be led by a chief and may (25%) also be accompanied by an antlerin shaman (4+4 HD) who casts spells as a 5th level druid. TREASURE: Individual: 4d6 x10 gp. Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2005.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 7 Apis bull guardians are golem-like creatures typically found only within the tombs of great nobles from ages past. These creatures were created from mummified Apis bulls of largest and most magnificent size via a series of complex enchantments now lost to mankind. They attack with their powerful horns, but their more feared attack is their fetid breath, which causes non-magical equipment to rot away instantly, and affects all living targets within a 30ft range as if struck by a staff of withering. Powerful enchantments laid upon these creatures at the time of their creation render them almost completely immune to all but the most powerful of magics. They may only be struck by magical weapons, though like mummies they are susceptible to normal fire. Apis bull guardians do not typically have any treasure of their own (though the tombs they guard are usually very rich) but as part of the process of creation each Apis bull guardian has a single gem of 10,000 gp (or more) value embedded in the center of its skull, and while the guardian ‘lives’ the gem gives off a lambent glow which creates a halo aura around the bull’s head. Despite being created from mummified bulls, these creatures are not considered undead per se, and thus are not susceptible to clerical Turning. TREASURE: See description. Author and copyright holder: T. Foster, 2006. ARCHERFISH, Giant FREQUENCY: Uncommon NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d4 SIZE: Large (10ft long) MOVE: 180ft (swim) ARMOR CLASS: 6 HIT DICE: 4+1 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 1d8 (bite) or 1d4 (spit) SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spit water (See below) SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 10% INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 3/ 130 + 5/hp Giant archerfish are large, predatory swimmers that hunt by spitting a powerful jet of water much as the normal archerfish hunts insects. The giant archerfish’s water jet, however, is strong enough to knock down low-flying aerial prey, knock sailors from the decks of ships, and, in the case of the subterranean giant archerfish, knock creatures from cave ledges to the dark waters below. ARRIVAUNT FREQUENCY: Very rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 2d6 SIZE: Large MOVE: 120ft ARMOR CLASS: 1 HIT DICE: 4+4 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 1d6+6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Leap SPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or better weapon to hit MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil. INTELLIGENCE: Low ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 4/ 170 + 5/hp If any creature the size of a horse or smaller is hit by the archerfish’s spit, it must succeed at a saving throw vs. breath weapon or be knocked down and stunned for 1d4 rounds (+4 AC modifier). Regardless of the saving throw result, the target will take 1d4 damage from the force of the water. Subterranean varieties of the giant archerfish are colorless and blind, relying on their other senses to locate and hit prey. Like all archerfish, the subterranean variety seeks out places where a well-placed spitting attack will knock prey into the water. TREASURE: None. Author and copyright holder: Matt "Mythmere" Finch, 2005.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 8 Arrivaunts are creatures from beyond the mortal realms, common in other planes of existence. They have a roughly spherical body covered with chitinous plates, supported by two exceedingly powerful legs The body has no face and no discernable features other than a great, toothfilled maw. These beings, or beasts, perhaps, are most commonly found in the service of powerful mages, acting in the capacity of guardians. They can follow simple commands and exercise a rudimentary intelligence, which makes them useful thralls. However, arrivaunts also appear on the Prime Material Plane in the wake of powerful magic use, wandering through gaps in the fabric of reality by some inherent capacity unique to these creatures. An arrivaunt can leap fifty feet in a tremendous lion-like attack, often bounding over the top of the front rank of an opposing battle line, causing havoc in the rear of an organized formation. A group of arrivaunts will attempt to surround their enemies by leaping into advantageous positions. The great leap is also used to attack from ambush, If the arrivaunts can place themselves on high ground. When leaping, an arrivaunt attacks with a bonus of +2, and if it hits it will automatically knock its target to the ground unless the character has a strength greater than 15. Crouching for a leap exposes the arrivaunt to a free attack if it is engaged in melee combat. Although Arrivaunts do not accumulate treasure, they are often employed as guards in areas where considerable treasure is to be found. TREASURE: See description. Author and copyright holder: Matt "Mythmere" Finch, 2005. ATLACA FREQUENCY: Uncommon NO. ENCOUNTERED: 15d10 SIZE: Medium (6ft-7ft) MOVE: 120ft ARMOR CLASS: 5 HIT DICE: 2 ATTACKS: 2 claws or weapon DAMAGE: 1d4/1d4 or by weapon SPECIAL ATTACKS: Surprise on 1-3 SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 20% INTELLIGENCE: Average ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 2/ 28 + 2/hp Sub-leader 2/ 50 + 3/hp Chieftain 3/ 85 + 4/hp Shaman 3/ 140 + 4/hp

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 9 Native to tropical climates and often living in the ruins of other cultures, the Atlaca are a brutal and evil race well versed in battle, slaving and sacrifice. They are humanoid, and slightly larger than man-sized, ranging from 6ft to 7ft in height and from 180 to 250 lbs in weight. Their heads are feline, closely resembling a jaguar’s, their bodies are coated in a fine fur ranging from a rosetted tan to black, and they have vicious retractable claws at the end of each finger. Typically they will be garbed in a simple belt to hold pouches, weapons or tools. Other than this occasional headdresses are the only clothing likely to be worn. Due to their feline heritage they surprise enemies on a roll of 1-3 (on a d6). For every 15 Atlaca encountered there will be a sub-leader (3 HD, AC 4). If at least 45 are encountered there will also be a male chieftain (4 HD, AC 3). This male will be accompanied by several wives, strong females with 12- 14 hp. Along with the females, the chieftain will also have several guards of equal strength and status to the sub leaders. In this tribal aristocracy any male in the tribe may challenge the chief to combat for rule after a monthly sacrificial ritual. Although females are physically as strong as males they are not permitted to rule, although they may serve as guards or sub-leaders. When encountered, 25% of an atlaca group will be armed with yaomitls and atlatls (javelins and throwers), 35% will be carrying quauholollis (Stone headed footman’s mace) and 40% will have macquahuitls (wood and obsidian edged broad sword equivalent). Every tribe will have a shaman, a male that does not breed and thus cannot challenge for rule. Shamans are 3+1HD creatures with AC 4, and have the following spell like abilities: heal, entangle, plant growth, summon jaguar and polymorph into a jaguar. A shaman will also carry several bags containing the spores of an unknown tropical fungus, these are similar to dust of sneezing and choking except they leave victims unconscious not dead. A shaman will always have a lower level apprentice working under him. The most important function of a shaman is to oversee sacrifices. This responsibility makes the shaman more important to the tribe than even the chief. Any group encountered is likely to have slaves and prisoners. These individuals serve many purposes; they will be used as labor, sacrifices, food and trade goods. Atlaca often trade with other races but they do not trust them and will only work with them if it is to their own benefit. Although it is uncommon to find other humanoids in an Atlaca village it is common to find jaguars roaming freely as they feel akin to each other. There is also the possibility that Jagweres will be present as well. TREASURE: Individual: 2d6 electrum coins, 2d4 gold coins. Lair: 10% - 1d8x1000 copper coins, 15% - 1d12x1000 silver coins, 15% - 1d8x1000 electrum coins, 50% - 1d6x1000 gold coins, 30% - 1d10 gem stones, 25% - 1d6 jewelry items, 15% - 2 magic items and 40% - 2d8 magic potions. Author and copyright holder: B.J. “Stranger” Poirot, 2006. AVIANT FREQUENCY: Uncommon NO. ENCOUNTERED: 3d8 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 120ft /150ft in flight (max distance 30ft horizontal 150ft vertical) ARMOR CLASS: 6 HIT DICE: 2+2 ATTACKS: 3 DAMAGE: 1d4, 1d4, 2d4 (2 talons, bite) or 1d3 x 3 (darts) SPECIAL ATTACKS: Confusion, 20% Mimic SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 30% INTELLIGENCE: Average ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 2/ 50 + 3/hp Aviants are intelligent man-like birds, approximately 7 feet in height, bearing a close resemblance to huge parrots. Their wings and bodies are covered in bright-hued feathers of vibrant reds, blues, and greens, exact patterns differing by individual. Although they have wings, they are almost completely flightless (see below for movement information). Aviants have taloned hands at the mid-joint of their wings, allowing them to make tools and hold objects with ease. Aviants are social creatures, normally found deep in the dense jungle. A brutal, tribal folk, they make their homes in elaborate village-like rookeries in cliff caves or massive trees. Aviants are omnivorous, but crave human meat above all other meals, and form hunting groups to collect this delicacy from tribal human settlements. It is not uncommon to find human prisoners in aviant lairs, held in captivity to be devoured at leisure by their cruel captors. Aviants are poor and graceless flyers, managing at most 30ft horizontally and 150ft upward. However, they have strong, agile legs, able to carry them briskly through dense underbrush. The wings are predominantly used to help them hop over obstacles as they travel. The underside of Aviant wings is decorated with brilliantly-colored feathers that, when displayed in rapid motion, can cause confusion in foes or prey (save vs. petrifaction or stand confused for 1-2 rounds). Aviants use their wing plumage to throw their victims into disarray, taking them prisoner or tearing ferociously with beak and talon. These creatures prefer attacking up close, but also make darts, thrown 3 at a

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 10 time at a distance of 60 feet. They do not use swords or spears. Another oddity, not possessed by all of these creatures (20% likelihood), is the ability to mimic precisely the sounds and words of creatures they hear. Aviant leaders with the mimicry talent will usually seek to draw prey into traps and ambushes. For every 10 Aviants encountered there will be one shaman (with the abilities of a 1st level cleric) and for every 20 a chief with 5 HD and AC 4. On rare occasions a powerful Aviant leader of 10 HD will unite individual villages to wreak havoc on a grand scale, raiding larger human settlements and even attacking fortifications. When encountered in their villages, Aviant tribes will have between 20-30 males, 30-40 females, and 30-40 chicks (1 HD noncombatants). If attacked, chicks will flee into the jungle and hide. Female aviants lay 1-3 melon-sized eggs at a time, which are bright red with yellow spots. These colorful eggs are fiercely guarded by the females, and brooding females spend much of the time in their nests, keeping the eggs warm. Aviant eggs will fetch 300 gps in civilized towns, for the hatched young can be raised and trained as effective guards and servants. A total of 3- 30 such eggs will be found in the various nests of an aviant rookery. Transporting such eggs to civilization requires great care, for the eggs require considerable heat to stay alive. Chicks captured in the wild remain malicious, and cannot be trained. Aviants speak their own language; only the shamans may have some acquaintance with the common tongue. TREASURE: 20% - 1d12x1000 copper coins, 30% - 1d6x1000 silver coins, 10% - 1d4x1000 electrum coins, 50% - 1d4x5 gem stones, 20% - 1d3 jewelry items and 10% - 2 magic items. Author and copyright holder: M. Ahmed, 2006.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 11 B Ballista Beast – Barrow Corpse – Bedlam Witch - Beguiler – Bewailing Cicadas – Bhannog BALLISTA BEAST FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 2d6 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 60ft ARMOR CLASS: 3 HIT DICE: 4d8+1 ATTACKS: 1 every 2 rounds DAMAGE: 2d6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Tail club SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 25% INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 4/ 130 + 5/hp Ballista Beasts are herbivorous reptiles resembling a cross between a giant tortoise and an anklyosaurus, but with a bony structure resembling a ballista on their backs. From this they can fire a huge chitinous spike resembling the bolt of a ballista; they can store up to 6 of these spikes in a special organ, and regenerate ammunition at the rate of one spike a week. This weapon has a range of 300ft and inflicts 2d6 damage per hit. Ballista Beasts are believed to be formed by wizards from the egg of a giant tortoise with infusions of manticore blood. They have a long, clublike tail which they can use to inflict 1d6 damage to a creature which is behind them. On a natural roll of 20, this tail will stun its target for 1d4 rounds. Variant: An underwater version made from a turtle rather than a tortoise is believed to exist; this creature would have a swimming movement rate of 90ft. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: Stuart “PapersAndPaychecks” Marshall, 2006. BARROW CORPSE FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d4 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 120ft ARMOR CLASS: 5 HIT DICE: 4 initially ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: By weapon SPECIAL ATTACKS: Level drain (special) SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immunities MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 100% (always in a barrow) INTELLIGENCE: Very ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 6/ 540 + 5/hp Like other undead, Barrow Corpses are immune to mindinfluencing effects, poison, sleep, charm, hold, paralysis, stun, cold, and disease. Holy water will inflict 2-8 (2d4) damage per splash. While in its barrow, a Barrow Corpse regenerates like a troll at the rate of 4hp per round, save from damage inflicted by fire, holy water, or silver or magical weapons. However, a non-magical weapon is capable of hitting them. The touch of a Barrow Corpse will drain one life energy level, simultaneously conferring five stolen hit points on the monster (no saving throw, although the ‘Corpse must score a successful hit in combat to do this). Note that these hit points are gained rather than healed, and the Barrow Corpse can exceed its initial (rolled) hp total by this method. Barrow Corpses are rendered helpless by sunlight and thus can easily be slain if caught outside their barrows during the hours of daylight. While typically only one Barrow Corpse is encountered per barrow, a few of the larger barrows may contain up to six of these monsters, possibly also featuring minor ancillary undead such as skeletons. Each barrow will typically contain 2d100 gold pieces, from 1-6 randomly-determined pieces of jewellery, and may even hold a magic item at the GM’s discretion. TREASURE: See description Author and copyright holder: Stuart “PapersAndPaychecks” Marshall, 2006.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 12 BEDLAM WITCH FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1-7 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 90ft, flying 120ft ARMOR CLASS: 10/5 (see below) HIT DICE: 3+3 or 6+6 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 1d4 or weapon SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: 15% LAIR PROBABILITY: 20% INTELLIGENCE: Average to High ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil LEVEL/X.P.: Witch : 4/ 205 + 4/hp Warlock : 6/ 865 + 6/hp Bedlam witches are hideous and extremely evil hags that dwell in deep forests and swamps. They are quite cunning and always of chaotic evil alignment. When encountered, these witches always seem very old (which they may be) and grotesque, often with disfigurements. Despite the horrible appearance, they seem to be human, which they are not ... entirely. The witch-race stems from both prolonged interaction with evil beings and severe interbreeding with their own kind over many eons. Unspeakable rituals are also said to be possible, that can transform a human into one of these foul creatures. The skin color of bedlam witches ranges from purple to green, with rough mole-covered skin. Bedlam witches are secretive, and prefer desolate and lonely places in which to dwell and practice their form of black magic. These places are often, though, within 30 miles of small villages, towns or isolated roads where they can kidnap, torture or murder at will. These crones spend the majority of their time in their dark lairs, brewing potions, magical powders, teas, ointments, and other hideous concoctions, which they use themselves, or on occasion sell or trade with other evil creatures. Bedlam Witches are excellent poison brewers as well, and are occasionally visited by thieves and assassins who seek them out to buy their deadly goods (though such purchases are never cheap and usually require a trade in blood, such as an innocent village girl, or perhaps a valiant knight). The magic used by Bedlam Witches is very old and primitive, mixing dark shamanism with devil worship. In fact, all these Witches regularly communicate with devils and demons, making sacrifices to them on a regular basis. 90% of the time Bedlam Witches will be encountered wearing an ointment that makes their skin both slippery and tough. The ointment makes it very difficult to pin them in combat, and reduces their armor class to 5. Also 75% of the time they will be encountered under the influence of a magical tonic that allows them to glide about (to a maximum of 4 feet above the ground) moving at 120ft. All Bedlam witches can summon a devil or demon in 1- 10 turns if they know its name. Summoned demons or devils always require a quality sacrifice before they will consider aiding the witch. Some sort of a summoning chamber is required, as are special human fat candles, powders, blood inks, hair and the like. Bedlam Witches are normally encountered with 2-8 magical devices in addition to those listed above. The list below is not exhaustive, and the GM is encouraged to generate other witch-items as he sees fit. Some common magical devices: 1. Potion of healing (2-12 hit points). 2. Eyedrops of Infravision (24 hour duration). 3. Wand of stinking cloud (1-3 charges, per the spell) made of an oak twig. 4. Poison darts 1-4 (death poison at +4 saving throw) made from thorns. 5. Potion of paralysis (thrown, with a 10ft diameter area of effect and a duration of 1d10 turns). 6. Powder of mass charm (per the spell with a 10ft radius of the place where the bag is thrown; duration 1d6 rounds. 7. Springing Spiders (poisonous spiders packed into a ball are thrown up to 120ft, with a successful attack roll required. The victim must make a saving throw vs. poison or die, as the ball breaks apart into thousands of biting spiders). 8. Ensnarement vine (a 10-30 foot vine that acts like a snake, winding around 1-2 victims. It follows the command of its controller, has an AC of 5, and has 1-3 HD. Move 150ft). 9. Levitation Twine (a cord 10-30 feet in length; anything tied to it levitates and seems weightless). These cords are often used to transport captured prisoners. The maximum weight for the twine is 1,000 pounds. 10. Voodoo doll (requires a belonging of the individual affected). The victim must save vs. magic or can be made to do anything the possessor wishes. By injuring the doll the witch can inflict 1d10 hit points per round until the victim is killed. The witch must be able to see her victim for the voodoo doll to work (though this can be at any distance, and may be done from hiding). The Voodoo Doll can also be used to cause severe pain to the victim. Those who fail a saving throw against spells will suffer a penalty of -4 on all attack rolls and collapse from pain in 1-4 rounds. 11. Potion of transformation: Allows the witch to polymorph into a giant rat, giant spider, giant viper, or giant scorpion, always retaining, however, the witch’s own facial features. The effects last 1d10 hours. The affected

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 13 BEGUILER FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d3 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 10ft ARMOR CLASS: 6 HIT DICE: 8 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 2d4 (on an 18 or better suffocates for additional 2d4) SPECIAL ATTACKS: Transform Mist and fog, surprise 1- 4 in 6 SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil INTELLIGENCE: Low ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 6/ 725 + 10/hp A Beguiler is a telepathic entity, with the ability to manipulate fog and mist into semi-solid shapes. By reading the minds of its prey it can determine what the victim most desires, and create a likeness of that thing, albeit one that is obscured in surrounding mists. When a victim moves within the beguiler’s range, the beguiler will attack, changing into a dense column of fog that reaches out to suffocate its intended prey. Villagers report mothers and fathers lured into these deadly mists to follow the image of a beloved child, a family pet, or some other thing of great emotional significance. Adventurers, likewise, may be duped into chasing a useful object (such as a rowboat pulled upon a misty beach) or a fellow adventurer who seems to be wandering off. Often, beguilers will lead dangerous prey into a situation where the beguiler will be able to attack with an advantage (into quicksand, into thick undergrowth, off the edge of a cliff etc.) Beguilers must have mist or fog to take form, otherwise they cannot attack or be seen. A gust of wind spell will destroy a Beguiler. TREASURE: None. Author and copyright holder: M. Ahmed, 2006. person has all the powers of the transformed monster and at the moment of transformation into the new form regains any hit points lost before drinking the potion. 12. Mushroom Spores (either thrown in a bag, or the mushrooms are planted along paths as a trap). When the mushrooms are stepped upon they release their spores in a fine gas like mist. 30% of the time these mushrooms cause paralysis for 1d10 turns, and 70% of the time they cause violent hallucinations for 1d10 turns. During this time, the victim will attempt to deal with whatever danger he perceives; but his perceptions will be badly altered. 13. Enchantment oil (this oil is rubbed onto small ordinary objects such as a book or pebble). Anyone viewing the affected object will see instead an item (such as a gem or powerful magical item) of such high value that the viewer will become enchanted with it and run to it without caution. Once the item is touched, the illusion disappears. This enchantment is often used to trick or trap a victim. Bedlam-witch potions, poisons and other items of bewitchment have a lifespan of 1-100 days (depending on the type), before they dissolve into a foul mud. Note: using witch magic is an evil act, as their potions contain components of a questionable nature (often human or demi-human). Bedlam witches hate the sound of breaking glass, and will flee the sound as they would from a 12th level fear spell. Therefore, glass is normally removed from the lairs of these witches and the area around them. There is a 30% chance that a Bedlam Witch will possess a familiar (of the various varieties described for the magic user spell find familiar); witch-familiars are always of an evil disposition, if not evil alignment. When bedlam witches are found in groups of five or greater they will be accompanied by a 6+6 HD male warlock. The warlock has all of the powers of a witch, but can summon a type 1 demon for help in 1d10 rounds, simply by concentrating. It is common for warlocks to have the spellcasting power of a cleric or magic user of 4th or greater level in addition to their innate powers as a member of the witchbreed. All Bedlam witches can trace their bloodlines back at least 300 years, and they have a hierarchy reflecting the power of greater or lesser ancestors. Bedlam witches speak the languages of many of the creatures they work with, as well as their own language and the common tongue. TREASURE: Magical Items (see above) Authors and copyright holders: M. Ahmed and S. Ahmed, 2006.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 14 BEWAILING CICADAS FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d20 SIZE: Small (1ft long) ARMOR CLASS: 8 MOVE: 180ft flying HIT DICE: 1 ATTACKS: 1 (female only) DAMAGE: 1d4 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 1/ 14 + 1/hp These insects, resembling a cross between a fly and a moth, are named for the mating call produced by the males, a painfully high-pitched shriek used to alert females of the species to potential prey. During breeding season, the female cicadas need to consume blood, and are called into the territory of watchful males by the piercing mating call. During this season, if a living creature of at least 3ft in size passes near a male, the cicada will vent its piercing shriek, audible up to a mile away. The males themselves do not attack, and are difficult to find; they will normally be concealed high in trees, motionless and relying upon their natural camouflage. Anyone within 300ft of a sounding male will be made physically uncomfortable by the sound, suffering -1 to all attacks. In the radius of the sound it is not possible to concentrate well enough to cast spells. A breeding call can summon as many as 20 female cicadas. The females will be frenzied by the call, and do not make morale checks. Females require a limited quantity of blood to breed, and when any female has inflicted 10 hps of

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 15 damage she will break off from combat and fly to the signaling male. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: B.J. “Stranger” Poirot, 2006 .BHANNOG FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1 SIZE: Large (8ft tall) MOVE: 120ft ARMOR CLASS: -3 HIT DICE: 11 ATTACKS: 2 DAMAGE: 1d8+6/1d8+6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: 60% LAIR PROBABILITY: 40% INTELLIGENCE: Genius ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 8/ 5,400 + 16/hp Bhannogs are powerful giantess-hags, related to the annis and greenhag, but far greater in both magical power and in the scope of their evil influence. Like other hags, bhannogs are tall, lean giantesses, avid eaters of human flesh. They lair in remote places in the wilderness, such as deep forests, caves, isolated cottages, forgotten ruins, and even in deep dungeons or (rarely) small castles. A bhannog’s lair is a frightful place, littered with bones, rife with deadly traps, and often well-guarded by the hag’s slaves and golems (see below). The presence of a bhannog in or near civilized lands is a dangerous blight, for although bhannogs prefer to work indirectly through their agents and minions, they seek to bring vast areas under their subtle dominion. A bhannog’s schemes and influences can rarely be traced directly to the bhannog herself, who sits like a spider in the center of a tangled web of many complex plans, most of them directed by her agents rather than directly by the hag. Although they often have good relations with Night Hags, bhannogs are not extraplanar creatures. Their magical powers are akin to druidism, but rooted in more ancient secrets of blood and darkness. Bhannogs are highly charismatic to certain monster types, and will often have hill giants, ogres, vulchlings, harpies, giant ravens, and/or several murders of crows (q.v.) in or near their lairs. Lesser hags such as an annis or greenhag may also be found in the vicinity. Bhannogs will gladly employ evil humans as agents in their nefarious and complex plots, and actively seek contact with potential human agents. In addition to these followers, bhannogs are expert in crafting hideous servants for themselves out of natural materials, bone, and dead flesh. A bhannog will often be guarded by flesh golems, voudoun golems (q.v.), or other such products of her loathsome artistry. All bhannogs can cast Polymorph Self, Snare, and Charm Monster once per day. Once every three rounds, a Bhannog can unleash a forking blast of lightning from her outstretched hands. This ability (which requires the same casting time as a Lightning Bolt spell) functions exactly as per the spell (11th level caster ability), but can be divided into as many as five forks directed at different targets. The 11 dice of damage are divided among the forks, as allocated at the time of casting. To determine the class and level of a bhannog’s other spellcasting powers, use the following table: D100 roll / Abilities 01-45 / Casts spells as a druid of level 7-12 (1d6+6) 46-60 / Casts spells as an illusionist of level 9-14 (1d6+8) 61-75 / Casts spells as a cleric of level 9-14 (1d6+8) 76-90 / Casts spells as a magic user of level 8-13 (1d6+7) 91-99 / Combines the abilities of two kinds of spellcaster; roll twice on this table, ignoring any results of 91 or greater 100 / Very powerful Bhannog, roll again to determine class, adding +6 to her casting level. TREASURE: 2d4x100 gold coins, 1d6x10 platinum coins, 50% - 1d4 gem stones (x5), 60% - 1 non-weapon/nonarmor magic item and 1 magic potion Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2005.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 16 C Caladrius –Cave Witch – Cavern Glazer – Centipedes, Nest of – Chalkeion, Men of Bronze – Clam, Giant (Fresh Water) – Crab, Giant Fiddler – Crawling Corpse –Crows, Murder of CALADRIUS FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1 SIZE: Small (4ft) MOVE: 360ft fly ARMOR CLASS: 7 HIT DICE: 1 ATTACKS: Nil DAMAGE: Nil SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil SPECIAL DEFENSES: See Below MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 95% INTELLIGENCE: Supra-Genius ALIGNMENT: Lawful Good LEVEL/X.P.: 2/ 49 + 1/hp A caladrius is a four-foot tall, white bird, quite similar in appearance to a crane. These legendary creatures are great oracles and healers, though they are reclusive and seldom interfere in the affairs of mankind. In times of great need, good-aligned individuals (and occasionally even those of the neutral alignments) may undertake quests for the guidance of these birds, for they are rumored to give assistance when so asked. Such quests generally entail considerable danger and difficulty for the seeker, for the caladrii cherish their solitude, and make their nests only in the most remote of locations. When found in their lairs, caladrii will often seem to be in a meditative state, but they are always fully aware of their surroundings. They can never be surprised, due to their knowledge of the future. After being visited in its lair, it is possible that a caladrius will relocate to a new home. Caladrii have extensive knowledge in all the fields of the sages, and are able to use all non-offensive clerical spells once per day as a caster of 20th level. They may require compensation, normally completion of a quest, in return for their aid. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: B.J. “Stranger” Poirot, 2006. CAVE WITCH FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d3 SIZE: Medium (7ft tall) MOVE: 90ft (60ft swim) ARMOR CLASS: -1 HIT DICE: 5+3 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 2d6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Strangling SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 50% INTELLIGENCE: Very ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 5/ 425 + 6/hp Cave witches are evil giantesses that live underground, far from sunlight, which turns them instantly to stone. They are extraordinarily ugly, with narrow faces and bulging white eyes without pupils. Cave witches can breathe water, but it is not their native element. A cave witch can spider climb at will (per the spell), and can cast stone shape once per day. In addition to the cave witch’s normal melee attack with a stone sword or mace (2d6 damage), she may use her other hand to attack at a range of up to 100 feet with her magical power to choke opponents into unconsciousness. To use this power, the hag simply points at any opponent in sight and grips her hand into a strangling gesture. If she makes a successful roll to hit, the victim feels the hag’s hand close around his throat and begins to choke. In the following round, the victim must save vs. death, and must continue to make saving throws each round thereafter unless the hag is killed or chooses to switch to a different target. Each successive round, the saving throw becomes progressively more difficult, with a cumulative –1 penalty being added each round. When the target eventually fails the saving throw, he will fall into a coma for 1d12 rounds. It is possible for a victim to attack and even to cast spells while being strangled in this fashion. Cave witch lairs frequently have underwater entrances, but the living quarters will be dry, allowing use of the hag’s cauldron and the other tools of her witchcraft. This

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 17

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 18 equipment will be rudimentary by any standard, but may contain items useful in preparing various magical concoctions. The giantess will always carry 1-2 potions ready for use, in addition to any indicated in her treasure trove. The lair will usually (60% chance) contain either 1- 4 giant centipedes or 1-2 large spiders. Cave witches may be distantly related to trolls, and often cooperate with them. TREASURE: 50% - 1d8x1000 copper coins, 25% - 1d6x1000 silver coins, 25% - 1d4x1000 electrum coins, 25% -1d3x1000 gold coins, 30% - 1d8 gem stones, 20% - 1d4 jewelry items and 10% - magic sword, armor or other magical item. Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2005. CAVERN GLAZER FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d6+6 SIZE: Small MOVE: 10ft ARMOR CLASS: 3 HIT DICE: 1 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 1hp SPECIAL ATTACKS: Fasten to prey, Slime (see below) SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 80% INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 3/ 80 + 1/hp Cavern glazers are large snails, about the size of a cat, with thick, rock-hard shells resembling jagged cavern rock. These scavengers leave thick, slippery trails of slime behind them as they move. The slime is not particularly reflective, and will normally go unnoticed unless a party of adventurers is scrutinizing the floor for such hazards. Anyone stepping into an area traveled heavily by cavern glazers (or stepping directly onto a trail) will suffer the effects of a virtually frictionless surface. The slime has no traction upon stone, but sticks like a weak glue to other substances; leather, skin, and metal. It is extremely difficult to remain standing upon cavern glazer slime, and even stepping back out of the trail makes little difference. Once the slime adheres to boot leather it will remain there, offering no traction against the stone floor. Falling onto a slime trail (saving throw against wands) causes even more debility, for the substance will glue armor to body, hold backpacks closed, gum fingers together, etc., all while granting no purchase whatsoever against stone surfaces. A character with slime on his feet generally suffers a –2 penalty to attacks and relevant saving throws, and can move only at half normal speed. Opponents gain +2 to hit the character. A character who is actually coated in slime can move only 10ft per round if his strength is greater than 12, and if his strength is 12 or less cannot move at all until freed. Casting spells successfully while coated in slime will only be successful 50% of the time, no dexterity bonus will apply to armor class, opponents gain a bonus of +2 to hit, and the character’s attacks and saving throws will incur a penalty of –4. Depending on the circ*mstances, of course, there may be other consequences to being coated in slime, including sliding down slopes and being unable to take equipment from containers that have been glued fast. Cavern glazers attack with their leech-like mouths, emerging when prey are thrashing about in distress. Once a cavern glazer bites (1d4), it continues to eat for an additional 1hp of automatic damage per round. Although cavern glazers are not intelligent, trial and error leads their trails to become better and better placed over time. In consequence, well-established cavern glazer lairs have often evolved slowly into deadly natural traps. Such old lairs take excellent advantage of natural features such as pits or slopes to compound the danger of the slime trails. The slime loses its lubricant properties after 2 hours, and is no longer adhesive after 6 hours. Applying wine or vinegar to cavern glazer slime causes it to immediately lose both its lubricant and adhesive properties. TREASURE: 30% - 1d6x1000 silver coins, 25% - 1d2 electrum coins and 50% - 1d4 gem stones. Lair: 40% - 2d8 magic potions. Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2005.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 19 CENTIPEDES, Nest of FREQUENCY: Common NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d4 SIZE: Large (1ft diameter swarm) MOVE: 30ft ARMOR CLASS: 7 HIT DICE: 3 ATTACKS: See below DAMAGE: 1 hp automatic SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poison SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to all but blunt weapons MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 75% INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 2/ 95 + 3/hp A nesting of centipedes is a vast collection of normal centipedes, often combined with a few other sorts of bugs that tend to share the same living space: co*ckroaches and spiders, generally. Such vermin are not appreciably dangerous individually, but when a great number of them are disturbed at once they can present a serious threat. A party will normally encounter a nest of centipedes by accidentally disturbing the nest itself. Moving large wooden beams and prying into ancient masonry entail the risk of arousing one of these huge colonies. The centipedes of the nest are treated, for the sake of convenience, as a single monster. The nesting’s hit dice represent the amount of damage required to scatter and kill enough of the swarming vermin so that, as a group, they no longer pose a threat. If a nest of centipedes manages to swarm over a character (either by landing on him or by moving around him), that character will sustain 1hp of damage per round automatically from the resulting bites. Moreover, even if the character subsequently moves away from the central mass of the nest, he will continue to sustain 1 hp of damage per round until a total of three rounds have been spend picking away and killing the centipedes which remain on him. Other characters may assist with this task, each lessening the time required by one round. A centipede nest is immune to any damage other than that caused by a bludgeoning weapon such as a mace (although the mere expedient of kicking and stomping can inflict 1d2 hps damage with a successful hit). Any spell which affects an area rather than a single target (such as burning hands) will inflict double damage. For every five hit points of damage inflicted by a nest of centipedes against a single opponent, there is enough poison injected into the victim’s body to cause paralysis for 3-12 turns. Fortunately, the poison is relatively weak (+2 on saving throw). TREASURE: Lair: 25% - 1d4x1000 copper coins and 20% - 1d3x1000 silver coins. Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2005. CHALKEION (The “Men of Bronze”) FREQUENCY: Very rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 6d10 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 120ft ARMOR CLASS: 5 (see below) HIT DICE: 5 or more (see below) ATTACKS: 2 DAMAGE: By weapon SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 5% INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional ALIGNMENT: Neutral (lawful tendencies) LEVEL/X.P.: 3/ 130 + 5/hp The proud Men of Bronze are legendary for their martial prowess and ferocity. They appear as normal men (albeit unusually handsome and well proportioned normal men) with a deep reddish-brown skin tone and are typically armed and dressed in antique fashion. The chalkeions are the last remnants of a former age, and those few who remain make their living as mercenaries, for they crave battle above all things. Their flesh is not literally bronze, but it is exceptionally tough, giving them a natural armor class of 5. In battle, they usually wear leather armor and shields (which reduces their AC to 2), carry spears and javelins, and do not typically ride horses. In melee, chalkeions function as berserkers, gaining 2 attacks per round and never needing to check morale. Because of their fearlessness and strict discipline they are highly sought after as mercenaries, but it is also well known that the men of bronze place loyalty to their brethren and self preservation above their employers’ interests and will not obey orders which they perceive as foolish or suicidal. For every 6 men of bronze encountered there will typically be a sergeant with 6 hit dice, for every 12 a lieutenant with 7 or 8 hit dice, and groups of 30 or more are typically led by a captain with 10-12 hit dice. TREASURE: 50% - 10d4x1000 gold coins, 50% - 1d20x100 platinum coins, 30% - 5d4 gem stones, 25% - 1d10 jewelry items and 5% - 4 magic items and 1 magic scroll. Additionally, 30% - 3d6x100 platinum coins, 90% - 10d8 gem stones, 80% - 5d6 jewelry items, 15% - 1 magic item and 70 % - 1 magic weapon, 1 magic armor and 1 miscellaneous magic item. Author and copyright holder: T. Foster, 2006.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 20 CLAM, GIANT LEOPARD (FRESH WATER) FREQUENCY: Uncommon NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d8 SIZE: Large MOVE: 60ft in mud 120ft in open water ARMOR CLASS: 6/-2 HIT DICE: 7-10 ATTACKS: 1 plus water jet DAMAGE: 1d10 crushing SPECIAL ATTACKS: Surprises 1-3 in 6 SPECIAL DEFENSES: Water Jet (see below) MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 6/ 700 + 8/hp to 8 /2400 + 14/hp Giant leopard clams are very similar to normal freshwater clams, though gigantic in size. The outside shell is covered in a spotted pattern resembling the markings found on leopards. These massive clams inhabit deep mud banks in the shallows of fresh water swamps, lakes, rivers and bays, filtering out the nutrients of these rich environments. These clams can grow to enormous size (7-10 feet across and weighing from 200-500 pounds). They are quite mobile, and have quite a predatory nature. Due to their vast size, giant leopard clams are forced to supplement their filtered diet with animal meat. When a leopard clam begins to feel hungry (often during dry spells when fewer nutrients enrich the water) the clam moves to just below the surface of the mud in which it lairs and extends a 3 foot long stalk with multiple eyes. The stalk is undetectable (90%), appearing as a water plant or a drifting piece of flotsam. When prey moves within 10 feet, the main body of the clam (including the massive shell) will quickly move to the surface, open wide, and grab at its prey with a powerful muscle that wraps around the victim. The clam will pull victims into its shell (see below), which then snaps shut. The clam then crushes the body (or portion of the body) enclosed within the shell with tremendous force, squeezing out juices which it then consumes with its hungry filters. When the Leopard Clam hits with its tongue-like grabbing muscle, the muscle wraps around the victim, drawing him or her into the interior portion of the clam’s shell, which clamps shut. Man-sized creatures are completely engulfed within the interior cavity of the clam 50% of the time; while 25% of the time 2 limbs are held, and 25% of the time only one limb will be pinned. Creatures smaller than man sized will be completely engulfed within the clam 70% of the time, have 2 limbs held 20% of the time, and only 1 limb held 10% of the time. Creatures larger than man sized are engulfed only 10% of the time, have two limbs held 20% of the time, and one limb held 70% of the time. The GM will randomly determine which limbs are held. Once the clam has a victim firmly in its grasp, it will dig itself back down into the mud at a rate of 6 ft. per round. The person held by the clam must successfully make a roll similar to bending bars and lifting gates to break free. If the victim has a hand free, he or she may attempt to fight the clam with a weapon. The leopard clam can also blast opponents with a powerful jet of water, inflicting only 1-3 pts of damage, but causing anyone hit by the torrent to make a saving throw vs. dragon breath or lose footing in the muddy surface (-1 penalty). The thick tongue-like appendage and inner muscle of the clam has an AC of 6, while the exterior shell is very hard and has an AC of -2. The person held by the clam can attack the muscle 100% of the time providing they have a hand free, while those assisting can only reach the muscle 25% of the time and otherwise must attack the very hard shell. Many giant leopard clams (50% chance) contain a pearl the size of a chicken egg, worth 100-1,000 gp. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: M. Ahmed, 2006.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 21 CRAB, GIANT FIDDLER FREQUENCY: Uncommon NO. ENCOUNTERED: 2d6 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 150ft ARMOR CLASS: 5 HIT DICE: 2 ATTACKS: 2 DAMAGE: 1d3/3d4 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Surprise from hole 50% (1-3 in 6) SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 70% INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 2/ 36 + 2/hp Unlike the heavier species of giant crab, the giant fiddler moves quickly and surely on long, powerful legs. Giant fiddler crabs are well adapted to living on land, and can breathe air for a day before needing to re-submerge: they mix air with water stored in gill-like cavities within their bodies, creating a foam of bubbles near their mouths as they breathe. Though they can be found in colonies several miles inland (usually in marshy areas or along rivers in coastal regions) giant fiddler crabs prefer mud or dirt (avoiding sand) close to the ocean, where they burrow large interconnected chambers and tunnels to form colonies. Giant fiddler crabs are scavengers and hunters. The females prefer scavenging, for their two small claws are not well suited for hunting or combat (damage 1-3/ 1-3). The male of the species, however, has one massive claw resembling a fiddle, along with a smaller one. The massive claw delivers 3-12 hp of damage to its victim. If a 17 or higher is rolled with this larger claw, the crab’s prey is pinned, causing an automatic 2-8 pts of crushing damage per round thereafter, and allowing the smaller claw to attack at +2. Giant Fiddler Crabs often wait near their burrow entrances for prey to wander by. They will dart out to attack, sometimes with many emerging simultaneously from one or more burrows. Once a victim is pinned, a fiddler crab will attempt to carry or drag it down into the burrow. From 10 to 30 feet below the surface, the crab tunnels will continue under the water, where the crabs will drown the victim and then feed at leisure. Giant Fiddler Crab are social animals living in colonies. They communicate with one another using their claws to gesture. They vary in color from fluorescent purple to muddy green. Giant fiddler crabs have no interest in treasure, but their lairs may contain the uneaten belongings of their vicitims. The shell of the Giant Fiddler Crab is lighter and weaker than other species of giant crab. TREASURE: See description. Author and copyright holder: M. Ahmed, 2006. CRAWLING CORPSE FREQUENCY: Uncommon NO. ENCOUNTERED: 2d10 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 30ft ARMOR CLASS: 9 HIT DICE: 1 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 1d6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: None SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 50% INTELLIGENCE: NonALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 1/ 10 + 1/hp Crawling corpses are created (usually unintentionally) when animate dead is cast upon skeletons or corpses with damaged legs, or when normally created undead are damaged after being animated. A crawling corpse is unable to move normally, and must pull itself along with its arms. These damaged undead, being of little use to their creators, are seldom found under the direct control of evil spellcasters. Bands of them often form, over time, in

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 22 areas where large numbers of lesser undead have been created. A crawling corpse formed from a skeleton takes only half damage from edged weapons. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: Stuart “PapersAndPaychecks” Marshall, 2005. CROWS, Murder of FREQUENCY: Common NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d4 SIZE: Large (100ft diameter flock) MOVE: 10ft/180ft fly ARMOR CLASS: 7 HIT DICE: 3 ATTACKS: See below DAMAGE: 1d2 hp automatic SPECIAL ATTACKS: None SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to piercing weapons MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 50% INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 2/ 95 + 3/hp A murder of crows is simply a large flock of normal crows. Under ordinary circ*mstances, even a large group of these birds will not bother humans, but if they are supernaturally influenced to attack (or otherwise provoked) they can be quite dangerous. A murder of crows is treated for convenience as a single entity, although it is actually made up of a hundred or so individual birds. The flock’s hit points are treated as a single number, and represent not the survival of individual crows but the cohesion of the entire murder as an attacking unit. When the murder is “killed,” it may represent the death of all the birds, or it may simply mean that the flock has been dispersed into panic and driven away. The crows inflict an automatic 1d2 points of damage against any creature caught within the diameter of the flock, which will always remain in a roughly spherical shape as the individual birds swoop and peck at opponents. Casting spells, of course, is completely impossible for anyone caught within the whirling cloud of vicious birds. A murder of crows takes no meaningful damage from piercing weapons such as spears, although polearms that can be used in a slashing attack (halberds, bardiches and glaives, for instance) will inflict normal damage. Any spell that causes damage in a general area (such as burning hands, cone of cold, etc.) will inflict double damage against a murder of crows. TREASURE: Lair: 25% - 1d4x1000 copper coins and 20% - 1d3x1000 silver coins. Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2005.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 23 D Dark Envoy – Deceived of Set – Demons –Drakes DARK ENVOY FREQUENCY: Very rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1 SIZE: Medium or Large MOVE: 240ft, flying 480ft; can pass freely through stone or earth but not metal ARMOR CLASS: -8 HIT DICE: 12+48 ATTACKS: 1 touch per round DAMAGE: No hit point damage (see below) SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: Totally immune, with a few specific exceptions LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil (75% on lower outer planes) INTELLIGENCE: Genius or higher ALIGNMENT: Evil (80% Neutral, 10% Lawful, 10% Chaotic) LEVEL/X.P.: 9/ 5950 + 16/hp Dark Envoys are senior creatures from the Lower Outer Planes. They are different in some fundamental way from Demons, Daemons, Devils etc., and may be formed naturally from the evil essence of the planes themselves, rather than merely inhabiting them. They are occasionally at odds with the other planar denizens, and occasionally found supporting them. Their touch causes no damage, but it corrupts. A character who is touched by such a creature should roll 2d3 for each of his or her stats. If the result is an even number, it is subtracted from the stat; if it is an odd number, it is added (racial minima/maxima override this, so no human may have a stat higher than 18 or lower than 3 as a result of this process). There will be cosmetic changes in the character as well, so he or she may grow scales, talons, a forked tongue, a tail, or suffer some other strange effect chosen by the GM or in accordance with the table provided below: Random changes table 1 - Body part affected (d%) 01-20 Right leg 21-40 Left leg 41-45 Tail (added to creature if tail not already possessed) 46-55 Abdomen 56-65 Chest 66-75 Right arm 76-90 Left Arm 91-99 Head 00 Special result Random changes table 2 - Limb subtable (d6) 1 Grows talons (1d3 damage from natural claw attack) (lose 2 DEX) 2 Boneless (limb useless) 3 Changed to tentacle (1d2 constriction damage from natural attack) (lose 2 DEX) 4 Limb hugely enlarged (add 1 STR) 5 Limb hugely shrunk (lose 1 STR) 6 Grows scales Random changes table 3 - Tail subtable (d4) 1 Lion-like tail 2 Serpentine tail 3 Scorpion tail (venomous stinger, 1 damage, save or die) 4 Rabbit tail Random changes table 4 - Chest/abdomen subtable (d4) 1 Additional limb sprouts from chest or abdomen (subtable 2) 2 Grows scales 3 Grows thick fur or hair 4 Grows chitinous shell (unarmored AC decreases to base 7) Random changes table 5 - Head subtable (d6) 1 Grows horns or antlers 2 Nose/ears massively enlarged 3 Nose/ears fall off 4 Eyes are now on stalks like a slug 5 Cyclops (one single eye, depth perception lost, -2 on missile attacks) 6 Grows huge tusks (1d3 damage natural attack) 7 Grows fangs like a beast (1d2 damage natural attack) 8 Grows huge beard (if female non-dwarf)/loses beard and ability to grow one (if male or dwarf) Random changes table 6 - Special (d4) 1 Victim’s gender changes 2 Victim is infected with advanced leprosy, highly infectious - Remove Curse followed by Cure Disease necessary to cure 3 Victim’s whole body changes color randomly 4 Small, useless wings sprout from back (insectoid, avian or bat-like, equal chance of each) In addition, there is a 50% chance per touch that the character will immediately become Evil (his or her alignment on the Law/Chaos/Neutrality axis will remain

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 24 unchanged, so a Chaotic Good character would become Chaotic Evil but a paladin would be Lawful Evil). All of the effects of the Dark Envoy’s touch are effective against any creature, including undead, short of demigod status. They can travel freely through the planes, at will, unless banished (see below). Dark Envoys are immune to all magic save as noted below. They are immune to weapons of less than +2 value and invulnerable to the special attacks of most creatures (level drain, turn to stone, etc.) They exist only to further the cause of evil, preferably by converting formerly good-aligned creatures to the evil cause. Dark Envoys can be turned by a good-aligned cleric or paladin as a special on the cleric/undead matrix. The following spells will work on them: Magic missile will cause full normal damage Dispel Evil has a 50% chance of banishing the creature back to its home plane for 101 years Holy Word will stun and deafen them, rendering the creature helpless for 1d4 rounds A Death spell, Power Word: Kill, Slay Living or any other similar spell which directly causes death will heal them to full hp Globe of Invulnerability or Anti-Magic shell prevents their touch from working inside its radius but will not otherwise harm them Wish, Limited Wish or Alter Reality can only be used to banish the creature to its home plane for 101 years, otherwise will not affect them Unlike Demons, Devils or Daemons, a Dark Envoy slain on any plane is permanently and irrevocably dead. Rumors persist of special Dark Envoys which have spellcasting powers equivalent to a Wizard (11th-14th level) or a High Priest (11th-14th level). A Dark Envoy will always wear a heavy gold crown, studded with precious jewels. The value of such a crown is 50,000-100,000 gold pieces (1d6+4 x 10,000). They will have no other treasure. Description: A Dark Envoy is a large humanoid with no eyes, nose, mouth, hair, ears or fingernails. They are sometimes naked, sometimes wear cowls or robes and may be mistaken for liches. The creature’s skin is a glossy jet black. TREASURE: See text. Author and copyright holder: Stuart “PapersAndPaychecks” Marshall, 2006. DECEIVED OF SET, The FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d6 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 120ft (See Below) ARMOR CLASS: 3 HIT DICE: 5+3 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 1d8 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See Below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See Below MAGIC RESISTANCE: See Below LAIR PROBABILITY: 100% INTELLIGENCE: Average ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 4/ 350 + 6/hp The Deceived of Set were once priests of Set. Greedy and sad*stic, they were misled by their superiors into thinking that they would be granted great status in the afterlife by performing a series of hideous rituals upon themselves. However, these rituals instead cursed them, condemning them to an eternity of torment and madness. A Deceived of Set in many ways resembles a mummy, but its head has been removed and replaced with the rotting skull of an ass. A high-pitched keening continually emanates from the monster. While the Deceived of Set can deliver a savage bite, their preferred method of attack is a cone of negative energy that has a range of 30ft. All in the cone who fail a save vs. poison will lose 1-6 points of constitution, and any who reach a constitution of 0 will die. Con points will return at a rate of 1 per day. The Deceived of Set can emit this cone 3 times/day. When encountered it will always be found secured to the floor, a pillar or wall by an elaborately-wrought chain, which is an integral part of its curse. As long as the Deceived of Set is secured by the chain it has the following extra abilities beyond those already stated: regeneration at 3 hp/round, immunity to turning, and can only be hit by +2 or better weapons. Holy water (which causes 2-8 hp damage) and holy weapons will cause damage that the Deceived will not be able to regenerate. These additional abilities are lost as soon as the Deceived is released from its bonds. It takes 2 rounds to unwrap a Deceived of Set from its chains. The chain can be physically broken in 1 round (a bend bars/lift gate roll is required) or the chain may also be broken by magical means. It should be noted that anyone trying to remove the chain will be subject to a bite attack.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 25 When not bound by the chains, the Deceived of Set are treated as mummies on the cleric/undead table. Sleep, charm and other mind-influencing spells do not affect these creatures. The Deceived of Set care not for treasure and have none that they call their own, yet are often imprisoned in tombs along with items of value. TREASURE: 10% - 1d8x1000 copper coins, 15% - 1d12x1000 silver coins, 15% - 1d8x1000 electrum coins, 50% - 1d6x1000 gold coins, 30% - 1d10 gem stones, 25% - 1d6 jewelry items and 15% - 2 magic items and 1 magic potion. Author and copyright holder: Tony “Wheggi” Rosten, 2004-2005. DEMONS Demons all share certain characteristics and immunities. If you are using this supplement with the OSRIC™ rulebook, assume that all creatures from the Outer Planes take half damage from acid, cold, fire and electricity. Other 1e-compatible rulesets may have particular rules for demons, devils, or other creatures from the Outer Planes which vary according to the creature’s plane of origin; consult the relevant text for details. JHABARA DEMON (Demon With Matted Hair) FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d3 SIZE: Large MOVE: 120ft ARMOR CLASS: -1 (See below) HIT DICE: 10-12 ATTACKS: 2 DAMAGE: 2d12 (Bite), 1d12 (Strangle) SPECIAL ATTACKS: See Below SPECIAL DEFENSES: Entangle in hair (see below) MAGIC RESISTANCE: 30% LAIR PROBABILITY: 50% INTELLIGENCE: Average ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 8/ 2700 + 3/hp Scholars debate if Jhabara demons are actually demons, or powerful evil spirits of another ilk manifesting in grotesque physical form. Jhabara demons stand 10-12 feet tall, have large saucer shaped eyes, a deadly hawkish beak, 2 large tusks and are covered in thick, long matted hair which they can control to some degree. Any weapon used against the creature has a 75% chance to become tangled in its matted hair. Arrows and other lightweight missile weapons have no effect on these monsters, as they are unable to penetrate the depth of the thickly-grown hair. When a creature moves within range of the demon’s hair, the matted locks reach out to twine around and strangle the victim in addition to the demon’s normal bite attack. A hit by the Jhabara demon indicates the creature is held fast (held victims can attempt to break free using Bend Bars/Lift Gates). Once held, the Jhabara may attempt to strangle its victim to death

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 26 (1d12 damage per round), pull the held creature toward its mouth to eat, or move its victim in any way advantageous to the demon. Jhabara frequently haunt thick forests or remote dungeons. They hate all living beings, torturing and killing those unfortunate to come across their paths. TREASURE: 25% - 1d6x1000 copper coins, 30% - 1d6x1000 silver coins, 35% - 1d6x1000 electrum coins, 40% - 1d10x1000 gold coins, 20% 1d4x100 platinum coins, 60% - 4d10 gem stones, 50% - 3d10 jewelry items, 30% - 3 magic items. Author and copyright holder: M. Ahmed, 2005. PUNJAR DEMON FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1 or 2d4 SIZE: Large (see below) MOVE: 90ft ARMOR CLASS: -2 HIT DICE: 5, 7, or 9 ATTACKS: 4 + bite DAMAGE: 1d6/1d6/1d6/1d6/1d12 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: 55% LAIR PROBABILITY: 95% INTELLIGENCE: Average ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil LEVEL/X.P.: 7/ 800 + 13/hp 8/ 1000 + 14/hp 8/ 1400 + 16/hp These demons are roughly humanoid in form, but barely so. They have two legs supporting a vast, four-armed torso, and a head with faces at both front and back. The mouths of a Punjar demon are filled with a grotesque tangle of tusks and fangs. The two faces of any particular demon are identical to each other, but they vary considerably from demon to demon. Most punjar demons have either one or three eyes per face, and many have the faces of an elephant or tiger rather than a human-like visage. Punjar demons are unlike other demons (and may indeed be a different sort of entity entirely) in that they spend most of their time quiescent upon the material plane. Their bodies become stone while the demonic spirit roams in other strange dimensions and planes of existence, until the demon is awakened by some activity in the vicinity of its physical body. A punjar demon’s quiescence can last for centuries, especially if the physical body is hidden away in a forgotten or inaccessible place. A punjar demon with 5 HD is 8ft tall, a 7 HD demon is 10ft tall, and the great 9 HD punjar demons can be as large as 12ft in height. Punjar demons may be hit only with a +1 or better magic weapon, or by normal silver weapons. Darkness caused by a punjar demon is of a 15ft radius. A punjar demon has the ability to do any of the following, one at a time, at will: detect invisibility, telekinese 3,000 gp weight, gate in a Type 2 demon (20% chance of success). Sages and demonologists are uncertain whether punjar demons are truly demonic entities, malevolent spirits, or creatures from the elemental plane of earth. They can be hedged out by protective spells, and have all the other characteristics of demonkind. TREASURE: 50% - 1d8x1000 copper coins, 25% - 1d6x1000 silver coins, 25% - 1d4x1000 electrum coins, 25% -1d3x1000 gold coins, 30% - 1d8 gem stones, 20% - 1d4 jewelry items and 10% - Magic sword, armor or other magical item Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2005. SHADOW CAT FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1 SIZE: Large MOVE: 120ft/240ft ARMOR CLASS: -3 HIT DICE: 10+4 ATTACKS: 3 DAMAGE: 2d4/2d4/2d6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or better weapon to hit MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75% LAIR PROBABILITY: 10% INTELLIGENCE: Genius ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 8/ 3750 + 14/hp The shadowcat demons are proud and cunning, dangerous to summon and resourceful in battle. A summoned shadowcat revels in the battle of wits between itself and the one seeking to control it. Even when the shadowcat has escaped a summoner’s control, it will often choose not to reveal this fact, cooperating but toying with the doomed spellcaster much as a cat plays with its prey before dealing the death blow.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 27 A shadowcat demon’s native form is that of a huge black panther with feathered wings. When airborne, a shadowcat can plane shift, bearing a rider with it across the gulfs of existence. It is a favorite tactic to bring riders into places where the rider’s survival may suddenly depend upon the shadowcat’s assistance, thereby turning the tables upon one who dared try to control the demon. The darkness caused by a shadowcat demon is 10 feet in radius, at will. All shadowcat demons can employ the following special abilities once per round at will, one at a time: create illusion (as per the wand), detect magic, polymorph self, plane shift (if airborne), teleport (if airborne), mirror image, telekinese 5,000 gps weight, gate in a demon of type 1-3 (determine randomly) (50% chance). A shadowcat demon may breathe a cone of cold (save vs. breath weapon) for 10d6 points of damage as many as three times per day. All of the shadowcat demons have individual names: of these, Hezeriah, Malchronor, and perhaps one other are known in the lore of black magicians. TREASURE: Lair: 50% - 10d4x1000 gold coins, 50% - 1d20x100 platinum coins, 30% - 5d4 gem stones, 25% - .1d10 jewelry items and 5% - 4 magic items and 1 magic scroll. Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2006 DRAKES Drakes are draconic creatures, but are usually far inferior in power and intellect to the true dragons. Drakes appear in many different varieties, two of which are described below. DRAKE, Guardian FREQUENCY: Uncommon NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d6 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 60ft walking or 120ft flying ARMOR CLASS: 5 HIT DICE: 4+4 ATTACKS: 2 bites DAMAGE: 1d6+1 plus poison per bite SPECIAL ATTACKS: Venom SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 25% INTELLIGENCE: High ALIGNMENT: Lawful (good, evil, or neutral) LEVEL/X.P.: 4/ 245 + 5/hp Guardian drakes resemble small, feather-winged dragons, with a second head at the end of the serpentine tail. Like wyverns, these two-legged drakes have no front legs. The wing feathers have colors determined by the drake’s alignment: white wings correspond to lawful good, black to lawful evil, and grey to lawful neutral. Guardian drakes stand about 6ft tall when fully extended. Due to the two heads, a guardian drake cannot be surprised, and one head is always awake while the other sleeps. In combat, the Guardian Drake’s bite (from either head) delivers a quick-acting paralysis venom; if the victim fails the saving throw he will be paralyzed for 1d6 x 10 minutes. These odd creatures are often witty and bitingly sarcastic. They are commonly found serving as bodyguards for powerful mages who have bound them by oath to loyal service. While fulfilling an oath of duty, a guardian drake cannot be swayed from its duties. If not serving under an oath, they can be made to swear an oath by defeating them in a battle of wits, riddling being one of their favorite pastimes. Oaths cannot be made to last for more than a year and a day of service. TREASURE: 20% - 1d12x1000 copper coins, 30% - 1d6x1000 silver coins, 10% - 1d4x1000 electrum coins, 25% - 1d6 gem stones, 20% - 1d3 jewelry items and 10% - 2 magic items. Author and copyright holder: Sean “Stonegiant” Stone, 2006.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 28 DRAKE, Red Troll FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1 SIZE: Large (8ft tall, 16ft long) MOVE: 150ft/240ft ARMOR CLASS: 3/6 HIT DICE: 9+5 ATTACKS: 3 DAMAGE: 1d6/1d6/2d6+4 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poison, tail attack SPECIAL DEFENSES: Regeneration, fire resistance (half) MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 60% INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 7/ 3000 + 14/hp The red trolldrake is a cunning and vicious manipulator, virtually the equal of a true dragon in many respects. Possessed of exceptional intelligence and the ability to speak many humanoid languages, these creatures will frequently be found ruling one or more powerful humanoid tribes. Ruling through fear and intimidation, the beasts will wreak havoc on the surrounding civilized lands. They enjoy rapine and slaughter to such a degree that they will often accompany their troops on particularly choice raids, taking many captives for later food and sport. As greedy as any dragon, these beasts will invariably amass an impressive horde of treasure - no doubt leading to the dangerous attentions of equally greedy adventurers. These creatures possess neither breath weapon nor magic use. They are resistant, but not immune, to fire (half or quarter damage from any fire-based attacks). They regenerate as does a troll (hence the name), but regeneration begins immediately after receiving damage, rather than 3 rounds later, and is stopped by acid and/or cold damage rather than fire. A trolldrake’s belly is not armored, although it has a tough, leathery hide. Unless the creature is airborne, the underbelly is difficult to attack. Unless the drake attempts to bite, it is ordinarily not possible to attack the underbelly, and even then only the person the drake is trying to bite can make the attack. If a thief meets all the other conditions required to backstab, he may dive beneath the drake from any point along its rear flank and stab the underbelly, gaining the ability to attack against the inferior armor class and do multiple damage. Winged and capable of flight, these sad*stic creatures possess long tails that end in a bony plate of considerable sharpness, somewhat resembling the triangular head of a spade. Should any foe attack the creature from the flank or rear they will expose themselves to a tail attack, a successful hit dealing 1-12 points of damage and requiring the victim to save vs. poison or become infected with a burning fever. This illness will reduce the sufferer’s strength and dexterity scores by 2 points each for a duration of 3 days, after which a system shock roll must be made. Failure will result in the spontaneous combustion of the victim’s entire body, leaving behind naught but a greasy black smear. The bite of these beasts delivers a similarly dire poison in addition to its base damage of 2d6+4. Description: Light and lean of build, with a serpentine body and distinctive horned nose, the red troll-drake looks much like a small, thin red dragon. The long tail and tongue both end in a spade-shaped bony plate, the wings are carried high on the back, and a thick bristle of wiry fur hangs from their chins. Treasure: 25% - 1d6x1000 copper coins, 30% - 1d6x1000 silver coins, 35% - 1d6x1000 electrum coins, 40% - 1d10x1000 gold coins, 1d4x100 platinum coins, 60% - 4d10 gem stones, 50% - 3d10 jewelry items, 30% - 3 magic items. Author and copyright holder: Chris “Bones McCoy” Hopkins, 2006. DROWAD FREQUENCY: Very rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 6d6 (in lair); 1d6 (wandering) SIZE: Medium MOVE: 120 ft ARMOR CLASS: 6 HIT DICE: 5 or better ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: By weapon (usually dagger +1) SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: 60% LAIR PROBABILITY: 90% TREASURE: See below INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional to Genius ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 5/ 340 + 4/hp Drowads are to Dark Elves as Dryads are to the goodly elves of the surface. All Drowads are female, and they breed with Dark Elf males for continuance. Deep beneath the earth there are great forests of fungi, of many strange and varied kinds. The greatest of these fungi have rigid structures for stems, which bear an outward resemblance to the trunks of great trees, and it is these fungi which serve as the habitat of the Drowads. It is rare for a Drowad to be far from her fungus for long.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 29 Drowads are weak in combat. They use the attack tables of magic users, and do not receive any of the bonuses from high ability scores which their cousins the Dark Elves receive; neither can they fashion the strange semi-magical equipment used by the Dark Elves, nor do they show much interest in technology. However, the Dark Elves do keep them supplied with the +1 daggers they prefer for situations where combat is unavoidable. Despite this seeming weakness, Drowads are dangerous foes because of their powerful spell-like abilities. All adult Drowads may use the following spell-like powers at will, once per round: Charm person, darkness 15’r, silence 15’r, sleep. In addition they may affect undead as a 6thlevel evil cleric does. Once per day, they may use the following additional spell-like powers: Transport via fungi (exactly as the Druid spell transport via plants save that fungi, obviously, are those affected), fungus form (exactly as the Druid spell tree save that the form involved must be a fungus), and ESP. All of these effects take 1 segment to cast and require no material component. Over and above these powers, some Drowads (typically 10% of their number) will possess the abilities of a magic user (75%) or cleric (25%) of 1st to 11th level (2d6-1). Owing to their limited combat abilities, Drowads will typically accumulate undead such as skeletons, zombies or ghouls to bear the brunt of any fighting which might be necessary. Drowads are renowned for their potions. From the weird spores of the strange fungi they tend, they are able to manufacture potions of many kinds. They are the ultimate source of the sleep potions employed by the Dark Elves, and they possess this substance in abundance - all Drowads automatically carry 1d4 such potions. There is a 25% chance that any given Drowad will be carrying other potions as well, typically ones of immediate, general purpose value such as invisibility or healing, Although Chaotic Evil, Drowads are not automatically hostile and will usually not fight unless this is clearly the best course of action. Their preferred approach with intruders into their realm is to control them using charm; if this fails, they will negotiate or even bribe intruders to leave or do their bidding. However, the chaotic nature of Drowads means that they cannot be trusted to stick to their deals and there is a good chance they will renege if they can gain benefit from doing so. Drowads have little use for most treasure, but prize small and delicate items of personal jewellery. A typical Drowad will wear 50-500 gp worth of rings, earrings, toe-rings, anklets, bracelets, necklaces and similar things, usually finely-wrought in filigree and marvellously light. TREASURE: See text. Author and copyright holder: Stuart “PapersAndPaychecks” Marshall, 2006.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 30 E Earth Brawler – Earwig, Giant – Eelkrake - Enteledont – Ercinee EARTH BRAWLER FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d8 SIZE: Large (8ft tall) MOVE: 60ft ARMOR CLASS: -3 HIT DICE: 8 ATTACKS: 2 DAMAGE: 2d12/2d12 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See Below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See Below MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil INTELLIGENCE: Average ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 8/ 6500 + 10/hp The aptly-named Earth Brawlers hail from the Elemental Plane of Earth, where they serve as shock troops for the lords of evil earth elementals. What differentiates these creatures from standard earth elementals is their size, their cunning, and their special defenses and attacks. Earth Brawlers are typically sent to the Prime Material Plane by elemental princes to destroy some structure which offends the prince; underground construction and buildings composed of mined stone are typical targets. Acting in concert, a full complement of eight Earth Brawlers can easily destroy a small keep in less than a half-hour by rending stone and wood as easily as paper. In individual combat, the Earth Brawler is a fierce opponent, striking with its great mallet-like fists. The Earth Brawler despises weapons of any kind, and will attempt to disarm opponents by destroying their weapons. If an Earth Brawler makes two successful attacks in a single round, one of them will always be against any weapon (if present) wielded by an opponent. If the weapon fails an item saving throw (any magical bonuses apply), it is crushed to uselessness by the power of the Earth Brawler’s mighty blow. Earth Brawlers have no fear of weapons: the most damage any sharp weapon (including darts, arrows, spears and other such missiles) can do to an Earth Brawler’s stony carapace is 1 hp (plus any relevant strength or magical bonuses). Blunt weapons, such as warhammers, maces, flails etc., inflict full damage. Note: a sword of sharpness or a vorpal sword will do full damage to the Earth Brawler due to their fantastically sharp, magical edges. A mace of disruption functions as a disintegrate spell against an Earth Brawler. Even if the creature makes a saving throw vs. spells, it will still take 1d6 points of additional damage from the weapon. Earth Brawlers, like most earth elemental creatures, may move through earth at will. If struck by a phase door spell during transition into a wall or otherwise, the Earth Brawler will be stunned for 1d12 rounds. If struck by a maze spell during movement attempts, the Brawler will become confused (as the spell) and wander off aimlessly. Other spells are proof against the Earth Brawler as normal. Earth Brawlers have no lairs as such, but on the Elemental Plane of Earth they reside in barracks-caves waiting for their masters’ orders. TREASURE: Individuals: 50% - 1d4 gem stones. Author and copyright holder: Bill Silvey, 2005.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 31 EARWIG, giant Male Female FREQUENCY Rare Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED 1-40 1-8 SIZE Large Large ARMOR CLASS 5 2 MOVE 150ft 150ft HIT DICE 4 6 ATTACKS 2 2 DAMAGE 1d6/2d6 1d8/3d6 SPECIAL ATTACKS Nil See below SPECIAL DEFENSES Nil Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE Standard Standard LAIR PROBABILITY 10% 80% INTELLIGENCE Animal Animal ALIGNMENT Neutral Neutral LEVEL/XP 3/ 60 + 4/hp 5/ 275 + 6/hp The most distinguishing characteristics of giant earwigs is the pincer, which extends from the rear of the abdomen half the length of the insect’s body (a giant earwig with a six-foot body will have pincers three feet in length). These can be used to attack not only behind the creature but to its side and over its head directly in front of it. The male’s pincers are pointed and capable of entrapping victims on a hit roll of 19 – 20. The females’ pincers have blade like edges that do 3-18 hp of damage and do double damage on a 19 – 20. (If the next pincer attack by a female on a trapped victim rolls 20 it will result in a severed limb(saving throw vs. paralysis may apply)). All attacks on a trapped victim automatically hit. Giant Earwigs are a semi-communal insects that live in mines, tunnels or caves. A typical burrow complex can house anywhere from 1-8 females as well as eggs, young and males. The availability of food in the area will determine how large the complex is. Each female will have her own chamber separate from the others, which will contain up to 6 eggs and young. Young have 2HD and 8AC and do 1d4/1d6 damage. They may not trap medium size or larger targets. Males will never be found in a female’s chamber except to leave food. In the complex males will be found in small groups of 3 or 4 in communal chambers. Males will always outnumber females at least 3 to 1. Any treasure will be scattered about the complex. When encountered outside the lair a group of 1 – 6 Earwigs is all that is likely to be encountered. Of these, no more than 1 is likely to be a female, as females with young remain in their burrows. It is also possible to run into small groups in search of a new residence. TREASURE: Lair: 50% - 1d8x1000 copper coins, 25% - 1d6x1000 silver coins, 25% - 1d4x1000 electrum coins, 25% -1d3x1000 gold coins, 30% - 1d8 gem stones, 20% - 1d4 jewelry items, 10% - Magic sword, armor or other magical item, and 60% - 1 non-weapon/non-armor magic item and 1 magic potion. Author and copyright holder: B.J. “Stranger” Poirot, 2006.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 32 EELKRAKE FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d6 SIZE: Large (10ft body) MOVE: 90ft (180ft fly) ARMOR CLASS: 7 HIT DICE: 10 ATTACKS: 1 (bite) or 2 (claws) DAMAGE: 2d6 or 1d8/1d8 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Hold and rend SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 20% INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil LEVEL/X.P.: 7/ 1350 + 14/hp Eelkrakes are sometimes mistaken for dragons or wyverns at a distance, for they share the bat-like wings and serpentine shape of these reptilian hunters. However, the eelkrake has no common ancestry or relationship to dragons and their ilk. Eelkrakes do not have scales; their hides are a leather-like skin, cold and smooth to the touch. The eelkrake’s head, too, is decidedly non-reptilian; although it is placed at the end of a long, dragon-like neck, it is quite fish-like, often being compared to a catfish. The eyes are bulbous and located at the sides of the skull; long feelers drape from the sides of the wide mouth. Eelkrakes are predatory beasts that live in mountain habitats, but they are often captured for use as flying mounts and can live in any climate including the arctic cold. Although they can be domesticated as mounts, they ENTELODONT FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d12 SIZE: Large MOVE: 150ft ARMOR CLASS: 6/7 HIT DICE: 8-9 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 5d6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Trample SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil (no lair) INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 6/ 825 + 10/hp to 7/ 1300 + 12/hp Entelodonts are a fearsome prehistoric offshoot from the ancestry of boars and pigs, and are common to Pleistocene environments. They are the size of a fullygrown rhinoceros, but their powerful legs and wide hooves allow them to move quickly over short distances and steadily for long distances. Although Entelodonts are primarily scavengers, when food is scarce they will attack herds, preying mostly on the sick or elder animals. Entelodonts are somewhat bull-shaped, with long, heavily muscled heads and snouts, extremely powerful jaws, and large boar-like tusks. Bony lumps growing on their faces and heads give these areas an armor class of 6, while the rest of the creature has an armor class of 7. The entelodont’s powerful bite has a literally bonecrushing strength: it is used to crack open the bones of have an affinity for those of evil alignment, and can be unpredictable and vicious toward those of good alignment. Although the eelkrake has a deadly bite, it will normally commence an attack by trying to grab and hold an opponent. If the monster hits the same opponent successfully with both claw attacks, it will have seized him securely enough to prevent escape and restrict movement, allowing the eelkrake to inflict automatic claw damage until the victim breaks free. Any held opponent may break free with a successful saving throw vs. paralysis. Eelkrake eggs can be sold for 500gp each. TREASURE: None. Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2006 .

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 33 giant animal carcasses to get at the marrow. A creature unfortunate enough to be bitten by an entelodont is not likely to survive the experience. Enteledonts charge into combat, doing double damage to those small enough to be affected. Trampling inflicts 2d4 hit points of damage for each forefoot which hits. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: M. Ahmed, 2005. ERCINEE FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d4 SIZE: Medium (5ft tall, 10ft wingspan) MOVE: 60ft / 240ft ARMOR CLASS: 8 HIT DICE: 2 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 1d8 SPECIAL ATTACKS: None SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 25% INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 3/ 65 + 2/hp The Ercinee is a large woodland bird resembling a crested woodpecker. It stands 5ft tall and has a wingspan of up to 10 ft. At night, an ercinee in flight is a truly spectacular sight, for it glows with an intensely bright green-yellow light. This light is twice as bright as torchlight, a bioluminescence caused by bacteria that grow on the bird’s feathers. The bacteria have one other effect: it is a deadly poison. Although the ercinee does not use its poisonous feathers as a means of attack, contact with the feathers can have hazardous results. Any weapon striking the bird has a 35% chance of picking up the poison and any direct contact with the feathers has a 65% chance of causing exposure. The effects of the poison are not instantaneous: within 1 turn, a vaguely glowing rash will appear in the contact area, and will continue to spread and worsen. The bacteria is a flesh eater, and without treatment a victim will die within 1d6 days as a result. The ercinee use their glow for feeding, to attract insects and to spot small mammals and lizards. It also warns off predators that have long since learned to avoid these birds. Even after the bird’s death the feathers retain their glow, which lasts for 1 month. The poisonous qualities of the feathers last only for one day after the bird’s death. Normally only 1 ercinee will be encountered at a time. However, when a nest is encountered it is likely that a mated pair will be present, together with 1 or 2 chicks. In combat, ercinee stab with their beaks and attempt to flee when possible. If protecting a nest of young, they will fight to the death. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: B.J. “Stranger” Poirot, 2006.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 34

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 35 F Fire Stag – Floating Mound – Funghemoth FIRE STAG FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 2d6 SIZE: Large (8ft at shoulder) MOVE: 150ft ARMOR CLASS: 7 (silver or +1 to hit) HIT DICE: 5 ATTACKS: 2 (fire antler) or 3 DAMAGE: 3d6 + 1d8 (Fire Damage) or 1d8/1d8/1d10 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Ignite Combustibles SPECIAL DEFENSES: Ethereal at will, immune to fire MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 5/ 320 + 5/hp Fire Stags are roughly twice the size of a normal male deer, with large antlers washed in searingly bright flame, and hooves so hot they glow with a hellish orange light. These majestic-looking but thoroughly evil beasts dwell in the borderlands between the astral and negative planes, scorching the landscape as they move across it, eating anything they can rip loose from the ground. Fire Stags rarely enter the prime material plane on their own, but are sometimes brought by Demons or Devils to wreak havoc on forests and towns; their antlers set ablaze anything they touch. Very rarely, large herds of fire stags will wander into the ethereal plane from the astral, and in such cases may travel to the material at will. Fire Stags may not cross water while in the material plane, but may avoid it by shifting into the ethereal plane to cross. The Fire Stag attacks with either its flaming antlers or with a combined attack of its burning hooves and powerful bite. When the stag inflicts a hit with its antlers, combustible materials carried by the target must make item saving throws or catch fire. A fire stag may become ethereal at will. Fire stags are immune to fire of all kinds, including magical fire, but cold-based attacks will inflict double damage. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: M. Ahmed, 2005. FLOATING MOUND FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d2 or 10d10 SIZE: Large MOVE: 40ft (out of water) 120ft (in water) ARMOR CLASS: 0 HIT DICE: 10-13 ATTACKS: 3 DAMAGE: 1d8/1d8/1d8 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Constriction and absorption SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil INTELLIGENCE: NonALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 7/ 2700 + 14/hp to 9/ 5600 + 18/hp Perhaps distantly related to shambling mounds, floating mounds are sentient masses of algae and other vegetation that float on the surface of the sea feeding on fish, birds, sea turtles, and anything else they can capture, including sailors. The creature can propel itself with 3 large tentacles, but normally stays motionless at or near the surface, drifting in the currents. When Floating Mounds encounter objects such as ships or rocky coasts, they can climb such obstacles slowly, but quietly enough to surprise any guards on a roll of 1-3. Floating Mounds use their three long tentacles in battle. Each tentacle measures 15ft-20ft in length and inflicts 1d8 hp damage, continuing automatically to inflict 1d8 hp each round thereafter from constriction. The tentacles are AC 3 and have 24 hit points (independent of the body’s hp). If the floating mound hits with a tentacle, there is a 25% chance that the tentacle will pin the character’s arms. A tentacle has 17 strength, and a character with strength 17 or higher can negate the effects of constriction (although the beast’s grip cannot be broken by any means other than severing the tentacle). If the floating mound manages to hit the same man-sized target with a second tentacle, the victim will be dragged (1-6 rounds) into the mess of slime and algae that forms the mound’s body. Small creatures may be dragged in with only one tentacle, and large creatures require all three tentacles to drag. Any creature dragged into the mound’s body will begin suffocating, taking 3-12 points of damage per round.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 36 If a floating mound loses all three of its main tentacles, it will attempt to escape. These creatures can stay outside water for 1-6 hours, depending on humidity, but will eventually need to return to the ocean or begin drying out. In a few places deep in the ocean where currents meet, large numbers of these mounds join to mate. Such enormous masses of the mounds resemble islands; the mounds are relatively dormant during breeding season; travelers have noted that a small creature, such as a halfling, can walk upon the carpet of vegetation for a short time before being noticed. Fire has no effect upon the slimy body of a floating mound, and lightning actually adds 1 to the monster’s HD. Cold does half or no damage to a floating mound. Because floating mounds are comprised of plant matter, they are vulnerable to spells that affect plants. TREASURE: May hold contents of former victims, normally none. Author and copyright holder: M. Ahmed, 2005. FUNGHEMOTH FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1 SIZE: Large MOVE: 90ft ARMOR CLASS: 7 HIT DICE: 8 (attacks as 5HD monster) ATTACKS: 3 DAMAGE: 1d4/1d4/2d6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 50% INTELLIGENCE: Nil ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 6/ 550 + 10/hp Funghemoths are a fairly rare occurrence, but when wizards mix alchemy, magic, and fungi, an error of judgment or an ill-supervised experiment can result in the creation of one of these beasts. Funghemoths are enormous masses of fungoid tissue, capable of movement

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 37 and hungry for whatever food they can find or kill. A funghemoth has one yawning opening in the front, with which it ingests food and attacks prey, along with two subsidiary mouths mounted on short stalks. The subsidiary mouths are quite vulnerable to being severed, and a natural roll of 20 with a bladed weapon will lop off one of these mouths, eliminating one of the funghemoth’s attacks. Each round, in addition to its melee attacks, the funghemoth’s agitation causes a random effect: 1. The funghemoth breathes fire in a cone shape (1 ft at the origin, 30 ft range, 15 ft wide at the end). Saving throw for half damage, damage 3d6. 2. The funghemoth shoots out a ball of lightning in a randomly determined direction (10 ft wide, range 60 ft). Saving throw versus aimed magical weapons (such as wands) applies for half damage, damage 3d6. 3. The funghemoth become electrically charged for one round, causing damage of 1d6 to anyone hitting it with a metal weapon. The electricity is quite visible; the creature is wreathed in a lightning-like crackle of blue electrical discharges. 4. The funghemoth changes color. 5. The funghemoth emits spores if it is hit. Anyone within ten feet of the hit location must make a saving throw versus poison or act as if under the effects of a confusion spell for 1d4 rounds. 6. The funghemoth hacks up a disgusting ball of fungoid tissue from its main mouth. The fungoid ball has no properties other than being disgusting. The structure of a funghemoth’s body, generated randomly by the interaction of alchemy and magic, is not well suited to precise movements. In consequence, a funghemoth attacks only as a monster of 5 hit dice, although it has the hit points (and experience point value) of an 8 HD monster. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2006. G Gaping Maw – Garrechidna – Ghoul Monkey – Giant – Glittering Slime – Glow Jelly – Goblin – Golem – Grimling (Devil Children) GAPING MAW FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d2 SIZE: Large (10ft high, 15ft across shell) MOVE: 90ft ARMOR CLASS: 3 HIT DICE: 13 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 5d6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Pushing SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 25% INTELLIGENCE: SemiALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 8/ 3950 + 18/hp The gaping maw resembles a huge beetle entirely covered in thick chitinous plates. It is named for its enormous mouth, a yawning chasm of teeth and grinding chitin. The mouth is formed by three joined chitin plates, which open when the beetle attacks to reveal its cavernous bite. Gaping maws move forward inexorably while fighting, pushing their opponents backwards at a movement rate of 10ft per round. If the maw’s movement is not opposed by creatures with a combined strength of 50, it will move opponents toward a wall or other such obstacle with the

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 38 intent of crushing them. If the maw is able to pin an opponent against a wall, it will inflict automatic crushing damage of 2-20 hit points per round. The maw is not restricted to moving forward, and if it is opposed by multiple enemies it will often sidle one opponent into a wall while attacking another with its bite. The gaping maw’s mouth has an AC of 8, and attackers who wait for the right moment can attack its most vulnerable spot when the chitin plates open to bite. TREASURE: 10% - 1d8x1000 copper coins, 15% - 1d12x1000 silver coins, 15% - 1d8x1000 electrum coins, 50% - 1d6x1000 gold coins, 30% - 1d10 gem stones, 25% - 1d6 jewelry items and 15% - 2 magic items and 1 magic potion. Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2006. GARRECHIDNA FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d6 SIZE: Large (6ft at shoulder) MOVE: 90ft ARMOR CLASS: 5 HIT DICE: 8+1 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 2d6 / 1d4 per spine (1d8 spines) SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 7/ 1400 + 12/hp

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 39 Garrechidna are huge creatures, covered in wickedly sharp spines and sporting two-foot long jaws filled with alligator-like teeth. These creatures also possess a long, rubbery tongue that can flick out as far as 8ft to grab victims. Normally garrechidnas feed on giant ants and insects, but they are not picky eaters and will happily dine upon unfortunate passers-by. A garrechidna may only use 1 attack per round: tongue, bite or spines. Any hit with the tongue results in the target being snared, and subsequent bite attacks on a snared victim will hit automatically. Against lone prey, it prefers to use its tongue followed by a bite on the next round. Against multiple opponents it will usually attack the tightest group ramming its body against as many attackers as it can reach in a round. When an attack with its body is successful from 1 – 8 spines will hit for 1-4hp of damage each. Every spine that does more than half damage will pull free and lodge in the target. Every round after that the spine will work its way deeper into the victim for 1 hp of damage per round. It takes 1 full round to remove each quill and no other action may be taken during a round which one is being removed. Although not social animals groups of up to six have been encountered in areas with a large food supply. Occasionally a female will be found with up to 3 young, males will never be found with the young. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: B.J. “Stranger” Poirot, 2006. GHOUL MONKEY FREQUENCY: Uncommon NO. ENCOUNTERED: 4d10 SIZE: Small MOVE: 90ft, in trees 120ft ARMOR CLASS: 8 HIT DICE: 1d6 hp ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 1d6 (bite) or 1d4 (thrown rock) SPECIAL ATTACKS: None SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to sleep, charm, hold, and cold-based attacks MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil INTELLIGENCE: NonALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 1/ 7 + 1/hp Ghoul monkeys are a particularly vicious and dangerous type of undead found in tropical and subtropical regions. Whatever foul magic is used to animate and control simian undead in this form is not widely known, but these loathsome creatures are found from time to time in the service of witch doctors or other evil spellcasters. More commonly, however, they are created without human agency, in places where there is a residue of great evil such as ancient sacrificial sites, forgotten temples, and similar locales. When monkeys die near such places, their corpses may rise as ghoul monkeys, filled with vile cunning and hungry for living flesh. The appearance of a ghoul monkey is reminiscent more of a zombie than of a true ghoul; the flesh of a ghoul monkey is rotted and foul, its fur falling away in patches. However, ghoul monkeys are not mindless automatons; they hunt, and even trap, their prey. Unlike ghouls, they do not hunger for the flesh of the dead; they are hunters of the living. Woe betide those who journey unwittingly into the territory of a large tribe of ghoul monkeys. Few such travelers will ever return. Ghoul monkeys climb walls and trees with great skill, preferring to attack from ambush in high places. Even when they throw rocks, if the outcome of battle appears certain most of them will leap to attack with their teeth, hoping to be the first to feed (fortunately, the bite of an ordinary ghoul monkey does not cause paralysis). Ghoul monkey ambushes will often include prepared snares and pit traps. Holy water inflicts 2d8 hp of damage against ghoul monkeys. Ghoul monkeys are turned as ghouls. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2005.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 40 GIANT GIANT, JOTUN FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d6 or 20d10 (lair) SIZE: Large MOVE: 120ft ARMOR CLASS: -4 HIT DICE: 16 or more ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 4d6 or see below SPECIAL ATTACKS: Some spell users SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immunities MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 25% INTELLIGENCE: Very-Highly ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 16HD 9/ 5250 + 20/hp 20HD 9/ 8850 + 30/hp priest 9/ 8400 + 25/hp illusionist 9/ 7400 + 19/hp hero 10/ 10100 + 39/hp king 10/ 10100 + 48/hp champion 10/ 10100 + 60/hp Jotuns are the True Giants, the creatures who have opposed the Gods themselves since the birth of the world. They are extremely powerful. Jotuns dwell primarily in the frigid, ice-locked regions of the plane of Tarterus. However, many believe that there are numbers of them in the polar regions of the Prime Material Plane. Of a typical war party, half (50%) will be armed with vast two-handed swords or axes. Owing to their massive size and strength, they inflict 4d6 damage per hit with these weapons. One quarter (25%) will be armed with great spears and shields; the shields improve their armor class to –6, or –7 against missile weapons, while the spears hit for 3d6 damage and can be thrown (double all range categories), while one quarter (25%) will be armed with huge longbows which fire twice per round, inflicting 2d6 damage per arrow if they hit. Again, range categories for these bows should be doubled owing to the size and strength of the creature employing them. In their lairs, for every 10 giants encountered there will be a captain of 20HD. For every 20, there will be a priest (18HD, who can cast spells as a cleric of level 7-12). For every 30, there will be an illusionist (only 15HD, but capable of casting spells as an illusionist of level 9-14). For every 50, there will be a hero of 24HD. The lair will be ruled by a King of 30HD and his Queen of 24HD, and if there are more than 150 giants encountered, the King will have a Champion of 36HD. Rumors persist of Jotuns with even greater clerical or illusionist powers. Unlike most species of giant, Jotuns are organised, civilized and very intelligent. Jotuns herd Tundra Mammoths (q.v.) for their meat, wool, leather, ivory and milk, and sometimes use them as beasts of burden. Legends speak of mammoth-riding Jotun cavalry being employed at times of war. These giants are adapted for arctic temperatures, and they take only half damage from cold-based attacks of any kind. However, damage from fire-based attacks are resolved at +1 damage per die. Jotuns become uncomfortably warm if they leave the desolate snow fields of the extreme North, and if taken further south than the tundra, will usually die in 1d6 weeks. It is only this restriction which has prevented the Jotuns from conquering the Prime Material Plane. According to Norse mythology, at the time of Ragnarok the wolf Fenris will swallow the sun and the Jotuns will be freed. At this time, they will bring war against the Gods themselves, and the Jotuns will be victorious. These creatures are very wealthy. Typical sums for a normal individual might be 30-300 gold pieces in change and a 25% chance of a randomly-determined magic item (which will almost always be one that the Jotun can use). Jotuns speak their own languages, of which there are believed to be several, and some (25%) also speak Common. Description: Jotuns stand up to 20’ tall. They appear as gigantic but well-proportioned humans, and their equipment is of exceptionally good quality. Treasure: See description Author and copyright holder: Stuart “PapersAndPaychecks” Marshall, 2005.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 41 GIANT, SAND FREQUENCY: Uncommon NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d8 SIZE: Large (12ft tall) MOVE: 120ft ARMOR CLASS: 5 HIT DICE: 10+1d4 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 2d10 SPECIAL ATTACKS: Cause mirage, see below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 40% INTELLIGENCE: Average ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 7/ 1350 + 14/hp Sand giants inhabit forsaken desert regions, making their lairs near water sources. The males range far and wide from these bases in small groups, raiding caravans and isolated settlements for slaves and plunder. A sand giant lair is normally dug deep into sand or rock faces, the sand dugouts being supported with mud bricks fashioned by the giant’s slaves and wives. These houses usually contain from 3 to 8 chambers, although the house of a great chief may be considerably larger. A lair will normally contain 2-20 slaves (75% chance) of various races, and there is also a chance (50%) that the giant will keep animals to guard his slaves and house while he is away on raids. Such animal guardians will be either 1-3 giant minotaur lizards (70%) or 1-2 giant poisonous snakes (30%). A male giant’s lair, if it contains females (40%) will contain 1-4 female giants and 2-5 young giants. Females have 5HD and inflict 1-10 points of damage; young giants fight as ogres. A sand giant carries mortar rocks (made by his slaves and wives) in a great satchel holding 1d8 such projectiles.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 42 The rocks can be hurled from 1ft to 35ft and cause 2d10 damage. Raiding parties of sand giants will often hide in loose sand to ambush unwary travelers. When concealed in this manner, they surprise on 1-4 (6 sided die). Sand giants also have the ability to create mirages in a 20ft by 20ft area, to entice wanderers toward the chosen place of ambush. Such mirages are generally the image of a pool of water surrounded by vegetation, but can be made to resemble any naturally occurring desert terrain. A sand giant mirage can be maintained with minimum concentration, but the spell will be broken if anyone enters the mirage area, or the giant ceases concentration (by attacking, for instance). Description: Sand giants have dark bronze skin and long, wispy hair the color of copper. They typically dress in light, ill-kept, hooded robes. Sand giants are not as stocky as other giants, appearing at times almost gaunt. The weapon of choice for sand giants is a great, curved scimitar. TREASURE: 10% - 1d8x1000 copper coins, 15% - 1d12x1000 silver coins, 15% - 1d8x1000 electrum coins, 50% - 1d6x1000 gold coins, 30% - 1d10 gem stones, 25% - 1d6 jewelry items and 15% - 2 magic items and 1 magic potion. Author and copyright holder: S. Ahmed, 2006. GIANT, SEA FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d10 SIZE: Large MOVE: 120ft, swimming 240ft ARMOR CLASS: 5 HIT DICE: 9+1d3 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 3d8 SPECIAL ATTACKS: None SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 50% INTELLIGENCE: Semi- to Low ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 6/ 900 + 14/hp Sea giants stand around 10ft to 11’ 6" tall. They have webbed fingers and toes. Their skins are blue or green and they are typically completely bald and hairless. Most are armed with huge tridents. They breathe water, and can emerge into the air only for a few hours at a time. Unlike most other kinds of giant, sea giants do not throw rocks, since rock-throwing is not a useful tactic in their native element. Sea giants typically make their lairs in underground caverns, but may occasionally (10%) adapt the wreck of a sunken vessel for this purpose instead. Sea giants dwelling in caverns will sometimes (25%) have 1-4 sea lions or hippocampi as pets and guards, while those dwelling in a wrecked ship may (25%) share it with a giant octopus. If more than four sea giants are encountered in their lair, numbers 5, 7, and 9 will be females (which fight as males of their kind) and 6, 8 and 10 will be children (treat as ogres). Even less intelligent than Hill Giants, Sea Giants are easily dominated by an evil master, and are most frequently encountered as the minions of some evil undersea power. There is considerable animosity between Sea Giants and Storm Giants. TREASURE: 25% - 1d6x1000 copper coins, 30% - 1d6x1000 silver coins, 35% - 1d6x1000 electrum coins, 40% - 1d10x1000 gold coins, 1d4x100 platinum coins, 60% - 4d10 gem stones, 50% - 3d10 jewelry items and 30% - 3 magic items. Author and copyright holder: Stuart “PapersAndPaychecks” Marshall, 2005. GLITTERING SLIME FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d4 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 10ft, in trees 10ft ARMOR CLASS: 8 HIT DICE: 3+1 ATTACKS: 2 (hurled) or 1 (melee) DAMAGE: 0/0 + slime or 1d8 + slime SPECIAL ATTACKS: slime damage (see below) SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 100% INTELLIGENCE: Nil ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 3/ 60 + 4/hp Glittering slime is a breathtakingly beautiful sight, a twinkling sheen across a ceiling or other horizontal surface, from which sparkling globules of ooze hang in iridescent splendor.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 43 The slime attacks by hurling 2 globules, or by lashing out with one strand as a melee attack. A hurled globule inflicts one hp per round for 4 rounds after it hits. The slime’s melee attack also inflicts one hp per round for 4 rounds, but the force of its impact causes an additional 1d8 points of damage. When glittering slime kills an opponent, it will move over the top of the dead creature and slowly extend globules down to the carcass, which it will then pull up to the ceiling and envelop. The slime can lower and retract such globules at a rate of ten feet per turn. A creature enveloped by the slime will be transformed into 1d4 new slimes within 1-6 days. Glittering slime is vulnerable to fire, and if it is attacked with flames it will take twice the normal damage. However, in burning it will jet out clouds of bad-smelling smoke with the force of venting steam. The cloud will almost immediately fill an area with a diameter of 100ft, automatically subjecting everyone in the area to 1 hp per round for as long as they remain in the cloud. The smoke will eliminate visibility in the area for all creatures other than glittering slimes. The cloud will disperse in 3d12 turns. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2006. GLOW JELLY FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 4d10 SIZE: Large (10 ft diameter) MOVE: 10ft (land) 120ft (swim) ARMOR CLASS: 9 HIT DICE: 2+1 ATTACKS: 4 tentacles, bite DAMAGE: 1d4 (tentacles) 1d2 (bite) SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralysis, hypnosis, drowning SPECIAL DEFENSES: Regenerates MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 100% INTELLIGENCE: Low ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 3/ 80 + 3/hp These creatures appear to be large jellyfish, usually encountered floating on the surface of the oceans and lakes where they hunt for prey. They stay buried on the ocean seabed during the day, and then head to the surface at night or on very dark, stormy days. These creatures do not have gills, but send up to the surface small, hollow filaments numbering in the dozens. These hollow filaments break the surface and provide oxygen. They also allow the creature to “smell” passing ships or other creatures near the water or on its surface. The creature floats on the surface and can also propel itself in the water with four tentacles, each some 20-25 feet in length. These creatures have two pairs of eyes located on the top and bottom of the main body allowing constant views of above and below surface. When a boat is spotted or smelled (glow jellies can smell at a distance of 2-20 miles, depending on weather conditions) the glow jelly will approach and use its hypnotic abilities to summon prey when it is within 60 ft. The main body of the glow jelly begins to glow various colors, and all who see this glowing pattern must save versus paralysis or become entranced, jumping into the water to swim toward the glow jelly. At this point, the glow jelly will attack the creature with its four tentacles while the entranced creature does nothing to defend itself. Each tentacle is covered in small poisonous barbs, necessitating a further saving throw against paralysis. At this point, the glow jelly wraps its tentacles around the unfortunate being and returns to the bottom, to enjoy its meal. Drowning rules apply to any creature taken below the surface. These creatures also regenerate any damage at the rate of 1 hit point per combat round. A glow jelly brought to 0 hit points can no longer regenerate. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: S. Ahmed, 2005.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 44 GOBLIN BATTLE-SPIRIT FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1 SIZE: Small MOVE: 10ft ARMOR CLASS: 4 HIT DICE: 4+1 ATTACKS: Nil DAMAGE: None SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: 10% LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil (no lair) INTELLIGENCE: Low ALIGNMENT: Lawful Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 3/ 130 + 5/hp Goblin battle-spirits are non-corporeal entities that inhabit the battle standards of some goblin bands, their existence captured within a collection of skulls, scalps and bones, usually attached to a banner and hung from a pole. The spirit is a sentient and terribly evil intelligence resident within these collected mementos, eager to accumulate more trophies of slaughter. The origin of these bound spirits is not known, but those few goblin tribes or clans carrying one seem to have spent time deep underground at some point in their histories. The presence of a goblin battle-spirit supernaturally imbues goblins (but not their kin) with unshakable morale. Goblins fighting in the presence of one literally cannot retreat unless the spirit allows it. The goblin holding the spirit’s banner is immune to all non-magical missile weapons, and gains a bonus of 1 to its armor class. When its goblins are in combat, the spirit drives them relentlessly toward victory, taking no account of their lives. Each round, the battle-spirit can possess one goblin with berserker rage (two attacks, or one attack at +2) for one round. The spirit cannot cause the same goblin to become berserk in two consecutive rounds. Once per day, the spirit can make all goblins within a 100ft radius fight as berserkers for one round. Although a battle-spirit does not itself accumulate treasure (other than its precious bones and scalps), its influence in battles past generally increases the amount of treasure carried by its goblins. The only way to permanently destroy a goblin battlespirit is to burn the grisly trophies it inhabits. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2005. GOBLIN, SHADOW FREQUENCY: Very rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 4d6 (wandering) or 10d12 (in lair) SIZE: Small MOVE: 120ft ARMOR CLASS: Varies HIT DICE: 1d4+1 or better ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: By weapon type SPECIAL ATTACKS: Backstab; some individuals spells SPECIAL DEFENSES: Usually none; some individuals spells MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard (save as thieves) LAIR PROBABILITY: 25% INTELLIGENCE: Very or high; some individuals exceptional ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil LEVEL/X.P.: 1/ 7+1 /hp A degenerate and degraded tribe of the dark elves? A race of goblins favoured by some dark elfin deity? Or a weird hybrid of the two? Nobody really knows the origin of these unpleasant blackskinned creatures, but sages agree that they associate with neither dark elves nor goblins nowadays, preferring the company of their own kind. Shadow goblins stand 3’6" to 4ft tall. Physically they resemble whip-thin goblins with yellow or golden eyes and jet-black skin. Their hair is naturally thin, lank, and white, resembling cobwebs, but most shadow goblins dye it black or purple to blend better into the darkness. Their teeth are needle-sharp, like a shark’s, and if disarmed they can bite for 1d2 damage. Their tongues are forked. In battle, they wear war paint in weird, asymmetrical patterns. Shadow goblin equipment lacks the magical properties of dark elfin gear, but is always neatly-made and of very good quality, the leather being tooled with patterns appropriate to the owner’s clan and religion, and the blades of their weapons are frequently inlaid with evil runes. All shadow goblins are stealthy and dexterous (Dex 15 or better), which affects their armor class. Most wear no more than a simple leather jerkin as armour. They all possess the abilities of at least a first-level thief, and generally fight with shortsword and dagger (50%) or with a short bow (50%). Many of them fight with a weapon in each hand (GMs should note the main hand/offhand “to hit” penalties from a Dex 15 NPC doing this). For every four normal shadow goblins, one will be a leader type with 1d8+2 hit points and the abilities of a secondlevel thief. For every twelve normal Shadow Goblins, there will be an exceptional leader type with 2d8+4 hit points and the abilities of either a third-level thief (40%), or a

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 45 second-level thief/firstlevel illusionist (30%), or a secondlevel thief/first-level cleric (30%). Cleric types will be clerics of some dark elfin deity and will possess additional spells as appropriate to their wisdom. Leader types are in addition to the number appearing shown on the die. If the shadow goblins are encountered in their lair, there will also be a subchief with 3d8+6 hit points. The subchief may be a fourth-level thief (40%), or a third-level thief/ second-level illusionist (30%), or a third-level thief/secondlevel cleric (30%). If more than 60 shadow goblins are encountered in their lair there will also be a chieftain with 4d8+8 hp who may be a fifth-level thief (40%), or a fourth-level thief/third-level illusionist (30%), or a fourthlevel thief/third-level cleric (30%). If encountered in their lair, there is a 25% chance that the lair will also contain 2–12 large spiders as guards or pets. As with the dark elves, shadow goblin females fight alongside the males, so the number appearing shown includes both genders; children are noncombatants. Shadow goblins are very long-lived, up to five hundred years. They speak their own language, which is very similar to the Dark Elfin tongue, and leader types sometimes (20%) speak Common. Shadow goblins are nocturnal, being debilitated by sunlight in much the same way as orcs. TREASURE: Individuals: 3d6 silver coins; 30% - 1d6x1000 silver coins and 25% - 1d2 electrum coins. Lair: 50% - 1d4 magic scrolls Author and copyright holder: Stuart “PapersAndPaychecks” Marshall, 2005. GOLEMS BRASS GOLEM FREQUENCY: Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d4 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 90ft ARMOR CLASS: 3 (or 0) HIT DICE: 9 ATTACKS: 4 DAMAGE: 1d6+2 (x4) or weapon (x4) SPECIAL ATTACKS: Facial mimicry, Electrocution, Rebound SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 70% INTELLIGENCE: Low ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 7/ 1500 + 12/hp A brass golem appears as a metal humanoid figure with an amorphous face and four arms. It typically wears the livery of its master, though it may be dressed in other fashions. Once in combat, the golem’s face takes on the smiling appearance of its opponent thus causing the opponent to make a save vs spells or suffer a –2 to hit due to being unnerved at the sight for 1d2 rounds. The golem attacks with all four arms upon an opponent, and may wield weapons (25% chance for each golem encountered) or attack barehanded. It may focus all four attacks on one opponent or divide them among multiple targets. If the golem successfully hits one opponent with all four free hand attacks, it may deliver an electrical charge to its victim inflicting 3d6 HP of damage (save vs rods for half). It may do this every combat round. Once every 10 rounds, the golem may harden its metal and increase its AC to 0. Melee attacks upon the golem that miss while it is in its hardened state automatically rebound upon the attacker; the victim must roll to attack himself at -2 and miss in order to avoid taking damage from his own weapon. Failed missile attacks upon the golem while it is in this state rebound in a random direction. The hardened state of the golem lasts for 3 rounds. Brass golems are usually assigned a particular territory to patrol. Any treasure found will be that of prior victims, and will be found scattered in that area. Though rare, brass golems may be found in various dungeons built by mages. Unfortunately, the creation process has been lost to time. A functioning brass golem brought back to civilization may fetch a price as much as

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 46 30,000 gp; a disabled one is worth no less than 15,000 gp. TREASURE: 25% - 1d4x1000 copper coins, 20% - 1d3x1000 silver coins, 90% - 10d8 gem stones, 80% - 5d6 jewelry items and 70 % - 1 magic weapon, 1 magic armor and 1 miscellaneous magic item. Author and copyright holder: James Carl Boney, 2006. VOUDOUN GOLEM FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1d2 SIZE: Medium MOVE: 90ft ARMOR CLASS: 4 HIT DICE: 22 hit points (5 HD) ATTACKS: 2 DAMAGE: 1d8/1d8 SPECIAL ATTACKS: None SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 50% INTELLIGENCE: SemiALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 4/ 280 + 5/hp Voudoun golems are normally the creation of evil tribal shamans or bhannog hags (q.v.), but they can be created by any spell caster with the knowledge and wickedness required for the task. These hideous creatures resemble the undead, for they are cobbled together from body parts much like a flesh golem. Various natural materials, as well as human flesh, are used to create the golem: tufts of hair, feathers, and twigs jut from its hideous skin, which is painted and tattooed with symbols and mystic patterns vaguely disturbing to the eye. These eldritch tracings serve not only to keep the golem animate; they also imbue the creature’s most dangerous quality, the voudoun bonding. When any creature intends harm to a voudoun golem (within a radius of 400ft), the patterns upon the golem’s skin attune themselves to the hostile intentions, forming and shaping them into a supernatural bond with the voudoun golem. The voudoun bonding has no effect upon damage caused by physical weapons, but any damage inflicted upon the golem by a spell will instead be shared evenly among all of the golem’s enemies, with the golem also taking its share of damage. A spell that causes detrimental effects, as opposed to damage, will be shared through the bond if the detrimental effect can be meaningfully divided in such a manner. Otherwise, the voudoun bond will dissipate the spell’s effect entirely. Example: if the voudoun golem is bonded only to one enemy (the magic user casting the spell), and is affected by a slow spell, the golem and the magic user might each suffer one-half the normal effects of the spell. A disintegrate spell, on the other hand, would fail to have any effect on either of the combatants. A +1 or better magical weapon is required to hit a voudoun golem. Creation of a voudoun golem requires a number of unmentionable magical ingredients, and costs 500 gps per hit point of the golem. Only a magic user of 11th level or higher, a tribal shaman, or a bhannog hag can create a voudoun golem. TREASURE: None Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2005.

Monsters of Myth An OSRIC™ Resource 47 GRIMLING (Devil Children) FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 3d10 SIZE: Small MOVE: 90ft ARMOR CLASS: by armor HIT DICE: 1-1 ATTACKS: 1 DAMAGE: 1d3 (bite) or by weapon SPECIAL ATTACKS: None SPECIAL DEFENSES: None (per devil) MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 20% INTELLIGENCE: High ALIGNMENT: Any evil (lawful evil) LEVEL/X.P.: 1/ 14 + 1/hp Grimlings stand between 2ft and 4ft in height and bear a striking and unsettling resemblance to human children, ranging in appearance all the way from infants to about 10 years old (but note that grimling size and appearance is completely independent of their actual age). Only close examination will reveal their sharp fangs in place of normal teeth and the glint of preternatural evil in their eyes. Of course, the main characteristic setting them apart from human children is their genius-level intellect and diabolical cruelty to match. Most commonly grimlings attempt to infiltrate human society by posing either as foundlings or by slaying and secretly replacing actual human children, and from this position of comfort and safety they proceed to wreak havoc and terror upon their host families and communities. When found on their own, grimlings rely on guile and trickery to counterbalance their diminutive stature, attempting to dupe adventurers as to their true nature as they lure them into cunningly designed tras and ambushes. Some exceptional grimlings have ability as magic-users of level 1-6 (10% chance for such an individual in a group of 10 or less, 20% in a group of 11 to 20, and 30% in a group of 21 or more). Grimlings are fey creatures; their cousins, the devilchildren, are creatures of the lower planes sent to the material planes of existence by unknown diabolical influences. Devil children have all the immunities and weaknesses of devils and are always of lawful evil alignment. TREASURE: 5% - 1d10x1000 copper coins, 25% - 1d12x1000 silver coins, 25% - 1d6x1000 electrum coins, 25% - 1d8x1000 gold coins, 15% - 1d12 gem stones, 10% - 1d8 jewelry items and 25% - 3 magic items and 1 magic scroll. Author and copyright Holder: T. Foster, 2006.

An OSRIC™ Resource Monsters of Myth 48 H Hawktoad - Hound of the Underworld – Hyeenoch – Hypno-Spider HAWKTOAD FREQUENCY: Uncommon NO. ENCOUNTERED: 2d6 SIZE: Small MOVE: 60 ft (120 ft fly) ARMOR CLASS: 7 HIT DICE: 2 ATTACKS: 3 DAMAGE: 1hp /1 hp/0 hp SPECIAL ATTACKS: Strangle SPECIAL DEFENSES: None MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: 50% INTELLIGENCE: Animal ALIGNMENT: Neutral LEVEL/X.P.: 2/ 36 + 2/hp Hawktoads normally dwell near underground rivers or other subterranean places where water accumulates. They are bizarre creatures with the body of a very large toad but with rather long, clawed front legs and no back legs at all. The hind end of a hawktoad is a foot-long tail, like that of a tadpole. These creatures fly, lashing through the air at high speed by some form of natural levitation. They attack by swooping in at opponents, scratching with their tiny claws and lashing out with their long tongues. A hawktoad’s tongue does no damage, but if the attack is successful the tongue has whipped around the character’s neck. If the toad’s tongue attack fails, it remains airborne and will swoop in for another attack on the following round. However, if the tongue manages to catch around a victim’s neck the hawktoad will land at the back of the victim’s neck, holding tight with its tiny claws. When the hawktoad is in this position, it begins to strangle the opponent with its tongue, using the muscular organ as a garrotte. When a hawktoad is attached in this way, the strangling character will find it difficult to reach around and attack; such attacks suffer a penalty of -2. Each round thereafter, the character must successfully roll a d20 under his constitution score or fall unconscious. For each round after the first round of strangulation (the second round after the initial attack) a cumulative +1 is added to the d20 roll, making it harder and harder to avoid passing out. Once a character passes out, it requires three rounds for the toad to strangle him to death. TREASURE: In lair: 1d4 base 25gp gems; Wandering: None. Author and copyright holder: Matt “Mythmere” Finch, 2006. HOUND OF THE UNDERWORLDS FREQUENCY: Very Rare NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1-6 SIZE: Large MOVE: 180ft ARMOUR CLASS: 0 HIT DICE: 9+5 ATTACKS: 1 + special DAMAGE: 3d6 SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard LAIR PROBABILITY: Nil INTELLIGENCE: Low ALIGNMENT: Neutral Evil LEVEL/X.P.: 7/ 2700 + 14/hp Often acting as servants of the night hags, these beasts can be found wandering any of the lower planes. At times they will travel through the astral plane to wreak havoc amongst mortal men, hunting in an insubstantial, ethereal form until they find a particularly choice victim. They will