d20 Devil's Workshop Travels & Troubles - Bizarre Bestiary.pdf
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Travels & Troubles:
Bizarre Bestiary
LPJ9760
Possessing of a stout and hardy body
and a mind like a steel-trap, it came
into me in the year 921 of the Common
Calendar (or 912, I can never fully
recall) to explore the known world. It
being widespread knowledge that the
countries of which are currently occupy
our maps are but a smidgeon of those
existing, and lesser knowledge that the
wealth of accumulated adventures had
run from me like a disloyal wife, I set
out to explore the unknown territories.
The sages note that the world is large,
especially if it is flat or connected to
others, so I, Snaverous Longfellow
the Brave, Gnomish Adventurer
Extraordinaire, ventured forth with a
company of retainers (whose advance
wages represented the last of my
fortune), to bring the knowledge of the
Sun God and civilization to the unknown,
and the unknown to civilization. I was
not to wait long
-The True and Accurate Travels of Sir
Snaverous Longfellow, 167th Edition-
‘The Travels of Sir John Mandeville’ is a wholly
remarkable book. Published in the 14th Century, it
claims to be an accurate travel guide of the unknown and
sensational East. The book relates the travels of the author
through Griffin-infested India and bizarre kingdoms of dog-
headed people. Being nonsense, it sold like hotcakes.
names (
their mother only teaching them the shortest name
among them for ease
), so that I was essential to their plans.
Some arguing, wailing, escape attempts, and beatings later I
finally saw the wisdom in their venture.
The troubles started when Durk lost his foot. The
mountainous terrain will hard to navigate, and the disparity
between gnomish and half-ogre leg size made me lag
behind. That was a lucky thing.
For a modern day example, picture what would result if
a role-player had grabbed his DM’s notes after a game,
stuffed it full of second- and third-hand geography, added a
bunch of creatures to it and published it as a Guide to Iraq,
complete with manticores and talking statues. Of course, it
would be a supermarket check-out aisle bestseller.
As we crested a mountain, we saw a brilliant sight. The
valley below was filled with gold chunks the size of
melons, lying in the open. A tower stood in the middle of
the field. The brothers immediately ran down towards the
treasure, while I hesitated, seeing the far side of the valley
was crisscrossed with tunnels.
More importantly, ‘The Travels’ is filled with the kind of
fantasy that a DM can truly make use of. The average
group of adventurers travels to far and distant lands in
search of treasure…and usually finds creatures whose stats
they’re memorized and magic items whose gold piece
value they know by heart. After all, mountain of orcs after
mountain of orcs starts to make ever the most avid player’s
eyes glaze over.
Durk stopped running, and it took a moment for the rest of
the group to realize why. Upon inspection, a lion head had
popped out of the ground, and eaten his foot. The brothers
were clearly agitated, and used their monstrous clubs to
negotiate the freedom of Durk’s stump.
The monster was no sooner killed then its fellows came
bursting out of the ground. They were beasts with the
heads of lions and the bodies of ants the length of horses.
The brothers were surrounded, although one was unafraid.
Toleg was a proper shaman, and he now tried to use his
mighty magic to calm the beasts, as I had seen him do
before.
Presented herein is the first of series of things and tales
truly fantastic done in Mandeville’s style. Following are
places, peoples, items, and monsters that are new, different,
and memorable. These are things that players will ask the
DM to describe twice, smiling, and talk about after the
game. This is a break from the confines of “The Big Book
of D&D Monsters Whose Tricks You Memorized at Age
12.” Let the players beware. They have no idea what’s
going to hit them.
The screaming stopped long after I had started running.
The brothers, being good sports, posthumously decided
to spend their entire back pay on my drinks at the inn that
night.”
Hungyrs
“It was while I was with the Burgo Brothers I encountered
the Hungyrs. Having lost most of the last of my original
retainers in the Orchard of Screaming Apples, I had hired
four near-brainless Half-Ogres as my bodyguard, Durk,
Toleg, Durke, and Durck. They had more strength then
their parents had imagination. The brothers were Hell on
any opposition I could encounter, they were also Hell on
my coin-purse. After all, once alone in the wilderness,
three hairy mountains of muscle could name their own
price for a daily wage.
Hungyrs are either one of wizardry’s most fiendish
successes or useful failures. They were created to be
obedient miners that could fend off claim-jumpers and
Underdark intrusions. It worked to an extent. They were
loyal to their creator’s programming and mined diligently,
piling gold next to the door of their wizard’s tower. They
had one flaw, however. They possessed a lion’s appetite
and an ant’s stomach. The voracious creatures would kill
as much as possible, and never be sated, for they couldn’t
swallow enough of their prey. Hungyrs thus are trouble for
the entire region they inhabitant, as they constantly hunger
for meat, and make war on any community they encounter
to get it.
The incident happened shortly after an argument about our
destination. I (
and I alone in the group
) could read the map
by the light of the setting sun. The most-recent local
map showed the nearby hill to contain (
sic
) ‘treezures and
terrabul DEATH.’
Note that the lion head’s teeth are magically hard enough to
burrow through stone. For this reason the teeth are prized
in the making of weapons, and grant an additional +1 attack
bonus when made into a masterwork.
The brothers wanted to continue to strike on. I knew that
my pockets would run out of wages by the time pay day
was around if we performed any overnight expeditions. I
also knew that they could read barely write one of their
food supply. When the carrier pigeon asking for
mercenary help arrives in town, will the PCs be able
to resist a quest were the treasure is literally lying
around for the taking?
2.
Where’s Kevin Bacon When You Need Him?:
A
band of lower level PCs stops in a small, terrified
town where the townsfolk are afraid to touch the
ground. There’s a strange monster nearby that kills
without trace, and it’s quarantined the town as its
personal buffet. Rent Tremors, mix appropriate, and
serve.
3. Little Hungyr Lost:
A hungyr working for a
benevolent wizard has found a powerful magical
treasure. Unfortunately, the mystic energies have
driven in crazy, and it’s escaped to the nearest
dungeon or tunnel complex. With its jaws locked on
the item, it can’t tunnel. Still, a game of hide-and-
seek with a blood-crazed monster that can climb walls
will prove to be interesting.
Hungyr
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice:
5D10+10 (36 hp)
Initiative:
+0
Speed:
50ft Climb 20 ft Burrow 10 ft
Armor Class:
16 (
-1 Size, +7 Natural
)
Base Attack/Grapple:
+5/+9
Attack:
Bite + 9 1d8+7
Full Attack:
Bite + 9 1d8+7
Space/Reach:
10 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks:
Stunning Roar
Special Qualities:
Endless Hunger, Low-light Vision,
Scent, Tremorsense 30 ft
Abilities:
Str 20 Dex 10 Con 14 Int 5 Wis 11 Chr11
Skills:
Listen +5 Search +15* Spot+5
Feats:
Power Attack, Weapon Focus (
Bite
)
Environment:
Temperate Mountains
Organization:
Pride (
3-20
)
Challenge Rating:
3
Treasure:
None except what they gather
Alignment:
Neutral
Advancement:
6-10 (
Large
), 11-15 (
Huge
)
Level Adjustment:
-
Prophecy Beast
“It was in the far-off land of livestock-bearing hedges I
heard the legend of the Prophecy Beast. The local shamans
spoke of dead souls that were chosen by the gods to impart
wisdom to men. Then again, they also spoke of giants who
sneezed diamonds, and countries ruled by starfish, so I just
assumed the local alcohol was particularly hallucinogenic.
I had led my doughty band of underpaid survivors into a
rented cabin, and was shopping at the local bazaar for food.
No matter how menial the task was, it was mine. None of
my servants were to learn how much money I was actually
in possession of.
Combat
Endless Hungry (
Ex
):
Hungyrs can only be distracted
by things other than mining and mauling for so long.
Any attempt to calm, compel, or command then, whether
magical or otherwise, works only for 1d4 rounds. After
that, the hungyr ferociously attacks anything in sight.
The inexplicable sound of bells drew my eyes to a strange
sight. An ancient man had been corner be a glowing man
with elk’s antlers. The terrified, dirty beggar was transfixed
by those silver eyes that flickered entirely without pupils.
Stun Roar (
Ex
):
While charging, Hungyrs can give a
hybrid chitter-roar that is unnerving. Listeners must save
against a DC: 12 Will Save to avoid being Shaken for 1d4
rounds. Each additional charging combines their effect,
adding +1 to the save DC instead of triggering multiple
saves.
“Terzmagon the Befouler, I name you! I have searched
long for you these past eighty years, and nearly caught
you a score of times. I now lay bare your fate to all.” The
creature continued without heeding the pleas of the wizard.
“You are fated to lose your title, your tower, and your
wealth to fear! You will run all your life from a perceived
doom, and end your days as a village beggar. Your fate can
yet be avoided, if you change your ways.”
*Hungyrs gain a +10 Racial bonus to Search checks.
Adventure Ideas:
1.
There’s No Finding Good Help These Days:
A
wizard has created a swarm of hungyrs, and they are
successfully mining the local area. Unfortunately
for their creator, the loyalty part of the incantation
was flubbed, and they exist only to stack nuggets and
kill. Now he’s trapped in his tower with a dwindling
The beast looked nervous, even embarrassed as he revealed
the prophecy. The wizard looked stunned for a second. I
was running down the street before the third fireball had
struck, but before the second prismatic spray. Assuming
we escaped the wreck of the village, I swore my men would
be combing the hills for nasally-propelled diamonds by
nightfall.”
Special Qualities
• Damage Reduction 10 against all but Holy or Unholy
items
• Darkvison 60ft
• Path of Fate: Can unerringly sense the location of its
target, even across different planes
• Uncanny Dodge as a Rogue of level equivalent to its
Hit Dice
The prophecy beast is a divine messenger. The gods
occasionally take a soul noted for its persistence, and sculpt
it into the divine for of a beast. They are used by both the
good and the evil, and serve no particular agenda except
to reveal their personal divine message. The beast lives
only to deliver the message to its assigned target, and upon
completion returns to the plane of its master.
The beast resembles whatever the soul was in life, with a
few exceptions. When the gods want to make a
statement, they make a statement. The head is crowned by
shimmering elk antlers. The eyes are silver, gold, or bronze
and entirely without pupils. The feet are replaced with
hooves, and make the sound of bells while walking. To an
observer, they sound like singing church bells. To the target
of the prophecy, they may sound like the ring of doom.
Abilities:
Increase from the base creature as follows: Con
+2, Wis +8, Chr +2
Skills:
A prophecy beast gains skill points as an outsider
and has skill points equal to (
8+ Int modifier
) X (
HD +
3
). Don not include Hit Dice from class levels in this
calculation – the prophecy beast gains skill points only
for its racial Hit Dice, and gains the normal amount of
skill points for its class levels. Treat skills from the base
creature’s skills as class skills, and other skills as cross
class.
Creating a Prophecy Beast
“Prophecy Beast” is a granted template that can be added
to any living, corporeal creature with an intelligence of 3 or
more (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
Challenge Rating:
+2
Alignment:
Usually Neutral
A prophecy beast uses all the base creatures statistics and
special abilities except as noted here.
Example: 5th Level
Prophecy Beast Cleric
Sample Divine Messenger
Size and Type:
The creature’s type changes to outsider. Do
not recalculate Hit Dice, base attack bonus, or saves. Size is
unchanged.
Armor Class:
The Prophecy beast’s insight and divine
grace give it a +4 deflection bonus to AC.
This example uses a human 5th-level cleric as the base
creature. She represents the perfect inexperienced, proud,
and easily flustered messenger for a party to be saddled
with.
Attack:
The beast gains a head butt attack as the primary
natural weapon. If the base creature can use weapons
the prophecy beast retains this ability. A prophecy beast
fighting without weapons uses a head butt attack when
making an attack action. When it has the weapon, it uses
the weapon instead.
Divine Messenger
Hit Dice:
5d8+10 (32 hit points)
Initiative:
+3
Speed:
20ft
Armor Class:
21 (
Full Plate, Heavy Steel Shield, Dex -1
)
Attack:
Head butt +3 1d6, or Masterwork Heavy Mace +4
1d6, or Heavy Crossbow +2 1d10
Full Attack:
Masterwork Heavy Mace +4 1d6 and Head
butt +-1 1d6, or Heavy Crossbow +2 1d10
Space/Reach:
5ft./5ft.
Special Attacks:
Immolation 5d6 3/day
Special Qualities:
DR 10/Holy & Unholy, Darkvision 60ft,
Path of Fate, Uncanny Dodge
Abilities:
Str: 10 Dex: 9 Con: 14 Int:12 Wis:24 Chr: 18
Full attack:
If armed with a weapon, a prophecy beast
usually uses the weapon as its primary attack and its head
butt as a natural secondary attack.
Damage:
Assume 1d6 for a Medium-sized humanoid.
Adjust according to the Bite table on page 296 of the
Monster Manual.
Special Attacks:
Immolation:
A Prophecy Beast is nothing if not dramatic.
It can immolate itself three times per day. Treat this attack
as a fireball of the prophecy beast’s level, centered on the
beast. The beast is totally immune to any effects of its own
Immolation.
Spell-like Abilities:
Augury at Will, True Sight at Will
Skills:
Concentration +10, Diplomacy +12, Knowledge
(
Religion
) +9, Ride-1
Feats:
Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll
Challenge Rating:
7
Treasure:
Full Plate, Heavy Steel Shield, Masterwork
Heavy Mace
Alignment:
Neutral Good
Cleric Spells Prepared:
(
5/5/4/4
): Save DC 17+ Spell
Level 0-Detect Magic, Guidance (
2
), Light, Resistance,;1st-
bane,bless, cure light wounds, shield of Faith*; 2nd-bull’s
strength, hold person (
2
), shield other* 3rd –dispel magic
(
2
), magic circle against evil, protection from energy*.
* Domain Spell, Domains: Protection, Travel.
Motive +8, Tumble+8, Use Magic Device +16
Feats:
Cleave, Great Cleave, Quick-Draw, Power Attack,
Skill Focus (
Perform
), Stealthy
Challenge Rating:
12
Alignment:
Neutral
Bardic Spells Known (
Cast 3/4/3 per day
)
0-Dancing Lights, Detect magic, Ghost Sound, Lullaby,
Message, Read Magic, 1-Charm Person, Expeditious
Retreat, Hypnotism, Ventriloquism 2-Heroism, Invisibility,
Silence
Immolation:
This prophecy beast is exceptional at being
dramatic. He can immolate himself three times per day.
Treat this attack as a tenth level fireball, centered on the
beast. The beast is totally immune to any effects of his own
Immolation.
Uncanny Dodge:
This prophecy beast possesses Uncanny
Dodge as a 10th level Rogue.
Possessions:
Chime of Opening, Circlet of Persuasion,
Cloak of Elvenkind, Dwarven Waraxe+2, Hat of Disguise,
Mithral Shirt +2, 3 Potions of Cure Moderate Wounds,
Ring of Protection+3, Throwing Axe of Returning +1,
Wand of Lightning (
5th
)
Possessions:
Full Plate, Heavy Steel Shield Masterwork
Heavy Mace, Heavy Crossbow, 10 bolts, 2 scrolls of cure
light wounds, holy symbol
Sample Bringer of Fate
This Example uses a dwarven 5th bard/5th level fighter as
the base creature. This represents a confident and well-
equipped speaker for the Heavens who in the course of his
career has never been intimidated, repulsed, or bored in
his duties. He is a profession in breaking into castles and
sneaking into general’s tents. The amount of city, camp,
and palace guards he’s sent into early retirement is truly
staggering.
Adventure Ideas:
1. The Plot Takes a Holiday:
The Princess is missing.
The King is in a magic coma. The Castle is haunted.
The Witch Queen’s riddle stumps everyone. The trees
have uprooted and are walking around willy-nilly.
Where is the prophecy beast? He’s at the Inn, on his
forty-seventh double shot of ale.
The gods chose a less-than-virtuous soul to make
this particular beast. This particular soul just wants
to have fun. Maybe the soul was a drunk, or of a
repressed girl from a nunnery. Regardless, unless
the PCs convince the beast otherwise, he/she’ll party
while the (possibility literally) apocalypse rages.
2. The Uninvited Godmother:
The party is approached
by a prophecy beast that requires the aid of
adventurers. It seems the local lord has become the
proud parent of two twin girls, each with mismatched
eyes. It’s been raining fish, and two-headed goats
have been born. The lord is no fool. With those birth
omens, he knows that if a prophecy beast is spotted
in his country, it means interesting times for his
daughters.
The entire country has been militarized to hunt and
kill the prophecy beast. The beast needs a group of
investigators to sneak her inside the castle. Is the lord
an evil dictator, fearing his eventual downfall? Is he
a good-hearted father seeking a normal life for his
daughters? Whether the prophecy is good or bad, the
Medium Outsider (
Augmented Humanoid
)
Hit Dice:
5d6+5d10+20 (
60 hit points
)
Initiative:
+0
Speed:
20 ft
Armor Class:
19 (
Mithral Shirt +2, Ringof Protection +3
)
Flat-footed 19 Touch 13
Attack:
Head butt +11 1d6+3 or +2 Dwarven war-axe + 13
1d10+5 or +1 Throwing Axe of Returning +9 1d6+4
Full Attack:
+2 Dwarven war-axe +13/+8 (
1d10+5
) and
Head butt +8 (
1d6 +3
), or +1 Throwing Axe of Returning
+9 1d6+4
Space/Reach:
5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks:
Bardic Songs 5/day, Countersong,
Immolation 10d6 3/day
Special Qualities:
Bardic Knowledge +6, DR 10/Holy &
Unholy, Darkvision 60ft, Dwarven Traits, Path of Fate,
Uncanny Dodge
Abilities:
Str:16 Dex:10 Con:16 Int:12 Wis:16 Chr: 16
Skills:
Bluff+11, Climb+5, Diplomacy +15, Escape
Artist+7, Hide+15, Intimidate+11, Jump+5, Move
Silently+10, Perform+17 (
Chanting
), Ride +3, Sense
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