Sunday, June 24, 2018

New Oe/1e/BX Monster: Forsaker

As was mentioned on my Google+ post of this image, it was inspired by beholder doodle from Dyson Logos. It's a a forsaker (the opposite of a beholder?). Instead of one gaping maw and a bunch of eyes, it has one eye and a bunch of gaping maws with different bite effects. So here is the full set of stats/description as promised.






The forsaker (mouth slave, flail of many mouths) is the stuff of nightmares—an aberration likely originating from the kind chaos that can only be birthed from the Beyond. These freakish things are found mainly underground but encountered occasionally in desolate wilderness locations.

The “body” of this savage is a central unblinking eye, set on all sides by a septet of gaping maws filled with dagger-like teeth. They are often referred to as “mouth slaves” for they are servants to their own insatiable appetites, always on a quest to eat, to consume, to devour—never fulfilled. Ironically, it moves regretfully slowly about as it wills through the power of levitation. Nonetheless, those who encounter such a beast have their work cut out for them.

Any seeing creature that gazes upon its unblinking eye must save vs. spells or flee in fear for 2 turns, and those with 3 Hit Dice or fewer fail automatically.

Each round, the first four of its mouths may strike to its front side and the last three may strike to its rear side. Those strikes to the rear suffer a –2 “to hit” penalty due to limited scope of vision. Sneak attacks to the creatures rear (e.g., theives’ backstabbing) are unaffected. Each successful attack not only does 2d4 damage from the bite, the victim of such a bite must save vs. poision or suffer a venomous effect that coordinates with each mouth as outlined below:
  1. confusion (as spell): 2d4 rounds
  2. charm (as philter of love, with the forsaker as its love interest): 3d6 turns
  3. paralysis: 1d4 turns
  4. acid: +1d6 damage
  5. slow: movement halved, –1 “to hit,” and +1 AC for 2d4 rounds
  6. disease: temporary loss of 1 point of Strength and 1 point of Constitution until cured, then recovered at a rate of 1 point of each per full day’s rest
  7. blindness: 4d4 turns

Rarely does a forsaker establish a true lair, opting instead to take up residence only temporarily in the den of a previous victim, resting as needed before continuing on its quest to consume. However, it has been known for some forsakers with a slightly higher intelligence to stay in locations that potential prey is known to frequent (e.g., watering holes in the wilderness, places where treasure hunters regularly seek reward, etc.). The latter conditions are represented by the Percent in Lair and Treasure Types indications noted in parentheses above.

Forsakers speak deep speech (barely), and have their own language which is incomprehensible when spoken (even with the use of an ability like comprehend languages). Telepathic communication with a forsaker is possible, but mentally draining on the creature trying to communicate with it. Those communicating telepathically with a forsaker must save vs. paralysis each round or temporarily lose 1 point of Intelligence (recovered at a rate of 1 point per full day’s rest).
Oe/1E STATS
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVE: //3"
HIT DICE: 7
% IN LAIR: 0 (30%)
TREASURE TYPE: Nil (F)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 7
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil
SIZE: L (15' across)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil


BX STATS
ARMOR CLASS: 0
HIT DICE: 7
MOVE: //30'(10')
ATTACKS: 7 bites/1 ray
DAMAGE: See below
NO. APPEARING: 1
SAVE AS: Fighter:7
MORALE: 10
TREASURE TYPE: Nil (F)
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic

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