New Monster: Gasfruit (Drooling Menace)

 

DESCRIPTION: A gasfruit (a.k.a., "drooling menace" and "chartreuse fungi") is a nearly spherical fungal organism measuring 4'–8' in diameter. Its leathery outer skin is chartreuse, mottled with darker patches and shallow circular openings that resemble dozens of slack-jawed mouths. Despite its grotesque appearance, the "mouths" possess neither teeth nor tongues—they are merely fleshy pores that periodically pulse open to release spores. Thick strands of glossy violet mucus perpetually ooze from these openings, dangling several feet beneath the creature before dripping away in slow, sticky globs.  The creature drifts almost silently through the air, buoyed by large internal gas chambers. It seldom moves with purpose, instead bobbing gently upon faint air currents like an enormous seed pod. When disturbed, it slowly rotates, causing its dangling purple strands to sway beneath it. ABILITIES: Toxic Secretion. The gasfruit constantly exudes thick strands of sticky violet secretion from its reproductive pores. Any creature that touches the gasfruit (e.g., by making a successful melee attack) or passes directly beneath it has a 2-in-6 chance of being struck by the secretion. A creature struck suffers 1d4 points of acid damage each round for 1d4 rounds. A successful save vs. breath halves the duration (round up), but does not reduce the damage dealt each round. Volatile Spore Eruption. Gasfruit react violently to open flame. Whenever a torch, lantern, campfire, flaming oil, or other open flame is brought within 30', there is a 1-in-4 chance each round that the creature suddenly convulses, ejecting a cloud of burning acidic mucus and spores in a 30' radius. All creatures within the area suffer 2d4 points of acid damage (save vs. breath for half damage) and become coated in adhesive mucus, suffering from its Toxic Secretion as noted above. Gas Sac Rupture. When reduced to 0 hit points, the gasfruit explodes in a shower of sticky purple spore-mucus with a radius of 15'. All creatures within the area suffer the same effect as the Volatile Spore Eruption noted above, including the ensuing effects of the Toxic Secretion.  Buoyant Body. A gasfruit is almost weightless. It ignores pits, water, and uneven terrain while drifting and is unaffected by most ground-based hazards. Strong winds, however, may carry it unpredictably at the DM's discretion. Resistances & Immunities. As a fungal organism, a gasfruit is immune to poison, sleep, and charm effects. It takes half damage from acid, as its own secretions readily absorb corrosive substances. Furthermore, gasfruit possess no recognizable anatomy and are therefore immune to backstabs. ECOLOGY: Gasfruit inhabit damp caverns, abandoned mines, and other humid subterranean environments where slow air currents allow them to drift with little effort. They derive most of their nourishment by slowly absorbing moisture and nutrients from mats of lichen, algae, fungi, and other microbial growth coating cave ceilings, walls, and floors. Individuals frequently linger in especially productive caverns for weeks or months before gradually drifting elsewhere.

New Monster: Gelatinous Tyrant

DESCRIPTION: Gelatinous tyrants are large, translucent cephalopod-like predators whose gelatinous bodies measure about 7–8' tall and 5–6' across. Their nearly transparent flesh bears only the faintest bluish cast, making them almost invisible beneath the water. At the center of the body rests a single large eye, likewise clear and glassy, with only subtle hints of color surrounding its pupil. Two long, muscular feeding tentacles extend from the body, each reaching nearly 10' in length and ending in a powerful circular sucker lined with rings of fine, needle-like teeth. Beneath the body hangs a dense fringe of short sensory cilia that trail constantly in the current. ABILITIES: Aquatic. Gelatinous tyrants breathe only underwater and cannot survive long out of it. After spending more than 3 consecutive rounds out of water, the creature begins to dry rapidly, suffering 1 point of damage each round until it is fully submerged again. Feeding Tentacles. Rather than inflicting normal damage, a successful tentacle attack latches securely onto its victim with its toothed sucker. Beginning immediately on the round of the successful attack, the attached tentacle drains 1d6 hit points each round as it feeds. Each tentacle feeds independently, allowing the creature to drain multiple victims—or a single victim with both tentacles—simultaneously. A latched tentacle remains attached until the victim dies, the tentacle is forcibly removed (on a successful Open Doors roll), or the gelatinous tyrant has consumed approximately 40 hit points of blood, after which it typically releases its prey and retreats to digest. Each tentacle has AC 5 and 8 hit points. Damage dealt to a tentacle does not affect the gelatinous tyrant's normal hit points. A severed tentacle immediately releases any attached victim and cannot regenerate. The tyrant loses one tentacle attack for each tentacle destroyed. A severed tentacle regrows completely in 1d4+2 weeks. Eye Beam. Once every 5 rounds, a gelatinous tyrant may project a shimmering ray from its central eye at a single creature within 60'. The target must Save vs. Spells or have its buoyancy magically altered (the tyrant's choice), becoming either unnaturally heavy or unnaturally buoyant for 1d6 rounds, regardless of its actual weight or encumbrance. Affected creatures immediately sink toward the bottom or rise toward the surface at a rapid rate. If a creature ascends or descends more than 60 feet before the effect ends, it must Save vs. Paralysis or suffer 1d6 damage for each full 60 feet traveled due to the effects of rapid pressure change. While affected, the creature's movement rate is halved. Transparent Body. A gelatinous tyrant's nearly invisible body is extraordinarily difficult to detect beneath the water. It surprises opponents on a roll of 1–5 (on 1d6), and all "to hit" rolls made against it while submerged suffer a –4 penalty.  However, as it feeds, the tyrant's transparent body gradually takes on a faint pink coloration from the absorbed blood. This coloration reduces the creature's concealment, decreasing its Transparent Body attack penalty by 1 for every 10 hit points drained (–3 after 10 hp, –2 after 20 hp, –1 after 30 hp, and no penalty after 40 hp). The pink coloration persists for 1 turn after feeding ends before gradually being absorbed into the tyrant's body, allowing it to become nearly transparent once again. ECOLOGY: Gelatinous tyrants inhabit deep lakes, flooded caverns, subterranean rivers, and other dark bodies of still or slow-moving water where their transparent bodies render them almost impossible to detect. They are solitary ambush predators, remaining nearly motionless until prey ventures within reach of their feeding tentacles. Once attached, they rarely relinquish a victim until fully sated, often retreating afterward into deep water or submerged crevices to digest.

STATS ARMOR CLASS: 3 HIT DICE: 7* MOVE: 0'(0')      SWIM: 180'(60') ATTACKS: 2 tentacles DAMAGE: blood drain      (1d6/round each) SAVE AS: Fighter:7 MORALE: 10 INTELLIGENCE: Animal LANGUAGES: —  MOTIVATION: Hunger, Survival DISPOSITION: Ambush Predator ALIGNMENT: Neutral LOCATION: Deep lakes, subterranean rivers, flooded caverns, coastal reefs FREQUENCY: Rare % IN LAIR: 80% NO. APPEARING: 1 (1d2) TREASURE TYPE: C XP VALUE: 850

New Monster: Hypnolisk

 

DESCRIPTION: A Hypnolisk resembles a long, serpentine arthropod measuring 12–18' in length. Its body is composed of thick, chitinous segments armored in dull shades of violet, slate gray, and faded brown. Long ivory spines project from the sides of nearly every segment, giving the creature a jagged silhouette that makes it appear even larger than its actual size. Its grotesque head is vaguely humanoid yet unmistakably alien, with smooth greenish-gray flesh stretched tightly over a narrow skull. Dominating its face are two enormous spiral-patterned eyes whose slowly rotating pupils seem impossible to focus upon. Beneath them is a broad, fish-like mouth with thin, rubbery lips and rows of fine, needle-like teeth. A short cluster of fleshy sensory barbels hangs beneath the lower jaw like a sparse beard, constantly twitching as they sample subtle vibrations and scents in the surrounding air. Although capable of slithering across stone with surprising speed, the Hypnolisk more commonly travels through the air. By undulating its segmented body and coiling itself into a loose spiral, it drifts and glides through subterranean passages with eerie grace, seeming to float rather than fly. When hunting or resting, it often suspends itself from ceilings or rocky outcroppings with only the tip of its tail anchored, its body hanging in broad coils while its hypnotic eyes watch silently for approaching prey. Despite its size, a motionless Hypnolisk is easily mistaken for a cluster of stalactites, tangled roots, or an unusual rock formation. Only the slow, almost imperceptible rotation of its spiraling eyes betrays that it is alive.  ABILITIES: Natural Camouflage (Surprise). A motionless Hypnolisk is extraordinarily difficult to distinguish from the cave floor or surrounding stone. A Hypnolisk surprises on a 1–5 (on 1d6), and if the Hypnolisk chooses to remain hidden, it will go undetected 90% of the time, unless a character is actively searching the area where the Hypnolisk is hiding, at which point the chance to go undetected is reduced to 30%. Hypnotic Gaze. The Hypnolisk’s spiraling eyes exert a powerful mesmeric influence. Any sighted creature that approaches within 30' and looks upon the Hypnolisk must save vs. spells or become hypnotized for 1d6 rounds. Those averting their gaze attack with a –4 “to hit” penalty. While hypnotized, the victim will be drawn to the Hypnolisk, instinctively moving toward it by the safest available route; furthermore, the victim cannot attack the Hypnolisk (but is also not driven to protect or defend it) and will present itself to be bitten automatically (no “to hit” roll required) by the Hypnolisk. The effect immediately ends if the victim takes damage (regardless of source) or fails a saving throw. Victims that survive the duration of the hypnotic effect and those who make their save against the effect are then immune to the gaze of that particular Hypnolisk for 24 hours. Spined Body. Any creature attempting to grapple or make any sort of melee attack against the Hypnolisk automatically take 1d4 points of damage from the Hypnolisk’s rigid defensive spines.  Blood Drain. The Hypnolisk’s circular, fish-like mouth is lined with hundreds of tiny recurved teeth that cling tenaciously to flesh. A successful bite inflicts 1d6 points of damage and latches on to the victim. Each subsequent round, the Hypnolisk automatically drains 2d4 hit points as it feeds (no additional attack roll required). The Hypnolisk remains attached until slain or forcibly removed. Forcibly removing the Hypnolisk requires a successful Open Doors roll. Whether the attempt succeeds or fails, the creature making the attempt suffers 1d4 points of damage from the Hypnolisk’s defensive spines. If the attempt fails, the Hypnolisk remains attached and continues feeding normally. Infravision. The Hypnolisk possesses infravision to a range of 120'. ECOLOGY: Hypnolisks inhabit deep caverns, abandoned mines, and winding subterranean passages where traffic is infrequent but inevitable. They prefer narrow tunnels, blind corners, and natural chokepoints where travelers are forced to look directly toward them. Although capable of pursuing prey for short distances, a Hypnolisk rarely hunts actively. Instead, it relies almost entirely upon patience, remaining perfectly motionless for days or even weeks until an unsuspecting creature wanders within range of its gaze. Victims that resist the hypnosis are often ignored unless they continue approaching the creature's chosen lair. Little is known of their reproduction. Small clusters of spiral, stone-like eggs are occasionally found cemented to cave walls, but few have ever been observed hatching. Hypnolisks are almost always encountered alone, suggesting that juveniles disperse soon after emerging. Their natural lifespan is unknown, though many scholars believe a single individual may survive for centuries.

STATS ARMOR CLASS: 4 HIT DICE: 6* MOVE: 120'(40')      FLY: 180'(60') ATTACKS: 1 bite DAMAGE: 1d6 + blood drain NO. APPEARING: 1 (1d2) SAVE AS: Fighter:6 MORALE: 9 TREASURE TYPE: C ALIGNMENT: Neutral INTELLIGENCE: Animal LANGUAGES: —  MOTIVATION: Hunger, Survival DISPOSITION: Ambush Predator ALIGNMENT: Neutral LOCATION: Underdark, abandoned mines,  caverns, remote ruins FREQUENCY: Rare % IN LAIR: 85% NO. APPEARING: 1 (1d2) TREASURE TYPE: C XP VALUE: 570

New Monster: Thrindle

DESCRIPTION: Thrindles are gangly, insectoid humanoids standing about 3½ feet tall. Their bodies are covered in sparse, wiry hairs surrounding a chitinous torso and its long, spindly limbs end in hooked claws. Their oversized eyes dominate a narrowing face with a circular, rasping mouth beneath. Rising from the crown of the head is a flexible antenna ending in a small bulbous organ that constantly emits a faint, almost inaudible hum.  ABILITIES: Echolocation. A thrindle's enormous eyes do not see in the conventional sense. Instead, specialized organs within them emit constant subsonic pulses that bounce off nearby surfaces, allowing the creature to perceive its surroundings through echolocation to a range of 60'. This sense functions equally well in darkness, smoke, fog, magical darkness, or against invisible creatures, provided they reflect sound. Therefore, a thrindle cannot be blinded by light or darkness, and is not affected by gaze attacks. However, while within the area of a silence spell or any similar sound-negating effect, its echolocation ceases to function, effectively “blinding” the thrindle until it leaves the affected area. Mimicry. By vibrating its antenna node, a thrindle can imitate simple environmental sounds such as dripping water, distant footsteps, quiet (indistinct) conversation, rattling chains, digging, or cries for help. Thrindles commonly use this ability to lure prey into confined spaces or distract predators while escaping. Languages. Thrindles speak their own language—a combination of simple chirps, clicks, hums, and subsonic pulses. They can learn broken Common or Dwarvish, though their speech is slow, buzzing, and difficult to understand. They can also communicate silently with other thrindles by transmitting subsonic vibrations directly from one antennae to another with in a range of 60’; any thrindle receiving such a communication can simultaneously “bounce” the transmission to another thrindle within 60’, effectively allowing up to dozens of thrindles to receive the message within seconds of the original message. ECOLOGY: Thrindles are opportunistic omnivores that feed on cave insects, fungi, carrion, small animals, and mineral-rich lichens. They nest in abandoned burrows or narrow rock fissures lined with fibrous moss and shed hairs that amplify vibrations throughout the colony. Small groups communicate through rhythmic tapping and humming transmitted through stone, allowing them to coordinate silently over surprising distances. Although eerie and often mistaken for malicious monsters, thrindles are intelligent enough to bargain with those who approach peacefully, sometimes exchanging information about nearby tunnels or dangers for food, shiny trinkets, or interesting sounds.

STATS ARMOR CLASS: 6 HIT DICE: 2 MOVE: 120'(40') ATTACKS: 2 claws/1 bite DAMAGE: 1d3/1d3/1d6 NO. APPEARING: 4d4 (8d4) SAVE AS: Fighter:2 MORALE: 7 TREASURE TYPE: C ALIGNMENT: Neutral

Another project on the pile...

I'm playing around with a new idea where I take the new monsters I've been creating and posting to the blog (like the Quarreler) and follow each new monster description spread with a lair for that monster (set up as a short adventure), supported by some additional random tables where space permits. 

This is one of those slow/backburner projects that will get added to a bit at a time, as new monsters come onto the blog. The d30 ECs are my main continued focus right now. 

That being said, here's a sample of what I think it may look like...