Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Meet the Weefellows

Weefellow

# Enc: 1d4 (2d12)
AL: Neutral
Move: 120'(40')
AC: 5
HD: 1+1
Attacks: 1 (small weapon)
Damage: d4
Save as: Elf 1
Morale: 8
Treasure Type: 18/E in lair, individuals 4/S & 5/T

Standing no taller than a halfling or goblin, these nocturnal fay would be mistaken for human children if it were not for their green mustaches. Their well-concealed lairs are always found within a few miles of a small settlement of humans or halflings, whom they envy for their great art of baking. The technology behind the application of yeast and the use of ovens is beyond the capabilities of their fairy minds. Once they have adopted a village they will expect fresh baked goods to be left out for them every full moon (their feast-time). Villages that are generous in the monthly supply of breads, muffins, cookies, etc., will be protected by the Weefellows from predators and such. Those who skimp on tasty treats will be subject to all sorts of nocturnal harassment, beginning with harmless pranks but escalating in a few months time to an outright campaign of terror. A poor harvest will not be considered a legitimate excuse, so famines are doubly bad times for villages haunted by these creatures.

Each Weefellow knows one tiny bit of magic they can use once per day. Roll d12 below if specifics are needed. Or make something up.

1. Shine shoes
2. Compel fish to leap into net
3. Start small fire in any conditions
4. Turn one gem to glass
5. Shapeshift to green-striped housecat
6. Refill empty wineskin
7. Turn Cleric
8. Brick to mud
9. Panic farm animals
10. Whither tree
11. Blunt blade
12. Roll random first level MU spell.

For every four Weefellows encountered their will be one leader-type with 2 hit dice, a weapon capable of doing d6 damage, and a random first level MU spell in addition to the magic determined above. The leader's mustache will be noticeably more elaborate than run-of-the-mill Weefellows. A Weefellow lair will also contain a chieftain with three hit dice and a second level MU spell or unique magic of equivalent power. The chieftain's mustache will be absolutely ridiculous in size, shape and ornamentation.

Common folklore holds that these creatures are all male, but certain bards and druids know that to be untrue. Both the males and females of the species possess the same green facial hair, leading some to speculate a distant kinship to the dwarf-folk.

All Weefellows are subjects of a single suzerain, the legendary Lord of the Verdant Beard. He in turn is a minor vassal of the Faery Queen (or the goddess of magic, the witch queen, or whatever suits your campaign).

[These guys were inspired by an operatic production of A Midsummer Night's Dream that had a fairy chorus of children in green fake mustaches.]

14 comments:

  1. I like these little troublemakers muchly! An excellent bit of work :3

    (an excellent way to make good come from Shakespeare, also ;3)

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  2. Love it! The image of one of these green-moustached pests turning a confused cleric is priceless.

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  3. Awesome! So now we just need someone to whip up some artwork!

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  4. You seem to have forgotten the player character version. ;)

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  5. Easy: Use Elf class, subbing in Halfling racial abilities.

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  6. I can't help but imagine a Weefellow as a could-be citizen of Munchkinland or perhaps as a mustachioed Spritle from Speed Racer.

    "Hey, you! Gimme some cake!"

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  7. Awesome.

    I like the World of Darkness, Changeling: The Lost, particular. The problem is that you are dealing a LOT of rules when playing any WW game. Your Weefellows show how you can take a game like Labyrinth Lord and put an awesome spin on it.

    For this same reason, I never sell Labyrinth Lord as a "retro-clone" or "Basic D&d re-made." I think those are ridiculous terms that are backward thinking.

    Instead, I sell the game as "rules-light" and "easily modified." Your Weefellows are a great example of this.

    Peace,
    Christian

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  8. Is "Turn Cleric" the ability to turn undead as a cleric, or the ability to turn clerics? Or should we just go with what feels right at the moment?

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  9. Takysman, I envisioned it as turning clerics as if they were undead.

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  10. I like em! The first thing that comes to mind is failed low-level adventurers working as traveling Weefellow exterminators.

    Smoke them out of their lairs and gig them with barbed spears when the rotten little pastry fairies get too demanding.

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  11. There aren't enough of the Fair Folk in D&D. I guess it's because they're usually not fodder for being killed and plundered.

    Nice work!

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  12. Brilliant! I'll be using the Weefellows in my next campaign. They have a lot of fun role-playing potential.

    Word verification: "Tring" -- sounds like a name for a Weefellow!

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  13. awesome! i love that spell list.

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