Tuesday, September 07, 2010

The Bestiary of Liff

As a bit of a folow-up to my last post, here are three monsters inspired by The Deeper Meaning of Liff.

Bog Hag
# Encountered:  1(d3)
Alignment: Chaos
Movement: 90'(30')
AC: 6 [13]
HD: 3
Attacks: 1 wicked slap
Damage:  d6
Save as:  Magic-User 3
Morale: 8
Hoard Class:  XX + 1,000gp

Bog hags are swamp-dwelling radical feminist ogresses, rejecting male-dominated ogrish family life in favor of lonely seclusion or covening with sister hags. Every bog hag knows a single curse, which they can inflict once per week (save allowed).  One hag might be able to turn you into a frog, while another causes all your iron to rust, etc.  1 in 6 of these creatures also cast spells as a magic-user.  Roll d6 for level of ability.

All bog hags keep d4 lap pets, usually either mangy wolves or psychotic mountain lions.

Horned Umberly
# Encountered:  d2(d2)
Alignment: Chaos
Movement: 90'(30')
AC: 6 [13]
HD: 7
Attacks: 2 claws and 1 gore
Damage:  d6/d6/2d4
Save as: Fighter 7
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: XVIII

These shaggy three-eyed beasts are non-burrowing cave-dwelling relatives of the common umber hulk.  Every other combat round they can focus all three eyes on a single target, shooting them with a lightning bolt for 3d6 damage (save for half).  This lightning attack may be combined with their melee routine if all attacks are directed at a single target, otherwise they may opt to zap a foe up to 240' away.

Horned umberlies are of nearly average intelligence and not always immediately hostile.  They are susceptible to bribery with food and drink if hungry (4 in 6 chance) or treasure.

Ballycumber Wyrm
Rar! Ima bite Teri Polo's shoulder!
The lair next to my comfy chair. 
# Encountered:  1(0)
Alignment:  Neutral
Movement:  90'(30') or fly 180'(60')
AC:  3 [16]
HD:  1+1
Attacks:  1 bite
Damage:  d3
Save as:  Fighter 1
Morale: 8
Hoard Class: 2d6+4 books of various sorts

A member of the same family of drakes as the pseudodragon and faerie dragon, these creatures take up lair on a stack of books numbering at least 6 volumes.  Some wizards use a variant of the find familiar spell to summon a ballycumber wyrm to guard their spellbooks.  Volumes may be removed from the wyrm's stack as long as alternative books are provided to keep the total number of books constant and the swap is made while the ballycumber wyrm is elsewhere.

Three times per day a ballycrumber wyrm may breath a small gout of fire for 2d6 damage (save for half).  Books are normally not affected by the magical fire of the wyrm, unless its lair has been disturbed or some other offense has angered it.  In which case it will burn all the books in the immediate vicinity and seek a new lair elsewhere.  A ballycumber wyrm has the intelligence, habits and attitude of a housecat.

3 comments:

  1. LOL I love the dragon. I'm going to have to track this book down now, thanks.

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  2. I like this, really imaginative.

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  3. Schweet. As one who has to occasionally restack his ballycumbers to avoid creasing them during the night, I suspect I could use said wyrm.

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