Spes Magna Games

Today I draw inspiration from Tom Moldvay’s legendary The Lost City. Published in 1982, The Lost City still shines bright in the constellation of fantasy adventure modules. If for some reason, you don’t own this module, slide that mouse back to the link the previous sentence and click away.

Sliding into the large, slime-covered chamber, you find that the floor is littered with bones. Suddenly, you hear a rustling noise from the north wall. There, a huge humanoid figure rises from the slime, standing 15′ tall. Its head is that of a giant lizard. A black, 2′-long horn curves upward above its single red eye, and sharp teeth fill its mouth. Instead of arms, the creature has six tentacles, three on each side of its body. These end in razor-sharp talons. Instead of legs, the creature slithers toward you on six more powerful tentacles.

Zargon
Huge aberration, chaotic evil

Armor Class 20 (natural armor)
Hit Points 126 (12d12+48)
Speed 30 ft.
Ability Scores STR 25 (+7), DEX 12 (+1), CON 19 (+4), INT 16 (+3), WIS 13 (+1), CHA 16 (+3)

Saving Throws CON +8, INT +7, WIS +5
Skills Athletics +11, Perception +5
Damage Resistances acid, cold, fire
Condition Immunities frightened
Senses darkvision 90 ft., tremorsense 20 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Deep Speech
Challenge 12 (8,400 XP)

Immortality. Zargon’s horn is indestructible except by immersion in lava. As long as Zargon’s horn is intact, Zargon eventually regenerates from death itself, although this may take a number of years.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Zargon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Slime. Zargon continuously excretes a thick slime. This slime insulates Zargon against acid, cold, and fire. The slime lubricates Zargon as well. It rolls with advantage when making Strength (Athletics) checks to resist or to escape from a grapple, and Zargon does not spend extra movement when squeezing into a smaller space.

Unnatural Healing. Zargon heals quickly, but not so quickly that it regenerates round to round. When Zargon takes a short rest, it regains at least 8 hit points per Hit Die it spends for healing.

Actions

Multiattack. Zargon attacks makes up to seven attacks: six with its tentacles and one with its bite.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 20 (2d12+7) piercing damage.

Talons. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d8+7) slashing damage.

Vomit. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 20/40 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d8) acid damage and the target is coated with vomit, or on a miss the target is splashed for 4 (1d8) acid damage. The target takes 4 (1d8) acid damage at the end of its next turn, or no damage on the end of its next turn on a miss. Also with a hit, until the end of its next turn, the target must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or fall prone if it attacks or moves, and the terrain counts as difficult terrain.

Legendary Actions

Zargon can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Zargon regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.

Detect. Zargon makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tentacle Surge (Costs 2 Action). Zargon lashes out with its larger, more powerful tentacles. Each creature within 10 feet of Zargon must succeed on a DC 17 Dexterity saving throw or take 14 (2d6+7) bludgeoning damage and be knocked prone. After flailing with its tentacles this way, Zargon can move up to half its speed.

Vomit. Zargon makes a vomit attack.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters

The devil goat is a subtle deceiver that most of the time appears to be nothing more than a normal goat. It insinuates itself among common beasts, and it waits and watches, yearning to discover petty jealousies and complaints that it can magnify through cunning combinations of falsehood and truth. In the hierarchy of hell, devil goats and imps occupy the same level. Devil goats are found throughout the infernal realms in the service of greater devils. They act as messengers and spies, but, unlike imps, seldom serve any mortal master, no matter how evil. Instead, devil goats seek to swell the ranks lemures by corrupting mortals, leading them along wicked paths toward self-destruction.

“Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?”

Devil Goat
Medium fiend (devil), lawful evil

Armor Class 13 (natural armor)
Hit Points 39 (6d8+12)
Speed 40 ft.
Ability Scores STR 16 (+3), DEX 14 (+2), CON 15 (+2), INT 6 (-2), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 9 (-1)

Saving Throws CON +4, WIS +4
Skills Deception +5, Insight +4, Perception +4, Persuasion +5, Stealth +4
Damage Resistances cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks not made with silvered weapons
Damage Immunities fire, poison
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Infernal, telepathy 120 ft. (the devil goat cannot speak)
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Charge. If the devil goat moves at least 20 feet straight toward a target and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 4 (1d8) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.

Devil’s Sight. Magical darkness doesn’t impede the goat devil’s darkvision.

False Appearance. When it acts appropriately, the devil goat is indistinguishable from a normal goat.

Magic Resistance. The goat devil has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Sure-Footed. The devil goat has advantage on Strength and Dexterity saving throws made against effects that would knock it prone.

Actions

Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage.

Shadow Walk When the devil goat is in dim light or darkness, it can teleport up to 80 feet to an unoccupied space it can see that is also in dim light or darkness. Immediately after doing so, as a bonus action, the devil goat may take the Hide action.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters

As few posts ago, I presented two new monsters inspired by The Public Domain Review‘s article about Bakemono zukushi, “a Japanese painted scroll…from the Edo-period” that depicts several yokai, creatures from Japanese folklore. Today, I return to that scroll to present another new monster, again for both Swords & Wizardy and D&D 5E.

The nobusuma (also known as the wild quilt) resembles a flat-bodied flying squirrel about the size of a large rabbit. It has a grotesque face. The nobusuma eats nuts, fruit, and berries, but it also feeds on fire and sucks blood from humanoids and animals, especially smaller domestic animals such as cats and dogs. This malicious fey creature loves to attack travelers along roads at night, swooping from shadowy tree tops to latch onto the victim’s face and feed on his or her blood. Many scholars claim that unusually long-lived bats transform into nobusuma instead of dying a natural death.

Nobusuma
Hit Dice: 2+2
Armor Class: 6 [13]
Attack (Damage): Bite (1d4 + blood drain)
Move: 9/15 (when flying)
Save: 16
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 4/120
Special: Drain blood 1d4/round, eat fire, face latch

The nobusuma attacks by latching onto its victim’s face and draining blood. After its first hit, the nobusuma’s victim is effectively blinded, and the monster drains blood automatically at a rate of 1d4 hit points per round. The nobusuma also feeds on fire. It is immune to fire damage. Instead of a normal attack, with a hit the nobusuma can consume a single fire source, such as a torch or lantern, extinguishing the fire source in the process.

——

Nobusuma
Tiny fey, neutral evil

Armor Class 13
Hit Points 10 (3d4+3)
Speed 15 ft., fly 35 ft.
Ability Scores STR 6 (-2), DEX 17 (+3), CON 12 (+1), INT 6 (-2), WIS 10 (+0), CHA 8 (-1)

Skills Stealth +5
Damage Immunities fire
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Sylvan
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)

Actions

Blood Drain. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing damage, and the nobusuma attaches to the target’s face. While attached, the nobusuma doesn’t attack. Instead, at the start of each of the nobusuma’s turns, the target loses 5 (1d4+3) hit points due to blood loss. Also while attached, the target is blinded. The nobusuma can detach itself by spending 5 feet of its movement. It does so after it drains 15 hit points of blood from the target or the target dies. A creature, including the target, can use its action to make a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) check to detach the nobusuma.

Consume Fire (Recharge 5-6). The nobusuma chooses one source of fire within 5 feet to feed upon. The nobusuma gains 2 (1d4) temporary hit points, and the fire is extinguished.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters, Swords & Wizardry

And the Lord God said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this thing, thou art cursed among all cattle, and beasts of the earth: upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. (Genesis 3:14)

Nahash
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1-4
Armor Class: 3
Move: 18″
Hit Dice: 8
% in Lair: 15%
Treasure Type: E
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 1-4
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: 35%
Intelligence: Exceptional
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Size: L (20′ long)
Psionic Ability: 100
Attack/Defense Modes: C, D/G, I
Level/XP Value: VII/1,550 + 10/hp

The demonic nahashim appear as huge serpents with black to gray scales, uneven red stripes, and crimson eyes. These monsters can be found throughout the Abyss. On the Prime Material Plane, they seek to deceive and tempt, especially if doing so brings ruin to the innocent.

Being a demon, the nahash cannot be harmed by any sort of normal weaponry or by silver weapons, even those that are magical. It takes half damage from cold, electrity, fire, and gas. The nahash is immune to poison. It communicates via telepathy as well by speech, always as if under the effect of a tongues spell. It has infravision (of the normal 60-foot variety), sheds darkness in a 15-foot radius, can teleport (no error), and can gate in another nahash (50%), a type V demon (25%), or 4-16 manes (25%) (40% chance of success).

A nahash’s bite is not especially powerful, but it carries a horrifying poison. If a poison saving throw fails, the victim dies immediately. Even if the poison save succeeds, the victim takes 3-18 points of damage. Any creature slain by the nahash’s poison dries up and turns to dust in 1-4 rounds. Nahashim love to devour this dust.

A nahash has three minor psionic disciplines. One of these will always be hypnosis. Its magical abilities, any one of which can be used at will, are detect invisibility, dispel magic, fear, phantasmal force, and telekinesis 2,500 gold pieces weight. Once per day, it can transmute water to dust, affecting up to 80 cubic feet of water.

Nahash
Large fiend (demon), chaotic evil

Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Hit Points 102 (12d10+36)
Speed 45 ft.
Ability Scores STR 14 (+2), DEX 16 (+3), CON 17 (+3), INT 16 (+3), WIS 15 (+2), CHA 18 (+4)

Saving Throws INT +7, WIS +6, CHA +8
Skills Deception +8, Insight +6, Perception +6, Persuasion +8, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances cold, fire, electricity; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical and nonsilver weapons
Damage Immunities poison; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from silver weapons
Condition Immunities poisoned
Senses blindsight 20 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

Innate Spellcasting. The nahash’s innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). It can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

At will: darkness, dispel magic, fear, phantasmal force, see invisibility, telekinesis, teleport
3/day each: charm person, suggestion
1/day: create or destroy water (destroy only, as if cast in a 4th-level spell slot)

Magic Resistance. The nahash has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Summon Demon (1/Day). The nahash has a 40 percent chance of summoning one nahash, one marilith, or 4d4 manes.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage, and the target must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 21 (6d6) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save. A creature that dies from nahash venom turns to dust in 1d4 rounds.

Tags: 1E AD&D, 5E D&D, Catholic, monsters

As promised, here’s part two of my trip through the Celtic Mythos from the AD&D Deities & Demigods. Today, I bring you the Wild Hunt converted to D&D 5E.

Called by Evil. “The Wild Hunt exists in all lands where Druids and their deities dwell. It is a physical manifestation of ‘life force’ that always take on the same form. The Hunt is made up of one huge black-skinned man with antlers growing from his head and his pack of hounds.” The Wild Hunt “appears whenever there is evil in the land”, always arriving after sundown. The Wild Hunt “begins ten miles from the source of evil that ‘summons’ it”, and it races toward the source of that evil.

Call of the Hunt. The Wild Hunt confines itself to a 10-mile radius around the initial location of its prey, around the evil which summoned it. As the Wild Hunt races, the Master’s horn and the hounds’ baying “can be heard for miles in the night.” Those who end up too close to the Wild Hunt, whether by accident or design, may fall under the Hunt’s spell, joining it as either predator or prey.

One More Chase.. Neither the Master nor the hounds can die for long. If slain, the Master and the hounds “disappear in the darkness and appear somewhere else the next night, proving that the force that creates the Hunt is eternal.”

Master of the Hunt
Large fey, neutral

“The Master has jet black skin and glowing green eyes. His head is crowned by a set of stag antlers, and he wears a suit of black leather. The Master never speaks.”

Armor Class 20 (leather armor, natural armor)
Hit Points 142 (15d10+60)
Speed 45 ft.
Ability Scores STR 23 (+6), DEX 18 (+4), CON 19 (+4), INT 18 (+4), WIS 19 (+4), CHA 18 (+4)

Saving Throws DEX +9, STR +11
Skills Athletics +11, Perception +9, Survival +9
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Sylvan (doesn’t speak)
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)

Legendary Resistance. If the Master fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.

Magic Resistance. The Master has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Master Hunter. The Master has advantage on Wisdom (Survival) checks to track a target. It can also move through nonmagical difficult terrain with no extra movement cost. The Master can pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed by them and without taking damage from them if they have thorns, spines or a similar hazard.

Skillful Evasion. Opportunity attacks against the Master are made with disadvantage.

Spellcasting. The Master is a 15th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). Its verbal components consist of growls, hoots, and other animal noises. The Master knows the following ranger spells:

1st level (4 slots): ensnaring strike, hunter’s mark, jump
2nd level (3 slots): darkvision, find traps
3rd level (3 slots): protection from energy, water walk
4th level (2 slots): freedom of movement, locate creature

Trackless. The Master can use the Hide action as a bonus action on its turn. It cannot be tracked by nonmagical means unless it chooses to leave a trail. In a natural terrain, the Master gains a +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks as long as it remains motionless and takes no actions.

Actions

Multiattack. The Master can attack twice on its turn with its spear.

Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft. and range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (1d8+9) piercing damage, or 14 (1d10+9) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack. If the creature hit by the Master with its spear is below it’s maximum hit points, the creature takes an extra 5 (1d10) piercing damage. The Master fights with a +3 spear. If thrown, the Master’s spear flies back to its hand immediately after the attack.

Hunter’s Awareness. The Master becomes supernaturally aware of the region around it. It can sense the types of creatures within 1 mile of it. This ability does reveal the creatures’ location or number.

Whirlwind Attack. The Master can make a melee attack against any number of creatures within 5 feet of it, making a separate attack roll for each target.

Reactions

Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker that the Master can see hits the Master with an attack, the Master can use its reaction to halve that attack’s damage against it.

Legendary Actions