Spes Magna Games

On the Facebook, Luke Gygax posted, “Great job to Melf And The Green Arrows! Our Founders & Legends III Team broke the $6,000 mark! I’m so happy!”

Great job, indeed! I know my post about Founders & Legends III didn’t offer a glowing account of my limited experience with the on-line convention, but $6+K for Extra Life? That’s the icing on the cake and the cake, too.

On to another topic: It’s been months since I posted a new monster for AD&D. That doesn’t seem right. So, to honor the for-sale-via-Etsy tick horror, here we go.

Sceartán
Frequency: Very rare
No. Appearing: 2-12
Armor Class: 7
Move: 3″ (3″)
Hit Dice: 3-5
% in Lair: 5%
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage/Attack: 2-5
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: Nil
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Low
Alignment: Neutral evil
Size: S
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: 3 HD (III/80 + 3/hp), 4 HD (III/135 + 4/hp), 5 HD (IV/210 + 5/hp)

Sceartáns resemble bloated, fleshy ticks with the distorted faces of pudgy infants. They hunt forests, lairing in constricted burrows that some of the time lead to caves or caverns. These horrid things seek to drop upon prey or burst from hiding. They surprise others on a 1-4, and they treat falls as 20 feet shorter than actual for determining falling damage.

When sceartáns rush their prey, they double their movement rate for 1-4 melee rounds. Sceartáns attack via a long, hollow tongue that ends in a jagged spike. A hit by a sceartán scores 2-5 points of damage and indicates the monster has attached itself. Each melee round thereafter it drains 1-6 hit points of blood, until reaching satiation at a blood drain equal to its hit points. The sceartán then detaches and attempts to scurry for safety to slowly digest its meal. A sceartán must be killed, severely burned, or splashed with holy water to detach it prior to satiation. Holy water does not damage sceartáns, but they find the substance noxious.

If a sceartán is forcibly detached, its victim must make a saving throw versus poison. Failure indicates that part of the sceartán’s tongue spike breaks off in the victim’s body. The fragment wriggles deeper into the wound unless extracted within one melee round (causing 1-4 points of damage to the victim). Otherwise, only a cure disease spell prevents the fragment from reaching the victim’s heart and causing death in 1-3 turns.

Tags: AD&D, monsters

One of the nifty aspects of the AD&D Monster Manual might be missed by a less-than-careful reading.

“Really?” you say. “And what might that nifty aspect be?”

Yes, really, and good question. Of course, we all know that the Monster Manual includes giant animals. There are giant ants, giant beetles, giant gars, giant pikes, giant slugs, giant turtles, and more. A few of these over-sized animals have intelligences approaching or even exceeding human average. Some of this might be due to the influence of J. R. R. Tolkien. Giant eagles, for example, have Average intelligence. Worgs and giant spiders have Low intelligence. In a decidedly non-Tolkien move, giant beavers are Low to Average.

And then there’s the giant lynx, which is Very intelligent. In numerical terms, that’s an 11-12 Intelligence, compared to 8-10 for Average.

Back in the day, when I DMed AD&D, yes, I did use giant lynxes at least once. I don’t recall many of the details, but I’m pretty sure the PCs had to negotiate with the canny arctic feline for something related to the adventure. When I DMed in high school, I was on a mission to use every single monster in the Monster Manual (I and II) and Fiend Folio in an adventure somehow. I never achieved that goal, but not for lack of trying. For example, I made a jungle ruin-crawl adventure that included every single plant and fungus monster from the Monster Manual. Also, there was a mind flayer. I guess it was the gardener.

Even farther back in more distant days, Theophrastus (circa 320 B.C. or thereabouts), wrote about lynx stones in his On Stones, an ancient text about stones. On Stones was used by mineralogists for centuries. A lynx stone forms when lynx urine hardens into a stone-like substance. Since the lynx doesn’t want humans taking its lynx stones, the clever beast buries its urine.

Theophrastus says the lynx stone attracts straw, wood, copper, and iron. The urine of tame lynxes doesn’t produce lynx stones, nor does the urine of female lynxes, tame or otherwise. Ovid, Pliny the Elder, and Isidore of Seville all confirm the existence and origin of lynx stones, although Pliny and Isidore call the substance lynx water. Pliny and Isidore also note that lynxes know this happens. According to Pliny, lynxes cover their urine to speed up the solidification process. Isidore says lynxes bury their urine because they are naturally jealous and don’t want humans owning lynx stones.

So, obviously, if motivated by knowledge and jealously, lynxes must be intelligent, maybe even Very intelligent.

Giant Lynx
Medium monstrosity, neutral

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 22 (4d8+4)
Speed 30 ft.

STR 12 (+1), DEX 17 (+3), CON 12 (+1), INT 12 (+1), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 10 (+0)

Skills Athletics +3, Perception +4, Stealth +5
Damage Resistances cold
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages Giant Lynx
Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Aggressive. As a bonus action, the giant lynx can move up to its speed toward a hostile creature that it can see.

Pounce. If the giant lynx moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 13 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the giant lynx can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.

Keen Hearing and Sight. The giant lynx has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing and sight.

Running Leap. With a 10-foot running start, the giant lynx can leap up to 15 feet.

Snow Camouflage. The giant lynx has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6+3) piercing damage.

Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) slashing damage.

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

Many, many years ago, I had a stable of AD&D characters. The chief among them was the dwarf fighter/thief Lord Korbok, about whom I’ve written here. Another character of mine that saw play up until the late-80s was a high cleric named Morgaf. His claim to fame was his gauntlets of ogre power and magic hammer. Morgaf made it to about 7th or 8th level as a cleric. He was as likely to wade into melee as he was cast a spell. One of Morgaf’s favorite spells was sticks to snakes, especially against an enemy archer. A quiver full of arrows suddenly holding a bit more than a half dozen snakes (about 35% of them venomous) tended to spoil the enemy archer’s aim.

For some reason, 5E D&D doesn’t include sticks to snakes in the Player’s Handbook. The spell might appear in one of the many additional books published for 5E, but, if so, I don’t own that book. So, here’s my 5E version of the classic AD&D cleric spell plus a new spell.

And which of you, if he ask his father bread, will he give him a stone? Or a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he reach him a scorpion? (The Gospel According to St. Luke 11:11-12)

Sticks to Snakes
1st-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S, M (a small piece of bark and several snake scales)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

By means of this spell, you change one stick or stick-like wooden object that you can see within range into a constrictor snake. As long as you concentrate, you can use a bonus action to verbally command the snake to move and attack on your turn. If you don’t issue any commands to the snake, it defends itself from hostile creatures, but otherwise takes no actions. If your concentration is broken, the snake does not disappear. Instead, it is no longer under your control, and it will act as the DM determines. Regardless, the snake reverts to its original form 1 minute after you transmuted it or when it is dropped to 0 hit points.

The stick or stick-like object you target cannot be larger than a javelin and it must be nonmagical. If the stick or stick-like object is in the possession of a creature, that creature is permitted a Will save. If successful, the spell has no effect. Otherwise, the snake moves immediately into a space adjacent to the creature.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell using a slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target an additional stick or stick-like wooden object for each slot level above 1st. Roll 1d6 for each object transmuted. On a 5-6, the spell transmutes the object into a giant poisonous snake instead of a constrictor snake.

Venomous Banquet
3rd-level transmutation

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (a snake’s fang)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

Choose a point you can see within range when you cast this spell. An amount of food sufficient to sustain three humanoids or one steed within 15 feet of the point you chose transmutes into either a swarm of poisonous snakes or a swarm of scorpions (use swarm of poisonous snakes statistics for both, but the swarm of scorpions has no swim speed). A swarm created by this spell reverts to its original form when it drops to 0 hit points or when the spell ends.

The summoned swarm is friendly to you and your companions. Roll initiative for the swarm, which has its own turns. The swarm obeys any verbal commands that you issue to it (no action required by you). If you don’t issue any commands to the swarm, it defends itself from hostile creatures, but otherwise takes no actions.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell with certain higher-level spell slots, you cause more swarms to appear: two swarms with a 5th-level slot, four swarms with an 7th-level slot, and six swarms with a 9th-level slot.

Tags: 5E D&D, AD&D, Catholic, spells

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned Ms. Marvel’s 1978 encounter with a race of lizard people who had mutated into an intelligent society from common desert reptiles due to atomic bomb testing. So-called saurians have been a staple in fantasy and science fiction for further back than the late 70s. For example, Edgar Rice Burroughs had the frightening Mahars, intelligent pteradon-like creatures with deadly psychic powers. (Click here for a look at one of these malevolent beasts.)

But back to Ms. Marvel. If memory serves, she held her own pretty well against those mutated lizards when it came to fisticuffs, but not so well when targeted by a psychic attack. Different saurians had different abilities, and some were capable of a sort of bolt of psychic energy. For last ThursdAD&D, I presented the sollersaurus, an intelligent raptor-like creature. Today, I add the cogitasaurus, which I see as a sort of behind-the-scenes leadership for saurians.

Cogitasaurus
Frequency: Rare
No. Appearing: 1 (1-6 in lair)
Armor Class: 5
Move: 12″
Hit Dice: 6+6
% in Lair: 45%
Treasure Type: Q, S, T
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage/Attack: 1-4/1-4
Special Attacks: See below
Special Defenses: See below
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Exceptional
Alignment: Lawful neutral
Size: M (3′ tall, 6′ long)
Psionic Ability: 70-100
Attack/Defense Modes: A, B/F, G, H
Level/XP Value: VI/850 + 8/hp

The cogitasaurus is an intelligent saurian carnivore of exceptional intelligent. It possesses powerful psionic abilities, which is prefers to use in lieu of its claws. The cogitasaurus is bipedal, and it more closely resembles a humanoid-form that the sollersaurus. The cogitasaurus often rule over sollersauruses, using them as guards and mounts. It is unlikely (only 20% chance) that a cogitasaurus will be encountered outside its lair without 1-4 sollersauruses. A cogitasaurus lair is always protected by 1-4 sollersauruses per cogitasaurus.

The cogitasaurus has keen senses and infravision of the 90-foot variety. It is surprised only 1 in 6 times. The cogitasaurus has the following psionic abilities (performed at 6th-level mastery): animal telepathy, domination, and energy control. While the cogitasaurus cannot cast spells per se, it can read magic at will and utilize scrolls of all sorts as if it were a 6th-level caster.

The gaze of the cogitasaurus poses a special threat. Any avian or mammalian creature that meets the gaze of the cogitasaurus must make a saving throw versus paralyzation. Failure results in the victim being stunned for 2-8 rounds, dropping anything held in manipulative members. Creatures with more than 6 levels or hit dice receive a +4 bonus on the saving throw to resist the cogitasaurus’s gaze.

The cogitasaurus speaks the same tongue as the sollersaurus. The cogitasaurus has a 75% chance to understand 1-4 other languages, although the cogitasaurus lacks the vocal apparatus to speak most other tongues. Despite its intelligence, the cogitasaurus seldom makes use of much more than the simplest of tools.

Tags: AD&D, monsters, ThursdAD&D

“Everybody died,” the scientist claims. The grizzly boar charged through the grounds and impaled the rich hunters, one after the other, on its sharp tusks. Though it was shot a few times, the creature seemed to have no problem absorbing bullets.

Scientists performing mad experiments in genetic engineering are the equivalent of the insane wizard who created the first owlbear.

Bearboar
Frequency: Uncommon
No. Appearing: 2-6
Armor Class: 6
Move: 12″
Hit Dice: 7+5
% in Lair: Nil
Treasure Type: Nil
No. of Attacks: 3
Damage/Attack: 1-8/1-8/3-18
Special Attacks: Hugs for 2-16
Special Defenses: +1 or better weapon to hit
Magic Resistance: Standard
Intelligence: Semi-
Alignment: Neutral
Size: L (8′ at shoulder)
Psionic Ability: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
Level/XP Value: VII/1,000 + 10/hp

The bearboar is the result of some mad experiment by an insane wizard. It combines the form and features of a cave bear and a giant boar. Although omnivorous, the bearboar prefers a diet of meat. It has excellent hearing and smell but rather poor eyesight. If a bearboar scores a paw hit with an 18 or better, it also hugs for 2-16 points of additional damage. Due to its exceptional ferocity and stamina, the bearboar will continue to fight for 1-4 melee rounds after reach 0 to -9 hit points. At -10 or greater damage, it is killed immediately.

If 3 or more bearboars are encountered, there is only a 25% chance that there will be young numbered from 1-4 of the total herd. These young will have 2-6 hit dice, and their attacks inflict less damage:

2 HD: 1-4 (gore only); hit by normal weapons
3 HD: 1-3/1-3/2-5; takes -2 damage from nonmagical weapons
4 HD: 1-4/1-4/2-7; takes -1 damage from nonmagical weapons
5 HD: 2-5/2-5/2-8; takes half-damage from nonmagical weapons
6 HD: 1-6/1-6/3-12; +1 or better weapon to hit

Tags: AD&D, monsters, ThursdAD&D