Spes Magna Games

The Old School Holiday Adventure bundle is still available for you to stuff into someone’s virtual stocking. For $11, you get 16 OSR-compatible products.

It’s been a while since I tackled another 5E D&D conversion of material from the AD&D Deities & Demigods. Today, I offer the Son of Pohjola, Louhi’s savage offspring. I once used the Son of Pohjola as the main villain in an adventure oh-so-many years ago. The heroes had trouble navigating the Son’s illusory maze while fighting off his minions (based on Warhammer 40K genestealers because I had the miniatures for them).

(Nota Bene: The Deities & Demigods link above is an affiliate link.)

This son of Louhi was a leader of the people of Pohjola and a savage enemy to Lemminkainen and the other good heroes of Kalevala. (Deities & Demigods, page 61)

Son of Pohjola
Medium humanoid (human), lawful evil

Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
Hit Points 170 (20d8+80)
Speed 40 ft.

Ability Scores STR 22 (+6), DEX 19 (+4), CON 19 (+4), INT 15 (+2), WIS 15 (+2), CHA 17 (+3)

Saving Throws DEX +9, CON +9, INT +7, WIS +7, CHA +8
Skills Athletics +11, Insight +7, Intimidation +8, Perception +12, Stealth +14, Survival +7
Senses passive Perception 22
Languages Common, Giant, Infernal
Challenge 13 (10,000 XP)

Action Surge (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). On his turn, the Son of Pohjola can take one additional action on top of his regular action and a possible bonus action.

Assassinate. During his first turn, the Son of Pohjola has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit the Son of Pohjola scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.

Expertise. The Son of Pohjola’s proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check made with Perception and Stealth.

Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If the Son of Pohjola fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.

Master of Wolves. The Son of Pohjola can speak with animals with wolves and dire wolves. Any wolf or dire wolf that ends its turn within 30 feet of the Son of Pohjola must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 24 hours (as animal friendship). Once per day, the Son of Pohjola can call 15 (6d4) wolves or 5 (2d4) dire wolves. The called creatures arrive in 1d4 rounds, acting as allies of the Son of Pohjola and obeying his spoken commands. The beasts remain for 1 hour, until the Son of Pohjola dies, or until he dismisses them as a bonus action.

Second Wind (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The Son of Pohjola can use a bonus action on his turn to regain 17 (1d10+12) hit points.

Sneak Attack (1/Turn). The Son of Pohjola deals an extra 14 (4d6) damage when it hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally of the Son that isn’t incapacitated and the Son doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Spellcasting. The Son of Pohjola is a 10th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Charisma (save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). He prepares spells from the bard (up to 3rd-level spells), druid (up to 3rd-level spells), and wizard (up to 5th-level spells) lists. He has the following spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): acid splash, chill touch, dancing lights, fire bolt, guidance, light, mage hand, minor illusion, produce flame, thorn whip, true strike
1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, disguise self, witch bolt
2nd level (3 slots): heat metal, mirror image, see invisibility
3rd level (3 slots): clairvoyance, haste, protection from energy
4th level (3 slots): dimension door, greater invisibility
5th level (2 slots): dominate person, wall of force

War Magic. When the Son of Pohjola uses his action to cast a cantrip, he can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.

Actions

Multiattack. The Son of Pohjola makes two attacks.

+3 Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d6+9) slashing damage.

Legendary Actions

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

Cantrip. The Son of Pohjola casts a cantrip.

Cunning Action. The Son of Pohjola takes the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Detect. The Son of Pohjola makes a Wisdom (Perception) check.

Tags: 5E D&D, Deities & Demigods, monsters

I couldn’t find the artist’s name. The pic is either concept art or fan art related to something called Grandia II. Here’s my take on the creature.

Valmar’s Tongue is one of the seven pieces of Valmar, an ancient evil god. Valmar’s Tongue was removed during the Battle of Good and Evil, after which it was sealed in the Liligue Cave.

Valmar’s Tongue
Huge fiend, neutral evil

Armor Class 18 (natural armor)
Hit Points 218 (19d12+95)
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.

STR 23 (+7), DEX 16 (+3), CON 20 (+5), INT 16 (+3), WIS 13 (+1), CHA 16 (+3)

Saving Throws DEX +8, CON +10, WIS +6, CHA +9
Skills Deception +9, Persuasion +9
Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities cold, fire, poison
Condition Immunities charmed, poisoned
Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 11
Languages all, telepathy 120 ft.
Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)

Gluttony. Valmar’s Tongue has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature it has injured.

Huge Leap. Valmar’s Tongue’s long jump is up to 40 feet and its high jump is up to 20 feet, with or without a running start.

Magic Resistance. Valmar’s Tongue has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Actions

Multiattack. Valmar’s Tongue makes three melee attacks: one bite, one pincer, and one tongue.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d10+7) piercing damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and Valmar’s Tongue can’t bite another target.

Pincer. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (2d8+7) piercing damage. The target is grappled (escape DC 18). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and Valmar’s Tongue can’t pinch another target.

Tongue. Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (5d6) acid damage. On a hit, the target also takes 7 (2d6) acid damage at the end of its next turn.

Possession (Recharge 6). One humanoid that Valmar’s Tongue can sense within 5 feet of it must succeed on a DC 18 Charisma saving throw or be possessed by Valmar’s Tongue, which then disappears, and the target is incapacitated and loses control of its body. Valmar’s Tongue now controls the body but doesn’t deprive the target of awareness. Valmar’s Tongue can’t be targeted by any attack, spell, or other effect, except ones that dispel fiends, and it retains its alignment, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, and immunity to being charmed. It otherwise uses the possessed target’s statistics, but doesn’t gain access to the target’s knowledge, class features, or proficiencies.

The possession lasts until the body drops to 0 hit points, Valmar’s Tongue ends it as a bonus action, or Valmar’s Tongue is forced out by an effect like the dispel evil and good spell. When the possession ends, Valmar’s Tongue reappears in an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the body. The target is immune to Valmar’s Tongue’s Possession for 24 hours after succeeding on the saving throw or after the possession ends.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters

Emerging from the darkness, bones sizzling and glowing, hovering just above the rippling water, nearly as tall as a man. Frog wraiths!

Nota Bene: All links below are affiliate links.

*****

For The Black Hack:

Frog Wraith (HD 5)

Chilling Touch: STR (1 Close) 6 dmg
Croak: DEX (1 Nearby) 6 dmg

Incorporeal! Ignores all damage from even damage die rolls.
Soul Rending! Armor Dice cannot be used to negate damage dealt by the Croak.

*****

For Mutant Future:

Frog Wraith
No. Enc.: 3d6
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: fly 120′ (40′)
Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 6
Attacks: 1 (cold ray)
Damage: 4d6
Save: L3
Morale: 10
Hoard Class: None
XP: 1,000

Mutations: Energy Ray; Unique (Out of Phase, Vampiric Croak)

The strange, deadly frog wraith attacks either with a ray of intense cold out to a range of 50 feet or else with its vampiric croak, a mental attack with an effective WIL of 2d6+6 that drains 2d4 hit points from each affected creature within 30 feet. These absorbed points go into a separate reserve for the frog wraith, and any damage inflicted on the frog wraith is taken from these reserve points first. Frog wraiths exist partially out of phase with reality. Non-mental attacks are 50% likely to not harm a frog wraith.

Tags: monsters, Mutant Future, The Black Hack

Yes, that’s right. Quetzalcoatl lives in the Chrysler Building and Shelly Desai offers sacrifices while David Carradine and Richard Roundtree try to stop the monster and the murders while dealing with the vainglorious Michael Moriarty, who delivers a performance so method that it’s almost a caricature, especially within the context of a joyfully B-movie. Trivia: David Carradine’s half-brother Bruce plays “The Victim”.

Q – The Winged Serpent: The only 80s monster/crime drama that features a police officer/mime silently emoting his horror and anguish while watching a fellow officer die off-screen.

(Nota Bene: All links below are affiliate links.)

*****

For The Black Hack

Q (HD 8)

Part bird, part serpent. It’s Q, and it hungers for sacrifices!

Claws: STR (2 Close) 5 dmg
Gotcha! Deals Ongoing Damage that requires a STR Test to end.

Bite: DEX (1 Nearby) 9 dmg
Bloodthirsty! Deals double damage against targets below one-half their maximum HP.

*****

For Swords & Wizardry

Q
Hit Dice: 8
Armor Class: 6 [13]
Attack (Damage): 2 Claws (1d6), 1 Bite (2d8)
Move: 9/15 (when flying)
Save: 8
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 9/1,100
Special: Grab

If Q’s target is hit with a claw and fails its saving throw, Q holds the target, struggling, until a saving throw is successful.

*****

For Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay

Q
Alignment: Chaotic
Psychological Traits: Q causes fear in all living creatures.
Special Rules: Q flies as a swooper, and the Move score given below is for ground movement. Q attacks with one bite and two claws. Its claws inflict one-half Strength damage.

Basic Profile
M 3, WS 75, BS 0, S 6, T 5, W 40, I 30, A 3, Dex -, Ld 45, Int 30, Cl 45, WP 45, Fel –

Tags: monsters, movies, Swords & Wizardry, The Black Hack, Warhammer

About two years ago, I posted conversions to the The Black Hack of some favorite Fiend Folio monsters. That was for the first edition of The Black Hack. Well, now there’s a second edition, and it’s a great game. Seriously. You need the second edition of The Black Hack. (Nota Bene: The aforementioned product links are affiliate links.)

So, in the spirit of second editions, here’re those same Fiend Folio monsters, updated for the new The Black Hack, an even ebonier slice of RPG genius.

Al-Mi’Raj (HD 1)

This large, yellow rabbit sports a unicorn-like horn. Adventurers may find al-mi’rajes in pastures and woodlands, or perhaps lairing in a small cave.

Melee: STR (1 Close) 2 dmg
They Dart! Gives Disadvantage to Attacks made against it by Characters farther away than Close.

Bloodworm (HD 6)

Found in shallow pools in underground caverns. Cannot swim, but instead wriggle along the bottom of their watery lairs. Reach lengths of nearly 20 feet, but slender and lithe.

Melee: STR (1 Close) 7 dmg
Blood Drain! Deals Ongoing Damage that requires a STR Test to end.

Coffer Corpse (HD 2)

Emaciated, rotting flesh, eyes burning with hatred, fingernails grown into talons.

Melee: STR (2 Close) 2 dmg
Not Dead Yet! Collapses after taking Damage only to jump back up on its next action. A WIS Test avoid being forced by fear to Move away from the Coffer Corpse next turn.

Death Knight (HD 9)

Skeletal creature in ancient, decaying finery and plate armor.

Melee: STR (1 Close) 10 dmg
Spellcaster! As an Action, cast one of the following spells. Each spell as a Usage Die to track its limited power.

* Detect Magic (Ud8): Everything Nearby that is magic glows. Lasts for Ud6 Minutes.
* Fireball (Ud4): 1d4 Nearby Creatures take 9d6 damage.
* Power Word, Kill (Ud4): A Nearby Creature with fewer than 50 HP must make a CON Test or die without possiblity of resurrection.
* See Invisibility (Ud8): Everything Nearby that is invisible becomes visible to the Death Knight. Lasts for Ud6 Minutes.
* Wall of Ice (Ud8): Wall of ice covers a Nearby area. Any Creature that comes Close takes damage equal to its HD.

Tags: monsters, The Black Hack