Spes Magna Games

Well, I’ve not posted anything in a while. Got to stop doing that, which means posting something. So, here’s a new magic item and, since new magic items ought to be earned, here’s also a villain who uses that new magic item.

The villain’s illustration is by Jeshields, who has some great stock art for sale. Check it out.

———-

Dúr Feredir makes her living as a mercenary and assassin. She specializes in the longbow, but she is almost as skilled in melee combat. Quick and clever, Dúr poses a serious threat, especially if she gets the drop on her target.

Dúr seldom works alone. She has more than enough experience to know that whatever her strengths, she needs partners or underlings. What’s more, Dúr has not gained that experience without learning important lessons about when and where to pick her battles. She is no crass brawler, but instead considers herself an artist who crafts tapestries of death.

Dúr Feredir
Medium humanoid (human), lawful evil

Armor Class 16 (studded leather)
Hit Points 75 (10d8+30)
Speed 30 ft.
Ability Scores STR 14 (+2), DEX 19 (+4), CON 17 (+3), INT 11 (+0), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 11 (+0)

Saving Throws CON +5, DEX +6, STR +4
Skills Acrobatics +6, Deception +2, Investigation +2, Perception +6, Stealth +8, Survival +4
Senses passive Perception 16
Languages Common, Orc
Challenge 7 (2,900 XP)

Assassinate. During her first turn, Dúr has advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn. Any hit Dúr scores against a surprised creature is a critical hit.

Cunning Action. Dúr’s quick thinking and agility allow her to move and act quickly. She can take a bonus action on each of her turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Skillful. Dúr gains a +2 bonus to attack rolls she makes with ranged weapons. Dur’s proficiency bonus with Perception and Stealth is doubled. These bonuses are included in Dur’s statistics.

Sneak Attack. Once per turn, Dúr deals an extra 10 (3d6) 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 Dúr that isn’t incapacitated and Dúr doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Unseen Reserves (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). Dúr possesses hidden reserves of vitality which have one or two effects. On her turn, Dúr can take one additional action on top of her regular action and a possible bonus action. On the same turn, Dúr can use a bonus action to regain 14 (1d10+10) hit points.

Actions

Multiattack. Dúr either makes two melee weapon attacks or three ranged weapon attacks. She scores a critical hit on a 19 or 20 with any ranged weapon attack.

Longbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) piercing damage.

Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (1d8+4) piercing damage.

Dúr’s Longbow
Weapon (longbow), very rare (requires attunement)

Any arrow fired from Dúr’s Longbow ignores its target’s damage resistances related to piercing attacks. For example, a nonmagical arrow fired from Dúr’s Longbow does normal piercing damage to a creature whose damage resistance is to nonmagical attacks. If the target has damage immunity to piercing attacks, an arrow fired from Dúr’s Longbow inflict one-half piercing damage (as if the target had resistance). Also, once per day as a bonus action, an arrow fired from Dúr’s Longbow transforms into a lightning bolt that inflicts 4d8 lightning damage on a hit, or half as much damage on a miss, instead of the weapon’s normal damage. Whether the lightning bolt hits or misses, each creature within 10 feet of the target must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. Each of these creatures takes 2d8 lighting damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

———-

If you’re in the market for new monsters for your 5E D&D game, check out Chance Encounters IV. Help a guardian angel protect its charge. Party with a gang of beastfolk. Survive the psionic radiation of the Calefactive Cavern. Emerge victorious against the onslaught of bull-headed monsters under the command of a minotaur blood prophet. Chance Encounters IV presents thirteen new monsters and a place of power with which GMs can challenge their players.

Tags: 5E D&D, magic items, monsters, NPCs, Spes Magna Products

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