Spes Magna Games

The Fombu (pl. Fombui) is a strange crystalline creature that dwells in the dark and muck of lake bottoms and sea floors. They are seldom encountered as the Fombui have little reason to leave their aquatic abodes. A Fombu appears to be a five stems growing from a central clump. Frail-seeming projections grow upward from these stems, creating a sort of comb-like structure. The longer, more mature projections end in sensory nodules. No one is quite sure how large Fombui grow. Individuals with stems reaching lengths of six feet have been reported. Fombui are filter feeders, sucking water into their bodies and straining out tiny shrimp, algae, and so on. They move slowly by crawling about on stubby feet. Once every 1d6 rounds, a fombui can generate a powerful jolt of electricity. Creatures within 5 feet of the fombui suffer 4d8 points of electricity damage and are stunned for 1d6 rounds. Those within 10 feet suffer 2d8 points of electricity damage and are stunned for 1d3 rounds. Creatures no farther away than 15 feet suffer 1d8 points of electricity damage and are stunned for 1 round. A successful save halves this damage and negates stunning. Fombui cannot be harmed by electrical attacks.

Fombui are remarkably intelligent. They communicate with each other via targeted electrical impulses, doing so over distances as great as two or three miles. While the Fombui lack most trappings of civilization, they have eidetic memories and a rich, complex oral history.

Swords & Wizardry

Hit Dice: 4
Armor Class: 6 [13]
Attacks: electrical jolt
Saving Throw: 13
Special: immune to electricity
Move: 3
Alignment: Lawful
Challenge Level/XP: 6/400

Stars Without Number

Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 4
Attack Bonus: NA
Damage: electrical jolt
No. Appearing: 1d6
Saving Throw: 13
Movement: 10 ft.
Morale: 7

Tags: monsters, Stars Without Number, Swords & Wizardry

The Shenzi chaser hunts the veldt of the Shenz Highland. These carnivorous flightless birds stand taller than a man, and a full grown adult male can weigh more than 350 pounds. What makes these predators dangerous isn’t their size, speed, and powerful kicks. Rather, it is the Shenzi chaser’s piercing screech, a sonic attack that the bird uses to disable fleeing prey. This screech has a range of 60 feet and requires an attack roll with a +2 bonus to hit. A living creature struck by the screech takes 2d4+2 points of damage and must make a saving throw or be stunned helpless for 1d6 rounds. If the screech misses by 4 or less, the sonic waves strike the ground near the target, causing an explosion in a 5-foot radius that inflicts 1d6+1 points of damage. Those caught in the blast must make a Dexterity check or be knocked prone.

Swords & Wizardry Stats

Hit Dice: 2+2
Armor Class: 7 [12]
Attacks: 2 kicks (1d4+1)
Saving Throw: 16
Special: screech
Move: 15
Alignment: Neutrality
Challenge Level/XP: 3/60

Stars Without Number Stats

Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 2+2
Attack Bonus: +3/+3
Damage: 1d4+1/1d4+1 kicks
No. Appearing: 2d4
Saving Throw: 14
Movement: 45 ft.
Morale: 8

Tags: monsters, Stars Without Number, Swords & Wizardry

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m finally getting to teach Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s The Song of Hiawatha to my 5th graders. We’re having loads of fun reading and studying this great story, which is also chock full of inspiration for gaming. Here’s my second The Song of Hiawatha monster. (Here’s the first.)

Puk-Wud-Jie
Hit Dice: 1d6 hit points
Armor Class: 4 [15]
Attacks: spear (1d4) or 2 darts (1d3)
Saving Throw: 18 (14 against effects that can be dodged)
Special: Invisible when moving, surprise opponents on 1-5
Move: 18
Alignment: Neutrality
Challenge Level/XP: 2/30

The Puk-Wud-Jies live in unspoilt forests, dwelling in small and well-hidden communities. These fey people stand slightly shorter than the average halfling, and they are lithe and long of limb. Despite their diminutive size, Puk-Wud-Jies move with great speed and agility. Any round that a Puk-Wud-Jie moves at least 30 feet, it becomes invisible until the start of its next turn. Between this ability and their stealth, Puk-Wud-Jies almost always surprise foes (1-5 on 1d6).

Those who would despoil nature had best tread carefully in Puk-Wud-Jie territory. The Puk-Wud-Jies stalk hunters and others trespassers, monitoring their behavior carefully. Bands of Puk-Wud-Jies harrass and/or attack those who do not show proper respect for the natural world and the treasures she provides.

Puk-Wud-Jies speak the fey language and the secret tongue of true neutral Druids.

Tags: A to Z 2013, monsters, Swords & Wizardry, The Song of Hiawatha

Every now and then, somebody belonging to the Old School Gamers group on Facebook posts a picture with the challenge, “Stat this!” The picture accompanying this post was one of those challenges, which obviously I met and defeated. So, without further introduction, I present…

The Sharkodiak Riders of New Penguinea

Few humanoids of sub-arctic and arctic regions inspire more fear than the sharkodiak riders of New Penguinea, and their ravaging tribes have long proven to be the one great obstacles to colonizing that vast wilderness of forests, rivers, and glaciers.

Penguinean
Hit Dice: 2
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Attacks: Peck (1d4) or weapon (1d8)
Saving Throw: 16
Special: None
Move: 9 (12 swimming)
Alignment: Chaos
Challenge Level/XP: 2/30 (3/60 for an elite)

Penguineans are squat humanoids that greatly resemble penguins. They may be found both above ground or lairing in sea caves in sub-arctic and arctic regions. They form into loosely organized clans, often ranging far from home in order to steal and kill with rapacious ferocity.

Elite penguineans often ride sharkodiaks into battle. An elite penguinean has 3 Hit Dice and a Saving Throw of 14+, is Armor Class 4 [15], and enjoys a +1 bonus to attack rolls due to its ferocity.

Sharkodiak
Hit Dice: 5+5
Armor Class: 6 [13]
Attacks: 2 claws (1d4+2) and bite (1d8+2)
Saving Throw: 13
Special: Hug
Move: 9 (9 swimming)
Alignment: Neutrality
Challenge Level/XP: 6/400

If a sharkodiak hits with both claws, it hugs for an additional 1d10 hit points of damage. Penguineans domesticate sharkodiaks, and elite penguineans ride them into battle.

Tags: A to Z 2013, monsters, Swords & Wizardry

But the third and latest arrow
Swiftest flew, and wounded sorest,
And the mighty Megissogwon
Saw the fiery eyes of Pauguk,
Saw the eyes of Death glare at him,
Heard his voice call in the darkness;
At the feet of Hiawatha
Lifeless lay the great Pearl-Feather,
Lay the mightiest of Magicians.

Pauguk, emaciated and with translucent skin and glowing eyes of flame, serves Death itself. When important or powerful beings fall in battle, Pauguk arrives, visible only to its victim. It calls its victim’s name, and then takes the victim’s soul to whatever afterlife awaits, leaving behind the lifeless body.

Pauguk
Hit Dice: 10
Armor Class: 0 [19]
Attacks: warclub (1d8+2)
Saving Throw: 5
Special: Call soul, invisibility
Move: 15/24 flying
Alignment: Law
Challenge Level/XP: 14/2,600

Pauguk seldom has to fight. It arrives to claim the soul of its victim, invisible to everyone but the victim, who is often already on death’s door when Pauguk arrives. Death’s lackey then calls the victim’s soul, an action which has the same effect as power word kill. Pauguk can call a creature’s soul once per day. Should a victim somehow avoid Pauguk, the creature simply flies away to wait for the next time Death sends it on an errand.

It is widely believed that there is only one Pauguk, or least only one Pauguk in existence at any given time. Legends speak of heroes who manage to defeat Pauguk, bringing death to Death’s minion. If these legends are true, Pauguk’s demise hasn’t stopped Pauguk from further activity.

Tags: A to Z 2013, monsters, Swords & Wizardry, The Song of Hiawatha