Spes Magna Games

Every year for more than a decade, I’ve included Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha in my middle school literature curriculum. Today’s post is not the first time I’ve adapted creatures or characters from that classic poem for gaming purposes. For other examples, click here. And so, I return to lands around the Big-Sea-Water and revisit the pukwudjies, this time for use with Castles & Crusades.

The pukwudjies are mean-spirited fey creatures who live in coniferous forests in cold climes, often near lakes or coasts. Pukwudjies especially dislike humans, whom they harrass and endanger for sport. Evil pukwudjies delight in luring humans to their deaths.

Pukwudjies are shapeshifters. In their natural form, they resemble a diminutive, spindly-limbed cross between a humanoid and a porcupine. Their scalps and back bristle with thick quills. Their arms and legs are disproportionately long compared to their torsos. They wear simple clothes made from hide, and they decorate their quills with feathers, shells, and shruken skulls.

Number: 3-36
Size: Small (2-3 ft. tall)
HD: 2 (d6)
AC: 12
Saves: M
Move: 25 ft.
Attacks: By weapon
Special: Duskvision, Lure, Magic, Poison Arrows, Quills
INT: Average
Alignment: Any chaotic
Type: Fey
Treasure: 1
XP: 35 + 2

Combat: Pukwudjies avoid melee combat, preferring to use their spells and ranged weapons.

Lure: A pukwudjie can enchant a living creature within 100 feet. The target must succeed at a charisma check or become enchanted. Elves and half-elves apply their resistance to charm to this save. If the save is successful, the target is immune to that pukwudjies lure ability for 24 hours. Otherwise, the enchanted victim walks in the most direct possible toward the pukwudjie (even if the pukwudjie cannot be seen or heard). If the path leads into a dangerous area, the victim is allowed a second saving throw to resist the charm. If more than 100 feet separates the victim and the pukwudjie, the charm is broken. Otherwise, the victim can take no actions other than to defend themselves and move toward the pukwudjie.

Magic: Pukwudjies casts spells as a 1st-level druid with sufficient wisdom to gain an extra 1st-level spell. Typical prepared spells are (0-level) endure elements, first aid, and light, and (1st-level) entangle and pass without trace. They may use these spell-like abilities: invisibility (at will); magic stones (affects pine cones only); polymorph (self only, 1/day); or produce flame (3/day).

Poison Arrows: Pukwudjies coat their arrowheads with a numbing poison. A creature struck by a pukwudjie arrow must make a constitution check or suffer a cumulative -5 feet movement and a -1 penalty to AC. If movement is reduced to 0 feet, the creature becomes paralyzed. Rest restores lost movement and AC as if each reduction were a lost hit point.

Quills: When attacked from a flank or the rear with a one-handed melee weapon, any successful hit on a pukwudjie causes 1d4 points of damage to the attacker. A successful dexterity check modified by the attacker’s AC bonus from armor avoids this damage.

Tags: C&C, monsters, The Song of Hiawatha

A few days ago, I introduced the Ahmeek to 5E D&D, taking inspiration from the pages of Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha. If you missed these evil, intelligent beavers, you can check them out here. With their tough hide and powerful build, Ahmeek warriors can be rough customers for Tier 1 characters, especially if the Ahmeek have the home court advantage. You surely noticed in that first Ahmeek-themed post that these wicked dam-builders are magical. The common Ahmeek warrior lacks magic powers. This isn’t true of the Ahmeek’s dam-leaders.

When considering magic abilities for the Ahmeek, the Song of Hiawatha shows that they can polymorph other creatures into Ahmeek form. This doesn’t seem like something that ought to pop up too often in a game. Neither does it sound like a useful attack or defense. So, I asked myself, “What sorts of magic would the Ahmeek have?”

Well, it seems reasonable that this magic ought to focus on the Ahmeek’s environment, which includes wood, trees, water, and animals found in forests and ponds. This lends itself to a distinctly druidic feel. Thus, the Ahmeek’s magic-using leaders are evil druids of sorts. I like that. I picture Ahmeek druids standing atop dam-forts, gnawing the limbs off sacrifices to their dark deities of water, wood, and ice.

Ahmeek Druid
Medium monstrosity, lawful evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 52 (8d8+16)
Speed 25 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR 14 (+2), DEX 14 (+2), CON 14 (+2), INT 12 (+1), WIS 16 (+3), CHA 13 (+1)

Saving Throws Intelligence +3, Wisdom +5
Skills Nature +3, Perception +5, Survival +5
Damage Immunities cold
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15
Languages Common, Giant Beaver
Challenge 3 (700)

Hold Breath. The Ahmeek druid can hold its breath for 15 minutes.

Ice Magic (Recharge 6). As a bonus action when the Ahmeek druid casts a spell, it targets a creature that it can see within 30 feet. The target must make a DC 13 Fortitude saving throw, taking 9 (2d8) cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful save. Also, if the target takes cold damage from this ability, the target’s speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of its next turn.

Siege Monster. The Ahmeek druid deals double damage to objects and structures made of wood.

Spellcasting. The Ahmeek druid is a 7th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). It has the following spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): druidcraft, poison spray, resistance
1st level (4 slots): cure wounds, entangle, longstrider, thunderwave
2nd level (3 slots): enhance ability, hold person, spike growth
3rd level (3 slots): conjure animals, dispel magic, sleet storm
4th level (1 slot): control water

Swimby. The Ahmeek druid doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it swims out of an enemy’s reach.

Actions

Multiattack. The Ahmeek druid makes two melee attacks, one with its bite and one with a weapon.

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4+2) piercing damage plus 1d8 (4) cold damage.

Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) cold damage, or 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage plus 2 (1d4) cold damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters, The Song of Hiawatha

“Yes!” replied Ahmeek, the beaver, He the King of all the beavers, “Let yourself slide down among us, Down into the tranquil water.” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Song of Hiawatha, Canto XVII

Last post, I updated the giant lynx from the AD&D Monster Manual for use with 5E D&D. Today, I give the giant beaver an even fully treatment, taking as my starting point the fact that beavers in Song of Hiawatha are intelligent, can talk, and have magical powers. Also, since they gave shelter to Pau-Puk-Keewis, a rather nasty character, it stands to reason that beavers are evil, which means that giant beavers would have bigger evil.

So, why are giant beavers evil? Well, they’re expansionistic and territorial, and when giant beavers expand their territory, they do by damming up rivers, which means flooding some areas and cutting off other areas from fresh water. Giant beavers control water supplies in order to bring other creatures under their domination.

Since “giant beaver” does not exactly inspire dread, let’s take Longfellow’s cue and call these new monsters the “Ahmeek”. The Ahmeek resemble human-sized beavers that have hand-like forepaws. Much of the time when on land or in their fort-dams, they amble about on all fours, but Ahmeek can waddle bipedally with comparative ease. These militaristic creatures live in fort-dams built from mostly from logs and mud. A fort-dam’s walls are seldom less than 5 feet thick, and the main points of ingress or egress are always submerged. A typical fort-dam houses about 40 Ahmeek warriors and their families, along with their leaders.

Ahmeek Warrior
Medium monstrosity, lawful evil

Armor Class 14 (natural armor)
Hit Points 26 (4d8+8)
Speed 25 ft., swim 30 ft.

STR 14 (+2), DEX 15 (+2), CON 14 (+2), INT 9 (-1), WIS 11 (+0), CHA 8 (-1)

Skills Perception +2
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12
Languages Common, Giant Beaver
Challenge 1 (200)

Hold Breath. The Ahmeek can hold its breath for 15 minutes.

Keen Hearing and Smell. The Ahmeek has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.

Siege Monster. The Ahmeek deals double damage to objects and structures made of wood.

Swimby. The Ahmeek doesn’t provoke opportunity attacks when it swims out of an enemy’s reach.

Actions

Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d4+2) piercing damage.

Spear. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6+2) piercing damage, or 6 (1d8+2) piercing damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.

Tags: 5E D&D, monsters, The Song of Hiawatha

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

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