[Monster] The Pale Menace!

More random monster generation! This time using the article "Random Monsters" by Paul Montgomery Crabaugh, which appeared in The Dragon #10 (link to the annarchive pdf). So already in 1977 the problem of jaded players knowing all the counters to all the monsters in the book existed, and Crabaugh wanted to spice things up with unexpected creatures. The generator is a simple affair, but perhaps it set the framework for latter sets of tables.

The Pale Menace

Intelligence: Highly intelligent

Alignment: Neutrality

HD: 6+1

AC 4 [LotFP AC: 17]

Move: 12"

Attack: claw for 1-10 or bite 1-10 and 1-6 poison

Special attack: Magic Missile as Magic-User 4, once per day

Special defense: regeneration, 1-4 hits per turn

Slim and gaunt, pale and wrinkled, like a hairless bear, but with the fangs of a saber-tooth tiger. Its four eyes are located equidistantly around its head, like a band of glowing red jewels (once per day, it can shoot 4 laser beams; treat as Magic Missile). 

The Pale Menace is a lesser servitor to Ithaqua. Its body irradiates coldness. If damaged, its wounds quickly get covered in hoarfrost and heal (regenerates 1-4 hits per turn). 

Lame art by me

My original rolls:

Intelligence: Highly intelligent

Alignment: Neutrality

Type: Mammal

Speed: 12”

AC: 4 [LotFP AC: 17]

HD: Dungeon level +3 (Mod: +1) [I gave this creature 6 HD]

Specials: 3

                Bite is poisonous 1-6 damage

                Regenerates 1-4 hits per turn

                Has Magic Missile

Damage: 1-10

Characteristics:

                4 eyes

                Unusually long fangs

Size: Medium (3-12’)

Limbs: 2 legs, 2 arms

Cover: Skin

Coloring: White

Drawing dungeons is fun

Just an old-school dungeon level... I wanted to draw something labyrinthine, with densely packed and weirdly shaped rooms. Inspired by the megadungeon topics on Dragonsfoot. Of course, at ~80 rooms, this is a relatively small offering :)

This image is licensed under Creative Commons 4.0. You are free to share and adapt (transform, remix, build upon) this image, even commercially, as long as you credit me (Tamás Kisbali / http://eldritchfields.blogspot.com). Also, if you do end up using this, I'd appreciate a message to see what you made of it!

Random aviary generator! BIRDS BIRDS BIRDS

I wrote a set of random tables for generating aviaries and populating them with birds. It runs the gamut from more or less "realistic" to the weird and surreal. 

The Ignatian Aviary was partially inspired by Ignacio who runs an actual play channel on youtube and an old-school blog. If you've seen any of his videos, you know that he has birds. It was also inspired by stuff like The Gardens of Ynn.

I won't copy the generator here, because it's a lot of tables... ~7 pages. But you can see them all in the PDF, and read an example aviary below!

Download PDF

Example aviary:

The aviary stands in the far reaches of the city’s public park. The aviary is an impressive structure, but the funds allocated by the city council are clearly insufficient. A single caretaker and the occasional scholar struggle to maintain order. The pavilions are small and crowded with flapping, cawing birds. The structures are in good condition, but the foul smell scares away most visitors… At least the place is guarded by night by a watchman with dogs.

The aviary consists of a central pavilion, surrounded by three smaller ones.

The Central pavilion, a large, rectangular, domed structure, built in trelliswork. The pavilion is overgrown with grass and plants. A fruit-bearing tree occupies the middle, with a small pond nearby.
Inhabitants:

• A single elderly vulture (an ex-hunting bird, now on “pension”), with grey and yellow feathers. Its wings are damaged, and it cannot fly any more. It munches on the fallen fruits.
• Nine tiny flightless magpies feast on the fruits. Their bodies are red with black and white highlights, and during mating season, the males walk around huffing and puffing their chests. One of the magpies has a chameleonic disguise. The locals think the magpies bring luck and are very-very tasty.

Pavilion “A”, a hexagonal building, domed, with plate glass walls. A barren, artificial glass box…
Inhabitants:

• Fifteen chicken-like birds from a far-away land. They flutter around in the pavilion, eating everything they are given. Their plumage shimmers in all the colors of the rainbow. When aroused or angry, they open their fan-like tails and wiggle their long necks. When the stars are right, eggs laid by these birds hold a great magical power…

Pavilion “B”, a rectangular, flat-roofed building; glass windows in a trelliswork frame. It’s disappointingly empty.

Pavilion “C”, a round building, like a small glass circus tent, divided into four equal segments. A small fountain provides refreshment to two pairs of birds, inhabiting opposite segments:
Inhabitants:

• A pair of larger than average exotic, weirdly elongated hummingbirds, with eye-pleasing patterns: white, with blue highlights and green spots, but no other qualities to talk about. They like to eat fruits.
• A pair of enormous exotic ducks, about 4’ high. They lost their wings during transportation, and now have mechanical replacements. Despite their size, they survive on a diet of insects. The male is of a plain grey color, but performs elaborate mating dances to attract the glowing white-grey female. The female, surprisingly for a duck, sings, and its voice lulls people to sleep.

Have fun, keep on flapping & cawing!

Miscast tables: now in a single PDF!

I compiled my miscast effects into a PDF! It's an 8-page booklet, and I think I did an okay job with the layout, too, so if you print it out, each table occupies a single page or a single spread.

Download PDF

or

Get it from my itch.io page (free/PWYW)

6x6 miscast effects for
- Metamagic
- Teleportation/dislocation/polymorph type spells
- Illusion and invisibility spells
- Mind altering spells, charms, telepathy
- Elemental-, energy- and nature-based spells
- Necromancy and life-force altering spells

I turned mine into a little saddle-stitched thing. Feels good.