Monstrous Monday: Capricorn (Zodiac)

Growing up, I wanted to be an astrophysicist. My "wall" came in the form of Calculus II. While I am good at math, this one broke me. Which is ok, because by the time I was failing that class, I had discovered that I was also really, really good with computers and psychology.  

I mention this because every so often in writing about witches, astrology comes up. I am not going to get into why astrology is completely bogus here. No point. I am at least going to recognize how it can or at least could be used in my Occult D&D idea. That's a future post to be sure.

Since today is December 22, the Winter Solstice, it also marks the day that the sun enters Capricorn, for both Astronomy and Astrology.

Image by Alexa from Pixabay

CAPRICORN (Sea-Goat)

FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1–4
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 12" (land), 15" (swim)
HIT DICE: 3+2
% IN LAIR: 25%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1–4 / 1–6 (horns, bite)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Butt
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Animal (1)
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: M (6' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
XP VALUE: 95 + 4/hp

The Capricorn is a curious hybrid creature with the forequarters of a mountain goat and the hindquarters of a powerful fish or dolphin-like tail. It is equally at home scrambling across seaside cliffs or diving into deep, cold waters. Most are wary but not aggressive unless threatened or defending young.

A Capricorn fights with horned head-butts and snapping bites. If charging downhill or from a rocky ledge, it may butt for double damage on its first successful attack.

Capricorns dwell along rugged coastlines, sea cliffs, and cold island chains. They are usually encountered alone or in small family pods. Sailors consider sightings of mundane Capricorns a sign of harsh weather ahead.

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Good, but I can go more occult with this. Maybe something more akin to a Witch or Warlock patron.

CAPRICORN
The Sea-Goat, Warden of the Deep Winter, Keeper of the Long Path (Zodiac Patron)

FREQUENCY: Unique
NO. APPEARING: 1 (never encountered accidentally)
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: 15" (land), 18" (swim)
HIT DICE: 10+5
% IN LAIR: 75%
TREASURE TYPE: H, S, plus occult knowledge
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2–8 / 2–8 / 2–12 (horns, hooves, tidal bite)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Crushing Tide, Inevitable Charge, Binding Oath
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Cold immunity, fate ward, patron’s reserve
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 30%
INTELLIGENCE: Very High (16)
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral
SIZE: L (12' long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes: Nil
XP VALUE: 6,500+

Capricorn is not merely a celestial beast, but a cosmic office. It is the embodiment of endurance, sacrifice, patience, and the cruel mercy of time. Where other patrons tempt, seduce, or inspire, Capricorn tests.

Witches who invoke Capricorn do not gain easy power. They gain lasting power, earned through restraint, discipline, and acceptance of loss.

Capricorn favors witches who:

• Endure long trials
• Keep oaths even when inconvenient
• Accept isolation, exile, or slow ascension
• Practice winter magic, sea magic, fate magic, or Saturnine rites

Special Abilities

Crushing Tide

Once every 3 rounds, Capricorn may unleash a roaring surge of astral seawater in a 30-foot cone. Damage is 3d6, save vs. breath weapon for half. Creatures failing their save must also save vs. paralysis or be knocked prone.

Symbolically, this represents the slow but unstoppable force of time and consequence.

Inevitable Charge

When Capricorn charges, the target must save vs. paralysis or suffer double horn damage and be driven back 10 feet. Magical movement, haste, or teleportation does not negate this unless it explicitly alters fate or time.

Binding Oath

Once per day, Capricorn may bind a creature or witch to an oath spoken aloud in its presence.

The target must save vs. spells or be bound.

Breaking the oath inflicts a cumulative curse.

• First violation: –1 to all rolls for 24 hours
• Second violation: –2 and loss of spellcasting for 1 day
• Third violation: permanent –1 Constitution until atonement

A witch bound by Capricorn’s oath always knows when they are about to break it.

Fate Ward

Once per day, Capricorn may negate a spell or magical effect directed at it, as if the event never occurred. This is not dispelling, but retroactive inevitability.

Patron’s Reserve

Capricorn never grants spells freely. Instead, it may store power for its witches.

During the month of Capricorn, a Zodiac-patron sworn witch (one of the following):

• Delay the effects of exhaustion, aging, or curse for 1d6 days
• Automatically succeed on one saving throw related to cold, water, fear, or time
• Treat a failed divination as a partial success

This reserve cannot be used impulsively. The witch must declare its use before rolling.

Witch Patron Benefits

Witches sworn to Capricorn often gain access to:

• Winter and water Occult spells
• Binding, curse, and endurance magic
• Resistance to cold and fatigue at higher levels
• Reduced penalties for aging or long-term magical strain

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I will likely have more ideas. Kudos to my wife for helping come up with all of this while we were watching "The Secret of Oak Island."  This is their year to find the treasure!

I will try to do these for every sign. Yeah, you would need to revise them to fit your world, but that should be easy. Plus I am no expert on astrology, it was antithetical to my desire to be an astrophysicist, so if I get something wrong, well...it happens.