Monstrous Mondays: Baby Bestiary Vol. 1

Baby Bestiary Handbook Vol 1

A while back I posted support for the Baby Bestiary vol 1 and 2.  Volume 1 is now up for the Best Interior Art and Best monster/adversary ENnies and it is no surprise.  The book is absolutely gorgeous.

+Andreas Walters has put together a fantastic book that is part monster manual, part field guide, part ecology book and a huge part art book.

The book is a densely packed 81 full-color pages.  Easily one of the best-looking books to be nominated for an ENnie.   Each monster description comes with details on what the young of each monster is called (a baby Hippocampus is known as a "fry" for example), how hard it is to train the young and other vital facts such as danger and intelligence levels.

The book would make for a great coffee table book really and I hope there is a nice leatherbound option in the future collecting both volumes.
Of course, the obvious choice here is the older gamer that has kids that LOVE monster books.
I have forgotten how many times I have had to go on rescue missions to my kids rooms to find my D&D books.  I still have a Pathfinder book that I can't account for in fact!  For younger kids a "baby monster" game, ala Pokemon, gotta catch them all, would be fantastic.
Since there is little to no "crunch" in this book it is compatible with a wide variety of games.  Play your favorite game, use this book as your guide and go monster hunting with your kids.

In any case, this is a really fun book and I am really looking forward to Volume 2.

Don't forget to include the hashtag #MonsterMonday on Twitter or #MonsterMonday on Google+ when you post your own monsters!

---
I am up for an Ennie this year for Best Blog!
Please click on the link and vote "1" under "The Other Side".

Midsummer Monstrous Monday: Fire Nymph

Today is the first day of summer, also known as Midsummer.

I know I was planning to do a review today, but a few things conspired against me. Work is really busy, plus today is midsummer and the RPG Blog Carnival this month is about faeries and the faerie realm. Also, my game over the weekend dealt with the disappearance of a character. This character's backstory is tied to today's monster.

Back in the early d20 days the Tome of Horrors hit the shelves and it had a number of old monsters updated for the then 3.0 d20 system and a few new ones as well.  The Fire Nymph was one of those new ones, but also struck me as something that should have been created earlier. Nymphs are fae creatures that also have elemental properties. Plus we have water nymphs, tree nymphs, air nymphs, earth nymphs, fire seemed to be the only one missing.

Since then the Tome of Horrors has been updated, converted to Pathfinder (and here) and to Swords & Wizardry.

What we don't have yet is a 5th edition version.

Fire Nymph

This creature appears as a very attractive and beautiful female with long, flowing fiery-red hair. Her eyes are pale blue and her skin is lightly colored with a cinnamon hint to it.

A fire nymph is a very beautiful creature that dwells on the Plane of Fire. It is akin to the nymph and dryad, though its origins obviously lie elsewhere. Fire nymphs rarely visit the Material Plane, though mages are known to request their company on occasion. A fire nymph is most easily summoned on Midsummers' Eve where they can walk about and interact with mortals and other fey. A fire nymph usually wears translucent robes of white or ash.

Summoning a fire nymph is relatively easy, but not without dangers.  The nymphs' passionate nature causes her to move from one emotional extreme to the next very quickly. When a fire nymph is angry her hair will burst into flames.

Also due to their passionate nature there are many gifted pyromancers that claim to be the offspring of a wizard and a fire nymph.

Fire Nyphs are also known as Pyroeads in some arcane circles.
--
Still working on creating 5e monsters.

Happy Midsummer!

Don't forget to include the hashtag #MonsterMonday on Twitter or #MonsterMonday on Google+ when you post your own monsters!

Beasties, Birthdays and Bloodstones

Yesterday was my birthday!  Yeah!
But I forgot to get a Monstrous Monday post made. Boo!

I am planning to review "Beasties" the latest monster book from Thomas Denmark. So I'll save that for next week.  Afterall...it's not "Monstrous Tuesday".

In the meantime I was very, very happy to see that two of the four Bloodstone modules are now out.

H2 The Mines of Bloodstone and H4 The Throne of Bloodstone

I talked about these a few months back and it is great to see them in PDF form.  While I have the modules, I might grab these anyway so I can print them out and write on them.

It will be a lot of fun.

Monstrous Mondays: Memento Mori

It's Memorial Monstrous Monday so I thought this might be a good choice for today.

Memento Mori
No. Enc.: 1-2
Alignment: NA
Movement: NA
Armor Class: 9
Hit Dice: 1d4 (1 hit point)
Attacks: 1 (fear)
Damage: as per fear spell
Save: F0
Morale: NA
Hoard Class: nil
XP: 10

Memento Mori are the spectral remains of a violent death. When someone dies a particularly violent death they can leave behind a fragment of their psychic energy as a memento mori.  They appear as thin, ghostly shapes acting out the moment of their death over and over again.  Rarely will they interact with the living.

Upon seeing a memento mori creatures and characters at or below 3 hit die/levels act as if a fear spell was cast on them. Observers above 4 HD and at or below 6 are allowed a saving throw vs.Petrify to avoid the effects.  Creatures about 7 HD are not affected.

A cleric who can dispel undead of 1 HD can put a memento mori to rest.  Also, a memento mori can be put to rest via an atonement, banishment, exorcise or wish spell.

Don't forget to include the hashtag #MonsterMonday on Twitter or #MonsterMonday on Google+ when you post your own monsters!

Monstrous Mondays: Street Faerie

For today I want to post something I was working on over the weekend for a possible Swords & Wizardry game I have coming up.

Plus I thought it also might be nice to revisit a classic monster. Well...one of my classics.
You can see other Street Fae here and here.

Michael Thomas, Victorian Gothic Fairy

Street Faerie
Armor Class: 9 [10]
Hit Dice: 2
Attacks: Spark* (1d4)
Special: Blink, Glamour
Move: 12
HDE/XP: 3/60

Sreet Faeries are fae that have chosen to live in the urban sprawl of large cities rather than the normal sylvan glades and woods that one typically associates with their kind.
A typical street faerie stands about 3' high, but can glamour themselves to be taller or shorter by 2' in either in direction.  They have peppered moth wings that they can hide when needed.  Many will live in cities and disguise themselves as children or young humans.
A Street faerie can also "Blink" as per a Blink Dog or a Dimension Door spell.
Their only attack is a Spark which is a spell like attack (no save). They can cause a spark of electricity to shoot from their fingers causing 1d4 hp of damage.
A typical attack of a Street Fae will consist of a spark attack and then them blinking away.

Don't forget to include the hashtag #MonsterMonday on Twitter or #MonsterMonday on Google+ when you post your own monsters!

The Return of Monstrous Mondays: The Cailleach Bheur

For a while now I have been contemplating returning to an old feature here, Monstrous Mondays.
A few other bloggers I met in the A to Z Challenge also do it, tailored to their respective audiences.  The last one I did was just over a year ago (Yog, Monster from Space) but I never kept going.

Natasha Duncan-Drake
Part Time Monster
MindweaverRPG
Dispatches from Kickassistan,

For this blog, I would feature monsters that would likely appear in my games. I would likely focus on OSR stats.  Also, I am likely to release them all as "Open" via the OGl.  Art is excluded from that of course.  Wish to join me?  Let me know each Monday and post with the hashtag #MonsterMonday (Twitter) or #MonsterMonday on Google+.

So let's get going!

I think for my "OSR" stated monsters I am going to start using the format/stat block I used for some of the vampires I did last year.

The following text is considered Open for use under the OGL.

It was her eyes that still haunt me.

She was abnormally tall, at least 8 ft., though that is normal if you consider her species. She was ghastly thin, weighing maybe 12 or 13 stone at the most. Her skin was a dark blue, like that of a bruise. It left the impression of having been dyed in woad for countless nights. She appeared as many of her kind; hideous countenance, with her face and body a little too sharp and too many angles. Her hair was a chaotic nest of wiry and frozen strands. Her clothing, what little remained, was a tattered rag reminiscent of a peasant’s garb of a bygone age. She stood her ground holding her staff. If she were affected by the cold then we could certainly not see it. She spoke with a voice of ice-cracking tree limbs.

“Begone Witch. These are my lands to vanguard.”

She glared at us with those bright blue, all too human, eyes.

- From the Journal of Larina Nix

The Cailleach Bheur by Andrew Paciorek
used with permission

The Cailleach Bheur
AKA: The Blue Hag, The Crow of Winter
Frequency: Very Rare
No. Appearing: 1 (believed unique)
Size: Large 8" (L)
Armor Class: 2 [17]₁
Movement
 Basic: 120' (40')
 Advanced: 12"/18"
 3e: 30ft
Hit Dice: 10d8+5 (50 hp)
% in Lair: 50% (roaming countryside in winter, dormant in summer)
Treasure Type: None
Attacks: 3 (claw/claw/bite) + cold, fear
Damage: 1d6+4/1d6+4/1d4
Special Attacks: Cold 6d6 (breath), once per day. Cause Fear once per day.
Special Defenses: Immune to cold based attacks
Save As: Witch 10₂
Magic Resistance: 25%
Morale: 10₃
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Level/XP: 10/5,530 + 15/hp

STR: 19 INT: 10 WIS: 17 DEX: 16 CON: 20₄  CHA: 7₅

1 Descending and [Ascending] Armor classes are given.
2 This is used for Basic games, and S&W. Also for monsters that I think need to save a little differently than others.
3 Morale is "Basic" Morale and based on a 1-12 scale. Multiply by 1.6667 for 1-20 scale.
4 Have not decided yet if I want to use 3.x style undead Constitutions or not. (15) Reflects what their Con would be if I do use it.  I might just put a number in () like I do for Ghosts of Albion.
5 monster witches can use an "absolute value" for Charisma.  So a really bad CHA is just as good as a really good one.

Known as the Crow of Winter, The Cailleach Bheur is a very deadly hag. She appears only after Samhain/All Hallow’s Eve and stays till Beltane eve. While as evil as other hags, Cailleach Bheur is more interested in eating sheep and deer than children. In Ireland and Scotland, she is the personification of Winter. During the summer months, Cailleach Bheur turns to stone and is indistinguishable from the other standing stones of the area.

The Cailleach Bheur was cursed into her existence back in a time before writing came to Scotland. One tale, disturbing as it sounds, describes the Cailleach as the ancient Protector of Alba, maybe even a faerie queen or goddess.

In her previous life, the Cailleach Bheur was a lone protector of animals (a Ranger) and a follower of the Great Goddess. One night he fell asleep by a well. The well overflowed with the thaw and she nearly drown. She invoked powerful magics to move the water away, but in the process created Loch Awe (in Scotland) and drowning several villagers and cattle. As repentance, she is to walk the snowy earth till she can feel the mid-summer sun on her face, something that can’t ever happen since she is cursed to be stone from Beltane to Samhain.

The Cailleach Bheur still protects her lands as she did before, ignoring humans unless they tread on her domain, then she kills them with glee by freezing them solid. She blames humans for her current state.

The Cailleach Bheur is believed to be at least 400 years old.

Staff of Winter: Possibly a remnant of her former life the Cailleach Bheur carries a magical staff. The Staff of Winter is made up of holly and gorse branches intertwined to form a 7’ long staff of solid wood. It acts as a magical focus tool providing the Cailleach Bheur +2 magic to all magic related rolls, attacks, saves and checks.

Anyone in possession of this staff can command Cailleach Bheur to leave the area by holding the staff and saying “Bì falbh buitseach!” (begone (get out) witch!). Both Cailleach Bheur and her staff will disappear after the command is uttered. This would require research into Cailleach Bheur specifically or local lore.

Section 15: "The Cailleach Bheur". Copyright 2016 Timothy S. Brannan.

Kickstart Your Weekend: Andreas Walters' Monster Babies

If you remember a while back there was this great Kickstarter for the Baby Bestiary.
It was fun and I liked the concept.  Plus the art was amazing.

Well +Andreas Walters is back and now Baby Bestiary 2 is being Kickstarted.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/metalweavedesigns/baby-bestiary-volume-2-and-vol-1-reprint

If you missed out on Vol 1. you now have another chance to get it.

I think it looks great.  Plus it has my good friend +Elizabeth Chaipraditkul of Angry Hamster Publishing doing some monster write-ups.

They just got going and are already doing good.  Please check them out!

What Is Your Holy Grail Item?

As gamers I think there is a little bit of a collector in us all as well.
After all we all came into this hobby at different points so different things were "rare" or "must have" to us at different times.

Well I finally picked up one of those items I have been searching for for a while.
The AD&D 1st Ed Monster Cards.

I know these have been on eBay many times.   BUT these were still in their shrink wrap.

Yes I opened them.  I am still much more of a gamer than a collector.

Each one of these is a little work of art, it would be a shame to not enjoy them.

This collection was always one of my "Holy Grail" items.  Not because of it's significance to the game or even my own games, but because of the rarity.

I would pass by these little decks in the bookstores back in the 80s and think to myself "oh I'll get those next time."  then there wasn't a "next time" (lessoned learned there kiddies).

For the longest time I never could find these.  Plus I wanted to get a complete set of all four and I wanted to make sure they were in good shape.

Well these came along and I couldn't say no. Not after all this time.

What is your "must have" item? What have you been searching for to complete your collection?

Kickstart Your Weekend: C&C Classic Monsters

I love Castles & Crusades. I love monster books.  This is like the Milky Way Dark of sweet spots for me.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/676918054/castles-and-crusades-classic-monsters/

I am not sure how this one escaped my notice. There is only a little more than a week left.

I reviewed the 1st printing a while back and really enjoyed it. If this one makes it to a full color version it will be a treat.

Dimetrodon for Ubiquity

Ubiquity Month continues!

We were at the Field Museum of Natural History this weekend.   One of my favorite museums in the world.  I love the dinosaur exhibit. Got to see Sue and Lucy, two of my favorite girls in anthropology.  I also got to see the creature I loved as a kid.  The Dimetrodon.  Often confused as a dinosaur these creatures are much, much older.    The also do not appear in the Ubiquity books that I have seen.

So here is my hand at making a monster.

Dimetrodon
Follower 2
Archetype: Prehistoric Synapsid
Motivation: Survival

Style: 0 Health: 9-10

Primary Attributes
Body: 6 Charisma: 0
Dexterity: 5 Intelligence: 0
Strength: 5 Willpower: 3

Secondary Attributes
Size: 0-1
Initiative: 5
Move: 10
Perception: 3
Defense: 10
Stun: 6

Skills Base Levels Rating (Average)
Brawl 5 3 8 (4)
Stealth 5 3 8 (4)
Survival 0 5 5 (2+)

Talents
Skill Aptitude (+2 Survival rating)

Resources
None

Flaw
Bestial (Cannot communicate or use tools)

Weapons Rating Size Attack (Average)
Bite 0 L 0 8 L (4) L
Claw 2 L 0 10 L (5) L

Ready to attack your players!

Monster Manual released on PDF

WotC has released the 1st Edition Monster Manual on PDF for the price of $9.99.

Looks like that is up from $9.95 when it was originally released. Damn inflation!

The Monster Manual was the first RPG I ever read. The one that started this whole crazy business for me.  I judge every RPG I pick up against how the Monster Manual made me feel.  Does it ignite that fire of excitement and creativity? Will I spend hours and hours reading the pages?

Monster Monday! Yog, The Monster from Space!

It was my pleasure to meet Natasha Duncan-Drake and her sister Sophie Duncan in last years A to Z Challenge.  They both posted a lot of great stuff and plenty that can be used in any game.

Well Natasha has started a new feature.  Monster Mondays.
http://tashasthinkings.blogspot.com/2015/05/monster-monday-2-talos-bronze-giant.html

You might recall I did something similar here for a while and there are other blogs that also do this.
MindweaverRPG has done a few, so has Dispatches from Kickassistan, and I know there are others.

I like Tasha. She is cool, so I am happy to get behind this monster monday.  Plus I love monsters.

Since I am talking about Sci-Fi games all week how about a sci-fi monster.
And no space monster is loved more here than Gezora from Yog, The Monster from Space!

Gezora
Is a giant (100ft/30meter tall) squid controlled by the "Space Amoeba" Yog.
Gezora usually attacks a planet, but can be transported through space.
Gezora, Yog and other kaiju are the "stars" of "The Space Amoeba" aka "Yog the Creature from Space".

Gezora can walk on land, swim in the ocean and travel through space.  While it has 10 tentacles it can only attack with 2 of them.  Any natural 20 attack roll means that Gezora has grabbed onto a victim and will swallow it whole.

(White Star)
Armor Class: -2 [22]
Hit Dice: 25
Total Hit Bonus: +20
Attacks: 2 attacks with tentacles, 4d8x2. Swallows whole on a natural 20.
Saving Throw: 5
Special: Survival in water and in space
Movement: 18 (on land, sea and space)
HDE/XP: 20/7,500


(Starships & Spacemen)
Encountered: 1
Movement: 180' (60')
Intelligence: None/Super Genius (Gezora has no intelligence, Yog does)
Psionic Potential: Telepathic
Hits: 25d8
Armor: -4
Combat Skill: 20
Save: L20
Attacks: 2
Damage: 4d8 x2
Morale: 12
XP: 5,480


(Stars Without Number)
Armor Class: -2
Hit Dice: 25
Attack Bonus: +20
Damage: 4d8 x2
No. Appearing: 1
Saving Throw: 5+
Movement: 40' (land, swim, space)
Morale: 12

A to Z of Vampires: Yara-ma-yha-who

Let's head to the land down under for one of the strangest vampires I have found.

The Yara-ma-yha-who is a vampire of the aboriginal peoples of Australia.

It appears as a small red man with a large mouth but no teeth.  He lives in fig trees and jumps on people as they walk by attacking them with his sucker tipped fingers.   The Yara-ma-yha-who will then suck blood out the person unless he is flung off.  Each attack by the Yara-ma-yha-who makes the person a little shorter.  The attack drains 1 point of Constitution while attached.  A successful grapple role is needed to remove it.

Anyone drained to death by this creature will become one. The Yara-ma-yha-who will open it's wide mouth and swallow the dead victim whole.  It will sleep and then regurgitate the victim who will be small and red like the Yara-ma-yha-who itself. It will rise by the next dawn as a new Yara-ma-yha-who and must find a fig tree of it's own to haunt.

Unlike other vampires the Yara-ma-yha-who hunts during the day and sleeps at night.

Reducing the vampire to 0 hp or turning it will cause it to flee to it's tree.
The Yara-ma-yha-who can only be destroyed is by staking it int he heart with wood from  it's own tree and then then burning it and it's tree.

A Yara-ma-yha-who cannot enter a personal dwelling or holy land at all.

Yara-ma-yha-who
Frequency: Very Rare
No. Apperring: 1
Size: Halfling-sized (S)
Armor Class: 5 [15]₁
Movement
 Basic: 120' (40')
 Advanced: 12"
 3e: 30ft
Hit Dice: 8+1 (37 hp)
% in Lair: 100% (fig tree)
Treasure Type: Attacks: 2 (claw/claw) + Blood Drain
Damage: 1d4/1d4 + Blood Drain
Special Attacks: Per Vampire; Blood Drain
Special Defenses: Only killed by fig tree wood
Save As: Fighter 8₂
Magic Resistance: Normal
Morale: 8₃
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Level/XP: 8/3,450 + 12/hp

STR: 16 INT: 10 WIS: 10 DEX: 19 CON: __(10)₄  CHA: 13₅

1 Descending and [Ascending] Armor classes are given.
2 This is used for Basic games, and S&W. Also for monsters that I think need to save a little differently than others.
3 Morale is "Basic" Morale and based on a 1-12 scale.
4 Have not decided yet if I want to use 3.x style undead Constitutions or not. (15) Reflects what their Con would be if I do use it.  I might just put a number in () like I do for Ghosts of Albion.
5 obviously more reflective of personality and character than looks.

I am working on a monster stat block that I can use in my old-games and future publications (if I do any).  I want something that anyone can pick up and use regardless of the system they are using.
What do you think?

A to Z of Vampires: Xiāng-shī (殭屍)

Jason Rhineville

Back to China today for the Xiāng-shī also spelled Jiāng-shī or 殭屍.  These are the famous "hopping vampires" of Chinese myth and folklore.

The Xiāng-shī shares many similarities with the neighboring Rolang.  Both result from improper burial, both appear to be more corpse like than alive, and both have odd means of moving around due to the stiffness in their legs.   While rolang has a zombie style jait, the Xiāng-shī hops.

The character 僵 in it's name, means hard or stiff.  So this vampire can't bend it's legs at all and must therefore hop about. This is more effective than it appears as this vampire can move about quite well.
Additionally the Xiāng-shī can also fly.

Unlike some vampires the Xiāng-shī does not drain blood, but rather chi or life force from the victim.  While the results are the same; draining Constituion points (2 per attack) the difference is the Xiāng-shī does not have to bite the victim to do it.  On any attack roll where the Xiāng-shī lands two claw attacks it can grab the victim. Instead of a bite attack it begins to suck the breath or chi from the victim.

The claws of the Xiāng-shī are long, hard as iron and sharp as razors.  They can retract them or grow them as long as daggers.

If reduced to 0 hit points, a jiang-shi vampire crumbles to dust but is not destroyed. It reforms in 1 minute with 1 hit point in the same space, or the nearest unoccupied space. Scattering the dust before the jiang-shi reforms destroys it permanently, as does mixing rice into the dust with a dose of holy water. Jiang-shi vampires are also susceptible to wooden weapons carved from peach trees, as such weapons represent the unity of all elements and life to these creatures.  Any successful hit from such a weapon that reduces a jiang-shi to 0 hit points immediately destroys the creature. Although they normally retreat from daylight, jiang-shi vampires are not destroyed by sunlight like regular vampires and can move around during the day without harm.

Xiāng-shī turn as vampires.  Rice, incense and holy items will keep them at bay. Holy water will burn them.

This Xiāng-shī is based a little on the Pathfinder Jiang-shi.

Trying out a new format here for old school games.  This takes the bits from OSRIC, Basic Fantasy and Swords & Wizardry. I am also inserting a bit of 3.x where I need it.

Xiāng-shī
AKA: Jiāng-shī
Frequency: Very Rare
No. Apperring: 1
Size: Man-sized (M)
Armor Class: 1 [19]₁
Movement
 Basic: 120' (40') / Fly: 180' (60')
 Advanced: 12"/18" (Fly)
 3e: 30ft
Hit Dice: 9+4 (45 hp)
% in Lair: 100% (home 50%, grave 50%)
Treasure Type: Attacks: 3 (claw/claw/bite) + Life Drain
Damage: 1d6+4/1d6+4/1d4 + Life Drain
Special Attacks: Per Vampire; Life Drain
Special Defenses: Per Vampire
Save As: Fighter 9₂
Magic Resistance: 25%
Morale: 10₃
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Level/XP: 9/4,240 + 13/hp

STR: 21 INT: 18 WIS: 15-17 DEX: 9 CON: __(15)₄  CHA: 16₅

1 Descending and [Ascending] Armor classes are given.
2 This is used for Basic games, and S&W. Also for monsters that I think need to save a little differently than others.
3 Morale is "Basic" Morale and based on a 1-12 scale.
4 Have not decided yet if I want to use 3.x style undead Constitutions or not. (15) Reflects what their Con would be if I do use it.  I might just put a number in () like I do for Ghosts of Albion.
5 obviously more reflective of personality and character than looks.

I am working on a monster stat block that I can use in my old-games and future publications (if I do any).  I want something that anyone can pick up and use regardless of the system they are using.
What do you think?


I should point out that my blogging buddy Natasha Duncan-Drake talked about the Xiāng-shī last year too.  http://tashasthinkings.blogspot.com/2014/04/atoz2014x.html

Review: CC1 Creature Compendium

I love monster books.  The Monster Manual for 1st Ed AD&D was my gateway drug to D&D addiction.  I can still just sit there and read and reread monsters.  So when a new monster book comes along and promises the same level of thrill and excitement as that first time. Well I pay attention.
New Big Dragon Games Unlimited is saying just that.

CC1 Creature Compendium
"Remember those flashes of inspiration that electrified your brain when you first picked up that hardback volume of monsters all those years ago?" Richard LeBlanc begins this new monster book right where I need to, reminding me of the absolute JOY I had holding the 1st Ed. Monster Manual in my hands for the first time.

This book doesn't quite fill me with that joy (that is a TOUGH act to follow) but it does come close and for the price it is a damn fine book.

So what does this book have?  Well it is 94 pages total and over 200 new monster for your Old-School game.  Which system?  All of them, or nearly enough.    Each monster is "dual" stated for 0e/1e and BX.   Simply read the stats that work the best for you and take what you need from the other.  Sometimes there is no difference. For example an AC of 3 in AD&D is roughly an AC 3 in BX and the monsters will either list 3 or some other close number.   Movement rates are easy to convert of course and alignments are different systems, but all in all it is still nice to have.

There are a lot of fun monsters here too.  A mix that reminds me of the old Fiend Folio to be honest.  Even the art, which is good, reminds me of the FF a lot.   Every monster is illustrated, or if they are not I didn't see it.  So a lot of art.

Of particular use are the two appendices.
Appendix A gives us Treasure Types by Edition. 0e, 1e, HB and BX.  Subtle differences in each, but best to line up what you are doing.
Appendix B gives us the monster XP totals for various editions as well. 0e, S&W, BX/BEDMI, LL, 1e and OSRIC.  Great to have.

If they wanted to capture the feel of reading the old MM then they were successful.  If you love old school games and monsters then this really is a must buy.

I am curious to know what people think of the dual stating.

A to Z of Vampires, Estrie

For E lets take a look into Jewish folklore.  Today I present you with the Estrie, which is something like a vampire + demon + witch.

Like a vampire the Estrie is a corpse that crawls out of her grave (Estries are always female) to drink the blood of the living.  They are possessed by a demonic spirit, but may have been witches when they were alive.   The name Estrie comes from the French Strix or night owl. A word that also is related to Strega, Stirge and a host of related creatures.

Estrie by Feline Zegers

Estrie
Armor Class: 4 [15]
Hit Dice: 6d8+6** (38 hp)
No. of Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite (monster form) OR 1 (human form)
Damage: 1d6+2 / 1d8+1 OR by weapon type.
Special: Blood drain, cause fear (as per spell), witch spells, shapeshift
Movement: 30’ (90' fly)
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: Fighter 7
Morale: 10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Evil)*
XP: 1,750

The Estrie is a type of vampire that can pass for a normal human during the daylight hours.  Indeed she can appear to be living, have good alignment (if detected) and even walk onto holy soil and wear holy symbols.  However at dusk she will revert to her vampiric form which appears to be a rotting corpse.  She can shapechange after that, but it takes a full turn for her to do so. The estrie must kill anyone witnessing this transformation or she will loose her powers (fear, spells) over them.
As a vampire the estrie can also shapeshift into large night owl, a large black cat or into smoke if she is reduced to 0 or fewer hp.  Unlike a vampire the estrie can be hit with normal, non magical, items.
The estrie can cause fear but she lacks the charm power of many other vampire types.  She can though cast spells as if she were a 3rd level witch; specifically of the Mara tradition.
Estrie's are strong (18 strength) in their "Vampire" form, but seem to be normal humans in their "human" form.
The estrie attacks with a claw/claw/bite routine.  A successful bite inflicts 1d8+1 damage.  A critical hit bite (a roll of 20) does damage and drains the victim of 1 point of Constitution.
If someone offers her bread in any form she is powerless against that person until after the next sunset.  In her vampire form she cannot enter a dwelling without permission.
In order to fly the estrie must have her hair unbound and allowed to to blow in the wind.  Some scholars believe she needs her hair to fly or at least to navigate.
Her favored prey are young men, ones that would be enchanted by a young woman without the need of arcane inducements.  She will attack these men as they sleep, not wanting to enter into combat. The estrie must feed every night.  In this form of attack she drains either 2 points of Constitution or 2 points of Strength each night. If only attacked once or twice the victim can regain lost points with bed rest at the rate of 1 per week.  If the victim has been attacked three times then the rate is 1 point per 2 weeks.   Any victim drained to 0 in either Constitution or Strength will die.  Male victims, the most common, will return from the dead as a shadow.  The rare female victim will return as an estrie herself.
An estrie must return to her grave before dawn.  She must remain in her grave till "noon". By this it is when the sun has passed it's mid-day point.  After this she may rise and appear human.
To destroy an estrie one must first force her back into her grave.  Then the body must be exhumed.  The mouth of the creature, which is always open, must be filled with dirt from her own grave and then sewn shut.  The head is then removed.

A to Z of Vampires, Berbalang

We are sticking with the Philippines today.  Why? Because they have some awesome freaky fantastic vampires there.  I swear they have the Carpathians and Eastern Europe beat.

The Berbalang blur the line between vampire and ghoul. They are described as "bat winged creatures that live underground and eat corpses. They make a loud moaning sound that can be heard for miles when they feed."

The Berbalang appeared in the Fiend Folio for AD&D 1st Edition and it was something like an astral ghoul. It changed a bit over the editions to what we have below.

https://sites.google.com/site/pathfinderogc/bestiary/monster-listings/undead/berbalang

Berbalang
CR 6
XP 2,400
CE Medium undead
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +5 natural)
hp 68 (8d8+32)
Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +9
Defensive Abilities projection DR 10/good or silver; Immune undead traits

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee* bite +10 (1d6+3 plus paralysis), 2 claws +9 (1d6+3 plus paralysis) or incorporeal touch +10 (1d4 Con damage)
Special Attacks paralysis (1d4+1 rounds, DC 18)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +13)

At will—bleed, ghost sound (DC 14)
3/day—alter self, charm person (DC 15)

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 19, Con —, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 18
Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 26
Feats Defensive Combat Training, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Mobility
Skills Bluff +10, Escape Artist +10, Fly +17, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (religion) +6, Perception +14, Stealth +15
Languages Common

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Projection (Su)

Once per day as a full-round action, a berbalang can enter a trance that separates the creature's spirit from its body. This splits the berbalang's current hit points in half between its body and its spirit. The berbalang's spirit body gains the incorporeal subtype and special ability; otherwise, it retains the same statistics as its physical self with the following changes: AC 19, touch 19, flat-footed 10 (+4 Dex, +4 deflection, +1 dodge), single incorporeal touch attack that deals 1d4 Constitution damage on a hit as its sole attack. This spirit projection can travel no more than 1 mile away from the berbalang's body. Because the creature is only partially in existence when in this state, its body gains displacement as the spell. When separated in this way, the berbalang's body is unconscious and helpless. If the berbalang's body is injured while in this state, the separated projection immediately returns to its body, and the body loses displacement. If the physical body is slain, the spirit body immediately dies as well. If the spirit is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, it returns to the body immediately. A berbalang in spirit form can end the effect at any time as a standard action, at which point the spirit immediately returns to the body. When a berbalang's spirit form returns to the body, add both the spirit body's hit points and the physical body's hit points back together to determine the creature's current hit point total.

ECOLOGY

Environment any land
Organization solitary or pack (2-8)
Treasure standard

Berbalangs prefer to make their homes within a day's travel of humanoid settlements. These lairs are well hidden and sometimes protected by other undead creatures. Some berbalangs set themselves up as secluded shamans or wise old crones, using alter self to appear human. Ultimately cowardly, berbalangs rarely attack a settlement directly, preferring to pluck its meals from those who stray too far from civilization. A berbalang stands as tall as a human and rarely weighs more than 100 pounds.

OGL Section 15: Copyright Notice - Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 3, © 2011, Paizo Publishing, LLC; Authors Jesse Benner, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, James Jacobs, Michael Kenway, Rob McCreary, Patrick Renie, Chris Sims, F. Wesley Schneider, James L. Sutter, and Russ Taylor, based on material by Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, and Skip Williams.

A to Z of Vampires, Aswang

Welcome the the 2015 A to Z blogging challenge.
This year I am going to take on Vampires. Talk some history and present some stats for various games. It should be fun.

So it's April 1st. Lets get started.

Aswang

A creature from the Philippines.  This evil vampire appears to be something like a cadaverous dog with large bat wings when in it’s natural form.  It can assume any shape such as a humanoid, wolf or something inbetween.  This often leads many occult scholars to classify them as werewolves or even a type of witch.  These creatures though are undead.  The creature is known to cause miscarriages and infertility.
The Aswang is a shapeshifter. It can appear as a normal townsperson, an animal like a dog, cat or pig or as a horrible monster like a ghoul or werewolf.  The creature can move about during the day in it’s “human” form but can’t use any of it’s special attacks.

Also the subject of a 1994 horror movie, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aswang_(1994_film) and an episode of Grimm.

Aswang 
Armor Class: 2 [17]
Hit Dice: 6d8+2** (34 hp)
No. of Attacks: 2 claws, 1 bite (monster form) OR 1 (human form)
Damage: 1d6+2 / 1d8+1 OR by weapon type.
Special: Blood drain, cause fear (as per spell)
Movement: 30’ 90' fly
No. Appearing: 1 (3-9 in nest)
Saves As: Fighter 6
Morale: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic (Chaotic Evil)
XP: 1,500

The Aswang can cause fear as per the wizard spell up to 3 times per day. It can also shapeshift into dogs, cats or pigs like any other vampire can turn into wolves or bats.  An aswang can not become mist, but can grow large bat like wings and fly away.
The bite of an aswang drains blood.  An successful combat roll of 19 or 20 while biting means the aswang has locked onto the victim.  The aswang will then drain 1 point of Constitutions worth of blood each round. The aswang will typically feed for 1d4 rounds and then try to flee.  Anyone brought to 0 points of Constitution will die and rise an aswang on the next full moon.
A holy symbol will keep an aswang away like a normal vampire. As will garlic and a line of salt.
It is rumored that the only way to capture an aswang is to use a whip made from a stingray's tail. Once captured the aswang can not use their magical abilities.  The only way to defeat the creature is to cut off it's head.
The creature can only be hit by magical weapons, but a weapon coated with oils prepared by a village priest (an albularyos) will also be effective.

Woodwose for Basic Era Games

The Woodwose is a creature from English mythology that is part wild man, part bigfoot, part fae and part demonic spirit...depending on who you ask.  But interestingly enough they never have really graced the pages of any official D&D product; though Brownies come close and there has been a Woodwose for Pathfinder.
This is not based on those, this a new take.

Woodwose
AC: 6 [13]
Hit Dice: 2d8* (9 hp)
No. of Attacks: 1 club
Damage: 1d6
Special: Spell use*, takes 2x damage from cold iron
Movement: 45’
No. Appearing: 2-12 (2d6)
Saves As: Fighter 2
Morale: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 55

The Woodwose, or "the Wild-Man of the Wood" is faerie creature related to the brownie and buckwan. These creatures typically look like small, old men completely covered in hair. Their hair can vary from brown, to light yellow to even green.  These creatures stand about 4' to 4 1/2' tall though some have been reported as small at 2' and others as tall 7' tall.   They have a language, a very early form of Sylvan, that they use among themselves but they can speak elven when talking to others.
As their name would suggest the woodwose are a wild, barely civilized race. Much of their time is spent in raiding the homes of other faerie creatures stealing food, treasures and their women.  Woodwose that live close to human settlements have also been known to attack an outlying farm or prey on a lone traveler.   They are only brave in packs and rarely venture out of their burrows alone.  Despite their size a woodwose will attack any creature up to and including ogre sized, if they have the numbers.  Woodwose fear and avoid elves.
For every 6 woodwose encountered 1 will be a shaman capable of casting spells as an 2nd level druid.  For every 12 one of those 2 shamans will be 3rd level.  At 24 woodwose, a small community, there will be a shaman with the powers and spells as a 4th level druid.
In any case all woodwose are capable of casting the druid spell Shillelagh on their club once per day.  They are also capable of casting Pass Without a Trace at will as many times as they need.
Woodwose will be wary of adventurers unless they can outnumber them 2-3 to 1.

Ghosts of Albion: Ur-hag

She came to me in a dream.  

I could tell by her voice that she was of regal bearing and intelligence, but at first I could not see her.  I was looking out over a darkend grey and cold plain.  In the far distance I saw mountains; mountains I know I had never beheld before with mortal eyes yet no less real.  In the sky above flew beasts, for that was the only world for them.  They appeared as mad paintings of Hieronymus Bosch, a mass of flying, winged semi-human creatures.  Their appearance was as women, save shamefully unclothed, though it was difficult to see this from the filth that covered them.  The smell was worse than any charnel house I could recall; the decay of death, the reek of excrement and the sour odour of unwashed sweaty bodies.   Their hair was wild. Their teeth were long, yellowed and many were broken.  This is how I knew I was still in the dream. Such details would have escaped me given their distance. In truth, I wanted to be no closer to these hideous creatures.  Their eyes burned red like coals of hellfire.

I watched as they flew and they attacked and ate other beasts in sky.  They were aware of me and my companion, but made no move towards us.

"What are they?" I asked and I turned to meet my unseen companion.  To my shock she appeared as they did, save she was not a filthy degenerate creature, but a woman of regal bearing. She had the same clawed hands, the same large bat-like wings and most horribly the same eyes.

"They are Ur-hags." she had said.  "They are my sisters."

- From the Journal of Tamara Swift.

Ur-Hag

The Urhags are found in two basic varieties, the Degenerate and the far less common Noble.

The Degenerate Ur-hag appears to be a hideously ugly humanoid woman. She appears naked, but covered in filth, with long clawed fingers, wild hair and inhumanly long feet and toes. What is the most curious feature of the ur-hag are her large bat-like wings.  One is immediately reminded of a harpy; which scholars also claim are an offspring of this creature.  The ur-hag does not speak, but only screams and shrieks.  The ur-hag can attack with a claw/claw/bite routine which is their most typical attack.  They are also surrounded by a horrible stench. Characters within 10' of the Ur-hag must make a Constitution test at at least 2 Success Levels or suffer a -2 on all attacks against the creature.
The ur-hag may also cast spells as a witch with Magic 2.  Spells that attack and due damage are preferred over all others.
Ur-hags are immune to all cold-based effects and are immune to cold and cold based spells. Dengerate ur-hags are carnivorous and their preferred  source of meat is humanoid flesh.  They are able to enter the dreams of people sleeping in their territories; usually within 300 yards.  Through this special attack the ur-hag will Charm a sleeping male into breeding with them. Once complete the ur-hag will then wake thee male to kill and eat him.  They prefer to wake their victims because they enjoy hear the sounds of their screams.  Within 3 months the ur-hag will lay a leathery egg in which a juvenile ur-hag will emerge. The new ur-hag will not expect any care or succor from her mother; in fact the mother is just as likely to eat her offspring as she did her offspring's father.

Unisystem / Ghosts of Albion
Name: Ur-hag (degenerate)
Motivation: cause chaos, despair and feed on mortals
Creature Type: Faerie
Attributes: Str 5, Dex 6, Con 5, Int 4, Per 3, Will 6
Ability Scores: Muscle 16, Combat 19, Brains 14
Life Points: 66
Drama Points: 2
Special Abilities: Attractiveness –5, Increased Life Points, Faerie, Innate Magic

Manoeuvres
Name Score Damage Notes
Bite 21 24 Must grapple first; no defence action
Claw 19 16 Two attacks per Turn
Grapple 21 — Resisted by dodge

Spellcasting 16 Varies By spell
Deflect 16 — Magic defence action; deflects spells 45º
Lesser Sensing 15 — Notice magical effects, nature, or possession

Noble Ur-Hag

The Noble ur-hag is a different creature, though no less evil.  Like the degenerate ur-hag, the noble appears to be a winged woman with long taloned hands and feet.  Noble ur-hags also have horns growing from their heads that often causes them to be mistaken for some sort succubus or other demonic creature.  While not demonic, the noble ur-hag is still quite evil.  While the degenerate ur-hag is hideous and covered in filth, the noble ur-hag is regal, attractive and clothed in only the fines wares. Her features are sharp and possibly indicate a relationship to the fae that other, more common hags, share.   The noble ur-hag can be harmed by iron in the same fashion that fae are; iron weapons cause +2 damage and +1 to hit.
The noble ur-hags can cast spells as a witch of Magic level 4.
While the degenerate ur-hag is indiscriminate about her choice of mating partners, the noble ur-hag prefers only the finest quality human males.  Also noble ur-hags do not always eat the men the lay with.  Some preferring to return to the same male time and time again as instinct drives them to reproduce.

Noble Ur-hags use the same stats as do the Degenerate Ur-Hags save they have Attractiveness +1 and Magic 4.  The Noble Ur-Hag also has the following magical manoeuvres.

Manoeuvres
Name Score Damage Notes
Spellcasting 17 Varies By spell
Deflect 17 — Magic defence action; deflects spells 45º
Lesser Sensing 16 — Notice magical effects, nature, or possession
Hold 16 — Magic defence action; delays spell
Volley 11 — Magic defence action; returns spell to caster
Dispel 14 — Magic defence action; dispels spell

Additionally the Noble Ur-Hag can choose demonic or fae powers.  Many posses Glamour and Grand Glamour.  A Noble Ur-Hag is capable of interacting in society, however her mannerisms will seem a bit aloof and more prone to violence than that of mankind.  The Degenerate Ur-Hag, even if glamoured by another, cannon interact in even the roughest society.

There is no known spell to summon these creatures and they only live in the shadowy borderlands where Dream, Shadow and Faerie are known to intersect.