Mad Menagerie: Keymaster
[Note: The table below will display better if you install this font, as it was created with Asmor's Monster Maker.]
A figure stands before you jingling like a chime in the wind. The humanoid shape is buckled from head to toe in black leather with hundreds of ringlets. Attached to these rings are hundreds more keys, all clanging and bouncing off each other as the figure moves. Whoever is inside the leather and keyring suit must only be able see and speak through three keyholes that cover its eyes and mouth. It croaks in a gravelly voice, “The override code must be provided to obtain travel authority.”
The Keymaster is a unique entity that resides in the Hall of Doors , a Nadori complex that time has forgotten. The Hall of Doors is a nexus of gates that allows one to travel from the Prime directly to any of the other known Dimensions. The Hall of Doors is the name that legend now gives the Nadori Dimensional Conduit Terminal. Here the Nadori exerted their influence through the Æther and into other dimensions.
The complex has been abandoned for over a millennium, but the Keymaster has maintained his vigilance over the Hall the entire time. He guards the locked portals to the other dimensions, and only he knows which keys unlocks the appropriate doors.
He is commanded to deny entrance to anyone who wishes to use the portals but is otherwise not hostile. The Keymaster cannot be negotiated with, nor tricked into unlocking a portal. Only through the Keymaster’s destruction or if given the “password” may one pass.
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| HP 360; Bloodied 180 | ||||||
| AC 24; Fortitude 20, Reflex 22, Will 20 | ||||||
| Immune charm, disease, fear, poison, sleep; Resist lightning; Vulnerable necrotic | ||||||
| Speed 6 | ||||||
| Action Points 2 | ||||||
| M Slam (Standard; at-will) | ||||||
| +15 vs. AC; 2d6+7 damage. | ||||||
| m Lightning Slam (Standard; at-will) ♦ Lightning | ||||||
| The Keymaster makes to Slam attacks and adds an additional 1d6 lightning damage to each attack. | ||||||
| c Looking Through the Keyhole (Standard; encounter) ♦ Charm | ||||||
| Close Burst 3;+14 vs. Will; Hit: The target is Stunned until the end of the Keymaster’s next turn; Miss: The target is slowed, save ends. | ||||||
| c Tumbler of Woe (Standard; recharge 56) | ||||||
| Close burst 4; +13 vs. Reflex; 1d10+6 damage. Miss: Half damage. | ||||||
| Teleport (Immediate Reaction; encounter) | ||||||
| As soon as the Keymaster is attacked, he can immediately teleport up to five squares without provoking attacks of opportunity. | ||||||
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Tactics
Once pressed into battle, the Keymaster will attempt Teleport to the square where the players are concetrated. Once in position, the Keymaster will execute Looking Beyond the Keyhole, spend an action point, and then execute his Tumbler of Woe power.
Keymaster Lore
A character knows the following information with a successful History check:
DC 15: You have heard of an immortal guardian that protects the Hall of Doors.
DC 20: It is said that the Keymaster can hypnotize you with his accoutrement of keys.
DC 25: The Keymaster is said to be vulnerable to necrotic energies.
Looking through the Keyhole: The keys decorating the figure’s attire begin to spin of their own accord, whipping and wizzing and making an eerie chimelike noise, all the while a strange glow emanates from the keyholes of its face.
Tumbler of Woe: The leather clad humanoid begins to spin like a top, clicking and whirring sounds issue from the figure like an enormous lock being opened. Suddenly the ringlets shoot forth on silver wires striking everything within range.
Listening to: Soil – Scars – Wide Open
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Mad Menagerie: Fossilifungus
A strange fungal mass is growing on the head and torso of this shambling corpse.
Fossilifungus is a fungus that has evolved into a near symbiotic relationship with the undead, specifically zombies. When a fossilifungus spore attaches to flesh animated by necrotic (or negative) energy, it will take root and begin to grow.
Fossilifungus draws nourishment from enzymes produced when flesh decays from necrotic energy. Over time, the fungus will spread to cover the back, head, and upper torso of its host. Fossilifungus has a defense mechanism triggered by the movement of warm bodies. This mechanism involves the discharge of five to ten tiny barbs in a cone that is ten feet wide and fifteen feet long. When a living creature is struck by a barb, it causes paralysis for up to one minute.
This paralysis gives the host enough time to reach this immobile food source and begin devouring its flesh. There are many horror stories from the fringes of the Dead Wastes about victims being eaten alive by fossilifungus ridden zombies, only to be able to call for help once it was too late.
The fossilifungus represents a new class of monster in that it is a Symbiont. A Symbiont is never encountered by itself as it relies on the host creature to survive. A Symbiont works much in the same manner as a template, except for the fact that it always has a method of removal. A Symbiont can be added to any creature type it applies to. A monster with a Symbiont gains the benefits provided in the Symbiont description as well providing an additional amount of Experience for defeating the monster.
Benefits: +1 Bonus to AC; +10% bonus to Hit Points; gains use of the Fossil Barbs power.
Bonus XP: +33%
Host: Any Corporeal UndeadFossil Barbs (ranged, standard, recharge 4, 5, 6)
Blast 3, +6 (+ 1/2 Host’s Level) vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d4 (+ 1/2 Host’s level), Stunned (Save Ends)
Effect: If the target breathes, he is Slowed (Save Ends)
Tactics
The tactics of the fossilifungus is somewhat dictated by the movements of the host. It will attempt to catch as many targets as possible in its Fossil Barbs and will continue to do so when it recharges.
Lore
DC 15: The growth on the corpse is a fossilifungus, a fungus known for its paralyzing spray of barbs.
DC 20: If you breathe in the dust caused by the fossilifungus’ spray of barbs, it drugs you and makes you slow.
DC 25: It has been said that any spells, rituals, or items that can cure disease can instantly destroy a fossilifungus.
- This is pretty experimental, as pretty much all the custom stuff I do is… I am still toying with the idea that Symbiont have a separate, flat experience value.
Listening to: Android Lust – The Dividing – Stained
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Mad Menagerie: Androcitar
Mucous coats a bulging purple mass of fleshy tentacles. The engorged tentacles emerge from a central tumor that stretches and contracts to move itself along. Throbbing sacs made of the same purple flesh are attached to the slimy cave wall, surrounding the beast. The monster tends these sacs, inserting its tentacles into them, and undulating until they spasm in a spray of green caustic sludge.
Androcitars are Aberrations that reside in damp caverns near the underground lakes from which they feed. Androcitars are asexual and territorial, which leads to adult androcitars to live solitary. However, when one reproduces it will share its lair with its clutch of a dozen or more young. These young attach themselves to walls of the cavern to be fed by the parent androcitar via its tentacles as we to glean nourishing minerals.
The androcitar usually moves very slowly by expanding and contracting its body, but can use its tentacles to propel its mass quickly through the air should the need arise. Androcitar young are also mobile and can detach themselves from the walls.
Androcitar young reach maturity after about four weeks and will then enter a chrysalis for a week while its body changes. A mature, but small androcitar will then emerge from the chrysalis in a wet splat of mucous and tentacles. It then moves on to find its own nest. Most young adult androcitars dry up, whither, and die before finding a suitable home; keeping their numbers low.
Pubescent Androcitar
Huge Aberrant Beast
Level: 8
Initiative: +4
Perception: +20, darkvision
Hit Points: 125
AC: 22, Fort: 30, Ref: 15, Will: 18
Speed: 2
Str 20, Dex 6, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 5Tentacle Strike (melee, standard, at-will)
Reach 2, +13 vs. AC, 1d4+5 damage.Orgasmic Spray (ranged, standard, recharge 5, 6)
Ranged 5, +10 vs. Reflex, 1d4 damage, target is blinded until end of next turn.Tentacle Fury (melee, full, encounter)
Burst 2, +13 vs. AC, 1d4+5 damage.Erect Defense (move, encounter)
Most the androcitar’s tentacles become stiff, making it more difficult to strike the vulnerable tumor. The androcitar receives a +4 to AC but may only shift 1 square for the rest of the encounter.Deadly Reach 2
An androcitar threatens all squares within 10′.Summon the Clutch (move, daily)
The androcitar summons ten clutch sac minions that can be placed in a Burst 3 area.
Tactics
Androcitars are territorial and will defend their clutch to the death, however they will not pursue fleeing threats. The androcitar will attempt to avoid melee, using its ranged attack, Orgasmic Spray, and then its reach attach, Tentacle Strike most effectively by utilizing terrain to hinder opponents.
Once opponents move in, it will activate Erect Defense, Tentacle Fury, and finally Summon the Clutch once Bloodied to overhelm and impose casualties.
Lore
DC 20: This is an androcitar, a rare asexual beast that dwells near underground lakes.
DC 25: The androcitar can blind enemies with it’s spray of sludge.
DC 30: The androcitar is territorial because it protects a clutch of young, which can come to its aid if it feels overwhelmed.
Note: This entry has been edited to reflect the fact that the Androcitar is not a Solo creature…. and a solo version is coming. –MBLClutch Sac
Small Aberrant Beast
Level: 4
Initiative: +2
Perception: +6, darkvision
Hit Points: 1
AC: 18, Fort: 16, Ref: 25, Will: 22
Speed: 2
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 10Dentata (melee, standard, encounter)
The clutch sac attaches itself to a target and begins to gnaw.
+8 vs. Reflex, 4 damage, 4 damage/turn until dead or removed (Str vs. Fort as grabbed)Whip (ranged, standard, at-will)
A tendril of flesh strikes out from under the sac.
Ranged 3, +8 vs. Reflex, 4 damage
Listening to: Lamb of God – Sacrament – Redneck
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Mad Menagerie: Soul Reavers
Soul reavers are lower class daemons that have evolved to fill a service niche in the hierarchies of the Infernal Dominions, they are the wranglers of purchased souls. Whenever a person sells their soul, a mark is placed upon it. Upon the death of a marked soul’s mortal shell, a beacon pulses forth through the Æther.
When they are not transporting their bounties to the owners of their collected souls, soul reavers spend most of their time drifting in the Æther, waiting for the pulse of a marked soul. Soul reavers are the only known daemon capable of traversing the Æther at will, and one of the fewer entities that can circumnavigate the dimensions via the Æther.
Soul reavers do not share a common visage and come in a variety shapes and sizes, though most take on the form of medium sized humanoid shapes. They all however share the fact that they are wrapped in wispy shadows, display multiple rows of uneven needle sharp teeth, and carry chains and manacles that are very effective at securing the ectoplasmic essence of freshly dead souls.
For their service, soul reavers are able to pass freely through the Dominions as well as feed on the ectoplasm of their catch, as long as they do not consume the soul entirely. Hungry soul reavers have been known to waylay free souls in the Gloom and then sell their captives in the dark markets of Mephistolous.
Medium Infernal Humanoid [Devil]
Level: 6
Initiative: +9
Perception: +15, darkvision
Hit Points: 60
AC: 22, Fort: 26, Ref: 19, Will: 25
Speed: 7
Str 16, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 10Chain Lash (ranged, standard, at-will)
Ranged 2; +8 vs. AC; 1d6 +3 damage.Bind in Chains (ranged, standard, recharge 5, 6)
Ranged 2; +10 vs. Reflex; 1d8+3 damage; target is grabbed.Bite (melee, standard, at-will)
+7 vs. AC; 1d6+3 damage.Æther Jaunt (move, recharge 4, 5, 6)
The soul reaver enters the Æther and cannot be the target of attacks from the Prime dimension unless the attack can penetrate the Æther. Soul reavers can see into the Prime, Gloom, and Infernal Dominions from the Æther, but cannot attack through dimensions or into a dimension from the Æther. The soul reaver may leave the Æther into an adjoining dimension as a move action.
Tactics
Soul reavers travel in packs containing no less than five reavers. They will use their Æther Jaunt power to maneuver around their target, attempting to bind them in chains. After a target is bound, soul reavers will continue to Chain Lash or bite their victim into submission.
Lore
DC 15: Soul reavers are daemons that collect souls that have sold themselves to infernal entities.
DC 20: Soul reavers use their chains to attack and immobilize their quarry.
DC 25: Soul reavers are hardly ever encountered in groups smaller than five, and more could be hiding in the Æther.
Note: Mad Menageries are presented in a format similar to 4e, but keywords and mechanics may not jive with 4e. This is because MM entries are actually for use in my own custom d20 ruleset and setting: the Echelon Gaming System and The Dead Wastes.
Listening to: Lollipop Lust Kill – Motel Murder Madness – Dr. Killgreedy
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Mad Menagerie: Trystgeist
The Mad Menagerie is a regular column that I am starting with this entry: The Trystgeist. The Mad Menagerie will be a bi weekly (at least) occurance that will feature totally original monsters, like the Trystgeist, or creatures adapted from folklore, mythology, legend, and movies.
Each entry will give a physical description, a small stat block, powers, combat tactics and lore. They will be presented in a slightly modified 4e format, but I think they could be adapted to any system. That being said, I’m not really a fan of 4e, but I think the monster stats are pretty slick and easy to use.
Trystgeist
Trystgeists are the spirits of the unfaithful that have died at the hands of their betrayed lovers. They are ethereal in nature, and only manifest when they exact vengeance upon adulterers. When these tormented spirits do manifest they become corporeal and appear as one of the adulterers’ spouse. The adulterers’ surprise soon turns to terror as the trystgeist’s eyes turn black and begin weeping dark, acidic tears that melts the flesh of it’s stolen appearance, as well as its victims.
Medium Shadow Humanoid [Undead, Touched by Evil]
Level: 10
Initiative: +10
Perception: +10, darkvision
Hit Points: 100
AC: 20, Fort: 25, Ref: 18, Will: 25
Speed: 5
Skills: Intimidate +15
Str 16, Dex 10, Con -, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 20Burning Betrayal (ranged, standard, recharge 4,5,6) [acid, necrotic]
Close burst 5; +15 vs. Reflex; 2d8 +5 damage.Eyes Only For Me (melee, standard, at-will)
+13 vs. AC; 1d4+3 damage; target is blinded for 2 rounds.Claw (melee, standard, at-will)
+13 vs. AC; 1d8+3 damage.
Tactics
Trystgeists will begin by moving in close to its victims and shaking its head inhumanly fast, spraying its acidic tears all around it. It will then attempt to blind an opponent and take advantage of its victim’s weakened defenses and unleash its claws. It will spray its victims with acid at every opportunity. Trystgeists will often intimidate victims so they cower in fear.
Lore
DC 15: Trystgeists often take on the appearance of its victim’s spouse.
DC 20: Trystgeists were once adulterers that were slain by their betrayed lovers.
DC 25: Trystgeists cannot be permanently destroyed unless you find its wedding band and destroy it with it’s own acid.
Listening to: Type O Negative – Bloody Kisses – Blood & Fire
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