2012-05-15 The Forgotten Depths

As I wrote a few days ago, I’m using Metal Earth’s The Forgotten Depths for one of my campaigns (his blog post). The blessing and curse of all the One Page Dungeon Contest submissions is that the monsters lack stats. Well, time to think something up. As most of the players are kids and their characters range from level 3 to 5, I’ve started using the following stats:

Andrewsarchus HD 10, AC 5, bite 2d6, SV 9, MV 15, ML 5; on a 20: bone crushing bite breaks shield arm (mending takes 2d4+9 weeks or a *regeneration* spell)
*Ape, cave* HD 4, AC 6, two fists 1d6, SV 15, MV 12 and climb 6, ML 7; savage and desparate
*Ape, war* HD 5, AC 6, two fists 1d6 or 2H sword 2d6, SV 14, MV 12 and climb 6, ML 8
*Apes, giant* HD 3, AC 7, two fists 1d6, SV 16, MV 12 and climb 6, ML 5
*Apes, snow* HD 2, AC 6, laser blaster 1d6, SV 17, MV 12 and climb 6, ML 10; laser blaster ignores armor and every wound deals an extra 1d6 heat damage in the following round
Archelon HD 10, AC 2, bite 3d6, SV 9, MV 3 swim 9; on a 20: destroys any wooden structure the victim is standing on or clinging to
*Bandit, mutated* HD 1, AC 7, sickle sword or mace 1d6, SV 18, MV 12, ML 6; 1 in 10 with telepathic abilities
*Bear, cave* HD 8, AC 6, two claws and bite 1d6, SV 11, MV 9, ML 5; if both claws hit, bear hug for an additional 2d6
*Beastkin* HD 1, AC 7, spear or javelin 1d6, SV 18, MV 12, ML 7; often accompanied by a war dog
*Blood cloud* HD 6; AC 9; SV 11; MV 3; ML 12; contact drains blood for 1d6 and requires a save vs. paralysis or inability to move; affects all creatures in a 10 ft. radius; requires +1 weapon to hit
*Blood monkey* HD 1, AC 7, bite 1d6, SV 18, MV 12, ML 6; on a 20: start sucking blood for 1d6 per round until slain
*Boilers* HD 1, AC 8, hatchet 1d6, SV 18, MV 6, ML 7; telethermostic power lets blood boil at will within 30 ft.: 1d6 damage, save vs. spells for half
*Burrower* apparently peaceful human controlled by a worm and trying to spread its progeny; when touched, save vs. death or be infected by the worm; on the first two rounds, an infection can be stopped by amputation
*Cone of hunger* HD 7, AC 2, shredding 2d6, SV 10, MV 12, ML 12; on a 20: suck opponent into shredder for automatic shredding damage until slain and turned into compost
*Crocodile, giant* HD 4, AC 3, bite 2d6, SV 15, MV sprint 12 swim 6, ML 5
*Demontree* HD 15, AC 3, eight branches and roots 1d6, SV 4, MV 0, ML 12; the branches are loaded with twitching corpses: twelve armless ghouls are hanging up there, unable to free themselves
*Devilgoat* HD 5, AC 5, horns 1d6, SV 14, MV 15 and climb 3, ML 6; head butt charge for 2d6, will reform and pursue unless killed by a silver weapon
*Dog, war* HD 2, AC 7, bite 1d6, SV 16, MV 12, ML 7; morale increased to 9 when near beastkin
*Dreambeast* HD 12, AC 7, two hoves 1d6, SV 5, MV 5; anybody hearing their moaning takes 1d6 damage due to gut wrenching and must save vs. paralysis or remain inactive (and therefore unable to escape the moaning); rainbow mist forces spellcasters to save vs. spells or loose their spell when casting; anybody sleeping in the vicinity is haunted by nightmares and loses 1d6 instead of natural healing
Entelodont HD 8, AC 6, bite 2d6, SV 11, MV 15, ML 8; terminator pig charge +2 for an extra 1d6 damage
*Frogman* HD 2, AC 8, two sickles or crossbow 1d6, SV 17, MV 9, ML 6; the crossbow can charge a total of ten bolts before needing to be recharged; charged bolts deal an extra 1d6 electricity damage; jumping charge for +2 with both sickles; cruel servants of the sharkmen with nimble fingers and access to technology
Gastornis HD 9, AC 7, bite 2d6, SV 10, MV 15, ML 5; prefers to peck at heads without helmets
*Ghouls, armless* HD 2, AC 9, bite 1d6; MV 12, ML 12; when bitten, save vs. paralysis or drop helpless for 2d6 rounds
*Grasping bloat* HD 7, AC 9, multiple grasping hands and acid rain 1d6, SV 10, MV 3, ML 5; hides beneath rocks over a big area; surprises on 5 out of 6; grasping hands attack all victims on foot for 1d6; acid spit sprays all victims in the area, save vs. dragon breath or suffer 1d6; requires +1 weapon to hit
*Greathorn* HD 2, AC 8, two hoves 1d6, SV 17, MV 12, ML 2; when attacked, a stampede is created; without proper precautions, this results in 10 greathorns having a free trample attack the next round for anything in its way
*Hag, swamp* HD 5, AC 6, two claws 1d6, SV 14, MV 6 fly 15 on broom; on a 20: magic water fills victim’s lung, save vs. death or drown; can cast *charm male* 3×/day, *kiss of mind control* 1×/day (24h duration), *invisibility* 3×/day, *beautiful appearance* at will
*Hippo* HD 12, AC 6, multiple trample 3d6, SV 7, MV 15, ML 11; when trampled, victims can choose to take half damage and giv up their next attack; trample affects anybody standing in the hippo’s way
Hyenadon HD 11, AC 5, bite 3d6, SV 8, MV 12, ML 6; on a 20: razor teeth amputate shield arm (apply tourniquet within three rounds or die, regrow using *regeneration* spell)
*Lurk* HD 3, AC 8, short sword or longbow 1d6, SV 16, MV 12, ML 7; psionic powers (6×/day): *dominate person, levitate, read thoughts*.
*Minotaur* HD 6, AC 5, 2H axe or heavy javelin 2d6, SV 13, MV 12, ML 9; extra attack with horns for 1d6 when charging
*Moonwraith* HD 4, AC 2, lance 2d6, SV 13, MV 15 fly, ML 10; requires +1 weapon to hit; upon hearing their horn blowing, save vs. paralysis or remain where you are instead of seeking cover in an enclosure; moonwraiths cannot enter enclosures
Mudbug HD 3, AC 2, two pincers 1d6, SV 16, ML 5; when both pincers hit, deal an additional 1d6 damage
*Priests* HD 1, AC 9, dagger 1d6, MV 12, ML 11; three can get together and call down *lightning* 1×/day for 6d6
Pterosaur, *adult* HD 6, AC 5, beak 3d6, SV 13, MV 3 and fly 15, ML 5; 20 ft. wingspan
*Pterosaur, young* HD 2, AC 6, beak 1d6, SV 17, MV 3 and fly 15, ML 3 10 ft. wingspan
*Reptile vermin* HD 1, AC 8, bite 1, SV 18, MV 12, ML 4; after the fight anybody bitten must save vs. poison or contract skin rot: no more natural healing and loose 1d6 every night
*Robot, crazy* HD 5, AC 2, punch 1d6, SV 12, MV 9, ML 12; on a 20: laugh and turn away, abandoning the fight if possible
*Rocketman* HD 6, AC 2, ray gun 1d6, SV 13, MV 12 and fly 15, ML 9; ray gun ignores armor; aloof
*Rockworm* HD 8, AC 3, stone bite 2d6, SV 9, MV 3 burrow 3, ML 12; only fights when engaged in melee; when attacked from range, burrows
Sasquatch HD 3, AC 6, two fists 1d6, SV 15, MV 12, ML 3; hide and surprise 5 in 6; very shy
*Sharkmen* HD 4, AC 5, bite 2d6 and barbed drilling harpoon 1d6, SV 15, MV 12, ML 10; evil tyrants with space suits and huge maws; harpoon mechanism keeps dealing 1d6 damage until removed; removal itself deals an additional 2d6 damage
*Snake, giant* HD 7, AC 5, bite 1d6, SV 12, MV 6, ML 6; when bitten, save vs. poison or be paralyzed and die in ten rounds; on a 20: be constricted: in subsequent rounds, save vs. death and free yourself or remain helpless and suffer 1d6
*Snakeman* HD 3, AC 6, spear or macahuitl 1d6, SV 14, MV 9, ML 7; on a 20: grapple and constric for 1d6 per round until slain; born hunters, always hungry, stuck in the stone-age, fear the sharkmen
*Spider, giant* HD 3, AC 4, bite 1d6, SV 16, MV 12 climb 6, ML 4; when bitten, save vs. poison or be paralyzed and die in ten rounds
*Squid, tree* HD 4, AC 7, three tentacles 1d6, SV 15, MV 3, ML 5; on a 20: strangle and lift victim into the air; save vs. death every round or faint unless flying
*Tentacle thing* four tentacles with HD 4, AC 6, crushing blow 1d6, MV 0, ML 7; on a 19: throws victim over board (if wearing metal armor: save vs. death every round or drown); on a 20: destroys any wooden structure the victim is standing on or clinging to (possibly resulting in the victim falling over board); will retreat below the waves and devour its first kill as soon as possible
*Thing in the Lake*, transdimensional monstrosity; fighting it requires a special binding spell since it will simply disappear and return hours or days later; if contacted telepathically, it may divulge a planar secret but the question asker must save vs. death or be catatonic for a week
*Vampire grass* 1d6 damage per mile travelled on foot unless wearing iron boots
*Wolf, vile* HD 3, AC 8, bite 1d6, SV 16, MV 12, ML 7
Yeti HD 4, AC 6, two fists 1d6, SV 15, MV 12, ML 4; hide in snow 5 in 6; very shy
*Zombie, piranha* HD 1, AC 7, bite 1d6, SV 18, MV swim 12, ML 12
*Zombies, cyborg* HD 5; AC 3; Atk slam 1d6; SV 12; MV 6; ML 12; if defeated, the prosthetic arms, legs and the occasional head can be reattached to characters; if attaching prosthetic limbs where none are missing, the extra limbs are not under the player’s control; casting *remove curse* will inactivate these independent limbs for a day; they can only be removed safely when casting *regeneration*

Andrewsarchus

Archelon

Since I invented the stats, I’m making them available for free, no strings attached, public domain. The names of the monsters are from the key of the adventure and might therefore conceivably fall under the Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike License.

Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike

Let me know if anything needs fixing!

#RPG #Old School #1PDC

Comments

(Please contact me if you want to remove your comment.)

⁂

Great job!

– Aos 2012-05-18 23:54 UTC

Aos

---

Thanks!

– Alex Schroeder 2012-05-19 01:16 UTC

Alex Schroeder