Sunday, January 15, 2012

Land of Ice (Monsters, Part 2)

[continued from here...finally!]

Fen Troll

Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 4+2
Move: 90’ (30’)
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1D8+3
No. Appearing: 1-4 (1-4)
Save As: Fighter 2
Morale: 10
Treasure Type: C (+ see below)

Standing seven to nine feet tall, these scaly, hairy humanoids are semi-aquatic, living in swampy grottos occasionally found dotting the icy countryside due to the presence of soil breaking hot springs. Solitary and territorial, when multiples are encountered they are usually a family unit. They have exceptionally sensitive hearing and have been known to travel miles to attack the source of raucous noise and happy celebration. Fen trolls covet shiny baubles and coins and will always have an additional 50 gold marks worth of treasure in their lair.



Frost Worm

Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 15*
Move: 60’ (20’)
Attacks: 1 bite/1 sting
Damage: 2D8/1D8 + poison
No. Appearing: 1 (1-4)
Save As: Fighter 5
Morale: 10
Treasure Type: D

The largest land predator in the LAND OF ICE, these huge creatures burrow beneath the ground only surfacing to devour their prey. Frost worms are found mostly in the northernmost section of the continent, strong enough to dig through soft rock and frozen tundra. While lacking the strong tearing jaws of the dragon, their mouth is large enough to swallow most prey whole, including trolls and horses. If the monster’s attack roll is 4 greater than the number needed to hit, the target is swallowed taking an automatic 2D8 damage every round thereafter until digested or cut free. The frost worm has a poisonous tail sting (save versus poison or die) that it may use against creatures to its rear or flank. Treasure possessed is usually undigested material carried in the creature’s innards.



Ghoul

Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 2*
Move: 120’ (40’)
Attacks: 2 claws or weapons
Damage: D4/D4 or D6/D6
No. Appearing: 1-6 (2-16)
Save As: Fighter 1
Morale: 12
Treasure Type: Nil

A ghoul is a psychic northman whose personality has been consumed in hyper-aggressive psychosis, living only rape, kill, and consume its prey (not necessarily in that order) in a cannibalistic orgiastic frenzy. What’s more, the creature constantly broadcasts a psychic contagion: any individual with psychic talent that is wounded by a ghoul and not killed must save versus poison or become a ghoul within D4 turns. Ghouls are drawn to psychics and seek to increase their community, forming packs of ravenous berserkers bent on destruction. They are relentless in combat, striking twice during their own turn and using filthy, blood-crusted nails like claws, even if disarmed. They have no fear, never check morale, cannot be reasoned with, and are devoid of mercy.



Hawk

Armor Class: 8
Hit Dice: 1D4 hit points
Move: flying 480’ (160’)
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1-2
No. Appearing: 0 (1-2)
Save As: Normal Human
Morale: 7
Treasure Type: Nil

Used by the northmen for hunting, hawks are sometimes found in the wild (and will avoid characters when encountered). A trained hawk can be used to attack or snare small game by a person skilled in falconry.



Herd Animal

Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 3 to 4
Move: 240’ (80’)
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1D6 or 1D8
No. Appearing: 0 (3-30)
Save As: Fighter 1 or 2
Morale: 5
Treasure Type: Nil

Any of the large fauna, bred and hunted for meat in the LAND OF ICE. A three hit dice animal is usually a large deer or stag, while a four hit dice creature would be something the size of a moose. If panicked to stampede, a herd is capable of trampling any creature that gets in its way.



Hill Troll

Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 3+1
Move: 90’ (30’)
Attacks: 1
Damage: 2D4
No. Appearing: 2-8 (5-20)
Save As: Fighter 1
Morale: 8
Treasure Type: B

Smaller and hairier than their lowland fen cousins, hill trolls are decidedly sneakier (surprise opponents on a 4 in 6 chance) and more cunning. They can use group tactics, communicating with each other through grunts and snarls, and there has been talk of hill trolls learning man-speech though this is generally considered an outlandish tale. They are completely nocturnal, undergoing temporary paralysis and dermal calcification in strong ultraviolet light (like bright sunlight); however, they quickly recover in darkness.



Horse

Armor Class: See below
Hit Dice: See below
Move: See below
Attacks: See below
Damage: See below
No. Appearing: See below
Save As: See below
Morale: See below
Treasure Type: See below

Save for the fact that they were genetically engineered and bred by the original star-faring ancestors of the northmen, these creatures are the same as those described in the Expert book. A “poor horse” (see the equipment section in Chapter 2) has -1 hit point per hit die and only two-thirds the normal daily overland movement allowance.



Ice Kraken

Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 8
Move: 90’ (30’)
Attacks: 8 tentacles + bite
Damage: 1D4 x8, 1D8
No. Appearing: 0 (1-2)
Save As: Fighter 3
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: Nil

A monstrous cephalopod-like creature found near either pole of the planet, they can be encountered in coastal waters during the long winter months when seeking to supplement their diet with extra prey, dragged screaming from the shores (and the occasional ship). Ice kraken are fully capable of dividing their attention (and attacks) between multiple targets, and have the same ability to do hull damage as other large sea creatures (1 hull point for every full 5 hit points of damage inflicted in the round). A humanoid struck by a tentacle has a 75% chance of being grabbed (-1 to victim’s attack rolls per tentacle while grappled) and takes an automatic D4 constriction damage each round thereafter. In addition, the kraken may automatically bite a grabbed opponent (no attack roll needed), though only one such bite attack may be made in a round. The creature's tentacles are especially slick, tough, and covered in chitin-like scales, but an appendage can be severed by an edged weapon doing 8 or more points of damage.



Ice Toad

Armor Class: 3
Hit Dice: 3*
Move: 60’ (20’)
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage: 1D6
No. Appearing: 1D4 (1D4)
Save As: Fighter 1
Morale: 8
Treasure Type: Nil

As tall as a small horse but much heavier, these cold-blooded amphibians have a bony carapace that makes them especially durable in combat, and their coloration can make it difficult to distinguish them in a rocky environment (surprise on a 1-3). Meat eaters, they are not afraid to attack men and can strike from 15’ away, grappling their prey with a strong prehensile tongue, and immediately drawing their target in for a bite attack (D6 damage).



Iceland Wolf

Armor Class: 7
Hit Dice: 2+2
Move: 180’ (60’)
Attacks: 1 bite
Damage: 1D6
No. Appearing: 2-12 (3-18)
Save As: Fighter 1
Morale: 8 or 6
Treasure Type: Nil

One of the most common predators of the frozen steppes, the wolves of the LAND OF ICE are large (close to 4’ or more at the shoulder), grizzled, and unafraid of northmen. They hunt in packs and their morale is reduced in smaller numbers (6 instead of 8 when fewer than 4 wolves are encountered or if more than 50% of their number are slain).



Jotun*

Armor Class: 4
Hit Dice: 8* (add ** if psychic)
Move: 120’ (40’)
Attacks: 1
Damage: 2D8
No. Appearing: 1-4 (2-8)
Save As: Fighter 3
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: E (+ see below)

Jotun are the starfaring race originally responsible for the planet-fall of the northmen’s ancestors (see Chapter 1). They resemble giant humanoids (two to three times man height) of mostly foul and twisted countenance, though there are some that are quite beautiful in form. Likewise, the giants are of varying intelligence, with the leadership caste (about 1 in 8 encountered) having incredible technological savvy and the equivalent of psychic talent (see below). Jotun are unharmed by normal weapons.

Jotun are un-bothered by extremes of temperature, including fire, and and do massive amounts of damage in melee combat. They often carry high-tech energy weapons that do 3D6 damage at a range of 200’ (200 yards in the outdoors) with a 5-shot ammunition capacity. They also decorate themselves in jewelry of precious metals and gems, adding the equivalent of 250 gold marks per giant to any other treasure carried.

Jotun leaders are generally larger (+1 or +2 hit dice) and possess psychic talents equivalent to a 3rd or 4th level magician. Such creatures are terribly cunning and prone to whimsy and madness, as well as diabolical sadism. They may have access to tremendous technology and machines outside the scope of this book.

NOTE: Jotun should never be encountered randomly unless player characters are exploring a jotun ship or stronghold. It is up to the DM to decide if and when such monsters will even discover the LAND OF ICE and the descendants of their age-old enemies. Some DMs may choose to keep such creatures purely legendary.


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