Basic Fantasy RPG Forums

Seven wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2020 6:46 am As for joke monsters, I do like the Rakun.

I don't really consider this a joke monster, albeit it does derive much inspiration from a Marvel source, so I can understand the response jibe.

My campaign has a somewhat North American inspiration to it (with dash of ice-age remnants), so you see where much of the creatures have certain hallmarks of the region. With that warped North American vibe, you get much of the bears, Elchman (moose-headed Minotaur sorts), Gilla, Sasquatch, Tusker (walrus/dwarf sort of humanoids with a Inuit tilt), etc. Rakun were simply an idea to perhaps replace the traditional "halfling/hobbit" sort of small race.

It was when the addition of several other contributors started to overshadow my own contributions, that the focus on that semi-Americana tilt begins to diminish to most observers.

But I digress, I truly understand that others have differing inclinations and preferences. I believe Solo's idea for a slightly more farcical group of creatures is a wonderful way to allow such creatures and gives individual GM's the ability to include or not include based upon their own preferences.

Besides the name, the salamander is not funny and the players don't see the name.
I got a look at the original when searching through Egyptian monsters, funny enough.

The angry little rakuns will always crack me up and the players will call them raccoons no matter what. R2-D2 and C3P0 are comic relief characters, that doesn't turn all robots into jokes.
Now, JarJar Bings and the Ewoks?

I also use the giant beavers. They go all the way back and they're like the guys from Narnia.
It's hard to do a scary giant beaver.

It's like the satyrs. If you're doing them seriously, you're doing them wrong.
Many of the sprites are like that. So, I try not to go too far into fairyland.
Harpies are no fun though.

Seven wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2020 1:24 pm Besides the name, the salamander is not funny and the players don't see the name.
I got a look at the original when searching through Egyptian monsters, funny enough.

The angry little rakuns will always crack me up and the players will call them raccoons no matter what. R2-D2 and C3P0 are comic relief characters, that doesn't turn all robots into jokes.
Now, JarJar Bings and the Ewoks?

I also use the giant beavers. They go all the way back and they're like the guys from Narnia.
It's hard to do a scary giant beaver.

It's like the satyrs. If you're doing them seriously, you're doing them wrong.
Many of the sprites are like that. So, I try not to go too far into fairyland.
Harpies are no fun though.

I used giant beavers once too. Well, you can imagine how that went.

Seven wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2020 1:24 pmIt's like the satyrs. If you're doing them seriously, you're doing them wrong.

Oh no sir, I disagree. The best satyr usages involve them *appearing* to be comic relief... but in fact, being very fey and untrustworthy.

I don't see a contradiction. They were associated with Bacchus who is basically the god of partying. In Greece, people dressed as Satyrs for plays. Like in real life, the guy you go out with on a Friday night is not necessarily the guy you want as a roommate.

Back in the day, the monster we had the most problems with was the leprechaun.
Might as well just walk up to it and ask "Okay, what's your scam?".
It was basically a monster everybody knew from the Bugs Bunny Show.

I've had the Ichneumon running loops in my head for a while.
It's a medieval beast that was supposed to hunt dragons, generally accepted to have been a giant mongoose. A bit underwhelming.

So lately, I noticed that we don't have an Aurumvorax, a beast that is well known for slaughtering players and so I thought of basing the Ichneumon on the Aurumvorax as 2 animals of the same family.

Aurumvorax

Armor Class: 18
Hit Dice: 10 or 12
No. of Attacks: 1 bite + special
Damage: 1d8 bite
Movement: 30', Burrowing 10'
No. Appearing: 1, Lair 1d6-3
Save As: Fighter: 12
Morale: 11
Treasure Type: None
XP: 1,300 or 1,875

An Aurumvorax is an eight-legged mustelid the size of a medium dog. It has a thick gold coat and even its claws are golden. Like most mustelids, it has a long snout, rounded ears and an orthogonal molar at the back of its mouth which allows it to rip the flesh off even from frozen carcasses. Being sexually dimorphic, the male (HD12) is about 20% larger than the female (HD10) and can weight as much as 500lbs.

In combat, the Aurumvorax will typically lay in ambush and pounce on its prey and thus will surprise on a roll of 1-2. Its bite will inflict 1d8 points of damage and will lock into its prey if successful. Thereafter, it will automatically inflict 5 points of damage from the bite and will attack with an additional 2d4 claws, each doing 1d6 points of damage until either it or its prey is dead. Because of its highly dense bones and thick coat, the Aurumvorax takes only half damage from blunt weapons. Its coat also completely protects it from normal fire and reduces damage from magical fires by half. It is also completely immune to poison of any kind, including gas.

Also called the "Gold Digger", the Aurumvorax is found of gold and copper and will spend hours every day gnawing on metal if any are at hand. Solitary and territorial, mating has never been observed. If found in lair, a female might have up to 2 kits which leave the den after one year.

Ichneumon

Armor Class: 21
Hit Dice: 12 or 15
No. of Attacks: 1 bite + special or 1 bite + 2 claws
Damage: 1d12 bite or 1d12 bite/2d6 claw/2d6 claw
Movement: 50'
No. Appearing: 1, Lair 1d4-2
Save As: Fighter: 15
Morale: 9
Treasure Type: H
XP: 1,875 or 2,850

The Ichneumon is an eight-legged beast the size of a pony. Its head is like that of a bear. Its long furry coat can be white, black or even red, blue or green. It has a long, thick tapered tail. The male has a lion mane and is up to 25% larger. It can weight in excess of a thousand pound.

In combat, the Ichneumon prefers to hunt large preys. Its bit inflicts 1d12 points of damage and against a large prey, its jaws will remain locked inflicting 8 points of damage per round while it will rake with 2d4 claws each inflicting an other 2d6 points of damage until either it or its prey is dead. Against a smaller opponent, such as a humanoid, the Ichneumon will only be able to attack with one bite and 2 claws each round. Because of its special coat, the Ichneumon takes half damage from slashing weapons, including the claws of other creatures. It is naturally immune to all poison of any kind, including gas. Its coat gives it protection from cold and it only takes half damage from magical cold including the breath of other creatures. When on the prowl, the Ichneumon will coat itself with several layers of mud that it will let harden. In this state, it is immune to normal fire and it will only take half damage from magical fire, lighting or acid, including the breath of other creatures.

The Ichneumon loves to eat dragon scales and because of this is also known as the Dragon Eater. It seems that it acquires its more exotic colouration from the consumption of those scales. When encountered in the wild, it will have no treasure. A female will nest in the lair of a defeated dragon, along with a kit of up to HD6 and the dragon's hoard. A male will instead lair in a small isolated den.