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Monster Mayhem: Things of Madness and Desolation (Part 2)

Monster Mayhem: Things of Madness and Desolation (Part 2)

Hieronymus_Bosch_083There’s something down there.

The waters around the sunken and forgotten City of the Nadir pollute everything that comes too close and taint all that enter its twisted ruins. Occasionally, parts of the mad city rise to the surface for a night, a month, or even a lifetime of man.

Spawned in the City of the Nadir is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature. Such creatures are slimy, covered in hoary growths, and have clusters of tentacles. They are creatures that the ancient ones have blighted or that have dwelt too close to the infamous sunken City of the Nadir.

New Monster: Spawned in the City of the Nadir [template]

It was a terrible, wan creature with violet, bloated veins circling its twisted form. It emerged from the lake like a blind sick eel, oozing, crawling along the bare rocks of the cavern. Our torchlight illuminated its foul visage—a mass of tentacles tasted the air, shivering and convulsing around its mouth the size of a cave.

Size and Type aberration (aquatic)

HD d8

AC as base creature

Abilities as base creature

Skills as base creature

Feats as base creature

Environment as base creature

Organization solitary, pair, or insanity (3-12)

Treasure standard

Alignment usually neutral

CR as base creature +2

Special Abilities (a spawned in the City of the Nadir creature retains all its special abilities and gains those described here)

Amphibious (Ex) A spawned in the City of the Nadir creatures have gills but can breathe indefinitely on land.

Constrict (Ex) A spawned in the City of the Nadir creature deals automatic tentacle damage with a successful grapple check.

Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, the spawned in the City of the Nadir creature must hit with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Madness Given Breath (Ex) So insane is the twisted physiology of this creature that those who see it must make an immediate Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 creature’s HD + creature’s Charisma modifier) or suffer the effects of confusion (CL = creature’s HD). With a successful save, an opponent does not need to make another save against that particular creature.

Tentacle Canker (Ex) The creature has a revolting cluster of horny slimy tentacles, usually upon its lower face (if it has one), although tentacles from the shoulders, chest, and even back are not uncommon. The creature may use the tentacles to attack. The creature attacks with up to four of these tentacles per round as secondary attacks. The damage delivered depends on the size of the base creature:

  • Fine (—)
  • Diminutive (1)
  • Tiny (1)
  • Small (1d3)
  • Medium (1d4)
  • Large (1d6)
  • Huge (1d8)
  • Gargantuan (2d6)
  • Colossal (2d8)

In each case, the creature also adds its full strength bonus to the damage delivered.

Sample Spawned in the City of the Nadir Creature

Nourished since its time as a hatchling on the city’s tainted waters, the monstrous worm known only as the Hunger has refused to leave its shores and has become a ravening sentinel.

The Hunger, a Spawned in the City of the Nadir Purple Worm (CR 14)

N Gargantuan aberration (aquatic)

Init -2; Senses tremorsense 60 ft.; Listen +18, Spot -1

DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 4, flat-footed 19

(-2 Dex, +15 natural, -4 size)

hp 184 (16d8+112)

Fort +17, Ref +8, Will+4

OFFENSE

Spd 20 ft., burrow 20 ft., swim 10 ft.

Melee bite +25 (2d8+12) and

sting +20 (2d6+6 plus poison) and

4 tentacles +20 (2d6+12)

Space 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

Special Attacks constrict, improved grab, madness given breath, poison, swallow whole, tentacle canker

STATISTICS

Str 35, Dex 6, Con 25, Int 1, Wis 8, Cha 8

Base Atk +16; Grapple +40

Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Focus (sting)

Skills Listen +18, Swim +20

SQ amphibious

ECOLOGY

Environment underground

Organization solitary

Treasure no coins, 50% goods (stone only), no items

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Constrict (Ex) The creature deals automatic tentacle damage with a successful grapple check.

Improved Grab (Ex) To use this ability, the creature must hit with either its bite attack or a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can attempt to swallow the foe the following round (if from a bite) or constrict (if from a tentacle).

Madness Given Breath (Ex) So insane is the twisted physiology of this creature, those who see it must make an immediate Will save (DC 17) or suffer the effects of confusion (CL 16th). With a successful save, an opponent does not need to make another save against the creature again to avoid this special attack. This effect is Charisma-based.

Poison (Ex) The creature delivers a potent poison: injury, Fortitude DC 25, initial damage 1d6 Str, secondary damage 2d6 Str. The effect is Constitution-based.

Swallow Whole (Ex) The creature can try to swallow an opponent grabbed by its bite attack by making a successful grapple attack. Once inside, the opponent takes 2d8+12 crushing damage plus 8 acid damage per round in the creature’s gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 damage to the gizzard (AC 17). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. The Hunger’s interior can hold 2 Large, 8 Medium, 32 Small, 128 Tiny, or 512 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

Tentacle Canker (Ex) The creature grows a cluster of horny, slimy tentacles beneath its foul mouth. The tentacles may be used by the Hunger to attack.

(Open Game License)

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Run in terror!  Monster Mayhem is here. Want to plea for mercy? Leave a comment.

5 thoughts on “Monster Mayhem: Things of Madness and Desolation (Part 2)”

  1. A Chthonian! Awesome.

    Should maybe the DC of Madness Given Breath be 10 + creature’s HD? Instead of 10 + Cha modifier? I can’t see many 14th level PCs failing a DC 9 Will save.

    Great idea in any case. Another easy way to make an interesting monster from one of the old standbys.

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