Add Odd Creatures to Your Games, Not Just Stats

A Slight Preamble

One thing I have come to love about simple, rules light systems is how easy it is to port creatures and monsters (as well as other things, such as classes or arcanum/magic items/relics/etc) between games.  

So much so that, to be honest, when I write a creature up now I hardly do it with stats in mind: that comes later, either at the table or in the prep just before. I much more prefer to write about the creatures themselves. This often keeps my mind from wandering too far into the land of combat capabilities, and keeps me grounded in thoughts like how do they hunt, or how do they avoid their predators, or how do they procreate? These questions often lead me to much more interesting creatures with hazards, not attacks and defences per se.

Six Such Creatures

Feeling a little restless earlier today whilst waiting for food to arrive I decided to grab some dice, several books with roll tables (a mix of Knave 2e, Trophy Dark, Shadowdark, and Cairn 2e, I believe) and generate some creatures. They come with no names, and I like that. It adds to the mystery and I recommend allowing the players at your table to name them after they have encountered them (though 2/3 of the names will be insults but that's fine, I think). 

1 - of Wood and Cinder
A strange, ambling humanoid of bark, root and branch. For fingers, long branches drag like claws through the ground, furrowing the soil. At it's very core burns a fire like a tree struck by lightning, and smoke pours out from the cavity to choke the air around it.

It no longer fears fire, for it has become one with it, but the owls—not at all what they seem—scare it more than anything else.

2 - Tricks of the Eye
Tiny birds, reminiscent of the humming bird, that travel in flocks for protection. They have only one real eye upon their heads, but their wing feathers are patterned with several false ones that appear to float about them with the flapping of their incredibly fast wings.

Each of these birds can create a small, benign illusion when alone, but a when a flock of a dozen or more move together as one they can project the image of much larger creatures.

3 - A Flight of Bone
There is a breed of luminous blue and parasitic butterflies that implants their caterpillar larvae within the budding antlers of young elks. Whilst the adult butterflies fly about the antlers like a halo (never leaving, their wings flapping in eerie unison) the larvae move slowly through the marrow of the horn and eventually penetrate the elk's skull. At this point it is far too late for the elk. The caterpillars begin to eat away at sections of the brain, secreting chemicals that allow the adult butterflies to control the beast.

The elk does not eat or rest, but protects the butterflies until it dies, and it's stench is usually the first indication you have that one is present.

The elk dies, if it can, amongst its own kind. When it does, a thousand new butterflies emerge from the skull, spreading to those nearby.

There are rumours—unfounded of course—of this happening to people too.

4 - Crafters of Flesh
long, barely tangible tendrils drift down from a chitinous shell of plates that protects the soft insides of this creature. It hovers along a few feet from the ground with its tendrils reaching out to feel the world around it. These tendrils are barbed and contain a highly potent chemical that causes flesh, skin, and bone to twist and morph to any shape the creature desires. Usually, it does this to make its victims easier shapes to devour, but it has been known to use this ability to puppeteer other creatures, fusing with them.

5 - Bloody Wizards...
A tangled, matted ball of fur with ten prehensile tails that whip about it. It's mouths are buried deep within the fur, but when it attempts to bite it's victims several large incisors become very apparent.

It moves about by climbing upon the walls and ceilings with its highly grippy tails. Moving across the floor is a lot more difficult for it as the 'limbs' become tangled. Folks claim they are able to squeeze themselves through gaps no larger than a few inches, but this behaviour hasn't been directly observed.

One strange behaviour that has been observed however is the ability for it to move things no larger than a person through space in the blink of an eye. This is usually done from a height as an ambush, right into its waiting jaws.

6 - Odd Phantasms
Pale, silvery humanoids that crawl upon their bellies, secreting a slime that helps them to move. Able to fasten themselves upon vertical surfaces with ease. A large, spiralling crystal shell grows upon their backs, which they retract into for defence. The shell is dazzling to look upon in light, enough to stop those who see it in their tracks. Those who remain stopped for too long are soon devoured by this monstrous humanoid as it opens up its entire body and wraps its stomach around the victim before drawing them in to digest.

Birthday Sale

Today, the 28th, is my birthday, and as thanks and a chance to give back I've created a sale over on my itch page for 41% off everything for the next week. Anything you buy is greatly appreciated, but not necessary. Thank you for just reading this blog.