Sample file

ii

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Created By: Ben Schultz & Matt Fezatte Primary Text & Development: Some figment of Ben’s imagination Other Text & Editing: Another figment of Ben’s imagination & Michelle Schultz Good-looking Illustrations: Matt Fezatte Illustrations that Suck: Ben Schultz Some art copyright: Larry Elmore, used with permission Other World Creations, used with permission Louis Porter, Jr. Design, used with permission Bradley K McDevitt , used with permission Reality deviant Publications, used with permission Joseph J. Calkins & Cerberus Illustrations, used with permission Michael Davis, used with permission

Significantly Influenced by: The Principia Discordia - Malaclypse, the Younger & Lord Omar

Special Thanks To: Michelle Schultz for letting my pretend to be a constructive member of society. Keri Fezatte for letting Matt come out a play. It’s more fun to pretend with a friend. Maren Schultz for not having a headache in July of 1973, apparently seeing baby Julie did the trick. John “Jack” Schultz for being there when mom didn’t have a headache. My Brothers Sample for acting file as an unwilling co-conspirator in this adventure called life… for indulging my half-baked ideas, and reeling me in when we transverse the threshold from risky to potentially life- threatening. My Children for providing living proof that I can do some things right, and being willing co-conspirators once your uncles got lives of their own. St. Gulik for continuing acting as a liaison & relaying all of those important messages for me when my pineal gland was decidedly out of , even though I portrayed him as a spanglish speaking Sigmund Freud in the first book.

All content of this book, regardless of designation, is copyright 2008 by Erisian Entertainment. All rights reserved. Reproduction of use without the expressed written permission of Erisian Entertainment is expressly forbidden.

iii Author’s notes

In the first note I wrote to you, I told you I knew what you were thinking. This is the third role-playing book we’ve put (This is a sharp contrast to our iconic characters who do the out, and, assuming you’ve bought it, I have no idea what right thing for all the wrong reasons. You can read about you’re thinking. Nevertheless, I thank you for thinking it. their adventures in the Malaclypse Cycle series of books. If you can’t find them in your area, email us and we’ll help In reality, most of the opponents that your characters would you get a copy.) face would be other “player races.” The reality of the game, however, is different. Players like to kill monsters. There is Players don’t often consider such things when they fight a certain comfort in facing an opponent that you know is something found in a book of monsters. They assume that there just to be fodder for the party. It takes the pressure off anything found in the book must be fair game and can be the players to determine who deserves to be beat like that murdered with impunity. obnoxious neighbor who continually parks her crappy silver sedan in the shared driveway blocking your vehicles. As a duly appointed representative of People for the Reasonable Depiction of Monsters in Role-Playing Games, I But enough about my problems with the idiot who rents the strongly encourage both players and directors not to treat the building behind us… things found in this book as disposable opponents. These creatures have lives outside of being killed during your The purpose of this book is to provide statistics for some of games. They have mates and offspring. They have needs the animals that roam the Lady’s Rock. Within these pages and desires. They have goals and motivations. Use them. you will find all you need to run encounters with more than 400 creatures. In our own world, humanity is the only creature capable of waking up and deciding to kill several million of their own Truth be told, I dreaded this book more than any other on species. We are the only species that wages war. We are the list of books we have planned. It isn’t that this book the only creature that abuses our spouses and children. The would be more difficult to write than any of the other books humane society never arrests a dog for its treatment of we have planned. In fact, we used many of these monsters another dog. during our original play-testing of the d10 System. It is far more reasonable, and realistic, for a “monster” to No, writing about monster would actually be a nice change attack people because of territorial conflicts the desire for from writing about characters and their plots and schemes. I food. The net result is the same. The players will still be was looking forward to that part. asked, invariably while imbibing spirits in a local tavern, to stop the monsters. However, giving the monsters a realistic The problem with this book is that adding monsters to the motivation also gives the players something to think about. world can potentially change the entire dynamic ofSample the file setting. It’s a change that I am not in a hurry to embrace. It no longer becomes acceptable just to slay the monsters and move along. Now the players wonder why the monsters There is a certain ambiguity to the world of the Lady’s are behaving in a particular manner. Rock. It isn’t a world of black and white morality. Instead, the Lady’s Rock, like the real world, is all shades of gray. Anyway, Matt reminded me that people wanted monsters and that this book needed to be written. Then my wife Brigands don’t harass travelers simply because they are reminded me that I’m not playing in your games… because bored. They steal for food, money, and power. It’s a subtle you’ve never invited me… so what you do with this book difference, but an important one. Players cannot simply isn’t really something I should worry about. Even if you did assume that the bad guys are truly evil. They might be invite me, unless I was running the game, I wouldn’t have normal people doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. any control over how you ran the game anyway. Besides, you’re going to do what you want to do, and you aren’t A man who robs a store in order to feed his family isn’t really concerned about whether or not I approve. And that’s evil… at least he isn’t necessarily evil. He’s just a guy with a great thing. starving children. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading about the monsters in Likewise, a militant warlord who rules over the small town this book, and maybe even think about what I said… but like a tyrant, but keeps the city free from marauding orc don’t let my whining ruin your enjoyment of the game. tribes isn’t necessarily evil. He might just be doing things the only way he knows how. - Ben

The orcs, by the way, might not be evil either. They might just be trying to eat, their normal hunting grounds spoiled by the expansion of human civilization. iv Table of Contents

ERONIS...... 64 INTRODUCTION ...... 7 ETTIN ...... 65 SIZE CATEGORIES ...... 7 FELLSTEED...... 66 READING AN ENTRY ...... 7 FERAX...... 67 OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS...... 7 FEY ...... 68 COMMON CREATURE ABILITIES...... 10 Grig ...... 69 AREAS OF EFFECT...... 13 Korrigan ...... 70 Lamia...... 71 MONSTERS...... 15 Nixies...... 72 ARACHNAE ...... 16 Nymph...... 73 ARBOREAL HORROR ...... 17 Pixies ...... 76 BARGHEST ...... 19 Sidhe...... 77 BASTET...... 20 Sith...... 78 BUGBEAR...... 21 Spriggan ...... 79 CENTAUR...... 22 FIREBIRD...... 81 CHIMERA ...... 23 FURCHURN...... 81 DEATH WASP...... 26 GARGOYLE...... 82 DJINN...... 27 GIANTS ...... 83 Amir...... 27 Mountain Giants...... 83 Ghul...... 28 Fire Giants ...... 84 Ifrit ...... 29 Frost Giant ...... 85 Jann...... 31 GNOLL ...... 86 Jinn...... 32 GOLEMS ...... 87 Marid...... 34 Clay Golem...... 88 Shayten...... 35 Flesh Golem ...... 89 Sila ...... 37 Iron Golem ...... 90 ...... 38 Stone Golem ...... 91 Unique Dragons...... 40 War Golem ...... 92 • Tarrasque...... 41 ...... 93 True Dragons ...... 42 ...... 94 • Anshur...... 43 HELLHOUND ...... 95 • Kishar...... 43Sample fileHIPPOGRIFF...... 95 • Lakhamu...... 44 HORSES...... 97 • Ophians ...... 45 KOBOLD...... 98 Greater Dragons ...... 46 LAMMASU...... 99 • Arctic ...... 47 LAND SHARK ...... 100 • Desert Dragon ...... 47 LATRODAE ...... 101 • Forest Dragons ...... 48 ...... 102 • Moon Dragons...... 48 MEDUSA ...... 103 • Mountain Dragon ...... 49 MOKK ...... 104 • Plains Dragon...... 50 NAGA...... 105 • Shadow Dragons ...... 50 NEPHRODAR...... 106 • Sun Dragons...... 51 NIGHTMARE ...... 107 • Swamp Dragon...... 52 NIMHIANS (RATMEN)...... 108 Lesser Dragons ...... 52 OGRE ...... 109 • ...... 53 OWLBEAR ...... 110 • Drachen ...... 54 ...... 110 • Dracolet...... 55 • Lindworm...... 56 ...... 111 • ...... 57 REPTUS ...... 112 Created Dragons...... 58 ROC...... 113 • Dragonmen...... 59 SALAMANDER ...... 115 • Half-Dragons...... 60 SATYR...... 117 • Night Dragons ...... 61 SHADOWMARE ...... 118 • Sand Dragons ...... 62 SLYTHERN...... 119 • Stone Dragon...... 62 THERIANTHROPES (WERE-CREATURES)...... 121 Drakes ...... 63 THUNDERBIRD ...... 123 v TREANT ...... 124 CONVERTING ATTRIBUTES...... 134 TROGLODYTE...... 125 Correlating Attributes...... 134 TROLL...... 126 Assigning Scores...... 134 Troll-Born...... 127 • Quickness & Movement ...... 135 ...... 128 Converting Special Abilities ...... 135 WAR HAWK ...... 129 Finishing Touches...... 136 WARBEAST ...... 130 Creature Growth...... 136 WARG ...... 131 CONVERTING OTHER PLAYABLE RACES ...... 136 WOLF-RAT ...... 132 D10 SYSTEM CONVERSIONS...... 134

Sample file

vi Introduction

Welcome to the Codex of Creatures for the d10 System and Lady’s Rock. What we ended up with was a motley the Lady’s Rock campaign setting. This book contains collection of drunken adventurers who claim to have detailed descriptions of more than 400 creatures that you survived encounters with most of these creatures, wanted can use to bring your own campaign to life. criminals, learned sages, and a member of the Imperial Ministry of Education. Creatures are sorted alphabetically because that’s the way they should be sorted. If a particular class of creature has With any luck, these “experts” will provide you with all, or several subtypes, as is the case with Djinn, and Dragons, at least some, of the information you need to indentify, hunt, then those subtypes are detailed with the creature in and possibly even kill the creatures listed in this book. Of question. course, luck has never been our strong suit, so it is entirely possible that these so-called experts might just be trying to Furthermore, we scoured the Lady’s Rock to find the earn a quick brig or two. foremost experts on each creature… or at least adventurers who claim to have encountered these creatures and lived… Half of what they say might be complete bullshit and the to tell you a bit about them in game context. other 50% might be gross exaggerations. I’m not an adventurer. In addition, I’ve yet to encounter any of these Size Categories creatures personally.

A creatures size is a The miniscule portion that I’m actually contributing to this Height or tome, and willingly take credit for, was, in reality, recited to measure of either its height or length, whichever is Length me by a cockroach named “Saint Gulik” who often acts as a greater. The creature’s size Fine 6 ft or less courier for the Lady when my pineal gland is out of order. is abbreviated on its stat Dimunitive 6 in to 1 ft block by the first letter of Tiny 1 ft to 2 ft That thing’s been on the fritz for a while now. I’ve called the category in which the Small 2 ft to 4 ft the repair man, but he moonlights as a cable television creature fits. Effects of size Medium 4 ft to 8 ft installer. He said he’d be able to get to me sometime are dealt with in the combat Large 8 ft to 16 ft between noon and a week from Confuflux in 3171 YOLD. section of the Lady’s Rock Huge 16 ft to 32 ft So I’m stuck typing this book for a power-mad roach while book, but the part of that Gargantuan 32 ft to 64 ft I sit at home waiting for the repair guy to show up. table showing the actual Colossal 64 ft or more ranges for each category is Anyway, let’s get some of the basic things out of the way reproduced here for your edification. Sample fileand get to the meat and potatoes of the book, shall we?

If the entry lists a “V,” it means that the creature varies in Our Panel of Experts size. Cap’n Pheyr: (prounced “cap in fēr”) Cap’n Pheyr is the Reading an Entry captain of the pirate ship Reaver which makes port in the city of Rooks’ Haven. Pheyr has been plying the aethereal First and foremost, this is a game supplement, so each entry trade lanes preying upon merchant ships for years. He’s one begins with a description of the creature and a stat block. of the most well-known pirates on the Lady’s Rock today. The stat block is followed by skills commonly possessed by the creature. The creature’s powers and special abilities Pheyr and his crew have encountered a myriad of creatures follow the skills. over the course of their larcenous careers. Pheyr will share the knowledge he’s gain on these adventures with you. Second, this is a supplement by Erisian Entertainment. So, once the editors have all the necessary mechanics are out of Codhan: Codhan Is a thief, though he likes to call himself the way, we turned the entries over to out panel the a “profession adventurer.” He is also a member of the Most “experts.” Benevolent, Diligent, and Vigilant Society of Protectors, Defenders, Champions, and Deep-Delvers (a guild of We sent our crack team ot researchers to the corners of the adventurers). known world to find the leading experts on each creature listed in this tome. Unfortunately, our limited resources He and his party of young adventurers have raided tombs, made this an insurmountable task. We traveled to the city plundered dungeons, and ransacked castles throughout the of Rooks’ Haven, a melting pot of lost souls, and sought out empire. During their journeys, they encountered quite a few a group of knowledgeable authorities on the fauna of the of the creatures detailed in this tome. He has agreed to share his first hand knowledge of those creature with us. 7 her friend, so Kityana is here as well. Since she’s also Professor Evrand Dashur: Professor Dashur is a member extremely attractive, rumor has it she has some fey blood in of the Imperial Ministry of Education. He holds degrees in her, we didn’t really but up much of a fight. biology, ecology, and several things that end in “-ology” that no one really cares about. Suffice to say he wasted Konel: A warrior by trade, Konel is also a member of the most of his relatively short human life learning all sorts of Most Benevolent, Diligent, and Vigilant Society of things that have no practical purpose in the world most of us Protectors, Defenders, Champions, and Deep-Delvers as live in. So, like most people who spend their lives in well as part of Codhan’s adventuring band. Konel is the school, Professor Dashur lives in a different world, one guy holding the big sword and his job is to stand there and called “academia.” hit things really hard. As you might have guessed, he is responsible for killing many of the things Codhan’s group Professor Dashur is the closest thing to ta “real” expert that encountered. His experience in this regard makes him an we have on our panel. Like most academics, however, his invaluable member of this panel. knowledge is restricted to the theoretical rather than the practical. Dissecting a creature might tell you where its Lyssa: Lyssa is a mage, a member of Most Benevolent, liver is, but it doesn’t tell you when or how it bites you. Diligent, and Vigilant Society of Protectors, Defenders, Those things you just guess at based on bone structure and Champions, and Deep-Delvers, and a friend of both Codhan reports from people who have actually seen the creature in and Konel. She provided magical support during their the wild, people like the other people on our panel. adventures. While Konel was hitting them, she was zapping them with pretty colored magical light. We’re not sure how Fallas Nobthrotler: Fallas Nobthrotler is a dwarven bard that works exactly, but, if you can fry a dragon, we’re not famous throughout the empire. He had entertained adults going to argue with you very much. and children alike with tales of myth and legend. He has forgotten more tales of horrible monsters than most people Malyk Asran: Malyk is a reclusive mage living in a beach hear in their lifetimes. house on the southern shore of Deepwater Lake in Rooks’ Haven’s Castle District. We don’t know much about In addition, Fallas was once a member of the celebrated and Malyk. Another member of our panel claimed he was an ill-fated adventuring troupe known as the Company of the expert in a variety of “nasty beasties.” We took their word Gilded Dragon. The Company made a name for itself for it and asked him to join us. He agreed, and there isn’t saving villages from marauding monster and rescuing much more we can say on the topic. damsels in distress. This gives him first hand knowledge of many of these creatures. Martinel: A drow swordsman, Martinel, like most drow you read about, left his homeland beneath the surface of the General Gelor: The Castellan of the City of Gorram, Lady’s Rock at a young age. He didn’t write a series of General Gelor was in command of the city when the Orcs of books about his adventures, but we figure that the journey the Tamaran Valley laid siege to it. must have been fraught with dangers. He is here to provide Sampleinsight file based upon those experiences on the off chance Prior to his appointment as Castellan, Gelor was a long time we’re right. It’s happened a time or two, so you’ve got a associate and adventuring companion to the current Baron 50/50 shot that he’ll provide useful information. of Bradamonte, Lord Holger. In their younger days, Holger and Gelor traveled throughout the Barony of Bradamonte Quorran Tull: Quorran is a former Imperial Legionnaire vanquishing all manner of monster in an effort to “free the and member of Rooks’ Haven’s city watch. In the name of barony”… which is a phrase humans and other sentient Eris and Emperor he has battled all kinds of ferocious races often use for destroying indigenous life and replacing beasts. it with so-called civilization. More importantly, as a member of the city watch in the City Kaitlyn Shaye: Kaitlyn is, without a doubt, the most of Dark Delights, he’s dealt with his share of drunks. Since infamous pirate captain alive today. She is the captain of the members of our panel insisted that we provide them with the pirate ship Eidolon. Her list of crimes includes food and drink during our discussion, we thought he might assassinating Emperor Vasil while she was on trial for be a handy guy to have around. piracy, stealing the Eidolon from an Imperial Naval Yard, and acts of piracy & theft too numerous to mention. We’re hoping that we’re wrong, but I think we used up our luck on Martinel. At any rate, we’re fairly certain that If that wasn’t enough, she is also, without a doubt, the most inviting one of the two was a bad idea. beautiful pirate alive today. Who wouldn’t want to spend an evening with a gorgeous outlaw? We’d invite her to a panel Ralphar: Though he is seen as somewhat of a lunatic by on “sub-aquatic fiber manipulation” (underwater basket the citizens of Rooks’ Haven, we asked Ralphar to join us. weaving) if we had to just to spend some time with her. Ralphar runs a fortune-telling business called the “All- seeing Eye” not far from our offices. He may just be the Kityana: Kityana is Kaitlyn’s traveling companion. The conspiracy nut that everyone believes him to be, or he might infamous captain would not agree to be interviewed without 8