Simply Creatures

SIMPLY CREATURES

Sample file

MAD SCOTSMAN GAMES

“Simply Creatures” Product ID: MSG 1002

Mad Scotsman Games is owned and operated by Mike Wallace, Chris McCoy, and Christina McCoy.

All illustrations, excluding the Mad Scotsman Games Logo and cover artwork, are the property of OtherWorldly Creations Inc. All images are used with the permissionSample of OtherWorldly file Creations Inc. All rights reserved.

Credits:

Writers: Mike Wallace, Chris McCoy, Christina McCoy

Layout Design: Chris McCoy

Logo Design: Christina McCoy

Interior Artwork: OtherWorldly Creations Inc.

2 WHERE THERE BE MONSTERS:

Page: Introduction: 4

Chapter One: Races on the Edge of the World: 5 The Gresh 7 The Huarti 9 The Komainu Orcs 11 The Nhar 14 The Surion 18 The Veral 20 The Half-Veral 22

Chapter Two: Monsters of Legend and Waste: 25 Celestial Dragon 27 Desert Giant 29 Doll Golem 31 Dust Lich 33 Gearhead Goblin 36 The Katarin 39 Sandmaw 48 Shimmermaid 50 Slith 52 Tree Goblin 54 Veralis 56 The Xix 58 Sample file

Tables: Table 1.1 Random Starting Age: 6 Table 1.2 Aging Effects: 6 Table 1.3 Random Height and Weight: 6 Table 1.4 Surion Resistance: 20 Table 2.1 Monsters by CR: 26

3 “Here there be monsters….”

Your grip tightens on the hilt of your daggers; every instinct wants you ready for the unexpected. The strange humanoids watch you carefully, their thoughts hidden and their unfamiliar faces unreadable. A quick glance at your guide – the best in the business, or so he said – shows that not even he has seen these people before you. They have weapons and one looks like some kind of shaman – a greeting party with weapons to defend themselves, or raiders, on their way to their next victim? You just can’t tell. A flash of movement to your right – you react without thinking, drawing your knives. They might look strange, but you’ll bet ten pounds of gold against a cheatin’ halfling that they bleed like you. Both parties react – weapons are drawn, spells crackle in the air, ready to be cast, but their expression suddenly changes – eyes go wide with a familiar tinge of fear and readiness. No hardened marauders would show fear, would they? Taking a chance, you relax your grip a bit, lowering your knives. The humanoids watch you, and the holy man makes a gesture, and slowly, slings and spears are lowered, muscles relax. The tension remains, though. One of you has to say something. But what to say?

In the farthest reaches of the known world are paths that men have not tread, or should not tread. Here, creatures unique and bizarre lurk, thriving where brave adventurers would be brought low. In the cracks of ruined civilizations, on the dunes of salt-parched deserts, in the plague-ridden foliage of boggy jungles, in the cracks of ancient glaciers, creatures await those with the strength and skill to find them.

Or perhaps, they will find you…

Chapter One: Races on the EdgeSample of the World file A collection of playable races – some good, some abhorrently evil, hailing from dangerous or unknown lands. In this chapter, you will be introduced to the gresh half- giants, pragmatic huarti, dragon-born surion, honorable komainu orcs, monstrous nhar, curious veral, and haughty half-veral.

Chapter Two: Monsters of Legend and Waste Creatures from unseen lands or ruined civilizations, a challenge for any adventurer: majestic celestial dragons, sturdy desert giants, timid doll golems, vile dust liches, cackling gearhead goblins, hardy jerth, divine khatarin, dangerous sandmaws, chilling shimmermaids, savage slith, dexterous tree goblins, bizarre veralis, and alien xix.

4 CHAPTER ONE: RACES ON THE EDGE OF THE WORLD

Felana let out a scream as the snarling nhar raider - snapping its hook-toothed jaws – leapt over the table at her, and she dove through the open cabin window to evade its heavy scimitar. More nhar hissed and began their slaughter around her, cutting down the water traders and dumping the heavy clay jugs of water onto the sand, lost forever to the twisted lizardfolk’s desert-worshipingSample madness file Her own attacker burst out of her cabin door, shouting a warning to its fellows in a dry, coughing voice. Two of its companions, tearing at the flesh of a still screaming human, looked up, saw the elf woman and the three charged after her, roaring in the glee of the chase. Felana ran in the direction of the fort gates – splintered inward from the nhar raid – closed her eyes, and prayed to the gods that she’d make it. The nhar closed up behind her, their tread built for movement on the sand. She could smell the blood on their breath, and despite herself, she opened her eyes to see one opening its mouth wide to bite down on her face. She screamed again- A huge, meaty fist slammed into the nhar’s face, cracking its jaw with one blow. A heavy leather sack filled with sand flew into the chest of a second, knocking it to the ground as efficiently as a hurled boulder. “Battle!” The gresh warrior cried, stomping into the fort. A dozen other half- giants came up behind him, hefting bags of sand and great clubs. “Battle!” They cried out with their leader, and charged the hissing nhar. Felana could not watch. She sank to her knees, weeping thanks to the gods as battle was joined again.

Table 1-1: Random Starting Ages Bard Cleric Barbarian Fighter Druid Rogue Paladin Monk Race Adulthood Sorcerer Ranger Wizard Gresh 15 years +1d4 +1d6 +2d6 Huarti 18 years +1d6 +2d6 +3d6 Komainu Orc 14 years +1d4 +1d6 +2d6 Nhar 10 years +1d3 +1d6 +2d4 Surion 20 years +1d6 +2d6 +3d6 Veral 20 years +1d6 +2d6 +3d6 Half-Veral 15 years +1d4 +1d6 +2d6

Table 1-2: Aging Effects Race Middle Age1 Old2 Venerable3 Maximum Age Gresh 35 years 55 years 75 years +2d20 years Huarti 45 years 65 years 85 years +2d20 years Komainu Orc 35 years 50 years 65 years +2d10 years Nhar 28 years 40 years 55 years +2d8 years Surion 50 years 75 years 100 years +3d20 years Veral* 100 years 200 years 300 years +3d% years Half-Veral 50 years 70 years 90 years +3d20 years 1. At middle age, -1 to Str, Dex, andSample Con; +1 to Int, file Wis, and Cha. 2. At old age, -2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. 3. At venerable age, -3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. *- As the veral ages and gains a new age category (middle, old, venerable), they also gain an additional +2d4” of height and x1d6 lb. of weight.

Table 1-3: Random Height and Weight Race Base Height Height Modifier Base Weight Weight Modifier Gresh, male 8’ 4” +2d20 450 lb. X (2d20) lb. Gresh, female 7’ 10” +2d20 400 lb. x (2d20) lb. Huarti, male 4’ 8” +2d6 100 lb. X (2d6) lb. Huarti, female 4’ 6” +2d6 85 lb. X (2d6) lb. Komainu Orc, male 5’ 6” +2d10 150 lb. X (2d6) lb. Komainu Orc, 5’ 4” +2d10 135 lb. x (2d6) lb. female Nhar, male 6’ 6” +2d12 200 lb. X (2d10) lb.

6 Nhar, female 6’ 11” +2d12 220 lb. X (2d10) lb. Surion, male 5’ 3” +2d8 130 lb. X (2d4) lb. Surion, female 5’ 3” +2d8 130 lb. X (2d4) lb. Veral, male 4’7” +2d6 90 lb. X (1d6) lb. Veral, female 4’4” +2d6 80 lb. X (1d6) lb. Half-Veral, male 5’ 4” +2d10 140 lb. X (2d6) lb. Half-Veral, female 5’ 2” +2d10 120 lb. x (2d6) lb.

The Gresh The Gresh are half-giants: the offspring of humans and desert giants who took human form. They are born appearing very much human, with the dusky skin and hair of desert giants, but once they reach adolescence, they grow exponentially in both height and girth. At this point, a gresh no longer appears fully human or giant, but more akin to a very large dwarf, with long arms, broad shoulders and a muscular frame. Most gresh soon take to living among desert giants, who treat half-breed kin with as much respect as anyone else they meet. Among humans, they can find discrimination, particularly due to their size: Gresh can’t fit in – literally – within most human communities. But gresh can easily prove themselves in battle, often becoming adventurers or mercenaries, and most take up their desert giant kin’s crusade against the blue dragons that threaten their homelands, hunting them down with the vigor and zeal of their larger kin.

Personality: Gresh personalities are as varied as any humans. Most tend to see things from a simple point of view, preferring to use brute force or direct action to solve problems rather than tact or diplomacy. They enjoy feats of physical skill such as rock throwing, arm wrestling and climbing, and tend to judge the worthiness of others by their skills in battle or survival. People unwillingSample to work file or fight are seen as useless. Unlike other races who favor strength, gresh are not particular: a wizard who fights is still fighting, albeit with different methods than a warrior, and therefore as worthy of respect as any other.

Physical Description: Gresh stand 9 feet to 11 feet tall and adults weight between 500 to 700 pounds. Males are noticeably heavier than females. Gresh have naturally dusky or copper skin and either sandy blond or black hair, but no facial or body hair. They are broad shouldered, with a dwarf-like physique; thick, muscular arms and shorter, stockier legs. They don’t move very fast for a creature of their size, but they have great strength and have amazing endurance. They live as long as humans and mature at the same age.

Relations: Gresh get along fine with most races. They have their desert giant kin’s tolerance of smaller races, but can also as be ambitious and single-minded in their tasks as some of their human relations. Dwarves, humans, and half-orcs tend to be the most common traveling companions of the gresh adventurer, but gresh can by found in any adventuring band, and many travel with the roaming bands of desert giants, where they can fit in more easily.

7 Alignment: Gresh are often of neutral good alignment. They look out for their comrades, but they don’t feel strongly towards any particular cause, save the cause of good itself, nor do they feel strongly about disciplined, lawful groups.

Gresh Lands: Gresh do not have any lands. Like desert giants, most gresh are nomads and there are no established gresh societies to speak of. The gresh tend to live in deserts, as this is where they are commonly raised. They live in human or desert giant communities, and travel alone or in small groups.

Religion: Despite or perhaps because of their life in the deserts, gresh worship water deities, praying for the most precious and vital resource on the arid sands. A few worship more traditional desert gods, or the deities of nature and animals.

Language: Gresh speak Common and Giant and their dialect is usually flavored with words and slang from both languages.

Names: Gresh usually have two names – the ones their human parent gives them and the ones their desert giant parent gives them. Their names are often as diverse as any human’s, but gresh only earn their giant name when they become adults and undertake a rite of passage from their giant kin. This rite is often in the form of a hunt using just the barest of necessities or a spiritual vision quest.

Adventurers: Gresh make good adventurers, working best where there is room to move. They spend much of their time wandering the desert, serving as guides or leading hunting parties to slay monsters such as blue dragons. They don’t enjoy dungeon delving as much due to their size, but any open terrain is free for them to explore. Gresh favor the ranger class for this reason, but some become barbarians, and sometimes a talented gresh becomes a sorcerer. Gresh that followSample the desert giantfile faiths are usually druids rather than clerics.

Gresh Racial Traits: • +4 Strength, -2 Dexterity -2 Intelligence. Gresh are powerful, but they lack grace and tact. • Size: Large. As Large Size creatures, Gresh take a –1 penalty to AC, a –1 penalty to attack rolls, and a –4 to Hide Checks. However, Gresh can use larger weapons than Medium size creatures and their lifting and carrying limits are twice those of Medium size characters. • Gresh base land speed is 30 feet. • Desert Endurance: Gresh are denizens of the desert and their bodies have adjusted accordingly. Gresh need only half the amount of water a human does. • +2 racial bonus to Survival checks: Gresh are raised in harsh environments and they learn ways to survive in these arid places at a young age. • Weapon Proficiencies: Gresh are proficient with the greatclub and tower shield. These weapons are the staple of their giant forbearers. • Favored Class: Ranger. A gresh’s ranger class does not count when determining experience point penalties while multiclassing.

8 The Huarti Huarti (hu-art-ee) are the misbegotten spawn of humans and a cruel, serpentine people called the Sy’vin. Long ago, the Sy’vin enslaved the humans of the southern lands. This society first frowned upon mingling with a so-called “servant race,” but regardless of the social stigmas, the Sy’vin occasionally became drawn to a particularly beautiful or impressive human slave and took them as a secret consort. The first huarti were the result of this union and after many generations of secret matings, the number of huarti became too great to hide and they were afforded a place within Sy’vin society as treasured slaves and consorts. The huarti bred true and each successive generation strengthened the bloodline into a true race of mixed human and serpentine characteristics.

The Sy’vin’s own haughtiness and pampered lifestyles were what lead to their downfall at the hands of their own servants, who were lead by the huarti. With the destruction of the Sy’vin, the huarti turned upon their human allies and once again placed them in bondage, making themselves the slavers and raising their own empire from the ashes of their former masters.

As with all empires built upon slavery, the huarti suffered their own rebellion and their great empire, which had stood for two hundred years, was cast down into the dust of history. The huarti, with their vengeful slaves upon their trail, scattered to the four winds and have hide among humanity ever since, waiting for the time to once again claim dominance over those they see as “lesser beings”.

Personality: Huarti attitudes reflect a mix of their parentage. They have diverse personalities, and can be just as good, evil or indifferent as any human, but most have an air of narcissism or superiority about them. In human-dominated lands, those that use their natural intellects right propel themselves to the height of society, and some can live without anyone even knowing theySample carry serpentine file blood. There are exceptions of course – some huarti did not fair so well in the rebellion and thus were sold to slavery at birth or were abandoned by their parents. These huarti often grow up self-righteous and bitter, using their skills to re-enter human lands not to seek any form of acceptance, but to live as predators of their human kin. Their reputation for slaying their own kin is one of the reasons humans hate huarti so vehemently.

Physical Description: Huarti have angular, pointed features, with small, flat noses and large eyes. Some are known to have pronounced canines, but not true fangs. They share the same height and weight as humans, with males slightly larger than females. They generally develop toned, slender bodies. Huarti have pale skin, sometimes tinged with green, yellow, or even red, which is hard to notice without bright light. Their eyes are generally a shade of pale brown, and their hair is uniformly black and silky. They prefer light robes and hate confining clothing. This combined with their natural dislike for cold weather climates gives them ample excuse to avoid traveling too far north or south.

Relations: Huarti tend to travel with humans, half-elves, and elves, each of which a huarti can easily fit in with, both in appearance and attitude. They have the hardest time with dwarves and half-orcs, neither of which have the capacity to see things from a

9 huarti’s point of view and who the huarti see as nothing better than “brawny, brainless servants”.The huarti, however, almost always have a hidden agenda and will do whatever is necessary to accomplish whatever it is they seek, even abandoning, if not outright killing, their allies.

Alignment: Huarti, at least those that have been given a proper upbringing in human society or redeemed of their kind’s evil ways, are usually lawful neutral or neutral. These huarti are reliable companions and stick to their word, but few ever adopt a strong cause or see any reason to go out of their way for someone else’s ideals. The more typical huarti who remembers the days as the one holding the lash or those that had difficult upbringings are of a neutral evil alignment, doing whatever it takes to make sure they come out on top.

Huarti Lands: Huarti prefer to live in communities in warm climates. Their former lands are now in the hands of their “rebellious slaves” and most huarti seek to reclaim their kingdom at all costs. Some huarti favor cultures that embrace mercantile or “self-made” ideals are their favorites, as it gives them the opportunity to climb the ladder to high society and a position of power.

Religion: Huarti favor gods of conquest, trade, or wealth, if only for the added advantage if brings them in pursuing a life of ease and power over others. Some worship gods of war or hunting, particularly if they become adventurers. A small few worship the Sy’vin gods of old, foolishly believing they will be purged of their “weak human blood” and become like the Sy’vin through service and devotion.

Language: Huarti usually speak Common, but they are master linguists and often learn a variety of languages. They are known for their ability to speak fluid tongues like elven far better than humans, though they sometimesSample have troublefile with the more guttural tongues like dwarven and goblin.

Names: Huarti have human names, usually with a touch of southern exoticism added to it for flavor. Names that have “r”s and “s”s are favored by the huarti, who naturally roll and hiss these letters. Some huarti will choose a new name for themselves from any language they like as they get older; the better to integrate themselves into the community they live in.

Adventurers: Huarti favor the rogue class, as their natural nimbleness and keen intellect benefit the class greatly. Most huarti spellcasters are wizards, while some become rangers. A few of the more savage huarti take up the path of the barbarian.

Huarti Racial Traits: • +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence: Huarti are blessed with a keen intellect and quick reactions. • Size: Medium. As Medium creatures, huarti have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. • Huarti base land speed is 30 feet.

10 • +2 racial bonus on all Sense Motive and Spot checks: Huarti are good judges of character and possess sharp eyesight. • Improved Initiative: Huarti receive the Improved Initiative feat as a free feat. • +1 Natural Armor: Despite their slender forms, huarti are thick-skinned creatures. • Darkvision: A huarti can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and a can function just fine with no light at all. • Snake Scent: Huarti gain a +4 bonus to Spot checks against one another – each has a unique scent that the other easily recognizes. • Human Blood: For all effects related to race, a huarti is considered a human. • Favored Class: Rogue. A huarti’s rogue class does not count when determining experience point penalties while multiclassing. • Level Adjustment +1: Huarti are slightly more powerful than other races and thus gain levels slower.

Sample file

Female Huarti

The Komainu Orcs Legend tells of an aged monk from far off lands who wandered the world in his final years. During his journey, he discovered a race of cruel orcs who lived without honor and had nothing but rage in their hearts. The tribe he discovered was starving and sick from a hard winter, but they still sought to fight and destroy him. The monk easily bested the warriors of the savage people, but something gave pause to the killing blow. The old warrior saw fire in the hearts of these savages, but it was out of balance and trapped by their own rage. Taking pity on them, the monk took the youngest and most willing of orcs to a small valley in the depths of the mountains, where, amidst the gentle music of a small waterfall, he helped them focus upon their own chaotic souls, and achieve tranquility and enlightenment. It’s been decades since the monk passed from this world and his legacy lives on; komainu orcs, their bravery, spirit, and honor have earned them a growing place in the world.