Monstrous Compendium Appendix HI: Creatures of Darkness Principal Designers: Kirk Botulla, Shane Hensley, Nicky Rea, and Teeuwynn Woodruff Additional Designers: Anne Brown, William W. Connors, Andria Hayday, Colin McComb, Bruce Nesmith, and David Wise Editor: William W. Connors Cover Artist: Jeff Easley Primary Interior Artist: Mark Nelson Additional Interior SampleArtists: Tom Bax afile and Stephan Fabian Graphic Design: Dawn Murin Typesetting: Nancy J. Kerkstra This product is dedicated to: Jacob Boss and Jim & Lisa Parks Who praise us when we do things right and point it out when we don't. TSR, Inc. TSR Ltd. P.O. Box 756 120 Church End Lake Geneva Cherry Hinton Wisconsin 53147 Cambridge CB1 3LB USA United Kingdom ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM, RAVENLOFT, FORGOTTEN REALMS, DRAGONLANCE, GREYHAWK. SPELLJAMMER, DARK SUN, AL-QADIM, DUNGEON MASTER, and FIEND FOLIO are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. MONSTROUS MANUAL, PLANESCAPE, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Random House and its affiliate companies have worldwide distribution rights in the book trade for English-language products of TSR. Inc. Distributed to the book trade in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of TSR. Inc. ©1994 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Introduction s I write this it's been almost in Ravenloft, the road took an unexpected bend just exactly five years since Bruce ahead. i Nesmith and Andria Hayday For one reason or another, I don't remember exactly started working oAn the RAVENLOFT9 Realm of Terror what it was, we had to change our schedules around. The boxed set. How do I know that? They started writing 128-page book you're holding in your hands had to be on the same day that I was hired by TSR, Incorporated. bumped back a year and replaced with a smaller Of course, most people would say that this was nothing MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM appendix. This time, however, I more than coincidence, but I know better. was going to write the smaller one and all the notes I had It wasn't long before I found myself captivated by the made for the larger one were going to be passed on to a notion of the RAVENLOFT campaign's unique blend of horror team of freelance designers. I was right (or is it "write?") and fantasy. Luckily, I wasn't the only one. RAVENLOFT back at the beginning. quickly became TSR's most successful game line. I'm I asked for permission from the powers that be to do a very proud to have been a part of that, and 1 hope that I'll MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM with a twist. Why not do an MC be a part of the Demiplane of Dread for years to come. that featured only unique villains? After all, we stress that One of the first design projects I had at TSR was the point frequently in our RAVENLOFT campaign writings and RAVENLOFT Appendix to the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM® prod- seminars. This would show people that we meant what we uct line (MC). At first, I thought that writing an MC would said. The boss agreed, 1 burned the negatives, and work be pretty dull. After all, you crank out a monster, clear began on Children of the Might, the second RAVENLOFT your brain, and start again. Not exactly gripping from an MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM Appendix. • author's point of view. With that done, I turned my attention back to the 128- Well, I'm very happy to say that I was wrong. The more page volume. You see, the mists had risen again and I was of Ravenloft's inhabitants I created, the more I thought of. now slated to do the editing and development work on the Before long, I found that I was being overwhelmed with material turned over by the freelance team. Ravenloft ideas for the nightmarish citizens of Ravenloft. Indeed, I monsters and I seemed to still be on intimate terms. I'm still have notes around describing monsters that I wanted not entirely sure whether that's a good thing or not, but to put in that book but didn't have space to. You'll find sev- what the heck. As the Vistani say, You go where the mists eral of them lurking within the pages of this very book. take you. A year or so after the first RAVENLOFT MC came out, we Like all the members of the Kargat (as our cadre of decided to put out another. As it sold well and the com- RAVENLOFT game designers and editors is known), I have ments we received on it were generally very favorable, it pretty high standards for the line. In addition, I'd written seemed like a sound decision. Once again, the mists the first MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM as well as Children of the stepped in and I mysteriously found that I was the one Night and was openly prejudiced by my opinion of how the selected to design it. Unfortunately, as is always the case third one should be done. As luck would have it, this seemed to have spilled over onto the freelance designers as well. The more I read of their work, the better I liked it. It's not often that you get to have as much fun on a project Sample fileas 1 did on this one. So here it is, the third RAVENLOFT Appendix to the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM line. A great many people have put a lot of time and effort into the creation of this product. I hope that you're as happy with it as I am. I look forward to hearing your comments about it at conventions and through the mail. The only problem that I have now is what to do with all these notes for monsters that didn't make it into this book? William W. Connors How to Use this Book • 14 elcome to the third MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM volume TREASURE refers to the treasure Illdetailing the horrible creatures of TSR's RAVENLOFT tables in the DUNGEON MASTER" ^Rr campaign setting. Between the covers of this book Guide and indicates the type of wealth lurks a collection of creatures so vile and loathsome that likely to be found on an individual monster. Trea- any Dungeon Master will delight in haunting his players sure should be adjusted downward if few monsters with them. are encountered. This may be further increased or As with most volumes in the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM decreased at the DM's discretion. These tables should series, the reader is reminded that the monsters included not be used to place dungeon treasure, as numbers here are typical for their type. Variations of your own encountered underground will be much smaller. Intelligent design are encouraged. Because of the special nature of monsters will use magical items present and try to carry RAVENLOFT adventures, no encounter tables are included in off their most valuable treasures if hard pressed. this book. Each entry includes the following information: Major treasures are usually found in the monster's lair and will be enclosed in parentheses. As a rule, these CLIMATE/TERRAIN defines where the creature is most should not be determined randomly but ought to be often found. Normally, climates include things such as arc- designed and placed by the DM. If the Dungeon Master tic, subarctic, temperate, and tropical, and terrain would does decide to assign such treasure randomly, he should include plain/scrub, forest, rough/hill, mountain, swamp, roll for each type possible: if all rolls fail, no treasure of and desert. Many of the entries in this book will include the any type is found. name of the domain(s) where they are found. Unusually large or small treasures are noted by a paren- thetical multiplier (xlO, etc.), These should not be con- FREQUENCY is the likelihood of encountering a creature fused with treasure type X. in an area. Very rare is a 4% chance, rare is 11%, uncom- mon is 20%, and common is a 65% chance. Chances can ALIGNMENT shows the general behavior of the average be adjusted for special areas. As the traditional random monster of that type. Exceptions, though uncommon, may encounters used in other campaigns are not generally be encountered, especially within the misty confines of found in Ravenloft, this entry can be taken as a guideline Ravenloft. for adventure design. NO. APPEARING indicates an average number of crea- ORGANIZATION describes the general social structure tures that will be encountered in the wild. The DM should that the monster adopts. Common types are solitary, clan, alter this to fit the circumstances as the need arises. In pack, herd, flock, and such. In many cases, "solitary" many cases, additional information on this topic will be includes small familial groups like mated pairs. presented in the Habitat/Society or Ecology section. ACTIVITY CYCLE is the time of day when the monster is ARMOR CLASS is a rating of the monster's resistance to most animated. Those who tend to be busy at night may damage in combat. In many cases this will be due to the be active at any time in subterranean or similar settings. It creature's natural defenses, but it can also indicate armor is worth remembering that the "activity cycle" entrSampley is a worn fileby humanoids or other creatures.