ARCOELESTIS

Created and donated to the Appendix M blog by Colin from the Goodman Games forums! Art by yours truly.

Init +2
Atk bite +3 melee (1d6)
- or -
tail volley +5 missile fire (1d6), Range 10/20/30
AC 16
HD 2d8
MV 30'
Act 1d20
Fort +0
Ref +4
Will -1
AL N


Human in size, arcoelestis is a predator of striking appearance, an agile, bipedal reptilian with tough green scales and magnificent multi-hued feathers on its forearms and cresting its head. A merciless carnivore, it lures prey by mimicking the sounds of creatures it kills, attacking with a mouthful of ripping teeth and by flicking its tail forward, unleashing a small volley of long, sharp scales from the tip. Lacking in raw power and great speed, it relies on animal cunning, patience, and the weakness of its preferred prey, the weak, the injured, and the sick (lowest HP).

The name, by the way, is a mash-up of the Latin words for "rainbow" which seemed apt given its plumage.

Thank you, Colin!

BHLESTIC

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • bite +1 (1d4)
 • fall +1 (1d4 to 2d5 depending on height)
AC 11
HD 1d6+1
MV 10
Act 1d16
SP Mimicry, Free-fall 20', Takes half damage from physical attack
Fort +2
Ref +2
Will +2
AL C

The blight known as the bhlestic is not much larger than the average sports ball. It waddles along on two bird-like feet, with it's thick, transparent carapace shifting back and forth like insane clockwork with each step. The thickness of that chitinous carapace means they take half damage from physical attacks. They can mimic voices heard in the past, with nearly pitch perfect accuracy.

Created by some unknown sorcerer of distant ages, the bhlestic is the scourge of all elves. Designed to harry the fey race, bhlestic most often congregate around Elven tombs, slowly increasing their numbers if left alone. Easy to clear away if dealt with regularly, they may appear in the dozens or even in the hundreds if the area of a tomb has gone undisturbed for a generation or more.

They will generally silently roost in high places around a tomb, if possible. They climb slowly, in a manner similar to geckos, but much less gracefully. If they detect potential prey approaching, they will use their mimicry to draw prey closer. They can then drop down on prey from a height of up to 20 feet without taking any damage themselves from the fall. If faced with a party of mixed race, they will swarm over elves first, other demi-humans next, and humans last of all.

For the ease of handling large numbers of bhlestic attacking a single character, determine how many are able to effectively attack and divide by three. Add that number to a single attack roll and damage roll for a 'single' creature (i.e., the statistics above). Woe to any explorer who falls prone in range of a swarm of bhlestic!

KHAMBILAEUS

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • hoof +5 (1d6+5)
AC 17
HD 10d4+5
MV 60
Act 3d20
SP Camouflage, Shade form, Charging attack
Fort +6
Ref +2
Will +4
AL N

Fewer creatures are less nimble than the khambilaeus, but what it lacks in dexterousness, it makes up for in speed and brute strength. A monstrosity that looks something like a couple of draft horses put together the wrong way (with parts left over), it roams underground passages, looking to satisfy it's insatiable hunger.

It greatly prefers to have all of it's bulky limbs able to reach surfaces all around it, so it will not enter larger chambers or passages than it is adapted to, unless powerfully motivated. All of it's limbs are double-jointed, leaving no defensible angle of approach.

The khambilaeus absorbs traces of its environment through it's hooves, so that it takes on the coloring of it's surroundings, effectively making it nigh-invisible when more than 50 feet away, with a 3-in-6 chance to surprise explorers. Further, it can become shadow-like, whereupon it is nearly invisible in low-light situations, surprising potential prey on a 6-in-7 chance. It cannot attack in this form, and can only be hit by magic or spells.

When charging into melee, it can deal double it's normal number of attacks, if entering with surprise. The khambilaeus described here is large enough to nearly fill a ten-by-ten corridor; others suited to other sizes and shapes of passage have been rumored...

What's In That Name...?

Greetings, Culture Lovers. And thanks for stopping by, especially given the lack of culture that will be on full display in this blog. Well, 'classy' culture anyway. *swallows yogurt* This blog is about pretend monsters that you can use to fight pretend explorers and treasure seekers in pretend worlds along with your real friends. You'll use dice, pencils, paper, wild gesticulations of your hands, and -- if you're doing it right -- a manic gleam in your eye. Yes, just the one. The other should be stone cold placid; creeps 'em out even more that way.

But what the heck is 'Appendix M' when it's at home, eh? The name is a take off on Appendix N. I could explain Appendix N, but odds are, if you're reading this, you don't need that. If you do, well... Read on...

Meanwhile, the blog has a secret mission. But I can tell you -- you look like a trustworthy type... I used to draw not too badly at all. But I lost my mojo, baby. Partly because we had a baby and that is amazing and wonderful and will grow your heart three sizes bigger just like the Grinch, breaking that little x-ray thingy's frame in the process. But it is also a game-changer as well as a diaper-changer. Your time is not your own anymore. Anyway, circumstances have now given me time of my own --

 -- and this blog is my mission to keep myself drawing. And to keep thinking up weird stuff for RPGs. It'll be mostly monsters, I expect, but I may run other ideas up the blogpole and see what sticks. Or who salutes. Or whatever.

The stats will be for the amaztastic Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game, but should be easily adaptable to your own game of choice.

Catch ya around. And watch out for level three; I keep hearing thunderous gurgling noises coming from down there...