WAJAAS

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • kick +0 (1d3-1)
 • zap gun +1 (1d4+1)
AC 12
HD 1d6
MV 20
Act 1d20
SP golemcraft
Fort +1
Ref +2
Will +0
AL C

Wajaas have a scavenger culture, pilfering when they think they can get away with it, but always wandering and searching for discarded items. They speak only their own un-learnable language, but seem to be able to understand all others, and to make themselves broadly understood by sputtering out a lengthy stream of chitters and hacks (usually accompanied with wild, flinging gestures).

Some civilized folks find them useful, acting something like garbage haulers. But most find them distasteful and disgusting pests, the houseflies of the humanoid races.

The discarded items the Wajaas collect are amassed in their home-burrows, which usually include access into subterranean caverns.

The Wajaas have a little-known ability to craft golems out of the detritus that they collect. The size and life-span of each golem determines how long it will take the Wajaas to create it, as follows:

Biggest     Time
Dimension   to Create
6"          1d3 hours
1'          1d8 hours
5'          1d3 days
10'         1d10 days
20'         1d30 days

               Additional
Life-span      Creation Time
1d3 hours      none
1d3 days       1d4 hours
1d3 weeks      1d4 days
1d3 months     1d14 days
indefinite     1d30 days

These golems can generally perform 3-6 distinct tasks, such as:

• serve food from the kitchen
• clear the table
• wash the dishes
• shelve the dishes
• you have three masters (lord, lady, child)

OR

• defend this doorway
• pursue whoever goes through the doorway
• attack those you pursue
• accept exceptions, only from your master
• you have only one master

Those designated as a golem's master can create new instructions as needed, until the golem expires or is destroyed. The Wajaas themselves can also 're-instruct' and re-engineer a golem of their creation at any time.

Sample Wajaas Golems:

Battlefield Weapon Remnant Golem
Init +4
Melee Atk
 • blade claws +6 (2d8)
Ranged Atk
 • arrow launch +3 (1d6, 3 shots)
AC 16
HD 2d16
MV 30
Act 2d20
SP
Fort +5
Ref +3
Will +0
AL C

Standing 7 feet tall, these clockwork warriors are constructed from broken weapons and armor from the site of a massive battle between two kingdoms. They exist only to fight, and take 1d30+1d6 days to create, lasting until destroyed.


Household Golem
Init +0
Melee Atk
 • punch -3 (1d3-1)
AC 10
HD 1d4
MV 20
Act 1d16
SP
Fort +0
Ref +0
Will +0
AL C

These golems take care of simple, repetitive tasks around a large household, supplementing living staff. They stand between 3 and 4 feet tall, are made to look pleasing to the eye, and take 1d30+3 days to create.

MURDER HOBO

A Character Class for DCC

Vagabonds and scoundrels, opportunists, thrill-seekers... They live by no code, driven by no higher-power, save that of the rumble of their stomach and the gleam of gold in their eye. Woe to any in their path, for they are as likely to share a begrimed bottle of drink with you as they are to cut you down just to see what might be had from your pockets. Slippery and dangerous they are -- never known for speaking the truth -- and devilishly clever at getting what they want...


HIT POINTS - A Murder Hobo uses a d8 for their hit points at each Level. At 1st Level (and only at 1st Level) they can permanently reduce their Stamina by a single point to gain 8 hit points.

ARMOR AND WEAPONS - The Murder Hobo is considered trained in 5 randomly determined weapons, as well as their Zero-Level weapon. They can wear any type of armor, but any perfectly good armor they wear will degrade through neglect over the following 1d14 days until it's AC bonus is 1 below it's normal value. This reduction in effectiveness does not apply to shields. They can wear salvaged or damaged "piecemeal" armor, even if it is useless to others, with a value of one below it's normal AC value.

INFILTRATE - The Murder Hobo can always blend into crowds, able to ape the postures and attitudes of the folks around them. This should always succeed for at least 1d12 rounds, using larger dice of the Dice Chain if they have costuming or other factors that would help them blend in. If the Judge feels a check is necessary in unusual situations, the Murder Hobo should roll under their Personality with the roll modified by their Luck. If they do not have the appropriate attire and accoutrements, they move up the Dice Chain when making a roll to blend in.

WEAVE AND DODGE - With a simple Agility check, the Murder Hobo can avoid any perceived object hurled in their direction, be it a thrown dagger, a giant's boulder, a spear-chucking trap, or otherwise. Subsequent hurled objects within the same round incur a cumulative 2-point penalty.

PROWL - A Murder Hobo can Sneak Silently as a Chaotic Thief of one Level lower.

HIGH-TAIL IT - The Murder Hobo should always be able to avoid pursuit, if such pursuit is potentially avoidable, by rolling under their Luck. Making such a roll by 0 or just a few points means the escape takes a considerable amount of time (and may cost the Murder Hobo other resources at the Judge's discretion) and making the roll by larger margins means a shorter amount of time to shake off the pursuit.

If the Judge would like to run a more detailed chase, involving multiple Strength, Stamina and/or Agility rolls for jumping from one rooftop to the next, cutting corners better than one's pursuers, maintaining speed while leaping over debris, etc., the Murder Hobo is always allowed to salvage any failure along the way by rolling under their Luck on a d20 to turn a failure into success.

AMBUSH - The Murder Hobo can make a Backstab attack, just as does a Thief of the same Alignment, but only on their first action of a fight, and only if the target is surprised or bested in the Initiative order. If events within a fight prompt a new roll for Initiative from all participants, they re-gain this opportunity. [This does not stack with Fools Rush In.]

FOOLS RUSH IN - The Murder Hobo can make a special charge attack, but only as their first attack in any combat situation. They may move up to twice their normal movement speed at no extra cost, and may only use their Action Dice for attacks. If the attack(s) are successful, they deal double damage, or the Murder Hobo can choose to do normal damage, but the target(s) are knocked prone. This ability applies to ranged attacks as well. [This ability does not stack with Ambush.]

EXTREME COMBAT - When making any attack, an extra d6 "Hobo Die" is rolled. All results of an even number add to the total of the attack roll and add to the damage done if the attack is successful. All results of an odd number subtract from the total of the attack roll. Additionally, the number generated influences the "natural" number of the main attack die. For example, if the Action Die came up as an 18, and the Hobo Die came up as a 2, that would count as a natural 20 and would be a critical hit. If the Action Die came up as a 6, and the Hobo Die came up as a 5, that would count as a natural 1, and would be a fumble. All negative numbers generated also count as fumbles.

HOBO STOMACH - The Murder Hobo can go for 1/2 their Level in days longer without food, water and rest than normal, without any ill effects. So a 1st Level character can get an extra 12 hours in their activity cycle, while an 8th Level character can get an extra 4 days of activity. At the end of this period, they fall near-unnaturally asleep for 8 hours +2 hours per extra day of activity, e.g., 9 hours for the 1st Level character, and 16 hours for the 8th Level character.

Lvl    Atk    Action Die    Fort    Ref    Will    Crit          Title
1      +0     1d24          +0      +1     +0      1d6 / III     Dead-End Kid
2      +0     1d24          +1      +1     +0      1d8 / III     Tramp
3      +1     1d24          +1      +2     +1      1d8 / III     Vagabond
4      +2     1d24          +1      +2     +1      1d10 / III    Road Knight
5      +2     1d24          +2      +3     +1      1d10 / III    North King
6      +3     1d24          +2      +4     +2      1d12 / III
7      +4     1d24          +2      +4     +2      1d12 / III
8      +4     1d24+1d14     +3      +5     +2      1d14 / III
9      +5     1d24+1d16     +3      +6     +3      1d14 / III
10     +6     1d24+1d20     +4      +6     +3      1d16 / III

SCARLSNIPE

Init +3
Melee Atk
 • hoof +5 (1d8)
Ranged Atk
 • Ray +5 (1d8 +1d4 Str Damage; 40' cone)
AC 18
HD 3d10
MV 30
Act 1d20+1d14
SP invisibility, immune to mental effects
Fort +6
Ref +2
Will +3
AL C

The Scarlsnipe is Tivvig's pet and mount, and it protects him fiercely. It will also act quickly to protect Voothus, but will always put Tivvig first.

Like Tivvig, the Scarlsnipe is immune to all mental-affecting spells and other such phenomenon. It can also turn invisible at will (even when not it's turn in the round) — an effect that lasts for 2 full rounds. It then must wait 4 rounds before it can use this ability again. This effect applies to things the Scarlsnipe is carrying (in saddlebags or otherwise) — and including Tivvig when he's riding the beast.

If Tivvig is "working" and has not brought the Scarlsnipe with him, it will wait with Voothus, wherever Voothus thinks best.

Click to enlarge

TIVVIG

Init +1
Melee Atk
 • bite +1 (1d4)
 • claw +1 (1d4)
AC 16
HD 1d8+1
MV 20
Act 1d20
SP immune to mental effects, magical force effects, hypno eyes
Fort +1
Ref +2
Will +1
AL N

Tivvig is the brains behind a non-humanoid gang, of sorts. After Voothus (see yesterday's post) gathers some information about a target or targets, Tivvig moves in.

His approach will depend very much on what Voothus has found out. He may approach the Party while they are encamped and beg for food, meanwhile taking any opportunity to rob them of wealth and magic. Similarly, he might feign an injury.

Alternately, he might make a bolder approach, such as accusing the Party of trespassing on his land, and trust to his small size (under 3') to confuse and endear him to his targets. If Voothus has been able to gather some personal information, Tivvig might pass himself off as a soothsayer or mystic, or even as the spirit of a loved one "who has just passed" and try to infiltrate the Party that way.

His ultimate aim is to lie to their faces and make off with as many possessions of the Party as he can — whether this takes minutes or hours (or even days, if the con goes well for him).

His eyes have a mildly hypnotic effect, causing those watching him to relax and put their guard down. This serves to make his lies seem more truthful, and may give him an edge (bonus of 1d3 x 1d5 to Initiative and +2d4 to first attack and damage) if he is caught stealing.

Click to enlarge

He is immune to mental attacks and tampering of any kind. He can also ignore magical force, such as effects of the Force Manipulation spell, and any other effect that is defined as "magical force" or "magical energy" or is otherwise stemming from magic, but is not a defined "type" of effect (such as fire or cold, etc.). This "force" immunity extends to general magical bonuses on weapons.

He can mentally summon Voothus to him, calling him from a safe location once he has some swag and passing them to the hovering giant, who then carries the loot away and stashes it.

He will probably approach his marks on foot, to seem more sympathetic, but he is often otherwise astride his mount, the Scarlsnipe (see tomorow's entry).

VOOTHUS

        

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • tail lash +5 (1d6)
Ranged Atk
 • bellow +3 (1d3, move back 1d30')
AC 16
HD 4d10

Click to enlarge

MV 30, fly 40
Act 3d16
SP stealth, darkvision
Fort +14
Ref +2
Will +9
AL N

Voothus is the scout for a non-humanoid gang. His role is to observe a possible target, gather as much information as he can, and report back to his friend, Tivvig.

The usual operation involves tailing travelers through a woods or jungle, with Voothus hovering high above them, thanks to helium bladder he can inflate on his back. Despite his immense size (18' tall if he stood up straight), he can maneuver through the canopy with great stealth (silent on a 5-in-6), and use the foliage to his advantage to conceal himself (concealed on a 9-in-10). He can also hover high above a party camping in the open at night to perform his job (silent on a 7-in-8).

While he has never spoken humanoid languages, he seems to understand them perfectly well, noting details about where a party may be going, their strengths, and what they intend to do next. Needless to say, his hearing is excellent.

If pushed to fighting, and escape is not an option (even when spending all Action Dice for extra movement), Voothus can swipe with his tail, and cry out with a forceful, resonant bellow that can force foes to retreat (this targets all individuals within a 40' arc, and up to 30' away). But escape will remain a top priority, and his attacks will almost always be made to improve his chance of escape, or to protect his friends.

ZHYDO

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • slam +0 (1d12)
AC 16
HD 9d8+9
MV 40
Act 2d30
SP only damaged by cold iron, howl, magic immunity
Fort +6
Ref +4
Will +4
AL C

Zhydos are low-intelligence creatures of a huge scale, fully 30 feet in length in the largest specimens. Their eyes and hearing organs are at the ends of flexible stalks, giving them perception in all directions. They are covered in a chitinous partial exoskeleton, and attack by swinging their spinal-plates against their targets.

Their mouths, an ever-open orifice, are filled with jagged teeth and manipulating suckers which they flex to consume their prey. A zhydo aroused to combat will emit a low-frequency howl, which shakes the focus of it's opponents. This causes 6 points of Personality damage (or Wisdom) without a Save, although the damage heals faster than normal — 1 point per hour. This effect can only reduce the Personality of any individual by a maximum of 6, regardless of how many zhydos are creating the effect, or if a second encounter follows before the damage from the first is completely recovered.

Zhydos are only harmed by cold iron weapons, and are also highly immune to magic. This immunity is 100% against casters of 4th Level or below. For each Level above 4th, subtract 5% from 100% to determine the degree of immunity.

Zhydos nest in groups of 3 to 5 adults, and generally attack whomever causes them the most harm or threatens the young (when present).