SKEEVLINGS

Init +6
Melee Atk
 • Sword +7 (1d5)
 • Tail +10 (1d6)
AC 21
HD 2d8
MV 40, Phase 35
Act 1d20+1d16
SP immunity to acid & force, invisibility, regeneration, chill touch
Fort +3
Ref +5
Will +2
AL C

The tales told to make children behave say that skeevlings are the living shadows cast by evil magic's pale light. These minute devils (two-feet tall, at the most) are steeped in abilities that could only have a magical origin, and they live for nothing but plunder, raiding everything from village grain stores to massive treasure hordes of the deepest, darkest dungeons.

Skeevlings travel abroad in large numbers, easily 20-68 at a minimum, and usually above ground, unless they are bearing a treasure horde back to their homes. They speak very broken Common, and a gibberish-sounding dialect of their own.

They are not overly hearty creatures individually, but what they lack in fortitude, they make up for in mind-boggling magical power and single-minded group mentality. They can move through solid matter almost as fast as they can run upon the ground, bearing with them whatever they can carry as well. They regenerate damage (12 hp per round) such that if you don't manage to kill them with one blow, they are just as mighty as if you had not hit them at all. They are immune to the effects of acids and of force magic. They can turn invisible for 1d4 rounds at a time, but must 'rest' and cannot turn invisible again until another 1d4 rounds have passed. They can charge up their tails with magical energy, creating an effect similar to a Chill Touch spell, with a casting check of 1d20+7; each successful use of this spell reduces the initiative of the group by 1 point, drawing energy from their party to power it. They cannot lose this special ability, though it can fail to 'cast' (or they could run out of energy to manifest for it).

They are clever and crafty, using their powers to keep their opponents off-balance. They are proud of sniping foes by phasing out of a wall, striking and using their second action die to phase away back into a wall. They will use their invisibility power to conceal their numbers and observe any competitors for treasure. Though they may squabble among themselves, once one of them has been killed, they become a multitudinous force of vengeance. Even so, a few who have encountered them have discovered they can be bought off, though even fewer are willing to pay the price the skeevlings demand.

NOTE: Don't let the Hit Dice fool you; Skeevlings played to the hilt are a mid- to high-level threat.

ELKMEN

Init +7
Melee Atk
 • Ram +9 (2d8)
 • Longsword +8 (1d8+2)
Ranged Atk
 • Quills +9 (1d6; 50')
AC 16
HD 4d12
MV 35
Act 2d20
SP split attack, save substitution
Fort +3
Ref +7
Will +3
AL C

Elkmen (also known as Wildemen) are known as Alaphos on their native Fey Plane. They are a proud, animal-like race of beings, who are the hereditary defenders of the Elven hunting grounds, impeding the trespass of all save Elves and their guests. They are a grim and humorless lot, who understand the whims of Men not at all, regarding them with disdain, even to the point of behaving as if they cannot see nor hear humankind (unless the hunting grounds are invaded). They have a long history with the Elves, one of mutual benefit, wherein the Alaphos are far from servants, but more than mere allies; each race admires the other, while secretly glad they are not the other.

An Elkman will attack at range by swinging a forearm and launching one or more quills. He can aim for a single target, or spread the attack against multiple targets. When launching multiple quills, the attack bonus given is simply divided among the number of attacks as they see fit, e.g., two quills at +5 and +4, or at +6 and +3, one each against two targets or both against one target -- up to nine quills against nine targets (each at a +1 bonus) in one round. Each Elkman has 1d4+8 quills growing on each arm at any given time. They can launch quills into a melee with no chance to hit their own kind.

They will engage in melee by ramming a single target with their antlers at a full run, thereafter employing the sword, with which they are adept and cunning.

Once per day they can make a Reflex Save in place of a Fortitude Save, as a supernatural avoidance of calamity.

WATER OF YSS

YSS MINION
Init +0
Melee Atk
 • claw +2 (1d4)
 • grab +4 (1d2 and Held)
AC 10
HD (1d5)d8+1d5
MV 30
Act 1d20
SP un-dead, dire breath
Fort +4
Ref +1
Will +12
AL C

Water of Yss can form anywhere, but it is more common in deep recesses of dungeons and partially raided tombs. That is not to say that Water of Yss is in any way common.

The Water is formed when exotic, volatile and rare items, as typically carried by spell-casters, alchemists and the like, are left behind to coagulate and intermix at random — generally when the bearers of such items have succumbed to the hazards of exploration. Mixing at the bottom of some pit trap or other, these components can combine under just the right circumstances to create Water of Yss.

The corpses of the original component-bearers usually form the minions of the Water. These skeletons will claim further victims to feed to the Water and allow it to grow in size. They particularly seek out targets bearing alchemical substances and the like.

The skeletal minions can be recognized from other un-dead by the kelp-like strands that grow right from their bones. They have an endless stamina and will pursue victims tirelessly within the confines of the Water's lair. It is not entirely clear whether the bones of a destroyed minion that fall back into the Water are not simply and quickly re-assembled by the Water, and the 'new' minion immediately sent after more prey...

The longer the bones of the minions have rested in the Water of Yss, the more resilient they become (hence the variable number of Hit Dice).

The minions can exhale a toxic, ochre-colored gas, once per day. This gas first lays out in a thick layer on the ground or onto the top of the Water, but soon expands and rises to fill whatever space the minions occupy (up to a 30-foot cube in volume). Mortals breathing this thick gas take 2d3 points of damage each round (Fort DC 13 for half damage) and take 1d3 points of damage (same Save) for a number of rounds after leaving the cloud equal to half the number of rounds spent in the cloud (round up). Holding one's breath is treated like leaving the area of gas, but of course they must then deal with not breathing at all until they can escape the area. Visibility within the cloud is reduced to nearly zero, except for the minions, who are completely unimpaired and unaffected by it.

Destroying the Water of Yss is a complex matter, involving advanced alchemical or arcane knowledge. Obviously, care needs to be taken to avoid accidentally increasing it's power, rather than neutralizing it.

The Water of Yss and it's minions first appeared on the cover of Crawl! #7.

UR-MEN

Init +3
Melee Atk
 • spear +2 (1d6+2)
Ranged Atk
 • ur-ray +3 (1d2 Con/Stm)
AC 13
HD 2d8+2
MV 30
Act 1d20
SP infravision 40', metalshaping
Fort +4
Ref +1
Will +1
AL N

The Ur-Men live in spaces deep underground, sometimes in abandoned mines, sometimes in natural cavern formations. They were once either human or dwarven, but have been altered by prolonged exposure to the rare metal called Ur, which glows in the dark and possesses strange properties.

These Ur-Men stand less than five feet tall, and are lithe, but sturdy of limb. They eat next to nothing and seem to subsist off of proximity to the Ur metal, which they have an almost reverential awe for, wishing only to remain near it and keep others from mining it or disturbing it.

The changes wrought upon them by the strange metal include severe anatomical and mental changes, including a kind of near-amnesia of their former lives. They can shape metals with their bare hands, though not instantly without tremendous fatigue, and use this ability to create tools and weapons. Their minds are nigh-immune to all but the most powerful forms of domination; they get a +8 to Save versus any sort of mind-controlling effects.

They can also shoot beams of bright white light from their hands that weaken their targets (doing Constitution or Stamina damage, depending on your game system). If used against inanimate matter, these beams can splinter and crack them (1d6 damage against such things). These Ur rays, can only be employed every other round, as it takes time for the body to gather and channel the energy. They can also spread these beams of light to attack two adjacent targets, by reducing their "to hit" number by one, and that result being the DC for a Reflex Save to avoid the damage entirely. After a spread, an Ur-Man must wait an additional round for the power to return.

An Ur-Man found beyond his Ur metal-laden lair will be slower than normal, suffering a -4 to Initiative, a reduction in Movement by 10, a -2 to Reflex Saves, and using a 1d16 for their Action Die.

By Odin's shiny eye-patch, I feel like I've lifted the visual design of these guys whole-cloth from Jack Kirby -- but I can't figure out from what. I may have amalgamated elements of various Kirby creations into this creature (the crazy-deep perspective is an homage, for one thing), but the idea that I just blindly swiped them nags me... If you can identify where I'm (possibly) unconsciously snagging these creatures from, please let me know -- I certainly don't mean to infringe on his creations (nor the copyrights thereof)!

HOUND OF VULTAASH (DEMON)

Init +5
Melee Atk
 • punch +6 (1d6+4)
 • bite +5 (1d4+1)
 • sword-arm +7 (1d8+2)
 • jelly-hand +4 (1d4+2 heat)
Ranged Atk
 • thrown rock +4 (1d6+6)
 • sonic shriek (3d6+3, see below)
 • seekers +7 (2d10, see below)
 • tracking mites +4 (vs. 'touch' AC; special)
AC 18
HD 10d10+10
MV 50
Act 2d20
SP damage ablation, seeker bombs, tracking mites, ultravision 80'
Fort +9
Ref +5
Will +6
AL C

This beast is the metaphorical right-hand of the destroyer demon-god, Vultaash, and precedes him upon any world he aims to destroy. The Hound's purpose is to weaken the opposition to Vultaash's coming, by eliminating beings or sources of power from the world before the demon-god arrives. Even if the Hound cannot overcome powerful denizens of a world, all information gathered by the demon-thing is transmitted directly to Vultaash, no matter how many worlds may separate the Hound from his master.

The Hound stands nine-feet tall, and has been changed and mutated over the millennia by the many worlds it has visited and helped destroy. It has also been thus rewarded with numerous powers. It is an intelligent creature and uses its powers to the best of its ability. its goal is to evaluate and destroy (if it can). But once it has good intelligence on an opponent, if the opponent seems capable of killing the Hound, it won't risk itself to eliminate that opponent, content that the important knowledge now rests with Vultaash himself.

To be useful to Vultaash as a gauge of opposition, the Hound can ablate damage each round it is engaged in combat. The amount of damage the creature can ignore is lower each subsequent round, until it reaches a point that it is taking the full damage dealt to it. The Hound can ignore damage from any source as follows: 21 points in round one, 18 points in round two, 15 points in round three, and so on, until it can ignore only 3 points of damage in round seven, and on round eight it begins taking full damage whatever the source. Thus a fireball that caused 25 damage in round one, would only deal 4 damage to the Hound's hp (if he failed the Save). That same fireball in round five would cause the Hound to lose 16 hp (again, if he failed the Save). So long as the beast is alive, this ability re-sets within one hour after the end of a skirmish.

It has a semi-gelatinous arm and hand that burns mortal flesh on contact. Anchored into this arm is a sword-like blade; it is rare that it can employ this blade at the same time as its burning touch. Once the hand hits, it takes a Strength check vs. DC 16 to break free. The Hound can also choose to disengage his grip as a free action, if he sees fit.

Its mechanical shoulder regenerates up to three deposits of tracking mites. When deployed (at will, by mental command) these mites, tinier than the tiniest terrestrial fly, will swarm an area and attach themselves to any mobile creatures. The Hound can than track these creatures easily later, knowing the exact direction, distance and elevation to reach them. The mites can even provide information on barriers crossed since attaching themselves to their hosts, although they cannot provide any information on changes that have occurred in the meantime (e.g., if the host enters a cave and seals it off, the mites can report as much; if the host leaves the cave entrance open, but two days later an ogre collapses the cave entrance, the mites cannot convey this to the Hound.). The mites can operate for 1d8+10 days before slowly losing transmission range over another 2d6 days, whereupon they cease to function.

The "tail" of the Hound (which is actually an extension of its head-spine) ends with a structure that is both its main sensory organ and where it grows additional weapons. There are five large thorn-like objects growing around the sensory pod. These can be launched individually, collectively or in any number. They can be aimed at a specific target, exploding to deal 2d10 damage to that target and 1d10 to any adjacent targets. However, the Hound tends more to using these weapons tactically. They can be launched and made to hover at any point the Hound chooses, moving 100 feet per round. They will then explode upon being approached, dealing primary damage to those who set it off, and the lower amount of damage to anyone who may be a bit further back. In this way the Hound can block exits, or limit access to control panels, fallen comrades or the like.

Opponents may wish to sever the tail of the beast, if they notice it seems to 'notice' events first, even before the Hound's body turns to react, or even just if they notice the seeker bombs being launched from the tail. The Hound can regrow a severed tail within 1d3 days, adjusted up by one if the damage dealt in severing it was above the average of the roll. If the Hound's sensory pod is severed, adjust attacks, damage, Reflex saves and initiative by -4; reduce movement by 20; tracking mites are unaffected; deployed seeker bombs are unaffected; un-deployed seeker bombs become inert.

The Hound's sonic shriek attack affects a wide line, 80 feet by 15 feet wide, doing half damage to those who make the Will Save vs. DC 14. Those failing the Save will also be deafened for 1d4-1 rounds (minimum 0). After making this sonic attack, the Hound must wait 3d5 rounds before using it again.

The Hound does have some weaknesses, owing to its haphazard amalgamation. The creature is top-heavy, and thus slightly easier to trip or to topple over than a comparably sized creature. Targeting its metal-and-gelatinous arm with effects like severe cold or heat may do additional damage and/or render the arm temporarily useless. Its gelatinous hand has limited ability to manipulate objects.

The Hound does not fear death, because when Vultaash is manifest, it can re-summoned back into existence by the will of Vultaash. But it does fear failing Vultaash in its task...

The Hound of Vultaash can be used in conjunction with my entry into the 2013 One Page Dungeon Contest... Arena of Blood.