PHUSTYSS

Init +3 Melee Atk  • slam +5 (1d10) AC 16 HD 4d8 (-1d14*) MV 30 Act 1d20 SP reach, infravision, slippery terrain, improved critical, fire dampening, fire resistance Fort +5 Ref +2 Will +3 AL C

Ever thirsty, phustyssi are constantly wracked by the pain of dehydration. Their torso constantly oozes forth a viscus slime, draining their innards of moisture, so they are just as constantly in search of liquids to replenish themselves. Phustyssi are four to five feet tall at the hip. A phustyss attacks by bludgeoning with it's mighty neck, which is extensible and can reach out over 10 feet beyond where it's feet are planted. On a critical hit (19 or 20), tiny, acid-spritzing barbs emerge from the neck of the phustyss and deal an extra 2d8 damage as they enter the victim's tissues and drain off fluids. This also causes 1d6 Personality/Wisdom drain from instant dehydration (maximum of 6 from multiple hits). If a target is unconscious or otherwise immobilized, a phustyss will latch on and cause 2d6 damage and 1d6 ability drain each turn, while replenishing itself of 2d4 hp of damage.

In either case, the ability damage can be recovered at a rate of 1 point per hour, once the victim starts imbibing fluids.

The ooze that the phustyss creates has two effects:

• It creates a slippery coating on the ground of any area where the creature has been. Within it's lair and hunting grounds, that's pretty much everywhere. Such slippery terrain requires a DC 14 Reflex Save to move at half speed. Attempting to move at full speed on the slime requires a DC 20 Save, and failure leaves the person attempting the move prone in the slime.

• As the thick slime evaporates into the air, it causes all flame brought into the area to sputter and burn poorly. Small sources such as candles may go out entirely, and larger fires dwindle and light less than half their normal range.

A phustyss is never less than sure-footed treading on it's own slime, and it allows the creature to ignore the first 10 points of damage from any source of fire or heat.

Phustyssi are most often found in a group of three, one to guard the lair, and two to hunt sources of nourishment/fluids -- although larger groups have been encountered.

* This optional adjustment can be used to represent a phustyss in urgent need of fluids.

Get In The Prison Of The Squid Sorcerer

You deserve it.

What with all the running of the games you've been doing -- or the *not* running of the games but needing to show your GM your appreciation of him by running something of your own so he can just play in a fershlugginer game for a change.

Yeah, I know you're guilty. It's written all over your face.

So get in there. The Prison was made for you. You'll be bunking in a cell next to the Mermaids from Yuggoth, perhaps. Sitting next to The Painted Woman at chow time. Shooting hoops with the Fleshrenders out in the yard. And when the Shadow of Malagok comes up behind you (while you're cheering on a fight between Umbo the ape-man and the Flickering Demon over the Coin of Calcia), don't worry -- he doesn't have a shiv. He doesn't need one...

You can steal from them if you dare -- or take over the operations they're running inside and outside the slammer just as they are.

You've been sentenced to twelve short adventures and adventure seeds. Play them as short one-shots, or use them as inspiration for longer term adventures. It's up to you how you fill those long, dark hours in your 10 by 10 stone cell with a skarajian across the cell block from you, giving you the stink-eye and slowly drawing one claw repeatedly across it's neck.

See you when if you get out.

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SKWOG

Init +6
Melee Atk
 • rake +8 (2d6; flinging)
 • bite +3 (1d8+2)
AC 17
HD 4d10+4
MV 60, jump 150
Act 2d20
SP clinging, fire resistance, disappearing act
Fort +8
Ref +3
Will +2
AL C

Most scholars agree that the Skwog is the creation of Tahn-Ru, a sorcerer of the 8th Dynasty of Pussh, who worked his magic just prior to the rectification of the Vuldranai. They do not agree on whether the Skwog was a successful creation, or a failure. Similarly, how the Skwog has survived into the present time is a source of heated debate.

The Skwog is approximately 90 feet long, and it's serpentine body is as thick as the torso of a horse. The rubbery length of it's body is punctuated with rough, bony protrusions. Each end of the Skwog flares out into a bulbous shape that features a large mouth that nearly bifurcates that shape when open. Each end also features numerous eyes and three strong legs.

The beast seems to have a vehement hatred of spellcasters and seeks to destroy them first, foremost and single-mindedly. This is perhaps why Tahn-Ru disappears from the historical record as abruptly as he does, which is a much favored argument by those scholars supposing that the Skwog is a failed creation.

The Skwog defends its territory and hunts by partially encircling it's prey. Then one end of it's body jumps generally toward the other, and past it, causing whoever or whatever is encircled to be raked by the many bony protrusions of it's body and flinging the target 3d6x10 ft away in a random direction, causing further damage*. The Skwog then moves to encircle it again and repeats the process until the prey no longer moves. Given it's immense proportions, it is difficult for most prey to escape this attack entirely, even during the time when the Skwog is just getting into position for it's raking leap. If multiple targets are launched in this way, the distance they all fly is divided by their numbers, e.g., three targets will each fly one-third as far as a single target (and each target's random direction should be determined independently).

For a creature to avoid becoming a missile, they must succeed at a Reflex Save vs. a DC of 20; if their roll would at least succeed vs. a DC 15, they will only fly half the rolled distance away.

Given that the pads of the Skwog's feet can cling to surfaces, it can employ a great deal of creativity in it's attacks. It can even lurk on a ceiling, jump down with surprise, and fling prey immediately on it's next action. With it's many alert eyes it is nearly never taken by surprise. The dampness of it's pearlescent skin means it takes half-damage from fire or heat sources.

When it is brought below half of it's hit points, it will attempt to flee in all cases. If it cannot flee, it will take one round to simply fade into nothingness. It is not known exactly what this ability is, or to where the Skwog goes when it disappears, but the power seems to ensure the Skwog's continued survival.

*Suggested damage: xd4-x damage, where x is 1/10th the distance in feet (e.g., a 60 ft. flinging would cause 6d4-6 damage).

MANDRIANO DEMON

Init +3
Melee Atk
 • polearm +5 (1d4; time jump)
 • stingers +4 (1d3; sleep)
 • bite +2 (1d6+2)
AC 15
HD 2d8+3
MV 40
Act 3d20
SP time jump, sleep poison
Fort +5
Ref +3
Will +0
AL C

The Mandriano, or Drover Demons, herd the damned to their torment in Hell. Most of their bulk is covered in a thick, dimpled shell that they can flex open to reveal appendages with poisoned barbs. They have the head of a lion, and powerful, twisted limbs -- two legs to bear their massive bulk, and a single long, multi-jointed arm.

Reaching ten feet in height, they tower over the damned and use the butt of their polearms to shove and bludgeon the damned to their fate. They also serve as the first line of defense, should Hell be invaded by paladins, crusaders and the like.

The business end of their pole-arm weapons can bludgeon, pierce and slash, bypassing any particular defenses against one or more of such attacks. The heads of these weapons are also slightly four-dimensional, and anybody viewing the weapon close-up needs to succeed on a Will save vs. DC 11 or be distracted by the impossible angles and uncertain perspective, losing a turn. On a successful strike, the damage dealt was done to the target 1d4 rounds in the past, and they have now stood where they were, immobile, ever since. By thus changing events, the Mandriano recovers that die result in d4 of healing, as if those wounds never happened. However, no healing occurs for other individuals.

They also have three or four chubby, worm-like appendages which wobble out from their shell and can strike with ferocious speed. The barb striking true does not inflict great harm, but it does induce sleep (Fort save vs. DC 17 to resist). This sleep will last (damage inflicted)x10 minutes, unless alchemically or magically interrupted. Mandriano will use their wormy appendages to drag sleeping targets to their masters.

The Devil Made Me Do It

Yes, this is me, sinning again -- no new monsters.

Two weeks from today, I'm running a Dungeon Crawl Classics game at DunDraCon 37. That's right, DCC @ DDC. The self-penned adventure is called Short Trip To Hell, and I hope it isn't. So I'm pouring as many good ideas into it as I can. Part of that process is that I keep stealing monsters that I think I'm going to post here and instead, saving them for the convention.

Now, I could have been posting them here for the past several weeks, and damn the consequences. I know this isn't the most viewed blog in the world, and I'm sure a significant portion of what views I do get, are spam spiders (zing! new monster idea!). But given that I've posted on Goodman Games' board about my game at DDC, and that I have mentioned this blog there as well, AND that there is at least one person who's posted back about trying to make it to my game... well, why take the chance and spoil his fun?

So you're going to have to wait to see the Mandriano Demons, Uzzervator and the Perdition Dogs. Actually, I've only gotten one of those particular three drawn up yet beyond sketchy doodles, so I'm going to have to wait to see them, too. I'll just get to see them slightly sooner.

In two weeks from right now, I and six to seven players will be knee deep in Hell, and hopefully having a helluva good time with it. And I'll set up at least one of those hellspawn to publish that Friday -- 'cause we will all fry together when we fry...!