![\"Amabie](\"/images/creatures/amabie/amabie.jpg\")
Check out this fantastic Twitter thread for many more artistic renditions of the amabie.
","slug":"amabie","stats":null,"contentHtml":"
There was once a town official, who resided in Higo Province in Japan (today known as the Kumamoto Prefecture). Matters of state kept him busy, but he would make time every night for a walk along the beach. Something about the dark, steady waves washing onto shore would calm his mind, even during the most hectic times of the year. The beach where he walked afforded a clear view of the castle on one side, and the endless ocean horizon stretched on the other. In this position he could look to one side and acknowledge his earthly duties, then look to the other and acknowledge his small place in infinity. It was peaceful.
\nOne night, he felt unusually restless. He had grown aware of a general uneasiness spreading throughout his community. Some spoke of business slowing down, others of worse things like droughts and famines approaching. Whatever the true cause, his mind was restless and sleep eluded him. That night he walked further than usual, losing himself in thoughts he could not remember moments after entertaining them. At times he felt a vague ache in his feet. The cold, damp sand had got through his sandles and it itched. He turned a corner and he felt his eyes adjust as a pale dawn seemed to break. There was a strange light beaming from the water directly ahead of him. It looked like a glowing orb, just a few feet beneath the water's surface. He stopped in his tracks for a moment, not afraid but not sure what to do. He decided to approach and what he then witnessed he would remember for the rest of his life. From beneath the water's surface, the pale orb slowly emerged. The light dimmed and there, floating in the air, was a small creature covered in scales and standing upright. It had long hair, and a bird's bill, with three legs beneath it. It looked directly at him and addressed him presently: \"I am an amabie, and I have come here from the open sea to speak with you. Do not be afraid.\" The dull shimmer around it's scales brightened at that moment, and it's voice became profound. The official heard it as if it spoke from within his own head or from the very air surrounding them. \"Good harvest will continue for six years from the current year. If disease spreads, show a picture of me to those who fall ill and they will be cured.\" It was a prophecy.
\nAfterwards, the amabie returned to the sea. The town official wrote down his story and sketched the creature from memory. The story and the portrait were printed on woodblock and shared around his town, later spreading across Japan.
\nMany consider the amabie to be a copy-cat creature, or perhaps even a clerical error. There are other prophetic yokai who are reported to appear and deliver promises of bountiful crops and protection from disease. Like the amabie, they recommend spreading a picture of themselves around to protect yourself. You could say that social media memes haven't changed much since the 17th century… These other yokai have many more recorded sightings and so you could argue that the amabie was unlikely to have really existed.
\nI prefer to believe that this mysterious little creature was, in fact, a member of a family of similar creatures. The group of creatures is called \"Amabiko\" and has a few variants. There is an illustrated manuscript from 1844 in Echigo depicting an amabiko with no torso, only a hairy face and three long appendages - like a strange squid. An article from 1876 reports of another variant that appears ape-like, again with only 3 legs. Finally there was the \"holy Amakibo\" (Amabiko-no-mikoto), recorded in a newspaper in 1875. This one appeared doll-like, with less hair and four legs. It was unusual because it was spotted in a rice paddy rather than in the sea.
\nIf the amabie can indeed protect us from pestilence, we must consider the possibility that it has some connection to the gods. The story of Amabiko-no-mikoto makes that connection appear indesputable. However, seasoned adventurers and sages know that the ability to forsee the future is often possessed by creatures of the sea. It is for that reason, that we can be reasonably confident in classifying the amabie as a type of mermaid . Regardless of the final taxonomy, may the amabie's image protect you in these trying times.
"},{"name":"Aspidochelone","description":"The beguiling beast-island.","aliases":["Fastitocalon","Jasconius"],"origin":["Greek","Middle Eastern"],"habitats":["Ocean"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Physiologus of Alexandria","author":null,"url":"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physiologus"},{"title":"The voyages of Sinbad","author":null,"url":"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinbad_the_Sailor#First_Voyage_of_Sinbad_the_Sailor"},{"title":"The Adventures of Tom Bombadil","author":"J.R.R. Tolkien","url":"http://www.ae-lib.org.ua/texts-c/tolkien__the_adventures_of_tom_bombadil__en.htm#11"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"Magic: The Gathering card game","author":null,"url":"https://gatherer.wizards.com/pages/card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=2161"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspidochelone"},{"title":"The Whale - Old English Poem","author":null,"url":"https://anglosaxonpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/the-whale/"}],"published":true,"slug":"aspidochelone","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"The sailors had been at sea for 50 nights and they were starving. Standing at the prow of the ship, the captain looked towards the horizon with resignation and did not notice the salt-spray that leapt up from the dark water below. He had always prided himself on his stoic nature, but hunger chipped away at his resolve. He thought of his daughters but their faces appeared vague in his mind and he struggled to keep them in focus against the constant pain in his stomach and head. His gaze touched a slim shadow in the distance. A hallucination? The ship rolled and he saw it again, clearer this time: land. There was an island.
\nAn hour later the crew was lying haphazardly around the landing place where their ship was moored. The island was small with mostly dunes of sand and rocky crags, but there were some trees and plants. This brief rest from the sea was as wholesome as a bowl filled with barley for the exhausted crew. Several of them waited eagerly in a circle while someone hacked at flint with steel to start a fire. Finally, the tinder caught and a merry blaze filled their eyes. The captain smiled. Life-giving warmth spread outward from the fire. Then, suddenly, his legs gave out and he was on his back looking at stars. Terror gripped him as the island trembled. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw the crew from angles he could make no sense of. His stomach dropped as the island lurched again. He managed to get to his hands and knees and look up - the island was shrinking. It was an impossible sight but he could not deny the thrashing white waves seething towards him. He shouted orders, but most of the crew who still stood were already fleeing towards the ship. To his horror, he noticed that the ship had moved away from the shore, back towards the open sea. The island was moving. It was moving and it was sinking. The cold ocean clawed over his face and he sucked in salt water. The captain spent his last moments trying to understand what he had just witnessed.
\nThere is a story told in all lands throughout all history about an island which is the back of an enormous beast. In Greek, the beast is named Aspidochelone, which translates to “asp-turtle”; “Asp” meaning shield. We have a clear description of the beast’s appearance and intentions from the Physiologus of Alexandria:
\n“the great sea-monster which is often unwillingly met, terrible and cruel-hearted to seafarers, yea, to everyman; this swimmer of the ocean-streams is known as the asp-turtle. His appearance is like that of a rough boulder, as if there were tossing by the shore a great ocean-reedbank begirt with sand-dunes, so that seamen imagine they are gazing upon an island…”\nThe description of the false island is consistent across cultures, but the physical details of the rest of its body remain unconfirmed. Most who go near an Aspidochelone die, and those who escape catch only a glimpse of what lies beneath its back. Many believe it resembles a giant turtle, though some say it is more like a whale. The truth may lie somewhere in between.
\nWhat is clear is that there are more than one of this fabled giant. There have been too many sightings across too many places and times for there to be a single being (unless that being is god-like). And it goes by many names. In Middle-Earth the beast is known as Fastitocalon. The famous adventurer-sailor Sinbad encounters the beast in his first voyage and knows it by the name Zaratan. St. Brendan survives an encounter with the beast and calls it Jasconius which is the same name used by the Planeswalkers.
\nShould you ever set sail on an ocean adventure of your own, you would do well to remember these stories and these names. Keep your wits about you and do not be tempted. Aspidochelone waits patiently.
"},{"name":"Baba Yaga","image":"creatures/baba-yaga/baba-yaga-og.jpg","description":"The enigmatic witch in the woods.","aliases":[],"origin":["Slavic"],"habitats":["Forest","Swamp"],"legendary":true,"sources":[{"title":"Russian Fairy Tales","author":"Alexander Afanasyev","url":"http://the-planet-books.com/Afanasyev_Russian_Fairy_Tales/9781908478559"},{"title":"Spirited Away","author":"Studio Ghibli","url":"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0245429/"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Yaga"},{"title":"The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt","author":"CD Projekt Red","url":"https://thewitcher.com/en/witcher3"}],"published":true,"slug":"baba-yaga","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"![\"Baba](\"/images/creatures/baba-yaga/baba-yaga.jpg\")
Illustration by Ivan Bilibin
We have heard the warnings as children. If we misbehave, Baba Yaga (\"The Boogeyman\") will take us away and devour us. Many know to avoid the bright, green lawn in the heart of the woods. Here is a tableau of translations for \"Yaga\" from across many cultures:
\nHorror, Shudder, Chill, Anger, Witch, Fury, Disease, Illness, Pain, Worry, To Abuse, To Belittle, To Exploit.
\nIn the bathhouse, in a land of spirits, she binds workers into unescapable contracts by stealing their names. In the Tsardom across three times nine kingdoms, beyond high mountain chains, she dwells in the forest devouring children. In the Crookback Bog, in the swamps of Velen, she appears as three crones and twists the threads of the human lives in her region.
\nIt would be easy to dismiss Baba Yaga as an evil witch. A tragedy to be avoided, summoned only by name when we desire control over our children. The truth is much more complicated. Andreas Johns, who studied her closely, described Baba Yaga as \"strikingly ambiguous\".
\nRead the stories for yourself and you will discover that she is both villian and benefactor. She is bound by strict contracts. If you understand the ancient rules she abides by, you may benefit greatly from her, even as she tries to deceive you. Of course she may just eat you.
\nAs the ruler of the bathhouse (under the name Yubaba), she enslaves many to carry out her bidding. But her terms are made clear: remember your name and you are free. Throughout the events of Spirited Away she reveals that, while she can be cruel, she can also give praise where praise is due. Her ultimate drive is gold, not pure malevolence.
\nWhen Vasilisa the Beautiful goes to Baba Yaga's hut in the woods to trade for fire, she finds the hut made entirely of human bones. Baba Yaga returns and eats enough meat, beer, and honey for five grown men, including the bones. But instead of devouring Vasilisa, she agrees to give her fire provided she can clean Baba Yaga's house. Vasilisa prevails over a series of increasingly impossible chores with the help of her mother's blessing and remains safe. At one point near the final day, Baba Yaga warns Vasilisa of the dangers of knowledge:
\n\n\n\"Well,\" said the old witch, \"only remember that every questions does not lead to good. If thou knowest overmuch, thou wilt grow old too soon.\"
\n
She tries to trick Vasilisa into asking too many questions, but Vasilisa wisely refuses. Baba Yaga does really want to eat her, but she always makes the terms clear. In the end, the witch's fire is granted to Vasilisa who brings it home. The fire incinerates her evil mother and stepsisters, freeing Vasilisa to live her dream life.
\nIn the swamps of Velen live three crones named by the citizens as Brewess, Weavess, and Whispess. It is common for Baba Yaga to appear as three sisters. They communicate with the world using an enchanted tapestry. Many end up in the stewing pot kept by Brewess.
\nThey help people who request it but for a gruesome fee, often taking an ear which they can later use to spy on the woods around their home. And yet, it is known in Velen, that the people survive the harshest times because of the old magic of the Crones. They demand utter obedience in return.
\nWhile Baba Yaga may take the form of three sisters, she is usually an old woman with unnaturally long arms and thin legs. She flies about the forest on top of an enchanted mortar and pestle, sweeping the ground behind her with an extended broom. Her hut and the gates around it jump to obey her verbal commands. You may sometimes spot the hut moving locations atop giant chicken legs. Like many witches, she may cast spells to transform herself into some sort of fowl, so that she may transport herself and remain inconspicuous. Depending on her mood, you may find her appearance comical or completely terrifying.
\nIn the realm of myth the power of a thing is increased by our belief in it. The more stories we share about the gods and monsters, the more real they become. Our hearts are the engine of their creation. Baba Yaga has been with us for hundreds of years and thousands of stories. Her power is indisputable.
\nIn Rossiiskaia grammatika, the first written appearance of Baba Yaga, her name appears on a list of Slavic gods. Next to every god is written their equivalent god from Roman mythology. Every god, that is, except for Baba Yaga.
\nNext to Baba Yaga is written nothing.
"},{"name":"Balrog","image":"creatures/balrog/balrog-og.jpg","description":"Indomitable fire giants.","appearance":"A giant, man-shaped demon with eyes like burning coals, a fiery mane, and a many-thronged whip of fire. Balrogs are shrouded in fire and menace.","behaviours":[{"label":"Descendants of Fire Giants","description":"Balrogs descend from the fire giants who destroyed the world at Ragnarök."},{"label":"Denizens of the deep","description":"There are very few Balrogs remaining. You can only find them in the deepest and most forgotten places. Pray that you don't."},{"label":"Shrouded in flame","description":"Like the flames of hell itself, a Balrog's aura burns with a supernatural fire. They are as ancient as fire and command the element in spite of its wild temperament."}],"statBlocks":[{"title":"Novus Bestiary","url":"/balrog/stats"},{"title":"Balor 5e SRD","url":"https://open5e.com/monsters/balor"}],"playTips":["Think of a Balrog as an environmental threat rather than a foe to be directly confronted. Heroes should fear even the rumour of one.","If your players are strong or crazy enough to fight one, you should position this encounter as the climax (room 4 in the 5 room dungeon framework).","The Balrog will use its whip to pull players towards it, engulfing them in flame. It does not fear casters."],"hooks":["The archmage was asked to aid a remote kingdom with a mysterious threat. He never returned from the journey.","There is a powerful magical artifact lost in a sprawling underground kingdom. Explorers have always failed to find it. A renowned dwarven explorer claims he has found an entrance to a lower level.","A well-known mountain, its scenic views an attraction for many travellers, is suddenly threatening. It is behaving like an active volcano."],"challenge":"If Balrogs are so strong why do so few exist? Think of a few explanations that fit your own world.","aliases":["Valaraukar","Maiar fire spirit","Demon of Might"],"origin":["English","Norse"],"habitats":["Mountains","Subterranea","Dungeon"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"An Encyclopedia of Tolkien","author":"David Day","url":"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/An-Encyclopedia-of-Tolkien/David-Day/Leather-bound-Classics/9781645170099"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry for Ragnarök","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnar%C3%B6k"},{"title":"The Grey Havens","author":"Erik Tracy","url":"http://tolkien.cro.net/else/gdfdie.html"}],"published":true,"notesHtml":"","slug":"balrog","stats":[{"handle":"balrog-lorecraft","author_handle":"lorecraft","name":"Balrog","size":"Gargantuan","type":"fiend","subtype":"","alignment":"neutral evil","armor_class":20,"hit_points":364,"hit_dice":"11d20+66","speed":"50 ft., fly 60ft.","strength":26,"dexterity":15,"constitution":22,"intelligence":20,"wisdom":16,"charisma":22,"strength_save":14,"constitution_save":12,"wisdom_save":9,"charisma_save":12,"intimidation":12,"perception":9,"damage_resistances":"poison, lightning; bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical attacks","damage_immunities":"fire","condition_immunities":"poisoned, frightened","senses":"truesight 120 ft., passive Perception 13","languages":"Abyssal, Telepathy 120 ft.","challenge_rating":"20","special_abilities":[{"name":"Fire Aura","desc":"At the start of each of the balrog's turns, each creature within 10 feet of it takes 14 (4d6) fire damage, and flammable objects in the aura that aren't being worn or carried ignite. A creature that touches the balor or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 14 (4d6) fire damage.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Innate Spellcasting","desc":"The balrog's spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 20). The balrog can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:\n\nAt will: fireball, smoke screen\n\n3/day each: hold creature, wall of fire\n\n1/day: incendiary cloud","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Magic Resistance","desc":"The balrog has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Magic Weapons","desc":"The balrog's weapon attacks are magical.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The balrog makes three attacks: one with its whip, one with its sword, and one with its bite","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Bite","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit: 22(4d6+8) piercing damage.","attack_bonus":14,"damage_dice":"4d6"},{"name":"Balrog's Blade","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 10ft., one target. Hit 26 (4d8 + 8) slashing damage plus 21 (6d6) fire damage.","attack_bonus":14,"damage_dice":"4d8"},{"name":"Flame Whip","desc":"+14 to hit, reach 40ft., one target. Hit: 19(3d6+8) slashing damage plus 14 (4d6) fire damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 20 Strength saving throw or be pulled up to 25 feet toward the balor.","attack_bonus":14,"damage_dice":"3d6"}],"speed_json":{"walk":50},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"lorecraft","name":"LoreCraft","url":"https://www.twitch.tv/lorecraft","avatar":"lorecraft.png"}}],"contentHtml":"\"You cannot pass!\"
\nThe grey wizard (who would later become the white wizard) screamed defiance. Standing over a bottomless chasm on a narrow bridge, he held his arms wide and placed himself between his retreating allies and a \"Demon of Might\". Darkness shrouded the man-shaped giant. Its eyes were burning coals, its nostrils breathed sulfurous flames, and a mane of fire tumbled down its muscular back. The very presence of the demon bent the world around it. The ancient mountain floor quaked beneath its feet.
\nThe giant lashed out with its many-thronged whip of fire but still the wizard held his ground. None had ever faced the Balrog and lived. And so it went for the wizard. He made the ultimate sacrifice and, in doing so, saved the lives of his companions.
\nThe epic battle between Gandalf the Grey and the Balrog is an echo of an older conflict between Surtr, the lord of Muspelheim, and Freyr, a god of the sun and rain. Both battles begin with the blast of a horn – the horns of Boromir and Heimdall respectively. Gandalf's battle takes place on the bridge of Khazad-dûm while Freyr's takes place on the Bifrost which was the rainbow bridge connecting Asgard to Middle-Earth. Both battles end with the bridge collapsing and the combatants falling into an abyss. In the end, Gandalf dies but is born again. In the older tale, the flames of Surtr's sword engulf the earth. A new world is born from the ashes, setting the stage for the surviving gods to meet again.
\nIt is usually assumed that the Balrogs who inhabit Middle-Earth were born in the fires of its original dark enemy Morgoth. But when we hear the tale of Gandalf, and learn of the intimidating power of the Balrogs, we must consider the possibility that they are direct descendents of the ancient fire giants who destroyed the world at Ragnarök.
"},{"name":"Basilisk","description":"Legendary king of serpents.","appearance":"A basilisk has the head of rooster leading into a large body covered in feathers or scales. From its side rises two thorny wings, protruding from its disgusting yellow plumage. It has four or eight legs, and a long serpent's tail. It wears a crown upon its head to symbolize its royal standing.","behaviours":[{"label":"Destructive Gaze","description":"The basilisk's gaze kills wildlife, creates deserts, and destroys all who meet it."}],"aliases":["Little King"],"origin":["Greek"],"habitats":["River","Plains","Hills","Forest","Jungle"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Pathfinder bestiary, 2nd edition","author":"Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, and Mark Seifter","url":"https://paizo.com/products/btq01zp4?Pathfinder-Bestiary"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"The Grand Medieval Bestiary","author":"Christian Heck and Remy Cordonnier","url":"https://www.abbeville.com/books/the-grand-medieval-bestiary-by-remy-cordonnier-and-christian-heck-756-b"},{"title":"The Bible, Book of Psalms","author":null,"url":"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms"},{"title":"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets","author":"J.K. Rowling","url":"https://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/uk/harry-potter-and-the-chamber-of-secrets-paperback-9781408855669/"}],"published":true,"slug":"basilisk","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"![\"Basilisk](\"/images/creatures/basilisk/basilisk.png\")
Illustration by @danaxbraga
The Basilisk (which means \"little king\" when translated from Greek) is declared \"king\" for a reason. It is one of our most ancient and inevitable representations of evil. Its foulness and power cannot be understated. The Bible, in Psalms 90:13, names it as one of four figures of evil a hero must be prepared to confront: \"Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample underfoot the lion and the dragon\". (nb. Other translations of this section of the Bible mention the dragon, another legendary king of serpents) One of the most famous, modern hero myths has the protagonist confront a Basilisk in a \"Chamber of Secrets\" underneath his school. The awesome power of the Basilisk is demonstrated by the fact that its fang is the only thing that can destroy an artifact of great power which facilitates the will of the antagonist (in fact, it is a lich's phylactery), bringing them one step closer to their ultimate confrontation.
\nThe origins of the Basilisk are contested by scholars. The commonly held belief in the Middle Ages was that a Basilisk was born from the egg of a chicken which was brooded upon by a snake or a toad. In those days, the realms of animals were well defined, and combining two realms that were polar opposites (the realms of birds and serpents) would produce an abomination of extraordinary power. This theory is supported by the most common illustrations of the beast. A basilisk has the head of rooster leading into a large body covered in feathers or scales. From its side rises two thorny wings, protruding from its disgusting yellow plumage. It has four or eight legs, and a long serpent's tail. It wears a crown upon its head to symbolize its royal standing.
\nBut there are older legends. The Roman poet Marcus Annaeus Lucanus describes the origins of the Basilisk in the ninth book of his epic poem Pharsalia. Here is the translation by Robert Graves:
\n\n\n“Medusa is said to have lived in the far west of Africa, at the point where the Ocean laps against the hot earth, in a wide, untilled, treeless region which she had turned entirely to stone merely by gazing around her. The story is that, when her head was cut off, serpents were bred from the fallen blood and came hissing out to display their forked tongues….Perseus had planned to take the quickest route across Europe, but Athene forbade this; asking him to consider the damage he would do if he passed over cities and cultivated lands. On seeing such a large object flying aloft, everyone would look up, and be turned to stone; the corn would also be ruined. So he wheeled about and with the West Wind behind him sailed across Libya, because that was an untilled region, viewed only by the Sun and the stars….Thus, though the Libyan soil was sterile and the fields unproductive, they drank the poisonous blood, dripping from the Medusa’a head, which become more poisonous still by contact with the loose burning earth. The first snake to spring from the ground after this rain of Gorgon’s blood was the deadly asp with its puffed neck; and since the blood happened to be particularly abundant at this point, and mixed with clotted venom, it proved to be the most deadly of all the Libyan varieties….
\nAmong other snakes [is] the Basilisk, which scares away all lesser snakes by its terrifying hiss, and reigns alone over the empty desert–for it can kill without biting.”
\n
Regular readers of Novus Bestiary will be familiar with Medusa and so you will know that the key feature of a gorgon is its terrible gaze. Like the Gorgon, the thing that remains constant throughout every account of the Basilisk is the power of its gaze. It is so powerful, it is hard to describe with words alone. The Basilisk does not merely live in a desert: it makes the desert. Its gaze kills all wildlife in its vicinity. Pliny states that it can even shatter rock and singe the grass. Its poison rots fruits and plants. When it drinks from a river, that river becomes corrupt for hundreds of years. A very stupid adventurer may locate a basilisk easily by searching for the absolute natural destitution surrounding it.
\nYou won't find many basilisks, should you be foolish enough to seek one. Like dragons, most of them disappeared long ago. Some sources claim that a basilisk's blood can transmute stone into other materials, or cure petrification. For this reason, a few adventurers still seek them. If your quest requires it, then there are a few defenses you might employ. Remember first the story of Medusa: the most effective weapon against a Basilisk is its own gaze. Equip yourself with a sturdy mirror, preferably with an inscription of a rooster on the backside. Medieval adventurers used to carry live roosters with them into unknown areas, believing that the rooster's crow would kill a basilisk. I suspect that particular method follows from the medieval accounts of the beast's lineage, and I would not advise you rely on that alone. There is more credence to the medieval idea that basilisk's fear the weasal. Though they cannot kill them, weasals are the natural enemy of the Basilisk and so they are useful for rooting them out.
\nThis poem from Quevedo perfectly illustrates the foolishness of an adventurer who seeks the Basilisk:
\nIf alive he is, who one time saw thee,\\\nThe story he tells of thee is lies,\\\nFor if he died not, he never saw thee,\\\nAnd if see thee he truly did, he died.
"},{"name":"Bean-nighe","description":"Washerwoman who foreshadows death","appearance":"An old washerwoman who always appears by a river or stream. The details of her appearance vary, and she may even remind you of your mother.","behaviours":[{"label":"Herald of death","description":"The appearance of a bean-nighe signals the immanent death of whoever's clothes she is washing."},{"label":"Cursed mother","description":"A bean-nighe is born when a woman dies in childbirth. She must perform her task until she reaches the day she would have died if she had survived childbirth. She longs to become the nurturing mother."},{"label":"True sight","description":"As a faerie, a bean-nighe can see the truth across time. If you nurse at her long breast, she will grant you the true answer to a single question. In this way you can also forestall your own death."}],"statBlocks":[],"playTips":["A bean-nighe would make a good puzzle encounter. You might have players try to solve the mystery of the washerwoman and figure out how to stop the death of someone important to them.","A bean-nighe would make a good plot device. You could use her to foreshadow the death of someone important."],"hooks":["Aubrey O'Hara claims she met a strange old woman by the river. The woman seemed to spook her badly. A few days later she died in a farming accident.","An NPC the party knows claims to have knowledge of the future. When they investigate, they discover it is true!"],"challenge":"Get one of your players to nurse at the breast of a bean-nighe.","aliases":["washerwoman","laundress"],"origin":["Celtic"],"habitats":["River"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bean-nighe"},{"title":"An Encyclopedia of Fairies","author":"Katharine Briggs","url":"https://openlibrary.org/books/OL4883501M/An_Encyclopedia_of_Fairies"},{"title":"Villains Wiki","author":null,"url":"https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Bean_Nighe"},{"title":"Oxford Reference","author":null,"url":"https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095453569"}],"published":true,"slug":"bean-nighe","stats":[{"handle":"bean-nighe-darren","author_handle":"delenia","name":"Bean-nighe","size":"Large","type":"fey","subtype":"","alignment":"chaotic evil","armor_class":15,"hit_points":190,"hit_dice":"20d10 + 80","speed":"40 ft., climb 30ft., swim 40ft.","strength":21,"dexterity":16,"constitution":19,"intelligence":17,"wisdom":22,"charisma":13,"intelligence_save":9,"charisma_save":7,"wisdom_save":10,"athletics":11,"perception":12,"damage_resistances":"Necrotic, Poison","senses":"Passive Perception 22, Truesight 60ft.","challenge_rating":"23","languages":[],"special_abilities":[{"name":"Echo of Unlife","desc":"Any creature starting its turn within 60 feet of the Bean-nighe has their maximum hit points reduced by 10. ","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Grave Haunting","desc":"Any creature who suffers damage due to Bean-nighe’s Deathly Wail must make a DC 20 Wisdom saving throw the next time they sleep. On a failed save, the creature gains no benefit from the long rest. The use of Remove Curse or Greater Restoration can end this effect.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Legendary Resistances (3/day)","desc":"If the Bean-nighe fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed it instead.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The Bean-nighe can use it’s Deathly Wail then make three attacks, one with its gaze, and two with its claws.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Claw","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 29 (6d6 + 5) slashing damage.","attack_bonus":11,"damage_dice":"6d6 + 5"},{"name":"Gaze","desc":"Ranged Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, range 30 ft., one target. Hit: 32 (6d8 + 5) necrotic damage. If this damage reduces a creature to 0 hit points, they are instantly killed.","attack_bonus":12,"damage_dice":"6d8 + 5"},{"name":"Deathly Wail","desc":"The Bean-nighe emits a horrifying wail that echoes 120 feet in every direction. Any creature in this area must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or suffer 33 (6d8) necrotic damage, half as much on a successful saving throw. A creature that fails this saving throw by 10 or more has their hit points reduced to 0.","attack_bonus":0}],"legendary_desc":"The Bean-nighe can take 3 Legendary Actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Spent legendary Actions are regained at the start of each turn.","legendary_actions":[{"name":"Claw","desc":"The Bean-nighe makes one Claw Attack.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Devour Soul (Costs 2 Actions)","desc":"The Bean-nighe touches the body of an unconscious creature and devours its soul, instantly killing the creature.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Vanish","desc":"The Bean-nighe disappears into the Ethereal Plane until the start of its next turn or until it uses another Legendary Action.","attack_bonus":0}],"speed_json":{"walk":40,"climb":30,"swim":40},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"delenia","name":"Darren Kenny","url":"https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Darren%20Kenny","avatar":"delenia.jpg"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"It had been a long day with an angry sun. Stinging, salted drops had run down into the fisherman’s eyes, and his favourite blue shirt was nearly stained from sweat, but it had all been worth it. He had caught quite a few fish - more than usual for this time of year. They were strung up over his shoulder as he walked along the river, heading for home. With each step, the fish bumped against the fisherman’s back, and he carried his pole on his other shoulder, whistling a tune as he walked. The river turned and so did he, and an old woman came into view, washing clothes at the side of the water. The fisherman lifted his hand in a wave and smiled, but she took no notice of him. Finally, he could see what she was washing, and his blood ran cold. A blue shirt that he knew well. It was his favorite. It was the shirt he was wearing right then.
\nThe fisherman looked down, half expecting his shirt to have vanished, but there it was on his body sweat stains and all. And there it was too, ten feet away now, the old woman’s gnarled hands beating it against a rock. He could not entirely make out her face as she crouched over her task, but something about her seemed familiar. Folded next to her, already washed, were the gray trousers the fisherman wore. Unnerved, the man hurried on, glancing over his shoulder more than once as he did so, eager to put the crone and his phantom clothing behind him. Looking behind him, he did not notice the loose dirt ahead. He slipped and fell, landing in the shallow water at the river’s edge, and cracked his head on a rock just below the surface. His lifeblood flowed away downstream, mixing with the dirt and sweat of his favourite blue shirt.
\nA bean-nighe is a spirit that heralds the death of the living. Always found near a stream, river, or pool, the spirit washes the blood from the clothing of those near death or the clothing the nearly departed will be wearing when buried. It always takes the form of an old woman, though the details of her appearance change. Some say the woman is almost bald, nothing more than white wisps clinging to her scalp. Others have said her hair is full and dark. She has been described with every shape of nose. Half of those who have seen a bean-nighe and lived to tell the tale swear she was whistling, or singing some strange tune. For others, the spirit is silent. Some claim to have seen nothing in her mouth but one yellowed tooth. One survivor says the creature had webbed feet the color of blood.
\nIt is said that the bean-nighe is not just one creature, but many, the cursed spirits of women who died giving birth. This could explain the fact that not every eye witness agrees on the general appearance of the spirit. I propose that, in such close encounters with death, people are seeing a version of their own mother - a refraction of the sacred imagery experienced at the moment of birth.
\nMany believe that, once you’ve seen a bean-nighe, it’s already too late. Your number is up, so to speak, and there is nothing you can do about it. But I am not so certain.
\nI came across one man on the Isle of Mull who claims to have encountered a bean-nighe in his youth. She was kneeling by a still pond and washing his clothes, when the boy noticed her strange breasts. They were so long that she had to repeatedly toss them back over her shoulders to keep them from getting in her way. He snuck up on the spirit, grabbed her breast, and began nursing! He claims that the bean-nighe mistook him for the baby she had lost in life in her last moments and so she spared him.
\nIt is also said that a bean-nighe may not herald the death of the actual witness. I once met a quiet woman on the island of Iona. Something in her past had left her looking older than was natural. The villagers told me that she had encountered an evil spirit. I helped her with her chores for two weeks, performing much tedious manual labour, before she finally opened up. She spoke of a time in her youth when she spied an old woman washing a mound of clothing by the river. Later that evening, people in her village began getting sick. Within a week, most had succumbed to the disease.
\nA bean-nighe is bound to her dark duty. It is a slave. Though you should certainly fear it, it is as much a victim as much as those it washes clothes for. They take no pleasure in their work. They must perform their prophetic task until they reach the day they would have died had they not experienced sudden death in childbirth.
\nThough their tragic birth story enslaves them, it begets a powerful gift. As faeries who live beyond the mortal plane, they are granted true sight. Many such faeries do not share this gift but the bean-nighes trauma grounds them in our world. They crave nothing more than to become the nurturing mother they should have been. Should you have the boldness to nurse at the breast of a bean-nighe, she will reward you with the true answer to one question.
\nI wait anxiously for the day that a true hero asks them a selfless question: Dear mother, how do I set you free?
"},{"name":"Beldam","description":"Shapeshifting soul thief","appearance":"In their true form, beldams are hideous old women with demonic features. As shapeshifters, the often present themselves as beautiful women to attract their prey.","behaviours":[{"label":"Shapeshifter","description":"Beldams can transform themselves into different shapes. They often take the form of beautiful women to attract children - their preferred prey."},{"label":"Soul thief","description":"Beldams capture souls by taking possession of their victims eyes. They feed on the soul energy and use it to craft illusory worlds and slave contructs that do their bidding."},{"label":"Spider queen","description":"A Beldam's hunting behaviour is similar to spider. They craft elaborate worlds that appeal to their victims and then lure them in. They are not able to freely walk in any realm, and so they draw their victims to them."},{"label":"Witch of the woods","description":"It is said that Beldams were once spirits of the forest entrusted with guarding it. They share many similarities with other witches of the woods like Baba Yaga. They have great power in their own domain, but they can be tempted to play games and strike binding bargains with mortals."}],"statBlocks":[{"title":"Beekaydubya blog","url":"http://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/11/beldam-other-mother-from-coraline.html"}],"playTips":["Careful readers will notice that Beldams seem to have some knowledge of the future. It is plausible that a Beldam could lay an elaborate trap for your adventures and ensure it is placed in their path.","Beldams share similarities with Baba Yaga the 'witch of the woods'. They will have great power in their own domain but are susceptible to games and bargains.","If you want to have a combat encounter with a Beldam, you could look for stat blocks for illusory witches and spider queens for inspiration."],"hooks":["A small village is filled with sorrow. Over the past months several of the children have gone missing. Observant players notice that the parents all seemed busy with other tasks at the times their children disappeared","There is a strange house said to appear in the heart of the woods. Most who have seen it have never been able to enter. A few claim to have entered it but they all have a different account of what it looked like inside. Observant players will notice that the interior seems to match the preferences of the NPCs who describe them.","The party is content. They have been resting for days in a luxurious inn that caters to their every need. One night, a disheveled man wearing a feline brooch bursts through their bedroom door. He claims that the inn is an illusion, and that the party is in grave danger."],"challenge":"Think of one of your player character's personal belongings or friends. Imagine how you could recreate them with subtle differences that make them more appealing, yet off-putting.","aliases":["Muma Pădurii","Other Mother"],"origin":["Romanian","English"],"habitats":["Forest"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Coraline","author":"Neil Gaiman","url":"https://www.neilgaiman.com/works/Books/Coraline/"},{"title":"Coraline Wiki - Other Mother","author":null,"url":"https://coraline.fandom.com/wiki/The_Beldam_(Other_Mother)"},{"title":"The Book of Symbols","author":null,"url":"https://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/art/all/06703/facts.the_book_of_symbols_reflections_on_archetypal_images.htm"}],"published":true,"slug":"beldam","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"\n\nA woman stood in the kitchen with her back to Coraline. She looked a little like Coraline's mother. Only …
\n \n
\n Only her skin was white as paper.
\n Only she was taller and thinner.
\n Only her fingers were too long, and they never stopped moving, and her dark red fingernails were curved and sharp.
\n \"Coraline?\" the woman said. \"Is that you?\"
\n And then she turned around. Her eyes were big black buttons.
\n \"Lunchtime, Coraline,\" said the woman.
\n \"Who are you?\" asked Coraline.
\n \"I'm your other mother,\" said the woman.
Long ago, the gods granted the Beldam dominion over the forest. This forest spirit had the form of a hideous old woman. She lived inside a dreadful little house, hidden away from mortal eyes. In the early time, she had almost no interaction with us. Few wanderers stepped into her domain. She would watch them with pursed lips and a hungry gleam in her eye. The forest would twist according to her wishes and confound the travellers. She would lead them right back the way they came. She would only watch.
\nAs the human population expanded, it wasn't long before the Beldam decided that the world would not miss a few of them. Those who wandered into her domain began to disappear in violent acts of opportunity. And so her hunger grew.
\nCivilization progressed. The human population exploded. And then, sometime in the mid 1800s, the Beldam changed. Her hunger grew and grew and she could no longer be satisfied by meat alone. She increased the ambition of her illusions, transforming herself into a beautiful young woman so that she would appeal to mortal men and children. She warped her little house into something bigger, placing it closer and closer to the hearts of human settlements. She crafted cunning illusions and wove them all about herself as a spider weaves an intricate web. The effort drained her, sharpening her hunger. From then on, human flesh would not sustain her.
\nShe began to capture human souls to feed herself.
\nIn the Neil Gaiman story Coraline, a young girl finds a mysterious door that leads her to an alternate reality. Everything beyond the door mirrors the world she came from but appears better. The colours, the flavours, the sounds - everything seems more vivid, as if it was created to please her. It is there that she meets the \"other mother\" - a woman who looks just like her mother but much kinder and more beautiful. As the story progresses, Coraline begins to see through the cracks in the illusion and comes to the horrifying realization that the \"other mother\" intends to steal her soul.
\nAs the contest between them escalates, we learn much about the powers of a well established Beldam. First and foremost is her ability to shapeshift. When we first meet her she is an almost perfect replica of Coraline's mother, only more beautiful (the name Beldam comes from \"belle-dam\" which is french for \"beautiful woman\"). The only unsettling feature are her eyes. Her eyes are black buttons.
\nIn her true form, she appears as a tall, pale, spider-like monster with a horrible grin and long claws fashioned from sewing needles. Some speculate that the needle-hands are a necessity. Her body is decaying because it has been too long since she last trapped a child's soul, so she is forced to fashion it from other parts. I think it's possible she fashioned these hands intentionally as better tools for crafting her fake reality and her doll spies.
\nThe Beldam also has the power to create life. She fashions many dolls who appear as doppelgängers of people Coraline is familiar with. These dolls sometimes disobey the Beldam and side with Coraline, which indicates that a spark of human soul is likely involved in their creation. Her lesser dolls travel to the real world and act as her spies. It reminds me of voodoo magic.
\nSurrounding the Beldam is the other world that she has crafted to captivate her intended victim. She shows almost complete mastery over the constructed world. It is like an elaborate spider's web rendered in bright colours rather than hung invisible. Her control seems to extend even as far as the weather.
\nYou will notice that when Coraline first arrives, the \"other mother\" offers delicious food - food that she does not touch herself. Be warned: ingesting the food of a faerie realm is extremely dangerous. It may dull your senses, increase the power of the illusion, or in the worst cases, trap you forever in the other realm. One of my favourite expressions of this danger is shown in Guillermo del Toro's film Pan's Labryinth when Ofelia encounters the Pale Man at his banquet table.
\nThe power of the human soul is no small thing. A Beldam captures human souls by taking possession of her victim's eyes when they are freely given.
\nOur eyes have contained our human soul since the scales fell from them in the garden of eden. They are the window between our divine essence and the earthly realm. \"The eye illuminates, understands, expresses, protects, scorches and stares.\" (Book of Symbols, Taschen)
\nWhen Coraline first encounters the Beldam and sees that her eyes are replaced with black buttons she does not perceive the danger, but the hair rises on the back of our necks. When we encounter a demon so close to human form but with eyes devoid of any human spark, our soul trembles.
"},{"name":"Celestial Stag","description":"Pestilence that beckons from beneath the mountain.","appearance":"No one knows the true appearance of the celestial stag. It lives in complete darkness and, when brought forth into daylight, becomes a foul liquid.","behaviours":[{"label":"Miner's Bane","description":"Celestial stags live in underground mines. Their only desire is to be released into the open air above. To this end, they molest miners and call to them with false voices. Experienced miners know how to deal with them and can trap them within the earth's clay."},{"label":"Noxious liquid","description":"When a celestial stag is exposed to the open air, they take the form of a foul-smelling liquid. They can sometimes float through the air as a gas. This gaseous substance spreads nothing but pestilence and death."},{"label":"Markers on gravestones","description":"For thousands of years, the celestial stag has been carved on gravestones together with another mythical animal. The details of this practice remain a mystery. I suspect it is a gesture towards the gods of the earth."}],"statBlocks":[],"playTips":["The celestial stag is a perfect fit for any underground dungeon crawl. It's voice could lure players to treasure or to their doom - whichever you decide.","You could design an encounter with a celestial stag in its liquid or gaseous form, but I recommend thinking of them as an environmental feature or trap."],"hooks":["Local miners have been hearing strange voices under the mountain. Recently one of them has contracted a deadly illness.","An eccentric scholar has been studying strange markings on the gravestones in an ancient cemetery. Many stones are marked with a strange sign they cannot decipher.","A prominent druid has come to the city to beg that they put a halt to their mining operation. They warn that the gods of the earth have become angry, and that a pestilence will soon rise from the ground."],"challenge":"The myths of the celestial stag are sparse and incomplete. Take some time to flesh out the lost details using your own world as inspiration.","aliases":["Mine-Devil"],"origin":["Chinese"],"habitats":["mountains","dungeon","underworld","subterranea"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Chinese Ghouls and Goblins","author":"Gerald Willoughby-Meade","url":"https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Chinese_Ghouls_and_Goblins/-X_fAAAAMAAJ"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"}],"published":true,"slug":"celestial-stag","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"In the hazardous darkness of the mines, dwell many strange creatures. One such is the celestial stag. They live deep under the earth and desire nothing more than to come out into the light of day. They use their human voices to plead with miners for release. A common trick is to tempt them with false promises of valuable ore. When the miners refuse them, their speech becomes offensive. Some say that their sharp words may even cut flesh when roused enough.
\nThe true form of the celestial stag is not known. Underground they dwell in utter darkness. When released into the world above, they immediately transform into a noxious liquid that spreads pestilence. The release of a mature celestial stag can spell doom for an entire village: their deathly liquid may further evaporate, becoming a gaseous cloud of disease.
\nIn his book \"Chinese Ghouls and Goblins\", Gerald Willoughby-Meade chronicles this strange creature (and many others). I will leave you with his accounting of the creature, its history, and the many remaining mysteries surrounding it.
\n\n"},{"name":"Cheshire Cat","description":"Mischievous vanishing feline with a famous grin.","aliases":["Chess","Catbus"],"origin":["English"],"habitats":["Plains","Hills","Forest","City"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Cheshire Cat's Grin","author":"David Day","url":"https://thewalrus.ca/the-cheshire-cats-grin/"},{"title":"My Neighbour Totoro","author":"Hayao Miyazaki","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Neighbor_Totoro"},{"title":"A Cat","author":"Leonard Michaels","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/348270/a-cat-by-leonard-michaels-and-sigrid-nunez/9781947793071"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire_Cat"},{"title":"Alice's Adventures in Wonderland","author":"Lewis Carroll","url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/files/11/11-h/11-h.htm"}],"published":true,"slug":"cheshire-cat","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"An unaccountable tale is told in the Tzů Pub Yü of the Celestial stag, which lives in underground mines, and guides the workmen to the veins of gold and silver. If these creatures are hauled up into the day light, they change into an offensively-smelling liquid, which deals pestilence and death around. If the miners refuse to haul them up (apparently they can speak, and are anxious to get out), the stags' molest the miners, and have to be overpowered, immured in the mine, and firmly embedded in clay. Where the stags' outnumber the miners, they sometimes torment the men and cause their death.
\nThe Chinese writer of this legend classifies these monsters with corpse-demons, or ghouls that feed on the dead; and it may be that the word used for 'stag' in modern Chinese is merely an imitation of a local or foreign name for the mine-devils.
\nOn the other hand, a 'celestial stag' is sometimes carved on gravestones (a practice which had been in existence over 2000 years), together with another mythical animal, of which very few details are available.
\nMining has never been seriously undertaken in China at any great depth,for fear of angering earth spirits; otherwise a few more stories might have been available, to throw light upon the subject. In Cornwall and in Germany, mines are associated with uncanny happenings of various kinds, possibly because of the dark, dangerous work and the utterly un accountable noises heard below ground at times.
\n
\n\nAs with a work of art, you never completely understand a cat.\n This is true of other things, too, but their mystery is seldom haunting, and we feel no desire to possess them.\n People have rushed into a burning house, risking their lives, to save a painting or a cat.
\n- Leonard Michaels
\n
Any self-respecting zoologist must be, first and foremost, an observer. In my quest to record the nature and appearance of strange creatures around the world, I have encountered many mysteries. But few have been so compelling as the riddles posed by the Cheshire Cat. What are its origins? How can you have a grin without a cat? This cat is a mystery but how exactly? What is it about it that causes one's mind to dwell on it? Observation becomes nearly impossible when the behaviour of an animal is so unpredictable.
\nA Cheshire Cat confounds you at every turn. It will tell you many things, in whatever language you understand. Some of its advice will be helpful. The rest will be misdirection, or perhaps subtle digs to insult you for its own amusement. These cats can make themselves invisible at will. They sometimes partially disappear, making themselves a pattern of the landscape. Their exact size seems to shift, one moment the size of a housecat, the next the size of a small car, and upwards from there. Enough of this and you begin to wonder if you are seeing them everywhere. Is that bush smiling at me? Does a soft breeze rustle the leaves of trees or does the cat follow me? I've asked the constellations: have you always had that smirk or are you, again, the cat?
\n\n\nA cat doesn't look at itself when you hold it up to a mirror. It acts as if nothing appeared in the glass.\n That's because a cat believes it is invisible. A cat has to believe this, because, when stalking, it has to be invisible in the eyes of its prey.\n To be a cat you must be invisible and very real at the same time. Worshippers believe this of God.
\n- Leonard Michaels
\n
The Cheshire Cat's name comes from the region it has most often appeared in. Cheshire, a county in North West England, is reknowned for its production of cream and dairy products. Cheshire Cats are drawn to classic English pubs. There are unconfirmed reports that the cat can take the form of a human and enjoy a pint right under our noses, grinning all the while. One answer to the riddle: how can you have a grin without a cat?
\nThere is a story about a Cheshire Cat who takes the form of a many-legged bus in the old forests of Japan. In the story, the cat transports a young girl who is desperately seeking her lost sister. I can not confirm if the story is true, but the presence of disappearing cats in Japan is certain. In all likelihood, Cheshire Cats exist anywhere on earth they might find comfort and amusement. It is simply left to us to observe them. Whether or not we succeed concerns them little.
\nThe Cheshire Cat's most famous feature is its grin. There are many references to it in literature, as early as 1788.
\nThe grin, the disappearing act, the impenetrable mystique of this damned cat. It carries on and on, even into our modern scientific stories. In geometry, a catenary is a curve made by a chain suspended between two points, such as one might find in a suspension bridge. A perfect, geometric grin. \"The Cheshire Cat effect\" is a condition which causes stationary objects seen in one eye to disappear from view when an object in motion crosses in front of the other. \"The Cheshire Cat\" is a phenomenon in quantum mechanics in which a particle and its property behave as if they were separated. When a sound disappears but leaves a trace behind, it is called \"cheshirization\" in linguistics. A merger of galaxy groups in the constellation Ursa Major is nicknamed \"Cheshire Cat galaxly group\" by astronomers.
\nWherever our eye wanders, the cat follows. Wherever our mind wanders, it resurfaces.
"},{"name":"Chimera","image":"creatures/chimera/chimera-og.jpg","description":"The impossible monster.","appearance":"The ancient chimera had the head of a lion, she-goat, and serpent, with the wings of a dragon erupting from it's back. More modern descriptions can include any monster that is un-natural melding together of multiple beasts, usually predators.","behaviours":[{"label":"Unnatural combination","description":"A chimera is a combination of multiple, fearsome beasts. This results in a monster that is difficult to behold and understand. People who claim to have seen one will often be dismissed as having wild imaginations."},{"label":"Fearsome predator","description":"Lion, serpent, and mother. Chimera is a powerful hunter that devours any who trepass. Though the combinations may change, they will always incorporate claws, teeth, stingers, and fire - the things that humans fear."},{"label":"Hatred for flying beasts","description":"The original chimera was defeated by a hero riding a top a winged horse. Since then they have had an innate hatred for creatures of the air. As earth-bound beasts, they have a weakness for attacks from above."}],"aliases":["Chimaera"],"origin":["Greek"],"habitats":["Mountains","Hills","Plains"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry on pop culture","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimera_in_popular_culture"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"Mythology","author":"Edith Hamilton","url":"https://www.blackdogandleventhal.com/titles/edith-hamilton/mythology/9780316438520/"}],"published":true,"slug":"chimera","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"\n\n\"She was a most singular portent, a lion in front, a serpent behind, a goat in between…
\nA fearful creature, great and swift of foot and strong,
\n
\n Whose breath was flame unquenchable.\"– Edith Hamilton, Mythology
\n
This excerpt, describing the classical chimera, tells us much. First and foremost, a chimera is something singular. A defining characteristic of any chimera is its unlikely existence. It is a creature that, once encountered, is impossible to forget, and yet, impossible to describe.
\nThe first description ever recorded was by Homer. He described it as a creature with a lion's head, a she-goat's body, and a serpent as a tail. Later descriptions by Hesiod and recent zoologists claim it is three-headed, still representing the lion, goat, and serpent. Sometimes the serpent's aspect includes the wings of a dragon. The idea that it is three-headed may have basis in another claim that the chimera was the offspring of the legendary monsters Typhon and Echidna. Those two birthed the well-known hellhound Cerberus. All agree that the original chimera was female.
\nFinally, we note that a chimera is something to be feared. It is equipped with the strengths of multiple great predators. In addition, it has the fire-breath of dragons, described as \"flame unquenchable\". Some say you can travel to modern day Yanartaş in Turkey to witness the eternal fires from below the earth that gave birth to the chimera. That region was once called Lycia, and was home to a volcano which had snakes infesting the base, goats grazing on the hillside, and lion's dens at the fiery summit. It was there that the original chimera sprang forth.
\nThere is a famous story of a hero named Bellerophon. Using a magic, golden bridle given to him by the gods, he was able to tame the legendary horse Pegasus. Pegasus was equipped with wings, and could fly as fast as the wind. The horse eventually went on to live amongst the gods and serve Zeus directly, but that is a story for another day.
\nAfter angering a king (as many heroes do), Bellerophon was asked to slay the ancient Chimera. In this way the king hoped to kill him indirectly, since he was bound by Hospitium not to murder him outright.
\nMounted upon Pegasus, Bellerophon soared through the air and was able to easily mitigate the Chimera's attacks, shooting it with arrows from the sky. In this way, he slayed the beast. This is the reason you will often find ancient depictions of chimeras paired with depictions of the winged-horse Pegasus.
\nIn the centuries that have passed since Bellerophon defeated the original chimera, this creature has evolved to become something even more dangerous. We must now think of it more as an adjective; a chimerical thing. A modern chimera is an impossible monster. It is any combination of things that go against the natural order, of multiple animals and predatory aspects smashed together. A \"chimera\" may even be defined as a figment of the imagination, given how difficult it is to hold in the mind's eye.
\nFor examples look to the virus named \"chimera\" created by Biocyte Pharmaceuticals, the monstrosities encountered by the Fullmetal Alchemist, and the beasts at the Tower of Latria or the depths of Blackwing.
\nThough the modern chimera is ever-evolving, it will always remain an impossible predator.
"},{"name":"Church Grim","description":"Guardian spirit of the church.","appearance":"The guardian of the church often appears as a terrifying version of a black dog, but it may also appear as a cat, ox, or cockerel.","aliases":["Grim","Kyrkogrim"],"origin":["English","Norse"],"habitats":["Crypt","Underworld"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Vaesen","author":"Johan Egerkrans","url":"http://wahlstroms.se/bocker/184521-vaesen"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_grim"},{"title":"The Graveyard Book","author":"Neil Gaiman","url":"https://www.neilgaiman.com/works/Books/The+Graveyard+Book/"}],"published":true,"slug":"church-grim","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"Moonlight seeped through the foggy night sky, barely lighting the path ahead. \"Ow much farther we got ta go?\" asked the man with the broad face. A dull silver earring pierced one of his ears, making some sort of ill-conceived fashion statement. \"Hush now, Reginald. We're almost there. Be patient!\" The man leading was taller and thinner than his impatient companion. He was also a good deal smarter – at least he thought so. Once they made away with the church coffer he would see to it that he got more than his fair share. A 100% cut in fact. The tall man grinned slightly to himself as he thought about the all the generous donations he would soon reallocate. \"See now, there it is.\" He gestured up the hill.
\nLooking ahead the men could see the church now. It was hard to make out details in the fog, but the outline of it was clear. \"Alright now remember what we discussed Reginald. I'll take position near the pastor's room to watch for any disturbance. You go in through the kitchen, grab the stash, then come straight back out. Do you remember where it is?\" Reginald turned to him with a flat look on his face. His mouth hung open for a second while they passed through the fence into the churchyard. The leader pursed his lips, about to make some choice remarks when suddenly: \"Ya Ya Ya. I know where't is. Under the pulpi'. At's roight, under the floor there. Ya've only told me 6 hun'red times ya 'ave.\" Good, good. The lout did remember. And he obviously wasn't expecting him to be waiting with a special bonus outside the kitchen. A sharp bonus.
\nThey were well into the yard now, close to the church. Just as they were about to split up to carry out the robbery, Reginald froze. He was looking up at something. \"Reginald!\" whispered the leader sharply. \"What in the nine hells are you doing? Get going!\" Reginald just pointed. Looking up, the leader saw a large, black cat staring at them. It was perched peculiarly on the point of the roof, just above the main door. It's eyes were bright yellow orbs, unnaturally large, with pitch black vertical slits in the middle. As he stared into those eyes all the light around the cat seemed to grow dimmer. It was as if the moon was waning and the only light came from those eyes.
\nShaking is head abruptly, the leader regained his senses. \"Reginald, you oaf! That's just the pastor's cat! Get moving.\" He wasn't really whispering anymore. The two of them started to continue and then froze after a few steps. The cat was on the ground now, squarely between them and their goal.\nThey had never seen it move from the roof. It was if it had teleported. They started to back up slowly without even realizing they were moving. The cat matched their speed, slowly advancing. With each step it seemed to grow larger. \"It's just.. a cat. A stupid.. c.. cat. Reg..\"
\nScreams echoed through the night, waking the pastor. He lit his bedside lantern and stepped into his slippers. Outside, the night air was cool and calm. The fog was lifting, but it still hugged the earth around the church. The pastor revered the silence. He strolled across the churchyard in the direction he had heard the screams. As he was passing the main entrance, he stopped, seeing something glinting in the grass. Bending town he picked up the shining object between his fingers and held it up to the sky. A silver earring. The paster slipped it into his pocket and bent back down to get another look at the ground. He noticed footprints. Two pairs of them, depressions in the grass, that had been heading towards the church. They vanished where he had found the tooth. In that same spot were some other marks. Deep ruts in the earth, as if the grass had been torn up by claws. Large claws.
\nThe pastor stood back up and smiled to himself. \"Thank you old friend\" he said to the night. He turned around and walked back to his room. He slept soundly until morning.
\nA church grim is a spirit that guards a churchyard against threats both physical and spiritual. Grave robbers, thieves, and body snatchers are scared off the moment they enter the area protected by the grim. In some cases, the grim will be even more aggressive, adding to the number of souls bound forever to their church's patch of earth. Physical threats are not the only things a church grim can protect against. A church grim also has the power to turn away vengeful or mischievous spirits.
\nTo create a church grim, a sacrifice must be made. When a new churchyard is opened, an animal is sacrificed in the name of the lord and buried under the ground on the north side. Some cultures bury the animal alive in the church wall. In either case, the animal's spirit becomes bound to that church for eternity and rises again as a grim. It is very commonly a dog because dogs are known for their ferocious guardian spirit. But other animals such as cats, ox, or cockerel can be used. The church grim appears as a terrifying, larger version of the creature that was sacrificed. It possesses the ability to change its size and defy typical limitations of the physical plane. It's claws rend evil flesh and spirit alike.
\nSome believe that the first human to be buried at a new church will be bound to protect the church from evil for all eternity. The practice of sacrificing an animal to create a grim may have been a method for preventing human souls from being trapped into such service. I often wonder what sort of being a human grim would be? There was once a young orphan who was confined to grow up in a graveyard after his parents were murdered by sinister forces. A dark and silent man named Silas became his guardian. He oversaw all the denizens of that graveyard. Though Silas demonstrated the characteristics of a vampire, it has crossed my mind that his guardianship does bear some resemblance to the grim.
"},{"name":"Clicker","description":"Infected humans that hunt you by clicking.","aliases":["Infected"],"origin":["American"],"habitats":["City","Subterranea"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Last of Us","author":"Naughty Dog","url":"https://www.thelastofus.playstation.com/"},{"title":"The Last of Us fandom wiki","author":null,"url":"https://thelastofus.fandom.com/wiki/The_Last_of_Us_Wiki"},{"title":"Planet Earth video clip","author":"BBC","url":"https://youtu.be/XuKjBIBBAL8"}],"published":true,"slug":"clicker","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"The office building was slanted sideways, as if it had been frozen in the middle of falling over. The three of them could see lighting flash through the holes in its concrete frame. They climbed over rubble in the streets and entered it through a broken window. It was a huge risk, but they had to reach the capitol building as soon as possible and this was the fastest way they could get through the downtown area. Inside, plants grew across walls and doors and water from the storm flowed through cracks in the ceiling. It was pitch black so they turned on their flashlights. That's when they saw the first body. A soldier had been ripped to shreds. What was left of him lay against the wall in the hallway. The blood was still fresh. They quickened their pace. They didn't want to spend a moment longer than necessary in this terrible building.
\nAt the top of a staircase the man found a door blocked by another corpse, though it was hard to recognize it as human. The body sat upright completely covered in some sort of fungus. He could see graceful tendrils climbing up and out of its legs, torso, and arms. Its head was completely split open, the face hidden behind thick layers of mushrooms and old blood. He could barely see the person's mouth underneath the dank skull, the lips pulled back, frozen in a painful grimace. The fungus climbed up and out of the skull and coated the door and walls beside it. \"Goddammit. Clicker.\" he said.
\nThe man peeled the corpse away from the door and went through. The two women followed and they progressed through a series of offices that slanted towards the ground 100 feet below. One of the women, the one in her teens, started to feel sick from the extreme angles and the memory of the fungal corpse. Water from the storm flowed past them on the ground and out the holes gaping in the side of the building. They felt as if the building had tipped even further since they entered it. Finally, they found a door heading back into the hallway but it was stuck. The adults both put their shoulders to it and managed to heave it open, the obstruction screeching along the floor as they did. The woman shouted and the man looked up just as the monster lunged on top of him knocking him to the ground. It was all he could do to prevent it from biting his face off. His vision was filled with the gruesome sight of a divided skull covered in fungus. All he could hear were the screeches and rapid clicking sounds coming from the monster's throat. It was much stronger than any human, and his strength was failing fast. At the last moment, the woman desperately kicked it off of him and put 2 bullets in its head. It stopped moving, but they knew the gunshots would attract more undead. They had to keep moving.
\nThere is a BBC documentary that shows a clip of an ant infected by the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus. The fungus controls its mind, causing erratic behaviour and compelling it to spread spores. The ant is utterly destroyed in the process. These invasive species of fungi are easy to find in the insect world. We normally don't need to worry about them spreading in humans. But the horrifying truth is that there is a rare variant of the Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus that has mutated to infect human beings. Its common name is the Cordyceps infection (although Cordyceps is technically a genus of fungi). The footage of the ant gives you a basic idea of its effects. The fungus infects the human brain, slowly taking over the mind of its host and compelling it to attack other people so that it may spread. Eventually, it bursts forth from the host's body so that its spores may spread and infect others.
\nThere are four distinct stages as the infection progresses in a human. Each stage seems less and less human and is more of a threat to others as the fungus forms a sort of protective armor and reinforces the muscle fibers granting super strength. The stages of infected are known colloquially as Runner, Stalker, Clicker, and Bloater or Shambler. The initial phases still seem to retain some of their humanity. You will notice expressions of concern and even terror on their faces, suggesting they may have some awareness of what they are doing even though they can't stop themselves. They move between fits of rage and calm and you can often hear them moaning as if in pain.
\nAfter about a year of infection, the infected becomes a Clicker. This is an advanced stage of infection. At this stage, there are almost no remaining traces of humanity. The fungus has burst forth from their skull, splitting it in two. It covers their eyes completely so that they lose their sense of sight. All that remains of the human face is a mouth filled with rotted and jagged teeth. They use a primitive sort of echolocation to navigate their environment. The incessant clicking sound they make gives them their name. There are some drawings and photos of these zombie-like monsters but I caution you: Do not look at them unless you have a hard stomach.
\nClickers develop a more advanced predatory intelligence. If they hear a sound in their surrounding area, they will continue to search methodically for prey. They are much stronger than a normal human, and are protected by layers of thick fungus. They still feel pain but have a much higher tolerance than an uninfected human. If you encounter one, you must remember that normal attacks may not stop them immediately. You should prefer high-powered, hard-hitting attacks if you need to confront one. They are very susceptible to fire, given the flammable mycellium that has spread throughout their bodies. Your best bet is to use stealth and steer clear of them entirely. Even if you manage to survive a direct encounter, a single scratch or bite will infect you, and you will feel your own humanity painfully slip away as the fungus spreads throughout your body.
"},{"name":"Clíodhna, Queen of Banshees","description":"Queen of Banshees","appearance":"Clíodhna has long dark hair and skin like pale marble. She is the epitome of feminine beauty.","behaviours":[{"label":"Goddess of love and beauty","description":"Clíodhna possesses dominion over love and beauty. Her power to charm men rivals even the sirens."},{"label":"Wail of the banshee","description":"Her wailing can be heard throughout Ireland. She even causes powerful waves to crash against the shore."},{"label":"Ambivalent goddess","description":"Her motivations are difficult to discern for mortals. She may suck the life out of you, or cure all your ills with her magical birds."},{"label":"Without a partner","description":"She became the Queen of Banshees when a god of the sea tore her away from her lover. In another tale she tried to steal the love of her sister. Clíodhna seems cursed to never find a true partner."}],"statBlocks":[{"title":"Novus Bestiary","url":"/cliodhna/stats"}],"playTips":["Clíodhna should remain mysterious and hard to find. Players may hear many poems and stories about her, but she will be very difficult to actually find.","Clíodhna is like a diety. Her motivations are hard to understand for mortals. She could be a great friend or great enemy.","You can lean on the tropes of sirens and mermaids if you want to play a simplified version of her."],"hooks":["The sea has been unusually restless. Those who pay attention notice that the 9th wave is always strongest and sounds like a woman wailing.","A local man reknowned for his good looks has gone missing. Some say he spoke of a place called Carrig-Cleena before he went missing.","A politician came out of obscurity and rapidly gained influence over the region. Some people are getting worried about how quickly he is gaining trust and influence. They say he has a tongue of pure silver."],"challenge":"Develop a plot focused on a love triangle that somehow includes Clíodhna.","aliases":["Clídna","Clionadh","Clíodna","Clíona","Cleena"],"origin":["Celtic","Irish"],"habitats":["Ocean","Coast","Islands"],"legendary":true,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cl%C3%ADodhna"},{"title":"Ireland Information","author":null,"url":"https://www.ireland-information.com/irish-mythology/cliodhna-irish-legend.html"},{"title":"The Faerie Index","author":null,"url":"https://faeriepedia.tumblr.com/post/138945242091/cl%C3%ADodhna-cl%C3%ADodhna-is-queen-of-the-banshees-of-the/amp"},{"title":"O'Keefe Clan","author":null,"url":"http://okeeffeclans.com/cliodhna.html"},{"title":"Smite (video game)","author":null,"url":"https://www.smitegame.com/play-for-free/"}],"published":true,"slug":"cliodhna","stats":[{"handle":"cliodhna-darren","author_handle":"delenia","name":"Clíodhna","size":"Medium","type":"undead","subtype":"","alignment":"chaotic neutral","armor_class":17,"hit_points":150,"hit_dice":"15d10 + 60","speed":"40 ft., climb 30ft., swim 40ft.","strength":17,"dexterity":18,"constitution":18,"intelligence":14,"wisdom":17,"charisma":23,"constitution_save":10,"charisma_save":12,"wisdom_save":9,"deception":12,"persuasion":12,"stealth":10,"damage_resistances":"Acid, Fire, Lightning, Thunder","senses":"Passive Perception 13, Darkvision 60ft.","challenge_rating":"23","languages":[],"special_abilities":[{"name":"Detect Life","desc":"Clíodhna can magically sense the presence of creatures up to 5 miles away that aren’t undead or constructs. She knows the general direction they’re in but not their exact locations.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Incorporeal Movement","desc":"Clíodhna can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. She takes 5 (1d10) force damage if she ends her turn inside an object.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Perfect Beauty","desc":"If an attack is made against Clíodhna by a creature that can see her, that creature must make a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the attack is redirected to a creature of Clíodhna’s choosing. If no creature is in range, the attack is lost.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Legendary Resistances (3/day)","desc":"If Clíodhna fails a saving throw, she can choose to succeed it instead.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"Clíodhna can use it’s Wail and Horrifying Visage, then make two Corrupting Touch attacks.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Corrupting Touch","desc":"Melee Spell Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 24 (6d6 + 6) necrotic damage.","attack_bonus":12,"damage_dice":"6d6 + 6"},{"name":"Horrifying Visage","desc":"Each non-undead creature within 60 feet of Clíodhna that can see her must succeed on a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw or be frightened for 1 minute. A frightened target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, with disadvantage if Clíodhna is within line of sight, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a target’s saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the target is immune to Clíodhna’s Horrifying Visage for the next 24 hours.","attack_bonus":12,"damage_dice":"6d8 + 5"},{"name":"Wail (1/Day)","desc":"Clíodhna releases a mournful wail, provided that she isn’t in sunlight. This wail has no effect on constructs and undead. All other creatures within 30 feet of her that can hear her must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature drops to 0 hit points. On a success, a creature takes 26 (8d6) psychic damage.","attack_bonus":0,"damage_dice":"8d6"}],"legendary_desc":"Clíodhna can take 3 Legendary Actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Spent legendary Actions are regained at the start of each turn.","legendary_actions":[{"name":"Touch","desc":"Clíodhna makes one Corrupting Touch attack.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Enthrall (Costs 2 Actions)","desc":"Clíodhna can cast a 6th level Dominate Person (DC 16) spell.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Wail of Retribution (Costs 2 Actions)","desc":"Clíodhna immediately regains the use of her Wail attack.","attack_bonus":0}],"speed_json":{"walk":40,"climb":30,"swim":40},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"delenia","name":"Darren Kenny","url":"https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Darren%20Kenny","avatar":"delenia.jpg"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"\n\nTheir years, their gentle deeds, their flags are furled!\\\n And deeply down, under the stiffened world,\\\n In oaken chests are kings and princes thrust,\\\n To crumble, day by day, into the dust\\\n A mouth might puff at! Nor is left a trace\\\n Of those who did of grace all that was grace
\nO Wave of Cliona, cease thy bellowing!\\\n And let mine ears forget a while to ring\\\n At thy long, lamentable, misery!\\\n The great are dead indeed! The great are dead!\\\n And I, in little time, will stoop my head\\\n And put it under, and will be forgot\\\n With them, and be with them, and, thus, be not!
\nExcerpt from The Wave of Cliona
\n
Clíodhna is the Queen of Banshees, descended from the Tuatha Dé Danann. She dwells in her palace off the shore of Mallow, a pile of rocks known as Carrig-Cleena. Once a goddess of love and beauty, she willingly left the otherworldly plane of Tir Tairngire to be with her mortal lover Ciabhán. But one fateful day, when Ciabhán went to hunt, the sea god Manannán MacLir brought forth a great wave which swept her away.
\nSince that day, her wailing can be heard throughout Ireland. The tide in Glandore in Cork is now known as Tonn Chlíodhna which means Clíodhna's Wave. Legend has it that every ninth wave in a sequence is the strongest, and must be sent by her – an ongoing reminder of her influence.
\nNot many have laid eyes upon the Queen of Banshees. Those who have claim, without fail, that she possesses unearthly beauty. Her hair is long and dark, her skin as white as marble. She embodies the perfect feminine form, ensuring her ability to attract men like a siren.
\nEven after the tragedy that tore her away from her mortal lover, Clíodhna (sometimes referred to as Cleena) retains much of the power she was born into as a diety in the Otherworld. She once turned a rival into a white cat, and so possesses the powers of transmutation. She keeps three colourful birds as pets. The birds have eaten the fruit of a magical tree and now their birdsongs can cure all ills. Her domain was love and beauty and she still has great influence over them both.
\nThe Blarney Stone is famous throughout the world. It is said to give those who kiss it the ability to charm anyone. It is said that Clíodhna was the first to instruct Cormac MacCarthy (who built Blarney Castle) to kiss the stone so that he might win a lawsuit. After kissing the stone he was so eloquent and persuasive that he won the suit handily.
\nIn this story we see an example of Clíodhna favouring a mortal man. Like many goddesses her stance toward us is unpredictable. She would just as soon charm you as suck the life from you, depending on her whim. The motivations of dieties are always hard for mortals to understand.
\nArtists and poets over the centuries have written extensively about Clíodhna.
\nSome say she had a sister named Aobhill, who has also inspired many tales. They were the daughters of a man named the Red Druid, who was a prince. While Clíodhna had strange powers from birth, her sister did not, and it became a source of jealousy for Aobhill.
\nOne day, Clíodhna fell in love with a man who was also loved by her sister. It pained her to learn that the man had great affection for Aobhill. It is said Cleena used dark magic to pull the happiness right out of her sister. This love triangle, and Clíodhna's cruelty, is said to be the incident that propels Cleena from her mystical home and to our world, where she soon falls for a new man.
\nIn the end, she was not able to be with her mortal lover - the same way she was not able to be with her first love. Was the sea god's interference justified? Or is Clíodhna a victim, cursed with dominion over love and beauty even while continously deprived of her own true partner?
"},{"name":"Cyclops","image":"creatures/cyclops/cyclops-og.jpg","description":"One-eyed giants.","appearance":"Cyclopes are giants who mostly resemble humans but with one massive eye in the middle of their forehead. The lesser races usually stand between 8 and 12 feet tall, with some of the largest growing as tall as 25 feet. Ancient races of Cyclopes were more god-like and could change their size, making themselves colossal when necessary.","behaviours":[{"label":"Legendary craftsmen","description":"The old races of Cyclopes could craft perfect works with stone, iron, and bronze. The god-like Cyclopes forged legendary magic artifacts fit for the gods of Olympus. They were the assistants of the smith-god Hephaestus."},{"label":"Shepherds without civil order","description":"The more monstrous races of Cyclopes tended flocks of sheep. They had no social hierarchies, no knowledge of agriculture, and no centers of culture."},{"label":"Man-eaters","description":"Isolated Cyclopes who have lost their connection to their honorable smithing heritage devolve into savages with a taste for human flesh."}],"aliases":["Brontes (Thunder)","Steropes (Lightning)","Arges (Bright)","Polyphemus"],"origin":["Greek"],"habitats":["Hills","Mountains","Plains","Sky"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclopes"},{"title":"Breath of the Wild","author":null,"url":"https://www.zelda.com/breath-of-the-wild/"},{"title":"Odysseus and the Cyclops","author":"Prof. Michael O'Rourke","url":"https://www.mwpai.org/assets/Education/MA-Resources-9-15-2016/Myth-Odysseus-and-the-Cyclops.pdf"}],"published":true,"slug":"cyclops","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"![\"Marble](\"/images/creatures/cyclops/Hephaestus_and_Cyclopes_forging_the_shield_of_Achilles.jpg\")
\n\n\"Strength and force and contrivances were in their works.\"
\n– Hesiod
\n
Many have told the tale of the hero Odysseus's encounter with the brutish cyclops Polyphemus. In the tale, Odysseus comes to a land of lawless, man-eating savages without craft or agriculture. There he and his crew become trapped by Polyphemus, the most monstrous of the one-eyed giants. They manage to escape by fooling and blinding the monster, but not before Polyphemus murders and devours several of Odysseus's men.
\nThat famous story has lead many to think of the Cyclopes as a one-dimensional race of monsters. When you think of a cyclops, you think of Polyphemus. The truth is that the race of the Cyclopes has a much more sophisticated tradition. Yes they are one-eyed giants. But they are also legendary blacksmiths and builders; companions to the gods of Olympus and many heroes of old.
\nHesiod tells the origins of the Cyclopes. At the beginning of time, the Sky god Uranus and the Earth goddess Gaia gave birth to the Titans and the Cyclopes. These original three Cyclopes were equal to the Titans. Their names were Brontes (Thunder), Steropes (Lightning), and Arges (Bright).
\nAt their birth, their father Uranus imprisoned them deep within the abyssal prison Tartarus. He would suffer no challenge to his power whatsoever. Eventually, the titan Cronus overthrew his father Uranus and became the new ruler of the cosmos. Repeating the pattern, Cronus devoured all his own children as they were born. All except for one: the god named Zeus.
\nZeus went on to free his siblings from the belly of Cronus. Those gods waged war against the Titans. Knowing the immense power of the enemy, Zeus wisely released the Cyclopes from their prison in Tartarus. Without their help, he would never have defeated the Titans and become the final ruler of the cosmos.
\nThese Cyclopes, the brothers Brontes, Steropes, and Arges, were craftsman without equal. While the war against the Titans raged on, they crafted the legendary Thunderbolt and gave it to Zeus. With the aid of this powerful weapon, Zeus prevailed.
\nThe Cyclopes went on to fashion many important magic artifacts for the gods. Any one of these items would be enough to arm an adventurer against any foe, even the gods themselves. Some of the most notable include:
\nSo perfect was their craft, that they went on to become the assistants of the smith god Hephaestus at his forge underneath Mount Etna. They were born before the smith god and may have even taught him some of his craft – though you must never mention that in his presence.
\nAt night, turn your eyes toward the stars. The constellation Ara (the Altar) resides in the third quadrant of the southern hemisphere. It was the Cyclopes who constructed that Altar upon which the gods of Olympus sword allegiance before going to war against the Titans. That moment is echoed today every time someone swears their allegiance upon an altar.
\nAt Minos, Tiryns, and Argos there are steadfast walls constructed of blocks of stone too large for mortal man to move. Ancient kings such as Proetus knew of the size, strength, and skill of the Cyclopes, and brought them to their kingdoms to construct what are now called \"the cyclopean walls\".
\nPliny the Elder tells us that these giants were the inventors of the masonry tower, and the very first to work with iron and bronze. Some others have attributed them with building other monuments, such as the stone head of Medusa at Argos.
\nThis type of cyclops is a direct descendant of the god-like race of Cyclopes who served the gods of Olympus. They are smaller in size, and live a more humble lifestyle trading their excellent masonry skills for food and board.
\nSo we return to the common depiction of the Cyclopes: a race of one-eyed giants who murder and devour any humans they can get their hands on. These cyclopes are uncivilized shepherds with no social order and no knowledge of agriculture. They are famously depicted by the giant Polyphemus who attacked the crew of Odysseus, and the lumbering Hinox who slumbers in the remote regions of Hyrule.
\nTheir first impulse will be to attack you and eat you. The story of Odysseus shows us that they can be communicated with. In that story Odysseus escapes by getting the cyclops drunk on wine and then stabbing out it's massive eye with a burning piece of timber. When the silent knight Link faces them, he again demonstrates that the single, massive eye is a weak point.
\nMy main question: Are these brutes the descendants of the legendary craftsmen who helped the gods of Olympus defeat the Titans? What could have lead to their isolation and degredation into lawless monsters? On the surface it appears they are a completely separate race. But the size, strength, and prominent single eye physically places them in the same family.
\nEven while Polyphemus smashes and eats the crew of Odysseus, and generally behaves as a true monster, he demonstrates a primitive intellgence by trapping them in the cave. Could it be that his is not a story of the wild beast encountering the hero, but a story of the pitiable orphan son of the once-noble Cyclopes?
"},{"name":"Dark Young","description":"Tree-like aberrations born from Shub-Niggurath","image":"creatures/dark-young/dark-young-og.jpg","aliases":[],"origin":["American"],"habitats":["Jungle","Forest","Swamp"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Notebook Found in a Deserted House","author":"Robert Bloch","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Notebook_Found_in_a_Deserted_House"},{"title":"Call of Cthulu, Horror Roleplaying, 6th Edition","author":"Sandy Petersen & Lynn Willis","url":"https://www.chaosium.com/call-of-cthulhu-rpg/"},{"title":"Lovecraft Fandom","author":null,"url":"https://lovecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Young_of_Shub-Niggurath"},{"title":"Pathfinder SRD","author":null,"url":"https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/aberrations/dark-young-of-shub-niggurath/"}],"published":true,"slug":"dark-young","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"\n\nThe mouths was like leaves and the whole thing was like a tree in the wind, a black tree with lots of branches trailing to the ground, and a whole lot of roots ending in hoofs. And that green slime dribbling out of the mouths and down the legs was like sap!…
\nIt came crawling up the hillside to the alter and the sacrifice, and it was the black thing of my dreams-that black ropy, slimy, jelly tree-thing out of the woods. It crawled up and it flowed up on its hoofs and mouths and snaky arms. And the men bowed and stood back and then it got to the alter where they was something squirmin on top, squirming and screaming.
\n– Willie Osborne, from \"Notebook Found In a Deserted House\"
\n
Those men from the notebook of Willie Osborne were cultists. In a futile attempt to achieve a reunion with the perverse Outer Goddess that they worship, they offer sacrifices to the tree-like aberrations they find in the heart of the woods. Very little is known about the goddess. She is an evil fertility diety. Her name is Shub-Niggurath. I dare not repeat it again. More is known about her foul progeny, her \"Thousand Young\", for it is these monstrosities which spew forth from her vile maw to walk the worlds we inhabit.
\nThey are commonly referred to as the Dark Young. Gruesome, writhing, tentacled monsters who live in swamps and temperate forests. They resemble trees standing twenty feet tall, though there are reports of larger ones. Thirty, even fifty feet. Large enough to trample houses.
\nThey walk upon black hooves. Covering their body and tangled tentacles are mouths that appear disturbingly human-like. The mouths are constantly chomping and salivating. Green slime oozes from them, covering the ground. You can notice their passage through an area easily. The air about them smells like a mass grave. Giant hoof-prints and green slime make a clear trail.
\nThough the Dark Young appear to be ungainly beasts they are intelligent. They have their own ambitions and work through proxies to achieve their goals, though their dark designs can be inscrutable to us. In some cases they are simply violent. They may desire human sacrifices to sate their dark hunger. They may desire the destruction of a village to secure their territory. Other cases are more obscure. A coordinated effort to mark every thirteenth tree with an alien sign. Routing a nonthreatening species of bird from a section of the forest. The building of a well where no water can be drawn. Their worshippers never question them. They obey.
\nWhen they attack, they may be brutish or subtle. Using their tremendous size and strength they may choose to simply trample you. They are capable of making themselves appear more like the trees of the place they inhabit. This allows them to use stealth when it suits them. In other cases, they can simply rely on their slaves to bring them ready offerings. Their preference is to wrap their victims with their tentacles and feed the always starving mouths. The strength is completely drained from the victim but they are left technically alive, a husk to be fed upon by some other passing beast. It is unimaginably cruel.
\nThe most disturbing cases are the survivors. Something about the green slime of the Dark Young infects the mind. Those who are partially fed upon but manage to escape are psychically broken. They appear schizophrenic. They start to obsess over the Dark Young, replaying the encounter over and over again in their minds. They crave a return to the place of the attack. They must go back and feel the fulfillment of a complete devouring. They want to be consumed. In other cases, this need manifests as worship. In this way, the survivor of a Dark Young attack becomes the most devout member of the cult.
"},{"name":"Doppelgänger","description":"The creature we all must face.","aliases":["Fetch","Double"],"origin":["German"],"habitats":["City"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Us","author":"Jordan Peele","url":"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6857112/"},{"title":"The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time","author":null,"url":"https://zelda.gamepedia.com/The_Legend_of_Zelda:_Ocarina_of_Time"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"The Double","author":"Fyodor Dostoevsky","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Double_(Dostoevsky_novel)"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doppelg%C3%A4nger"}],"published":true,"slug":"doppelganger","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"The silent hero approached the doorway standing between two damp, stone pillars.\nAs soon as he passed through, the door slammed shut behind him, steel bars blocking his return.\nHe looked around the vast, empty chamber.\nThe floor was covered with still water and he could barely make out a door at the far end.\nStanding in the midpoint between the two doors was a small island with a single, leafless tree.\nHe slowly headed towards the tree with fear rising in his stomach.\nA mysterious, hazy light filled the entire chamber so he could clearly see his own reflection on the surface of the water as he walked.\nHe passed the leafless tree, speeding up as he went.\nThe door was getting close.\nHe was almost there…\nSuddenly, he felt a chill rise up his spine.\nHe noticed he could no longer see his reflection standing beneath him.\nThe fear was biting now.\nThe light seemed dimmer, and he felt disoriented, as if he stood at the edge of a cliff.\nHe turned around and saw himself standing underneath the leafless tree.\nHe drew his sword and approached.\nThe doppelgänger stood and waited.
\n\"Doppelgänger\" is German for \"double walker\". It is a creature that looks exactly like you.\nIt can share your strengths or present a completely inverted personality, and it can even sometimes foreshadow your exact movements – as if playing the part of you in the future.\nThey are harbingers of bad luck. It is almost always an ill omen to meet your doppelgänger.\nIn Ireland they are called a \"fetch\" because they come to fetch men to their deaths.\nIn 1617, in Paris, the poet John Donne saw his wife's doppelgänger. Later that night, their daughter was stillborn.\nIn another story, a man's doppelgänger exploits his character failings in order to eventually take over his life.\nAnd in an even darker tale, an entire family meets their doppelgängers and are viciously attacked.
\nThe precise details on how these creatures are created is unclear, but we have some idea. A mirror, or still water, can provide a conduit. But for the creature to manifest physically in this world requires a tremendous amount of energy. That energy is drawn directly from your own soul. What is needed is a powerful, psychic fracture to occur so that that piece of you can be separated. A traumatic event or episode can cause this, but what is far more common, and far more dangerous, is a slow, insidious build up of tension over time as you consistently fail to face your own shadow. That tension can grow to the point where the psyche fractures. It is this willful ignorance of yourself, that will most likely manifest a doppelgänger.
\nIn spite of all the horrible tales surrounding the doppelgänger, there is one story which offers a curious solution. In the Talmud, there is a story of a man who went searching for God and found himself. For the Jewish people, meeting your doppelgänger meant that you had achieved the rank of prophet. So we might take the story of the creature's creation to the opposite extreme: what if we explored and understood ourselves instead of avoiding and ignoring? How far might that take us? Could some other type of creature be born? At worst, this is good advice for avoiding trouble. At best, this story means something much more. As Plato said: \"Know Thyself\".
"},{"name":"Draugr","image":"creatures/draugr/draugr-og.jpg","description":"Greedy undead who torment the living with their trollskap.","appearance":"Draugr appear as a decayed, stinking corpse wearing the armor they were buried in. Their eyes sometimes shine with a cold blue light.","behaviours":[{"label":"Price of greed","description":"Draugr were especially mean or greedy in life. In death they are even less pleasant to be around."},{"label":"Not your average zombie","description":"A Draugr maintains some intelligence. They often seek out a specific target, someone who they have a grudge against. They possess magic powers, and are much stronger than other brainless undead monsters. There have even been reports of villians selecting draugr as generals in their undead armies."},{"label":"Strength of the north","description":"These monsters appear in the areas that vikings roamed and display nordic trappings, though they represent the worst aspects of that honourable culture."}],"aliases":["Draug","Aptrganga","Again-Walker"],"origin":["Norse"],"habitats":["City","Crypt"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Skyrim","author":null,"url":"https://elderscrolls.bethesda.net/en/skyrim"},{"title":"The Grettis Saga","author":"William Morris and Eirikr Magnússon","url":"https://sagadb.org/grettis_saga.en"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draugr"}],"published":true,"slug":"draugr","stats":[{"handle":"draugr-lorecraft","author_handle":"lorecraft","name":"Draugr","size":"Medium","type":"undead","subtype":"","alignment":"neutral evil","armor_class":15,"hit_points":225,"hit_dice":"30d8 + 90","speed":"30 ft.","strength":18,"dexterity":15,"constitution":16,"intelligence":9,"wisdom":11,"charisma":13,"strength_save":7,"dexterity_save":5,"constitution_save":6,"acrobatics":5,"athletics":7,"history":2,"intimidation":4,"condition_immunities":"poisoned","senses":"darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 10","languages":"understands all languages it spoke in life but can't speak","challenge_rating":"6","special_abilities":[{"name":"Grow","desc":"Once per day, the Draugr can enlarge itself as if affected by the Enlarge/Reduce Spell."},{"name":"Stone Walk","desc":"The Draugr can move through solid earth or stone as if it was air and without destabilizing it, but they can’t end their movement there. If they do so, they are ejected to the nearest unoccupied space, and they are stunned until the end of your next turn."},{"name":"Undead Fortitude","desc":"If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead."}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The Draugr makes two attacks with its Greataxe.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Greataxe of the Crypt","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d12 +4) slashing damage plus 6 (1d10) Necrotic Damage.","attack_bonus":4,"damage_dice":"1d12"}],"speed_json":{"walk":30},"armor_desc":"chain shirt","author":{"handle":"lorecraft","name":"LoreCraft","url":"https://www.twitch.tv/lorecraft","avatar":"lorecraft.png"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"\n![\"Draugr](\"/images/creatures/draugr/draugr-art-print.jpg\")
- Draugr painted by Marcel Budde exclusively for Novus Bestiary.
This painting is now available as an exclusive art print. Purchase the print here to support Novus Bestiary
\nThere was once a prisoner who was destined to save the world from an ancient dragon using the power of his voice. At the moment before his execution, that very dragon appeared in the sky and brought ruin to the town. Amidst the chaos, the man escaped into the mountains. Seeking shelter from the bitter cold, he made his way up a mountain and into an ancient temple. Deeper he went, drawn by the call to adventure. The walls were shelved with rotten corpses covered in dust and still wearing their armor. The dead were wrathful and protective of their graves. To his horror, they rose and pursued him through the labyrinth with their ancient weapons. The man barely escaped with his life. These gruesome revenants were not mere zombies, slow witted and dull. They were Draugar - filled with hateful strength and magic.
\nA Draugr is an undead human who was especially mean or greedy during life. In other cases, a seemingly kind person may become a Draugr if something makes them restless during burial. They typically guard their graves but can escape them during the night to torment the living. They appear as a decayed, stinking corpse wearing the armor they were buried in. They maintain some semblance of intelligence and possess evil magic (called trollskap in Norwegian) they can use to grow in size and strength, or to travel through stone. A Draugr will not stupidly pursue any living flesh but may target specific people to torment and they will surely devour livestock. An especially powerful one may be immune to weapons and may drive people insane by the mere sight of them. It takes much more than just fire or a shot to the head to defeat one. When dealing with a Draugr, a true hero may be needed to wrestle it back to its grave.
\nIn the Grettis saga, the hero Grettir faces the risen shepherd Glam. Grettir battles an enlarged Glam and finally gets him on his back, but before Glam is beheaded he curses Grettir:
\n\n"},{"name":"Dullahan","description":"The headless herald of death.","aliases":["Headless Horseman","Far Dorocha","Crom Dubh"],"origin":["Irish"],"habitats":["City","Forest","Plains"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow","author":"Washington Irving","url":"https://www.ibiblio.org/ebooks/Irving/Sleepy/Irving_Sleepy.pdf"},{"title":"dullahan.com","author":null,"url":"https://dullahan.com"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dullahan"}],"published":true,"slug":"dullahan","stats":[{"handle":"monarch-dullahan","author_handle":"monarch-arts","name":"Dullahan","size":"Medium","type":"fey","subtype":"","alignment":"lawful evil","armor_class":16,"hit_points":171,"hit_dice":"18d12 + 54","speed":"30 ft.","strength":15,"dexterity":8,"constitution":16,"intelligence":12,"wisdom":12,"charisma":15,"constitution_save":6,"wisdom_save":4,"damage_resistances":"non-magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing","condition_immunities":"blinded, deafened, frightened","senses":"passive Perception 11","languages":"Common, Sylvan","challenge_rating":"8","special_abilities":[{"name":"Inhuman Form","desc":"When the Dullahan suffers a critical hit from a weapon attack, they may make the creature who performed the attack reroll it, taking the new result instead. This new result cannot be altered by this effect again.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Headless Creature","desc":"If the Dullahan ever suffers exactly 34 damage from a weapon attack, their head is destroyed. When the head is destroyed this way, the Dullahan loses the ability to see gaining disadvantage to their attacks and can no longer use their Marked for Death ability as they lose their ability to speak.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Fey Rider","desc":"The Dullahan has the advantages of the Mounted Combatant feat. Additionally, they ride a CR1/2 Warhorse. When the Dullahan is reduced to 0 hit points, its mount disappears.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The Dullahan can use its Marked For Death ability if its available, then it can also attack twice with its longsword.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Marked For Death","desc":"The Dullahan speaks the name of the next to die at this spot. When attacking the creature who's name was spoken, the Dullahan does an additional 3d10 necrotic damage on a successful hit. This ability can only mark one target at a time and a new target cannot be chosen until the first is reduced to 0 hit points.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Longsword","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 5 (1d8 + 2) slashing damage","attack_bonus":5,"damage_dice":"1d8 + 2"}],"speed_json":{"walk":30},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"monarch-arts","name":"Monarch Arts","url":"https://www.patreon.com/MonarchArts","avatar":"monarch.png"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"Hitherto hast thou earned fame by thy deeds, but henceforth will wrongs and man-slayings fall on thee, and the most part of thy doings will turn to thy woe and ill-hap; an outlaw shalt thou be made, and ever shall it be thy lot to dwell alone abroad; therefore this weird I lay on thee, ever in those days to see these eyes with thine eyes, and thou wilt find it hard to be alone and that shall drag thee unto death.
\n
W. J. Fitzpatrick, a storyteller from the Mourne Mountains in County Down, recounts:
\n\n\n“I seen the dullahan myself, stopping on the brow of the hill between Bryansford and Moneyscalp late one evening, just as the sun was setting. It was completely headless but it held up its own head in its hand and I heard it call out a name. I put my hand across my ears in case the name was my own, so I couldn't hear what it said. When I looked again, it was gone. But shortly afterwards, there was a bad car accident on that very hill and a young man was killed. It had been his name that the dullahan was calling.”
\n
A dullahan is not a ghost – it is much worse. A dark fairy that is the herald of death itself, the dullahan rides relentlessly through the night to draw the souls from people's bodies by speaking their name. It may ride a black steed with flames and sparks flying from the nostrils or a black carriage drawn by 6 such beasts. The carriage is composed of human skin and bones, with other funeral objects as ornamentation. Nothing can stop its advance. Locked gates and doors open, as if in anticipation, when a dullahan rides forth.
\nThis cursed rider carries its own head, with skin like moldy cheese, in its hands. A devilish smile which is too wide splits the face from ear to ear. It uses a human spine as a whip adding to the nightmarish vision and urgency of its advance. With supernatural sight, its severed head can be used to spot the house of the victim from any distance. Where the dullhan stops it utters a name and that name marks the person who will die in that very place.
\nCovering your ears won't really help you if you encounter a dullahan, though they have an irrational fear of gold which can protect you temporarily. Carrying a piece of gold with you may be a wise thing to do around midnight on feast days. Horrible things can happen to the bystander who witnesses a dullahan ride by. However, even gold is unlikely to save you if you become the dullahan's focus.
\nIn the secluded glen of Sleepy Hollow, there was much debate over the fate of the schoolmaster called Ichabod Crane. Many believed that the area was haunted by the ghost of a soldier whose head had been taken off by a cannonball, and that this ghost had spirited Ichabod away to the realm beyond our own. But when you consider the facts of the tale, it seems clear: Ichabod's time had come. A dullahan pursued him and called his name.
\n![\"Sleepy](\"/images/creatures/dullahan/sleepy-hollow.jpg\")
\n"},{"name":"Gnome","description":"Energetic tinkerers connected to the earth.","aliases":["Noldor","Gartenzwerge"],"origin":["German"],"habitats":["City","Forest","Hills","Mountains"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"An Encyclopedia of Tolkien","author":"David Day","url":"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/An-Encyclopedia-of-Tolkien/David-Day/Leather-bound-Classics/9781645170099"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"World of Warcraft","author":null,"url":"https://wow.gamepedia.com/Gnome"},{"title":"D&D Player's Handbook","author":null,"url":"https://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/rpg-products/rpg_playershandbook"}],"published":true,"slug":"gnome","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"“There was something in the moody and dogged silence of this pertinacious companion, that was mysterious and appalling. It was soon fearfully accounted for. On mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveller in relief against the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror-struck on perceiving that he was headless!—but his horror was still more increased, on observing that the head, which should have rested on his shoulders, was carried before him on the pommel of his saddle…”
\n
Her bright, brown eyes opened wider. She could smell the quality of the metal under her fingers. Sizing up her machine, which was completely overtaking the back half of her workshop, she quickly determined she would have just enough of the adamantine to complete the center chassis. She had been awake and working for 16 hours. Most would second guess themselves, but her estimates were never wrong. The big race was three weeks away and she needed to show everyone just what she was capable of. Not only would her creation handle the rolling hills and forest loop, it would break the record. The secret was in how she had positioned the treads - three on each corner and side with crosshatched rubber and metal wire. And the drill. Oh how it would gleam in the sun as it spinned, its ornate silver finish flashing on top of the bronze and copper whirls! It had come to her in a dream one night, the shape of the thing barging into place after months of preoccupation with the equations. Now was the final moment of her triumph but she had to stay focused. She brushed her wild brown hair out of her face, smiled wide like a human child would, and got back to work.
\nIn the mid-sixteenth century, an alchemist named Paracelsus described a creature measuring two span in height that could move through the solid earth just as humans could move through the air. From the latin word genomos, which means \"earth-dweller\", he derived a new name: Gnome. But gnomes are, in fact, much older than their name. And the name itself may contain other clues about them. Both Borges and Tolkien draw a connection to the word Gnosis which means \"knowledge\". Indeed, ancient gnomes knew the exact locations of hidden metals buried in the earth and could reveal them to us when properly incentivized. To this day, gnomes carry this innate knowledge, though modern gnomes are much more willing to share the information with humans. Tolkien, knowing their true power, sought to make the gnomes his second kindred of elves. In the end, he named that race Noldor instead. But in his invented, Elvish language (called Quenya) \"noldo\" means knowledge. In this way the reference to gnomes is hidden in plain sight.
\nYou can think of gnomes as elves of the earth and mountains. Like elves they live for a long time, from 350-500 years. They mature at the same rate as humans and so settle into adult life by the age of 40. They are closely related to dwarves, sharing an affinity for the mountains and earth. But where dwarves are emotionally guarded and dependent on their physical prowess, gnomes are affable and lean much more heavily on their mental abilities. They take great delight in life, and invention. Gnomes have big dreams and take big risks. Their insatiable curiousity, combined with their innate intelligence, has moved them far beyond their humble beginnings to become some of the most inventive and technologically superior creatures in existence.
\nIn the beginning, gnomes wore scraggly beards, brown tights and monastic cowls. The beards and earth tones remain today, but their style has progressed along with their technology and openness to civilization. A modern dwarf still wears a beard but in a myriad of fantastic arrangements. The earth tones remain in their clothing, but form the base layers. Over top, they wear elaborately embroidered cloaks of many colors. Their connection to the earth and unsurpassed craftsmanship is plain for all to see on the gems with which they adorn their clothes and hair.
\nI will close with this quote from a chronicle of the gnomes that inhabit the lands of Azeroth. In that far-off place, the gnomes built a techno-utopian city called Gnomeregan which fell to treachery and trogg invasion. Despite the scope of that tragedy, the gnomes carry on building and smiling widely:
\n\n"},{"name":"Golem","description":"Mindless automaton in service of magicians.","aliases":[],"origin":["Jewish"],"habitats":["City"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Fullmetal Alchemist","author":null,"url":"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421357/"},{"title":"Sepher Yetzirah","author":"W.W. Wescott","url":"https://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/yetzirah.htm"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"The Legend of Golem","author":null,"url":"http://www.prague.net/golem"}],"published":true,"slug":"golem","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"“The clever, spunky, and oftentimes eccentric gnomes present a unique paradox among the civilized races of Azeroth. Brilliant inventors with an irrepressibly cheerful disposition, this race has suffered treachery, displacement, and near-genocide. It is their remarkable optimism in the face of such calamity that symbolizes the truly unshakable spirit of the gnomes.”
\n
Once there were two brothers who, in their grief, resolved to break the greatest taboo of alchemy. After years of study and preparation, the brothers carefully assembled every component needed to make up a human body, and brought them together in front of an alchemist's circle. Their goal was to resurrect their dead mother. They knew this was wrong and that such a thing was simply never done, but they had to try. Near the beginning of the ritual, they glimpsed success. They could sense something beyond. Their mother's presence seemed to surround them and they almost remembered a warmth they hadn't known for years. But things turned horribly wrong. They had meddled with something no one ever should. The horrors they witnessed in the throes of that terrible alchemy are beyond description. They did not return their mother's soul to a body and they paid a terrible cost with their own. The eldest brother lost his leg and the younger brother… his body was taken altogether. It was only through raw talent and desperation that the eldest managed to offer a sacrifice to save his brother. In the final moments, he gave up his right arm and marked an inscription in a suit of armor, binding his brother's soul to the suit. He created a golem, or more than a golem, for those creatures of wizards don't usually contain any human intelligence. His brother would remain invincible provided the inscription stay intact. The two would go on to journey around the world, attempting to find a way to return their old bodies back to themselves.
\nA golem is a creature given life by a wizard to perform menial tasks on his behalf. Golems have no real intelligence and have great physical strength – the exact characteristics one would want in a magical slave. They are usually crafted in a rudimentary form out of the simplest possible ingredients at hand. The oldest golems on record were made out of clay and had a lumpy, ashen figure. However, there is no strict limitation on the materials used. Modern magic users may reach for sturdier or more intricate components for their golem's body. This may be desirable to suit a specialized task they have in mind, or simply because they appreciate beauty in their underlings.
\nTo make a golem, one must perform an elaborate ritual involving a number of rare folios and a strong command of the alphabets of the two hundred thirty-one gates. These ancient letters and numbers may be imagined as a the language of creation itself but in a form that a trained human mind can understand and manipulate. The inscription that animates the golem is placed on its forehead at the ritual's conclusion. The inscription reads \"EMET\" which means \"truth\". To destroy the creature, you simply remove the first character so that the inscription reads \"MET\" which means \"death\".
\nDo heed those final instructions. The most famous story of a golem is from the city of Prague. That story teaches us that a golem can be a faithful servant but that it has a dark side. A golem left unattended will grow in power and ultimately rampage. Any being that was made by the hand of a human rather than the hand of the gods must come to despair. It is as if they can feel something is wrong with them but they cannot understand what it is or why. We cannot stop those feelings of frustration. The best we can hope to do is clean up after ourselves.
"},{"name":"Gorgon","description":"The petrifying ancient monster.","aliases":["Medusa"],"origin":["Greek"],"habitats":["Mountains","Subterranea"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorgon"},{"title":"Princes of the Apocalypse D&D adventure","author":null,"url":"https://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/rpg-products/princes-apocalypse"},{"title":"Mythology","author":"Edith Hamilton","url":"https://www.blackdogandleventhal.com/titles/edith-hamilton/mythology/9780316438520/"}],"published":true,"slug":"gorgon","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"![\"Medusa\"](\"/images/creatures/gorgon/medusa.jpg\")
\n\n“And they are three, the Gorgons, each with wings\n And snaky hair, most horrible to mortals.\n Whom no man shall behold and draw again\n The breath of life.”
\n
Few monsters are as old, and as dreadful as the Gorgon. The name derives from the ancient Greek word gorgós, which means \"grim, dreadful\". The monsters are mentioned by Homer, author of the oldest known work of European literature, and by many others after himi (including Ovid and Apollodorus, to name a few). The tale of Perseus, who sought out the gorgons, sets out a perfect framework for a classic adventure story. The story illustrates the important role of magic and divine intervention in these types of quests, giving it the feel of a fairy tale. Presently, I will relate a brief version of the tale, and I recommend you watch for the patterns that seem familiar to you. There are horrors when facing gorgons, but there are also great rewards.
\nPerseus was born into captivity. A man named Dictys found him and his mother trapped in a chest that had been cast out to sea (how they got trapped is a tale for another time). Dictys was kind and raised the two as his own, but the island they lived on was ruled by his cruel brother, Polydectus, who came to covet Danaë. One day, Polydectus took Perseus aside and told him that his greatest desire was to possess the head of a gorgon. The gorgons were greatly feared. It was known that they were invincible creatures of malice and that they possessed the power to turn any who gazed upon them to stone. Polydectus planted this seed, with the intention of removing Perseus from the picture so that he could pursue his mother. He shortly announced that he was to be married, and invited Perseus to a celebration. It was customary that the king be offerred gifts for his wedding, but Perseus had no worldly possessions. Falling into the trap, and the bravado of youth, Perseus arrived and declared he would bring Polydectus the head of Medusa, who was one of the gorgons.
\nPerseus set out on a quest to find out the location of the gorgons, knowing despair until finally encountering the god Hermes. Hermes warned that he needed to be properly equipped to face the gorgons, and that the nymphs of the north possessed what he needed. But to find the nymphs, he had to consult the Gray Women who lived in a land of twilight. The Gray Women were withered and strange, with bodies like birds with human heads and wings hiding human hands underneath. There were three who shared between them a single eye, which they frequently passed back and forth. At this time, Perseus devised a plan to snatch the eye from the Gray Women in order to convince them to tell him where to find the nymphs. His divine allies now included Athena, as well as Hermes. Hermes gifted him with a magic sword which could penetrate the golden scales of a gorgon. Athena gifted him with a polished bronze shield, and told him to gaze upon the gorgons only through its reflective surface in order to protect himself from their power. With newfound allies, and items of magic, Perseus felt his confidence grow. He carried out his plan successfully and coerced the Gray Women, then got Hermes to help him find the land of nymphs. The nymphs proved welcoming, for they lived in constant revelry and feasting. They gifted Perseus with three more items of great magic: winged sandals upon which he could float through the air, a magic wallet that would always become the right size for whatever was placed within it, and a cap that would make its wearer invisible. With this arsenal of magic artifacts, Perseus felt ready to face the gorgons and was led to them by Hermes.
\nWhen he came upon them, the gorgons were all asleep. Hermes and Athena pointed out Medusa which was absolutely crucial - Medusa was the only gorgon of the three who was mortal. Perseus hovered above her on his magic sandals, being careful to only look through the reflection on his shield. He raised his magic sword and struck true - decapitating her and placing her head in the magic wallet. The sisters awoke and, seeing their sister murdered, went into a frenzy. Perseus frantically made his escape using the cap of invisibility. On his return home, he found that his adopted father Dictys and his mother Danaë were in hiding in a temple. They had had to flee the wrath of the king Polydectus who had tried to marry Danaë but been refused. Perseus learned that the king was holding a banquet with all of his favoured friends and saw an opportunity. He stormed the banquet and held the decapitated head of Medusa aloft before anyone could react, turning the cruel king and all of his friends to stone. Later, Medusa’s head was given to Athena, who bore it always upon the aegis, Zeus’s shield.
\nGorgons are terrifying and almost unbeatable, and yet Perseus still sought them out. There may be reasons beyond mere bravado to seek out a gorgon. Gorgon's are ancient, scaled monsters of tremendous power, much like the dragon. And, like the dragon, you will often find that they protect something of great value, perhaps the very thing you need most. In defeating Medusa, Perseus was able to become a true hero and to save his mother and adoptive father. In the story, Perseus also came across a vast wealth of magic items and allies while equipping himself for the final confrontation. There is another story of a male gorgon named Marlos Urnrayle who was the vain prophet of an evil Prince of Earth. That gorgon wielded an elemental war pick named Ironfang, which was infused with the power of elemental earth. A hero might leverage the knowledge of how Perseus defeated Medusa, or the knowledge of the gorgon's vanity, to claim that legendary weapon for themselves.
\nBut the true power of a gorgon seems to be a power of protection. \"In Ancient Greece a Gorgoneion (a stone head, engraving, or drawing of a Gorgon face, often with snakes protruding wildly and the tongue sticking out between her fangs) frequently was used as an apotropaic symbol and placed on doors, walls, floors, coins, shields, breastplates, and tombstones in the hopes of warding off evil.\". Apotropaic magic is a type of magic that turns away harm or evil. One is reminded of the image of Medusa at the center of Athena's aegis, and of the end of the story where Perseus ultimately used the power of the gorgon to protect his family from tyranny.
"},{"name":"Griffin","image":"creatures/griffin/griffin-og.jpg","description":"Majestic symbol of divine rulers","appearance":"The Griffin is a combination between a lion and an eagle, and is the size of an enormous lion. The back part of it's body is the lion's, while the head and front talons are eagles. On it's back are the majestic wings of the eagle with a 25 ft wingspan in adults.","aliases":["Griffon","Gryphon","Shirdal","Opinicus"],"origin":["Iranian","Egyptian","Levantian","Syrian","Turkish","Persian","Greek"],"habitats":["Hills","Mountains","Plains","Sky"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffin"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"The Grand Medieval Bestiary","author":"Christian Heck and Remy Cordonnier","url":"https://www.abbeville.com/books/the-grand-medieval-bestiary-by-remy-cordonnier-and-christian-heck-756-b"}],"published":true,"slug":"griffin","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"The Griffin has long been a symbol. It is a sun symbol; an emblem of courage, strength, and intellect; a sign associated with many well-known heroes, such as Godric Gryffindor, Apollo, and Alexander the Great.
\nThe iconography can be traced back to ancient Oriental culture. There exists an old deed of marriage between a western and eastern royal family that depicts a griffin attacking an antelope. The Griffin represents the day, the antelope night. Thus, the day triumphs over the night.
\nIn this form, the legend of the Griffin made its way into the West. There it adopted its royal associations. It is a hybrid of two monarchs: the lion, king of the earth, and the eagle, king of the air. Christ himself was known as the king of earth and sky, and so the Griffin was thought to be a holy symbol. \"Opinicus\" is the name for a Griffin when it is depicted on a coat of arms.
\nBut there were other, darker interpretations as well. Earlier scholars, such as Isidore, tell of the Griffin's taste for human flesh, and point to that foul appetite as a sign of the devil. The Griffin is combined out of multiple parts, like the Chimera. Combinations such as these were thought to be impure and evil.
\nI do not believe the Griffin is evil, but I do believe that it must be treated with respect.
\nWhat is strange about griffins is that we have such a long history of iconography surrounding them, yet there is very little text describing them.
\nThe earliest detailed, written description of a Griffin is found in chapter 85 the famous Travels by Sir John Mandeville:
\n\n\n“From this land [Turkey] go men to the land of Bacharia,\n where be full evil folk and full cruel. In that land be\n tress that bear wool, as though it were of sheep, whereof men\n make clothes and all things that may be made of wool.
\n[…]
\nIn that country be many griffins, more plenty than in any other country.\n Some men say that they have the body upward as an eagle and beneath as a lion; and truly they say sooth, that they be of that shape. But one griffin hath the body more great and is more strong than eight lions,\n of such lions as be on this half, and more great and stronger than an hundred eagles such as we have amongst us. For one griffin there will bear, flying to his nest, a great horse, if he may find him at that point,\n or two oxen yoked together as they go at the plough. For he hath his talons so long and so large and great upon his feet, as though they were horns of great oxen or of bugles or of kine, so that men make cups of them to drink of. And of their ribs and of the pens of their wings, men make bows, full strong, to shoot with arrows and quarrels.”
\n
From this description, two things stand out to me:
\nIsidore also tells us that griffins can be found in the hyperborean mountains and that they are attracted to gold and gemstones. Arthurian legend elaborates on this. In those stories the griffins love emeralds above all. They become the keepers of a legendary emerald that was dislodged from the crown of Lucifer when he fell. A hero eventually discovered the emerald and the Holy Grail was carved from it.
\nStephen Friar speaks of other magical properties. It is known that the Griffin's claw and feathers have the power of healing. It is not so potent as that of the Phoenix, but strong enough to restore a blind man's sight. In medieval Europe, the powerful nobles would drink from goblets fashioned from these materials, perhaps another reference back to the Grail.
\nDespite some of the stranger claims, and lack of clear historical text, the Griffin has cemented itself in our minds as the majestic ruler of the skies, and a steadfast ward against evil. Griffins adorn our most prestigious banners and royal armor. Griffins lifted the conqueror Alexander the Great into the skies, just as they bear the heroes of Azeroth.
\nWhen glorious battle calls, I dream of swiftly flying forwards mounted on a Griffin, our banner flashing behind us in the sun.
"},{"name":"Halcyon","description":"Emblem of courage in the face of adversity.","aliases":["Kingfisher","Alcyone"],"origin":["Greek"],"habitats":["River","Lake","Coast"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Stories of Old Greece","author":"Emma M. Firth","url":"http://www.talesbeyondbelief.com/myth-stories/halcyon-birds.htm"},{"title":"The Grand Medieval Bestiary","author":"Christian Heck and Remy Cordonnier","url":"https://www.abbeville.com/books/the-grand-medieval-bestiary-by-remy-cordonnier-and-christian-heck-756-b"}],"published":true,"slug":"halcyon","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"\n\n“The halcyon days are here. Let us be glad. There is nothing to fear.”
\n
There is a bird, loved by sailors, who warns of the coming storm and grants peace in times of great turbulence. These birds are granted a special grace so that, for 14 days in winter when the sea is most agitated, they can calm the elements completely. During the calm they create, the birds lay their eggs and raise them on the surface of the ocean itself. Their nest is so strong it cannot be destroyed by mortal man.
\nThis beloved bird is known as the Halycon. Lucian describes it:
\n\n\n“It is a bird the size of an ordinary sparrow whose plumage is blue and green with a bit of red; its beak is small, long, and greenish. It lives along the coast of Sicily. It lays just five eggs and builds its nest with the spines and bones of fish interwoven like threads of cloth; it is so solid that man cannot destroy it. The female lays her eggs in winter; she spends seven days building her nest and another seven days incubating her young. The time of her egg-laying is sacred; it usually occurs when Pleiades is low in the sky.”
\n
The origin of the Halcyon dates back to classical antiquity. You can see the evidence in the etymology of the word: Halycon derives from Alcyon (after the goddess Alcyone). Alcyon derives from Ales Oceana, meaning \"oceanic bird\". The tragic but inspiring story of the goddess Alcyone is summarized perfectly in The Grand Medieval Bestiary so I will repeat it here in full:
\n\n\n“The myth of Alcyone is recounted by, among others, Homer and Ovid. She was the daughter of Aeolus, god of the wind, and married Ceyx, son of the morning star. Their union was so blissful that it provoked the jealousy of Zeus and Hera, who transformed them into birds. […] the ship on which Ceyx was traveling to consult an oracle was wrecked by a storm raised by Zeus. When informed of her husband's death in a dream, Alcyone rushed to the beach, where she discovered her beloved's lifeless body. In despair, she threw herself into the sea, where she was transformed into a halcyon, whose plaintive cry communicates the sadness of her loss. Ultimately the gods magnanimously transformed Ceyx into a halcyon as well, and Aeolus resolved to calm the winds for fourteen days every winter solstice so that the lovers could procreate without fear.”
\n
The story highlights the cruelity and carelessness of the gods. It is so, so hard to come to terms with the fact that the things you love most can be taken from you by nature in an instant. When you think of the moment that innocent Alcyone discovers her dead husband, you share her grief even if you have never been married. But halcyons remain a symbol of courage in the face of such adversity. Alcyone's transformation brings hope. The strength of their marriage grants solace to others for the rest of time. This painful, beautiful moment of transformation deserves elaboration; I will conclude with this excerpt from Emma M. Firth:
\n\n"},{"name":"Hellhound","description":"Guardian dog of the underworld.","appearance":"A hellhound is a large dog with shadow-black fur and eyes that burn like embers. They stand at least as tall as a common mastiff. Some breeds are larger, closer to the size of a direwolf. The largest and most powerful have three heads and can grow to monstrous sizes.","behaviours":[{"label":"Relentless hunter","description":"A hellhound commanded to hunt by its master will pursue its prey to the ends of the earth. There is no escaping it. You must eventually face it."},{"label":"Comes in threes","description":"The number 3 is a noticeable motif. Many hellhounds have 3 heads. You may find other repetitions of 3 in the environment where they live."},{"label":"Guardian of the underworld","description":"Hellhounds are strongly connected to the underworld. It is the place they are born. They are its guardians and help prevent entry and escape."},{"label":"Faithful hound","description":"Hellhounds are a type of supernatural dog and share some key characteristics. They are eternally faithful to their master. They can sometimes be pacified with food or music."}],"aliases":["Cerberus","Barghest","Grim","Garmr","Black Dog","Cŵn Annwn","Carcharoth"],"origin":["Greek","English","Norse"],"habitats":["Hills","Plains","Mountains","Subterranea","Crypt","Underworld"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone","author":"J.K. Rowling","url":"https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Fluffy"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"An Encyclopedia of Tolkien","author":"David Day","url":"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/An-Encyclopedia-of-Tolkien/David-Day/Leather-bound-Classics/9781645170099"},{"title":"Mythology","author":"Edith Hamilton","url":"https://www.blackdogandleventhal.com/titles/edith-hamilton/mythology/9780316438520/"},{"title":"Ragnarok (Netflix series), S1:E4","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ragnarok_(TV_series)#Episodes"}],"published":true,"slug":"hellhound","stats":[{"handle":"hellhound-lorecraft","author_handle":"lorecraft","name":"Hellhound","size":"Medium","type":"fiend","subtype":"","alignment":"lawful evil","armor_class":17,"hit_points":97,"hit_dice":"15d8+30","speed":"50 ft.","strength":17,"dexterity":12,"constitution":14,"intelligence":6,"wisdom":13,"charisma":6,"perception":9,"damage_resistances":"psychic","damage_immunities":"fire","condition_immunities":"frightened, charmed","senses":"darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15","languages":"understands Infernal but can't speak it","challenge_rating":"10","special_abilities":[{"name":"Keen Hearing and Smell","desc":"The Hell Hound has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Pack Tactics","desc":"The Hell Hound has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the hound's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Three-Headed","desc":"The Hell Hound has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The Hell Hound makes three bite attacks, one with each head.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Bite","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage plus 7 (2d6) fire damage.","attack_bonus":7,"damage_dice":"2d8"},{"name":"Fire Breath (Recharge 5-6)","desc":"The three-headed Hell Hound exhales fire. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 63 (18d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.\n\n A single-headed Hell Hound exhales fire. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 21 (6d6) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Call the Pack","desc":"Only a Three-Headed Hell Hound can split from one being into three as an Action. The two copies are partly shrouded in smoke but are otherwise identical to the original. Each version acts like a One-Headed Hell Hound. All three share a single health pool. If one of the copies takes more than a third of the max HP of the Hellhound in a single attack, it is immediately banished and returns back to the original. The Hound can recall its copies as a bonus action."}],"speed_json":{"walk":50},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"lorecraft","name":"LoreCraft","url":"https://www.twitch.tv/lorecraft","avatar":"lorecraft.png"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"“She went to the seashore, to the spot where she had bidden him farewell. \"I shall see him no more,\" she cried, weeping bitterly. She gazed across the water; and far out, the dimpling, happy waves were bearing a gleaming object toward the shore. It came nearer and nearer, until Alcyone saw that it was the form of Ceyx, which the waves were bringing to her feet. She raised her arms and sprang toward it, no longer the beautiful Alcyone, but a graceful bird, uttering strange cries. She sought to lift him on her wings. Then two birds arose from the water, and flew away together. So Alcyone and Ceyx were united at last, and ever since then the halcyon birds have warned sailors of the coming storm. In the placid days of winter they brood on their floating nests, and skim the surface of the waves.”
\n“Then the sailors say, \"The halcyon days are here. Let us be glad. There is nothing to fear.”
\n
![\"Cerberus](\"/images/creatures/hellhound/cerberus.png\")
Illustration by @danaxbraga
\"I was right. He is a threat.\" The man rummaged through the boy's backpack with a scowl. He pulled out a knife and held it up. On the hilt was a rune, shaped like a \"W\". He stopped moving for a second. \"It's him. He's been after us all along.\" The man stood up and called to his dog: \"Trym!\" He knelt down and put his mouth right beside the beast's ear and began whispering in a language long forgotten. The dog's snout showed its age with a splash of gray hairs near the tip. He perked up, looking towards the sky at the sound of his master's voice. \"Find him.\" The dog's eyes started glowing and changing, turning a fiery copper colour. \"Become what you once were and do what you were meant to do.\" The dog's hackles were raised, tension mounted across its entire body. He was shaking and staring ahead with anticipation. \"Kill him.\" The man let go and the dog sprang forward, almost too fast for mortal eyes to track it. By now it had grown to almost double its original size. As it ran, the mountainside gave way under it's feet. Hard stone was rent like soft earth under its massive paws.
\nMeanwhile the boy was wandering further down the mountain, moving quickly. A vague sense of dread was coming over him. He did not know exactly why, but he knew he had to get away. He had confronted the man directly and confirmed his suspicions about him – that the man was not human and he had murdered the boy's best friend. That man was evil. Suddenly, the boy came upon a depression in the mountainside. He turned his head around, looking left and right, searching for the best path. A howl pierced the air just behind him. He was trapped – the dog was upon him. He saw the beast crest the ridge he had just descended from. It seemed to stand almost as tall as the boy did. Its ears were bent back and its lips were pulled, revealing supernaturally long fangs. Its eyes glowed red now, like burning embers. It lunged in an instant, knocking the boy flat on his back. The boy threw his arm into the dogs jaws at the last moment and felt the teeth clamp down, piercing bone. He screamed in terror and started to panic as he saw his death drew closer. The dogs teeth and burning eyes filled his vision. He closed his eyes, and turned into himself. He thought of his own death and felt sadness. Then he thought of his murdered friend and the sadness changed quickly to anger. It caught like wildfire, and the anger became rage as it swept through him. Rage at the circumstance. Rage at the injustice. The rage brought the memory flooding back – the memory of what he once was and what he was meant to do. He took the dogs jaws in his hand and opened his eyes. He screamed down the dog's throat as he felt his ancient strength return to him – a strength that could flatten the very mountain he lay upon. He ripped the dogs jaws wide apart, spilling blood everywhere. He left its corpse on top of a boulder, like a hunting trophy to mark his victory for all to see. He continued down the mountain, faster now, and free.
\nA hellhound is a supernatural dog with a connection to the world of the dead. They stand at least as tall as a large breed of dog like a mastiff, but there are many sightings of larger hellhounds that are closer to the size of a direwolf. The largest and most powerful hellhounds, who usually remain in the underworld, can grow even larger and may have multiple heads. The most ancient stories speak of hellhounds with many heads – in Thesiod's Theogony, the famous hellhound Cerberus has fifty. But most accounts of the underworld guardians claim the dogs have three, and three is known to be a significant number. Jorges writes the following:
\n\n\n“Virgil mentions the creature’s three gullets; Ovid, its triple bark; Butler compares the three crowns of the diadem worn by the Pope, who is heaven’s doorman, with the three heads of the dog who stands at the gates of Hell.”
\n
And Rowling also describes such a beast, with the number three a repetitive focus of the passage:
\n\n\n“They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs. It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.”
\n
A hellhound has eyes that glow red like fiery embers. These burning eyes stand out against their black fur. The shadowy black and burning red juxtaposition is a clear mark of their association with the underworld. Perhaps the most famous hellhound is Cerberus, who guarded the gates at the house of Hades in Greek mythology. Cerberus had three heads which faced towards the underworld and a draconic tail which faced away. In this configuration, any who entered the underworld would be greeted by a serpent, and any who tried to escape would be devoured. At the gates of Hel, the goddess of the underworld in Norse mythology, there stands the hellhound Garmr. Garmr is covered in blood and his howl signals Ragnarök, which is the battle at the end of the world. It is written that Garmr will attack Tyr, the One-handed, god of war and they will destroy each other. We have a similar example from Middle Earth. Consider this quote from David Day:
\n\n\n“In Tolkien’s world we have a comparable monster in the gigantic Carcharoth, meaning ‘red maw’, the greatest wolf of the First Age and the unsleeping guardian at the gates of Morgoth’s underworld realm of Angband. In the Quest for the Silmaril, Carcharoth bites off the hand of the hero, Beren (henceforth, like Tyr, known as the One-handed).”
\n
I do not advise you ever attempt to enter the underworld. If you go seeking great treasure you may encounter a hellhound standing guard. If you're fated to die, it is possible that one will come hunting you. In any case, you should be equipped with the basic knowledge to defeat one. A hellhound will be supernaturally fast and strong, and it will be gifted with all the hunting prowess of the greatest wolf. There are some stories that suggest you can calm the beasts with music, but I would warn you not to overestimate that strategy. The most famous story of music calming a hellhound, is the story of Orpheus who played his lyre and stopped Cerberus from standing guard. But Orpheus was a musician beyond all other mortals – his music could draw tears even from gods. A simple song alone would not suffice. Strangely enough, there have been multiple stories that suggest Cerberus had a fondness for honeycakes. It seems hard to believe but, like a common household dog, you may have better luck bribing them with food than with anything else.
"},{"name":"Iso Onna","image":"creatures/iso-onna/iso-onna-og.jpg","description":"Beautiful vampires of the sea.","appearance":"","aliases":["Coast Woman"],"origin":["Japanese"],"habitats":["Coast","Ocean"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons","author":"Matthew Meyer","url":"http://yokai.com/books/"}],"published":true,"slug":"iso-onna","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"The sky was overcast. The sound of the sea spray hissed constantly in the background, a white noise underneath the fisherman's thoughts. He felt frustrated. Nothing ever seemed to go his way lately. Three times he had gone out to sea, and three times he had returned with nothing. She didn't say anything, but he could see the resentment in his wife's eyes. She had always had unreasonable expectations. Whenever he failed to fill the table with food, she would punish him in subtle ways. Their marriage had always been like that: small, hurtful competitions, invisible to outsiders.
\nHe kicked at the wet sand, small clumps flying outwards toward the rocks. He was just now approaching the rock blinds. It was a section of the beach that transitioned suddenly to rocky outcroppings. Jagged boulders lay about, as if dropped by some giant. It was called the blinds because no one could see you when you stood behind those boulders. An attractive place for many of the local teenagers, for reasons you can well imagine.
\nAs he passed by the narrowest stretch he felt his spine tingle. It was such a strong chill, it pulled him out of his own misery. He instinctively looked behind him but saw nothing, only the jumbled row of sand coloured boulders. He continued onwards, dwelling on that sudden sensation. He had walked here many times, what could have startled him like that? He looked back again, just to be sure, and saw a woman.
\nShe was standing at the edge of the narrow outcropping looking out at the sea. Her matte black hair, slightly damp, flowed down the curve of her back all the way to her heels. Her clothing clung to her and appeared almost transparent from the wetness. It revealed her perfect, pale skin underneath. His eyes rudely lingered on her womanly body - he couldn't help himself. Without really thinking he had already moved towards her. He told himself he wanted to check on her, after all it looked as if she had come straight out of the water. What if she had fallen from her boat? Deep down he knew the truth. She compelled him. She was irresistible.
\nHe stopped just behind her, almost within arms reach. \"Hello?\" he said. No response. \"Are you okay?\" he asked a little louder. She slowly turned to face him. She was smiling. Suddenly her mouth opened in a terrible shriek. It blasted through his body, causing sharp pain in his ears. He could see her face clearly now. Her mouth looked like a gaping pit he might fall into. He tried to flee but found he couldn't move at all. That terrible scream still reverberated through his body, leaving his limbs feeble and unresponsive. To his horror, her hair writhed up behind her and lashed out. Strand upon strand wrapped around his legs, his arms, his torso, his face. The strength returned to his body but it was too late. He struggled as hard as he could, panic taking over, as he felt himself being pulled off the ledge and into the sea.
\nThey are called Iso Onna. These \"coast woman\" are rare yokai that wander the coast line. You are much more likely to encounter one at times of the year when the spirit world moves closer to our physical one. New Year's Even, Obon, or Halloween for example. If you encounter an Iso Onna, you are likely to meet the same fate as that fisherman.
\nThe Iso Onna is a vampire of the sea. They live off the warm blood of their prey, blood they leech out using their hair. Like the siren, they tend to attract men as their victims, using their appearance as a beautiful woman as a lure. You can identify them by focusing on their lower half. Careful observation will reveal that they are slightly transparent below the waist. Iso Onna are often confused with Nure Onna, another kind of female vampire who stalks the coast. Nure Onna use a similar trick, appearing as a vulnerable woman holding a baby to lure their victims. In their true from, Nure Onna appear as serpents below the waist, or even from the neck down. These two types of vampires are not the same species, but they do form alliances as they share the same habitat. Woe to those who encounter the pair!
\nIso Onna are powerful monsters. In addition to their striking beauty, they can employ other illusions while hunting. An Iso Onna can make herself appear exactly like a rock, allowing her to blend in with the coastal environment she lives in. They can also be found out in the open sea. There are stories of massive Iso Onna, monsters large enough to smash a ship with their arms. I have travelled to the Kyūshū Islands myself and spoken to many in the region, in an attempt to confirm those stories. It is not clear whether the fishermen are exaggerating, the Iso Onna are creating illusions, or the Iso Onna really do exist in giant forms on the open sea.
"},{"name":"Jinn","description":"Metamorphs born from fire and saharan winds.","aliases":["Djinn","Genie"],"origin":["Arabic"],"habitats":["City","River","Desert","Ruins","Sky"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Mythical Factory video #46","author":null,"url":"https://youtu.be/rhbQo9hQI_4"},{"title":"Selections from the Ḳur-án, Commonly Called, in England, the Koran","author":"Edward William Lane, George Sale, J. Madden","url":"https://books.google.ca/books?id=CbwpAAAAYAAJ"},{"title":"The Witcher Netflix series, S1E5","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witcher_(TV_series)#Episodes"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinn"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"}],"published":true,"slug":"jinn","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"There was once a homeless thief who made a bargain with an old man that changed his life forever. For the old man was, in fact, a sorcerer. The sorcerer coveted a magic lamp that was buried deep inside an ancient cave filled with traps and worse. The sorcerer sent the thief inside to retrieve it and betrayed him, trapping him inside the cave. The thief thought his life was over until he discovered the secret of the lamp. Contained within its tarnished exterior was a being of extraordinary power. This being was bound to the lamp and, through the lamp, could be commanded by mortals. The thief unleashed the power of the ancient being and escaped the cave, but that was only the beginning. He would go on to generate untold riches for himself, become a prince, and ultimately claim revenge on the sorcerer who had betrayed him. He had accidentally managed to do what many powerful sorcerers only dream of – he had trapped a jinnee.
\nThe Jinn are a race created by an all-powerful god out of fire and the winds of the Saharan desert. Angels were created first (out of light), then the jinn, and finally man (out of dust). Jinn are aerial creatures and usually invisible. They can take on many physical forms but will first appear as a pillar of wind and fog before deciding on a physical appearance. They might choose to appear hideous or beautiful - a reflection of the fact that their intentions can be evil or pure. They often appear in various animal shapes, such as owls, cats, scorpions, or onagers. The most common animal form they choose is a snake or a black dog – their are many tales in the Middle East concerning snakes or dogs who turned out to be a jinnee. The most common places you might find a jinnee are ruins, empty houses, wells, rivers, and deserts.
\nDespite the story of the jinnee who brought great fortune to the thief, and the popular (but groundless) belief that a jinnee will grant you three wishes, the truth is that the jinn will often bring great harm to humans. They are arrogant beings that see humans as far beneath them. Jinn are capable of entering the body of a human and causing discomfort, disease, or even mental breakdown. There are many old stories of jinn throwing stones on people from the roofs of houses and even carrying people's wives away into the desert. There is a more recent story that tells of a monster hunter who searches for a jinnee in a river. When he fishes it out, the jinnee enters the throat of his nearby friend, silencing and nearly killing him. Stories like these led to people developing rituals in order to guard their houses against the jinn. The rituals would often beseech the god who was their creator.
\nAnd yet, the power of the jinn is highly coveted. It is possible for a highly trained sorcerer to bend a jinnee to his will. A more ambitious one could potentially bind a jinnee to some specific object, and it is from these ancient rituals that the story of the lamp emerges. Edward William Lane relates the power of jinn in his analysis of the Kur-án:
\n\n\n“They often ascend to the lowest confines of heaven, and there, listening to the conversation of the Angles respecting things decreed by God, obtain knowledge of futurity, which they sometimes impart to men, who, by means of talismans, or certain invocations, make them to serve the purposes of magical performances.”
\n
Although power, riches, and certain knowledge of the future has its attraction, I advise you stay away from this kind of magic and the jinn altogether. There is a theory that the first Jinn, the leader and sire of the race, was in fact an angel who fell from grace into hell after refusing to bow to the human race. A race born from such a proud and tortured being seems unlikely to live in harmony with our kind.
"},{"name":"Kappa","description":"Mischievous, turtle-like river children.","aliases":["kawataro","kawako","river child"],"origin":["Japanese"],"habitats":["River"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The night parade of one hundred demons","author":"matthew meyer","url":"http://yokai.com/books/"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kappa_(folklore)"}],"published":true,"slug":"kappa","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"![\"Kappa](\"/images/creatures/kappa/kappa.png\")
Illustration by @danaxbraga
There was once a farmer named Jiro, whose wife went missing near the river running behind their farm. At first, Jiro believed that his wife had been distracted, in the way she often is, by some interesting water bird. She kept a small journal by her bed that was filled with sketches of the different birds she found on her walks around the countryside. After trips to the river, where so many birds gathered, she would come home frantic with the need to journal. But as the day moved past and night fell with no sign of his wife, Jiro became seriously concerned. At the break of dawn he set out to search for her.
\nHe smelled it before he saw anything – a foul stench like an overflowing latrine caused the bile to rise in his throat. As he pushed through the reeds, his head spun. He was looking at his wife, or rather, parts of her, strewn along the river bank. Creeping out from the water was a creature that looked like a turtle that stood on two legs, about the size of a child. It tilted its head sideways, appearing somewhat curious and not terribly concerned about Jiro. Overwhelmed with disgust, Jiro could not help but bend over and stare at the ground. The thought of the creature attacking was far from him in his moment of shock, and it was all he could do not to vomit up everything he had ever eaten. He gathered himself, looked up, and was surprised – the creature had mimicked him. It seemed to be… bowing. Not knowing what else to do, he bowed back, a little deeper this time. The creature immediately returned the gesture and Jiro saw water spill out of a strange bowl-like depression on its head. It stopped moving all together. Jiro waited what seemed like hours before approaching. The creature remained frozen in a bow. Jiro could not bear to look at the remains of his wife. Instead he stared and stared at the strange bowl in the center of the thing's head, like a cup emptied and now begging to be filled again.
\nKappa are found in rivers, lakes, ponds, and man-made waterways throughout Japan. They are amphibious, but there bodies are designed to perform in water. They are about the size and shape of a human child, with four-digit, webbed hands and feet. Like a turtle, their is a large carapace on their back and a beak in the center of their face. Their scaled, reptilian skin is usually an earthy green colour but they can sometimes be blue or even red in places. Their forearms are attached to one another underneath their shells so that they can slide in either direction, making one arm short while the other grows longer. They are very strong - stronger than an adult human, and they are very gifted swimmers and wrestlers. Kappas smell terrible. Their elastic skin reeks of fish and they have 3 anuses. But their most interesting characteristic is a bowl-like depression at the center of their heads (called a sara) which is always full of water. That water is the source of all their power. If it spills out, the kappa becomes paralyzed and can even die. They can be restored if the sara is refilled water from the source where the kappa lives
\nDespite Jiro's encounter with the kappa, they are generally revered by humans. Kappa are very intelligent and can learn to speak our language. They have a deep knowledge of medicine, especially the art of setting bones. Legend tells us that Kappa may have been the ones to pass on this medicinal knowledge to humans in the time before written memory. Kappa are proud and honorable. They will never break a promise. It is this strict honor code that allowed Jiro to defeat the kappa by unknowlingly engaging it in a bowing competition. That strict code can provide leverage over the Kappa for clever humans. More than one has been committed to forms of servitude, living out their days fulfilling some promise to a human. These bonds of honor often evolve to deep and lasting friendships with the Kappa.
\nUltimately, it is best to consider Kappa as tricksters. They adore causing mischief of all kinds. They will do things like pass gas in public and harass women. They enjoy sumo wrestling and other games of skill and sometimes those challenges can get out of hand quickly. It is when their appetites get carried away that the Kappa can become dangerous. They will sometimes kidnap and drown humans, or even worse. Their two favourite foods are cucumbers and raw innards. They believe that there is a most-delicious and sacred ball of human flesh called the shirikodama that contains the soul just inside the anus. They hate cows and horses and will kill them outright. When they attack, they prefer to drag victims under the water and bite them to death. Should you ever encounter a kappa, you will have no hope of defeating it in the water. You must find some way to draw it on to dry land where you may be able to outwit or outrun it.
\nSome people take additional precautions to avoid the more violent types of mischief from Kappa. There are many festivals in Japan that include offerings of cucumbers to appease them. In Edo (old Tokyo), there used to be a tradition where people would write the names of their family members on cucumbers and send them afloat into the streams to mollify the kappa, to prevent the family from coming to harm in the streams.
"},{"name":"Kelpie","description":"Horse-like water spirits.","appearance":"Kelpies are shape-shifters. But their preferred form is that of a horse. They appear as powerful black stallions rushing through water, sometimes with fins on their backside.","behaviours":[{"label":"Watery shape-shifters","description":"The Kelpie can take on the form of a human, though sometimes they retain their hooves in this form. Their are many stories of Kelpie's appearing as human's to lure prey. Sometimes they appear as a harmless traveller or fisherman, and sometimes they appear as a beautiful woman, seducing foolish men like the Siren or the Iso Onna."},{"label":"Riverside hunters","description":"Kelpies are at home in the water and use this to their advantage when they hunt. They prefer to entangle victims in their mane and drag them under the water for an easy kill."},{"label":"Solitary stallions","description":"Unlike other wild horses, kelpies are solitary creatures. They are very hard to find, but when you do encounter one it will be the only kelpie in the area. They oversee large water systems."}],"statBlocks":[{"title":"Novus Bestiary","url":"/kelpie/stats"}],"playTips":["Use the water to the kelpie's advantage. It can grapple and drag its victims into the water for an easy kill.","Though the kelpie can be a savage hunter, it is not made stupid by bloodlust. If an encounter is not going it's way, it will try to disappear into the water.","A kelpie can be used in a non-combat encounter. You may find them shapeshifted in many forms. They may be willing to exchange information in return for interesting company - something they rarely have."],"hooks":["A local fisherman spotted a stranger sitting by the river. He swears the man had hooves for feet.","For some reason, dogs, oxen, and horses will no longer go near Moonrake river.","Three people have drowned in the last month. Their bodies have chunks of flesh ripped out with unusually wide teeth marks."],"challenge":"A kelpie is a solitary creature that controls a large swath of a waterway. Create a scenario where two kelpies are found in one area. What would cause such an unusual pact?","aliases":[],"origin":["Celtic","Scottish","Irish"],"habitats":["River","Lake"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelpie"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry on The Kelpies statue","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kelpies"},{"title":"Kelpie Stories from the North of Scotland","author":"Walter Gregor","url":"https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17442524.1883.10602671"},{"title":"The Witcher 3 (video game)","author":null,"url":"https://thewitcher.com/en/witcher3"},{"title":"Hellsign (video game)","author":null,"url":"https://www.ballisticinteractive.com/"}],"published":true,"slug":"kelpie","stats":[{"handle":"kelpie-darren","author_handle":"delenia","name":"Kelpie","size":"Large","type":"fey","subtype":"","alignment":"chaotic neutral","armor_class":16,"hit_points":300,"hit_dice":"30d10 + 120","speed":"50 ft., swim 50ft.","strength":22,"dexterity":16,"constitution":18,"intelligence":14,"wisdom":16,"charisma":22,"strength_save":12,"charisma_save":12,"wisdom_save":16,"deception":12,"athletics":6,"perception":9,"damage_resistances":"bludgeoning, piercing and slashing from nonmagical weapons","senses":"Passive Perception 19","challenge_rating":"20","languages":[],"special_abilities":[{"name":"Change Appearance","desc":"The Kelpie can use an action to transform into a humanoid of its choosing. The Kelpie has advantage on all Charisma (Deception) checks while in its humanoid form.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Legendary Resistances (3/day)","desc":"If the Kelpie fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed it instead.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Regeneration","desc":"If the Kelpie begins its turn submerged in water, it regains 20 hit points.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Watery Form","desc":"Whenever a melee attack hits the Kelpie, the Kelpie can use its reaction to grapple the creature using its body. While grappled this way, the creature moves with the Kelpie. A grappled creature can use an action to make a contested Strength (Athletics) check to end the grappled condition.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The Kelpie can use it’s Drowning Pool then make three attacks, two with its hooves and one bite attack.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Hoof","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (4d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away and knocked prone.","attack_bonus":12,"damage_dice":"4d6 + 6"},{"name":"Bite","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 26 (4d8 + 6) piercing damage.","attack_bonus":12,"damage_dice":"4d8 + 6"},{"name":"Drowning Pool","desc":"The Kelpie unleashes a whirlpool of water that pulls all creatures towards it. Any creature within 20 feet must make a DC 16 Strength saving throw or suffer 4d10 bludgeoning damage and be pulled 20 feet towards the Kelpie.","attack_bonus":0}],"legendary_desc":"The Kelpie can take 3 Legendary Actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Spent legendary Actions are regained at the start of each turn.","legendary_actions":[{"name":"Charge","desc":"The Kelpie makes one Hoof Attack and moves 20 feet.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Bite","desc":"The Kelpie makes one Bite Attack.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Born of the Sea (Costs 2 Actions)","desc":"The Kelpie’s body becomes entirely made of water. Until the start of the Kelpie’s next turn it gains resistance to all damage. While underwater, the Kelpie is also Invisible.","attack_bonus":0}],"speed_json":{"walk":50},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"delenia","name":"Darren Kenny","url":"https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Darren%20Kenny","avatar":"delenia.jpg"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"As the deep purple of night fades to the bright orange of dawn, a fisherman stands at the edge of a swiftly moving river. He casts his line into the water, settling down on the grass damp with morning dew. He yawns and rubs the sleep from each eye in turn, one hand grasping his fishing rod. And then, he hears it: a high-pitched whinny that sends shivers up his spine.
\nHe stands quickly and begins pulling in his line, telling himself the horse's call was far enough away for him to take care of his equipment. But alas, horses are fast, water horses more so. The river erupts near the shoreline, and there the creature comes on fast, its hair shining under the new sun, water streaming down its thick neck. Its cruel mouth opens wide, tearing into flesh and bone alike. The fisherman doesn’t even have time to scream before he’s pulled into the river.
\nSome of the stories I’ve come across regarding Kelpies indicate the horse-like spirit-creatures live near bodies of water, while others take the position that these phantom beasts live within lakes, streams, and rivers themselves. One thing is common across all of the stories: Kelpies are dangerous, and eat men whenever given the chance.
\nMost that I have spoken to seem to agree that the kelpie can change its form to that of a human, choosing most often a beautiful, and scantily clad woman, intent on luring men to their dooms on riverbanks. The Kelpie’s usual form is that of a horse, most often described as a powerful all-black beast that rushes from the water to hunt on the shore. A few have claimed that the rear of the horse is finned, like that of a mermaid, and have created art to support their claims, but most write this off as needless dramatic embellishment of an already frightful creature. Another controversial claim is that a kelpie keeps its hooves when transformed into a human. True or not, perhaps it’s wise to glance at the feet of any stranger who approaches you near a lake!
\nOne woman claims to have seen her son taken beneath the surface of a lake, from which he was never found again. A black stallion had risen from the water and made its way to the boy, and when the child touched the creature's mane, his hand was stuck fast. He struggled helplessly as the horse slowly walked back into the cold water, dragging him under the surface.
\nNot all who have encountered a kelpie speak of doom and death. Some claim the creatures, or at least a few of their kind, are merely looking for some sort of companionship. As lone, solitary creatures, some kelpies are believed to delight in sharing conversations and time with those who travel near their watery homes.
\nKelpie are popular creatures who have counterparts in many regions, and as such have been included in many stories and paintings. There have even been simplistic cave paintings of the aquatic beasts, such as the one uncovered by the famed monster hunter Geralt of Rivia. Stories of at least one kelpie are common at almost every body of water in Scotland, and the creature shares many aspects with various other monsters in nearby and distant lands, including the very similar wihwin of Central America, and bunyip out of Australia. Whether these creatures are also kelpie or cousins of a sort, I have not yet been able to ascertain.
\nDuring my travels, I have come across more than one person who has claimed to have fought a kelpie and come out ahead, or at the very least knows someone who has. One youth was said to have been stuck to the horse by way of touch, much like the story I presented to you above. This boy used a quick wit, and a lot of courage, to free himself from the beast as it tried to drag him under the water. He pulled a sharp dagger from his belt and hacked off several of his fingers, freeing himself and taking the chance to swim to shore and escape.
\nAnother man I spoke with claims his father once came across a kelpie disguised as an old man sitting on the edge of a stone bridge that spanned a river. The old man was friendly and amiable, but something instinct raised the alarms within him. Instead of befriending the old man, he struck him in the head with a hammer (he worked as a builder of some kind, and was on his way home from the job site). The old man let out an otherworldly shriek and transformed right before him, revealing his true form – a horse as black as pitch. The horse then dove off the bridge and into the water.
\nAccording to some who have made professional monster hunters, fire is a useful tool for taking down kelpie. But since water usually extinguishes fire, this is a theory I would not be keen on testing!
"},{"name":"Kirin","description":"Sacred herald of a golden age.","aliases":["Qilin"],"origin":["Japanese","Chinese","Korean"],"habitats":["Plains","Hills","Mountains"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Qilin/Kirin - The Chinese Unicorn","author":"Mythology & Fiction ExPlainsed","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfFu2Z1_EVU"},{"title":"The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons","author":"Matthew Meyer","url":"http://yokai.com/books/"}],"published":true,"slug":"kirin","stats":[{"handle":"monarch-dullahan","author_handle":"monarch-arts","name":"Kirin","size":"Large","type":"dragon","subtype":"","alignment":"lawful good","armor_class":19,"hit_points":168,"hit_dice":"16d12 + 64","speed":"50 ft.","strength":22,"dexterity":12,"constitution":19,"intelligence":13,"wisdom":16,"charisma":15,"constitution_save":6,"charisma_save":7,"damage_resistances":"fire, radiant, non-magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing","condition_immunities":"frightened","senses":"passive Perception 18, Darkvision 120 ft., Truesight 20 ft.","languages":"Draconic, understands Common","challenge_rating":"16","special_abilities":[{"name":"Divine Sense","desc":"The Kirin can determine the alignment of any creature after spending 3 rounds with it in the Kirin's line of sight.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Legendary Resistance","desc":"If the Kirin fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Divine Sight","desc":"The Kirin has Truesight within 20ft.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The Kirin can make three attacks: one with its bite and two with its claws. It can replace two of these attacks with Draconic Breath.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Bite","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 15 (2d8 + 6) piercing damage","attack_bonus":11,"damage_dice":"2d8 + 6"},{"name":"Claw","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 15 (2d8 + 6) slashing damage","attack_bonus":11,"damage_dice":"2d8 + 6"},{"name":"Draconic Breath (Recharge 5-6)","desc":"The Kirin exhales flames in a 30ft cone. Each creature in the cone must make a DC18 Dexterity saving throw, taking 63 (14d8) fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one.","attack_bonus":11,"damage_dice":"2d8 + 6"}],"reactions":[{"name":"Guardian","desc":"As a reaction, the Kirin can interpose an attack or spell that is targeting a creature who is Good aligned. This reaction can be used after the attack is rolled but before it is declared as successful or failed.\n\nWhen the Kirin interposes an attack or spell this way, the attack hits them instead of the original target dealing its damage and additional effects to the Kirin. The Kirin is treated as having resistance to all damage received this way and gains advantage to any saving throws caused by the attack that hits them this way.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Noble Roar","desc":"As a reaction, when a Good aligned creature is reduced to 0 hit points within sight of the Kirin, the creature is instead reduced to 1 hit point.","attack_bonus":0}],"legendary_actions":[{"name":"Imperial Presence","desc":"The Kirin roars increasing the AC of all Good aligned creatures within 30ft by 2 until the start of its next turn.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Imperial Judgement","desc":"When a Good aligned creature, including the Kirin, deals damage to an Evil aligned creature, the Kirin makes the attack deal an additional 23 (5d8) radiant damage.","attack_bonus":0}],"speed_json":{"walk":30},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"monarch-arts","name":"Monarch Arts","url":"https://www.patreon.com/MonarchArts","avatar":"monarch.png"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"There was once an emperor of China who legitimized his reign by presenting two giraffes from Somalia to his people. Legend told of a sacred beast with a gentle demeanour that would only appear during the reign of a wise and enlightened ruler, and so the emperor claimed the giraffes were \"magical creatures\" leaving his subjects to make the connection for themselves.\nOf course, the god-like beast of legend was not a giraffe but, in fact, a qilin. Eventually the legend made its way to Japan where the beast was sighted on a few occasions and called \"kirin\". It is interesting to note that the Japanese also call a common giraffe \"kirin\".
\nThe Kirin is the most powerful and sacred beast in Japan. It is considered god-like in its abilities and impact on those who observe it. Its appearance is similar to a chimera in that it seems composed of several types of other beasts. It mostly resembles a deer, with antlers on its head, but its skin is covered in scales like a dragon (almost like the spots on a giraffe). It has the tail of an ox and a massive, golden mane flowing around its head and neck. The whole beast is wreathed in transparent holy fire, and it walks so delicately that it would not disturb even a single blade of grass.
\nEncountering a kirin in the wild would be intimidating. The sheer power and grace it emanates would stop anyone in their tracks. There would be no question of its strength. Despite that, you should celebrate if you ever encounter one. A kirin is extremely gentle in nature and its presence heralds the dawning of an age of peace and prosperity. Those who manage to provoke a kirin - only through direct physical threats or by attacking something pure in their presence - will meet a swift end as holy fire erupts from the kirin's mouth.
\nWe must wait and hope for the Kirin to appear.
"},{"name":"Kobold","description":"Ambivalent sprites of hearth, mines, and sea.","aliases":["Klabautermann","Knocker","Cobold"],"origin":["German"],"habitats":["City","Ocean","Subterranea","Mountains"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"World of Warcraft","author":null,"url":"https://classic.wowhead.com/quest=60/kobold-candles"},{"title":"D&D Monster Manual","author":"Christopher Perkins","url":"https://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/rpg-products/monster-manual"},{"title":"Faust","author":"Johann Wolfgang von Goethe","url":"https://books.google.ca/books?id=yNtavVTMSnUC&pg=PA51&lpg=PA51#v=onepage&q&f=false"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobold"}],"published":true,"slug":"kobold","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"![\"Kobold](\"/images/creatures/kobold/kobold.png\")
Illustration by @danaxbraga
\n\n“Salamander shall kindle,\n Writhe nymph of the wave,\n In air sylph shall dwindle,\n And Kobold shall slave.”
\n \n
The man nearly dropped his lantern as he stumbled over a sudden rise in the rock. It scared him a bit. By now he was deep enough into the mine shaft to start forgetting the direction he had come from. He had scrawled directions back for himself on a piece of parchment which he had shoved into his right pocket. In this part of the mine the air was stagnant, and he had to rely entirely on the lantern for light. He silently cursed Pestle. The local apothecary had sent him on an errand to gather wax, which was the reason he had entered the damned mine in the first place. There were stories about tiny creatures who lived in the mines and collected candles. He figured he would be in and out in less than an hour, and that he could handle these stupid creatures without any trouble. It sounded like easy silver. What kind of dumb animal would steal people's candles? With his mind dwelling on the coin purse he would get, he didn't notice the rope on the ground. Suddenly, he felt a tight squeeze around his ankles. He reeled forwards, trying pointlessly to catch his balance. He smashed into the ground, dropping the lantern and plunging himself into darkness. He cursed and, at the same moment, he heard a clattering sound coming from deeper in the mine that sounded like pots and pans falling down a staircase. Some sort of bell? He felt around his feet and found that they were fastened tightly together by a noose. The rope was thick and the knot seemed expertly crafted. He started to pull free his short sword with one hand, while the other absently groped for his missing lantern. Pestle was going to pay for this annoyance! Next time he could fetch his own damn candles. Candles… He could see the rope now. He slowly realized the mine shaft was lighting up. He turned around and saw it, an unmistakable glow growing fast. He could make out shadows dancing across the rough-hewn stone. He heard the sounds of dozens of distant scrapes and knocks echoing towards him. He started sawing at the rope around his feet, but the secret part of his mind, the terrified part, knew he was too late. The Kobolds were coming and they would find him just the way they wanted him – trapped and helpless.
\nKobolds are ancient and their origins are obscure. In the distant past, they were creatures of the spirit realm and would only occasionally visit the physical plane. As they spent more time among humans and other creatures of the physical realm, their interest and commitment gradually increased. Over time, this lead to well established physical traits and lineages of kobolds that maintain a more permanent presence. Nowadays, you rarely hear of an incorporeal kobold causing mischief or vanishing into thin air. Those may still exist, but we only hear of the common humanoid types: kobolds bound to households, kobolds of the mines, dragonoid kobolds, and kobolds bound to ships.
\nAll the lineages of kobolds share some common features. They are shaped like humanoids that stand about as tall as a four year old human child. The size can vary slightly depending on the breed. Kobolds of the mountain, home, and sea appear as a strange mix between grown man and child. Short and thick-set, they combine features of the young and old, such as a beard, with soft child-like hands – or they might have the wide eyes of a child set in a shriveled old face. They wear human clothes and particularly enjoy hats. The kobolds at sea dress like the sailors do. Dragonoid kobolds are physically different but have a similar height. They have lizard-like tails, clawed hands and feet, and long snouts. Their skin is covered in scales. This difference is explained by their unique heritage. All kobolds can be benevolent or adversarial. Even when you manage to have a kobold working for you, they are quick to anger. They say even the friendliest kobolds are rarely completely good and the slightest offense will set them off. They have a penchant for mischief that can sometimes get completely out of hand. The tale of Hödekin, who worked for the Bishop of Hildesheim illustrates this point. In fact, for the household kobold, there are many tales of humans trying one thing or another to expell them:
\n\n \n\n
The details of household kobolds, their binding rituals, and their roles in history are many and varied. We might elaborate in the future, but for now we must turn to the kobolds of the mountain. These types of kobolds have shunned more direct human contact in favour of their own tribal affiliations and the treasures of the mountains. They are reknowned for their skills in tunneling and in trap making. These types of kobolds are often accused of cave-ins and luring miners with false promises. Miners would encounter veins of rich gold and ore, but when smelted, the ores would reveal themselves to be a poisonous, burning gas. This particular trap became well known by humans so they named those ores cobalt after the creatures they knew were to blame. In 1735, Swedish chemist Georg Brandt isolated a substance from such ores and named it cobalt rex. In 1780, scientists showed that this was in fact a new element, which they named cobalt.
\nKobolds of the sea (sometimes called Klabautermann) enter a ship via the wood used to build it. They are then bound to the ship, appearing as the ship's carpenter. Should you ever glimpse a short crew member in yellow, wearing a woolen sailor's cap, smoking a pipe, and clutching a cauking hammer, you will know you have glimpsed a sea kobold. Sometimes their likeness is carved on a mast as a symbol of good luck. Their watercraft is unparalleled, and they are generally known to help the ship. But, like all kobolds, they are prone to mischief and quick to anger. Even darker legends of these kobolds claim that they only appear to the crew of a doomed ship.
\nThe dragonoid kobolds are well known by seasoned adventurers. They are more commonly vile but, like the mining kobolds, stick to themselves unless strongly coerced to do otherwise. The obvious question is why they appear so differently than the other lineages of kobold. The ancient histories hold a clue. As mentioned before, the earliest kobolds maintained a more transient form as spirits, and a common form was a fire spirit. Those fiery kobolds were named \"drakes\". Benjamin Thorpe describes them as \"a fiery stripe with a broad head, which he usually shakes from one side to the other…\". The connection to fire is also made clear by legends of kobolds who would take the form of candles. Seasoned adventurers may have heard an angry mining kobold scream at the top of its lungs \"you no take candle!!\". It is entirely possible that the kobold believes those adventurers are carrying away its own kin, or at least an effigy that represents them. It is my contention that, in the old times in the mountains of germany, a great dragon (probably a descendant of the cursed dragon Fafnir) encountered one of these fiery kobolds in it's flying form and mated with it. The confused drake found shelter in a cave and, against the odds, laid several eggs. These then became the progenitors of the dragonoid race of kobolds we know today.
"},{"name":"Lich","description":"Necromancers corrupted by a relentless pursuit of immortality.","appearance":"Gaunt, undead humanoids with burning eyes that show not a single glimmer of human concern.","behaviours":[{"label":"Powerful Magic","description":"The path to lichdom is long and difficult. Only the most talented magic users can achieve it."},{"label":"Secrets of Undeath","description":"A lich is an extremely talented wizard who decides to pursue immortality at a terrible cost. The wizard seeks forbidden knowledge, breaks taboos, and commits horrible acts to perform a dark ritual that will let them live forever."},{"label":"Life of Isolation","description":"Immortality and amorality leave liches isolated from other leaving beings. They prefer this."}],"aliases":[],"origin":["American"],"habitats":["Underworld","Ruins","City","Subterranea"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"D&D Monster Manual","author":"Christopher Perkins","url":"https://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/rpg-products/monster-manual"},{"title":"Pathfinder bestiary, 2nd edition","author":"Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, and Mark Seifter","url":"https://paizo.com/products/btq01zp4?Pathfinder-Bestiary"},{"title":"World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King","author":"Blizzard Entertainment","url":"https://www.blizzard.com/en-us/games/wrath/"},{"title":"Harry Potter wiki entry","author":null,"url":"https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Horcrux"},{"title":"World of Warcraft wiki entry","author":null,"url":"https://wowwiki.fandom.com/wiki/The_Lich_King"}],"published":true,"slug":"lich","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"There once was a well-loved prince who desperately sought to save his kingdom from a scourge of undead monsters. His resolve lead him step by step down a path which lead to horrible acts of murder in the name of protecting his people. As the war raged on, his quest drew him closer towards a hidden evil power that was controlling the undead army. His resolve to do what was necessary, combined with the fear growing inside himself, slowly weakened his grip on his own sanity. The prince sought a magical sword he thought would give him the power he needed to win the war. In a deciding moment, he reached for it. But the sword was cursed and created a direct link between the prince and the powerful force of evil ruling from afar. Most of his soul was stripped away as he fell prey to the evil power. His people watched in disbelief as their beloved prince lead the undead scourge against his own kingdom, killing his own father and those he had sworn to protect with his life. In time his soul diminished further and further, and his obsession for power grew stronger under the influence of the cursed blade. The prince went on to merge his spirit with the force of evil that had corrupted him, becoming one of the most powerful forces of evil to ever walk the land. He became the Lich King.
\nA lich is an extremely talented wizard who decides to pursue immortality at a terrible cost. The wizard seeks forbidden knowledge, breaks taboos, and commits horrible acts to perform a dark ritual that will let them live forever. After the transformation, they appear as gaunt, undead humanoids with burning eyes that show not a single glimmer of human concern. They become necromancers that can summon legions of undead monsters who obey them completely.
\nThe process to become a lich is a well-guarded secret. Through my research, I have learned some of the specifics and sources but I believe, and many would agree, that the knowledge is best kept hidden. What I can say is that the process involves the creation of a magical container called a phylactery. The soul of the wizard is trapped within the phylactery and, if anything destroys their physical form, they can regenerate themselves beside that container. The nature and appearance of a phylactery varies considerably. In some stories they have even been called by other names, such as \"Horcrux\". What is consistent is that the lich will defend the vessel holding their soul at all costs. The location will be a well-guarded secret and the artifact itself will be protected by powerful magic. The phylactery is always incredibly hard to destroy and you will only succeed with the help of special knowledge about the lich and a powerful magic weapon of your own.
\nThe threat and resources a lich can bring to bear is impossible to overstate. Consider the facts that must come together to create such an evil creature. Firstly, the wizard must possess incredible magic strength to master the keys to immortality. Second, they must lack any moral scruple in order to break the taboos of undeath and commit the acts of murder required to complete their dark transformation. Finally, once they sever the connection to their soul, they become immortal allowing them to enact plans that can span centuries. As time marches on, the lich remains isolated and grows ever more meticulous in planning but ever more mentally unstable. This combination of motivations and the power that produce a lich means that their impact on peoples lives is widespread and never good. Not many would escape the wrath of a lich who had seen one of their plans come to fruition.
\nThere are only two rays of hope when facing the threat of a lich. The first is that they are fundamentally selfish. It is likely that they have no real interest in worldly matters unless the world somehow interferes with them directly. However, over a potentially endless timespan, and considering the inevitable loss of their sanity, this hope remains slim at best. The final hope is the knowledge that they can be destroyed if you find their phylactery and have the courage to attack it. The quest will be nearly impossible but it has been done before. Thos who have done it are counted amongst our greatest heroes.
"},{"name":"Mandrake","description":"Human-like plant that destroys and heals.","aliases":["Mandragora","Alraune","Alruna","Yadu'a"],"origin":["Jewish","Anglo-Saxon"],"habitats":["Crypt","City"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Romeo and Juliet","author":"Shakespeare","url":"https://books.google.ca/books/about/The_Tragedy_of_Romeo_and_Juliet.html?id=xLfgBAAAQBAJ"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"Alraune","author":"Hanns Heinz Ewers","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alraune"},{"title":"The Bible, Genesis","author":null,"url":"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis"},{"title":"Jewish Magic and Superstition: A Study in Folk Religion","author":"Joshua Trachtenberg","url":"https://books.google.ca/books?id=Fsrd_nQ-RTQC"}],"published":true,"slug":"mandrake","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"![\"Mandrake](\"/images/creatures/mandrake/mandrake.png\")
Illustration by @danaxbraga
There is a mysterious plant, an occult thing, whose form resembles a small, shriveled human. This legendary zoophyte has awesome power – the power to destroy and to heal.
\n\n\nA kind of cord emerges from a root upon the ground, and to the cord is joined by the navel, as though it were a melon, an animal called the Yadu'a, but the Yadu'a is in all ways like men:\n face, body, hands, and feet. It uproots and destroys all thing all around, out to the limit of the cord.\n One must sunder the cord with an arrow, and then the animal dies.
\n \n
The plant, known today as the Mandrake (or Mandragora), emits a piercing shriek when it is pulled from the ground. The scream of the Mandrake causes terrible misfortune, and has the power to drive those who hear it insane. Shakespeare mentions it in Romeo and Juliet, IV:3:
\n\n\nWhere, for these many hundred years, the bones
\n
\n Of all my buried ancestors are packed;
\n Where bloody Tybalt, yet but green in earth,
\n Lies festering in his shroud; where, as they say,
\n At some hours in the night spirits resort —Alack, alack, is it not like that I,
\n
\n So early waking, what with loathsome smells,
\n And shrieks like mandrakes' torn out of the earth,
\n That living mortals, hearing them, run mad
Here I include the stanza before the reference to mandrakes because it connects to a superstition surrounding the creature's source. \"Where, for these many hundred years, the bones / Of all my buried ancestors are packed;\" brings to mind the stories of Sir Thomas Brown and Hanns Heinz Ewers which claim that the Mandrake grows in the ground underneath the gallows, and that its human form is a result of the blood, fat, urine, or semen dripping into the ground from the corpses above. In his novel Alraune (which is the German word for 'Mandrake'), Ewers explores and extends the legend by telling the tale of a girl born from a prostitute who is artificially inseminated with the semen of a hanged murderer.
\nThe Mandrake brings death and madness, but it also possesses healing properties and can grant certain magical abilities. This duality is expressed by Pliny who believed that the white Mandrake was male and the black one female. It has been used as an anaesthesia for surgery, and to treat rheumatic pain, melancholy, convulsions, and mania. With the root of a Mandrake, proper alchemical prepartion could produce magical ointments of flight and psychic visions. In other cases, it was used as an amulet to grant good fortune or cure sterility. A curious reference to the generative properties of the Mandrake exists in the book of Genesis 30:14-16:
\n\n"},{"name":"Marie Laveau","description":"The Voodoo Queen.","aliases":["Marie Laveaux","Marie Paris"],"origin":[],"habitats":["City"],"legendary":true,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Laveau"},{"title":"The World of Witchcraft: The Most Famous Witches in History","author":"James Metcalfe","url":"https://fupping.com/genericjames/2018/06/14/the-world-of-witchcraft-the-most-famous-witches-in-history/"},{"title":"A Beginner's Guide to Hoodoo Rootwork","author":null,"url":"https://www.originalbotanica.com/blog/a-beginners-guide-to-hoodoo-rootwork/"},{"title":"The Witch Queen of New Orleans","author":"Redbone","url":"https://genius.com/Redbone-the-witch-queen-of-new-orleans-lyrics"},{"title":"Marvel database entry","author":null,"url":"https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Marie_Laveau_(Earth-616)"}],"published":true,"slug":"marie-laveau","stats":null,"notesHtml":"And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.
\nAnd she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.
\nAnd Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
\n
This was the first time I profiled a specific, legendary creature. Marie Laveau marked the end of the 2019 Spooktober series, a themed collection of entries in the newsletter.
","contentHtml":"If you have a wish that you desperately want granted, you may find yourself drawn to Saint Louis Cemetary No. 1 in New Orleans. There you will seek the tomb of the infamous voodoo queen Marie Laveau. You must mark an 'X' on the tomb, turn around three times, knock clearly, and yell out your wish. When your wish is granted, you must return to the tomb, circle your 'X', and leave an offering. Be warned: Laveau's power is far reaching and terrible. You would do well to leave an offering that suits her.
\nMarie Laveau was well loved and many followed her. Some would call her a priestess. She had a gift for healing and a broad knowledge of plants and their properties. People would travel from miles away to seek her remedies. Some would call her an herbalist. But the truth is her power extended far beyond the realm of natural medicine. Marie Laveau could cast curses upon her enemies and she knew the secrets of everyone around her. She had a supernatural ability to enthrall other people and animals. It is known that she had a pet snake named Zombi who followed her. In this taxonomy of legendary creatures, I would classify her as a witch, although it is possible she is much more. Marie Laveau was seen walking around town after her official burial on June 15, 1881. She lives on today in memories, in songs, and possibly in a more physical form. Marie Laveau was and is the most notorious voodoo queen who ever lived.
\nWitches have a mastery of herbalism and conjuration spells. Laveau specialised in Hoodoo rootwork and Voodoo magic. Future entries in Novus Bestiary may explore other forms of witchcraft, but the important thing to note is that most witches cannot transcend death. That type of power is almost never granted to someone who is a born a mortal human being. Voodoo magic has great power to offer but it focuses mainly on manipulating luck in your own favour and bringing curses upon enemies. No one knows for sure what has kept Marie Laveau alive (if in fact she is alive). There is only one faint rumour which offers a clue. A journal entry from a man named Dr. Michael Morbius suggests that Laveau was hunting for the blood of a powerful vampire. Such an ingredient in the hands of the most skilled alchemist could potentially offer immortality but would be practically impossible to attain. Did Laveau somehow complete this Herculean task? We may never know the truth of things.
\nAt this time of year, around Halloween, visitors will flood the Saint Louis Cemetary No. 1. As you walk outside in the chilly night you may feel its pull yourself. Some say the secrets of Marie Laveau are buried beneath her tomb and that dedicated subjects may yet learn them. Secrets of life and death. Secrets of Voodoo.
\n\n \n"},{"name":"Mimic","description":"Notorious shapechangers.","appearance":"Mimics can make themselves appear like any inanimate object. In their true form, they resemble tentacled, alien predators.","behaviours":[{"label":"Shapechanging hunters","description":"Mimics hunt like spiders. They change into the shape of an object they know many adventurers will likely come into contact with, then patiently wait for someone to stumble into them."},{"label":"Sticky Icky","description":"Mimics secrete a sticky substance all over their bodies. This makes it easier for them to grapple their prey."},{"label":"Predatory intellect","description":"Mimics have a basic, predatory intellect. They have adapted to be great at catching adventurers, but not much else. However, there are stories of some few who have developed further and have the ability to communicate."}],"statBlocks":[{"title":"5th Edition SRD","url":"https://open5e.com/monsters/mimic"}],"challenge":"Think up a deviously weird place for a mimic to appear.","aliases":[],"origin":["American"],"habitats":["dungeon","city"],"legendary":false,"sources":[],"published":true,"slug":"mimic","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"
Any adventurer worth their salt, knows how to spot a mimic.
\nWe've all heard the stories: The party slowly opens the wooden door at the second, or third level of the dungeon. The flickering light from their torches illuminates a splendid treasure chest situated at the center of the room. No one is guarding it. Jewels and metallic bands sparkle on its surface.
\nIt's too good to be true, but the party can't resist the possibility of a magic item so early in their quest. Eventually someone, likely the rogue, advances and touches the lid. The lid opens… and then snaps down on her arm, pinning her. The rest of the party starts cursing and pulling at their weapons as the treasure chest shapeshifts into a slobbery, alien looking creature with giant teeth.
\nThe treasure chest was, obviously, a mimic.
\nWhat you may not have heard about are the better mimics. The weird ones. The ones that get away with it. Throughout the course of my illustrious career, I have collected stories of several such mimics. Today, I present those to you.
\nThere is a collection of weird encounter stories I recently came across. One of them describes an unusual painting in a an abandoned keep. As explorers traverse a certain hallway, they come across the painting in a gilded frame. The painting depicts a person who calls out for help. The person in the painting explains that they have been magically trapped inside. They ask that the party help them find a way to break the curse, offering great rewards.
\nIf the party takes the painting with them, they receive a nasty surprise the next time they let their guard down. The painting is, in fact, an intelligent mimic. It waits until they are asleep, then attacks.
\nIn the far away town of Bælak there is an unusual shop. A former adventurer by the name of Desmuth Durad'in sells mimics to a variety of clientele. It's extremely weird and dangerous.
\nFor a long time, the buildings adjacent to his shop were not allowed to be rented out, though I've heard that they have recently relaxed that policy. Desmuth was able to convince local officials to allow this only because the business of moving mimics is so lucrative. His clientele include many rich nobles who are looking for house protection. Not to mention the margins he can add on account of the personal, bodily risk of running such a shop.
\nIf you ever, for some strange reason, need to learn the art of wrangling or moving mimics without killing them, there is no better person to turn to than Desmuth Durad'in at Mimics R' Us.
\nCredit for this story goes to @DMRawlings
\nThere was once a party of adventurers who came across a small mimic in its true form. It was huddled in the corner of a dungeon, looking quite pathetic. It had not even bothered to disguise itself as anything. The party took pity on the creature and offered some of their rations. It gobbled them up enthusiastically, but still seemed unsure. When Grinda the barbarian offered it the freshly severed arm of a goblin, the mimic really warmed up to them.
\nThe satiated mimic offered the party information about the dungeon. They were able to locate several secret doors and complete their treasure hunt with little trouble. The party was so happy about the situation that they let the mimic follow along when they left. They sat by the campfire later that night listening to the slurping sounds of the mimic as it gobbled up an entire deer leg. That's when they decided to name it Slee-Slee.
\nSlee-Slee grew up but never broke faith with its new family. The adventures brought it everywhere, and used its shapeshifting powers to pull off many future heists… and pranks. Slee-Slee's beastly hunger never went away, though it did learn to act mostly civilized whenever they were in city limits.
\nA group of adventurers crosses through mountainous terrain. It's their only path. As they leave the foothills, the incline grows harder and harder. They start to rest more often, and talk becomes scarce. They pull their cloaks tightly around themselves as they come to a wind-whipped gorge. In front of them is a bridge made of wood planks and thick rope spanning a 100 foot drop to the river below.
\nThe ranger goes first. As far as he can tell, the bridge looks secure, but the fall would bring instant death so he yanks on the rope just to be sure. Satisfied, he takes some cautious steps out onto the second, then the third, then the fourth plank. Finally he turns around and grins. The rest of the party follows him.
\nThe bridge is narrow, so the party walks single file, taking their time. Their confidence grows as more of them make their way out on to the bridge, its planks remaining stable. Suddenly, at the halfway point, tentacles lash out and wrap around the ranger, wiping the grin right off his face.
\nThe bridge is a mimic.
\nThe duo catches their breath after a hard-fought battle. The skeletons had caught them by surprise, but the fighter was quick, and the cleric was true. They had already noticed the treasure chest hidden behind the sarcophagus, and now they have time to take a peak inside.
\nGold! Piles of it! They hastily stuff their packs with as much as they can carry. The dungeon's denizens could yet return. The cleric makes a note so they might return to the site later to collect more.
\nLater that night, the cleric wakes up to the sound of frantic shouting. His friend is hopping around the campsite shaking his limbs. Tiny, coin-shaped mimics are crawling all over his body taking greedy bites. He yells at the cleric to burn their pack with holy light. The same pack that contains their only rations and precious gems from an earlier delve. He hesitates…
\nFinally, the coin mimics start to crawl up the cleric's robes. He feels the painful bites and casts the spell, obliterating their supplies. It takes another 6 minutes to get the mimics entirely off of them.
\nThe two of them sit down and stare at the scorched earth where their supplies used to be. They feel miserable.
"},{"name":"Minotaur","description":"Monstrous man-bull in the labyrinth","image":"creatures/minotaur/minotaur-og.jpg","author":"Eric Lazure","authorUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNFHlFF52WeqDY5iuZAxUMw","authorBio":"Eric creates and publishes his own TTRPG content and runs a YouTube Channel focused on story games and TTRPGs.","appearance":"","aliases":["Asterion"],"origin":["Greek"],"habitats":["Ruins","Subterranea","Mountains"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minotaure"},{"title":"Bibliothèque nationale de France","author":null,"url":"http://expositions.bnf.fr/utopie/pistes/ateliers/image/fiches/minotaure.htm"},{"title":"Hades","author":"Super Giant Games","url":"https://www.supergiantgames.com/games/hades/"},{"title":"National Geographic","author":"","url":"https://www.nationalgeographic.fr/histoire/2020/06/la-veritable-histoire-du-minotaure-ce-que-revele-larcheologie"}],"published":true,"slug":"minotaur","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"Do you hear that? Even if we are leagues away, the howling of your foe, ever thirsty for blood in his subterranean lair, will send chills down your spine. This might not be the true Minotaur, this might only be a pale imitation spawned by some dark magic or fickle god, but it remains a terrible enemy. If you are to survive the coming battle, let alone defeat the monster, then you must first learn the story of its forebearer.
\nAny respectable adventurer knows that the Minotaur, the bull of Minos, is a merciless beast with the body of a man and the head of a bull. But to truly understand the creature, you must know that his true name is Asterion, that his mother was a queen, and that a king's arrogance is responsible for his monstrous nature. That presumptuous king is none other than Minos, ruler of Crete, an island dominating the Aegean well before Athens' rise. Minos, when he still needed to secure his claim, asked Poseidon to send him a sign confirming the god's blessing. Poseidon complied and sent Minos a wondrous white bull. But even though he had promised to sacrifice the beast to the sea god, Minos could not resolve himself to kill the glorious beast. Thinking he could fool an Olympian, he hid the white bull and sacrificed another one. To punish Minos' hubris, Poseidon drove the bull wild and made queen Pasiphaë fall in love with the animal. Taking place in a cow frame built by the famous inventor Daedalus, Pasiphaë mated with the white bull and bore Asterion.
\nThe queen took care of Asterion for some time, but the child rapidly became too ferocious to stay in the palace. Minos, wanting to hide this constant reminder of his wife's infidelity and of his own arrogance, asked Daedelus to build the labyrinth where the monster could be hidden. Make no mistake, this is no garden maze made to amuse the children of wealthy nobles. It is a vast underground complex of passageways shrouded in total darkness. Asterion could not find his way out, but he still needed to be fed. And so Minos forced Athenians to send boys and girls to be devoured by the monster.
\nMany died this way until brave Theseus volunteered to sail to Crete. Before going underground, Ariadne, daughter of Minos, helped Theseus in exchange for a wedding vow. Having received advice from Daedalus, Ariadne gave Theseus a ball of yarn and a luminous crown to find his way, as well as a ball of wax to throw in the monster's maw. And so the Minotaur fell to his sister's lover, with the help of Ariadne herself.
\nWhat can you learn from this? Historians will tell you that the story is but a symbol of the liberation of Athens from Cretan domination. I say that the most important lesson is that a minotaur will not be defeated purely by strength of arms. You will need adequate tools and cunning allies to overcome your own animal nature, to navigate the minotaur's dwelling and to overcome it. And know that slaying the man-bull might not end all your worries. As Asterion's birth resulted from a god's intervention, a minotaur's death cannot go unavenged. Just look at Theseus, how the gods forced him to abandon Ariadne and how his poor father killed himself because he thought his favorite son had not survived the duel with the Minotaur.
\nOne last thing. If you ever want to test your mettle against the true Minotaur, then you must travel to another plane – to the realm of the dead ruled by Hades. But be ready for a formidable challenge, as all the reports confirm that Asterion and Theseus have settled their differences and have become allies in the afterlife. I do not know if it is even possible, but victory against these two former enemies would surely grant you fame, achievements, and blessings from the gods.
"},{"name":"Neck","appearance":"The Neck is a shapeshifter, and may take on many guises, though he will often appear as a male humanoid. He will often have some strange, animal-like feature. An extra eye, webbed fingers, hooves, or a tail for example. Whatever shape he takes, he is always recognizable by his long, dark, seaweed-like hair, and his dark eyes.","behaviours":[{"label":"Supernatural musician","description":"The Neck prefers a fiddle, flute, or harp and can perform songs that overwhelm the listener's mind."},{"label":"Spirit of water","description":"The Neck is at home in the water and will not stray far from it. Old places on rivers attract it."},{"label":"Reluctant teacher","description":"Under rare circumstances, the Neck may pass on its musical gifts to a human. You must follow a specific ritual to earn such a lesson."}],"description":"Dangerous water spirit whose music enthralls.","aliases":["Näcken","Nokken","Nix","Nixe","Nixie"],"origin":["German","Norse"],"habitats":["River"],"sources":[{"title":"Vaesen","author":"Johan Egerkrans","url":"http://wahlstroms.se/bocker/184521-vaesen"}],"published":true,"slug":"neck","stats":[{"handle":"neck-lorecraft","author_handle":"lorecraft","name":"Neck","size":"Medium","type":"fey","subtype":"","alignment":"neutral evil","armor_class":18,"hit_points":71,"hit_dice":"13d8+13","speed":"30 ft., swim 30ft.","strength":10,"dexterity":14,"constitution":13,"intelligence":14,"wisdom":16,"charisma":18,"wisdom_save":3,"arcane":4,"deception":6,"perception":5,"performance":6,"stealth":4,"damage_resistances":"psychic","senses":"darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15","languages":"Common, Sylvan","challenge_rating":"4","special_abilities":[{"name":"Amphibious","desc":"The Neck can breathe air and water.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Innate Spellcasting","desc":"The Neck's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14 Charisma). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:\n\nAt will: dancing lights, minor illusion, calm emotions","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Mimicry","desc":"The Neck can mimic animal sounds and humanoid voices. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 14 Wisdom (Insight) check.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Commanding Performance","desc":"The Neck can perform a perfect song, mimicking the sound of any instrument. This acts as the command spell (spell save DC 14 Charisma) and affects creatures within a 30 ft radius who can hear.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Drowning Grapple","desc":"The Neck gains advantage when grappling creatures under the affects of his Commanding Performance.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The worm makes two claw attacks.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Claw","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) slashing damage.","attack_bonus":6,"damage_dice":"2d8"},{"name":"Invisible Passage","desc":"The Neck magically turns invisible until he attacks or casts a spell, or until his concentration ends (as if concentrating on a spell). While invisible, he leaves no physical evidence of his passage, so he can be tracked only by magic. Any equipment he wears or carries is invisible with him.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Illusory Appearance","desc":"The Neck covers himself and anything he is wearing or carrying with a magical illusion that makes him look like another creature of his general size and humanoid shape. The illusion ends if the Neck takes a bonus action to end it or if he dies. The changes wrought by this effect fail to hold up to physical inspection. For example, the Neck could appear to have smooth skin, but someone touching him would feel his rough flesh. Otherwise, a creature must take an action to visually inspect the illusion and succeed on a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check to discern that the Neck is disguised."}],"speed_json":{"walk":30},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"lorecraft","name":"LoreCraft","url":"https://www.twitch.tv/lorecraft","avatar":"lorecraft.png"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"![\"Neck\"](\"/images/creatures/neck/neck.jpg\")
- Nøkken by Theodor Kittelsen
She stood still beside the running water. Across the river, there was an old mill, its wheel turning slowly along with the current.\nIt was a sight she had seen many times before. Her grandmother had taken her to that spot many times as a child. That woman seemed to always know about places like this one — places that seemed as if they had been there before people were. Her eyes fixated on a splash of colour at the calm part of the river downstream. Some red water lilies were growing there. She had never seen lilies here before. They were beautiful.
\nShe closed her eyes and took in the sound of the water rushing along, and the sounds of the gentle, constant creaking of the water wheel. And something new… It began softly at first, like a daydream, then rising. The sound of a fiddle. She should have been curious and opened her eyes to find the player, but she found the song so enchanting that she could barely lift her lids halfway. The music swelled slowly, in perfect counterpoint to the river. Arpeggios lifted oh so gradually, shifting gracefully from major to minor, as if making space for her thoughts to provide a melody between them. She started to notice she had been walking with her eyes half closed. Those red lilies seemed so much closer than before. And wasn't there something else? A shape of some kind just behind them. A man?
\nThe music swelled. The chords inverted. She found she didn't care at all. It was like the fiddle was weaving a story that she was a part of. She had to hear the end of it. By the time the water was at her neck, the music was so overwhelming that she was crying. Rapid variations, with swirling chords and melody seeming to spring forth from the violin, never slowing, pulling her ever onward. And such sadness. A longing so deep it could never be satisfied. Her tears merged with the water of the running river as the music merged with her. She was never seen again.
\nWhat was that shape, that appeared behind the fresh lilies of the running river? That lingered near the old mill? That played the fiddle so expertly that it could ensorcell the woman and compell her to drown herself? It was the Neck.
\nThe Neck is a dangerous water spirit who seeks to capture people with his musical abilities and hold them in his underwater realm. He is a shapeshifter, and may take on many guises, though he will often appear as a male humanoid. He may appear young or old, wearing any sort of outfit. He will often have some strange, animal-like feature. An extra eye, webbed fingers, hooves, or a tail for example. Whatever shape he takes, he is always recognizable by his long, dark, seaweed-like hair, and his dark eyes.
\nThe Neck's music is his greatest strength. His level of skill far surpasses the greatest human performers. It is a performance so perfect, with such a yearning, emotional pull, that it completely ensnares the mind that hears it. Few have heard it and survived to tell the tale. In some cases, he will perform a song compelling people to dance without rest until morning. In those cases, the audience survives but they only vaguely remember the feeling of the music, and not the truth of it. One story tells of a particularly dangerous song called the Alvaspelet (Fairy Tune) that even the Neck avoids performing. That song can compell people to dance so relentlessly that their feet turn to bloody stumps. It is said the audience may even wear away their entire bodies and so become bloody heads bouncing on the ground. If you suspect the Neck may be lurking nearby, you can bind him by stabbing a knife into the shore before going for a swim. In those cases you won't have any contact with him and so you won't hear his songs. For that you should be grateful.
\nThe Neck's preferred instrument is the fiddle, though he will sometimes choose the flute or the harp. For those of you who are aspiring musicians, I will share a fact with you that must be guarded. I beseech you: do not share this information with anyone else. I only share it knowing that regular readers of Novus Bestiary will be equipped with an overall understanding of fairy creatures, and therefore equipped with a respectful fear of them.
\nThe Neck can teach some of his musical skill to humans.
\nOnly a brave fool would ever try to learn. Only they would go to a swift river or crossroads for three Thursday nights in a row and play their instrument. This fool would bring with them a black cat as payment on the third Thursday. The Neck would accept this and even then they would have to remain constantly on their guard as the Neck would attempt to lure them into the water throughout the lesson.
\nIt is said that a human who becomes a student of the Neck, and manages to survive to perform the songs, will be so skillful that they will make inanimate objects dance about when they perform. I have yet to encounter such a person.
"},{"name":"Nuckelavee","description":"Demon from the seas of Scotland","image":"creatures/nuckelavee/nuckelavee-og.jpg","appearance":"Nuckelavee appears on land as fiery-eyed demon riding a fleshless horse. The rider is a horror to look upon and merges into the horse's body, as if sticking out like a mutant appendage.","behaviours":[{"label":"(Un)bridled evil","description":"Many fae from the isles have a more ambivalent attitude towards men. They are mysterious. They can be negotiated with or avoided. This is not the case with Nuckelavee. This demon wants to wreak the most havoc it possibly can on mankind."},{"label":"Bound to the sea","description":"Nuckelavee is born of the sea, and must never travel far from it. It is claimed to take on a different form when under the water's surface but no one has ever seen it and lived. It can be stopped in its tracks by freshwater."},{"label":"Bound in the summer months","description":"The great Mither o’ the Sea keeps the demon contained in the summer months, but she cannot contain it for the rest of the year. The demon's strength is so great that, without this limitation, it would have annhiliated all the early human tribes."},{"label":"Breath that blights the land","description":"The poisonous breath emitted from the Nuckelavee is so toxic that it can spread like a plague across the land, killing any crops it corrupts."}],"statBlocks":[{"title":"Novus Bestiary","url":"/nuckelavee/stats"}],"playTips":["Using freshwater to stop the nuckelavee will make an encounter more dramatic. Have the demon appear at the right distance so that your players have the opportunity to escape in freshwater - but barely.","Nuckelavee is strictly evil. Its only goal is to cause havoc on the islands in dwells beside. Turn up the darkness on this one.","You can practice the rules for mounted combat when fighting a nuckelavee."],"hooks":["A strange blight is spreading across the farmlands on an island province. Some farmers have claimed to see a dark rider with blazing red eyes.","A young woman comes staggering into the room, her clothes completely drenched. She is so terrified she is barely coherent. All she will say is 'River. The river. It could not get me. River.'","You are approached by an otherworldly fae creature. It is adorned with elements of the sea and claims to be a messenger. It warns you that its Mother must rest now, and that the dark rider will soon come forth from the sea. She wants you to help protect the fishing village that pays tribute to the great Mother of the Sea."],"challenge":"Create an encounter that pits the players on their mounts against the Nuckelavee. Use it as an opportunity to practice mounted combat and create a sense of high-speeds.","aliases":[],"origin":["Celtic","Irish","Scottish"],"habitats":["Ocean","Islands"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuckelavee"},{"title":"The Fairies in Tradition and Literature","author":"Katharine Mary Briggs","url":"https://books.google.ca/books/about/The_Fairies_in_Tradition_and_Literature.html?id=si_cXO1yJNwC&redir_esc=y"},{"title":"The Nuckelavee - Devil o' the Sea","author":null,"url":"http://www.orkneyjar.com/folklore/nuckle.htm"},{"title":"Descriptions of Orkney","author":"Jo Ben","url":"https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T800009-001.html"}],"published":true,"slug":"nuckelavee","stats":[{"handle":"nuckelavee-darren","author_handle":"delenia","name":"Nuckelavee","size":"Huge","type":"undead","subtype":"","alignment":"chaotic evil","armor_class":16,"hit_points":420,"hit_dice":"40d10 + 160","speed":"50 ft., swim 50ft.","strength":23,"dexterity":17,"constitution":19,"intelligence":19,"wisdom":13,"charisma":15,"strength_save":12,"constitution_save":10,"intelligence_save":10,"athletics":12,"perception":7,"damage_resistances":"cold, necrotic","damage_immunities":"Bludgeoning, Piercing & Slashing damage from nonmagical weapons","senses":"Passive Perception 17","challenge_rating":"23","languages":[],"special_abilities":[{"name":"Dragged to the Grave","desc":"The Nuckelavee does not have its speed reduced while grappling a creature. If the Nuckelavee moves while it is grappling a creature, the grappled creature suffers 1 point of bludgeoning damage for every 5 feet the Nuckelavee moves.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Legendary Resistances (3/day)","desc":"If the Nuckelavee fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed it instead.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Omen of Death","desc":"The Nuckelavee does not breathe and it does not require sleep, food or water to survive. All crops within 500 feet of the Nuckelavee wither and die. Plant creatures starting their turn within 500 feet of the Nuckelavee suffer 4d10 necrotic damage.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Freshwater Sensitivity","desc":"When the Nuckelavee is submerged in or has at least 10 gallons of fresh water it loses its ability to use Legendary Actions for 1 minute.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The Nuckelavee can use it’s Polluting Breath then make four attacks, one with its hooves, one with its bite, one with its claw and one with its spear.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Hoof","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (6d6 + 6) bludgeoning damage. On a hit the target must make a DC 18 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.","attack_bonus":12,"damage_dice":"6d6 + 6"},{"name":"Bite","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (6d6 + 6) piercing damage. On a hit the creature must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or gain the disease Grim Wasting. A creature affected by Grim Wasting cannot recover hit points using hit or when taking a long rest.","attack_bonus":12,"damage_dice":"6d6 + 6"},{"name":"Claw","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 30 (6d6 + 6) piercing damage. A creature hit by this attack is grappled by the Nuckelavee. The Nuckelavee cannot use this attack against a different creature until it ends the grapple on the currently grappled creature.","attack_bonus":12,"damage_dice":"6d6 + 6"},{"name":"Spear","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +12 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 39 (6d8 + 6) piercing damage.","attack_bonus":12,"damage_dice":"6d8 + 6"},{"name":"Polluting Breath","desc":"The Nuckelavee spews a cloud of toxic miasma in a 30 foot radius around it. Any creature in this area must make a DC 18 Constitution saving throw or suffer 33 (6d8) poison damage and become poisoned. A creature that succeeds takes half as much damage and is not poisoned.","attack_bonus":0}],"legendary_desc":"The Nuckelavee can take 3 Legendary Actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Spent legendary Actions are regained at the start of each turn.","legendary_actions":[{"name":"Drag to Death","desc":"The Nuckelavee makes one Claw Attack and moves 20 feet without provoking attacks of opportunity.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Toxic Bite","desc":"The Nuckelavee makes one Bite Attack.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Grave Whinny (Costs 2 Actions)","desc":"The Nuckelavee emits a terrible screech that grips the soul with fear. All creatures within 120 feet that can hear the Nuckelavee must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of the Nuckelavee. Creatures frightened this way are paralyzed. Creatures can repeat this saving throw at the end of each of their turns to end the frightened condition. A creature that succeeds on the saving throw is immune to the Grave Whinny for 24 hours.","attack_bonus":0}],"speed_json":{"walk":50},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"delenia","name":"Darren Kenny","url":"https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Darren%20Kenny","avatar":"delenia.jpg"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"The fisherman had grown up on the island, and as the sun fell behind the horizon on his fiftieth year, he couldn’t help but feel content. His was a hard life, but a rewarding one. It had been full of back-breaking work, but also love, children, happiness. He was returning home, walking the miles back to the home he shared with his wife, back to the sea, when he heard the pounding of hooves approaching. He turned, raising a hand in greeting thinking it to be another islander. Instead, it was a demon, a monster, a horse from hell called Nuckelavee. Its eyes blazing red as it charged towards him. A silent prayer ran through the man’s head before survival instincts took over.
\nHe turned and fled. He could hear the creature snorting, its hooves tearing into the soil as it gained ground behind him. Ahead lied salvation: a stream, freshwater, running down from the mountains to empty into the sea. Everyone knew the nuckelavee could not cross freshwater. It was a terror born of the sea. Lungs burning, the man willed himself forward, his knees creaking, hot sweat burning his eyes. He could hear teeth gnashing right behind him, and then he was safe, splashing down into the cool mountain water, not daring to stop until he was on the other bank. He turned and looked and there was the demon horse, red eyes directly upon his own.
\nThe nuckelavee is said to be a creature that comes from the ocean with the intent of killing and feasting on men. On land, it takes the form of a demonic horse, though the details change depending on who tells the tale. The lucky survivor from the story above described the beast as a black horse with glowing red eyes. But others have had more to say about the appearance of this particular monster. While all agree that, out of the water, the nuckelavee takes on the form of a horse, another survivor claims that the horse had two heads. Yet another man born and raised on an island (the nuckelavee’s favoured stomping grounds, it seems) swears that there was a human torso growing out of the creature's back, resembling something of a twisted rider – a vision from your darkest nightmares. More than one person who has seen this beast swears that the legs have fin-like growths. A common claim is that this demon horse is skinless, it’s bloody, exposed muscle the first thing you see when the beast approaches. Even though the fisherman in the introductory story claims the horse was black, it may be that, in the fading light of day, a skinless beast slick with dark red blood may appear to wear a black coat.
\nThe nuckelavee comes from the ocean, and the creature is thought to be a shapeshifter, much like other beasts I’ve chronicled, but there is one strange aspect: no one has ever seen a nuckelavee in the sea. At least, no one has seen one and survived such an encounter. So while it is accepted that the creature does not always resemble a skinless horse, that is the only form we’ve been able to get first-hand accounts about.
\nDuring my investigations into this monster, I came across a rather unique aspect that I don’t believe it shares with any other creature. It’s said that you can see the nuckelavee’s breath with your bare eye, forming around its mouth and nostrils as a thick yellow cloud of noxious gas. Furthermore, it is said that this breath can ruin and kill crops. When farmers in the Scottish Isles find their crops are not growing the way they would like them to be, they lay blame on the nuckelavee.
\nMany of the spirits and demons in this area have stories that suggest a more benign nature, but the nuckelavee has none. This creature is evil and seemingly proud of it, existing only to create as much havoc, destruction, and death as it can. Much like the crops, however, the nuckelavee may be blamed by the locals for more than its fair share. One man even claimed the lack of rainfall one year was directly attributable to the demon horse from the sea – a preposterous claim.
\nIf there can be one good thing said about the nuckelavee, it is this: it is unheard of to come across the beast in the summer months. It is said by the locals that the ancient spirit they call ‘The Mither o’ the Sea” confines the demon to the depths of the ocean near the Scottish Isles for the whole of summer, though none of those that I interviewed could say why The Mither o’ the Sea would do such a thing.
\nThe nuckelavee is unique in many ways. It appears not to have a common and agreed-upon way to kill it. While fire is said to destroy a kelpie, no such tales come from those who have survived a run-in with the nuckelavee. Fighting the creature would mean certain death. Instead, it seems one must run, and with luck, come across a freshwater stream or source. While freshwater does not appear to kill the nuckelavee, it stops the demon in its tracks.
"},{"name":"Onryō","image":"creatures/onryo/onryo-og.jpg","description":"Spirit of wrath and vengeance.","appearance":"Onryō appear as ghosts showing the clothes they were buried in and the wounds that killed them. The infamous Oiwa appears in a white dress with long, ragged, black hair. This is typical of a woman buried in Japan.","behaviours":[{"label":"Curses that linger","description":"Onryō prefer not to kill people immediately. They target their victims with a powerful grudge curse that brings death and ruin to them and those around them. The grudge curse is powerful enough to affect a physical location and linger on after the spirit is banished."},{"label":"Transmissions through stories","description":"In the case of Oiwa, a legendary Onryō, echoes of the grudge curse can be transferred by the telling of her story. It is conjectured that the curses can travel far in this way, though it is unlikely that most Onryō have that kind of power."}],"aliases":["Grudge","Grudge Spirit"],"origin":["Japanese"],"habitats":["Crypt","City"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons","author":"Matthew Meyer","url":"http://yokai.com/books/"}],"published":true,"slug":"onryo","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"I must begin this story with a prayer:
\nOiwa you suffered greatly. You did not deserve such brutal murder at the hands of your wicked husband. I pray for your soul.
\nI cannot bring myself to describe the Onryō without mention of you, the most legendary of your kind. Though the story is disturbing, I must ask your blessing to tell the tale. It is my professional obligation as the collector of great creatures.
\nI understand that the proper way to ask is at your gravesite in Tokyo. Right now I cannot make the trip, so hear my vow: I will travel to Japan in this life. When I arrive, I will seek out your grave and bestow upon it the greatest blessing that I can muster. This I swear I will do.
\nIn Japan, ghosts are known as yūrei. They share much in common with the Western understanding of ghosts. They are the souls of people who died suddenly, or under acts of violence. The souls of people with an unfinished task on this earth. They appear as faint, translucent entities in the form in which they died. They will be wearing the clothes they were buried in, such as a white burial kimono. You will often see the wound that killed them. They are usually bound to a specific location.
\nYūrei are usually harmless, though a very dedicated soul is capable of causing some mischief. But there is one exception. A type of ghost that is universally feared. These people died under horrible circumstances, with fiery passion coursing through their entire being. They do not pass on but dwell on earth seeking vengeance above all else. Their vengeance is wildly out of control. They curse not only those who wronged them, but any innocent who comes near.
\nThey are called Onryō.
\nThis deadly grudge spirit is horribly strong. They persist on their wrath alone. Though they have the strength to immediately kill any mortal, they prefer to curse them and make the destruction a prolonged ordeal. The grudge curse targets a person and everyone around them. It spreads like mold throughout a physical place, bringing death and ruin to all who enter. It is almost impossible to banish an Onryō. Even if you find a way to lay them to rest, their curse can live on in a location for years after they are gone.
\nThere is an Onryō who is known above all others. Her name is Oiwa and her grudge curse still exists today. Oiwa was brutally tortured and murdered by her scheming husband. Her curse is so powerful, that injuries and death may befall those who even tell her story. Darkness has permeated the very fabric of the story. Even still, many have dared to retell the story of Yotsuya Kaiden.
\nI have vowed to visit the grave of Oiwa. When I do, I hope to learn more about her and about the Onryō. Any further insights, especially any defensive techniques, will be recorded on Novus Bestiary. This I swear I will do.
"},{"name":"Other","description":"Body snatchers from an unknown world.","appearance":"An Other has two forms: its victim mimic and its true form. An Other can perfectly mimic the appearance of the victim it consumes. The victim can be any sort of creature with a spinal column and a brain. In it's true form, an Other has a bulbous, elongated head that inflates. From the head, fungal plates extend and retract. It's arms transform into long tendrils that look like giant arteries. Smaller tendrils also erupt from the mouth. It's overall shape still resembles the size and shape of the victim it mimicked, but the tendrils, fungal plates, and spores emanate from every direction.","image":"creatures/other/other-og.jpg","behaviours":[{"label":"Perfect mimic","description":"The Others consume and then perfectly mimic other creatures. They retain the memories and behaviours of their victims, so they can fool even close friends and family."},{"label":"Sensitive to light","description":"The Others seek out dark places where they can easily hunt. They are sensitive to direct sunlight and will avoid exposing themselves to it when they can."},{"label":"Isolation and paranoia","description":"When hunting, The Others prefer to leverage the trust of others to lure them away from groups. Once they isolate someone, they will attack quickly. In this way, a group is replaced one by one."},{"label":"Fungal elements","description":"An Other is one part of a hivemind linked to its brethren. It also emits spores to attack and defend itself in combat."},{"label":"Alien mind","description":"The Others have a mysterious, alien origin. They defy expectations. They resist understanding."}],"aliases":[],"origin":["Canadian"],"habitats":["City","Plains","Forest","Mountains"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Horror-Themed D&D Monster Building","author":"LoreCraft & Novus Bestiary","url":"https://www.twitch.tv/videos/780809340"}],"published":true,"slug":"other","stats":[{"handle":"other-lorecraft","author_handle":"lorecraft","name":"Other","size":"Medium","type":"aberration","subtype":"","alignment":"chaotic evil","armor_class":16,"hit_points":198,"hit_dice":"36d8+36","speed":"30 ft., climb 30ft.","strength":18,"dexterity":13,"constitution":13,"intelligence":12,"wisdom":14,"charisma":14,"arcana":5,"deception":10,"persuasion":10,"Sleight of Hand":9,"damage_vulnerabilities":"radiant","condition_immunities":"poisoned","senses":"darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12","languages":"common","challenge_rating":"9","special_abilities":[{"name":"Sunlight Sensitivity","desc":"While in sunlight, the Other has disadvantage on attack rolls, as well as on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Consume","desc":"The Other inserts its tendrils into an incapacitated victim. The tendrils inject spores into the bloodstream. The fungal growth is rapid - destroying and consuming the flesh then growing a second Other in its place. In a few minutes the creature has been entirely replaced besides its skeleton and brain.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The Other makes 3 attacks with its Lashing Tendrils.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Lashing Tendrils","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10+4) slashing damage.","attack_bonus":7,"damage_dice":"2d10"},{"name":"Acidic Spores (Recharge 5-6)","desc":"The Other exhales acid spores in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 16 Constitution saving throw, taking 55 (10d10) acid damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Shapechanger","desc":"The Other can use its action to polymorph into a creature is has consumed, or back into its true form. Its statistics, other than its size, are the same in each form. Any equipment it is wearing or carrying isn't transformed. It reverts to its true form if it dies."}],"reactions":[{"name":"Defensive Spores","desc":"The Other creates a 30 ft. spore cloud centered on itself which lasts for 1 minute. Each creature in the area must make a DC 16 Constitution save or become Incapacitated for one round. A new check is made at the start of each round. The other can immediately take a disengage and move action. The Other becomes frightened of its attacker for 1 minute."}],"speed_json":{"walk":30},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"lorecraft","name":"LoreCraft","url":"https://www.twitch.tv/lorecraft","avatar":"lorecraft.png"}}],"notesHtml":"\"The Others\" is an original monster created by Dave from LoreCraft and Adam from Novus Bestiary. The details of the monster were fleshed out collaboratively on Twitch with help from LoreCraft's creative community. I want to extend a special thank you to all those who watched the stream and contributed ideas! This is the first original monster to ever appear on Novus Bestiary.
\nThis monster exists in a D&D campaign setting known as The Ceaseless Realms, an ongoing project by Dave from LoreCraft.
\nFor the design process, we drew heavily on John Carpenter's \"The Thing\" and the fungal aspects of the undead from The Last of Us. We worked with Marcel Budde to produce an illustration of the monster in its true form. We then brought that nightmare fuel on stream to work out the grisly details and stats in public with the help of the LoreCraft community.
","contentHtml":"![\"Illustration](\"/images/creatures/other/other.jpg\")
She had been having nightmares. She couldn't remember the details, but when she went about her daily chores she felt restless. Rumours swirled in her head, never settling. Townsfolk had been muttering about strange things lately. Lights on at weird times of the night; some sort of odd mist in the nearby woods; unusual noises – that sort of thing. What she didn't understand was why it bothered her. She usually didn't go in for that kind of thing, but she couldn't deny that her gut was telling her something. Something just felt wrong.
\n\"Owen can you hand me that bucket?\" She and her son had been working hard together every morning on the farm. Harvest season was waning and the days were getting shorter. Darkness always seemed to come too early. The air smelled cold, like winter. Owen approached and handed her the bucket wordlessly. He seemed stressed out too. He was usually so easy going but today he had barely said a word.
\n\"Are you feeling okay honey?\", she asked. Yesterday, when they were letting out the sheep in the afternoon, she had noticed he looked a bit waxy. Maybe he was coming down with something? \"I'm fine mom\", Owen replied. He graced her with a little smile. It reassured her. She and her son had no one else. His smile had gotten her through many tough times.
\nShe walked over to the pig pen and started scooping feed into the bucket. The pigs all came forward snorting and snuffing, anticipating the meal. She was scraping the bottom of the bin, yet another problem to add to her list. How were they possibly going to afford to feed them through the winter? Automatically she started thinking about which pig she would have to slaughter first.
\nAs she started to stand and turn towards the pen, she felt a sharp impact at the back of her head. Her entire vision flashed, red star bursts filling her eyes. As she regained her vision she became vaguely aware that she was on the ground near the pig pen. The pigs were screeching loudly making the ringing in her head even worse. She tried to move but couldn't. It felt like her skull might be cracked. Above her stood her son Owen.
\n\"Ownnn\" she tried to talk. \"OOooownn\". He crouched over her staring blankly. To her horror, his face started to change. The flesh around his teeth seemed to lift away revealing more of the bones and gums underneath. His eyes sockets seemed to deepen as shapes rippled underneath his skin. A strange sound was coming from somewhere deep in his throat. She thought she must be hallucinating. This couldn't be real. As the deep croaking sound grew in intensity, she saw black and purple flecks start to pour from the crevices appearing all over his face and head. It stank of mold. He raised his arms, and where his hands used to be were writhing, red tendrils. They lashed out, penetrating her eyes and mouth. She tried to scream but couldn't make a sound. All she could do was lay there helplessly as she felt the tendrils traveling deep inside her body, wrapping around her stomach, her ribs, her spine, her brain. She could feel every part of her changing. The pain was excruciating. All she wanted to do was scream but the scream remained silently trapped inside her head. The pigs behind her were still squealing, bumping into each other as they fought for the grains she had spilled across the ground.
\nA minute later she stood up. She looked at Owen and knew everything about him and what she had to do now. Together they walked back to the barn and got brooms to clean up the mess. While they worked that morning a small part of her, a part pushed way down to the bottom of her mind, continued to scream in silence.
\nSomewhere in a remote corner of The Ceaseless Realms, an alien presence from an unknown place threatens to overtake the world. No one knows the creature's true name. Those that have discovered it and not been taken simply refer to it as \"The Others\".
\nThe Others appear as people you know. This foreign creature has the ability to completely take over the body of its victims. When taken, the victim is completely consumed, inside and out, by spores ejected from the Other's tendrils. All that remains is the original brain and a portion of the spinal column. A newly created Other immediately gains awareness of its brethren and is compelled to carry out the same goal: hunt other beings, isolate them, and consume them.
\nAn Other is composed of an alien fungal material. It can rapidly change itself to look exactly like the victim it has taken over. The substance can transform into any form of clothing or armor it has studied during the process of devouring its victim. In addition, the fungus learns the patterns of behaviour and memories of its victim, allowing it to perform an almost perfect imitation. There are a few limitations to its mimicry. When attacked or agitated, an Other will be compelled to reveal its true form. An Other cannot cast magical spells of any kind, for those spells are powered by the soul's connection to sources of our own realm.
\nThe Others seem to prefer dark places and will start to seek them out. When viewed in broad daylight, an imitation appears to have waxy skin that seems slightly translucent. It is very hard to notice by an untrained eye. The creatures also seem to be weakened by sunlight.
\nThe Others don't usually attack outright. Despite their strength, they prefer to infiltrate communities through careful stalking. Once they have assimilated someone, they will leverage that person's relationships and seek out potential victims who will trust the replaced individual. In this way, The Others carefully divide and devour. The speed of the transformation is terrifying. When you are hunted by an Other, you can't allow your friends out of your sight for even a few minutes. They could be replaced by then.
\nAll that is known of the goals of this alien mind is that it desires to hunt and spread. It would be tempting to think of it as a sort of primitive fungal growth given its use of spores and hivemind directives. The truth is, its real motivations are unknown. Unimaginable, even. They will usually remain silent hunters and yet sometimes groups of Others will simultaneously reveal themselves with no apparent provocation. Their advance across civilization could be catastrophic, and yet they weirdly stop spreading at unpredicable times. There are even some rumours which claim that victims whisper a strange word at the moment they become assimilated. These behaviours are not consistent with typical fungi.
\nThe only way to know for sure would be to become an Other, and then somehow communicate the mission back to an unchanged being. An impossible task. There is no known method, magic, or technology to restore someone. Once you are consumed by The Others, you are lost forever.
"},{"name":"Ox-Head & Horse-Face","description":"Guardians of the Ten Courts of Hell.","appearance":"Ox-Head and Horse-Face stand tall as powerful warriors. They have the bodies of men with the head of an Ox and Horse respectively. They often appear dressed in Chinese armour holding tridents. They travel as a pair.","behaviours":[{"label":"Guardians of Hell","description":"Ox-Head and his partner Horse-Face stand guard at the gates of Diyu. Diyu is the realm of the dead in Chinese mythology."},{"label":"Collect lost souls","description":"Every soldier of Diyu has a specific role to play. Ox-Head and Horse-Face are responsible for escorting the newly dead to their appropriate place in hell. In some cases they can be forced to leave hell to retrieve a lost soul."},{"label":"Faithful servants of the king","description":"King Yama is the supreme ruler over the Ten Courts of Hell. He transformed the soul of a hardworking Ox and Horse and placed them in their position as guardian. They are forever faithful to King Yama."}],"statBlocks":[],"playTips":["Contrast these guardians with the Minotaur. The Minotaur was a monstrous hunter whereas these two have more dignity and sense of purpose.","You could use a statblock for a minotaur as a starting point for homebrewing Ox-Head and Horse-Face"],"hooks":["There are reports of two strange men with animal heads appearing near a dead town where a terrible tragedy occurred.","A resurrection ritual does not work they way you expected. Something is keeping the soul trapped in the underworld.","A strange gate has been discovered at an ancient ruin. None can pass through because the way is blocked by two warriors with the animal heads."],"challenge":"Use Ox-Head and Horse-Face as angels of death. For example, have them appear near a character who is fated to die.","aliases":["Gozu"],"origin":["Japanese","Chinese"],"habitats":["Underworld"],"legendary":true,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ox-Head_and_Horse-Face"},{"title":"Journey to the West wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey_to_the_West"},{"title":"Reddit archive on True Zelda","author":null,"url":"https://www.reddit.com/r/truezelda/comments/adhptt/oxhead_and_horseface/"},{"title":"Hellboy wiki","author":null,"url":"https://hellboy.fandom.com/wiki/Ox-Head_and_Horse-Face"}],"published":true,"slug":"ox-head-and-horse-face","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"When a sorcerer named Thomas Rhymes trapped souls to gain power at the Ghost Moon Festival, it drew the attention of two demonic warriors. They appeared physically in our realm – a rare occurrence for this pair. The warriors stood tall, with broad chests and muscled limbs. They were garbed in traditional chinese armour and carried wicked weapons. One had the head of a horse – the other, the head of an ox.
\nDuring their quest to free the trapped souls, Ox-Head and Horse-Face became embroiled in combat with Hellboy, another demon. The fact that they stood their own against that legendary fighter is a testament to their strength. Ultimately the two sides realized they shared the same mission to stop Rhymes. Hellboy destroyed the artifact trapping the souls and Ox-Head and Horse-Face returned to their rightful place: standing guard at the gates of Diyu.
\nIn Chinese mythology, Diyu is the realm of the dead. King Yama rules the realm and divides it into ten \"courts\". Each court has its own lesser king who presides over a different type of atonement and punishment. When the souls of an ox and horse came to him, Yama raised them as a reward for their hardwork in life. Thus he created guards to stand at the entrance of his domain. When a person dies, their soul will travel to Diyu and encounter Ox-Head and Horse-Face at the gates. It is their job to escort the soul to their appropriate place.
\nSome stories claim that these guardians of Diyu have travelled to our realm to escort souls who are lost. Their encounter with Hellboy supports that claim. We know for certain that these guardians take their task seriously. They are completely loyal to King Yama and can be depended on to serve. The Ox is steadfast and disciplined. The Horse is courageous and diligent.
\nOther stories indicate moments where Ox-Head and Horse-Face have failed in their duties. One of the most popular tales from Chinese Mythology, Journey to the West recounts their defeat at the hands of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. In a more unusual case, Horse-Face fell to a hero in green at the Parapa Temple. What brought him to that temple remains a mystery. In both stories they were bested only by a true Hero.
"},{"name":"Phoenix","description":"An enduring symbol of hope and rebirth.","aliases":[],"origin":["Egyptian","Greek","Roman"],"habitats":["Mountains","Sky"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Phoenix (Old English poem)","author":"anonymous","url":"https://anglosaxonpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/the-phoenix/"},{"title":"Harry Potter series","author":"J.K. Rowling","url":"https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Fawkes"},{"title":"Final Fantasy series","author":null,"url":"https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/Phoenix_Down"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"}],"published":true,"slug":"phoenix","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"It is known that the feather from a Phoenix’s tail can be mixed with a few other compounds by a skilled alchemist, to produce an elixir that will bring someone back from the brink of death. Long ago, people believed this potion (called 'Phoenix Down') could actually cheat death itself. We now know that people likely witnessed the miraculous effects of the potion on people who were not truly dead, but were simply in a deep state of unconsciousness, and their imaginations filled in the rest. Despite the lack of solid evidence, some alchemists still assert that, if you obtain a phoenix feather of ultimate beauty, you can brew a Phoenix Down that will return someone from the dead.
\nA phoenix is an immortal bird that resembles a large eagle but with feathers the colour of fire and burnished gold. Various other colours, like those of gemstones, add ornamentation. There is an old Latin poem 'De Ave Phoenice' (The Phoenix) which has been attributed to Lactantius and was latter translated into old English by an anonymous author. The poem describes the appearance of the phoenix:
\n\n\nThat fowl is fair of hue from the front\n flecked with various colors about his breast before.\n His head is green behind, wondrously varied\n and blended with purple. Then is his tail fairly\n colored, some brown, some red, some with black spots,\n cunningly covered. Those wings are white at the back,\n and the neck green below and above, and the beak\n shines like glass or gemstone, his jaws sparkle\n within and without. The nature of his eye is piercing\n and much like the hue of a stone, a merry gem\n when it is set into a golden vessel by the skill of smiths.\n About its neck, just like a ring of sunlight,\n is set the brightest bracelet of feathers.\n Wonderful is the belly beneath, wondrously fair,\n bright and brilliant. His crest overhead\n is fitted with ornaments over the bird’s back.\n His legs are covered with scales, the fallow feet.\n The fowl is absolutely unique in its hue,\n much like the peacock, grown up in joys,\n as the book tells us. He is not slothful\n nor wanton, heavy nor sluggish like some birds,\n which slowly flap their wings through the breeze,\n but he is nimble and quick and so light,\n lovely and delightful, marked out with glory.
\n
To gaze at a phoenix is to gaze at the rarest rising sun. They are aloof and mysterious, but can form a deep bond of friendship with those they come to trust. They are gentle, confident, and graceful, and so you should never fear them, but treasure the sight of one.
\nThe Phoenix is a master of death. At the end of its life, a phoenix bursts into flame and its ashes start to contract into a ball. This ball forms an egg which hatches within the still-burning embers of the fire. A phoenix is always born again. In his dialogues, Tacitus believed a phoenix lived for the amount of time it took the sun, moon, and five planets to return to their original positions (12994 years). We now know the phoenix has a shorter life cycle but it is still a living representation of the cyclical nature of the universe. The Stoics believed the universe began and ends in fire and therefore has no beginning or end – much like the phoenix. We may also recall the story of two star-crossed wizards who came into possession of wands that each contained a tail feather from the same phoenix. Both of those wizards died and were reborn. The Phoenix is a master of death.
"},{"name":"Raven","description":"Multi-faceted messenger of the gods.","appearance":"The Raven is a large bird with deep-black plumage. It can fly great distances on strong wings.","behaviours":[{"label":"Messenger of gods and prophets","description":"Two well known stories of the raven have him serving as a messenger to Apollo and Noah. In both stories the raven fails them and is punished, turning black as a permanent record of his crimes."},{"label":"Intelligent companion","description":"Ravens are highly intelligent and capable of complex relationships with humans. THey are a popular choice as a familiar."},{"label":"All seeing spies","description":"Ravens can see far and wide. They have been employed as spies by many. Famous examples include Though and Memory, the ravens of Odin the All-Father, and the spies of Sauron."},{"label":"Carrion eater","description":"The Raven has a strong association with death and the afterlife because of its preference for feasting on corpses. It begins by devouring the eyes and brain, as if trying to ingest the wisdom of men directly. Some say it can travel to the realm of the dead."}],"playTips":["Ravens are widely known as spies. You can use them as a way to give players the feeling of being watched.","Ravens can play the role of an entertaining and interactive NPC. Try adding one as a familiar or messenger for an important NPC.","These black birds are strongly associated with the death. Use them to foreshadow battlefields, character deaths, or interactions with the realm of the dead."],"hooks":["A players wakes up one morning to find an unusually large, black bird perched on her windowsill. The old raven is named Cort and he brings a surprising message.","As the party passes by the ancient cairn, they hear a croaking voice address them. It comes from a raven staring down at the them from the rocks. It delivers a warning from an old friend - a friend who is known to be deceased."],"challenge":"Raven's lore tells the story of how it was cursed with black plummage as punishment for misdeeds that weren't entirely its fault. Think of a way to weave this story into your own world and convey it to your players. Why was the raven turned black?","aliases":["Corvus"],"origin":["Greek","Norse","American"],"habitats":["Mountains","Sky","Crypt","Hills","Forest"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Grand Medieval Bestiary","author":"Christian Heck and Remy Cordonnier","url":"https://www.abbeville.com/books/the-grand-medieval-bestiary-by-remy-cordonnier-and-christian-heck-756-b"},{"title":"The Raven","author":"Edgar Allen Poe","url":"https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48860/the-raven"},{"title":"How the white rave became black","author":null,"url":"https://talesofnature.com/2017/03/12/how-the-white-rave-became-black-047/"},{"title":"The Fox and the Crow","author":"Aesop","url":"http://www.longlongtimeago.com/once-upon-a-time/fables/from-aesop/the-fox-and-the-crow/"}],"published":true,"slug":"raven","stats":[{"handle":"raven-gmben","author_handle":"gmben","name":"Giant Three-Eyed Raven","size":"Large","type":"fey","subtype":"","alignment":"true neutral","armor_class":16,"hit_points":76,"hit_dice":"9d10 + 27","speed":"30 ft., fly 50ft.","strength":16,"dexterity":14,"constitution":16,"intelligence":14,"wisdom":20,"charisma":12,"wisdom_save":8,"arcana":5,"history":5,"insight":11,"nature":5,"perception":11,"condition_immunities":"charmed, frightened","senses":"darkvision 120ft., truesight 60 ft., passive Perception 21","languages":"All, Telepathy 120 ft.","challenge_rating":"6","special_abilities":[{"name":"Foresight","desc":"The raven cannot be surprised and has advantage on initiative rolls.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"A Glimpse in Time","desc":"All attack rolls against the raven have disadvantage and cannot be made with advantage.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Magic Resistance","desc":"The raven has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Innate Spellcasting","desc":"The raven's spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16). The raven can innately cast the following spells, requiring no components:\n\nAt will: augury\n3/day: mind spike\n1/day: divination, dream, scrying, shadow of moil","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Path to the Grave 3/day","desc":"As a bonus action, the raven can curse one creature it can see for one minute. The next time the raven or another creature of raven's choice deals damage to the cursed creature, the creature has vulnerability to all of the attack's damange, and then the curse ends.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The raven makes one attack with its beak and two attacks with its talons.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Beak","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d10+3) piercing damage.","attack_bonus":6,"damage_dice":"2d10"},{"name":"Talons","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage. Instead of dealing damage, the raven can choose to grapple the target if it is medium or smaller. The raven has two talons each of which can only grapple one target.","attack_bonus":3,"damage_dice":"2d6"}],"reactions":[{"name":"Double, Double, Toil and Trouble","desc":"As a reaction, when the raven is killed it can curse the creature who dealt it lethal damage. That creature is cursed for 1d12 days. While cursed, the creature is vulnerable to all damage. This curse can only be removed by a remove curse spell cast at the 5th level or higher or similar magic.","attack_bonus":6,"damage_dice":"2d10"}],"speed_json":{"walk":30,"fly":50},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"gmben","name":"GmBen","url":"https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=NeverNotDM","avatar":"gmben.jpg"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"The raven conjures thoughts of death; grim images of graveyards, battlefields, and the shadow land. Its dark silhouette invokes fear and is often considered an ill-omen. But, in fact, the raven used to be white. He belonged to the inner circle of the sun-god Apollo and was his trusted messenger. One day, Apollo asked Raven to spy on his lover Coronis. The raven witnessed Coronis breaking faith and reported this back to Apollo. In a rage, Apollo shot Coronis with one of his arrows. As she died, she revealed she was with child. Apollo managed to save the child but not Coronis. He punished the raven for the tragedy, banishing him from his protected circle and turning his plumage black forevermore.
\nThe fact of the Raven's disgrace is repeated elsewhere. After a powerful god punished the world with a flood, a saviour named Noah shepherded the world's animals by boat across the deep water. After months, the sky began to clear and hope blossomed. To confirm whether the land was reappearing, Noah sent a raven to scout. The raven did not return for many days and so another bird was sent and a small ceremony held to honour the raven's courage. The other bird returned with joyous news: plants and trees grew on the land once more! But afterwards, the raven returned as well. Surprised, Noah asked what had happened and the raven shamefully admitted it had been feasting on the corpses it found strewn across the newly exposed earth. As a carrion-eater, it could not help itself. To punish him, Noah turned the raven's feathers black.
\nReflecting on these two stories what do we learn? We can discover its physical characteristics. The raven is strong enough to fly great distances and it's plumage is a deep black, the sort that seems a curse.
\nThe raven is intelligent, trainable, and may develop complex relationships with other species. It is a popular choice as a familiar. (As a side note, if you are thinking of trying this yourself you should know that they are susceptible to flattery.)
\nIn addition, it must have a clear voice for communication and a keen eye for observation. In these stories it is employed as a messenger and scout. It is known that the ravens named Thought and Memory were the faithful spies and messengers of Odin the All-Father.
\nThe raven is a carrion-eater – it consumes the dead. It always begins by devouring the eyes and brain as if it directly attacks the wisdom and prudence of men. This may be its main connection to death and the afterlife, though some have reported that the raven can actually travel to the realms of the dead and back freely.
\nWe should also consider that the raven may be misunderstood. Is its blackness a manifestation of its nature or is it a reflection of the gods and prophets casting judgement upon it? In the story of Apollo, the raven served faithfully albeit without tact. In the story of Noah, the raven acted according to its nature as all animals must.
\nThere is a famous poem that recounts a man's descent into madness as he casts his anxieties upon a raven. The raven is surely an ominous portent whose shadowy silhouette inspires fear. But does it really mock the man or does the man doom himself?
\nThis image depicts the final scene in which the man succumbs to madness.
\n![\"The](\"/images/creatures/raven/the-raven.jpg\")
\"And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
\nOn the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
\nAnd his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
\nAnd the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
\nAnd my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
\nShall be lifted—nevermore!\"
The man stood at the top of a large sand dune on a desert planet. It had taken almost six days to get to the survey post, and he was barely able to stand up straight. Even with careful preparation, the heat was so relentless it would wear you down until you moved like an automaton. The only thing keeping him alive was the specialized suit he wore that could recycle the moisture seeping out of his pores. Out here, water was not even a dream. He was observing the antennae nestled between the dunes that he had been tasked with repairing, when suddenly the sand shifted underneath it. At first he thought he was hallucinating. A wide hole emerged from the sand under the antennae, glistening spokes within it. The hole was three times the size of the 20 metre tall machine. Within minutes, the entire setup disappeared into the hole, with sparks flying and the grating sound of crunching metal filling the air. The man abandoned his task without a second thought. There were likey more sandworms on the way, and that worm that had devoured the antennae: that was one of the small ones.
\nGiant sandworms appear in all sorts of deserts. They resemble segmented worms, the type you would find in a typical garden, but their segments are composed of nearly indestructible armor. They are typically a dull, mottled brown colour, but there have been some reports of more unusually coloured purple worms. Their mouths are comprised of three-segments which peel back to expose an impressive array of razor sharp teeth that extend back into the body across in many rows. The teeth are as sharp as diamond and have evolved to efficiently rasp rocks and sand. As such, these monstrous worms can burrow through the ground extremely fast. You might sometimes see a massive sandwave, like a moving mountain, following the path of the worm when its head crests the surface. The largest possible size and age of a sandworm is unknown. Their unique diet of sand and adaptation with the desert ecology removes almost all constraints on their growth. In a smaller desert, such as the Gobi desert on Earth, you might expect a mature sandworm to reach 40 - 50 metres in length. But in a massive, ancient desert, a desert that spans an entire planet, a sandworm could be thousands of years old and its body stretch for leagues.
\nA sandworm is incredibly dangerous. As dangerous as the desert itself. They can sense even the slightest vibrations on the ground. Walking through a desert with sandworms is certain death for travellers. Given their size, speed, and indestructibility, you might think the common sense adventurer would avoid their territory completely. And yet, the stories tell us that, like the dragons, sandworms are often the guardians of a valuable treasure. In one story, a sandworm swallowed an enchanted sword. Who knows what other artifacts could lurk within the bellies of these ancient devourers? In another story, the sandworms produced a powerful drug that granted those who ingested it the power to see the future and travel to the furthest reaches of the galaxy. In that story, the sandworms were seen as the eternal agents of God.
"},{"name":"Sea Serpent","image":"creatures/sea-serpent/sea-serpent-og.jpg","description":"Giant dragons of the deep water","appearance":"Sea serpents have long, snake-like bodies. Their heads resemble those of dragons, or lizards, though they sometimes appear cat-like. They range in sizes as small as the length of a wagon, to as large as an entire bay. Some tell stories of sea serpents who circled the world.","behaviours":[{"label":"Descendents of the primordial chaos","description":"Sea serpents represent primordial chaos, as all dragons do. They may be descended from Tiamat, the original mother of chaos."},{"label":"Deep water opportunists","description":"They dwell in deep waters devouring shoals of fish. But when a ship crosses their path, they will seize the opportunity and attempt to smash it and devour its crew."},{"label":"Prized by hunters, explorers, and kings","description":"The allure of capturing or slaying a sea serpent is strong. Many great men and women have sought to prove their existence or even capture them. To accomplish such a difficult feat would bring great honour."}],"statBlocks":[{"title":"Pirate Campaign Compendium (5e SRD)","url":"https://www.5esrd.com/database/creature/sea-serpent/"},{"title":"Pathfinder SRD","url":"https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/magical-beasts/sea-serpent/"}],"playTips":["You can take advantage of the range in size of sea serpents to tailor many types of encounters. A small one could be a quick random encounter. A large one could be an epic battle at sea. A massive one could be an environmental threat or mythic portent.","Sea Serpents are notoriously elusive. Make it hard to find them, and hard to hit in battle.","This is the perfect monster to complement a seafaring adventure. If you've ever wanted to try incorporating ships or naval combat here is your chance!"],"hooks":["The trolls Ogdi and Blogdi did something really stupid. Their pet has escaped and its hiding in the lake. They'll reward anyone who can bring it home safely - though it may have grown up a bit since they lost it.","Three ships have disappeared after entering the Bokna fjord. People are growing anxious and the Jarl must act.","There is a world famous hunting competition every 7 years at a town between mountains in the deep north. This year, there are rumours that they will set as the prize a monster far more challenging than those of past competitions. Riches and glory await the world's best hunters."],"challenge":"Run an encounters that takes place at sea.","aliases":["Sjöodjur"],"origin":["Norse","Mesopotamian"],"habitats":["Ocean","Lake"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Wikipedia entry for Tiamat","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiamat"},{"title":"Vaesen","author":"Johan Egerkrans","url":"http://wahlstroms.se/bocker/184521-vaesen"}],"published":true,"slug":"sea-serpent","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"The clouds were breaking above the Ormen Lange as she sailed out past the mouth of the fjord. The deep greys and blacks were outlined with the brilliant white light of the sun, as if Thor himself had cracked them apart with his great hammer. The brisk, salt air burned Yrsa's nostrils and she smiled a wild smile. The hunt had begun.
\nThe builders had spared no expense on the trap. It was an enormous steel cage, with a jaw-like door attached to one end. The cage was so big that they had built wooden extensions for the ship just to carry it. The cage was filled with piglets. From the end opposite the jaw ran a great chain the likes of which Yrsa had never seen. Each link was heavy enough that she could only lift a run of six by herself. This expedition had been a long time in the making, and it was only possible because of the financial sponsorship of King Oskar. The King had always had a fascination with the sea, and this particular prize would ensure his place in the sagas.
\nThey made their way to the place the creature had last been spotted, following the sun and the shape of the nearby mountains. At her command, the men pushed the baited trap off the side of the ship. They stumbled as the ship lurched several feet out of the water having lost so much weight at once. For a time, nothing happened. The weather had grown clearer and the blue skies were open above them, though Yrsa could still see clouds jutting above the western horizon. Suddenly the chain snapped tight. The floor boards of her ship made an awful croaking sound as the ship suddenly listed.
\nThe crew burst into a frenzy of activity, readying weapons. Six men ran to the chain's winch at Yrsa's command to take hold of its giant handle. Yrsa's eyes widened and time seemed to slow to a crawl. The croaking of the wood crescendoed into a terrible shriek and she watched helplessly as the winch was ripped out of the ship and into the water, taking four of her men with it. The water was frothing, writhing, swirling beneath them. The water darkened, turning purple, then black as it filled with blood and something else, some shadow. Just as she cried for the men to take up spears, the surface of the water erupted into the sky and the great serpent rose above them. It was as tall as their highest mast, it's gaping mouth filled with teeth the size of the spears in her crew's hands. Witnesses had told of it's impressive size, but no one had prepared them for this.
\nShe held back tears, finding courage in the fact that she would soon be feasting in Valhalla. Time seemed to stop completely at the apex of the serpent's rise. The sun shone behind it's head, surrounding it with a halo of electric light. In a moment it came crashing down upon the ship, smashing it in two. Everywhere men screamed as they died from the impact or fell into the water. Yrsa leapt upon the serpent's back, screaming profanities.
\nIt only took the length of a folk song for the ship to sink completely. Shortly after that the water was quiet again. Quiet and black with blood. No survivors from the Ormen Lange were ever found and no other hunting expeditions were sent. The giant sea serpent was never seen again. Later people would claim that the ship was swallowed by Jörmungandr himself.
\nThere are countless creatures that lurk in the boundless depths of our oceans. But none are so feared as the sea serpents. Ever since humankind has taken to seafaring, there have been stories of these monsters – long, draconic serpents that lay in wait beneath the surface. They devour large shoals of fish in their massive jaws, rarely breaching the surface. Of course they will seize the opportunity for a feast when human flesh crosses their path. When the wooden steeds of man sail into their territory, they rise out of the dark waters to smash the ships and devour the helpless sailors after they tumble into the water.
\nSome of the older sea serpents are so large that they can block the entrance to the fjords. In those cases, they may simply lay in wait with their mouths open and swallow the ships whole, a tactic that reminds me of the Aspidochelone. There is a story of one such giant, the sea serpent of Gullmarn Fjord, who lay with its enormous head on the shore. It used a hypnotic stare to lure livestock and even people into is gaping maw.
\nThe famous Great Lake Serpent of Sweden (Storsjödjuret) was supposedly created when two trolls were mixing some foul concotion on the shore of Lake Storsjö. Their ugly faces turned uglier still when they leaned over the brew and saw the mixture turning blacker than it should. All of a sudden, a monster with a black snake-like body leapt out of the cauldron and ran off into the lake. There it grew larger, and larger over the years, benefitting from an ideal environment under the water. People would catch glimpses of it whenever it breached the surface, making quick prayers to protect themselves. The monster was never captured and may live their still.
\nI love that origin story. It warns of unexpected consequences when dealing with old magicks, and it suggests a great variety of origins for the sea serpents. But I propose a deeper theory. I believe that most sea serpents may trace their lineage back to the beginning of everything. They are far older than the times of trolls on the shores of Sweden.
\nIn the beginning their was Tiamat, the serpent of primordial creation. We may even consider her to be the first dragon. The great hero Marduk faced her in battle as a massive sea serpent, creating the heavens and the earth from her body when he killed her. Her essence, the essence of chaotic creation itself, infuses the world. I believe that the natural born sea serpents who inhabit today's lakes and oceans are all descendents of Tiamat.
\nReflections of the first dragon glisten on the surface of the deep waters.
"},{"name":"Siren","description":"Females of land and sea with enchanting voices.","aliases":["Mermaid"],"origin":["Greek"],"habitats":["Ocean"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"The Grand Medieval Bestiary","author":"Christian Heck and Remy Cordonnier","url":"https://www.abbeville.com/books/the-grand-medieval-bestiary-by-remy-cordonnier-and-christian-heck-756-b"}],"published":true,"slug":"siren","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"Author's Note: This entry contains a spoiler for the movie 'The Lighthouse' by Robert Eggers.
\n![\"Herbert](\"/images/creatures/siren/Herbert-James-Draper-Ulysses-and-the-Sirens.jpg\")
'Ulysses and the Sirens' by Herbert James Draper
In the beginning, there were only voices. Sweetly they floated out from their island promising knowledge of all things. So compelling that any man who heard them would go to them willingly, forgetting his greater mission. Forgetting himself.
\n\n\nThis way, oh turn your bows,\\\n Achaea’s glory,\\\n As all the world allows—\\\n Moor and be merry.
\nSweet coupled airs we sing.\\\n No lonely seafarer\\\n Holds clear of entering\\\n Our green mirror.
\nPleased by each purling note\\\n Like honey twining\\\n From her throat and my throat,\\\n Who lies a-pining?
\nSea rovers here take joy\\\n Voyaging onward,\\\n As from our song of Troy\\\n Graybeard and rower-boy\\\n Goeth more learned.
\nAll feats on that great field\\\n In the long warfare,\\\n Dark days the bright gods willed,\\\n Wounds you bore there,
\nArgos’ old soldiery\\\n On Troy beach teeming,\\\n Charmed out of time we see.\\\n No life on earth can be\\\n Hid from our dreaming
\n \n
We have this record because the great hero Odysseus took council from the goddess Circe. Wishing to hear the voices of the sirens, he plugged the ears of his crew with wax and lashed himself to the mast of his ship. Bound tightly he was unable to approach when the song summoned him. He survived the encounter and returned with his story of the sirens.
\nWhy must man fear knowledge? Where lies the poison in the sirens' sweet honey? Circe warns of the piles of mouldering bones surrounding the sirens' favored island. It would be easy to interpret the danger as mere illusion: The sirens lure the sailors with false promises and then feast upon them with fang and claw. I believe the truth is much more horrifying.
\nWhen a man confronts the sirens, they deliver exactly what was promised: knowledge of all things. In the face of absolute understanding, his mind and soul disintegrate in terrified screams. The mythologist Robert Eggers presents the horror in his movie The Lighthouse. After disturbing, sexual encounters with a mermaid, the doomed mariner Thomas finally confronts the great light at the top of the lighthouse. Faced with such knowing, such cosmic horror, he loses his mind and ends up a corpse on the rocks.
\nThe voice is the truth of this creature. Many other aspects of the siren have evolved throughout history and remain contested to this day. Yet the power of the voice remains constant. The little mermaid of Disney fame, whose alluring voice drives the plot forward, is a direct descendent of the sirens in Homer. I believe that mermaid and siren are indistinguishable. These are simply two names for the same creature that represent different favoured interpretations.
\nNotice that Homer only describes the voice. We have no physical description from the adventure of Odysseus, other than the knowledge that they are female. In ancient Greece, they were described by Ovid as birds with golden plumage and the face of a virgin. Others described them as hybrids with the top half of a woman and the bottom half of a sea bird. In the Physiologus they were half woman, half goose. In the Middle Ages, it was common to depict them as half fish, half woman – a depiction that remains popular today. The half fish, half woman motif is very common in heraldry and other ornamentation from that period. Some illustrations even combine the features so that they appear as mermaids with wings.
\nTheir nature is unclear. They have been called nymphs, monsters, and demons. Modern sirens, like Ariel, are benevolent and wish to involve themselves in human affairs, while others remain indifferent towards us. From Borges:
\n\n\nSometime in the sixth century, a Siren was captured in the north of Wales and baptized, and even listed as a saint in certain ancient calendars, under the name Murgen. Another came through a break in a dike in 1403, and lived in Haarlem until her death. No one could understand her, but she taught people to spin and she worshipped the cross, as though instinctively. A sixteenth-century chronicle reasoned that she was not a fish, for she knew how to spin, nor yet was she a woman, for she could live in water.
\n
I advise caution. We have the ill-fated Thomas as a warning and the story of Odysseus as a strategy for avoiding them. There is one other story involving the supernaturally gifted singer Orpheus. He sang so sweetly that it rivalled the sirens, who immediately leapt into the sea and transformed into the rocks below. It is assumed that they must perish whenever a man does not succumb to their voice.
"},{"name":"Striga","description":"Cursed combination of vampire, witch, and werewolf.","aliases":["Shtriga","Stryzga"],"origin":["Polish","Albanian","Romanian","Slavic"],"habitats":["Crypt","City","Subterranea"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Witcher wiki entry","author":null,"url":"https://witcher.fandom.com/wiki/Striga"},{"title":"What is a Striga?","author":"WitcherGeorge","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQpAsECYTgg"},{"title":"The Witcher Netflix series, S1E3","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witcher_(TV_series)"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry for Albanian Shtriga","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shtriga"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry for Polish Strzyga","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strzyga"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry for Romanian Strigoi","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strigoi"}],"published":true,"slug":"striga","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"![\"Striga](\"/images/creatures/striga/striga.jpg\")
The Striga hunts across many different regions and in many different forms. The legends vary from place to place, and it is difficult to decipher facts from flights of fancy. In some regions it could be interpreted as an accusation of witchcraft, and so one might even shout \"striga!\" as a sort of curse word. Before examining the stories, let us examine the different roots and meanings of this monster's name. In doing so we might better understand the true essence of this creature and be better prepared to face one regardless of the physical form it appears in.
\nThe strigoi in Romanian mythology are troubled spirits that have risen from the grave. The infamous vampire Dracula is an incarnation of the Romanian strigoi.
\nThe stryge in French mythology is a bird-woman who sucks the blood of children.
\nIn Greek, a strix is a shape-shifted bird of ill omen that fed on the blood of humans. Strix could also refer to witchcraft.
\nThe shtriga in Albanian mythology is a vampiric witch that sucks the blood of infants and can transform into a flying insect.
\nThe strzyga of Slavic mythology is a vampiric, female demon that can transform into an owl to hunt humans at night.
\nIn Italian, the word strega means witch.
\nIn considering these examples, we can extract certain properties of strigoi that are most likely the truth. A striga is an undead being. Almost every story mentions the beast rising from the grave and it is well known that undead creatures crave the warm blood of the living. Their diet of living humans marks them clearly as a kind of vampire. Despite the occasional reference to a male creature, it is likely that most striga are females. There is a clear connection to witchcraft which is historically associated with females. We can also see that strigoi have the ability to change shapes and will often take the form of a flying creature (traditionally a bat, owl, moth, fly, or bee) to hunt its prey.
\nThe last thing to consider is that the presence of a curse is likely at work. A powerful curse would explain how a striga rises from the grave and why it is bound to hunt only at night. In some stories, the striga is said to only hunt during a full moon. This draws a connection to the more well-known lycanthropy curse.
\nThere was once a king whose kingdom was threatened by a striga. The king sought out a reknowned monster hunter to help lift the curse. The hunter took the contract but sensed something strange was going on. In his experience, no one ever sought to save a striga. A human who had once been a striga may not retain all of their mental faculties, and would forever be at risk of turning back into a savage beast. Far better to simply kill them…
\nIn order to lift the curse, the hunter had to wait until the striga left its burial site to hunt and then prevent it from returning to its resting place by the third crowing of the rooster. The striga was a disgusting, well-muscled beast that ran on all fours. Its jaws extended from ear to ear, with two rows of teeth inside. Her hands ended in long fingers with claws that could tear through solid bone. The only remaining human feature was the red hair that trailed down her back. The beast was brimming with hatred for all things living, and she had super strength and speed. The hunter could barely stand up against it and only managed to prevail through the super-human power he was granted by a curse of his own. In the end, he restored the girl to her human form and learned the truth: She was the king's daughter born of an incestous relationship with his sister. The curse had been placed by another man at court who was also in love with the king's sister. He could not bear to see his lover taken from him, especially by her own brother, and so he cursed them. The king's sister died in childbirth, and the infant transformed into a striga and grew inside their sarcophagus for years before emerging to terrorize the kingdom. Evidence of the curse was found inside the culprit's journal:
\n\n"},{"name":"The Three Mothers","image":"creatures/three-mothers/three-mothers-og.jpg","description":"Triumvirate of founding witches.","appearance":"Three ancient witches of tremendous power. Mater Lachrymarum is the most beautiful with wild and sleepy eyes. She wears a diadem around her head. Mater Suspiriorum has a heavy head, as if sighing. She wears an old turban and carries a key. Mater Tenebrarum appears as a spectre of death with blazing eyes, and moves with sudden violence.","behaviours":[{"label":"Widespread influence from the shadows","description":"The Three Mothers have had centuries to spread their foul influence. They rarely act directly, preferring to exercise their will through their vast networks of slaves, spies, and unwitting mortal actors. Many believe that they died long ago, such is their subtlety."},{"label":"Keepers of great relics","description":"As powerful witches, they have created and collected many magical artifacts to enhance their power. The Red Cloak of Lachrymarum and the Skeleton Key of Suspiriorum are two examples."},{"label":"Aspects of Death herself","description":"Many who have encountered any of the sisters have mistaken them for Death itself. It is not clear whether they were once mortal or if they have always been goddesses of Death or aspects of Her."}],"aliases":["Three Sorrows","Our Ladies of Sorrow","Lachrymarum","Mother of Tears","Our Lady of Tears","Tenebrarum","Mother of Darkness","Our Lady of Darkness","Suspiriorum","Mother of Sighs","Our Lady of Sighs","Helena Markos","The Black Queen"],"origin":["English"],"habitats":["City"],"legendary":true,"sources":[{"title":"Suspiria de Profundis","author":"Thomas De Quincey","url":"http://public-library.uk/ebooks/28/2.pdf"},{"title":"Suspiria (2018)","author":"Luca Guadagnino","url":"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1034415/"},{"title":"Suspiria (1977)","author":"Dario Argento","url":"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076786/"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Mothers"}],"published":true,"slug":"three-mothers","stats":[{"handle":"lachrymarum-monarch-arts","author_handle":"monarch-arts","name":"Mater Lachrymarum, Mother of Tears","size":"Medium","type":"fey","subtype":"","alignment":"neutral evil","armor_class":16,"hit_points":144,"hit_dice":"24d8 + 36","speed":"30 ft., fly 30ft.","strength":8,"dexterity":18,"constitution":15,"intelligence":14,"wisdom":14,"charisma":20,"wisdom_save":7,"damage_resistances":"cold, non-magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing","condition_immunities":"charmed, frightened","senses":"passive Perception 12","languages":"Telepathy 120 ft.","challenge_rating":"16","special_abilities":[{"name":"One With the Wind","desc":"Whilst Mater Lachrymarum is flying, she becomes invisible.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Parental Whisper","desc":"Using Telepathy, Mater Lachrymarum can speak and understand any language creature's she communicates with speak.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Aura of Despair","desc":"Creatures within 10ft of Mater Lachrymarum must make a DC18 Charisma Saving Throw. Creatures that fail this save become filled with feelings of despair and have disadvantage to Wisdom Saving Throws whilst in this aura. Creatures that pass this save are immune to this ability for 24 hours.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Spellcasting","desc":"Mater Lachrymarum is a 16th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 18, +10 to hit with spell attacks). Mater Lachrymarum has the following spells known:\n\nCantrips (at will): chill touch, dancing lights, mage hand, mending, minor illusion, ray of frost\nLevel 1 (4 slots): charm person, disguise self, sleep\nLevel 2 (3 slots): crown of madness, hold person\nLevel 3 (3 slots): dispel magic, hypnotic pattern\nLevel 4 (3 slots): confusion, greater invisibility\nLevel 5 (2 slots): dominate person, telekinesis\nLevel 6 (1 slot): mass suggestion, true seeing\nLevel 7 (1 slot): etherealness, prismatic spray\nLevel 8 (1 slot): dominate monster, power word stun","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Pitying Gaze (Recharge 6)","desc":"Mater Lachrymarum fixes her gaze on a target within 60ft. overwhelming them with grief. The target must make a DC16 Wisdom Saving Throw or become stunned until the end of Mother Lachrymarum's next turn.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Mother's Caress","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack. +9 to hit, 2d4 + 4 bludgeoning damage.\nMater Lachrymarum embraces her target, if they are under the effects of Pitying Gaze they must make a DC16 Wisdom Saving Throw. On a failed save, they do not take damage and instead are rendered unconscious for 1d4 hours or until they take damage.","attack_bonus":9,"damage_dice":"2d4 + 4"},{"name":"Claws","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack. +9 to hit, 2d6 + 4 slashing damage.","attack_bonus":9,"damage_dice":"2d6 + 4"}],"legendary_desc":"Mater Lachrymarum can make 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature's turn. Mater Lachrymarum regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn.","legendary_actions":[{"name":"Attack","desc":"Mater Lachrymarum can make one attack with her claws or Mother's Caress.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Fade Into the Wind","desc":"Mater Lachrymarum can move up to her fly speed.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Mother's Disapproval (Costs 2 Actions)","desc":"Mater Lachrymarum wails, invoking feelings of shame. All creatures within 30ft of her, that can hear her, must make a DC16 Charisma Saving Throw or be unable to take the attack action for 1d4 turns or until they take damage.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Cast (Costs 3 Actions)","desc":"Mater Lachrymarum can cast a spell from her spell list, expending the spell slot as normal.","attack_bonus":0}],"speed_json":{"walk":30},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"monarch-arts","name":"Monarch Arts","url":"https://www.patreon.com/MonarchArts","avatar":"monarch.png"}},{"handle":"suspiriorum-monarch-arts","author_handle":"monarch-arts","name":"Mater Suspiriorum, Mother of Sighs","size":"Medium","type":"fey","subtype":"","alignment":"neutral evil","armor_class":16,"hit_points":136,"hit_dice":"21d8 + 42","speed":"30 ft.","strength":8,"dexterity":14,"constitution":16,"intelligence":14,"wisdom":18,"charisma":13,"wisdom_save":9,"damage_resistances":"cold, non-magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing","condition_immunities":"charmed, frightened","senses":"passive Perception 14","languages":"Common, Dwarven, Elven, Sylvan","challenge_rating":"14","special_abilities":[{"name":"Aura of Anguish","desc":"Creatures within 10ft of Mater Suspiriorum must make a DC18 Charisma Saving Throw. Creatures that fail this save become filled with feelings of hopelessness and become frightened for as long as they are in the aura. Succeeding at the saving throw makes you immune to this effect for 24 hours.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Spellcasting","desc":"Mater Suspiriorum is a 14th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 18, +9 to hit with spell attacks). Mater Suspiriorum has the following spells known:\n\nCantrips (at will): guidance, poison spray, resistance, shillelagh, thorn whip\nLevel 1 (4 slots): cure wounds, entangle, fog cloud\nLevel 2 (3 slots): darkvision, locate object\nLevel 3 (3 slots): call lightning, feign death\nLevel 4 (3 slots): hallucinatory terrain, locate creature\nLevel 5 (2 slots): awaken, reincarnate\nLevel 6 (1 slot): conjure fey, wall of thorns Level 7 (1 slot): mirage arcane, reverse gravity","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"Mater Suspiriorum can use her Hopeless Gaze, then she makes 2 attacks with her claws.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Skeleton Key","desc":"Mater Suspiriorum can, as a bonus action, appear as any humanoid creature that would not be out of place in her immediate environment. This can include: servants in a noble manor, a masked guest at a high society party or an old woman in the street outside a temple. This effect lasts until it is deactivated, or Mater Suspiriorum uses an offensive ability, casts a spell or attacks.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Hopeless Gaze (Recharge 6)","desc":"Mater Suspiriorum fixes her gaze on a target within 60ft. overwhelming them with anxiety. The target must make a DC16 Wisdom Saving Throw or become frightened until the end of Mother Lachrymarum's next turn. If the creature is already firghtened, they are instead stunned.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Mother's Caress","desc":"Mater Suspiriorum embraces her target, if they are frightened they must make a DC15 Charisma Saving Throw. On a failed save, they lose the frightened condition and are instead charmed for 1d4 hours or until they take damage.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Claws","desc":"Weapon Attack. +9 to hit, 1d8 + 2 slashing damage.","attack_bonus":9,"damage_dice":"1d8 + 2"},{"name":"Wail of the Hopeless (Recharge 5-6)","desc":"As an action, Mater Susporiorum unleashes the screams of the souls she has fed upon, dealing 4d10 + 4 thunder damage to all creatures within 30ft.","attack_bonus":0}],"speed_json":{"walk":30},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"monarch-arts","name":"Monarch Arts","url":"https://www.patreon.com/MonarchArts","avatar":"monarch.png"}},{"handle":"tenebrarum-monarch-arts","author_handle":"monarch-arts","name":"Mater Tenebrarum, Mother of Darkness","size":"Medium","type":"fey","subtype":"","alignment":"neutral evil","armor_class":15,"hit_points":87,"hit_dice":"15d8 + 20","speed":"30 ft.","strength":8,"dexterity":17,"constitution":15,"intelligence":18,"wisdom":14,"charisma":13,"wisdom_save":6,"damage_resistances":"cold, non-magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing","senses":"passive Perception 12, Darkvision 120ft","languages":"Common, Dwarven, Elven, Sylvan","challenge_rating":"16","special_abilities":[{"name":"Aura of Darkness","desc":"Those within 10ft of Mater Suspiriorum succumb to her dark magic. Creatures within this field can only see as though it were in darkness.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Night Mother","desc":"Mater Tenebrarum's attacks deal an additional 5d6 damage when striking a creature in darkness with advantage. Spells cast by Mater Tenebrarum deal an additional 2d6 instead.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Spellcasting","desc":"Mater Tenebrarum is a 10th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). Mater Tenebrarum has the following spells known:\n\nCantrips (at will): chill touch, light, mage hand, message, minor illusion\nLevel 1 (4 slots): detect magic, disguise self, sleep\nLevel 2 (3 slots): darkness, misty step\nLevel 3 (3 slots): bestow curse, vampiric touch\nLevel 4 (3 slots): evard's black tentacles, phantasmal killer\nLevel 5 (2 slots): cone of cold, dream","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"Mater Tenebrarum can make 2 attacks with her claws.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Mother's Caress","desc":"Mater Tenebrarum embraces her target, if they are blinded they must make a DC15 Charisma Saving Throw. On a failed save, they lose the blinded condition and are instead knocked unconscious for 1d4 hours or until they take damage.","attack_bonus":9,"damage_dice":"2d4 + 4"},{"name":"Night Descends (Recharge 6)","desc":"Mater Tenebrarum gently touches a creature within 5ft of her. The target must make a DC14 Wisdom Saving Throw or become blinded for 1d4 rounds.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Claws","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack. +7 to hit, 1d8 + 3 slashing damage.","attack_bonus":7,"damage_dice":"1d8 + 3"}],"speed_json":{"walk":30},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"monarch-arts","name":"Monarch Arts","url":"https://www.patreon.com/MonarchArts","avatar":"monarch.png"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"“I curse you and hope you rot amidst worms in hell. I curse your incestuous deeds. Your sister deserved better. I implore destiny to render the child born of your lechery as monstrous as you. If the witch spoke truly, you will soon taste my vengeance. I need only prepare the ingredients and utter the words thrice. Some say that not even the words are necessary, that hatred alone suffices. Know that my hatred is fierce.”
\n
\n\n\"Let us call them, therefore, Our Ladies of Sorrow. I know them thoroughly, and have walked in all their kingdoms. Three\n sisters they are, of one mysterious household; and their paths are wide apart; but of their dominion there is no end.\n Them I saw often conversing with Levana, and sometimes about myself. Do they talk, then? O, no! Mighty\n phantoms like these disdain the infirmities of language. They may utter voices through the organs of man when\n they dwell in human hearts, but amongst themselves is no voice nor sound; eternal silence reigns in their\n kingdoms.
\n[…] They utter their pleasure not by sounds that\n perish, or by words that go astray, but by signs in heaven, by changes on earth, by pulses in secret rivers,\n heraldries painted on darkness, and hieroglyphics written on the tablets of the brain.\"
\n– Thomas de Quincey, Suspiria de Profundis
\n
Try to imagine, for a moment, the overwhelming power of witches and mothers. A witch, through her deep connection to nature, her knowledge of alchemy, astrology, and all the earth's secrets, her pact with demons and the Prince of Darkness himself; through these connections the witch gathers power about herself and may weave true magic to carry out her designs.
\nA mother has an even deeper connection to nature. A mother represents the force of all creation – a powerful agent through which nature expresses herself. A mother is always at the beginning of things. It is common for the witch and the mother to be one. See Baba Yaga for example.
\nThough the knowledge is almost lost, and their purposes well served by its fading, I am here to tell you of the Mothers who were there at the beginning of all witches.\nThere were three: a triumvirate of ancient sisters who came by the coast of the Black Sea and founded the witches' craft that would bring so much suffering to our world.\nSome say they are the personification of Death itself.
\nSince that unholy day, the Three Mothers have spread their influence across every corner of the earth. Working through proxies they have remained out of sight, building their wealth and bringing ruin to the places they visit. Their actions are so cleverly obfuscated that even those who know of them, believe that they are long dead.
\nThey are not.
\n\n\n\"The eldest of the three is named Mater Lachrymarum, Our Lady of Tears. She it is that night and day raves and\n moans, calling for vanished faces. […] She it was that stood in Bethlehem on the night when Herod's sword\n swept its nurseries of Innocents, and the little feet were stiffened forever, which, heard at times as they tottered\n along floors overhead, woke pulses of love in household hearts that were not unmarked in heaven.\n Her eyes are sweet and subtle, wild and sleepy, by turns; oftentimes rising to the clouds, oftentimes challenging the heavens.\n She wears a diadem round her head.\"
\n– Thomas de Quincey, Suspiria de Profundis
\n
![\"Mother](\"/images/creatures/three-mothers/mother-of-tears.png\")
Illustration generated by The Oracle. Create your own for free.
The Mother of Tears is the most powerful and beautiful of the three. She can travel by the wind, swiftly moving from place to place,\nattending those who worship her or those who suffer a sadness of the soul. She sits beside a king showing him images of his stillborn daughter, just as she sits beside a beggar who dreams of the joyful daughter he lost. She carries with her a set of keys that open any lock. Indeed, the eldest sister has the widest influence.\nWherever there are grieving men, women, or children, sleepless from suffering, the Mother of Tears intrudes.
\nOne story mentions that she possesses a powerful relic, a red cloak, that could be a key to defeating her. What powers the cloak possesses are unknown.\nIt seems unlikely that this is true. How could a cloak stop the most powerful witch to ever walk? A witch who feeds on grief itself?
\n\n\n\"The second sister is called Mater Suspiriorum , Our Lady of Sighs. She never scales the clouds, nor walks abroad\n upon the winds. She wears no diadem. And her eyes, if they were ever seen, would be neither sweet nor subtle; no\n man could read their story; they would be found filled with perishing dreams, and with wrecks of forgotten\n delirium.\"
\n– Thomas de Quincey, Suspiria de Profundis
\n
![\"Mother](\"/images/creatures/three-mothers/mother-of-sighs.png\")
Illustration generated by The Oracle. Create your own for free.
The Mother of Sighs does not walk upon the winds challenging the heavens. Her head is forever heavy, drooped towards the ground as she walks.\nShe wears an old turban and sighs constantly. Her sighs are the sighs of the hopeless. Every slave, every meek prisoner, every disgraced bastard and victim - they will hear her sighs.
\nShe carries one key, which she uses infrequently. It is a key that will unbar the way to the elite members of society. Those who appear to us as completely confident, as having every thing a man or woman could ever desire: those people also entertain the Mother of Sighs.
\nAt one point in history, the Mother of Sighs went by the name Helena Markos. Under this name she led a coven inside of a German dance school.\nA foolish dancer from America, named Suzy, uncovered the truth and confronted her head on. She found a disgusting hag, covered in sores and the protruding limbs of half-formed infants.\nMarkos attacked but was defeated when Suzy stabbed her through the neck.
\nMarkos had been involved in combat with a white witch before her confrontation with Suzy. It was that virtuous foe who had weakened her in battle, leaving her in the hag-like\nstate that would make it possible for a common dancer to defeat her.
\nThe defeat was only temporary of course. For a witch of such power, the corporeal representation of her will is only one aspect. Losing her body is a setback, not a true death.\nGo for yourself and visit those who have lost the spark of hope. Go and listen closely, and you will still hear the sighs.
\n\n\nBut the third sister, who is also the youngest! Hush! whisper whilst we talk of her! Her kingdom is not large, or\n else no flesh should live; but within that kingdom all power is hers. Her head, turreted like that of Cybèle, rises\n almost beyond the reach of sight. She droops not; and her eyes rising so high might be hidden by distance. But,\n being what they are, they cannot be hidden; through the treble veil of crape which she wears, the fierce light of a\n blazing misery, that rests not for matins or for vespers, for noon of day or noon of night, for ebbing or for flowing\n tide, may be read from the very ground. She is the defier of God. […] And her name is Mater Tenebrarum, Our Lady of Darkness.\"
\n– Thomas de Quincey, Suspiria de Profundis
\n
![\"Mother](\"/images/creatures/three-mothers/mother-of-darkness.png\")
Illustration generated by The Oracle. Create your own for free.
The Mother of Darkness is the youngest and most cruel of the three. Though it is conjectured that the Three Mothers are a personification of Death, never is it so clear as with Mater Tenebrarum. Her psychotic violence can utterly transform her so that she appears before you as the Grim Reaper. She moves forcefully and erratically, like a foreign predator attacking any\nwho suffer a deep schism in their mind or body. When you are stripped down and brought to your worst, when your mind breaks and your body fails you, that is when she comes.
\nShe carries no key for her realm on earth is limited. Whenever a window of opportunity presents itself, she flies towards it – laughing.
"},{"name":"Troll","description":"Descendants of giants who shape the earth.","aliases":[],"origin":["Norse","Anglo-Saxon"],"habitats":["Hills","Mountains","Subterranea","Forest"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"An Encyclopedia of Tolkien","author":"David Day","url":"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/An-Encyclopedia-of-Tolkien/David-Day/Leather-bound-Classics/9781645170099"},{"title":"The Brave Little Tailor","author":"Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm","url":"https://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm020.html"},{"title":"Peer Gynt","author":"Henrik Ibsen","url":"https://archive.org/details/peergyntdramatic00ibseuoft"}],"published":true,"slug":"troll","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"![\"Troll](\"/images/creatures/troll/troll.png\")
Illustration by @danaxbraga
\"Hey! Who invited you?\" said the little tailor, driving away the unbidden guests. However, the flies, who did not understand German, would not be turned away, and they came back in ever-increasing numbers. Finally, losing his temper, he reached for a piece of cloth and shouted, \"Wait, now I'm going to give it to you!\" then hit at them without mercy. When he backed off and counted, there were no fewer than seven of them lying dead before him, with their legs stretched out.
\n\"Aren't you someone?\" he said to himself, surprised at his own bravery. The whole town shall hear about this.\" He hastily cut out a banner for himself, then embroidered on it with large letters, Seven with one blow. \"The town?\" he said further. \"The whole world shall hear about this!\" And his heart jumped for joy like a lamb's tail.
\nThe tailor tied the banner around his body and set forth into the world, for he thought that his workshop was too small for such bravery. Before leaving he looked about his house for something that he could take with him. Finding nothing but a piece of old cheese, he put that into his pocket. Outside the town gate he found a bird that was caught in a bush. It went into his pocket with the cheese.
\nHe bravely took to the road, and being light and agile he did not grow weary. The road led him up a mountain, and when he reached the top a huge giant was sitting there, looking around contentedly.
\nThe little tailor went up to him cheerfully and said, \"Good day, comrade. Are you just sitting here looking at the wide world? I am on my way out there to prove myself. Do you want to come with me?\"
\nThe giant looked at the tailor with contempt, saying, \"You wretch! You miserable fellow!\"
\n\"You don't say!\" answered the little tailor. Unbuttoning his coat, he showed the banner to the giant. \"You can read what kind of man I am.\"
\nThe giant read Seven with one blow, and thinking that the tailor had killed seven men, he gained some respect for the little fellow. But he did want to put him to the test, so he picked up a stone and squeezed it with his hand until water dripped from it.
\n\"Do what I just did,\" said the giant, \"if you have the strength.\"
\n\"Is that all?\" said the little tailor. \"That is child's play for someone like me.\" Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the soft cheese and squeezed it until liquid ran from it. \"That was even better, wasn't it?\" he said.
\nThe giant did not know what to say, for he did not believe the little man. Then the giant picked up a stone and threw it so high that it could scarcely be seen. \"Now, you little dwarf, do that.\"
\n\"A good throw,\" said the tailor, \"but the stone did fall back to earth. I'll throw one for you that will not come back.\" He reached into his pocket, pulled out the bird, and threw it into the air. Happy to be free, the bird flew up and away, and did not come back. \"How did you like that, comrade?\" asked the tailor.
\n\"You can throw well enough,\" said the giant, but now let's see if you are able to carry anything proper.\" He led the little tailor to a mighty oak tree that had been cut down and was lying on the ground. He said, \"If you are strong enough, then help me carry this tree out of the woods.\"
\n\"Gladly,\" answered the little man. \"You take the trunk on your shoulder, and I will carry the branches and twigs. After all, they are the heaviest.\"
\nThe giant lifted the trunk onto his shoulder, but the tailor sat down on a branch, and the giant, who could not see behind himself, had to drag long the entire tree, with the little tailor sitting on top. Cheerful and in good spirits, he whistled the song \"There Were Three Tailors Who Rode Out to the Gate,\" as though carrying a tree were child's play.
\nThis translation of the \"The Brave Little Tailor\" by the brothers Grimm describes a humorous competition between a clever tailor and a giant. This part of the story is actually about a tailor and a troll. If you read the entire story, you will see many elements that inspired the encounter between Bilbo Baggins and the three trolls (Bert, Tom, and William Huggins). In Tolkien's version, the trolls are outwitted by the wizard Gandalf who tricks them into arguing with each other until the sun comes up. Trolls live in mountains or dark forest caves because, if the sun touches them, they turn to stone. You can still witness the standing stones that were once trolls, littered across landscapes in many regions of the world. Journey to Trold-Tindterne in Norway and you can see the remains of two trolls armies, their conflict frozen forever in stone.
\nSo why did this Grimm translation choose the moniker 'giant'? The reason is that the trolls are direct descendents of the mighty giants of Jotunheim – those ancient beings who, on the day of the Twilight of the Gods, scaled the rainbow bridge, and tore it down and, aided by a wolf and a serpent, destroyed the world. Their heritage is what grants them such tremendous strength and influence over the shape of the earth itself. In every land and region, trolls leave their mark upon the earth. Most adult trolls can uproot mature trees and smash large boulders. Distinguished trolls with pure bloodlines may even move mountains or change the course of rivers.
\nDespite their incredible strength, a troll is generally dull-witted, slow moving, and vicious to its core. In Bilbo's story, they are common robbers and demonstrate their selfishness and cruelty as they debate how to cook the dwarves. In Henrik Ibsen's dramatic poem Peer Gynt, they truly believe the horrible drink they brew is delicious and that their caves are \"palaces\". To prevent Peer Gynt from seeing how disgusting their dwelling places really are, they threaten to put out his eyes. An adventurer who encounters a troll should generally steer wide of them. If you are forced into contact, you must never underestimate their cruelty. Give them a modest puzzle or task to consider and, while they mull it over, get yourself quickly away.
"},{"name":"Valkyrie","description":"Weavers of the web of war.","appearance":"A valkyrie is a female warrior. They appear as resolute, angel-like beings with shining armor. They have magic arsenals typical of norse warriors such as axes, spears, and shields.","behaviours":[{"label":"Fate of warriors","description":"The holy task of the valkyrie is to determine which fallen soldiers are worthy of a glorious afterlife in Valhalla. Valkyrie not only see the future, but decide it."},{"label":"Sky riders","description":"Valkyrie ride the winds and look down upon the earth below. They sometimes ride supernatural steeds, but can fly on their own using their beautiful wings."},{"label":"Terrible angels","description":"Valkyrie are like angels, yes, but they are like the awe-inspiring angels of old. Their presence is both terrible and beautiful. In your eyes and ears rings the cacophany of the gods and battle everlasting."}],"aliases":[],"origin":["Norse"],"habitats":["Underworld","Sky"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"Norse Bestiary Alphabet","author":"Thomas Denmark","url":"https://www.thomasdenmark.com/product-page/norse-bestiary-alphabet"},{"title":"The Book of Imaginary Beings","author":"Jorge Luis Borges","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/288242/the-book-of-imaginary-beings-classics-deluxe-edition-by-jorge-luis-borges-illustrated-by-peter-sis/9780143039938"},{"title":"Der Ring des Nibelungen","author":"Richard Wagner","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Ring_des_Nibelungen#Story"},{"title":"An Encyclopedia of Tolkien","author":"David Day","url":"https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/An-Encyclopedia-of-Tolkien/David-Day/Leather-bound-Classics/9781645170099"},{"title":"God of War","author":null,"url":"https://www.playstation.com/en-au/games/god-of-war-ps4/"}],"published":true,"slug":"valkyrie","stats":[{"handle":"valkyrie-lorecraft","author_handle":"lorecraft","name":"Valkyrie","size":"Medium","type":"celestial","subtype":"","alignment":"lawful any","armor_class":17,"hit_points":258,"hit_dice":"47d8 + 47","speed":"30 ft., fly 60ft.","strength":18,"dexterity":16,"constitution":12,"intelligence":12,"wisdom":18,"charisma":20,"dexterity_save":8,"wisdom_save":9,"charisma_save":10,"perception":9,"senses":"truesight 200 ft., passive Perception 19","languages":"Celestial, Common, Infernal","damage_resistances":"piercing","damage_immunities":"fire, radiant","challenge_rating":"14","special_abilities":[],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The Valkyrie makes two attacks. These can be any combination of the Lightning Spear attack or Radiant Greataxe attack.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Radiant Greataxe","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (1d12 + 4) slashing damage plus 16 (3d10) radiant damage.","attack_bonus":4,"damage_dice":"1d12"},{"name":"Lightning Spear","desc":"The Valkyrie makes a ranged attack (+7 to hit, range 20/60 ft.) with her spear at any target she can see. If the attack his successfully the target takes 8 (1d6 + 4) piercing damage plus 16 (3d10) lightning damage. On a successful hit, the Valkyrie immediately appears holding the spear beside the target. If the attack misses the Valkyrie can return the spear to her hand as a bonus action.","attack_bonus":4,"damage_dice":"1d6"},{"name":"Frightful Presence","desc":"Each creature of the Valkyrie's choice that is within 120 feet of the Valkyrie and aware of it must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If a creature's saving throw is successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to the Valkyrie's Frightful Presence for the next 24 hours.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Valkyrie's Fury","desc":"As a bonus action the Valkyrie targets any creature it can see as the subject of its Fury. The Valkyrie deals an extra 2d6 damage to the target whenever it hits with a weapon attack, and the Valkyrie has advantage on any Intimidation (Strength) checks made against the target. If a creature who is not the target of the Valkyrie's Fury strikes the Valkyrie with a melee attack, the Valkyrie's Fury target will switch to the new attacker.","attack_bonus":0,"damage_dice":"2d6"}],"speed_json":{"walk":30},"armor_desc":"half plate","author":{"handle":"lorecraft","name":"LoreCraft","url":"https://www.twitch.tv/lorecraft","avatar":"lorecraft.png"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"![\"Rhinegold](\"/images/creatures/valkyrie/rhinegold-and-the-valkyries.jpg\")
- Rhinegold and the Valkyries by Arthur Rackham
The man and his son felt warm moisture in the air as they stumbled out of the icy tundra into the giant's corpse. They had travelled here before but something had called them back again - a challenge demanding their attention. The boy was small with piercing eyes and he wore leather armor and furs. The man towered above him, with ash-white skin exposed in places, as if the cold could not touch him. Across his skin there were whirls of red, tattoos of some kind. His strange skin colour and the markings were a curse: they carried the story of a past crime he could never escape. But the past did not matter now. The being hidden behind the door in front of them demanded their presence. They entered the chamber, and came face to face with their challenger. She froze them in their tracks.
\nThis man, who had lived his entire life a warrior, sized up his opponent: A winged woman who was the ultimate judge of all warriors. She held the axe named Mordingi, \"The Slayer\", which was a gift from the dwarves. She hefted the shield, named Verja, made from the fingernail of the ancestor of all giants from whom the very world was fashioned. Her helmet, named Vaenghalm, gave her the power to leap into the air across mountains. Her bracelet, named Styrkband, granted her giant's strength. Her belts, the Dauthbandi, followed her will and could extend and entangle any opponent. The man faced Gunnr, the valkyrie of battle, and she was his equal. He raised his own mighty weapon, the axe named Leviathan, and she raised hers. They both leapt into the space between, their glorious battle echoing far across the frozen north…
\nA valkyrie is female warrior who, with her sisters, decides the fate of those in battle. They appear as resolute angel-like beings with shining armor. They ride across the sky and are usually only seen by warriors who are fated to die. Gunnr often travels in a trio with her sisters Róta and Skuld. She is particularly good at selecting which warriors should be carried back to paradise - a place called Valhalla where they will feast forever until called to battle at the end of days.
\nIn some exceptional circumstances, valkyrie have been known to appear to other mortals. Those are often the circumstances where gods and mortals intertwine and the world is changed because of it. There is a very famous story, encoded in music, about a cursed ring and a rebellious valkyrie named Brünnhilde. A hero named Siegfried is born when she defies her all-powerful father, and loses her immortality as punishment. She later becomes Siegfried's lover and, in a horrible twist of fate, has to watch him die after he retrieves the ring. She throws herself upon his funeral pyre and her sacrifice is instrumental in the death of the very gods who raised her.
\nThe valkyries are a beautiful and noble sight. They are loved by the gods and they invoke the sounds of trumpets in the orchestra of the mind. Yet they are terrible at the same time. As terrible as gods can be. As terrible as war can be. Their honor and grace will always be accompanied by the horrors of war. Consider this excerpt from the poem called \"Darradarljod\":
\n\n"},{"name":"Verhu","description":"Prophetic head of a two-headed basilisk.","appearance":"A monstrous, two-headed basilisk that rose from beneath a dying world. Verhu is the head with it's crown split wide open, revealing another crown underneath. A crown covered in shifting runes – swirling symbols that float between here and there.","behaviours":[{"label":"Speaker of terrible truths","description":"Verhu whispered the terrible prophecy to the monk Anuk Schleger in the year 565. Each and every ill omen has come to pass exactly as he said it would. The prophecy is recorded in texts called the Nameless Scriptures."},{"label":"They are two and two-headed","description":"Verhu is the arrogant and prophetic head on a two-headed basilisk. The other head is named Gorgh, and he is rank with envy. The male twin-heads were born from an ancient female. Her heads are Lusi and Arkh - Denial and Deception."},{"label":"Arrogant and demanding","description":"Always being right has made Verhu completely full of himself. He makes demands of any who cross his path, sending them on hopeless quests even as the world crumbles."}],"statBlocks":[],"playTips":["The basilisks enjoy their status as dark dieties. Killing people outright is beneath them. They would much rather corrupt them or send them on hopeless quests.","Verhu and his twin-head Gorgh loath their mother. You can use the familial competition to set up your story."],"hooks":["Mörk Borg p.37 has a d20 list of demands the basilisk might make. Each of them makes a great adventure hook.","In addition to the table in the core book, the basilisks could demand: The frost-bitten hand of a virgin from Kergüs; The stigmata of your dearest friend; The world's oldest raven corpse; or a bell which rang at the moment of a child's death.","Someone in your party discovers a dark prophecy from the bottom of a long-forgotten crypt. Worse still, the beginning of it has already come true."],"challenge":"Play a one-shot of the Mörk Borg RPG and bring your favourite parts back to your main game. If that is too difficult, check out the free content here for inspiration https://morkborg.com/content/","aliases":["Gorgh","Lusi","Arkh"],"origin":["Swedish"],"habitats":["crypt","subterranea","dungeon","underworld"],"legendary":true,"sources":[{"title":"Mörk Borg","author":"Pelle Nilsson and Johan Nohr","url":"https://www.morkborg.com"}],"published":true,"slug":"verhu","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"“The valkyries go weaving with drawn swords,\n Hild and Hjorthrimul, Sanngrid and Svipul.\n Spears will shatter shields will splinter,\n Swords will gnaw like wolves through armor.
\nLet us now wind the web of war\n Which the young king once waged.\n Let us advance and wade through the ranks,\n Where friends of ours are exchanging blows.
\nLet us now wind the web of war\n And then follow the king to battle\n Gunn and Gondul can see there\n The blood-spattered shields that guarded the king.
\nLet us now wind the web of war\n Where the warriors banners are forging forward\n Let his life not be taken;\n Only the valkyries can choose the slain.”
\n
In the beginning, when the earth was not much more than dust, she came. She slithered out from the cracks at Bergen Chrypt. An ancient two-headed basilisk who saw the future. She saw every bleak path that the world would walk, and she saw the violent end that each path would inevitably lead to. Her heads, Lusi (Denial) and Arkh (Deception) looked upon the world with disgust. Lusi was adorned with gigantic antlers, whisps of silver hair falling from her crown. Arkh had her head split open. Inside where signs and symbols that were impossible to gaze upon, so disturbing was the movement. They set out to do the most miserable possible thing they could think of: bring life.
\nAll her children where murdered. Thrown from the cliffs of the chrypt on which they were born. All except for one. A male two-headed basilisk survived and made his home in the Valley of the Unfortunate Undead. It's names were Gorgh (Envy) and Versu (Knowing). He crawled into the cracks between mountains, screaming curses at his mother. When a monk of the Creton order found him, he decided to do the most miserable possible thing he could think of: tell him the truth.
\nVerhu whispered prophecies into the ears of Anuk Schleger. The words were recorded and then lost. In time they were rediscovered and called the Nameless Scriptures. Every misery they record has come to pass. This is the only religion now. The worship of Verhu. And he enjoys his position. The monstrous lizard grins wider and wider as the people build temples in his name and carry out his ridiculous requests.
\nI leave you with the scripture. The unavoidable doom of this world. The Calendar of Nechrubel as recorded by Anuk Schleger when he crossed paths with the twin-basilisk Verhu.
\n1:1 The City shall be made hollow. Of those who rest in hollowness, they shall not be seen.
\n1:2 And the earth shall shake and be riven. And from the cracks shall rise a poisonous mist, and in ten days it will shroud the world.
\n1:3 Of those who build mightily, stone by stone, so shall they fall, stone by stone.
\n1:4 And the depths of the underworld shall bring forth flying spectres and crawling beasts. In their passing the worm grows fat, the vulture weary.
\n1:5 Doubt is crowned. The loyal shall turn their blades on those who silver gave.
\n1:6 And blood-cough shall spread like fire across the wastelands of the drought.
2:1 As at the beginning, so at the end, all manner of fly and wasp shall fill the air.
\n2:2 And the ground pale with maggots.
\n2:3 And from the Spears: a frost. Born from Bergen Chrypt and covering all.
\n2:4 And in ten days and one the writings of sorcereors will be made pale as air.
\n2:5 And glass shall become quartz.
\n2:6 And SHE shall see HIM grow stronger. And SHE reveals herself and all shall be slain.
3:1 At Graven-Tosk the soil shall grow warm and those who rest be made to walk.
\n3:2 In the heart of Sarkash fog and dusk shall breathe beneath the waking trees. That which was hewed by man shall now hew in its turn.
\n3:3 And hunger shall come among you. You shall dig roots and pull children from the breast. The gaunt shall prety upon the gaunt.
\n3:4 The great shall be made poor and the poor poorer still.
\n3:5 Then shall come rain unending and the day shall be made night by its coming.
\n3:6 Brother shall slay Brother and Sister poison Sister.
4:1 For five days and five nights mothers flesh shall be the cloak of demons.
\n4:2 And for five days and five nights shall fathers weep.
\n4:3 Look to the West. Forth comes fire, and a horde, and the Kingdoms burn.
\n4:4 The liar, Arkh shall make knots of the hearts of men, sundering the strongest of bonds.
\n4:5 Behold now the Endless Sea, where Leviathan causes waves to be as mountains.
\n4:6 And Leviathan shall come among you. Children winter-born and fated to fall before snow, both shall it take.
5:1 The lake and brook shall blacken and the water become tar.
\n5:2 The trees shall wither, shrivel and die.
\n5:3 And birds shall fall dead from the sky.
\n5:4 In one night all those not yet of seven years and seven days shall pass. Born and unborn. And dawn shall give them life as eaters of men.
\n5:5 The sky shall weep fire and a great stone shall plummet as a city fallen from heaven. Its gift is Death and madness is its herald.
\n5:6 And the last King and the last Queen shall wither to dust. Their wretched courts are devoured by wolves.
6:1 You shall know the last day is come. The sun shall set and never rise.
\n6:2 And day shall be as night and night as day. You shall not sleep, neither shall you wake.
\n6:3 Anthelia shall have her will and drink all colour from the world.
\n6:4 Those who walk on two legs shall be nameless as the beasts of the field.
\n6:5 The earth shall vein, bringing black serpents forth from within the earth.
\n6:6 And the unnamed enter the earth, passing through the Veil as it is sundered by Daejmon, the left underling of Nechrubel.
7:7 All praise Yetsabu-Nech, the underworld's nightmare, the black disck which stands before the sun! All praise Verhu, beaming with delight! All praise the fire which burns all! And the darkness shall swallow the darkness.
"},{"name":"Wendigo","appearance":"A wendigo resembles a cross between a human and a wolf, with massive antlers on its head and oversized, clawed hands. It walks upright or on all fours as its mood suits it. Upright it towers over the tallest man. It is thin, as if starving, with ash colored skin so thin that the skull and skeleton appear to push through in places. The eyes are sunken and glowing like hot coals. You will often smell a wendigo before seeing it.","behaviours":[{"label":"Isolation is death","description":"Wendigo prey on human's who have been weakened by starvation, cold, and isolation. Staying with a group is a good defense against them."},{"label":"Silent predator","description":"Wendigo can move swift and silent as the wind. They are incredible hunters in the remote wilderness where they dwell."},{"label":"Madness and mutation","description":"Humans can be transformed into Wendigo. They go insane during the process as the Wendigo brings them under their influence."}],"description":"Starvation and loneliness haunts the frozen north.","aliases":["Windigo","Wheetigo","Windikouk","Wi’ntsigo","Wi’tigo","Wittikka","Atchen","Chenoo","Kewok"],"origin":["Algonquian"],"habitats":["Forest","Tundra"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Windigo Psychosis: Psychodynamic, Cultural, and Social Factors in Aberrant Behavior","author":"Thomas H. Hay","url":"https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1525/aa.1971.73.1.02a00010"},{"title":"The Manitous","author":"Basil Johnston","url":"https://www.harpercollins.com/9780060927356/the-manitous/"},{"title":"Pathfinder bestiary, 2nd edition","author":"Logan Bonner, Jason Bulmahn, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, and Mark Seifter","url":"https://paizo.com/products/btq01zp4?Pathfinder-Bestiary"},{"title":"The Canadian Encyclopedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/windigo"},{"title":"Wikipedia entry","author":null,"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo"}],"published":true,"slug":"wendigo","stats":[{"handle":"wendigo-lorecraft","author_handle":"lorecraft","name":"Wendigo","size":"Medium","type":"monstrosity","subtype":"","alignment":"Chaotic Evil","armor_class":19,"hit_points":150,"hit_dice":"20d8+60","speed":"30 ft., climb 30ft.","strength":17,"dexterity":18,"constitution":16,"intelligence":10,"wisdom":15,"charisma":14,"constitution_save":6,"dexterity_save":12,"deception":5,"perception":5,"stealth":7,"survival":5,"damage_vulnerabilities":"fire","damage_resistances":"","damage_immunities":"cold","condition_immunities":"charmed, exhaustion, frightened","senses":"darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 12","languages":"Common","challenge_rating":"6","special_abilities":[{"name":"Ambusher","desc":"The Wendigo has advantage on attack rolls against any creature it has surprised.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Mimicry","desc":"The Wendigo can mimic any sounds it has heard. A creature that hears the sounds can tell they are imitations with a successful DC 15 Wisdom (Insight) check.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Shadow Stealth","desc":"While in dim light or darkness, the Wendigo can take the Hide action as a bonus action.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Wendigo Psychosis","desc":"Any creature hostile to the Wendigo that starts its turn within 15 feet of the Wendigo must make a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw, unless the Wendigo is incapacitated. On a failed save, the creature is frightened until the start of its next turn as images of the target killing and devouring its companions clouds its mind. If a creature's saving throw is successful, the creature is immune to the Wendigo Psychosis for the next 24 hours.","attack_bonus":0}],"actions":[{"name":"Multiattack","desc":"The Wendigo makes two attacks. One with its claws and one with its bite.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Wind Walker","desc":"As a standard action the Wendigo becomes incorporeal until the start of its next turn, can take the Disengage or Dash as part of this ability, and its jump distance is doubled for the turn.","attack_bonus":0},{"name":"Claw","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2D6+4) slashing damage.","attack_bonus":6,"damage_dice":"2d6"},{"name":"Bite","desc":"Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 13 (2d8 + 4) piercing damage. On a hit, the target must succeed on a DC 13 Constitution saving throw or take an additional 9 (2d8) necrotic damage.","attack_bonus":6,"damage_dice":"2d8"}],"speed_json":{"walk":30},"armor_desc":"natural armor","author":{"handle":"lorecraft","name":"LoreCraft","url":"https://www.twitch.tv/lorecraft","avatar":"lorecraft.png"}}],"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"There was once a trapper in Alberta, a member of the Plains Cree who was named Swift Runner. During the winter of 1878, Swift Runner and his family were starving. One can scarcely imagine the suffering as the hunger grew and the family wasted away with the father watching on helplessly. At the turning point, his eldest son passed away. Swift Runner butchered and ate his wife and five remaining children. We would comfort ourselves by explaining this as the desperation of a starving man but we can not. There was, in fact, an emergency trading post with food stores only 25 miles away from where it happened. And starvation alone cannot account for the savagery that would lead him to devour all six other family members. There is another explanation though: Swift Runner had succumbed to the Wendigo Psychosis.
\nWendigos haunt the frozen expanses of the world. A wendigo is a human that was transformed into a nightmare by their weakness and selfishness. That weakness is often brought on by starvation and cold weather. A wendigo is a perfect predator that targets isolated humans. They devour human flesh and sometimes transform their victim. In the most brutal, northern climates you must stay with the group and cooperate to survive. Isolation is death. Thinking only of yourself is death.
\nAfter the transformation, a wendigo resembles a cross between a human and a wolf, with massive antlers on its head and oversized, clawed hands. It walks upright or on all fours as its mood suits it, and when upright it towers over the tallest man. Despite its massive size, it can move with complete stealth. They can move with the speed of the wind (as told by one of their names \"Windigo\") and across deep snow or water without sinking. It is thin, as if starving, with ash colored skin so thin that the skull and skeleton appear to push through in places. The eyes are sunken and glowing like hot coals. You will often smell a wendigo before seeing it. Basil Johnston describes one in his account in The Manitous:
\n\n\n“The Wendigo was gaunt to the point of emaciation, its desiccated skin pulled tightly over its bones. With its bones pushing out against its skin, its complexion the ash-gray of death, and its eyes pushed back deep into their sockets, the Wendigo looked like a gaunt skeleton recently disinterred from the grave. What lips it had were tattered and bloody … Unclean and suffering from suppuration of the flesh, the Wendigo gave off a strange and eerie odor of decay and decomposition, of death and corruption.”
\n
But the most disturbing trait is how a wendigo can penetrate the mind, intruding on your thoughts and subjecting you to horrible visions. These visions often involve cannabilistic thoughts or impulses. It is a condition called the Wendigo Psychosis and it is still contested by doctors today. Modern Science would deny the validity of a phenomenon that has only been observed and recorded in oral tradition. But the stories are real and there are many. Whatever system of truth you subscribe to, do not doubt this: Wendigo haunts the cold, dark north. Always remember and care for your people - it is dangerous to go alone.
"},{"name":"Yamachichi","description":"Mountain dwelling breath thieves.","appearance":"Yamachichi look like monkeys with distinctive, bat-like ears. They have long, grasping fingers and pointed lips. They use their lips to suck the breath from sleeping humans.","behaviours":[{"label":"Ancient bats","description":"Yamachichi were once bats. When a bat lives long enough, it eventually evolves into a creature called a nobusuma which resembles a giant flying squirrel. But when a nobusuma reaches a very old age it will transform again, becoming a yamachichi."},{"label":"Mysterious mountain dwellers","description":"Not much is known about yamachichi. They are rare and secluded. They dwell in isolation in the deep mountains, descending to human settlements only to steal breath then retreat again back into the mountains."},{"label":"Breath thieves","description":"Yamachichi sneak into people's houses in the dead of night to steal their breath by sucking it out with their pointed lips. If they complete the process, the victim is sure to die the following day. If they are caught in the act, they flee and the victim lives much longer than they would have."}],"statBlocks":[],"playTips":["Emphasize how rare and mysterious these creatures are. It would be very hard to track down a yamachichi.","These creatures are perfect for mountain encounters. Set up a lonely rangers hut in the deep mountains. If your players choose to rest there, a yamachichi could make an appearance.","You could adapt the yamachichi's curse to make it less lethal. Perhaps a player victim could suffer the Exhaustion condition for one day after the attack."],"hooks":["Villagers in a remote mountain village have been dying from a strange curse. Victims report having a similar dream - a dream about a monkey-like creature's face.","An esoteric shaman who lives in the mountains apparently has a pet that resembles a large flying squirrel. It is said that the pet is transforming into something else.","A woman in a remote mountain village has just celebrated her 120th birthday, yet she looks as vital as ever. She believes it is because of a strange creature that visited her one night but no one believes her - about her age or the creature!"],"challenge":"A hard one today: Establish an NPC who has a bat for a familiar. The bat should have a distinctive physical characteristic. Then, over the course of decades in game time, have that familiar evolve into a nobusuma and then a yamachichi. Both the familiar and its master's appetites should also evolve... towards more forbidden forms of sustenance.","aliases":["Yamajiji","Satorikai"],"origin":["Japanese"],"habitats":["mountains"],"legendary":false,"sources":[{"title":"The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits","author":"Matthew Meyer","url":"https://yokai.com/books/"}],"published":true,"slug":"yamachichi","stats":null,"notesHtml":"","contentHtml":"I sat outside last night and looked up at the bright sky. A mostly-full moon was low on the horizon, shining with an unusual intensity and painting the night sky with that fake looking blue colour - as if it was the set of a stage play. I could see bats wheeling in erratic circles above me, their shapes crisp and clear against that darkling stage. It reminded me of a strange story I once heard from a man who was in hiding in the mountains of Japan.
\nThis man, let's call him Daizen (for I refuse to reveal his true name or his location), had suffered terrible persecution. Not knowing where else to turn, he fled into the mountains and painstakingly built a new life for himself. I bumped into him while on an expedition in search of a different yokai (the hag Ouni), and he was kind enough to provide shelter and a fine stew. His manners were impeccable, and his tiny hut orderly, yet there was no denying the strange tilt behind his eyes. As we shared stories, it became clear that the trials from his past had left their mark on him.
\nOne night, as we started building our dinner fire, he suddenly dropped his kindling and snapped his eyes upwards. I followed his gaze and saw nothing but a small bat fluttering around. But the sight had enraged him and he snapped up his bow. With alarming speed and accuracy, he loosed an arrow and pinned the flying creature to a nearby tree. I watched with equal parts surprise and curiosity as he scuttled up the tree and plucked down his prize. My curiosity turned to disgust as he bit the head off the bat and spat it into the cold fire pit.
\nAs we shared dinner that night he warned me of the yamachichi. According to Daizen, a bat that grows old enough transforms into something else – something sinister. The yamachici dwell in the deep mountain areas, visiting human settlements at night to steal people's breath. They look like large monkeys but with the long, pointed ears of a bat, and long, pointed lips designed for sucking breath from your mouth. When a yamachichi completes its ritual it taps its victim on the chest then scurries off into the mountains. The victim dies the following day. If the ritual is somehow interrupted, the victim lives longer than they normally would have.
\nDaizen claimed that controlling the bat population was essential to his long-term survival in the area. In the event that a yamachichi came to his hut, he feared that there would be no one around to see it and stop the monkey from sucking out all his breath. One of the many perils of choosing a life of isolation I suppose.
\nTo this day, I'm still not sure if I believe Daizen's story. I've never encountered a yamachichi myself, and it seems likely that he had developed a fixation on bats as a result of his own derangements.
\nOn the other hand I will say that a suspicion of bats is quite common, even amongst my fellow naturalist adventurers. I have also heard more than one report of a woman in northern Japan who is celebrating her 130th birthday. She tells any who will listen of the strange monkey that her brother chased off one bright night.
"}]},"__N_SSG":true}![Nure Onna](\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyakkai_Zukan#/media/File:Suuhi_Nure-onna.jpg\"){kind=link}
![Lusi was adorned with gigantic antlers, whisps of silver hair falling from her crown. Arkh had her head split open. Inside where signs and symbols that were impossible to gaze upon, so disturbing was the movement.](\"https://liberludorum.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/she.png\"){kind=link}