FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Dungeon Level I])

FREQUENCY: Uncommon ([Temperate Civilized Hills], [Temperate Civilized Forest], [Temperate Civilized Plains])
FREQUENCY: Very rare ([Temperate Civilized Desert])
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 12" / 18" (MC: A)
HIT DICE: 1-4 HP
% IN LAIR: 75%
TREASURE TYPE: [J]
NO. OF ATTACKS: Nil
DAMAGE/ATTACK: Nil
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 10%
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (chaotic good)
SIZE: S
LEVEL/X.P. VALUE: I | 9 + 1

The booka are sprite-like creatures given to dwelling in attics, in eaves
and on sunny rooftops. They hate cold, and in such climes will always
be inside, near chimneys. On bright, sunny mornings they will SWEEP
the stairs or porch of the place they dwell in, always doing so when
there is nobody around to observe them. If disturbed when involved
in such tasks, they will become angry and immediately remove to
a new home.

Booka are very fast-moving and can also fly.
They can become invisible at will, even when running || flying.
They hate evil creatures and will play tricks on them if given the opportunity -- <TALK modifier>
hiding valued objects, tangling things like rope, hair, clothing etc., and generally causing trouble.

If a booka is captured or harmed in any way, it is certain that others
of its ilk aware of this act wil bring dozens of other booka to cause
mischief and trouble until the offender frees the captive or makes
amends for the harm by giving a valuable gift (such as a sack of gold,
jewellery or even something magical) to the booka, placing the item
offered on a roof-top and leaving it for a day. Failure to placate angry
booka will eventually result in some sort of fatal accident, for the
creatures will place snares and traps for the offender.

A booka is only about 1' tall.
Both males & females tend to have large features & thin bodies.
They can be described, at best, as 'homely'.
<(comeliness 7-9, at best)>
<(roll 2d4: 2-6=ugly, 7-8=homely)>

For purposes of aerial combat, they are manoeuvrability
class A, though they will avoid combat of this or any other sort by
means of their invisibility, if at all possible.
 

    by Gary Gygax
 

<(The booka are of Welsh origin. See: Encyclopedia of Fairies, page 56: Bwca)>

The booka and kilmoulis are "fairie folk" from books of folklore from which I devised the creatures of the same nemes for the AD&D game.

I had a side adventure area akin to the Isle of the Ape, Dungeonland, and The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror set up for my campaign. I titled it A Midsummer's Night's Nightmare. It was populated with all of the British-based monsters such as the booka and the kilmoulis, as well as many sorts of "little people" as commanded by Oberon and Titania (don't mess with them!)...and Puck too was a most dangerous encounter.

Sadly, all of that has been lost, and after 20 years I have forgotten the details <paranoid>

Cheers,
Gary