The Dragon's Bestiary
Rare beasts of the FORGOTTEN REALMS setting (Dragon
#139)
More rare beasts from the FORGOTTEN REALMS™ setting (Dragon #140)
| Dragon magazine | Monster Manual III | - | Dragon #139 | |
| Lock Lurker | Lybbarde | Metalmaster | Serplar | Thylacine |
| Glyptar | Magebane | Quezzer | Scythetail | Xantravar |
A number of creatures found in every fantasy world are unique
to that world alone. Our files have revealed a few rare creatures
that inhabit the
FORGOTTEN REALMS setting and no
other known world ? all described by the creator
of the Realms himself, Ed Greenwood.
Last month, we presented some
strange and frightening creatures unique
to Elminister’s home lands — the
FORGOTTEN REALMS™ fantasy setting.
More of these creatures have found their
ways out of our files — and are presented
here by the creator of the Realms himself.
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 3
MOVE: 8?
HIT DICE: 1+3
% IN LAIR: See below
TREASURE TYPE: Often found with large
hoards (e.g., A, H, O, or Z)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 bite or 1 sting
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2 or 6-9
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Paralyzing venom in
sting
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (1" body, sting up to 12")
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
This tiny creature has been the bane of
many thieves and tomb-robbers, and
it is
sometimes deliberately placed as a guard-
ian against such. Appearing normally as an
inch-long, coinlike, coppery disc, a lock
lurker has two rows of tiny, retractable
legs on its underside, each of which ends
in a small suction cup. On one edge of the
coinlike body is a lightning-fast stinger
that sometimes reaches a length of 12?.
When the lock lurker is at rest, this
stinger is concealed from sight, as it exists
on the Ethereal plane (where it can also
strike); it is only brought into existence in
the Prime Material plane to launch an
attack. When so materialized, the sting
looks like a scorpion?s segmented tail,
curving upward from the disclike body of
the lurker. When using the stinger, it looks
as though the lurker will overbalance and
fall due to the size and length of the sting.
This action, however, is counterbalanced
by the heavy body of the creature.
The strike of this sting is terrifically
powerful, being able to pierce any armor
and stun opponents smaller than man-size
for 1-2 rounds. The stinger does 6-9 hp
damage per strike; it also injects a venom
that reacts with a victim?s blood to para-
lyze it in the round immediately following
a sting-strike. At this point, the victim is
slowed to half-normal movement rates and
attacks (as per the third-level magic-user
spell). As the victim?s body reacts to the
venom, a saving throw vs. poison must be
made. Success means that the victim is
slowed for another round, then recovers.
Failure means that paralysis takes place
immediately, lasting 1-6 hours, and is then
followed by a round of slowed movement
prior to recovery. The complex venom of
the lurker reacts unpredictably with all
victims. Hence, a successful save vs. one
strike does not mean immunity to the
venom of a subsequent strike, nor does
paralysis from one strike mean paralysis
from all others.
A lurker eats by means of a tiny mouth
on its underside, an iris of razor-sharp
teeth that resembles the beak of an octo-
pus. These teeth do 1 hp damage per
round to any opponent with which they
come in contact. The lurker can bite
through hide, hair, skin, or leather armor;
it cannot bite through metal, however. The
strike and bite of a lurker are utterly
silent unless metal is struck.
Lock lurkers are so named because they
are often employed as guardians of chests
and doors to strike unwary interlopers
through large keyholes. Assassins have
placed them under inkwells and other
items where victims are sure to come
within striking distance. Lock-lurker ven-
om is valued by alchemists as an ingredi-
ent in the spell ink of the slow spell and in
certain potions and magical processes. A
lock lurker injects only a small part of its
venom with each strike, and can so strike
40 or so times in any one-day period with-
out its venom being exhausted. Venom and
ingested food are held in expandable body
sacks on the Ethereal plane, being trans-
ferred by the lock lurker in a method not
yet fully understood.
Lock-lurker bodies are an essential
ingredient of oil of etherealness. As a
result, a well-preserved body will gamer 2
gp (6 gp if its sting is recovered, too, and
not left behind on the Ethereal plane).
Lock-lurker venom brings about 10 gp per
flask from those few alchemists who know
it for what it is: a clear, viscous fluid that
has a gummy texture and smells some-
what like fresh crab or seaweed. Lock-
lurker egg sacks bring 25 gp or so on the
open market.
The stinger of a lock lurker can be
attacked on the Prime Material plane only
when it materializes there. On the Ethere-
al plane, all of a lock lurker can be
attacked, except when the stinger passes
into the Prime Material plane (which it can
always do, once per round, despite any
physical or magical restraints placed upon
it in either plane). Lock-lurker attacks and
venom have identical effects on the Ethe-
real plane. Lock lurkers can see up to 6?
(with infravision) on either plane.
Lock lurkers are solitary creatures. They
wander slowly, pausing wherever they
find a good feeding location. Lock lurkers
can tolerate extremes of heat and cold,
including the conditions found in smoke-
houses, ovens, and cold-room freezers.
Lock lurkers are hermaphroditic; when-
ever two adult lock lurkers meet, they
mate and pass on. One to four months
after mating, each lock lurker lays an egg
sack of 10-120 tiny eggs, 60% of which are
fertile. These are left untended and hatch
in 1d6 weeks. Typically, each egg sack
produces 6-18 survivors. The surviving
lurkers eat each other and unhatched eggs
until they are fully mobile, whereupon
they wander off in search of food. They
never again fight each other and become
mature within two years.
Lock lurkers are usually copper or
bronze in color but may be of a gold or
silver hue 25% of the time. Lock lurkers
are able to regenerate a lost or damaged
stinger, but this is a slow process.
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 70% of 1, 20% of 2, 10%
of 3-6
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 14?
HIT DICE: 5
% IN LAIR: 15%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 claws and 1 bite
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/1-4/2-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Rear claws rake for
2-8/2-8
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Surprised only on a
1; see below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Low to average
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Celebrated by heralds for its courage
and fortitude, the lybbarde is one of the
most feared predators of the wastelands.
These giant cats resemble a cross between
a panther and a lioness. In battle, they are
utterly fearless and totally silent. Although
a lybbarde?s intelligence is rarely greater
than that of most humans, the lybbarde is
always well aware of its own powers and
uses them with great cunning. Moreover,
its judgment is unaffected by pain ? it is
never enraged, and never blinded or mad-
dened by pain or circumstance.
Although it possesses standard magic
resistance, the lybbarde is immune to any
form of mental control or influence, as if it
had a wisdom of 25, as per Legends
&
Lore, page 7. A lybbarde fights to defend
itself, its mate and young, or its lair, to
gain food. It breaks off or avoids combat
when it judges its chances of success to be
too slim to be worth the danger.
A lybbarde can spring up to 30' horizon
tally and 20" vertically, and can fight for
hours without tiring. The lybbarde regen-
erates 2 hp per day regardless of how
much rest it receives. Adult lybbardes
cannot be tamed, but young lybbardes (if
trained from birth) have a 40% chance to
be made into obedient, diligent guardians.
A lybbarde has a special and formidable
combat ability. Its long, prehensile, whip-
like tail ends in a tuft of hair. Its touch
(successful ?to hit? roll required) slows
creature, as per the third-level magic-user
spell; a save vs. breath weapon at - 2
negates its effects. The effects of this slow
last for one round, during which the lyb-
barde can make double the number of
normal attacks against that victim alone.
Only one creature per round can be
slowed.
This creature is thought to live up to
60 years. Naturalists report that
a lybbarde tail loses its slow
ability immediately after being
severed or after the lybbarde dies,
and that a lybbarde that loses its tail
regenerates a new one very slowly, regain-
ing its ability to slow as much as one year
after losing its tail. Magic-users report that
lybbardes seem unaffected by haste or
slow spells cast upon them, or by the tails
of other lybbardes.
Lybbardes are usually solitary hunters,
although mated pairs may be encountered
20% of the time. Lybbardes seek out and
live with others of their rare breed, and
gather against strong foes in hunting
packs of up to half a dozen. If encoun-
tered in their lairs, lybbardes have 1-4
young (HD 2, half damage on all attacks,
no slow power), who are ferociously
defended by their parents. Lybbarde lairs
never contain treasure because lybbardes
always eat outside their lairs (so as not to
draw attention to the location of their
abodes). Lybbarde young grow to full
power within a year, and thereafter may
establish a lair near that of their parents.
Lybbardes are huge, sleek cats of up to
7? body length (with tails up to an addi-
tional 6? in length). Their coats are black to
dark brown on their heads, backs, and
flanks, with mottled tan and brown belly
and legs. The tail is always dark, and its
tuft is light tan in color. Lybbardes have
large, glowing green eyes and many teeth.
Savage tribes value and wear these teeth
in necklaces and bracelets.
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1 (10% of 2)
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: 11"
HIT DICE: 4 + 4 to 6 + 6
% IN LAIR: 20%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil, though often found
near metallic treasures such as coins
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-12
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Magnetism
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Magnetism
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L (12-26? long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
The metalmaster is a large, sluglike
creature that eats only large, red-blooded
prey, such as livestock and humans.
It
gains its name from its strange ability to
generate (or manipulate existing) magnetic
fields to alternately attract or repel metal.
This ability has a 90? effective radius
(increased to 150? if a metalmaster affects
a magnetic field of natural or magical
origin). Incredibly, all metals, even nonfer-
rous ones such as gold, are affected by a
metalmaster?s magnetic manipulations.
A metalmaster can either attract or
repel metal from round to round. Attrac-
tion draws unsecured metallic objects
toward the metalmaster. Small, secured
objects (up to 20 gp weight) are unaffected
unless the strap, flap, or other device
securing them fails to save vs. normal
blow. In such cases, the objects break free
and are pulled toward the metalmaster at
a rate of 60? per round. Handheld weap-
ons of this size or less are wielded at -6
to hit if within the metalmaster?s ?reach.?
Large, unsecured metallic objects (up to
200 gp weight) are dragged at 30? per
round toward the metalmaster if they are
affected at all. Large, secured objects are
unaffected. Grasped or held metallic
objects (like weapons) are wielded at -4
to hit while being attracted, and charac-
ters holding them must roll their strengths
or less on 1d20 (consider 18/01-18/00 as
19) or have the object torn free. Magically
held or secured objects are never affected
by a metalmaster, and a wall of force or
similar means prevents metal objects from
being snatched away. A metalmaster?s
power cannot be avoided by use of blink,
jump, or similar spells because the power
extends into the Ethereal plane. Teleport,
dimension door, and the like, however,
work as means of escape.
The repulsion ability deflects metallic
missiles (including arrows with metal
heads) so that they strike at -8 to hit.
Similarly, repulsed metallic weapons are
wielded at -4 to hit. Characters armored
in any metallic or metal-using armor must
make a strength check on 1d20 every
round or be forced away 10?; a successful
check means the character can advance no
more than 10? and attack. Characters
wearing leather, cloth, or no armor can be
prevented from advancing or forced away
if they carry more than 10-gp weight of
metallic weapons or accoutrements (coins,
belt buckles, bracers and the like). This
occurs at the rate of 5? per round, if they
fail strength rolls on 1d20 each round.
A metalmaster?s power works on metal,
whether such metal is magical or not;
enchantments do not affect the aforemen-
tioned saving throws. This power also
extends to affect traces of metal in rock or
unrefined metallic ores. The attraction
and repulsion cause no damage to charac-
ters themselves. Note, however, that wield-
ed weapons may strike unintended
targets; anyone within 5? of a weapon?s
wielder has a 20% chance of being
attacked with normal ?to hit? rolls if the
metalmaster is missed.
Small, unsecured objects attracted by a
metalmaster never strike its body, instead
taking up orbits around it. Thus, in the 10?
around a metalmaster, there often exists a
whirling storm of metal akin to a blade
barrier (see the sixth-level clerical spell).
The cloud deals 4d6 hp damage to all
creatures within the area of effect (or 2d6
hp damage if a dexterity check on 1d20
with +4 to the die roll is made) unless
such creatures are magically shielded. A
metalmaster often lurks near hoards of
metallic treasure (particularly coins),
which not only attracts prey but also
provides ready-made missiles. The
metalmaster is able to work its magnetism
at will and without rest.
A metalmaster can also mimic speech
and similar sounds made previously in its
presence (such as cries for help, fragment
of verbal spell-casting, shouted warnings,
and so forth). Nevertheless, the metal-
master?s low intelligence often causes
it to use the wrong sound for the
situation, which may lure by default
by causing great curiosity in intell-
igent prey.
A metalmaster is large and leather-
skinned, of sluglike or wormlike
form, and is dull purple to rust-red
in hue. Smoky gray or black speci-
mens are sometimes encountered.
The metalmaster has a large maw
with sawlike teeth that does 3-12 hp
damage, and its jaws are strong enoug
to bite through metal.
A metalmaster does not eat
metal, although small pieces ingested
accidentally cannot harm it.
The metalmaster is usually solitary, and
no small or young metalmasters have ever
been reported. Specimens have been
known to live for over a century (several
have been captured for use as guardians,
but these have not been trained or tamed,
and no known method of doing so exists).
A metalmaster sees with 90? infravision via
two eyes posted atop two eyestalks. Fur-
thermore, it appears able to smell and
hear keenly, and it can sense the direction
and distance of fist-size or larger pieces of
metal within a 120? radius by using a
strange magnetic-related sense that does
not involve its eyes.
A metalmaster regenerates rapidly given
steady food; for instance, an eyestalk
might regenerate in a day or two, and lost
hit points are regained at a rate of 1 hp
per turn. This creature is also called the
?sword slug? and is referred to in songs by
the bard Mintiper. Metalmasters lair near
metal and favor narrow tunnels where
opponents cannot easily reach them.
SERPLAR
created with Jenny Glicksohn
FREQUENCY Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMOR CLASS: 9
MOVE: 8?//14?
HIT DICE: 2+2 to 8+8
% IN LAIR: 40%
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 4-16
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Envelopment
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Animal
<partial statblock>
The serplar, also called the sponge worm
or "pink ghost," has no eyes or mouth.
Food and oxygen are sucked into its body
through countless tiny, hairlike tentacles.
These tentacles exude a highly corrosive
digestive acid which can consume any-
thing short of metal or stone. Serplars are
usually found in chimneys, caverns, or
abandoned dwellings, where they feed
upon soot and charcoal, carrion, mosses
and fungi, and slimes (including green
slime,
which does not harm it). A serplar
hunts by smell and by sensing vibrations.
It is immune to heat and cold. The ser-
plar?s digestive acid is highly flammable,
however. As a result, flames do the crea-
ture double damage.
A serplar?s long, soft pink body can
flatten and flow about an obstacle or prey
in an amorphous mass. Air-breathing
creatures that are completely enveloped
suffocate in two rounds (three rounds, if a
save vs. poison is made) as the serplar?s
body cuts off access to air, then sucks
oxygen from the creature. An enveloped
victim takes 9-16 hp damage from the
serplar?s oxygen-draining attack each
round. Note that a completely armored
opponent suffers no damage from
oxygen-draining by a serplar,
which is still able to smother
the victim. A serplar is not able
to crush or constrict victims,
however.
A Marine variety of the serplar is found
on the ocean floor in warm waters, feed-
ing primarily upon polyps, plants, and
carrion. The marine serplar lives in circu-
lar, coral-like tubes up to 40? long which it
creates with its mineral wastes. These
tubes grow up from the bottom like long
reeds and sway with water currents. They
are easily broken by the impact of rocks
and creatures, and they are rich in miner-
als and ores of valuable metals. The
marine serplar is sometimes called the
?pink ghost,? as one will often leave its
tube behind to drift in the currents in
search of food. If a current is lacking or
too weak, or if the serplar senses nearby
prey and wishes to follow, it flits through
the water in the manner of a ray, flapping
the flattened edges of its body like wings.
A marine serplar cannot survive out of
water, but a dry-land specimen suffers no
damage if submerged, as long as it can
readily obtain oxygen from the water and
surrounding objects. Serplars grow larger
if food is plentiful and shrink if food is
scarce.
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1 (see below)
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 14?
HIT DICE: 4 + 4
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-5/2-5/2-22
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Pounce; see below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Surprised only on a 1
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard (but see
below)
INTELLIGENCE: Average
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: L
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
The thylacine, or jumping tiger, is
a
fearless predator that inhabits rocky areas
and wooded country. Its favorite prey is
man. A solitary hunter, the thylacine likes
to leap upon opponents to bite and rend,
and it is intelligent enough to rend scrolls,
smash glass vessels, break wands, and
disable spell-casters and other obvious
dangers when attacking a group.
The thylacine is immune to charm, fear,
and other mind-controlling or influencing
magics, and it cannot be mentally sensed
or magically summoned. Because of this,
its brain and cranial fluids are highly
valued for use in the magical ink used in
setting down mind blank spells. The thyla-
cine is by nature fearless and bold. Other-
wise, it is as patient and intelligent as a
human, and is thus a hunter of dangerous
skill and cunning. It makes full use of
natural traps and concealment offered by
the land in which it hunts ? a circular
region roughly 30 miles across.
A thylacine has keen infravision (range
of 11?), ultravision (range of 9?), and
regular vision in normal light. Its sense of
smell is also keen, and its hearing is equiv-
alent to a human?s (it can track with 80%
efficiency). Its coat is a smudgy, smoky-
gray hue, varying slightly in uneven patch-
es, and its eyes are black. If standing
motionless in woods or among rocks, it is
well camouflaged and 70% likely to be
unnoticed to casual scrutiny. A thylacine
has no set lair but enjoys a number of
favored rest spots. High rock ledges or
small, concealed caverns are its first
choices; slightly less desirable are tangled
thickets around ruins. A thylacine is intel-
ligent enough to conceal the remains of
prey and to drop coins or other items of
precious metal on trails where they might
serve as bait.
A thylacine can leap 20? upward and 50?
ahead (6.5? if a running start is possible),
attacking prey on a silent pounce. (It takes
only 1 hp damage per hit dice of falling
damage, no matter how far it falls.) In
jumping on its prey, the thylacine has a
+ 2 bonus to hit with its front claws if
attacking from surprise and rakes with its
rear claws if the front two claws catch
hold. Its bite (if the front two claws catch)
is at +4 to hit and does maximum damage
each round that it hits until the thylacine
is dislodged (bend bars/lift gates strength
roll required). The front claws automati-
cally do the minimum amount of damage
each on each round that they simply hold
on to its prey. Thylacines avoid attacking
large groups of intelligent-looking prey,
preferring to pick off solitary beings or
those in small, weak-looking groups.
One out of five thylacines can cast an
illusion (making it appear to be a human
or humanoid) upon itself once per day.
This simple illusion can be maintained
only for 1-3 rounds and is raised to escape
pursuit or to approach alert prey. This
ability (which gives the thylacine the nick-
name of ?mantiger?) is a natural change
self ability usable by force of will, not as a
memorized spell. Because of this crude
spell-use, viewers gain a bonus of +2 to
saving throws against the illusion.
Thylacines seldom mate, doing so only
once every dozen years. At this time,
mature thylacine are driven by an instinc-
tive urge to travel and congregate in iso-
lated forests and arctic regions. There,
they form huge packs of 10-40 individuals
that stay together for months, hunting en
masse and howling loudly (thylacine are
otherwise silent and stealthy) as they do
so. Males then leave and females stay in
the pack until the birth of their young,
which occurs six months after mating.
Young remain with their mothers until
full-grown. Then, as the pack breaks up,
the young are left to find a hunting range
for themselves.
Thylacine have been known to live for
70 years, although most come to their
untimely (and often violent) ends long
before this. Thylacine fur is highly valued
in the making of camouflaged cloaks (1-3
gp per pelt), and a thylacine brain brings
25-50 gp in a large city market.
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-3 (1d6 -3, mm. of 1)
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVE: 9? by levitation (MC: A)
HIT DICE: 1-4 hp (to shatter stone)
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: See below (possible
magical weapon, or salvageable gem-
stone fragments after death)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1 hit point (hurl self at
creature) or by animated weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
SIZE: S
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Glyptars are rare living gems that pos-
sess strange powers (or so most men
believe). A few sages and demihumans
know the truth. Glyptars are rock crystals
animated by the spirits of male medusas
known as maedar (see The Ecology of the
Maedar in DRAGON® Magazine,
#106).
When a maedar dies by choice (usually
because of the death of his mate) or with
forewarning (such as in old age, with its
onset of weakness and disease), he merges
with stone and remains within, giving
himself back to the rock. Some maedar
spirits of great evil do not pass from the
Prime Material plane but drift within the
solid rock, noncorporeal and powerless,
until they enter certain stones ? natural
crystals, such as those formed by feldspar,
quartz amethyst, and many other gem-
stones. Crystals trap maedar spirits,
though they have no effect on the bodies
of living maedar. For some unknown rea-
son, maedar spirits cannot leave crystals
after entering. At length, they go insane
due to imprisonment, powerlessness, and
frustration.
If the rock in which this spirit is con-
fined is subsequently shattered, the spirit
is freed and passes from the Prime Materi-
al plane, unnoticed and powerless to affect
others. If a stone containing a maedar
spirit is freed from the rock by cataclysm
or mining (and is not shattered), the
maedar spirit can animate its crystal and
anything inorganic attached to it, up to
1,700 gp weight. (Note that skilled gem-
cutting, facet-cutting, and polishing rarely
cause a stone to shatter.) Thus, if the gem
is fashioned into the eye of a statue, the
statue is animated as a stone golem.
Similarly, if a glyptar is set into the pom-
mel of a sword, the sword can be ani-
mated to strike as though wielded by the
living maedar. In this latter case, weapon
damage is figured at + 2 (as living maedar
strength averages 18 with no percentile)
and hits are calculated as though the
sword were wielded by a 6th-level fighter,
with + 1 to hit, again due to the saving-
throw bonus. Note also that a glyptar?s
stone to flesh power (see hereafter) allows
it to carefully sink a bladed weapon into
stone (as in the legend of the sword in the
stone).
Glyptars retain the powers of a living
maedar. Thus, the glyptar and any inor-
ganic attachment may pass through stone
at will at a normal movement rate (a phas
door spell cannot harm a glyptar) and
perform a stone to flesh attack by touch
once every three turns. Glyptars remain
immune to paralyzation and petrification
of all sorts. A glyptar in a crystal cannot
be trapped within a second crystal while
passing through rock.
Glyptars cannot be mentally contacted,
influenced by mind-affecting spells (includ-
ing charm, hold, sleep, command, etc.) or
psionics, or controlled in any way. They
cooperate only as it pleases them and
cannot communicate by telepathy. Gly-
ptars can, however, cause an attached
sword or bodkin to scratch out messages;
they can also cause a connected statue to
write. These messages will be scrawled
out in common, medusa, lawful-evil, or
any other language (usually 1-2 in number)
understood by the maeder.
Glyptars can be destroyed only by shat-
tering them (and as they seldom care
whether or not this happens, will act
fearlessly and recklessly as a result). From
one to three glyptars may be found togeth-
er in veins of rock. Glyptars freed from
the surrounding rock, however, tend to be
solitary. Glyptars can perceive up to 9? on
the Astral and Ethereal planes, and have
9? infravision in all directions. A glyptar-
animated weapon or an item wielded by a
being in a manner the glyptar disapproves
of will turn against the wielder.
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 5 (see below)
MOVE: 13?
HIT DICE: 2 + (see below)
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 11-14 (10 + 1d4)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Tail (see below)
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 75% (see below)
INTELLIGENCE: Animal to low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (up to 3? long, wingspan to 5?)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
A magebane is a mysterious creature
found in ruins, tombs, subterranean plac-
es, and wilderness caves in the Prime
Material plane. It is also found in Pande-
monium and perhaps other planes as well
Magebanes are solitary creatures who are
attracted by the use of magic nearby (thei
means of sensing magic is presently
unknown). Magebanes follow any spell-
caster who thus attracts their attention,
seeming to prefer magic-users over other
types of dweomer-crafters. A magebane
shadows its chosen mage, flitting about
nearby behind the chosen one.
The magebane is invisible (unless true
seeing or other means are employed to
reveal invisible creatures) to all beings
except its chosen spell-caster. Thus, those
who attack it suffer a -4 penalty to hit
until the magebane is made visible.
Furthermore, the magebane feeds upon
spells cast by the chosen one. The effects
of this feeding depend on the magical
source. Whenever the chosen spell-caster
casts any spell (or cantrip); there is a 60%
chance that the magebane robs the spell of
all (1-2 on 1d6) or part (3-6 on 1d6) of its
magical energy. When a magebane drains
all of a spell?s energy, the spell is lost and
does not take effect (as per a rod of
absorption). When only part of a spells
energy is drained, the spell effect occurs
but with lessened force, having one or
more of the modifications listed hereafter.
The modifications to the spell are deter-
mined by rolling 1d8 with the following
results: 1-3 = modification 1; 4-6 = modi-
fications 1 and 2; 7 = modifications 1, 2,
and 3; and 8 = all four modifications.
These modifications are listed below:
1. Spell has minimum duration.
2. Spell does minimum damage.
3. Targets of spell gain + 2 on their
saving throws.
4. Spell affects a lesser area or volume
of matter.
At the DM?s option, spells of the highest
levels (7th, 8th, and 9th) may be largely
immune to the feeding of a particular
magebane and thus, if not entirely
drained, will work at full efficacy.
Magebanes are silent and do not seek to
unnecessarily reveal themselves to their
chosen spell-caster (as they, are most easily
seen and slain by that spell-caster). As a
result, their presence may be unknown to
the spell-caster or the latter?s party for
some time. A magebane is 100% resistant
to any spells directed at it by its chosen,
spell-caster and 75% resistant to the spells
of others. Note that harmless spells affect-
ing an area, or spells enabling the spell-
caster to more easily attack the magebane
physically, take effect unless randomly
eaten by the magebane. The magebane
cannot recognize a spell being cast nor
read the intentions of a spell-caster.
A magebane may switch its chosen spell-
caster if it encounters a powerful alterna-
tive to its present one; otherwise, the only
way to get rid of one is by slaying it. A
magebane will seldom move from one
party member to another. It seems to shun
the presence of former chosen ones.
A magebane never attacks its chosen
one, taking instead an interest in the
safety of the spell-caster. In some cases,
the magebane may actually swoop down
(invisibly) to rake with its claws at anyone
launching a physical attack upon its cho-
sen one. This includes missile-fire attacks,
but not spells (the effects of which the
magebane seems unable to anticipate) or
psionics. In the latter case, a magebane
cannot detect psionics, and in turn cannot
be psionically contacted or attacked.
A magebane will, however, defend itself
against attacks from its chosen spell-caster
or other creatures by means of its claws.
It may also attack with the sting of its tail,
which delivers a jolt of magical energy
similar to that delivered by a magic missile
(2-5 hp damage, no saving throw; a suc-
cessful ?to hit? roll required for tail to
strike and the sting to occur).
Like a rod of absorption, a magebane
uses its magical energy for growth and
sustenance, gaining roughly 1 permanent
hp for every six spells fully drained and
powering its activities as a consequence.
The magebane stores the rest of the magic
drawn from its chosen one to dispense via
its tail, which therefore has a limited num-
ber of stings ? usually a dozen or so and
one dying burst. If slain, a magebane
explodes in a burst of magical force, doing
2d6 hp physical damage to all within
1? and causing all spell-casters within 4?
to save vs. spells at -2 or be blasted into a
state of feeblemindedness (as by the fifth-
level magic-user spell). Precise details of
how a magebane absorbs and converts
magical energy remain a mystery.
Magebanes are small, black, amorphous
creatures who have two cold blue eyes (9?
infravision, seemingly keen normal vision),
bat wings, and 10 or more long, black
claws on their undersides. A magebane?s
body tapers into a needlelike tail. Mage-
banes have no visible mouths, and their
means of reproduction and other biologi-
cal activities are unknown. Mages report
that magebanes are affected by poison.
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-12
ARMOR CLASS: 2
MOVE: /30? (MC: A)//7"
HIT DICE: 1 + 6
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-5/2-5/2-5/2-5 + push
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spits acid
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: S (2-4? long)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
The quezzer, or ?lightning beast,? is a
rare beast that hunts in swarms, preying
on birds and creatures of up to mammoth
size. A quezzer swarm has no lair but
wanders constantly in search of prey,
resting atop rocky pinnacles or lying flat
on open ground. A quezzer generates a
strong natural levitation field, which
accounts for its ability to fly. A quezzer
attack consists of a slash from its razor-
sharp body spines (1d4 + 1 hp damage) and
a push (equivalent to the first-level magic-
user spell). This latter action comes from
the force of momentary contact with its
field. Because of these fields, webs cannot
touch a quezzer.
A quezzer moves with lightning speed,
launching four slashing attacks per round.
(A slow spell causes a quezzer to slow to
two attacks per round, drops it to a 15?
move, and reduces its armor class to 4.) In
this flurry of attacks, the quezzer flits all
over the place, never crashing into its
fellows or surroundings (due to its field).
Likewise, it never becomes dizzy or disori-
ented by complex aerobatics executed at
awesome speeds. A quezzer can back up
in midair, but usually prefers to loop about
rather than slowing down. Quezzers will
attack large prey (such as bears, elk, and
rothe) by slashing them into immobility, or
goading and herding them into fatal falls.
Once the prey is killed, the quezzer
fastens onto it with its suckerlike mouth,
exuding tissue-dissolving acid and thereby
taking in nutrients from the prey. Quez-
zers absorb blood in like manner, and
always seek to immobilize prey so they
can feed at leisure. If pressed, quezzers
can spit a glob of tissue-dissolving acid.
This may be performed once per round in
place of a slashing attack, at 2? range with
a ?to hit? roll required, and does 1-3 hp
damage. Quezzers can spit acid a dozen
times a day. If a quezzer?s acid remains on
the flesh of a creature, it continues to
dissolve tissue for the three following
rounds, doing 1-2 hp damage per round. A
mobile creature can readily wipe or shake
this acid off.
Quezzers are slate-gray in color, and
look like a shorter version of a walking
stick (insect). They are two to four feet in
length and have yellow-green eyes that
provide 16? infravision, 20? vision, and
16? ultravision. They can pass through
water (such as waterfalls, heavy rain, and
shallow pools) without harm, but avoid
deep water, as it dilutes their acid to inef-
fectiveness and slows them to one attack
per round, 7? movement rate, and AC 8.
Quezzers hate stirges and always attack
them on sight.
Quezzer brains are an essential ingredi-
ent in haste potions, and one of several
alternative ingredients for the ink used in
writing out that spell.
FREQUENCY: Uncommon
NO. APPEARING: 1-6 (1d10-4, min. of 1)
ARMOR CLASS: 5 (tail: AC 3)
MOVE: 13#
HIT DICE: 2 + 2
% IN LAIR: 40%
TREASURE TYPE: J, K, L, M, N, Q possible
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: See below
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Spell use, claws
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Protective barbs
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
SIZE: M (body to 4?, tail to 7')
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
A lizardlike predator that inhabits rocky
areas and cold wastes, the scythetail is
actually a mammal. The scythetail eats
berries and rock lichens if it has to but
prefers freshly killed meat. Scythetails
hunt alone for the most part but band
together temporarily to attack formidable
prey (such as caravans or herds of live-
stock). Cunning and daring, they like to hit
and run, attacking repeatedly without
allowing a return attack. Scythetails will
follow armed prey tirelessly (for days, if
necessary), awaiting an opportunity to
strike with advantage.
A scythetail gains its name from its
principal weapon: a bony, scythelike tail
that the creature wields as well as a man
wields a scythe. With it, the scythetail can
slash for 2d4 hp damage or stab for
1d4 + 1 hp with the barbed end of its shaft
or with the point of the scythe blade.
Scythetails attack with a slash 75% of the
time and with a stab 25% of the time. A
scythetail can also bite with its turtlelike
jaws for 1d4 + 1 hp damage. If it lands atop
or clambers atop a victim, the scythetail
can also rake with its four claws (for 1d4
hp damage each).
Nevertheless, the scythetail rarely
approaches prey so closely, preferring
instead to dart about, slashing with its tail,
until its prey is killed or rendered helpless.
The tail has an armor class of 3 and takes
9 hp damage before it is broken or sev-
ered. A scythetail can regenerate a lost tail
slowly, at the rate of 1 hp per day of rest,
until the 9 hp are restored (this occurs in
addition to any normal healing).
A scythetail has limited magical powers.
Once per round, it can cause fleeing or
escaping prey to trip (as the second-level
druid spell) by utilizing something it has
touched previously (for example, a vine or
branch). This ability is used sparingly ?
thrice per day.
A scythetail?s gray, horny hide protects it
well. In addition, its body is adorned with
a row of razor-sharp barbs which can
gash unwary opponents for 1d4 hp dam-
age. The scythetail?s bones are rich in iron
(it always cracks the bones of its prey to
eat the bone marrow), and are thus hard
and durable. A scythetail?s tail will serve a
human as a scythe weapon, although it
cannot keep an edge sharp enough to cut
grass or crops satisfactorily.
The knotted muscle at the base of the
tail is a prized delicacy, and scythetail
rump roasts are welcome on any royal
table. The belly of a scythetail often con-
tains coins and gems gained from civilized
prey, for a scythetail will eat anything that
fits in its maw. Scythetails are resistant to
poison (+2 on all saving throws) and quick
to learn the habits of prey. Scythetails
wander afar in search of food, staying
briefly in caverns, rock ledges, or large
trees. Scythetails seldom drag prey back to
a lair, unless the lair is used for raising
their young.
In spite of this care, few scythetail
young ever make it past the early stages
(25% chance). Those scythetails that are
raised from birth are cared for only by the
mother; the father disappears shortly after
mating. Scythetail young have 1 HD, do
half damage on all attacks, and have poor
control of their trip ability (all potential
victims save vs. spell at +3 to avoid
effects).
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-4
ARMOR CLASS: 6
MOVE: /16" (MC: A)//14?
HIT DICE: 3 + 3
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Poison, blood drain
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: See below
INTELLIGENCE: Low
ALIGNMENT Neutral
SIZE: L (two 6-7? bulbs with variable
linking field)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
The xantravar, or stinging horror, is a
silent, deadly predator that inhabits
swamps, salt marshes, and remote sea-
coasts with tidal caverns. In these loca-
tions, the xantravar drifts about, preying
upon any living thing it can reach.
A xantravar?s body consists of two rub-
bery teardrop-shaped balloons ? great,
tough bulbs ending in strong, corded
muscles that can drive home the two
hollow bone stingers at the base of either
bulb. The bulbous bodies range from
wine-red to gray in color and are mottled.
They are roughly the same size and
appear identical in form. One ends in a
poisonous stinger which is usable once per
round up to four times per turn. There-
after, the venom must be replenished ? a
process requiring two turns.
The venom of the xantravar paralyzes
prey of any size that fail to save vs. paraly-
zation (a successful save negates the
effects). A blow from the stinger does 1d4
hp damage. Even so, the merest scratch
injects venom into the flesh of a victim. If
a creature saves against the venom of a
particular xantravar, however, the crea-
ture is forever immune to the venom of
that particular xantravar. Small or man-
size creatures save at -3 to avoid the
effects of this virulent venom and are
affected for 1-3 turns. Larger creatures
save at -1 and are paralyzed for one turn
minus one to two rounds (if affected). A
xantravar is immune to its own toxins.
The other stinger, identical in appear-
ance to the first, also strikes for 1d4 hp
damage. In this case, though, each blow
sucks blood, sap, or nutrient fluid from
prey by strong suction, draining 1d6 + 3
hp per round. Such nutrients are used
with a xantravar?s energy to sustain and
invigorate it.
Above the stingers on either bulb of a
xantravar?s body are multiple eyes: eight
set in a ring around each body stalk.
These eyes have 9? infravision and normal
sight that matches a humans. Infravision
is used most often in hunting, for a xan-
travar prefers to hunt at night or in the
concealment of heavy fog.
Above its eyes, a xantravar has a circle
of indentations encircling each body-stalk.
These are iris valves that emit ventral jets
of gas from the creature?s interior. These
jets are used for steering the xantravar.
The gas created is hydrogen and is thus
highly flammable. Any contact between
such a steering jet and an open flame
causes a 1? gout of flame to shoot out-
ward from the xantravar in the direction
of the jet. This jet deals 1-3 hp damage to
any creature in its path, and the xantravar
itself suffers 1-2 hp heat damage before it
closes off the jet.
Above these jets, in the large head of
each bulb, are two flotation chambers of
hydrogen gas. The xantravar expels gas
from these chambers to sink closer to the
ground; conversely, they take in air to rise.
(This is facilitated by the skin of the xan-
travar, which is high elastic.) This latter
process is accomplished by the curious
glowing energy field that joins the two
bulbs of a xantravar?s body. This field is of
variable length. The two bulbs can be side-
by-side and about 2? apart (the normal
position); when the creature is hunting or
exploring, they can be up to 20? apart and
vertically separated by up to 12?.
The energy field is constant and natural.
It is not affected by dispel magic, will
disrupt beams, rays, and other fields of
force that contact it, and seems to be
indestructible (save by slaying the crea-
ture). The field smells of ozone as it sepa-
rates hydrogen from surrounding air or
water, and is augmented by spells involv-
ing heat, magical energy (such as magic
missile), and electrical energy (such as
lightning bolt). Treat any hit-point damage
from these as hit-point energy gained by
the field and by the xantravar. This extra
energy is used by a xantravar to heal
damage to the rest of its body at a regen-
eration rate of 1 hp per round if it has
such an excess to draw on.
The bulbs of a xantravar?s body, how-
ever, are harmed by heat, electrical, and
magical energy attacks. Otherwise, the
creature has ?standard? magic resistance.
Note that a single attack could harm a
xantravar?s body bulbs and strengthen its
field simultaneously. Note also that in any
serious combat, a xantravar separates its
body bulbs by up to 10' for self-protection.
It is not known precisely where the brain
of a xantravar is. It has a network of
nerves throughout each bulb, linked by
the field, and may have no vulnerable
center of this network. Physical attacks
that disrupt a xantravar?s energy field
scatter and spill energy from it. As a
result, they do normal damage.
A xantravar can be destroyed by any
attack (such as a flaming arrow) that punc
tures a flotation chamber and introduces
an open flame into it. For this to be suc-
cessful, the attack must occur in the same
round or in the following round (a xan-
travar will have sealed off the leak by the
third round). This typically causes a vio-
lent, 3-HD fireball of 20? radius, which kill
the xantravar and causes damage to any
one within the 20? radius. Heat or flame
attacks (even a fireball) without a rupture
or penetration of a xantravar?s gas cham-
ber will not cause such an explosion.
Xantravars are mysterious predators
believed to hunt alone, but that coexist
peacefully with others of their kind in
deep caverns or swamps during the day,
when they avoid large, active creatures
and feed instead on plants or disabled
prey. Xantravars seldom mate. When they
do, they join hollow stingers to produce a
thin-walled, floating balloon egg that drifts
alone and untended on the breeze for
weeks, absorbing hydrogen and nutrients
from the moisture in the air. At length, the
balloon bursts to reveal a miniature xan-
travar (1 + 1 HD, bulbs 2? in length, attacks
at half damage) that fends for itself and
grows rapidly to adult size.