| Gan-Da-Yah | - | Ga-Hon-Ga | - | Oh-Do-Was |
| Dragon magazine | - | Monster Manual III | Dragon #61 |
THE IROQUOIS LITTLE PEOPLE
GAN-DA-YAH
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 1-10
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 12"
HIT DICE: 1+1
% IN LAIR: 5%
TREASURE TYPE: R
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS: +2 with bow
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%
INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional
ALIGNMENT: Neutral good
SIZE: S (3' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes:
Nil
The Gan-da-yah
The Gan-da-yah are the most beloved
by the Iroquois of all the little people.
Their task is to guard and advise the
fruits and grains.. They are the “elves
of
sunshine.” During spring the Gan-da-
yah live in dark, sheltered places and
talk
to the ground so they may hear the complaints
of the growing seeds. When summer
comes, they roam across the fields,
ripening the fruits and tinting the grains,
and telling all growing things to seek
the
sun. Their work begins with the strawberry
plant, which is a special gift to
men. After the frost has left the ground,
the Gan-da-yah loosen the ground around
each strawberry root so that the
shoots can easily push to the surface.
They shape its leaves to the sun, turn
the
blossoms upward, and lead runners to
new growing areas.
An old tale tells of when the fruits were
first brought to the earth. An evil spirit
captured the strawberry plant and hid it
beneath the earth for centuries. It was
finally freed by a spy sunbeam who
brought it back to the sunny lands where
it has thrived ever since. Fearing another
assault, the Gan-da-yah continue a special
guard over their favorite fruit.
When the first fruit comes out on the
vine, the Gan-da-yah guard it from the
attacks of evil insects and mildew. They
always keep watch over the fields while
they ripen, and are constantly at war with
the blights and diseases that attempt to
infest and kill corn and beans.
The Gan-da-yah can take on various
forms for safety and guidance, often visiting
the longhouses of the Indians in the
shape of birds. If a Gan-da-yah appears
as a bat, a symbol of the union of light
and darkness, it indicates some life-anddeath
battle close at hand; if one appears
as an owl, watchful and wise, the mission
is one of warning; if one appears as a
robin, it carries good tidings. The most
harmless insect or worm may be carrying
an important message from the Ganda-
yah, for “the trail is broad enough for
all.” With the coming of fall and winter,
the Gan-da-yah are safe, hiding in the
earth until the following spring.
The Gan-da-yah can use any druid
spell from
the first four levels, and the
magic-user spell Polymorph Self, at will,
acting in all cases as an 8th-level spellcaster.
All Gan-da-yah encountered will
carry a dagger, and 60% of all individuals
will have either a short bow or a spear
as
well (50% chance for each). They wear
either padded or leather armor. If encountered
in a lair, females and young
are equal to 100% and 40% of the male
population respectively; otherwise, females
comprise 20% of a group.
GA-HON-GA
FREQUENCY: Rare
NO. APPEARING: 3-18
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 9”
HIT DICE: 2
% IN LAIR: 15%
TREASURE TYPE: P, X(x3)
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 80%
INTELLIGENCE: Very
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic good
SIZE: S (3' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes:
Nil
The Ga-hon-ga, the guardians of the
stream, live in rock caves near rivers,
and
though small in size are possessed of
gigantic strength. They are able to pull
up the largest of trees with a single twist
of the hand, and throw massive rocks
into the rivers (to lift the waters when
floods threaten). These beings often visit
men in their dreams, to lead them into
their caves and challenge them to feats
of strength such as playing ball with
rocks, with the Ga-hon-ga frequently
throwing the “balls” high out of sight.
For this reason they are known as “Stone
Throwers.”
The Ga-hon-ga also watch over the
fish, instructing them, directing their
movements, and providing shelter in
their deep-water caves, if the fish are
being
chased by merciless fishermen or
confused in the whirl of a flood. The Gahon-
ga will free fish caught in traps
when they deem it wise. They decide if
a
season is to be fruitful or barren, and
frequently punish abuse or negligence
of nature with famine.
When drought occurs, the Iroquois
will travel far into the forests to search
for signs of the Ga-hon-ga. These signs
are little cup-shaped hollows in the mud
at the edges of streams, and are the
promise of rain. The hollows are carefully
scooped up and dried on a fragment
of bark in the sun, becoming the “dew
cup charms” which are placed in longhouses
to attract the Gan-da-yah. There
is a 15% chance per day that the Gan-dayah
will come looking around a household
where the charm is used.
The Ga-hon-ga have strength equal to
a stone giant, and can throw and catch
rocks with the same degree of ability.
If
encountered in an area where goodsized
rocks are not in easy supply, they
will carry their own. They also are armed
with daggers and sometimes spears
(30%). For river travel, the Ga-hon-ga
use magical canoes which will, at times
of need, fly into the air with a single
stroke of the paddle (acting as a Carpet
of Flying). The Ga-hon-ga can control
fish with the same power as a Trident
of
Fish
Command, and they can Control
Weather as a 12th-level druid. Females
and young are found only in lairs.
OH-DO-WAS
FREQUENCY: Very rare
NO. APPEARING: 5-30
ARMOR CLASS: 7
MOVE: 9"
HIT DICE: 1
% IN LAIR: Nil
TREASURE TYPE: Nil
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: By weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS: +4 with bow
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 30%
INTELLIGENCE: Genius
ALIGNMENT: Lawful neutral
SIZE: S (3' tall)
PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil
Attack/Defense Modes:
Nil
The most wise and mysterious of the
little people, the under-earth dwellers,
are the Oh-do-was of the darkness. Seldom
do men recognize them in the
gloom. They hold jurisdiction over the
sunless domain beneath the earth, where
live the creatures of darkness, and the
prisoners that have offended the regions
of light.
The Oh-do-was dwell in a dim world
with forests and broad plains, abounding
with the types of animals usually
found in those environments. Though all
who dwell here wish to escape, all are
told to be satisfied and live where Fate
has placed them. Among the mysterious
underground denizens are white buffaloes,
who attempt many times to reach
the sunlight and gallop with their brown
brothers over the plains, but the path
up
is guarded. At times they try to rush
through in a large group, but the Oh-dowas
gather their hunters to thin out the
unruly herds with arrows. It is said that
a
red cloud in the heavens is a sign to the
Indians that this hunt is on. The people
rejoice that the Oh-do-was are watchful
and brave in keeping order in the world.
Other captives of the Oh-do-was are
venomous reptiles and creatures of death
which hide in the deep shadows. Despite
the great size of these creatures, it is
not
often that the Oh-do-was are unable to
throw them back from the door to the
light world. Sometimes one will escape,
whizzing out into the darkness, and
spread its poisonous breath across the
forests, creating a pestilence that kills
all. The other monsters, jealous of the
escape, seek areas where springs sprout
from the surface and poison the waters.
Where a deep root has pushed its way
into the underworld in search of water,
they tear it with their fangs, which destroys
the earth tree. Such happenings
are rare, for the Oh-do-was would not
willingly allow death to escape to wreak
its vengeance on their friends.
At certain times, the Oh-do-was will
visit their relations on earth. They will
hold festivals in the forests at night
and
use circles under deep wood trees, where
grass refuses to grow, for dances. They
enjoy the soft rays of the moon but are
blinded by the sun. The animals of the
night are wary of these little people,
for
sometimes offensive intruding creatures
are captured and taken to the underworld.
The animals cannot expect to be
ransomed by the guardians of the light,
for no Jo-ga-oh ever questions the actions
of another.
The Oh-do-was are armed with either
short bow and dagger (60%) or spear
(40%). For every five Oh-do-was in a
band there will be one magic-user
(roll
d6 for level: 1-2 = 4th, 3-5 = 5th, 6 =
6th).
For every 15 encountered there will be
an additional magic-user of 8th (roll of
1-4) or 9th (roll of 5-6) level. If there
are
over 25 in a band, their leader will be
a
12th level magic-user. There is a 5%
chance per level for each magic-user
that the individual will have a usable
magic item.
The Oh-do-was are armed with either
short bow and dagger (60%) or spear
(40%). For every five Oh-do-was in a
band there will be one magic-user (roll
d6 for level: 1-2 = 4th, 3-5 = 5th, 6 =
6th).
For every 15 encountered there will be
an additional magic-user of 8th (roll of
1-4) or 9th (roll of 5-6) level. If there
are
over 25 in a band, their leader will be
a
12th level magic-user. There is a 5%
chance per level for each magic-user
that the individual will have a usable
magic item.
The Jo-ga-oh can never be surprised.
All of the little people are desribed as
pale yellow in color and are completely
dressed during all times of the year.
Leggings, breechclout and a cape are
worn by males. Females wear knee-
length skirts to which is added a large
skin cloak in bad weather. Different
names are given to the little people by
other Iroquois tribes. The Onondagas
call them Che-kak-eh-hen-wah."Small
People" or Little Men"; the Mohawks
know them as the Yah-yo-nen-us-yoks,
"Stone Throwers"; the Tuscaroras call
them Ehn-kwa-si-yea, "No Men At
All."
| Dragon magazine | - | Monster Manual III | - | Dragon #61 |