Frightful Fridays! Fire Drogani

Welcome to an early edition of Frightful Fridays! Today's monster is a sort of Christmas present to the readers of the blog and this feature, as well as to my friends who fill my inbox with an increasing number of images that I plan to turn into Frightful Fridays! monsters. Kirk found the image below, and Paris coined the name "drogani," which was perfect. I hope you like these dog-dragon hybrids.

 

Thanks for reading Frightful Fridays! for the past year and change. Keep your eyes open this Friday, because many more monsters will be coming your way. I received a slew of mashup images over the past year, and they need an entire day to themselves...which they shall receive, starting at midnight CST.

 

These drogani can be found here.

This golden haired dog seems normal, albeit oversized, until it breathes a gout of fire.
Fire Drogani CR 5
XP 1,600
N Medium magical beast
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +9

Defense
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 57 (6d10+24)
Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +4
Immune fire, sleep

Offense
Speed 40 ft., fly 50 ft. (average)
Melee bite +9 (2d8+4 plus trip)
Special Attacks breath weapon (40-ft. cone, 3d6 fire damage, Reflex DC 17 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds)

Statistics
Str 17, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 11, Wis 15, Cha 14
Base Atk +6; CMB +9; CMD 21 (25 vs. trip)
Feats Outflank, Pack Attack, Tandem Trip
Skills Acrobatics +2 (+6 when jumping), Fly +8, Handle Animal +3 (+11 to handle canids), Intimidate +14, Perception +9; Racial Modifiers +8 Handle Animal to handle canids, +8 Intimidate

Ecology
Environment any terrestrial
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–12)
Treasure incidental

Combining a domestic dog's loyalty with a dragon's power, the first wizard to create a drogani hoped to devise the best possible guard dog. It worked out quite well for the wizard...until he created a second drogani, and the pair wanted the wizard to keep producing more drogani. After the wizard refused the drogani's pleas for more of their kind, the two clever creatures conspired to destroy their creator. After burning the wizard's tower to the ground, but before securing the wizard's note on drogani creation, the pair fled to another location where they found a more sympathetic wizard, or at least one who saw potential in having an army of the creatures.

Drogani consider themselves the ultimate alphas when it comes to canids, and they lead large packs of ordinary dogs and wolves. While drogani also have draconic greed to accompany their draconic arrogance, they roam too much to establish a lair where they can keep a hoard. Instead, they usually run protection rackets in which they extort a village or larger settlement to fashion jewelry they can wear in exchange for keeping the dog packs under their control at bay. Multiple drogani in a pack share leadership, but occasionally a rivalry between two results in a battle that nearly obliterates the pack for which they fought. Strangely, a solitary drogani that has never met another drogani exhibits none of this behavior and is perfectly content to acquiesce to its master's orders.

Drogani stand roughly 4 feet tall at the shoulder, are 5 feet in length, and weigh 200 pounds. While the most common type is the fire drogani, other types with different breath weapons exist. For unknown reasons, the fusion of fire-based dragon and dog proved the most successful.

 

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Frightful Fridays! Urselementals

Hello, and welcome to a Frightful Fridays! which comes to you on an actual Friday this week. Today's set of creatures is thanks to Patrick, who challenged me with the illustration below. I figured the laser beam eyes could be represented in a fantasy setting as focused elemental rays, and things grew from that base assumption. The owlbear sets a nice precedent, and I reasoned some deranged wizard would combine a flying bear mashup with elementals. I indulged myself a little with the air-based urselemental by applying it to the not-a-true-bear koala, but I also figured mad wizards wouldn't really care about trifling things like taxonomy.

 

I hope you enjoy this week's offering, and I'll be back next week with yet another monster. Thanks for reading!

This bear has jet-black fur and a glowing, yellow, crescent-shaped patch on its chest; its eyes seethe with a fiery radiance.
Urselemental, Sun CR 9
XP 6,400
N Medium magical beast (fire)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +14

Defense
AC 24, touch 14, flat-footed 20 (+4 Dex, +10 natural)
hp 114 (12d10+48)
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +8
Immune fire
Weakness vulnerability to cold

Offense
Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee bite +17 (1d8+5) and 2 claws +17 (1d6+5)
Special Attacks radiant beam

Statistics
Str 21, Dex 18, Con 19, Int 7, Wis 14, Cha 10
Base Atk +12; CMB +17 (+21 grapple); CMD 31 (35 vs. trip)
Feats Endurance, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Run, Skill Focus (Fly)
Skills Fly +17, Perception +14

Ecology
Environment warm terrestrial
Organization solitary, pair, squadron (3–12 mixed urselementals)
Treasure none

Special Abilities
Radiant Beam (Ex) Once every 1d4 rounds as a swift action, a sun urselemental shoots a fiery beam that requires a ranged touch attack to hit its target. If the beam strikes its target, it deals 6d6 fire damage, and potentially causes the target to catch on fire.

 

This bear has soft gray fur that crackles with static electricity; miniature lightning bolts shoot from the creature's eyes.
Urselemental, Koala CR 10
XP 9,600
N Medium magical beast (air)
Init +11; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +17

Defense
AC 25, touch 17, flat-footed 18 (+7 Dex, +8 natural)
hp 123 (13d10+52)
Fort +12, Ref +15, Will +9
Immune electricity

Offense
Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (perfect)
Melee bite +18 (2d4+5) and 2 claws +18 (1d6+5)
Special Attacks electricity beam

Statistics
Str 21, Dex 24, Con 19, Int 9, Wis 16, Cha 10
Base Atk +13; CMB +18 (+22 grapple); CMD 35 (39 vs. trip)
Feats Death from Above, Endurance, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Run, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Fly +19, Perception +17, Stealth +14
Ecology
Environment any terrestrial
Organization solitary, pair, squadron (3–12 mixed urselementals)
Treasure none

Special Abilities
Electricity Beam (Ex) Once every 1d4 rounds as a swift action, a koala urselemental shoots a crackling beam that requires a ranged touch attack to hit its target. If the beam strikes its target, it deals 6d6 electricity damage, and the target must succeed at a DC 20 Fortitude save to avoid becoming staggered for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 

Icicles festoon this enormous white bear; an inner pale-blue fire lights its eyes.
Urselemental, Polar CR 11
XP 12,800
N Large magical beast (cold, water)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +15

Defense
AC 25, touch 11, flat-footed 23 (+2 Dex, -1 size, +14 natural)
hp 147 (14d10+70)
Fort +14, Ref +11, Will +10
Immune cold
Weakness vulnerability to fire

Offense
Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (poor), swim 90 ft.
Melee bite +20 (2d6+7) and 2 claws +20 (1d8+7)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks polar beam

Statistics
Str 25, Dex 14, Con 21, Int 5, Wis 18, Cha 10
Base Atk +14; CMB +22 (+24 bull rush, +26 grapple); CMD 34 (36 vs. bull rush, 38 vs. trip)
Feats Endurance, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Run, Skill Focus (Fly)
Skills Fly +7, Perception +15, Swim +19

Ecology
Environment any cold terrestrial
Organization solitary, pair, squadron (3–12 mixed urselementals)
Treasure none

Special Abilities
Polar Beam (Ex) Once every 1d4 rounds as a swift action, a polar urselemental shoots a solid beam of frost that requires a ranged touch attack to hit its target. If the beam strikes its target, it deals 7d6 cold damage, and the target must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save to avoid becoming fatigued. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 

This tremendous brown bear seems to have bits of rock jutting out from its fur; a sickly green light emanates from its eyes.
Urselemental, Grizzly CR 12
XP 19,200
N Large magical beast (earth)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +18

Defense
AC 27, touch 9, flat-footed 27 (-1 size, +18 natural)
hp 168 (16d10+80)
Fort +15, Ref +10, Will +14
DR 5/magic; Immune acid

Offense
Speed 40 ft., burrow 60 ft., fly 60 ft. (poor)
Melee bite +25 (2d8+10) and 2 claws +25 (2d6+10)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks acid beam

Statistics
Str 31, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 3, Wis 24, Cha 10
Base Atk +16; CMB +27 (+31 grapple, +31 overrun); CMD 37 (39 vs. overrun, 41 vs. trip)
Feats Endurance, Greater Overrun, Improved Initiative, Improved Overrun, Iron Will, Power Attack, Run, Skill Focus (Fly)
Skills Fly +8, Perception +18

Ecology
Environment any terrestrial
Organization solitary, pair, squadron (3–12 mixed urselementals)
Treasure none

Special Abilities
Acid Beam (Ex) Once every 1d4 rounds as a swift action, a grizzly urselemental shoots a coherent beam of acid that requires a ranged touch attack to hit its target. If the beam strikes its target, it deals 8d6 acid damage, plus 1 point of ongoing acid damage for 5 rounds, and the target must succeed at a DC 23 Fortitude save to avoid becoming sickened for the duration of the ongoing damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 

Wizards discovered very early that bears of all sorts combine well with other creatures, resulting in bizarre creations like the owlbear. While no one has discovered the exact quality that makes bears so easily crossbred, that has not stopped deranged arcanists from tampering in things better left alone. Urselementals are yet another creation deriving from some hidden laboratory, where a mad (or genius) experimenter managed to fuse elementals with bears. However, specific species of bears accept certain elemental merges much more readily than others; a grizzly bear is the best candidate for earth, a koala bear is the best choice for air, a polar bear is the most suitable for water, and a sun bear is the optimum species for fire. Each species of bear is largely unchanged in terms of size—the koala grew to twice its normal size while only increasing its weight by 50 percent—but their eyes, which boil with barely restrained elemental energy, primarily mark them out from mundane versions.

Despite the fusion of elemental energies to urselementals, the creatures work surprisingly well together. Often a squadron of the bears features more than one species, including those of nominally opposed elements. Powerful wizards obtain—or create—urselementals to act as guards or the powerhouses of an intimidating army. True elemental creatures regard these odd creations with pity, but they will not typically attack the bears and may, in fact, enslave them for their own purposes.

 

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Frightful Fridays! Thaumaturgic Axolotl

Welcome to a late edition of Frightful Fridays! A visiting friend and a surprise water leak caused by some faulty dryer ductwork made it a bit difficult to deliver on time this week, but I hope you'll indulge my delay. This week's monster is courtesy of an image suggested by Kristin and a request by Patrick for fun aquatic monsters. The PCs may not consider the thaumaturgic axolotl "fun" when it sets off a wand of fireballs centered on the wand's owner or when it drains a bunch of potions, but DMs might.
In Frightful Fridays!-related news, Mythopoeic Rambling got a nice shoutout in the latest episode of Know Direction (#74), in reference to the Clockodile, so thanks to Ryan Costello for the mention. Also, in tangentially related Frightful Fridays! news, a monster I submitted to Kobold Press's Monarch of the Monsters contest (the green strangler) wound up as one of the five finalists. If you haven't had a chance yet, check out all the monsters and vote for your favorite here.
I hope you like this week's monster, and I'll be back in four days with a new one. Thanks for reading!

This cute guy can be found here

This pale pink salamander-like creature has several fronds jutting from its head; long, thin fingers tipped in sharp claws; and black, expressive eyes that widen in the presence of magic.

Thaumaturgic Axolotl CR 5
XP 1,600
CN Small aberration (aquatic)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13


Defense
AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +1 size, +4 natural)
hp 52 (7d8+21); regeneration 5 (acid)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +8
SR 16

Offense
Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee bite +10 (1d6-1), 2 claws +10 (1d4-1)
Special Attacks discharging touch, severing curse
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +12)
Constant—detect magic


Statistics
Str 8, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 20
Base Atk +5; CMB +3; CMD 17 (21 vs. trip)
Feats Go Unnoticed, Improved Initiative, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse
Skills Escape Artist +16, Perception +13, Stealth +18, Swim +12, Use Magic Device +19; Racial Modifiers +4 Use Magic Device
Languages Aklo, Aquan
SQ amphibious, inert magic, magic savant

Ecology
Environment warm oceans and coastlines
Organization solitary, pair, or clinging (3–8)
Treasure standard (amulets, rings, and other worn magic items)

Special Abilities
Discharging Touch (Su) As an attack action, a thaumaturgic axolotl can attempt a touch attack and force one of its target's magic items to activate. This affects single-use and charged items and works only when the creature succeeds at a Use Magic Device check to activate the item. For items that target a creature, the axolotl chooses itself or the item's possessor as the target. Otherwise, the item targets an area centered on the owner.
Inert Magic (Su) A thaumaturgic axolotl renders worn magic items with a faint or moderate strength aura nonmagical while the creature possesses them. When the axolotl dies, all worn magic items regain their functionality.
Magic Savant (Ex) A thaumaturgic axolotl always treats Use Magic Device as a class skill and gains a +4 racial modifier for Use Magic Device.
Severing Curse (Su) When killed, a thaumaturgic axolotl inflicts a curse on the character who dealt the killing blow. If the character fails a DC 18 Will save, he treats all carried and worn magic items as nonmagical. Additionally, the character gains SR 16 with respect to beneficial spells. Remove curse, break enchantment, and more powerful spells end the axolotl's severing curse.

Inherently inquisitive creatures, thaumaturgic axolotls become intensely curious when they sense magic items that come within range of their detect magic. This curiosity proves dangerous to visitors to axolotls' ocean abodes, as they prematurely discharge protective items or set off offensive magic centered on the unsuspecting owner while the axolotls' spell resistance protects them from the damaging effects. Thaumaturgic axolotls, which are considerably larger than their mundane cousins, measure 4 feet in length and weigh 100 pounds.


Allegedly engineered by aboleths or dread krakens, thaumaturgic axolotls have a peculiar relationship with magic. The creatures can set off magic items held by others, but they cannot use items themselves. Many theories hold that the creators of thaumaturgic axolotls designed them to suppress magic items in order to allow the creators to study potentially harmful items or to deliver their own crafted magic items to others without drawing attention to the axolotl couriers. The axolotls bestow this suppressive "gift" to those who slay them, which strongly points to the creatures' use as anti-magic shock troops.


Whatever their origins, many thaumaturgic axolotls roam freely now and quietly indulge their curiosity when they encounter enchanted items. Typically, axolotls approach other magic-carrying creatures from hiding and attempt to discharge one of the items. If a character can establish communication with an axolotl and gain its trust, the creature asks to handle one of the character's items. The axolotl may follow the character in the hope of discovering new items. When axolotls gather together, they excitedly discuss the sensations of magic items they have tripped in their relatively short lifetimes—a typical thaumaturgic axolotl only lives for twenty years, but adventurers have run afoul of centuries-old specimens.

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Frightful Fridays! Runehound

Welcome back to a new Frightful Fridays! after an extended absence. I left off with an image brought to me by Kajehase, and I will start anew with another image procured by him. Its hyena-like appearance inspired me to tie the runehound to gnolls, and I hope it makes for an unexpected complication for characters expecting to easily dispatch a hyena companion.

 

I plan to be back next week with a new monster, and I appreciate your patience during the long absence. Thanks for reading Frightful Fridays!

 

You can find the rune hound illustration here.

This gaunt hyena's skin crawls with arcane markings, while its eyes glow with eldritch energies.
Runehound CR 7
XP 3,200
NE Medium magical beast
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +12

Defense
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+4 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 85 (9d10+36)
Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +5
SR 18

Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee bite +13 (1d8+6 plus trip)
Special Attacks magic eater, spellstrike, symbol
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +12)
Constant—detect magic

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 19, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 17
Base Atk +9; CMB +13 (+17 sunder); CMD 27 (29 vs. sunder, 31 vs. trip)
Feats Eldritch Claws(B), Greater Sunder, Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Lunge, Power Attack
Skills Acrobatics +18 (+22 jump), Perception +12, Stealth +10; Racial Modifiers +8 Acrobatics, +4 Perception
Languages Gnoll

Ecology
Environment any desert or plains
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–8)
Treasure none

Special Abilities
Magic Eater (Su) If a runehound destroys a magic item with a sunder attempt, it absorbs the energy dispersed by the item's destruction. The runehound can choose to gain 5 temporary hit points per effective enhancement bonus of the item or replenish spell levels equal to 4 per item's effective enhancement bonus for its spellstrike ability.
Spellstrike (Su) A runehound can apply any 4th-level or lower magus spell with a range of "touch" or that features a ranged touch attack to its bite attack. If it uses a spell featuring a ranged touch attack that targets more than one creature (such as scorching ray), it can only target the creature it bites and loses the effects for any additional targets. The runehound cannot choose the same spell two rounds in a row, and it can only apply a total number of spell levels to its bite attacks equal to twice its Hit Dice per day.
Symbol (Su) Once per day as a full round action, a runehound can manifest a symbol with a sorcerer/wizard spell level no higher than half its Hit Dice (rounded up). The runehound must spend an amount equal to twice the symbol's spell level from its spellstrike's pool of spell levels to cast the symbol, which affects all creatures within 60 feet of the runehound (excluding itself and any creatures it designates). The symbol fades immediately after the runehound employs it.

Runehounds have an innate magical gift that makes them far more dangerous than their hyena relatives. Unlike hyenas, runehounds prefer freshly killed meat, especially that which they have "tenderized" with magical energy (fire and electricity are particular favorites). Runehounds stand 4 feet tall at the shoulder, measure 7 feet in length and weigh 200 pounds.

Runehounds do not possess great intelligence, but they are cunning creatures. A solitary runehound uses its detect magic to locate the most powerful magic weapon carried by its foes, and attacks that item's owner. It does not open with the most powerful spells with its spellstrike ability, as it gauges resistances or weaknesses to various energies and conserves its spellstrike pool in case it needs to use an incapacitating symbol to escape. A pack of runehounds attacks more recklessly, but one of the creatures withholds its spellstrike pool in case the tide of battle turns.

Runehounds' origins are unknown and open to wild speculation. Gnolls believe that powerful gnoll shamans who have curried favor with their demonic patrons (or, in some cases, angered their demonic deities) return as runehounds, merging their former magical might with the hyena's bestial nature. No one has ever sighted a young runehound, which grants an odd credence to the gnolls' theory. Gnoll tribal leaders aware of an independently roaming runehound work hard to attract the runehound to their tribes; they regard a runehound shunning them as an ill omen. Despite being ostensibly more intelligent than runehounds, gnolls defer to runehounds during hunts and allow them to destroy magic items that would otherwise benefit the gnolls.

 

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Dungeons & Drawings!

It's here!  The first illustrated bestiary from Dungeons & Drawings, an art blog that I have recommended before to my Rambling readership.  US buyers will pay for the UK exchange rate, but this delightful, creative take on D&D monsters includes not only the art, which is why I bought the book and why I imagine anyone would, but also a nice, simple take on the monsters that together with the illustrations would allow GMs and DMs to reimagine and tweak these monsters for any game system or campaign setting that make the price well worth it.  I highly recommend this collection of 40 or so creatures and give it a solid A.  Great first book, Blanco and Joe.  I plan on collecting them all.

Campbell's Mythopoeic Soup, you say?

Bound to be overly processed and loaded with sodium, says I.  But don't take my word for it.  Head on over to Black Gate for this interesting reflection.

Oh, and to the commenter who noted that Campbell gets things wrong when he talks about areas he knows well, that's exactly how I feel when Campbell talks about the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Frightful Fridays! Potoo Raptor

Hello and welcome back to Frightful Fridays! Today's entry actually comes to you on Friday and is courtesy of Paizo friend Kajehase. The potoo bird is a weird looking thing, and I figured that weirdness would translate to some interesting abilities for a larger, more intelligent version.

I hope you like the potoo bird, and Frightful Fridays! will be back next week with a new monster. Thanks for reading!

This googly-eyed bird can be found here

This gigantic bird, whose pupils contract and dilate independently, seems otherwise unremarkable. It opens its toothy bill to let out a low, despondent cry.
Potoo Raptor CR 8
XP 4,800
NE Medium magical beast
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16


Defense
AC 21, touch 13, flat-footed 18 (+3 Dex, +8 natural)
hp 95 (10d10+40)
Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +6


Offense
Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (poor)
Melee bite +15 (2d6+5/19-20) and 2 claws +15 (1d8+5)
Special Attacks afterimage, mournful cry, rend (2 claws, 1d8+7)


Statistics
Str 21, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 5, Wis 17, Cha 16
Base Atk +10; CMB +15 (+19 sunder); CMD 28 (30 vs. sunder)
Feats Greater Sunder, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Sunder, Lunge, Power Attack
Skills Fly +8, Perception +16, Stealth +12 (+20 in forests and jungles); Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +4 Stealth (+12 in forests and jungles)


Ecology
Environment temperate or warm forest and jungle
Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–8)
Treasure incidental


Special Abilities
Afterimage (Ex) As part of a move action, a potoo raptor can dilate its pupils to their fullest extent to activate this ability; any creature engaged in melee with the raptor that does not avert its gaze must make a DC 18 Will save. If the creature fails, it believes the potoo raptor remains in the location from which it moved. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Mournful Cry (Ex) The potoo raptor's forlorn cry causes despair in all who hear it. A creature within 60 feet of the raptor must succeed at a DC 18 Will save or become dazed for 1 round and sickened for 1d6 rounds. This is a sonic mind-affecting charm effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.


The potoo raptor is a strange evolutionary throwback to the potoo bird, similar in some respects to the relationship between many prehistoric raptors and present day birds. However, the potoo raptor has extra abilities beyond its extraordinary size and camouflage that allow it to more easily hunt prey, especially intelligent creatures. A typical potoo raptor specimen stands 5 feet tall and weighs 200 pounds.


The potoo bird's haunting call becomes much more powerful in a potoo raptor; the raptor's cry brings forth a sense of ennui in those who hear it, causing them to become listless and not quite as able to resist the bird's attacks. Typically, a potoo raptor establishes its home in a forested or jungle area near a small settlement. It sits on a tree branch or stump, where it camouflages itself, and waits for intelligent prey to wander through its territory. A single potoo raptor prefers to attack one or two humanoids at a time, but, if hungry enough, the bird will attack larger groups.


The potoo raptor's other ability to create an image of itself in the mind of nearby foes allows it to escape from more powerful creatures. Additionally, a pack of raptors uses this ability to confuse opponents into attacking figments of their imagination while the pack circles around and attacks the unsuspecting foes.
Rarely, a druid or ranger will raise a potoo raptor as a hunting companion or to defend the druid or ranger's home. A potoo raptor egg sells for 500 gp, while a trained bird sells for 5,000 gp.

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Frightful Fridays! Slaughtergrass

Welcome back to a late (or early, depending on how you look at it) edition of Frightful Fridays! This week's entry features a deadly weed that will slice, strangle, and otherwise murder you, when it isn't looking for someone to unwittingly carry seeds to infest a new area. I couldn't find an illustration that appropriately demonstrated killer grass (go figure), but I came across this adorable depiction of crabgrass. I plan to do something with this guy later, but, for right now, I wanted a deadly plant.

I hope you enjoy this week's monster, and I'll be back later (hopefully, actually on Friday) with something new. As always, thanks for checking out Frightful Fridays!

This non-murderous crabgrass can be found here

Bones that have been picked clean are tangled in this large weed clump; the weed's grassy blades unfurl as it frees itself from its roots, making a popping sound.
Slaughtergrass CR 10
XP 9,600
NE Small plant
Init +2; Senses low-light vision, tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +20

Defense
AC 25, touch 13, flat-footed 23 (+2 Dex, +1 size, +12 natural)
hp 127 (15d8+60)
Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +6
DR 10/slashing; Immune plant traits; Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10

Offense
Speed 20 ft., climb 10 ft.
Melee 4 grass blades (tentacles) +16 (2d6+4/19-20 plus bleed)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with grass blades)
Special Attacks bleed (1d4), traveling weed
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th, concentration +15)
At will—entangle (DC 11)

Statistics
Str 19, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 10
Base Atk +11; CMB +14 (+18 grapple); CMD 26 (28 vs. grapple, can't be tripped)
Feats Chokehold, Greater Grapple, Improved Critical (tentacle), Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, Lightning Reflexes, Pinning Rend, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Climb +12, Perception +20, Stealth +14 (+22 Stealth in grassy areas); Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth in grassy areas
SQ camouflage, rooted

Ecology
Environment any terrestrial
Organization solitary, pair, lawn (3–20)
Treasure incidental

Special Abilities
Camouflage (Ex) Since slaughtergrass looks like a normal plant when at rest, a DC 24 Perception check is required to notice it before it attacks for the first time. Anyone with ranks in Survival or Knowledge (nature) can use either of those skills instead of Perception to notice the plant.
Rooted (Ex) Slaughtergrass has a complex set of roots that reach 10 feet below the slaughtergrass; the roots allow it to survive complete destruction aboveground part of the plant. As a move action, slaughter grass can detach itself from these roots, but it requires a full round action to reattach to them. Slaughtergrass can survive for 10 minutes away from its root system. If the defenseless roots take damage equal to one fourth the slaughtergrass's hit point total, the slaughtergrass is destroyed. Otherwise, a newly formed plant replaces the "dead" plant in a month's time. A character who succeeds at a DC 30 Knowledge (nature) check knows about this ability.
Traveling Weed (Ex) Slaughtergrass that does not kill an opponent leaves dormant seedlings on its foe. While this does no harm to the creature carrying the seedlings, it allows them to travel and infest other locations. A DC 32 Perception check is required to spot the seedlings, which take 1 point of damage to destroy (the seedlings have the same resistances as the parent slaughtergrass). A seedling has a 50% chance to find purchase in soil and it becomes a full-grown slaughtergrass in two months.

Some weeds are a nightmare just to remove, but slaughtergrass takes this nightmarishness to a new level by slicing apart and strangling anyone who tries to remove it, or, for that matter, just shows up within range of its tremorsense. A carnivorous plant, slaughtergrass uses its natural camouflage to lure unsuspecting creatures into its midst before striking. A target that thinks it can simply move to safety receives a rude surprise when the grass uproots itself to continue stalking its prey.

Slaughtergrass survives in any environment that supports plants, and it will not crowd out its plant neighbors, especially since the additional plants help the grass look natural. In order to propagate itself, the semi-intelligent weed permits a victim or two to escape while carrying several seedlings that eventually drop off the creature and grow into a new patch of slaughtergrass. Slaughtergrass also uses its seedlings to attract otherwise unreachable birds that land in the grass to feed on the seedlings, only to die horribly instead.

While the origin of slaughtergrass remains a mystery, most sages postulate that an evil or insane druid cultivated the plant to protect his or her home and allowed it to spread as a preemptive strike against those who would despoil nature. The grass features in many druid groves where the owners care nothing about the animals or humanoids that might blunder into the groves. Even benevolent druids are reticent to kill slaughtergrass and prefer to relocate the plant, but they will destroy it if it poses an immediate threat.

 

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Frightful Fridays! Huckster Devil

Welcome back to a much delayed Frightful Fridays (not actually on Friday)! I apologize for the huge delay in posting, but now that I'm finally getting over con crud, I hope to be back on a much more regular basis. Today's monster, the huckster devil, could provide a long-term foil for your characters, as it leads them from one beleaguered community to another, selling its nostrums and propping up petty dictators. I hope the wait was worth it for this week's entry, and I'll be back next week with another monster. Thanks for your patience, and thanks for reading!

You can find this delightful fellow here.

This sallow, willowy devil carries a cane and a suitcase full of odd concoctions; it flashes an incongruously warm and friendly smile.
Huckster Devil CR 13
XP 25,600
LE Medium outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., see in darkness; Perception +30

Defense
AC 29, touch 13, flat-footed 26 (+3 Dex, +16 natural)
hp 189 (18d10+90)
Fort +11, Ref +16, Will +16
DR 10/good and silver; Immune fire, poison; Resist acid 10, cold 10; SR 24

Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +2 axiomatic, unholy sword cane +23/+18/+13/+8 (1d6+3) and sting +16 (1d8 plus poison)
Special Attacks proxied enchantment
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 18th; concentration +25)
Constant—true seeing
At will—beguiling gift (DC 19), charm monster (DC 22), dominate person (DC 23), greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only), mirror image
3/day—displacement
1/day—dominate monster (DC 27), summon (level 4, 1 contract devil, 65%)

Statistics
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 20, Int 24, Wis 21, Cha 25
Base Atk +18; CMB +19; CMD 32
Feats Alertness, Cosmopolitan (Knowledge [arcana], Knowledge [religion]), Deceitful, Lightning Reflexes, Magical Aptitude, Quick Draw, Shapeshifter Foil, Spell Focus (enchantment), Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +32, Craft (alchemy) +36, Diplomacy +28, Disguise +29, Knowledge (arcana) +28, Knowledge (history) +28, Knowledge (local) +28, Knowledge (planes) +28, Knowledge (religion) +28, Perception +30, Sense Motive +30, Sleight of Hand +22, Spellcraft +21, Use Magic Device +21; Racial Modifiers +8 Craft (alchemy)
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Infernal, Sylvan, Undercommon; telepathy 100 ft.
SQ change shape (alter self)

Ecology
Environment any (Hell)
Organization solitary, pair, or firm (3–8)
Treasure double (+2 axiomatic, unholy sword cane, potions, poisons, and other treasure)

Special Abilities
Poison (Ex) Sting—injury; save Fort DC 24; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d6 Wis damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Proxied Enchantment (Su) A huckster devil may designate another creature as the effective caster of any of its enchantment spell-like abilities. The designated creature must be on the same plane as the ability's target when the devil uses the ability; otherwise, the ability fails. The huckster devil sets the save DC and caster level for the effect.

Found on all layers of Hell, a huckster devil attempts to sell its dubious services and wares to other devils, whose reactions to the huckster devil's routine range from amusement to disdain. The devil has a much easier time hawking its merchandise on the Material Plane, where no end of credulous people fall for its schemes. This thin devil stands 6 feet tall and weighs 150 pounds, but it can change its outward appearance to fit the expectations of its marks (especially to conceal its tail).

A huckster devil arrives in a beleaguered community in the guise of a passing traveler and chats with residents about troubles affecting the community. The devil spends a day or two discovering the most important issues to the residents (with the help of judicious applications of charm monster to loosen tongues), and then the "friendly visitor" moves on. A week or so later, the devil returns in a different guise purporting to possess the solution to the community's woes. During the intervening time, the huckster devil applies its considerable skill at crafting alchemical goods to make items that bring rain to a drought-stricken community, restore health to withered crops, or cure a disease afflicting the community. All it requires in turn is that a single resident sign a contract as a formality. Once the devil has brokered a deal, it leaves, and, several weeks later, the original problem returns, only considerably worse.

Occasionally, an unpopular noble or warlord acquires a huckster devil's services to improve his or her image. The devil spends months as an "advisor" to the dignitary, who travels around his or her holdings in a goodwill tour. During this tour, the devil charms and dominates crucial subjects, turning control over those subjects to its employer. A huckster devil sometimes requires the beneficiary of its services to sign a contract, but it will waive this requirement if it serves to enhance a particularly despotic regime.

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Frightful Fridays! GenCon Hiatus

GenCon prep followed by actual GenCon and then followed by the GenCon flavor of con crud (plus my daughter getting her wisdom teeth extracted) made the past couple of weeks monster free, for which I apologize.

I'll return next week with a new monster (or two or three). Thanks for your patience!

 

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Frightful Fridays! Filch Bug

Welcome back for a new Frightful Fridays! Drejk (who was somewhat responsible for the zloty) brought this caterpillar to my attention, and I could not tear myself away from the horns at the back of the bug's head. I thought it would be cool for the bug to have a ring on one of the horns, or maybe a necklace dangling off a pair of the horns. How would it get those items, though? By stealing them, I thought, and the filch bug was born. As I've discovered in some of the games I've run, character death is not nearly as terrifying to players as losing crucial magic items. The filch bug plays on those fears.

I hope you like this critter, and I'll be back next week with a new one. Thanks for reading!

This bug can be found here

This green, flying insect is as large as a typical dog. Its bizarre head sweeps back into four horns, one of which bears a ring, while the others vibrate as if searching for something.

Filch Bug CR 7

XP 3,200

N Small magical beast

Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +17

Defense

AC 20, touch 18, flat-footed 14 (+1 deflection, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural, +1 size)

hp 85 (9d10+36)

Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +4

Offense

Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (good)

Melee bite +15 (1d6-1 and paralysis)

Special Attacks command word emulation, paralysis (1d6 rounds, DC 18)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +11)

Constant—detect magic

3/day—pilfering hand

Statistics

Str 9, Dex 21, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 14

Base Atk +9; CMB +13; CMD 24 (32 vs. trip)

Feats Agile Maneuvers, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Weapon Finesse, Wind Stance

Skills Climb +7, Fly +15, Perception +17, Sleight of Hand +14, Stealth +21, Use Magic Device +3 (+15 to activate an item blindly); Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +8 Sleight of Hand, +8 Stealth, +12 Use Magic Device to activate an item blindly

Combat Gear necklace of fireballs (type I); Other Gear ring of protection +1

Ecology

Environment any temperate or warm terrestrial

Organization solitary, pair, heist (3–6)

Treasure standard (amulets, rings, and similar magic items)

Special Abilities

Command Word Emulation (Ex) While a filch bug cannot speak, it can modulate its droning to sound like a command word for a magic item. It gains a +12 bonus to its Use Magic Device checks to activate an item blindly.

A filch bug has evolved a strange way to protect itself, by stealing magic items from other creatures and using those items for defense and occasional offense. A party usually encounters a filch bug already equipped with one or two magic items (as the stats above demonstrate). The creature usually leaves others alone, since it is a relatively weak fighter, but, if it senses magic it desires or must act in self-defense, it brings all of its natural and acquired abilities to bear. A filch bug measures 3 feet in length and weighs 50 pounds.

When a filch bug chances upon creatures, it lies still either in tall grass or in tall branches where it can focus its detect magic ability on potential victims. If it discovers a small item radiating abjuration or evocation magic, which it sees as mauve and cobalt blue respectively, it uses pilfering hand to steal the item from its owner. If successful, a filch bug flies away with its new prize. Otherwise, the creature attacks its target with its weak, yet paralytic, bite, after which it can rummage through the victim's belongings to find the item it prizes. If it takes an item, it finds a secluded location and places the item on one of its horns, which can accept two rings and a chest slot item. A filch bug is not very bright, and spellcasters who are aware of the creature use magic aura to trick it into stealing worthless junk, after which it will depart.

Other creatures raise filch bugs and take advantage of the creatures' thieving natures and their paralytic bites. Sometimes, a filch bug attack is a prelude to a larger attack, where the filch bug's role was to merely soften up its target. Filch bugs lay 3-6 eggs a year, and each egg is worth 500 gp on the black market. A fully grown filch bug—filch bugs reach maturity after six months and only live for five years—is untrainable.

Frightful Fridays! Contemplative Kaida

It's Saturday, so it must be time for another Frightful Fridays! entry. Today's monster is a new kaida, this one suited for monks (and ninjas to a lesser extent). I've been slowly amassing kaidas suitable for all the Pathfinder RPG core classes, and this dragon, which my friend Patrick brought to my attention, seemed like a great fit for the monk. A spellcasting monk needs a considerable amount of multiclassing to obtain a contemplative kaida as a familiar, but the benefits should offset that cost.

I hope you like today's monster, and I'll be back on Friday with a new one. Thanks for reading!

This little dragon can be found here

This little emerald dragon sits on a flower's lip and regards a dewdrop within the flower with great interest.

Contemplative Kaida CR 3

XP 800

LN Tiny dragon

Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +15

Defense

AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size, +1 dodge)

hp 26 (4d12)

Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +8

Defensive Abilities evasion, uncanny dodge; Immune magic paralysis and sleep, dragon traits

Offense

Speed 20 ft., fly 50 ft. (perfect), swim 30 ft.

Melee bite +3 (1d3+4) and 2 claws +3 (1d2+4)

Space 2.5 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks insightful strike

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +8)

Constant—anticipate peril

At will—comprehend languages, guidance, read magic, timely inspiration

Statistics

Str 4, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 19, Cha 15

Base Atk +4; CMB +5; CMD 13 (17 vs. trip)

Feats Dodge, Mobility

Skills Appraise +8, Diplomacy +9, Fly +20, Heal +11, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Spellcraft +5, Stealth +15, Swim +10, Use Magic Device +7; Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Sense Motive

Languages Common; telepathy 60 ft.

SQ contemplated action, knowledge through enlightenment

Special Abilities

Contemplated Action (Ex) Once per day per Hit Die, as a full round action, contemplative kaida enters into a meditative state that gives it the benefit of sanctuary for the round. On its next turn it adds +20 to a chosen ability check, skill check, or attack roll.

Insightful Strike (Ex) A contemplative kaida uses its Wisdom modifier on damage with its natural attacks instead of its Strength modifier. This ability does not work on creatures immune to precision damage.

Knowledge through Enlightenment (Ex) A contemplative kaida can use its insight to derive an answer to a question, allowing it to make a Knowledge check untrained and adding its Intelligence and Wisdom modifiers to the check. The kaida usually applies its contemplated action ability to a Knowledge check.

A contemplative kaida is a delicate creature that prefers to spend its time reflecting upon the mysteries of the universe. The kaida also likes to share its wisdom with those who will listen to it, but it knows not to come across as a braggart about its knowledge. The dragon will flee from a fight if it can, but it proves to be a dangerous opponent when it must defend itself. The kaida requires a minimum of sustenance to survive, and seems to derive most of its nutrition from experiencing its surroundings. A contemplative kaida is 18 inches long, including a 6-inch long tail, and weighs 20 pounds.

Unlike many other kaida, a contemplative kaida does not bond with an item. The dragon considers itself in tune with the universe, and thus bonded with everything contained within. A contemplative kaida still chooses companions with whom it travels in order to gain alternative insights into the world.

A spellcaster can choose a contemplative kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 3rd, character level 7th, have the Improved Familiar feat, and have a ki pool. A contemplative kaida adds its Wisdom modifier to the spellcaster's ki pool, and, once per day, it can grant the spellcaster the benefit of its contemplated action ability.