Saturday, October 10, 2009

Monster: Verdant Jelly

Verdant Jelly
Armour Class: 8
Hit Dice: 2
Move: 90' (30') / none
Attacks: 1
Damage:
1-6
No. Appearing: 1 (special)
Save As: F2
Morale: 12
Treasure Type: Nil
Alignment: Chaotic
XP Value: 20

Seeping amoeboid masses of deep emerald green protoplasm tinted with gold, verdant jellies are the bane of dungeons and wilderness terrain alike. This reputation is less for any especial fearsomeness as for the jelly's unique metamorphosis -- once it has absorbed enough nutrients it transforms into a lush climbing or trailing vine, eventually studded with enticing mottled green "melons", all of which contain a tiny jelly-spawn.

In combat a verdant jelly strikes for 1-6 hit points of damage. The jelly also secretes a clinging, corrosive fluid that causes an additional 1-4 hit points of damage the following round as flesh dissolves and liquifies. Verdant jellies are immune to acid and cold, but take double damage from fire. A verdant jelly vine has no attacks, but bears 2-20 melons -- all of which can and will split to release a 1/2 Hit Dice jelly that otherwise attacks like the parent.

It is not advisable to attempt to consume a melon.

3 comments:

HappyFunNorm said...

I wonder how the melons are if they're cooked before eaten? I would guess they would have to be cooked slowly, otherwise the jelly would come out and leave.

Mmmmmm.... Jelly Melons... the ridiculously dangerous children's favorite. Hahahaha

taichara said...

*grins*

If one could cook them successfully (I'd recommend cooking it whole by steaming or stewing, myself), the jelly would get granular and almost chewy in places ...

Rather like a firm-if-gelatinous version of tapioca, really. Tastes, oddly, of sweet chestnuts ~

Tomira Eliyes said...

I believe my initial reaction to this can be summed up as a horrified D: and then an admiring "Insidious!"