Monster: Qiparal

Qiparal

Armour Class: 7

Hit Dice: 1+1

Move: 30' (10')

fly 120' (40')

Attacks: 1 bite

Damage: 1-4 + special

No. Appearing: 2-20

Save As: F1

Morale: 8

Treasure Type: I

Alignment: Chaotic

XP Value: 19

Unusually large bats, qiparal are covered in dark fur and have muzzles much like that of a jackal, as well as a jackal's ears and oddly grooved fangs. Their most shocking trait are their wings, however; for when a qiparal spreads its wings and begins its fluttering flight, it reveals the brilliantly coloured patterns its wings' translucent membranes. These bright patterns make the qiparal resemble some kind of predatory butterfly -- which works to the creature's advantage.

In combat a qiparal bites, inflicting 1-4 hit points of damage. The wounds inflicted by a qiparal's grooved teeth continue to bleed freely, losing 1-2 hit points per round so long as the injury is not tended to, and given the chance a qiparal will lap up fresh blood rather than continue to attack.

Any individual within ten feet of a fluttering qiparal must make a saving throw vs charm or be entranced by the brilliant flashes of colour and pattern for 1-8 rounds unless the magical effect is cancelled or dispelled. During this time the victim may make no actions and is unaware of any activity surrounding them -- or inflicted upon them.

Magic Item: Rings of the Winged Moon

Rings of the Winged Moon: “Rings” in name only, this pair of slender bangles are crafted of a strange silvery porcelain-like substance, translucent and faintly bluish. Stronger than they appear, the Rings must be worn on either wrist in order to function; placing both bangles on one wrist renders the enchantment temporarily inert.

When active, the Rings may be called upon to produce any small object of a utilitarian nature – knife, cup, quill pen, thief's pick – forming the object out of the same silvery material that the bangles themselves are composed of. No more than three such objects may be in existence at any one time, and after 1-10 turns the item will fade into nothingness.

The origin of the Rings' name is unknown, though sages speculate on a connection with the chthonic cults of the Lunar Serpent.

Monster: Myrrist

Myrrist

Armour Class: 6

Hit Dice: 1-1

Move: 120' (40')

Attacks: 1 weapon or bite

Damage: 1-6 or 1-3 + special

No. Appearing: 2-8 (3-30)

Save As: F1

Morale: 11

Treasure Type: Q (C)

Alignment: Neutral

XP Value: 5

Sworn adversaries – and natural predators – of the cricet and chiktik both, the myrrist are small, long and lean; weasels or fishers in a humanoid shape. Standing some two and a half to three feet tall, myrrist are covered in soft fur that ranges from snow white to sable; their eyes are bottomless black, their rounded ears edged in the same, and their teeth needle sharp. Myrrist often wear meticulously patchworked armour jacks but are otherwise austere and unpredictable in their tastes for ornamentation. Likewise, their reactions to other sapient species is equally unpredictable -- save that they will not share territory peacefully.

In combat a myrrist fights with a javelin long enough to be wielded in melee if necessary, inflicting 1-6 hit points of damage. The myrrist weapon possesses a long, narrow and wickedly-barbed head that lodges in the wound; tearing the weapon free inflicts another hit point of damage. A myrrist carries 2-6 such javelins but will fall back on using fangs if necessary, inflicting 1-3 hit points of damage and if choosing to do so locking its jaws to automatically inflict 1-2 hit points per round of blood drain. A myrrist so jawlocked can take no other actions unless it releases its victim.

Elite members of a myrrist clan, numbering 2-12, possess 1+1 hit dice. A chieftain of 1+4 Hit Dice will be found in the myrrist's lair, and fights as a 2 Hit Dice monster; he or she is attended by 1–4 elite myrrist.

Monster: Shutai

Shutai

Armour Class: 5

Hit Dice: 1/2*

Move: 150' (50') (special)

Attacks: 1

Damage: Special

No. Appearing: 4-16

Save As: M1

Morale: 9

Treasure Type: Nil

Alignment: Chaotic

XP Value: 6

Strange, small entities, shutai glide swiftly across any and all possible surfaces; living shadow-shapes, like lacy and baroque silhouettes of teardrop cutouts that slide and swarm towards any available targets. Those who find themselves attacked by shutai slowly lose their own shadow and a portion of their own self along with it.

Shutai “attack” by attacking a shadow cast by an individual; as a shutai comes into contact with a shadow, it draws away some of that shadow's substance into its own lacy patterns. This attack inflicts 1-3 hit points of “damage” but does not cause injury – however, if the total of “damage” dealt by shutai should match or exceed the victim's current hit point total, the victim's shadow has been completely consumed. The shadow damage -- if one's shadow is not devoured -- "heals" over the course of an hour.

A shadowless victim is at -1 to all actions and saves and is listless, unable to innovate or act on their own initiative, and must be coaxed into action by others. A shadow may be restored by the same means used to lift curses or cure magical disease. Shutai take damage from spells, and from magical or silver weapons.

Magic Item: Ring of Viridian Veins

Ring of Viridian Veins: A slender finger-ring of copper in the form of twisting vines, the Ring of Viridian Veins is decorated with tiny leaves of deep green jade. Despite its apparent fragility the Ring is strong as steel and will resize to fit as needed.

The bearer of the Ring will find their hair (or fur, feathers, etc.) develops a vibrant emerald tint. So long as the Ring is worn, that individual requires only one-half of their usual food requirements so long as they are exposed to a light source of torch-strength or better for the majority of their waking hours. Continuous exposure to full sunlight drops the food requirement to one-quarter.

The original Ring of Viridian Veins was forged by the Grey Brother, or magesmith, of the now-defunct naturalist's guild once commonly known as the Verdant Wings. Since that time the Ring has been widely copied, its enchantments freely spread by the Wings as the Sere Winds parched forests and farmlands both.

Not Dead, Only Sleeping and other such commentary

I am indeed not dead, only sleeping, as it were.

For a few various reasons -- some having to do with the blogosphere, some to do with non-Interwebs events, and a great deal to do with other activities in my life at the moment -- I've not been feeling the itch to write for this neck of the woods. I haven't given up my Rules Cyclopedia by a long shot, but my attention is elsewhere.

Burnout chewed at my heels for the majority of the previous fall, so this does not really surprise me ... much as it doesn't surprise me that my extra immersion in the lands of giant robots is a definite distraction. (There is a pile of Mekton Zeta and various Dream Pod 9 books sitting next to me as I type this, along with several volumes of Gundam mechanical guides and photonovels ...)

I churned out posts for the better part of a year, and I daresay I'll be back again before long. But I need other things at the moment, and there are some other things I don't need much so much of.


Cheers, all ~ I shall be back ;3

File Downloads --

It's taken me longer than it should have to get to these; I think this will be reliable, at least in the short term. In any case, here they are:

Final Fantasy Red Box Hack 1.0

Little Treasures

One-Page Dungeon: Chantry of the Earthflame


I know the download site isn't ideal; please bear with me ...

Monster: Azul

Azul
Armour Class: 2
Hit Dice: 3+4*
Move: fly 180' (60')
Attacks: 1
Damage: 1-4
No. Appearing: 1-3
Save As: M4
Morale: 11
Treasure Type: Nil (special)
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 75

An azul is a gaseous entity, a billowing sapphire fog measuring no less than 20' x 20' in rough dimension (though it will flow down corridors, through cracks, and generally "deform" itself as necessary). Alien creatures, it is not entirely clear whether azul are sapient or even sentient; they seem to exist merely to tamper with the flaws of energy and magic. Some speculate that they were created by ancient spellcraft, pointing to their concentrated essences which are useful in certain mageries.

In combat, a azul may jolt all within its gaseous shape, inflicting 1-4 hit points of damage as pure magical energy -- akin to a magic missile -- strikes all within range. However, the azul may only attack in this manner once every three rounds. Far more insidious is its sapphire inversion: within an azul's mists fire causes cold damage (and vice versa), electricity causes no damage, charms and similar magic reverse subject and victim, and healing magic restores the undead while harming the living. Individual azul may also possess other, additional inversions or warpings.

Azul take full damage from magical sources. Physical weapons do no damage unless enchanted, in which case they inflict damage equal to their magical bonus.

Magic Item: Ivory Carbuncle

Ivory Carbuncle: Another of Mindara's creations, or so he claimed, the Ivory Carbuncle is a smooth sphere somewhat less than an inch in diameter. The Carbuncle's colour appears to shift randomly, though smoothly, between a nacreous cream and a glittering ruby red; it may be mounted in a jewel's setting and still function, or it be applied directly to the flesh where it will adhere and sink until it resembles a cabochon.

Regardless of the method used, the bearer of the Ivory Carbuncle is protected from the effects of charm spells and similar mind-controlling magics, paralysis, and blindness. However, this protection will function only so long as the Carbuncle's bearer takes no hostile action against another being; should the gem's bearer attack or perform a similarly hostile act, the Carbuncle falls inert for 1-4 hours.

Magic Item: Winter's Drafts

Winter's Drafts: Named not for any particular quality they hold, but for only the season in which they may be distilled, these translucent elixirs glitter like ice crystals suspended in white wine. Each type of elixir is traditionally identified only by the small enameled mark on the body of its frosted silver flask, or by a sprig of the appropriate foliage tied to the neck with a bit of white ribbon.

Grass: Identified by green-berried holly, the Grass draft is meant to be applied to as many as six weapons up to the size of a longsword. So treated, a weapon gleams with a cold glassy shine and -- when next used in a successful strike, lethal or subdual -- will send the victim into a death-like sleep from which they will not wake unless injured or the enchantment is dispelled. This strike may be used three times.

Milk: Marked with holly bearing white berries, the Milk draft is applied to an article of clothing such as a blouse, robe or cloak. The elixir permeates the substance of the clothing and leaves behind a faint shimmer like frost; for a week's time, such clothing will protect as if the one wearing it were wearing chain mail and under the effects of a protection from evil spell.

Coal: Black-berried holly identifies the Coal draft. A tool of sacrifice, the Coal draft is consumed while up to four individuals are named; the consumer of the elixir will then take upon themselves all injury and affliction directed towards those individuals for the following twenty-four hours.

Blood: The red-berried holly marks the Blood draft. Consumed by a living being, the Blood draft will remove a cursed condition or permit a shift from Chaotic alignment; used against an undead creature as if holy water, the elixir may restore the undead to its living self if the creature fails a saving throw against death magic.

The names of the four Drafts are also part of the enchantment, though their meanings have been lost.