Midweek Monster Mayhem - The Bloody Ooze of Tenkarian (SWL / OSR)

The Bloody Ooze of Tenkarian is a disturbing sight to see. This red, tendril like mass stands, if one can call it that, 5' high and lays a bit wider. It forms mouths, eyes, tendrils as needed. It attacks via these temporary mouths and tendrils. A successful attack requires a save against poison. A failed save slowly turns the victim into a Bloody Ooze themselves with a loss of 1 HP per round until dead or the infected area is washed off with alcohol - beer or wine is not strong enough, it must be whisky, rum or similar "hard" liquors. Weapons only inflict 1 HP per successful hit on a Bloody Ooze. Fire does full damage as does magic. Bloody Oozes are immune to magic sleep.

The Bloody Ooze of Tenkarian
AC: 7[12]    HD: 1d3   Attacks: 1d3 attacks at 1d3 damage each plus Special   Move: 9
Special: Detailed above

Art by Gary Dupuis

OGL

Gotta love the Con Crud ;)

Midweek Monster Mayhem - Eyes of Malifial (SWCL / OSR)

Eyes of Malifial are servants of Malifial of the Eye. These giant floating eyes are about 4 feet from lowest tendril to the top of the eye. While usually found in pairs they apparently communicate telepathically with their own kind and when confronted reinforcements (numbering 1d6) are usually 1d3 rounds away.

Eyes of Malifial have two types of attacks. The first is a hypnotic gaze. If the target fails its save (no attack roll is needed) they become immobile for 1d6 rounds, unable to move, attack or defend themselves (no dex bonus, no shield bonus and attacks are at + 2 to hit the stunned target). The second attack is a heat beam attack. Such attacks are made at stunned opponents (as detailed above) and inflict 1d6 heat / fire damage. If the target is wearing metal armor an additional point of damage is inflicted. There is no save against this attack.

Eyes of Malifial
AC: 6[13]    HD: 3   Attacks: Special   Move: 6
Special: Detailed above

Publisher's Choice Quality Stock Art Copyright Rick Hershey / Fat Goblin Games

OGL

Playing catch up due to last week's convention. Bear with me ;)

Mideweek Monster Mayhem - Wicht (SWCL / OSR)

Wichts are related to Wights and Ghouls, with the worst traits of each, simply amplified. Pack hunters, their touch requires a saving throw, failure results in the paralyzation of the victim for 1d6 turns. Wichts stay focused on their paralyzed victims, biting for 1d6 damage automatically each round until their victim dies or the Wicht is destroyed. Damage inflicted by a Wicht's bite heals at the rate of 1 point per week of bedrest. Magical healing works, but only at half its normal effectiveness until all of the bite damage is healed.

Wicht
AC: 3[16]  5[14] when feeding  HD: 4   Attacks: Claw or Bite (1d6) Move: 12
Special: Paralysis

Art copyright Malcom McClinton

Midweek Monster Mayhem is brought to you by the generosity of The Tavern's Patreon Backers.

OGL

Midweek Monster Mayhem - Armored Skeleton - (SWL / OSR)

Aye, you need to watch out for them skellies with armor. Not saying they're intelligent, but I am saying they aren't your usual bucket o' bones. Simply put, these buggers are harder to hit and hit harder. Faster too, almost like they be feeding on the blood of those they be deading. They just ain't good lad, and I'd avoid them if the choice be mine.

Armored Skeleton
AC: 4[15]    HD: 2   Attacks: By Weapon   Move: 12
Special: Free attack when striking the killing blow against an opponent they receive a free attack on a new opponent.

Art copyright Eric Quigley

Midweek Monster Mayhem is brought to you by the generosity of The Tavern's Patreon Backers.

OGL

SWCL released this week. Its PWYW in PDF and 7 bucks on Amazon in Print on Demand

Midweek Monster Mayhem - Giant Armored Slug (Swords & Wizardry Light / OSR)

Giant Armored Slugs are rarely found in the wild. Instead, they are often used as minions for powerful wizards and priests. Standing nearly 4' tall and possessing a minimum of reasoning ability, Giant Armored Slugs - often referred to as Sluggards - can understand the common tongue of man and are able to converse in three to four word sentences. Although they lack hands, their tentacled limbs allow them to wield weapons with some proficiency.Their skin forms a chitinous sort of armor but perhaps their best defense is their trail of slime, which radiates in a 5' circle around them and has been known to cause many an attacker grief.

Giant Armored Slug 
AC: 2[17]    HD: 4   Attacks: By Weapon or Bite (1d6+1) Move: 3
Special: Slime - Anyone standing within 5' of a Sluggard must make a save or be at -2 to attacks due to poor footing. Leaving the 5' radius ends the effect.

Art copyright James Shields

Midweek Monster Mayhem is brought to you by the generosity of The Tavern's Patreon Backers.

OGL

Midweek Monster Mayhem - Razor Rat (Swords & Wizardry Light / OSR)

Razor Rats appear to be part rat, part dog and part lizard. Standing one foot high at the shoulder and about two feet from snout to end of tail, Razor Rats and pack hunters. They hunt in packs of 2 to 12 and will generally choose just one or two targets in a party in an attempt to drag them to the ground. If a target is attacked by 3 or more Razor Rats, all attacks will be + 1 to hit due to the swarming effect.

Razor Rats will flee if confronted by fire or if they suffer casualties of half the pack or more.

Razor Rat
AC: 7[12]    HD: 1+1 Attacks: Swarm / Bite 1d6-1 Move: 15
Special: Swarm - if 3 or more Razor Rats are attacking a single target, attacks are at + 1

Art copyright James Shields

Midweek Monster Mayhem is brought to you by the generosity of The Tavern's Patreon Backers.

OGL

Midweek Monster Mayhem - Malifial of The Eye (Swords & Wizardry Light)

Malifial was a wizard of no small repute and even larger arrogance. Upon chancing upon a literal "genie in a bottle" he used his single wish to become one of "limitless knowledge and all seeing." The genie warped the intention of his words and now Malifial mostly resides in an alternate dimension where he is constantly surrounded by knowledge made into beings. As for "all seeing" his head is now a giant eyeball. Even when he sleeps he "sees."

These days Malifial tries to spend the time he can in his secluded hideout, guarded by knowledge creatures from his "other home." He can't stay long, maybe an hour a day, before his curse forces him back into the dimensional rift, but he spends every minute he can trying to find a cure to his curse of knowledge and vision.

No longer having a mouth, Malifial communicates when necessary with the written word. This has also impeded his ability to cast spells but he has gained other powers that help compensate.

One per round Malifial can use his eye to hypnotize an opponent. If the victim fails their save (with a -2 adjustment to the roll) they will just stare helplessly, unable to move or communicate. This lasts indefinitely, with a new save allowed every 10 minutes. Malifial can also move items telekinetically. Up to 100 pounds can be moved effortlessly and items up to 10 pounds can be thrown like a weapon (d6 damage)

Malifial's Familiar has also suffered from the curse. Its former form was that of a minor devil and now - now it is a flying eyeball. It embraces the change and secretly wishes its master will never find a way to break the curse. Malifial's Familiar has the power to stun opponents with its gaze once per round. Those failing their save are at -4 to attacks and other actions for 2d6 rounds.

Malifial of The Eye
AC: 2[17]    HD: 7 (29 HP) Attacks: Thrown Item (1d6) or Special  Move: 12
Special: One per round Malifial can use his eye to hypnotize an opponent. If the victim fails their save (with a -2 adjustment to the roll) they will just stare helplessly, unable to move or communicate. This lasts indefinitely, with a new save allowed every 10 minutes.

Malifial's Familiar
AC: 5[14]    HD: 2 (10 HP) Attacks: Special  Move: 12 (Flight)
Special: Stun opponents with its gaze once per round. Those failing their save are at -4 to attacks and other actions for 2d6 rounds.

Art copyright Denis McCarthy

OGL

Midweek Monster Mayhem is brought to you by the generosity of The Tavern's Patreon Backers.

Midweek Monster Mayhem - "Paper" Ogre & Todie The Bulibug (Swords & Wizardry Light)

There was no Midweek Monster Mayhem post last week so this post is a bit of a twofer. If all goes well, there will be a second post this week.

Todie was a special Bulibug. Unlike his brethren, he had an affinity for languages. He also found himself blessed with a singular talent, the ability to project a semi-solid illusion, which he often used to his advantage within the tribe. That is, until they cast him out.

Now Todie preys on the Bigguns. He has perfected an 8 1/2 foot "Paper" Ogre projection, one that he can throw his voice to, which he uses to shake down travelers and still wet behind the ears adventurers. He doesn't ask for much - usually a silver per person from travelers - and would much rather the show go as planned, because his ogre projection is much more bark than it is bite. The projection is hard to hit but strikes for minimal damage.

Paper Ogre
AC: 1[18]    HD: 4 (4 HP) Attacks: Club (1 Point Damage - no roll needed)   Move: 12
Special: Really an illusion. Anyone who suspects it is an illusion may make a saving throw. If successful, that character gains a + 4 hit bonus against the illusion.

Bulibug
AC: 6[13]    HD: 1 Attacks: Claws (1d6-1) or by weapon   Move: 12
Special: Hide as a thief in wilderness 5 in 6 chance

Note, although written for Swords & Wizardry Light, Paper Ogres and Bulibugs will work fine with other flavors of S&W (and other OSR rulesets) - all you need do is add expo.

Paper Ogre art by Eric Quigley. Bulibug art by Forrest Imel.

OGL

Midweek Monster Mayhem - Meat-Eating Macaque / Bad Maque (Swords & Wizardry Light)

Art by Patrick Pullen used with permission

Meat-eating Macaques (often referred to as Bad Maques by adventurers) are a carnivorous species of monkey. They are dangerous not due to their size (about 2' tall when squatting or 3' when standing tall) but the fact that they hunt in packs of 2-12 and prefer the meet of intelligent species. Their main attack is an attempt to rend their opponent, but if both clawed hands hit in the same round they will move in to bite their opponent. Bad Maques prefer prey their own size or smaller and will attack dwarves, halflings, goblins, kobolds and the like before larger humanoids

Bad Maque
AC: 7[12]  HD: 1  Attacks: Claw x 2 (1d6-2)  Move: 12 (may move freely through trees)
Special: If both claws hit, the target is embraced and a bite attack at +2 to the to hit roll may be made. Bite damage is 1d6

Note, although written for Swords & Wizardry Light, Bad Maques will work fine with other flavors of S&W (and other OSR rulesets) - all you need do is add expo ;)

OGL

This Week will Kick Off the new Midweek Monster Mayhem Series of Posts

Theodor Kittelsen, Public Domain

This week The Tavern will be launching a new regular feature - Midweek Monster Mayhem. Similar in a way to the just launched Weekend Wonders (which covers magic, spells and magic items) Midweek Monster Mayhem will see a new monster for Swords & Wizardry in Light and / or Complete formats. I'll be adjusting The Tavern's Patreon later this week to reflect these changes. All Patreon backers will get these monsters compiled in PDF format and emailed to them in the following month of their release. Print copies will go out quarterly to those that back at $10 or more.

If we get enough overall backing, we may see two Weekend Wonder releases and Two Midweek Monster Mayhem releases on a weekly basis. Then there is that online OSR Con that has been talked about. All hail The Tavern's Discord Server :)