The creatures described on this page are ones from my own campaign. Some are benign, some malevolent. All have been used in gameplay. The format will be essentially the same as you would find in the AD&D Monster Manual. In our travels, our groups have gone to many varied worlds. In the monster listing, a reference to the world the monster was encountered in may be present. If the world was simply of my own making (and therefore without conventional reference), the space will be left out.
BAMF
Frequency: Very Rare
(you hope...)
No. Appearing: 1-3
Armor Class: 10
Move: 12"
Hit Dice: 3
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage / Attack: 1-12
Special Attacks: Treat
all opponents as AC 10, regardless of protection.
Special Defenses: Teleport
up to 100' every 10 rounds, regenerate all damage each melee round.
Magic Resistance: 50%
Intelligence: Average
Alignment: Chaotic
Evil
Size: Medium
Experience Points:
1200
Where Encountered: The Savage Land
Description: Looking very much like a huge
bobcat, the BAMF will often teleport into the melee of opponents, catching
them off guard (surprise 5 in 6). Their shiny metallic claws can
filet metal armor easily, and their unique perception eliminates AC bonus
based on dextrous movement by their intended victim. They must be slain
in one round, lest they gain back all their hit points by the beginning
of the next round. Very quick, BAMFs get a -2 to their initiative rolls.
The good news is, I lowered their number of attacks and damage from the
original creature.
Maelific, lesser
Frequency: Very Rare
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: -5
Move: 12 / 15"
Hit Dice: 12-16
No. of Attacks: 3
Damage / Attack: 2-16,
2-16, 2-20
Special Attacks: Drain
3 levels on a successful claw hit.
Special Defenses: Immune
to fire, mind affecting spells.
Magic Resistance: 75%
Intelligence: High
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Size: Large (12')
Experience Points: 15,000
Where Encountered: Balazar, Greyhawk, and
their own plane.
Description: Huge demonic figures without
wings, the maelifics breed on a narrow plane adjacent to the negative material
plane. They are a deep red in coloration, with huge claws. They tend to
stand hunched, giving them a shorter appearance. While they have a fondness
for pretty jewelry, no amount of shiny treasure will calm them once enraged.
When in battle, the maelific will claw and bite opponents, often changing
targets towards those who do them the most injury. When they kill, they
kill for killing's sake. Maelifics have no love of humanoid meat. Their
diets consist mainly of porous rock and shale.
(the author notes that the idea
and main imagery for the Maelific comes from Wizardry: Proving grounds
of the mad overlord).
Spectral Knight
Frequency: Very Rare
No. Appearing: 1-100
Armor Class: -4
Move: 12"
Hit Dice: 10-15
No. of Attacks: 2
Damage / Attack: As per longsword wielded
by high level paladin
Special Attacks: Quest, Fear
Special Defenses: Unaffected by mind controlling
spells or clerical turning/control
Magic Resistance: 90%
Intelligence: Exceptional
Alignment: Lawful Good
Size: Medium (6')
Experience Points: 2400
Where Encountered: Ruin of Pure Hearth in
the land of Balazar
Description: Semi-corporeal entities housing
the spirits of Lawful Good knights of past ages, the spectral knight guards
its ruin against all invaders. Ofttimes, lower level knights and paladins
will journey to the ruin to seek a quest from the knights. Quests completed
are rewarded bountifully. Any evil person or creature which enters the
ruin will find themselves most unwelcome.
Manalishi, Green (lesser)
Frequency: Unique
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: -8
Move: 20"
Hit Dice: 9
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage / Attack: 5-20 (electrical)
Special Attacks: Possession
Special Defenses: Gaseous form, unaffected
by spells
Magic Resistance: 100%
Intelligence: Genius
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Size: Large (nebulous)
Experience Points: 20,000
Where Encountered: Deep underground lairs
Description: The manalishi appears as an
ethereal female entity, a beautiful humanoid face adrift in an amorphous
haze of green gas. The female manalishi has an intense hatred of
all males, and will seek to destroy them all if they come near. Her favorite
attack is her ability to possess her victim and require him to attack any
other males nearby. She can only control one victim at a time, and will
not show herself unless enraged. Possession save is vs death magic,
and incurs a -1 penalty for every point of intelligence below 14. If endangered,
she will revert completely to gaseous form and escape through cracks or
under doors.
Manalishi, Red (greater)
Frequency: Unique
No. Appearing: 1
Armor Class: -4
Move: 24"
Hit Dice: 18
No. of Attacks: 1
Damage / Attack: 2-20
Special Attacks: Blindness, possession
Special Defenses: +4 or non-magic weapons
to hit.
Magic Resistance: 75%
Intelligence: Genius
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Size: Large (nebulous)
Experience Points: 35,000
Description: Appearing as a male face floating
in a red gaseous vapor, the red manalishi has an extreme loathing for all
being and creatures female. If attacked, it will strike at the eyes of
it's attacker, who must save vs. breath weapon or be permanently blinded.
Only a wish or regeneration spell will undo this blindness, as it is caused
by the melting of the eyes themselves. If attacking a female, the creature
will attempt to possess her, and, if successful, turn her blood into corrosive
acid. Victims of this brutal attack will lose conciousness due to pain
in 2-4 rounds, and die in 3-6 rounds. All bone and skin are eaten away
by the acid in 8-14 rounds, and all items worn by the victim must save
at -1 vs. acid or be destroyed. A manalishi may, at times, possess and
use a female corpse if it's not too long dead, and travel around in it.
The body will continue it's natural rate of decay, however, and the creature
will never travel into sunlight with it. The manalishi will never willingly
attack a paladin of either gender.
(the author recognises the hand
of songsmith Peter Greene in the evolution of the Manalishi)
