DF Monsters: A Wizard did It!

[(E)]

again naming has me stumped
The wizard's apprentice was given a large amount of make work one day as a punishment for being cleverer than his master. The apprentice was tasked with translating and transcribing a spell book from a bygone age written in an ancient reptilian dialect. He had trouble with one spell "sticks to snakes". But the apprentice was very clever and more than a bit lucky and produced a functional spell.

This (currently nameless spell) is cast on a missile or missile weapon. The projectile, upon impact grows a mouth (or other attacking appendage) and begins to attack whatever it hit. While not nessicarily very damaging it is incredibly distracting.

Needless to say the wizard took credit for the apprentice's work.

Ideas
- Scorpion tailed bolts
- thrown knives with a mocking face that bites and insults.
- thrown axes that constrict.

I might write this up as a spell when I get home
Edit
Animate Missile, Regular, making and breaking
This spell is cast on a missile weapon and all missiles fired from it become animated and morph to develop a basic attack once they strike a target. The animated missile continues attacking for 10 seconds. The spell can also be cast on gloves so throwing weapons can be affected. Smaller missiles may not be able to target locations that they are no embedded in.
Different missiles have different prerequisites (But only one animate Missile spell is required)
Arrows, Turns the arrow into a mildly venomous snake, skill 11, 1-2 points of damage, effects as caustic tar. prerequisite Decay
Bolts, Turns the bolt into a scorpion tail, skill 12, 1-2 point of damage, 1 point of toxic damage as a follow up. prerequisite Resist poison or poison food
Sling stones and rocks, The stones unfold like a slater and crawl towards their target, grab hold and chew, move 1, 1-2 points of corrosive(?) damage a turn. prerequisite Stone to flesh
Spears and javelins, Turn into constricting snakes with a grappling skill equal to the casters thaumaturgy (or equivalent)
Axes and the like, The handle attacks as a club, for 1d-1 crush, skill 10. prerequisite Tangle growth.
Knives and daggers, the pommel develops a grinning visage and bites, very distracting, umm
Shuriken, animate like a short legged spider and attempts to crawl under armour, skill 8 vs armour skill 12 vs clothes, 1-2 points cutting damage per turn if under armour/clothes. prerequisite Shapeshifting
Blowpipe dart, Burrows deeper in, 1 point of damage per turn, cannot be maintained, prerequisite Create animal

Duration: 1 minute.
Cost: 6 to cast, 2 to maintain.
Time to cast: 5 seconds.
Prerequisites: Animation or Animate object and independence, Magery 3, specific missile have other varied prerequisites see text

[(E)]

Faux-lusions
No I'm not particularly enamored with the name.
An illusionary figure, holding a real (dancing) weapon.

Ideas
- the illusion has two swords but only one is real.
- dancing shields and animated cloaks.
- thrown weapons that turn into figures when they hit the ground.
- dancing dentures (or teeth)*
- hiding a dancing dagger inside an illusion of a spear.

*I just realized I used the phrase "dancing dentures" in a semi serious context.

[Flyndaran]

That weird scene of biting dolls in Barbarella made that absurd silliness a bit scary to my childhood eyes. So dancing dentures aren't inherently funny.
The fear of being eaten alive is rather visceral and innate in nearly all of us.

[(E)]

Originally Posted by Flyndaran

That weird scene of biting dolls in Barbarella made that absurd silliness a bit scary to my childhood eyes. So dancing dentures aren't inherently funny.
The fear of being eaten alive is rather visceral and innate in nearly all of us.

It wasn't the visual I was referring to so much as the phrase. The image of a black mist like wolf with baleful red eyes that ignores attacks and bites with very real teeth is indeed the stuff of nightmares.

Do people want more of these monsters? I can keep on throwing them out there. I'll keep the posts up till the kickstarter finishes anyway.

[(E)]

Werepredator
Not overly enamored with the name.
This shapeshifting creature patrols the wilderness around the wizard's dungeon. It epitomizes the characteristics of different successfully predators in both its forms. It's first form is that of an enormously powerful stealthy solitary apex predator. It's second form is that of a large pack of smaller predators who use keen senses, cooperation and extreme endurance to hunt their prey.

Notes
- feel free to add a 3rd humanoid form

[(E)]

A demon of possession*
Tactical choices
The adventurers get to the end of the dungeon and find a room full of cultists and the demon they worship. Each of the cultists has runes and mystic sygils burned or cut into their skin. If the demon is killed and any of the cultists are still alive then the demon simply chooses a cultists to possess and takes over the body. Over the next few seconds the body morphs smoothly to that of the demon. (The demon is fully active in this time)

* a clearer name may be needed

[(E)]

Zombie Sparrows

Or other large flock of small undead birds, preferably one of the species that make complex patterns when flying in a flock. (I have used this as a reason why the PCs are stuck in the dungeon until they defeat the boss before)

A Sea Serpent
The enterprising wizard hollowed out a large chamber under the rooms outside his labs. He filled it with sea water and put a juvenile sea serpent inside. A few growth and enlargement spells later he has a disposal system for failed monsters. The top of the sea water filled chamber resembles a largish well, just big enough for the serpent to get it's head through. There is the possibility that the serpent is stronger than the floor. . . .

[(E)]

Self improvement Golem
Again bleh on the name
This creature started life as a flesh golem with just a hint more intelligence than normal. After escaping it's masters clutches it was chased by some of its creators minions and was wounded in the battle. In a desperate attempt to survive it grafted some convenient parts on to its own body. They took and functioned, very well, better than they did on the original.

When encountered the SI Golem will have parts gathered from the local environment as part of it's body. Due to its nature these parts can come from any type of entity and frequently work better than they did originally. A Giant Scorpion stinger may fold back along an arm, a arbalister may be attached to its shoulder.

"You have nice eyes"

[(E)]

Demonclad, Hellclad
When first seen adventurers will usually only be able to make out the outline of a large heavily armoured humanoid back lit by a dark red glow. As they get closer they will discover that it is a humanoid completely encased in plate like armour constructed out of an organic blend of infernal iron and living demon flesh. The individual pieces of armour are not strapped on, they are part of the demon flesh beneath. Beneath this is the person wearing the armour. Armour like this comes into being when the wearer manages to upstage a demon lord's underling. The armour is made from the still living body of the underling. The dual nature of the combined entity provides it with the ability to do a number of things at once, not the least fighting with both hands. Initially armed with a whip of hellfire and a spear the Demonclad has a pair of flails hanging from it's belt as a backup. It's cloak appears to be a normal cloak of a sooty black colour but when the Demonclad wishes the cloak turns into choking sulfurous smoke that moves of its own accord blinding and suffocating it's target.

Hellishly strong the Demonclad uses it's strength to aid it's mobility with colossal leaps.
Hell whip, burning (possible corrosive flame) massive reach, grappling, pain inflicting
Weakness, armour plates can be pulled off with sufficient force.
Extra attacks.
Massive DR
Regenerates if it comes in contact with the blood of someone recently injured. Faster regeneration if the Demonclad takes the time to get a lot of blood i.e. hold a badly injured person aloft so it gets covered in falling blood.

This would be a Demonclad or Hellclad Knight, the idea could be expanded on for Hellclad mages or assassins.

[Anders]

Originally Posted by (E)

Faux-lusions
No I'm not particularly enamored with the name.
An illusionary figure, holding a real (dancing) weapon.

Ideas
- the illusion has two swords but only one is real.
- dancing shields and animated cloaks.
- thrown weapons that turn into figures when they hit the ground.
- dancing dentures (or teeth)*
- hiding a dancing dagger inside an illusion of a spear.

*I just realized I used the phrase "dancing dentures" in a semi serious context.

Living Shadow? Living Image?