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Old 07-08-2018, 10:28 PM   #21
John Brinegar
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Default Re: New Monsters

Yes, but if there were no way to cleanse a gate of lice, one would still expect to see a slow but inexorable spread of infestation. That's all I meant by saying that something must do the trick. I also wonder how a gate would be infested with thousands of lice when it seems that reproduction requires the eggs to go through a gate. To build up a huge population in one gate, it seems that the lice would have to be breeding inside it.

I think maybe I need to stop thinking about this so much...
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Old 07-09-2018, 05:12 AM   #22
philreed
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Default Re: New Monsters

OFF TOPIC: We need more threads like this one. Awesome job, gang! Keep at it and keep sharing monsters.
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Old 07-09-2018, 08:43 PM   #23
Shostak
 
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Steve Jackson Games is granted permission to use this in acknowledgement of my contribution.

Magebane
If you have ever wondered why powerful wizards bother to keep brawny warriors around as bodyguards, you’ve probably never heard of a Magebane. These rare metal creatures look like iron human statues and they subsist on magic, popping powerstones like peanuts and munching Staves of Power like pretzel rods. Literally. They perceive magic (it’s like they have Detect Magic and Mage Sight as part of their senses) and use that ability to actively hunt wizards, magical creatures, and magical items to sustain themselves. Build a typical Magebane starting at ST 14, DX 10 and IQ10 +5 points. Their MA is 10 and their iron flesh stops 5 hits. Unarmed, they attack with their metal fists for 2d damage, but sometimes they carry metal weapons.

It is best to kill them or drive them off with mundane means because the only effect magic has on them is to strengthen them; heal 1 point of damage to them for the higher of a.) every 2 points of energy powering a spell cast on them or b.) every 2 points of damage a spell would deal to them (as in the case of Lightning or Magic Fist). Further, a Magebane’s powerful magic-absorbing power renders all magic in a megahex centered on them to temporarily stop working—(they can walk through a Ward like it wasn't even there!); all lasting spell effects that are in this area at the beginning of a turn disappear at the end of that turn on a roll of 10 or less on 3d. Summoned creatures can be of use fighting off Magebane, but Illusions and Images are completely ineffective against them—they perceive them for what they are. When attacking a Magebane with a magic weapon, one runs the risk of the weapon becoming permanently mundane. Fire doesn’t do much to them, unless it is hot enough to melt iron, but acid and other purely physical attacks will. Luckily for wizards, Detect Magic will show that Magebane are magical, and Reveal Magic will identify them as what they are.

Wizards and Alchemists are sure that there must be some use for Magebane cadavers, but if there is, nobody has shared what that might be.

Last edited by Shostak; 05-08-2020 at 12:33 PM. Reason: tweaking for better balance
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Old 07-09-2018, 09:23 PM   #24
John Brinegar
 
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I know, I'm doing it again, but...

The summoning spell can't be maintained if the summoned creature gets "too close" to the Magebane: how close is too close? In order to fight, the creature has to be next to the Magebane, which is pretty close. It seems like summoned creatures might not really be much use against this monster.
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Old 07-09-2018, 11:33 PM   #25
Jim Kane
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I give Steve Jackson Games permission to use this material.

CONCEPT FOR NUISANCE CREATURE:

SIREN SHELF-FUNGUS

Siren Shelf-Fungus looks like ordinary Shelf-Fungus which appears in the forest/wilderness areas, as well as in some underground environments where roots and dead wood are present. Only by physically touching the fungus, and feeling it's vibrating state, can one tell it from standard Shelf-Fungus.

Siren Shelf-Fungus gets it's name from the same powerful enchanting ability which the Sea Sirens of Greek mythology would use to call sailors to their doom upon the rocky coasts of their island shores. However, instead of using song and voice, Siren Shelf-Fungus vibrates in even the lightest of winds at a specific frequency outside of the natural audible spectrum of human hearing; yet, is detected by sentient minds nonetheless. The soundwaves produced by the Siren Shelf-Fungus carry it's "call" over many miles in open wilderness - less so in dense forest - while being dispersed in multiple directions.

A party traveling through the radius of the soundwaves emanating from Siren Shelf-Fungus do not actually hear a sound, but rather, they unknowingly sense the sound with their minds - wherein it acts upon, and influences, the natural judgement and orientation centers of the brain - and tends to draw a party closer and closer to the location of the fungus; unaware.

The Siren Shelf-Fungus exists in a quasi-symbiosis with the creatures of the surrounding environment; as most animals, like: dogs, wolves, bats, and bears - who possess audible hearing far outside the range of human/inhuman creatures - are naturally repelled by the sound of the Siren Shelf-fungus, and avoid their location.

However, trolls know all about the ability of the shelf-fungus to lure human/inhuman-prey to a location, wherein the trolls will attack from ambush; and they guard the fungus with murderous zeal from those who would try to harvest it for their own objectives.

A party subject to the soundwaves of Siren Shelf-Fungus must roll 1d6 extra against "getting lost" in their direction - SEE TFT:ITL page 23-24, under: Lost in the Wilderness - and is compounded for each day an adventure party is subject to their soundwaves (day 2 would be +2d6, day 3 would be +3d6, etc).

A party which misses it's roll, becomes "lost" unaware, and travels in the direction of the fungus. So strong are the enchanting effects of the soundwaves against the mind, that once firmly under their influence, a party could end up backtracking in the direction of the fungus, and believe they are "on course", as the soundwaves affect their perception of direction.

Each day a party is "lost" while under the influence of the Siren Shelf-Fungus, a Naturalist may roll 4d6 to realize the minds of the adventure party are being influenced, and break the effect; while an Expert Naturalist rolls 3d6 to save.

Naturalists who break the spell of the Siren Shelf-Fungus my try to help other party members "snap out of it", by convincing the affected party members that their minds are being manipulated.

A figure who rolls a critical failure while trying to save against the effects of the Siren Shelf-Fungus, may have to be physically restrained by the other party members, or he will run mindlessly towards the location of the Siren Shelf-Fungus; and even fight their fellow adventures to obey the lure of the soundwaves.

Siren Shelf-Fungus must be burnt to be destroyed; hacking at it, will only splinter it, and will cause small spores to become airborne and spread.

A party held under the effect of the Siren Shelf-Fungus, and/or unable to break the calling-effects, will eventually be lead to the location of where the fungus is living... and, where the trolls lay in wait.

JK

Last edited by Jim Kane; 07-28-2018 at 12:39 AM. Reason: typo
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Old 07-10-2018, 07:33 AM   #26
Shostak
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Brinegar View Post
I know, I'm doing it again, but...

The summoning spell can't be maintained if the summoned creature gets "too close" to the Magebane: how close is too close? In order to fight, the creature has to be next to the Magebane, which is pretty close. It seems like summoned creatures might not really be much use against this monster.
Missile weapons, nets, dragon fire, ... a desperate wizard will be motivated to think of something.
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Old 07-10-2018, 09:13 AM   #27
luguvalium
 
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Commontly called a Magic Mouse, this rodent like magical creature resembles a gerbil. Most have the ability of the Unnoticeability spell for a few turns, others have true invisibility, still others may have the Teleport spell, but none have been caught to verify this. They will not attack but they have been known the steal food right in front of people. Occasionally they still small object, particularly magic rings. Magic Mice are found in wilderness aread, but occasionally they will infest a farmhouse and the owner will need to call a town wizard to remove them.

More dangerous is what hunts the Magic Mouse, the Mana Snake. This small venomous snake has the Detect Magic ability. It typically tracks the Magic Mouse but can occasionally mistakenly track Wizards or those carrying magic items. A nest of Mana Snakes have also been found sleeping upon hidden magic items, so be careful. Fortunately, the Mana Snake is only found in wild places away from settled areas.

Magic Mouse
ST1, DX10, IQ6, MA10 Can use Unnoticeability or Invisibilty at no cost.

Mana Snake
ST3, DX12, IQ4 MA6 bite: 1-2 poison like giant spider Can use Detect Magic without cost

Steve Jackson Games may freely use these ideas.

Last edited by luguvalium; 07-11-2018 at 05:33 PM.
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Old 07-10-2018, 01:02 PM   #28
John Brinegar
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shostak View Post
Missile weapons, nets, dragon fire, ... a desperate wizard will be motivated to think of something.
Yes, but the first two of those are not features of summoned creatures. What I found a little odd in the original writeup was the claim that summoned creatures can be of use fighting off Magebane unless they get too close. Since most summoned creatures have to get close to anything they're going to fight, it seems that the claim is self-negating: summoned creatures are not of use, because the conditions of using them break the summoning.

A note: I really like the monsters you have come up with. My questions are only meant to clear up points I find vague or confusing about the writeups.
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Old 07-10-2018, 01:39 PM   #29
zot
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Brinegar View Post
Yes, but the first two of those are not features of summoned creatures. What I found a little odd in the original writeup was the claim that summoned creatures can be of use fighting off Magebane unless they get too close. Since most summoned creatures have to get close to anything they're going to fight, it seems that the claim is self-negating: summoned creatures are not of use, because the conditions of using them break the summoning.

A note: I really like the monsters you have come up with. My questions are only meant to clear up points I find vague or confusing about the writeups.
Summoned myrmidons, giants, gargoyles, and dragons can make ranged attacks.
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Old 07-10-2018, 04:27 PM   #30
John Brinegar
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zot View Post
Summoned myrmidons, giants, gargoyles, and dragons can make ranged attacks.
I had forgotten that the myrmidon could come equipped with anything but a sword. Summoned creatures are obviously more useful than I had thought, but I still wonder how close Shostak meant "too close" to be.
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