Coming up at the end of February, I’ll be launching two cool books for Patrons. These books will be available here on the site as well as FREE in their blog format as usual.
The first book will be an adventure set in the Patron-created world of Wandrossa. While it’s still in the works (and doesn’t have a title yet), it’s a mystery involving fey and aberrations in the Ninth Kingdom of Enombath. I expect this book to have between 15-20 pages.
The second book will be a medium-sized creature code titled Creaturepedia I: Monsters of the Ninth Kingdom Vol 1. This collection will include a number of original monsters created for the setting. I’m projecting that this one will be a bit larger with 30-40 pages.
What monsters will be in the Creaturepedia?
So far, here are the monsters that you can expect. Note that many of the names are placeholders:
- Ethereal Haunter
- Blood Beast
- Sanguine Ape
- Cutlery Golem
- Sentient Fungus Cloud
- The Eternal Guard of Enombath
- Blackleaf Will-o’-Wisp
- Medusa NPCs and Variants
- Animated Stone Statues
- Blackleaf Trees
- Killer Rabbit
- Giant Ant Lions
- Dimensional Shifter
- Deer/Moose Humanoids
- Bug People (uses pheromones to seduce humanoids)
- Elemental Breathing Pack Dogs
- Gem Elementals
- Harbinger Monster
I’ll be statting up these monsters over the course of the next week or so. So far, these are only CR 0 – 4 creatures. But I’ll probably add in another round of higher CR monsters, too.
For the second entry, here is a request from Patron John Thomas:
From the Sanguine Jungle: Blood Beasts. Actually colonies of intelligent, sentient organisms that live in a creature’s blood. Act as a pathogen which “transmits” to those who eat infected flesh, or are touched by a beast’s blood. So they come in the form of beasts, especially carnivores, granting higher Int, perhaps a blood attack (such as spitting etc.)
Patron Dustin Warner had this to add:
Maybe some of them could even have a symbiotic affect if the player gets infected. Like have a 10-20% chance of beneficial infection. If infected gain resistance or immunity to other pathogens.
Sanguine Plague
Those who travel the Sanguine Jungles at the northwestern fringes of the Ninth Kingdom know that many dangers lie in wait. Many of those dangers you can see and flee from. Others, however, attack you without you even knowing.
Sanguine Plague is an affliction that affects those that come into contact with the blood or infected flesh of blood beasts. Symptoms manifest within 1d12 hours after infection and include fever and numbness of the tongue. The infected creature gains one level of exhaustion that can’t be removed until the disease is cured. After 1 day of experiencing symptoms, the creature must make a successful DC 14 Intelligence saving throw or become possessed by the pathogens. A creature remains a blood beast until the disease is cured.
Blood Beast
When a creature is exposed to Sanguine Plague and succumbs to its effects, it transforms into a blood beast. Outwardly, the creature appears to be the same although the veins around its skull and neck darken and its eyes blacken.
Hive Mind. Blood beasts do not operate of their own volition. They act as one, communicating to one another telepathically.
Blood Beast Template
A beast, humanoid, giant, or monstrosity can become a blood beast. It keeps its statistics, except as follows.
Alignment. The creature’s alignment becomes chaotic evil.
Hit Dice. The creature gains 5 hit dice.
Intelligence. The creature’s Intelligence score becomes 18 unless it is already higher.
Senses. The creature gains blindsight with a radius of 10 feet and darkvision with a radius of 60 feet.
Languages. The blood beast can speak, read, and write Common. In addition, the creature gains telepathy out to 60 feet, but can only communicate with other blood beasts.
Net Trait: Detect Blood Beasts. The creature can magically sense the presence of other blood beasts up to 5 miles away. It knows the direction they’re in but not the exact locations.
New Trait: Spellcasting. The creature becomes a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence, and it needs only verbal components to cast its spells. It has the following wizard spells prepared:
- Cantrips (at will): chill touch, mage hand, prestidigitation
- 1st level (4 slots): charm person, comprehend languages, false life
- 2nd level (3 slots): blur, detect thoughts, invisibility
- 3rd level (2 slots): animate dead, counterspell, vampiric touch
If the creature is already a spellcaster of a higher level, it does not gain this trait.
New Action: Blood Spray (1/day). Once per day, the blood beast can spit its blood in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in the area must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become infected with Sanguine Plague. The DC for the Constitution saving throw is equal to 8 + the creature’s proficiency bonus + the creature’s Constitution modifier.
Goblin Blood Beast
Small humanoid (goblin), chaotic evil
Armor Class 15 (leather armor, shield)
Hit Points 24 (7d6)
Speed 30 ft.
Abilities Str 8 (-1), Dex 14 (+2), Con 10 (+0), Int 18 (+4), Wis 8 (-1), Cha 8 (-1)
Skills Stealth +6
Senses blindsight 10 ft., darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9
Languages Common, Goblin, telepathy 60 ft (with blood beasts only)
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Detect Blood Beasts. The goblin can magically sense the presence of other blood beasts up to 5 miles away. It knows the direction they’re in but not the exact locations.
Nimble Escape. The goblin can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of its turns.
Spellcasting. The goblin is a 5th-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 14, +6 to hit with spell attacks), and it needs only verbal components to cast its spells. It has the following wizard spells prepared:
- Cantrips (at will): chill touch, mage hand, prestidigitation
- 1st level (4 slots): charm person, comprehend languages, false life
- 2nd level (3 slots): blur, detect thoughts, invisibility
- 3rd level (2 slots): animate dead, counterspell, vampiric touch
Actions
Scimitar. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) slashing damage.
Shortbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
New Action: Blood Spray (1/day). The goblin can spit its blood in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or become infected with Sanguine Plague.
More to come!
This is just one of many monsters to be made this month that will be a part of Creaturepedia 1: Monsters of the Ninth Kingdom.
If you would like to suggest a creature for the Creaturepedia, be sure to head over to my Patron page. It’s $3 to join and not only do you get to become a world-builder and help create Wandrossa, but you also get requests and the majority of the monthly PDFs that come through the site.
Become a DMDave patron, today!
Art by Shutterstock (used with permission).