The Wayfarer's Inn

A thread for new monsters.

This beauty just appeared in my game yesterday, dunno where the idea came from.

Fire Imp (also known as the Fire Starter)

AC: 5
HD: 1**
Move: 120' (40')
Attacks: 1 club and special
Damage: 1-4 and up to 40d6
No. Appearing: 1d8
Save As: Dwarf 1
Morale: 8
Treasure Type: Special
Intelligence: 10
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 20

The fire imp is a short (2' to about 2'6") red-bronze humanoid native to certain outer planes dominated by the sphere of energy. While not actually of that sphere themselves, they are effectively immune to all fire and heat based damage.

While they aren't good, they're also not desperately evil; they are inquisitive creatures primarily interested in exploration and travelling, and while they seem quite inocuous they are not without their defences.

Their traditional weapon of choice is a short wooden cudgel with a special red-painted end. Used in ordinary combat this inflicts 1d4 damage, but they may take weapon mastery using this as a club.

Their main form of defense is rather more dangerous; they continually excrete a flammable gas. If any naked flame or spark occurs within 20' of a flame imp, it will explode inflicting 1d6 damage per imp present to all within 20' of any of the imps (save versus dragon breath for half damage). Further, if the imps decide that they wish to increase this damage they may concentrate on creating more of the gas, increasing the potential damage by 1d6 per imp per round of concentration, to a maximum of 40d6. This extra gas dissipates at a rate of 1d6 potential damage per round.

The flame imp has a remarkable means of communication; they maintain telepathic contact with all other flame imps within 240', but this non-magical form of telepathy is unlike any other known. Because they have never needed a spoken or written language (in their worlds they have a means of recording telepathic images in crystals) they don't use 'words', instead communicating through images that each have simple (two imps sitting on a swing together drinking lemonade meaning 'happiness' for example) or complex (an imp holding on to its side and falling on to its side to lie in a crescent shape meaning appendicitis) meanings. Such a communication systems has made dealings with fire imps difficult in the past; use of magic such as ESP is invariably confusing.

Gogira (Subterranean Giant)

AC: 4
HD: 9+2 **
Move: 150 (50') // 120 (40') above ground
Attacks: Spear
Damage: 2d8
# app: 1d3 (patrol) or 1d8+2 (lair)
Save: Fighter 9
Morale: 9
Treasure: E+5000 gp
Intelligence: 9 (Usually)
Alignment: Chaotic
AM: None
XP: 2500

Gogira are between 13-14' tall giants that dwel in deep caverns and cracks. Their skin is always dark ranging from ebony black to bassalt black and in some case a dirty dark brown. Sometimes their skin has tiny gray spots like igneous rocks occasionally sport. Gogira are hairless and usually are dressed in rugs or animal hides but try to keep themselves clean.
They are rarely if ever seen on the surface. They dwell in large cave complexes with their families, slaves, allies and pets. They usually keep 1d4+1 ogres (1 male and 1d4 females) in their lairs freely copulating with them although the union doesn't produce offspring. Sometimes they manage to capture a few dwarves and keep them as slaves in their lairs to make weapons for them. There is a 40% that 1d4+2 dwarves of levels 1-3 will be found working as slaves for the Gogira. These giants often have giant lizards or more exotic animals as pets and guards.
Each family knows the location of 1d4+2 other families within 1-3 days travel (extended family etc). In each family there is a culmulative 10% for each member that there will be one shaman in the tribe (i.e if there are 5 members there is a 50% chance that there will be a shaman as an extra member). The shaman is a respected figure and in his presence the morale of his family rises by 1. He is also more competent warrior (+1 to hit/damage rolls, the usual changes for shaman i.e 1d6+2 hp per level +1 hp/shaman spellcasting level). These shamans can reach up to 8th level of ability like most giants. There are rumors of Wokani among the Gogira but they are very rare (And able to reach the 6th level of ability).

Gogira are adepts in the subterranean enviroment. Their speed there is increased as they know where to step and they are more difficult to suprise (suprised on 1 only). Also when they set an ambush in a natural subterranean terrain they are difficult to detect as they are patient and unmoving and their skin is in the color of natural rock, so they surprise on 1-3.
Gogira may throw rocks (that do 3d6 damage) at ranges 50/100/150 feet.

The most known power of the Gogira is their power to magically transform the rock beneath their enemies feet to mud. All Gogira can use a power similar to the Dissolve spell 2/day (although once they use the power they cannot use it again for another hour).
The differences are that this ability also works on soil/earth too, that the duration is only 10 rounds and that the Gogira can turn up to 300 square feet of earth/rock to mud and make it only 2 feet deep. Still this spell is good for slowing enemies while the giants pepper them with ranged attacks or even to douse a spellcaster in a sea of mud. When used on a ceiling or roof higher than 20' the falling mud causes 1d6 hp of damage to all beneath it for every 10' over the 20' (i.e 2d6 for a height of 40') with a maximum of 10d6 damage.

While most Gogira are chaotic and sometimes cruel, some of them (although chaotic) are willing to trade with dwarves if they see it fit and even offer themselves as mercenaries. However Gogira may change their minds on a whim and attack their employers or capture those they trade with and use them as slaves so dwarves and gnomes that deal with them do so with caution.

Cloud-Thing

AC: 9
HD: 1 to 1000
Move: See below
Attacks: None (or special)
Damage: None (or special)
No. Appearing: 1-20
Save As: Fighter 36
Morale: 4
Treasure Type: None
Intelligence: 8-24
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: Variable (low)

Amidst the clouds seen in the skies almost every day may lurk the cloud-things. These uncommon (but not rare) beings are elemental creatures, a hybrid mix of air and water, their life-essences somehow bound to the resulting cloud-like formation. They are usually identical to common clouds, though they are able to change their forms (and parts thereof) at will, as well as their density: at will a cloud-being may become as insubstantial as air (their normal state) or nearly as dense as water.

Cloud-things never approach the earth, always remaining at least 500 feet above it and often ascending to 5000 feet or higher. They distrust all earthbound things and are easily 'spooked' (ML 4). Cloud-things tend to associate with one another, and the occasional avian or other air-dweller, but rarely anyone or anything else. Their origins and methods of reproduction are unknown.

The movement of a cloud-thing is enabled by self-telekinesis. (It is able to affect only its own body with this effect, and absolutely nothing else.) When concentrating, the being can increase or decrease its movement rate by 10'/round in the first round, 20'/r in the second, and so forth.* (It can of course move more slowly if it chooses.) It can ascend, dive, or turn at the same rate, again by simple concentration. Cloud-beings move rather slowly most of the time, but their maximum speed is effectively unlimited, and great speeds can be achieved by extended concentration.

Cloud-things are immune to all forms of elemental summoning or control and almost all forms of attack, though they take one-quarter damage from lightning bolts and may be affected by certain spells that involve wind (though a successful saving throw indicates no effect whatsoever). They communicate with each other telepathically, and use a form of that ability on those rare occasions when they have any other contact. They are able to minimally vocalize, pushing air past makeshift 'vocal cords'.

These strange beings often enjoy natural weather disturbances, and may cavort about in the midst of heavy storms. However, natural lightning within the storm may cause a cloud-being to become deranged (extremely rare, less than 1% chance). When this occurs the being may lash out randomly, creating lightning bolts within the clouds (never striking the ground of course), and these bolts may inflict a wide range of damage (from 2d6 to 20d20).

On certain very rare occasions an earthly being (such as a wizard) may befriend a cloud-being and thereafter make use of its unique abilities, usually for long-range travel or information-gathering. Their high aerial viewpoint can be extremely valuable in certain situations, such as the observation of armies. And despite their mundane appearance and behavior, cloud-beings are the fastest mode of transportation known (see below).

* Notes on Velocity: After 10 rounds (1 turn) of concentrating exclusively on movement, a cloud-being can achieve the rate of 550 feet per round (6 1/4 miles per hour). One full hour spent thereby will produce a speed of 18,300 feet per round, or nearly 208 mph! The maximum speed of about 67,000 feet per round (slightly over 760 mph) -- nearly the speed of sound itself -- is reached after 115 1/2 minutes, i.e. less than two hours. The time needed to decelerate must be carefully considered in such ventures.