d4 Jungle Foes (From the first level of "The Fortress of the Fungus Chemist".)

The following statistics are designed with “The Black Hack” in mind but it should be relatively easy to use these statistics on the fly for any d20 based tabletop game. Players, rather than the Dungeon Master, generally do all the rolling in “The Black Hack” combat, attempting to roll under their STR or DEX. The AC listed for foes here is added to the player’s attack roll when attacking that creature. The ATK listed for foes here is added to the player’s defending roll when being attacked by that creature. These additional monster statistics are designed to make lower HD creatures slightly deadlier. Abilities refers to any special abilities/powers/defenses the creature has. The Emanation table for creatures is designed to give players clues/foreshadow foes. Players should always encounter the emanation of a creature before the creature itself, in previous room/corridor and the like. Use these to stock the dungeon with additional flavor. Additionally, the creatures emanation couples with the Reaction Roll result may indicate to the Dungeon Master what that creature will be doing when encountered by the party. Each creature has its own individualized Reaction Roll table, use these to avoid encounters always ending in combat.

1) Jungle Dwarf, Beardless, Pygmies, Mad Dwarf, Painted Dwarf

Number Appearing: d6 HD: 2 AC: +1 (Nigh naked but short and nimble)

ATK: +1, d6 crude machete/axe

Abilities: Poisoned blow darts, test CON or unconscious d10 rounds

Emanations, d4: 1) Roughly hacked foliage or animal corpse 2) d6 abandoned darts or poison vials 3) Vines woven into rigid geometric shapes 4) Makeshift branch and leaf lean to, housing plant samples in cloth bags, crude knives and vine ropes

Reaction Roll, d6: 1) Welcome others to partake in their vision inducing brew ceremony 2) Wants to exchange jungle knowledge for chemicals 3) Hides and watches, re-roll when party is in a compromised position 4) Demands chemicals, plant samples or a sacrifice in exchange for free passage 5) Attempts to disappear from view then stalk, firing poison darts from hiding places 6) Attacks, bellowing and foaming at mouth

Description: Heat maddened dwarves that have shed their beards and armor and now run naked through the jungle. They decorate themselves with plant dye tattoos and bone piercings. When lucid, they complain of a constant thrumming beneath the moist earth that prevents their thoughts being clear. On rare occasion the thrumming whispers to them the secret power of plants.  

2) Barracudamen, Foulfish, Sharpthooth, Shedders

Number Appearing: d6 HD: 2 AC: +1 (Thick, shiny scales)

ATK: +2, d8 razor sharp claws or teeth

Abilities: Can breathe under water and are incredibly swift swimmers  

Emanations, d4: 1) d8 human sized scaly husk suits of shed Barracudamen skins 2) d6 dead jungle dwarfs, bodies racked with claw marks 3) Animal corpse quivering, claw wounds pulsating with fish eggs 4) Mud and muck covered stick hut, receptacles of shaped mud hold rotting flesh.  

Reaction Roll, d6: 1) Stands perfectly still, eyes following party, hissing softly 2) Walks slowly backwards to the nearest body of water and submerges, hissing the entire time 3) Attacks for one round then attempts escape to the nearest body of water 4) Attempts to remove a limb from party member, will retreat once successful 5) Attempts to kill one party member, then retreat with corpse 6) Attacks, hissing loudly

Description: Vaguely intelligent fish humanoids with the head of barracuda. Barracudamen find all other species repellent and deserving of death. They shed their skins like snakes and use the corpses of other creatures to lay their eggs.

3) Shrub Horror, Bush Devil, Leaf Bug, Rustler, Knife Bush

Number Appearing: d6 HD: 1 AC: +1 (Spindly limbs and distracting foliage)

ATK: +2, 2 x 1d6 razor sharp claw limbs

Abilities: Immune to fire

Emanations, d4: 1) Old, burnt out camp fires with small perfectly intact, unburnt branches and leaves 2) Saplings growing out of animal corpses 3) Saplings and shrubs rustling softly when walked by 4) Leaves and sharpened sticks, strewn about   

Reaction Roll, d6: 1) Softly and slowly needling a dead jungle dwarf with claw limb, oblivious to anything else 2) Tapping and clacking limbs and claws on the ground in a merry jig 3) Splays claws and stares intently with compound eyes 4) Rustles leaves and clacks claws threateningly, not allowing passage 5) Attempts to kill one party member, then obliviously needle corpse 6) Attacks, branches and leaves rustling violently    

Description: A spindly, insect like creature that hunts using its branch and tree like appendages as camouflage. It’s thin needle like claws act as straws for fleshy nutrients.

   

4) Giant Lizardman, Modo, Jaws, Whimpers  

Number Appearing: d4 HD: 4 AC: +2 (Thick, plated scales)

ATK: +2, d12 bite from massive jaws

Abilities: Thick scales prevent ½ damage from slashing weapons, test CON if bitten otherwise wound is infected, Skittish and very easily scared, will flee at the sight of anything unusual or particularly loud noises.

Emanations, d4: 1) d6 Jungle dwarf corpses, missing huge bites of flesh 2) d20 palm sized lizard scales 3) Incredibly heavy and loud footfalls in the distance 4) Deep, but terrified, wailing in the distance

Reaction Roll, d6: 1) Dozing next to a fire place, content from a recent feast (covered in chunks of gore and blood), will growl lazily if awakened 2) Averting eye contact, shying away, walking backwards away from contact 3) Standing still, avoiding eye contact, half mewing and half growling waiting for moment to flee 4) Growling fiercely but moving backwards away from contact, ready to flee 5) Rushing past party to escape something else, will attack on way through 6) Rushing past party to escape something else, will attempt to kill plumpest party member and escape with corpse

Description: Towering 8 foot tall lizard man, thickly muscled with an enormous devouring maw. The mouth leaks with green saliva that sizzles acidly. The eyes are wide and dart about feverishly, seemingly terrified by everything it sees. 

This will come out day when I get the other 2 quarter finished projects I'm working on done...