Micro #25 21 января 2000

Игры

AD & D - descriptions of monsters AD & D (Part Two).

               Monstryatnik

                (Part 2)



  Continued. Beginning in room 24.

  The text below is part of the
more descriptions of monsters AD & D. This
the text is primarily intended lovers
professionals and AD & D. Because text of well-
very large (approximately about two
MB), it is natural that we throw in a newspaper account of its 
parts. On the question: "Why this text is not to release 
individual disks? I can not answer only one thing: because of 
the fear that drives can "Lost in transit can not be said about 
the newspaper, which can easily pass through Buddy, Fido, or 
the Internet. It is also possible complaints that the text is 
in English. However, in my opinion were the days

when the programmer might know
one language. So either learn English,
or find friends who speak English. Also, translation is very 
difficult due to his artistry, who tried to translate at least 
some text with PTsshnyh translators that understand me. That's 
it. Have fun reading and quiet dreams

at night. With all questions please
address 69123 Zaporozhye, ul. Hortitskoe
Highway 18/29. Phone 43-98-60, 49-62-02
(Alexander).


Aboleth

CLIMATE / TERRAIN: Tropical and temperate /

                  Subterranean
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Brood
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: High (13-14)
TREASURE: F
ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil
NO. APPEARING: 1d4
ARMOR CLASS: 4
MOVEMENT: 3, Sw 18
HIT DICE: 8
THAC0: 13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 4
DAMAGE / ATTACK: 1-6 (x 4)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Slime
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: H (20 'long)
MORALE: Elite (13)
XP VALUE: 5,000


Level Dis / Sci / Dev Attack / Defense

  8 3/5/16 EW, II PsC, +1 / TS, IF, TW


             Power Score PSPs

               = Int 250

Telepathy: False Sensor Input, Mindlink,
Mass Domination.

The aboleth is a loathsome amphibious creature that lives in 
subterranean caves and lakes. It despises most land-dwelling 
creatures and seeks to enslave intelligent surface beings. It 
is as cruel as it is intelligent.


  An aboleth resembles a plump fish, 20
feet in length from its bulbous head to
its fluke-like tail. Its body is blue-green with gray 
splotches, and its pink-tan underbelly conceals a toothless, 
rubbery mouth. Three slit-like eyes, purple-red in

color and protected by bony ridges, are
set one atop the other in the front of its
head. Four pulsating blue-black orifices
line the bottom of its body and secrete
gray slime that smells like rancid grease.
Four leathery tentacles, each 10 feet in
length, grow from its head. An aboleth
uses its tail to propel itself through the
water and its tentacles to drag itself
along dry land.

Combat: The aboleth attacks with its tentacles for 1d6 points 
of damage each. If a victim struck by a tentacle fails a saving

throw vs. spell, the victim's skin transforms into a clear, 
slimy membrane in 1d4 +1 rounds. If this occurs, the victim

must keep the membrane damp with cool water or suffer 1d12 
points of damage each turn. Cure disease cast upon the victim

before the membrane completely forms stops
the transformation. Otherwise, cure serious wounds will cause 
the membrane to revert to normal skin.


  Because its sluggish movement makes attacks difficult, the 
aboleth attempts to lure victims close by creating realistic

illusions at will, complete with audible,
olfactory, and other sensory components.
The aboleth can attempt to enslave creatures within 30 feet; it 
can make three attempts per day, one creature per attempt. If 
the victim fails a saving throw vs. spell, he follows all of 
the aboleth's telepathic commands, although the victim will not 
fight on the aboleth's behalf. The enslavement can be negated 
by remove curse, dispel magic, the death of the enslaving 
aboleth, or, if the victim is separated from the aboleth by 
more than a mile, a new saving throw (one attempt per day.)


  When underwater, an aboleth surrounds
itself with a mucous cloud a foot thick. A
victim in contact with the cloud and inhaling the mucus must 
roll a successful saving throw vs. poison or lose the ability 
to breathe air. The victim is then able to breathe water, as if 
having consumed a potion of water breathing, for 1-3 hours. 
This ability may be renewed by additional contact with the 
mucous cloud. An affected victim attempting to breathe air will 
suffocate in 2d6 rounds. Wine or soap dissolves the mucus. 

Habitat / Society: An aboleth brood consists
of a parent and one to three offspring.
Though the offspring are as large and as
strong as the parent, they defer to the
parent in all matters and obey it implicitly.

  Aboleth have both male and female sexual
organs. A mature aboleth reproduces once
every five years by concealing itself in a
cavern or other remote area, then laying a
single egg and covering it in slime. The
parent aboleth guards the egg while the
embryo grows and develops, a process that
takes about five years. A newborn aboleth
takes about 10 years to mature.

  The aboleth spends most of its time searching for slaves, 
preferably human ones. It is rumored that the aboleth use their

slaves to construct huge underwater cities, though none have 
ever been found. The aboleth are rumored to know ancient, 
horrible secrets that predate the existence of man, but these 
rumors are also unsubstantiated. There is no doubt that aboleth 
retain a staggering amount of knowledge. An offspring acquires 
all of its parent's knowledge at birth, and a mature aboleth

acquires the knowledge of any intelligent
being it consumes.

  An aboleth's treasure consists of items
taken from its slaves. The items are buried in caverns under a 
layer of slime resembling gray mud, recognizable by the 
distinctive rancid grease odor. 

Ecology: The omnivorous aboleth will eat
any organic matter, usually algae and micro-organisms, but they 
are also fond of intelligent prey so they can absorb nutrients 
and information at the same time. Aboleth have no natural 
enemies, as even the mightiest marine creatures give them a

wide berth. Aboleth slime is sometimes
used as a component for potions of water
breathing.


Ankheg

CLIMATE / TERRAIN: Temperate and tropical /

                  Plains and forests
FREQUENCY: Rare
ORGANIZATION: Brood
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Non-(0)
TREASURE: C
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1-6
ARMOR CLASS: Overall 2, underside 4
MOVEMENT: 12, Br 6
HIT DICE: 3-8
THAC0: 17-13
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE / ATTACK: 3-18 (crush) +1-4 (acid)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Squirt acid
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: L-H (10 'to 20' long)
MORALE: Average (9)
XP VALUE: 175-975

The ankheg is a burrowing monster usually
found in forests or choice agricultural
land. Because of its fondness for fresh
meat, the ankheg is a threat to any creature unfortunate enough 
to encounter it. 

  The ankheg resembles an enormous many-legged worm. Its six 
legs end in sharp hooks suitable for burrowing and grasping,

and its powerful mandibles are capable of
snapping a small tree in half with a single bite. A tough 
chitinous shell, usually brown or yellow, covers its entire body

except for its soft pink belly. The ankheg
has glistening black eyes, a small mouth
lined with tiny rows of chitinous teeth,
and two sensitive antennae that can detect
movement of man-sized creatures up to 300
feet away.

Combat: The ankheg's preferred attack method is to lie 5 to 10 
feet below the surface of the ground until its antennae detect 
the approach of a victim. It then burrows up beneath the victim 
and attempts to grab him in its mandibles, crushing and

grinding for 3d6 points of damage per round while secreting 
acidic digestive enzymes to cause an additional 1d4 points of 
damage per round until the victim is dissolved. The ankheg can 
squirt a stream of acidic enzymes once every six hours to a

distance of 30 feet. However, since it is
unable to digest food for six hours after
it squirts enzymes, it uses this attack
technique only when desperate. A victim
struck by the stream of acidic enzymes
suffers 8d4 points of damage (half damage
if the victim rolls a successful saving
throw vs. poison).

Habitat / Society: The ankheg uses its mandibles to 
continuously dig winding tunnels 30-40 feet deep in the rich 
soil of forests or farmlands. The hollowed end of a tunnel 
serves as a temporary lair for sleeping, eating, or 
hibernating. When an ankheg exhausts the food supply in a 
particular forest or field, it moves on to another.


  Autumn is mating season for ankhegs. After the male 
fertilizes the female, the female kills him and deposits 2d6 
fertilized eggs in his body. Within a few weeks, about 75% of 
the eggs hatch and begin feeding. In a year, the young ankhegs 
resemble adults and can function independently. Young ankhegs 
have 2 Hit Dice and an AC 2 overall and an AC 4 for their 
undersides; they bite for 1d4 points of damage (with

an additional 1d4 points of damage from
enzyme secretions), and spit for 4d4 points of damage to a 
distance of 30 feet. In every year thereafter, the ankheg 
functions with full adult capabilities and gains an additional 
Hit Die until it reaches 8 Hit Dice.


  Beginning in its second year of life,
the ankheg sheds its chitinous shell just
before the onset of winter. It takes the
ankheg two days to shed its old shell and
two weeks to grow a new one. During this
time, the sluggish ankheg is exceptionally
vulnerable. Its overall AC is reduced to 5
and its underside AC is reduced to 7. Additionally, it moves at 
only half its normal speed, its mandible attack inflicts only 
1d10 points of damage, and it is unable to squirt acidic 
enzymes. While growing a new shell, it protects itself by

hiding in a deep tunnel and secreting a
repulsive fluid that smells like rotten
fruit. Though the aroma discourages most
creatures, it can also pinpoint the ankheg's location for human 
hunters and desperately hungry predators. 

  Ankhegs living in cold climates hibernate during the winter. 
Within a month after the first snowfall, the ankheg fashions a

lair deep within the warm earth where it
remains dormant until spring. The hibernating ankheg requires 
no food, subsisting instead on nutrients stored in its shell.

The ankheg does not secrete aromatic fluid
during this time and is thus relatively
safe from detection. Though the ankheg's
metabolism is reduced, its antennae remain
functional, able to alert it to the approach of an intruder. A 
disturbed ankheg fully awakens in 1d4 rounds, after which

time it can attack and move normally.

  The ankheg does not hoard treasure.
Items that were not dissolved by the acidic enzymes fall where 
they drop from the ankheg's mandibles and can be found 
scattered throughout its tunnel system. 

Ecology: Though a hungry ankheg can be fatal to a farmer, it 
can be quite beneficial to the farmland. Its tunnel system 
laces the soil with passages for air and water, while the 
ankheg's waste products add rich nutrients. The ankheg will eat 
decayed organic matter in the earth, but it prefers fresh meat. 
All but the fiercest predators avoid ankhegs. Dried and cured

ankheg shells can be made into armor with
an AC of 2, and its digestive enzymes can
be used as regular acid.


Arcane

CLIMATE / TERRAIN: Any
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Entourage
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Genius (17-18)
TREASURE: R
ALIGNMENT: Lawful neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1 (1-6)
ARMOR CLASS: 5 (3)
MOVEMENT: 12
HIT DICE: 10
THAC0: 11
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE / ATTACKS: 1-8 (weapon)
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Invisibility, dimension

                  door
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 40%
SIZE: L (12 'tall)
MORALE: Champion (15)
XP VALUE: 3,000


The arcane are a race of merchants, found
wherever there is potential trade in magical items. They appear 
as tall, lanky, blue giants with elongated faces and thin

fingers; each finger having one more joint
than is common in most humanoid life. The
arcane dress in robes, although there are
individuals who are found in heavier armor, a combination of 
chain links with patches of plate (AC 3).


Combat: For creatures of their size, the
arcane are noticeably weak and non-combative. They can defend 
themselves when called upon, but prefer to talk and / or buy 
themselves out of dangerous situations. If entering an area 
that is potentially dangerous (like most human cities), the 
arcane hires a group of adventurers as his entourage. 

  The arcane can become invisible, and can
dimension door up to three times a day,
usually with the intention of avoiding
combat. An arcane feels no concern about
abandoning his entourage in chancy situations. They can also 
use any magical items, regardless of the limitations of

those items. This includes swords, wands,
magical tomes, and similar items restricted to one type of 
character class. They will use such items if pressed in combat

and they cannot escape, but more often use
them as bartering tools with others.

  Arcane have a form of racial telepathy,
such that an injury to one arcane is immediately known by all 
other arcane. The arcane do not seek vengeance against the one 
who hurt or killed their fellow. They react negatively to such 
individuals, and dealing with the arcane will be next to

impossible until that individual makes
restitution.

Habitat / Society: Nothing is known about
the arcane's origins; they come and go as
they please, and are found throughout the
known worlds. When they travel, they do so
on the ships and vehicles of other races.
Finding such ships with arcane aboard is
rare, and it is suspected that the arcane
have another way of travelling over long
distances.

  Contacting the arcane is no trouble in
most civilized areas: a few words spread
through the local grapevine, through taverns, guilds, and 
barracks, are enough to bring one of these creatures to the 
surface. In game terms, there is a base 10% chance per day of 
finding an arcane, if PCs actively look for one; the chance 
increases or decreases depending on their location. Arcane 
never set up permanent "magic shops." 

  The arcane's stock in trade is to provide magical items, 
particularly spelljamming helms, which allow rapid movement 
through space. The arcanes' high quality and uniform (if high) 
prices make them the trusted retailers. They accept payment in

gold, or barter for other magical items
(As a rule of thumb, costs should be five
times the XP reward of the item, or a more
valuable item).

  The arcane take no responsibility for
the use of the items they sell. The arcane
will deal with almost anyone. They often
make deals with both sides in a conflict,
fully aware that they might annihilate all
of their potential customers in a region.
The arcane have no dealings with neogi,
nor with creatures from other planes, such
as genies, tanar'ri, and fiends. It is
unknown whether the arcane create a wide
variety of magical devices, or secure them
from an unknown source.

  Those dealing with the arcane find them
cool, efficient, and most importantly, uncaring. Trying to 
haggle with an arcane is a chancy business, at best. Sometimes 
they will engage in haggling with a bemused

smirk, but just as often leave the buyer
hanging and walk out on the negotiations.
They do not like being threatened, insulted, or blackmailed. 
Those who do so will find it very difficult to purchase 
reliable equipment. An arcane will not raise his hand in 
vengeance or anger - there are more subtle ways to wreak 
revenge. 

Ecology: It is not known what arcane do
with the gold, gems, and magic they collect. One theory says 
they need the items for reproduction (the basis for a large

number of bawdy arcane jokes), while another links it to 
production and acquisition of more magical items. The arcane 
seem sexless. No young arcane have been reported, and the 
arcane keep their own counsel. 


Argos

CLIMATE / TERRAIN: Space / Any Earth-based

                  body
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Feed till consume 2xHD,

                  then rest 2 hours / HD
DIET: Omnivore
INTELLIGENCE: Low to High (5-14)
TREASURE: U
ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVEMENT: 9, Fl 3 (B)
HIT DICE: 5-10
THAC0: 5-6 HD: 15

          7-8 HD: 13

         9-10 HD: 11
NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 per victim
DAMAGE / ATTACK: 1-4
SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: 25%
SIZE: L-G (2 'per HD)
MORALE: Champion (16)
XP VALUE: 5-6 HD: 2,000

         (+1,000 For additional HD)


Argos are found in the same regions of
wildspace as the baleful beholder nations.
An argos resembles a giant amoeba. It has
one large, central eye with a tripartite
pupil, and a hundred lashless, inhuman
eyes and many sharp-toothed mouths. An argos can extrude 
several pseudopods, each tipped with a fanged maw that 
functions as a hand to manipulate various tools.


  Argos move by slithering; they can cling
to walls and ceilings. They can levitate
and fly at the very slow rate of 3.

  Argos colors tend toward shades of
transparent blues and violets; they smell
like a bouquet of flowers. They are huge
beasts ranging in size from 10 to 20 feet
in diameter, weighing about 200 pounds per
Hit Die. Though they exhibit signs of being intelligent tool 
users, they do not wear clothes, choosing rather to carry gear 
stored in temporary cavities within their bodies. However, 
their digestive juices often ruin devices within two to three 
weeks (saving throw vs. acid). 

Combat: An argos can attack with one to
three weapons or items, or it can enfold a
victim in a pseudopod and attack with 1d3
mouths for 1d4 points of damage each. It
may attack as many foes in this way as it
can physically reach.

  If an argos rolls a natural 20 on an attack, it envelopes its 
victim, swallowing him whole. A swallowed victim suffers 2d8

points of damage each round from the creature's digestive 
juices. The victim may attempt to cut his way free from within,

using only short cutting weapons. He must
inflict 8 points of damage to break free.

  The eyes of an argos, like those of a
beholder, have a variety of special powers. An argos can bring 
1d10 of its smaller eyes to bear on any target. The large, 
central eye can focus only on targets that are in front of the 
creature (within 90 degrees of the "straight-ahead point" of

the central eye). Though the creature has
nearly 100 eyes, only 20 special powers
have been noted; therefore a number of
eyes must possess the same power.

  Each point of damage inflicted on an argos eliminates one 
eye; the DM decides which powers are reduced in the process.

It is possible to target one particular
eye by attacking with a -4 penalty to the
attack roll.

  Each ability of an argos's eye is treated as a spell effect. 
Use the argos's Hit Dice as the caster level. Roll 1d20 and

check the following table for a particular
eye's power.

1. Blindness
2. Burning Eyes (Hands)
3. Charm Monster
4. Clairvoyance
5. Confusion
6. Darkness, 15 'radius
7. Dispel Magic
8. Emotion
9. ESP
10. Fumble
11. Gaze Reflection
12. Heat Metal
13. Hold Monster
14. Imp. Phantasmal Force
15. Irritation
16. Light
17. Slow
18. Suggestion
19. Tongues
20. Turn Flesh to Stone


  The central eye can use one of three
different powers once per round. It can
create a personal illusion (an alter self
spell), or it can cast a color spray or a
ray of enfeeblement spell.

Habitat / Society: Argos are solitary creatures, though it is 
not unheard of to discover an argos guardian aboard an eye 
tyrant ship. Argos appear capable of replenishing their own air 
envelope and thus may be encountered wandering asteroid

rings and dust clouds alone.

  Despite its relative intelligence, the
argos is a ravenous creature driven by its
hunger. It tries to lure prey into its
grasp, feeding until it has consumed a
number of creatures equal to two times its
own Hit Dice. It then slips away to digest
its meal for a period equal to two hours
per Die. If an argos is unable to find food within a week of 
its last meal, it loses 1 Hit Die per week until it becomes a 
5-Hit Die creature. After that point, it can hibernate for up 
to a year by crystallizing its outer shell and forming a 
chrysalis. 

Ecology: Argos consume anything that moves
and is digestible. Their preference is to
use their abilities to lure their prey into traps and then to 
pick off individuals one at a time. It sorts through the tools

and weapons of its victims and keeps the
useful items.


Aurumvorax

CLIMATE / TERRAIN: Temperate hills
FREQUENCY: Very rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day
DIET: Carnivore (see below)
INTELLIGENCE: Animal (1)
TREASURE: Special
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 0
MOVEMENT: 9, Br 3
HIT DICE: 12
THAC0: 9
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE / ATTACK: 2-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: 2-8 claws for 2-8 each
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: S (3 'long)
MORALE: Fearless (19-20)
XP VALUE: 9,000



  Despite being only the size of a large
badger, the aurumvorax, or "golden gorger," is an incredibly 
dangerous creature. The animal is covered with coarse golden

hair and has small silver eyes with golden
pupils. It has eight powerful legs that
end in 3-inch-long copper claws. The aurumvorax's shoulders are 
massively muscled while its heavy jaw is full of coppery teeth.


  The creature weighs over 500 pounds.
This incredible density provides the animal with much of its 
natural protection. This, combined with its speed, power, and

sheer viciousness, makes it one of the
most dangerous species yet known.

Combat: The aurumvorax charges any creature that enters its 
territory, causing a -3 to opponents' surprise rolls if 
attacking from its den. A female of the species receives a +2 
bonus to attack rolls when guarding her young. 

  The creature bites at its prey until it
hits, clamping its massive jaws onto the
victim and doing 2-8 hit points of damage.
After it hits, the aurumvorax locks its
jaws and hangs on, doing an additional 8
points of damage per round until either
the aurumvorax or its enemy is dead. Only
death will cause the aurumvorax to relax
its grip.

  Once its jaws lock, the golden gorger
also rakes its victim with 2-8 of its
legs, causing 2-8 hit points of damage per
additional hit. An opponent who is held by
an aurumvorax receives no dexterity adjustment to Armor Class.

  Due to its incredibly dense hide and bones, the aurumvorax 
takes only half damage from blunt weapons. It is immune to the

effects of small, normal fires and takes
only half damage from magical fires. Neither poison nor gasses 
have any effect on the sturdy creature.


Habitat / Society: The aurumvorax makes its
solitary home in light forests, hills, and
at the timberline on mountainsides. An aurumvorax chooses a 
likely spot and then uses its powerfully clawed legs to create

a burrow, sometimes into solid rock.

  Due to their unusual dietary needs, aurumvorae make their 
lairs in spots that either contain rich veins of gold ore or

are very near to an area where gold is readily available.

  The aurumvorax is a solitary creature
which jealously guards its territory, even
from others of its kind. The only time
adult aurumvorae willingly meet is during
mating season, which occurs approximately
every eight years.

  The pair will stay together for a week
or two before the male returns to his territory and the female 
prepares for the birth of her kits. A litter of 1d6 +2 kits

is born four months after mating.

  For the first two weeks of life, the
kits are blind and hairless. They must be
fed both meat and precious ores, including
gold, in order to survive. It is unusual
for more than 1-2 of the strongest kits to
survive. If a kit is found and "adopted"
before its eyes are open, it can be tamed
and trained.

  Dwarves tend to dislike aurumvorae, though some communities 
have been known to raise one or more of the beasts for use in

sniffing out veins of ore.

Ecology: In order to survive, the aurumvorax supplements its 
carnivorous diet with quantities of gold. The ability to digest

and utilize gold and other ores makes it
possible for the creature to develop the
dense fur, hide, and bones that protect it
so well.

  If an aurumvorax is killed with a minimum of cutting damage 
to its hide, the hide may be turned into a garment of 
incredible strength and beauty worth 15,000-20,000 gold pieces. 
The garment will also protect its wearer as armor, the

specific Armor Class depending on the size
of the aurumvorax. A garment with AC 2 weighs 50 pounds, one 
with AC 3 weighs 40 pounds, and one with AC 4 weighs 30 pounds.


  The wearer also receives a +4 bonus on
saving throws vs. normal fires and a +2
bonus on saving throws vs. magical fire.

  If an aurumvorax is burned in a forge,
approximately 150-200 pounds of gold are
left behind. This burning process is very
difficult and usually takes between one
and two weeks to perform. Of course, the
hide may be removed before the creature is
burned; if burned at the same time, the
hide will provide an additional 21-40
(1d20 +20) pounds of gold.

  The aurumvorax's teeth and claws are also prized for 
decoration, and can bring up to 1 gp each on the open market.