by Johnathan Palmer
Kobold Quarterly
Totenmaske and Ghasts (CR 5)Ghouls are all-too-common undead predators that stalk graveyards, mortuaries, and sewers in search of rotting meat to satiate their hunger. Totenmaskes are a less common shapeshifting terror that keeps victims alive and feeds on their memories. More often than not, however, a totenmaske is caught by the local people after discovering the pile of corpses the creature leaves in its wake, revealing its true identity. Marginalized and alone, a totenmaske often has no chance against an angry, torch-wielding mob, regardless of their supernatural powers. As a result, many totenmaskes seek the aid of local ghasts and ghouls. The ghasts guard the totenmaske’s lair and prison, and the ghasts gain a steady supply of rotting meat. The side benefit for the totenmaske is that it has a ready and eager disposal unit for the bodies it accumulates. This way, when the totenmaske’s victims are discovered, their deaths are more often than not blamed on the ghasts. The CR reflects three ghasts and one totenmaske.
Dungeon Lair
Family Estate - Castle Dungeons/Family Crypts
Totenmaske: 2
Ghasts: 6+1d6
Attic Whisperers and Ghosts (CR 8)Families are interestingly diverse — and tragically so, in some cases. For our backstory purposes, a family might ignore a child or set up a situation where a child might have little to no social interaction with other members of the family. After dying, the father or mother might come to regret how things were while living. Perhaps he or she (or both) finally realize that nobody in the family truly knew the poor child and so the desire to live again flares, bringing that person (or even both parents) back into existence — but as a ghost. But, why stop there?
Let’s say that as the parent of this unloved and ignored child realizes his or her mistake and seeks to rectify it, the child dies and becomes an attic whisperer. After the child makes the transition from dead to undead, the parental ghost becomes lethally protective of the attic whisperer. In return, the attic whisperer hides any knowledge or evidence that would allow someone to free the ghost. After all, why would the little one want to lose this newly attentive parent after so many years of being ignored? Because neither undead creature wants to let the other go, both become trapped in their limited existence. The CR for this potential story hook reflects the ghost detailed in the Bestiary and a single attic whisperer child from Bestiary 2.
Dungeon Lair
Family Crypt adjacent to a dungeon lair
Attic Whisperer: 2 (Twin Siblings)
Ghost Mother
Nymph and Dryads (CR 8)Both guardians of the wilds and chaotic fey, dryads and nymphs often have much common ground on which to interact. Both are bound to a geographical area and both have a mutual interest in preventing those unkind to nature from getting near their territory. Thus, it is not uncommon to see these two creatures form something of a coven, where the nymph acts as information gatherer and networking center. Using their talents for the good of the whole, they ensure that every dryad knows what goes on in the forest the moment another finds out. When one or more members of the network are threatened, the others send aid in one form or another, surprising would be lumberjacks and poachers. When not defending the forest, the network is used purely to spread gossip, silly rumors, and tales of fleeting dalliances among mortals. The CR reflects a group of three dryads and their nymph ally.
Doppelgangers and Mimics (CR 9)No two creatures have ever found their skills so useful to one another. Mimics can replicate nearly any inanimate object within their size constraints but can’t mimic anything living. Doppelgangers, on the other hand, can look like any number of people but not like inanimate objects. Put them together, however, and they can legitimately take on any role they desire. Their respective skills allow them to enact elaborate cons and robberies that would make any master thief green with envy. A common ploy is for the doppelganger to act as a servant in a rich home wherein they sneak in several mimics disguised as furniture. After the doppelganger and mimics stake the place out thoroughly, they rob it blind and leave nothing but bewilderment in their wake. The CR reflects a group of two doppelgangers and their four mimic comrades…
Dungeon Lair
Mid-Dungeon Level - Tailor made dungeon guardian
Doppelganger, greater - Phrenic Creature Template [Expanded Psionics handbook 3.5]
Mimic, Lesser with Symbiotic Template [Source: Savage Species] - The mimic is capable of metamorphing into a variety of hard armors and stabbing implimentments while allowing the doppelganger to strike as an enchanted fighter. Together, both are capable of multi-attacks with the mimic's pseudo-limbs and grappling abilities.
Sirens and Harpies (CR 9)With their feminine, birdlike features and their singing, chaotic natures, it’s no wonder that sirens and harpies are sometimes mistaken for one another. Compounding this, they sometimes accompany each other. A group of sirens living on isolated islands might enjoy the company of a tribe of harpies to help guard their lair and deal with those who might bring them harm. On some harpy raids, a siren looking for a mate might come along to lure unsuspecting sailors or travelers into ambushes for the harpies. In exchange for her aid, the harpies allow the siren to have first pick of the still living victims as a prisoner to take back to her lair while the harpies pick over the remains for food and treasure. The CR given above is for a group of five harpies and their single support siren…
Dungeon Lair
Cliff-side temple with open pavilion or cliff-side keep submerged and carved into the side of the cliff
Harpy Queen - 7th Level Oracle of Lamashtu
6 Harpy servitors - 4 Fighters: 4th Level, 2 Rangers: 4th Level
1 Siren, Chaotic Evil, Servant of Pazuzu,12th level Witch
Medusas and Rock Trolls (CR 10)Medusas often lament at having few servants they can effectively employ during a pitched battle that won’t be immediately petrified by their terrible gaze. Rock trolls provide three things for medusas: strong backs for heavy lifting and fighting, minions too dumb to consider betrayal, and a creature immune to the medusas’ gaze. The trolls benefit from a charming and intelligent leader that will more often than not ensure a steady supply of human flesh and shiny trinkets to keep them appeased. While unable to threaten them with her gaze, a medusa often tricks trolls into believing she can bring the terrible wrath of the sun upon them and turn them to stone anyway. The CR reflects a single medusa mistress and her three rock troll bodyguards.
Dungeon Lair
Dungeon - Lower levels in large adjacent cavern in close proximity to an underground caravan
Medusa: 2 - Tauric Creatures [Lizard Torso] - 10th Level Sorcerers each in addition to gaze weapons.
Rock Trolls: 4
Vampires and Mummies (CR 11)Intelligent, deadly, and often beautiful, the vampire is an ancient creature who once walked amid the living as one of them and who now preys on their lifeblood instead. The mummy, who also once lived a different life entirely, is a guardian and a terror. The most powerful of their kind are every bit as kingly and mighty as the oldest vampire. When combined, they can form a terrible alliance that can last for centuries.
This dreadful pair can become fast allies after a vampire rises from a tomb that the mummy was tasked with guarding. Once allied, the mummy can follow the vampire around as a bodyguard of sorts — or perhaps, if you want to add a twist to your campaign’s story, the vampire becomes the mummy’s bodyguard instead. If multiple mummies and vampires come together, the powerful mummy in the group can form a pact of protection with the master vampire. In this latter case, perhaps the group seeks to defend a tomb or other important structure that holds something important to the adventurers.
In battle the abilities that vampires and mummies have complement each other immensely: A vampire’s energy drain makes opponents easy victims to the mummy’s despair and mummy rot abilities. The CR noted above uses the vampire detailed in the Bestiary and her three mummy bodyguards.
Dungeon Lair
Water-filled cavern large enough to house a pirate galleon
Vampire: 1, Cavalier, 10th Level/Fighter 2nd Level - Order of the Fangs
Mummy Brides: Sea Druids, 8th Level Each, Draped in sea weed and damp cloth
Zombie Crew: 24 Ju-Ju Zombies - 12 2nd fighter, 12 2nd Level Rogues
Cave Fishers and Roper (CR 13)Ropers, like many intelligent creatures, often find that they have a certain affinity and affection for creatures of lower intelligence… And so, they sometimes take other creatures as pets. Many ropers find that they have an affinity for cave fishers. There’s something that touches ropers on a primal level about the hunting methods of these vermin, and they sometimes tame and keep a group of cave fishers nearby as pets, guardians, and sometimes snacks. The cave fishers benefit by being able to take on larger prey with their master’s help, and the usually solitary roper gains the company of loyal guardians whose skills complement its own. The CR reflects a group of five cave fishers and their roper master.
Dungeon Lair
Spacious cavern lair filled with stagaltites and stalagmites
Roper: 1
Cave Fisher: 5
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