Monsters

Widdershin
No. Enc.: 1 (1d3)
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 150’ (50’)
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: Varies, usually 5 to 9 HD
Attacks: 2 (claws) and special (if both claws hit, fling for 10-30’)
Damage: 1d6/1d6/ and additional damage (falling damage from fling)
Special: Can only be hit by magic weapons and spells. May be ‘staked’ (see below)
Save: Varies, but saves as fighter of same level
Morale: 9
Hoard Class: None
XP: Varies by HD, but gains xp bonus for 2 special abilities

Widdershins are unholy creations unleashed upon the world by evil fey. Part shadow, part demon, a widdershin is the shadow-wrapped life force of a human transformed in a ritual of dark magic. Their hit dice are a reflection of their original level when human. Widdershins often serve powerful magic users, but can become free roaming monsters upon the death of their master. It is rumored that during the transformation process the victim’s body is left behind like a husk, in a death-like state, faintly alive. If the remains are destroyed, the Widdershin will die as well. Widdershins appear as bodiless shadows, flying swiftly across the ground like the shadow of a cloud on a sunny day. They rise up from the ground to strike with shadowy claws. If both claws strike an opponent in the same round, the Widdershin may grab the victim and fling it high into the air causing the victim to land 10’ to 30’ away (roll 1d3 to determine how many tens of feet thrown) and take an additional 1d6 damage per 10’ thrown. A Widdershin may only travel where shadows can go. Any bright light, equivalent to a sunny day (continual light spell) will halt their movement forward. Casting light or continual light directly upon the creature will cause 3d6 damage (and cause the spell to end). Casting a darkness spell upon the creature will send it back to where its body lies. This causes no damage and it may function normally afterwards. Widdershins cannot be harmed by normal weapons. Only magic weapons or spells may cause it harm. They do have one other weakness--a Widdershin may be staked to the ground by striking its shadowy form with a stake made from a white birch tree. No other wood has this effect. Once staked to the ground, the Widdershin can no longer move from that point until the stake is removed. If doused with fresh spring water after being staked, it will die. It can still attack while staked. They are not undead and therefore cannot be turned.


Shu’mai
No. Enc.: 2d6 (2d6 x 10)
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: 60’ (20’)
Armor Class: 8
Hit Dice 1-1
Attacks: 1 (by weapon)
Damage: 1d3 (dagger or small crossbow bolt)
Special: Poison
Save: 0 level human
Morale: 7
Hoard Class: III
XP: 6

Shu’mai are sentient fungus men that vary in height but most are about 3’ tall. They live underground or in shaded places on the surface. Shu’mai reproduce by division. When a shu’mai reaches a certain stage of development, it will divide into two beings of smaller stature. Shu’mai speak no language, but communicate through a variety of chemical signals. The evil fey that often employ these warriors have developed a form of sign language to give commands. The shu’mai can hear and are able to see, but do not possess infravision. Each shu’mai produces an eerie purple glow allowing them to see deep underground. This glow can not be turned off, but softens when they are resting and brightens when they become agitated. Shu’mai have a fondness for electrum and will prefer this as payment over anything else, often fashioning it into crude jewelry.

For every 5 shu’mai foot soldier, there will be 1 shu’mai grenadier who will fling puffball grenades. A band of twenty shu’mai will be led by a larger shu’mai ‘toadstool’ who will attack as a 2 HD monster. The shu’mai attack with small obsidian daggers, crude crossbows, and puffball grenades. The crossbows have an effective range of a javelin [short range to 20’, medium range to 40’, and long range to 60’]. The crossbow bolts are poisoned [save vs poison or lose 1d4 STR points from ability score. If STR is reduced to 0, victim will fall unconscious being too weak to move.] Puffball grenades cause a billowy orange cloud of spores, 30’ in diameter [save vs poison or start choking for 1d6 rounds, and considered stunned, -4 to hit and -50% to movement]. Each cloud will disperse in 1d6 rounds.