Thank for supporting us!. We had a great run with a good surge at the end. Alas we didn’t quite reach our funding goal, but don’t worry, the Sneak Book of Monsters isn’t down for good.
Looking Ahead
Because of you’re strong support, I’m planning to relaunch Sneaky Book of Monsters soon with a couple changes. First I’m going to try Kickstarter to see if we get any more traction there.
Second I’m going set a lower initial goal. I can manage this by relying more on recycled art from our previous products. Then the first stretch goals will be to provide more original art for the book.
After running games for over thirty years and designing games for a decade, I’ve decided to try my hand and professional game mastering, and you’re invited. I’ll be running games online, starting with some one-shots like our classic adventure Good Little Children Never Grow Up just in time for Halloween. I’m still setting up the adventures themselves, but you can check out my profile and click the “Follow” button to be notified when my games are posted.
Thank you all again and I’ll see you at the relaunch!
We’ve entered the home stretch now with less than two days left in our crowdfunding campaign. We’ve reached end-of campaign surge. Fingers crossed that it’s enough to put us over the top.
Monster Preview
For our final preview, we have another of our my favorites. As an author myself I like the idea that my words can influence reality. The author devil does that literally, but writing words in it’s magical tome, it can magically influence the world around it, including the PC.
Plus, it comes with a bonus magic item! (And the item is only lightly cursed!)
Author Devil This gaunt creature is vaguely humanoid but with unnatural features and four arms. The lower pair hold a heavy codex, while the upper two scribble in it with pens. As it does you hear a voice in your mind say, “The hero beheld the devil in all its glorious splendor.”
Just as the Fates weave their tapestries of human lives, author devils scribe the exploits of mortals in their dark tomes.
Chroniclers or Authors? While most people think these devils are only recording events as they happen, some evidence suggests the devils can cause things to happen by writing the events in their books. Some even seek out author devils and make dark bargains with them to get them to add lines to their book.
Constant Narrators. Author devils constantly use their telepathy to narrate the actions of those around them as they write in their books. Sometimes this narration includes the thoughts and motives of those acting, though whether these are actual thoughts or just the devil's interpretations is debated.
Author Devil Medium fiend (devil), typically lawful evil Armor Class 15 (natural armor) Hit Points 204 (24d8 + 96) Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft. STR 14 (+2) DEX 20 (+5) CON 18 (+4) INT 21 (+5) WIS 15 (+2) CHA 17 (+3) Saving Throws Dex +10, Con +9, Wis +7, Cha +8 Damage Resistance cold; bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks that aren't silvered Immunities fire, poison; poisoned Senses darkvision 120 ft., passive Perception 12 Languages Infernal, telepathy 120 ft. Challenge 13 (10,000) Proficiency Bonus +5 Traits Magic Resistance: The author devil has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Actions Multi-Attack. The author devil makes two pen attacks. Then, if it has blood from at least one target, it uses its Hostile Narration ability. Pen.Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d4+5) piercing damage and 16 (3d10) necrotic damage. If a creature takes necrotic damage this way, the author devil's pens fill with blood from that target. Each pen may only have blood from one creature at a time. Hostile Narration. The author devil writes narration in its book about the creatures whose blood they have. Each creature who blood is in a pen must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or be forced to follow the author devil's narration. This functions as the suggestion spell except the author devil does not need to concentrate on it, and the target can attempt a new saving throw at the end of each turn, ending the effect on a success. Bonus Action. Friendly Narration. One creature within 120 feet of the author devil can use its reaction to move up to half its speed and then make a melee attack.
Author's Tome If an author devil is killed on its home plane, it leaves behind its book, which functions as a magical item described below.
Author's Tome Wondrous item, rare This book only functions for you if you helped kill an author demon on its home plane. It details your life and the life of the others who helped kill it with uncanny accuracy. If you spend all night reading it without sleeping, entering a trance, or the equivalent, you learn one secret you did not know about your past or a companion's past, and you suffer one level of exhaustion.
Curse: After you have discovered a secret, each night following, you must make a DC 17 Wisdom saving throw. If you fail, you are compelled to spend the entire night reading the book again without resting. You again learn a secret and suffer another level of exhaustion. If this exhaustion would kill you, your soul is sent to hell and transforms into a new author devil.
We are now over half-way through our crowdfunding campaign. I admit the past week was slower than I’d like. I still holding out hope for an end-of-campaign surge, but I’m also starting to make alternative plans just in case.
Monster Preview
Thanks to everyone who voted in this weeks poll. Ioun fused was the clear winner! We have one more preview poll left, you can vote at the bottom of this update.
Today we look at one of my favorite monsters I’ve created. Ever since I started playing D&D, I’ve loved ioun stones (or aeon stones in Pathfinder) and always wanted a character with a cloud of stones circling their head. The ioun fused gives us that, but also makes ioun stones a weapon they can use against the PCs. Because they have regeneration based on the number of ioun stones they possess, ioun fused also give the PCs a tactical choice: hit the bad guy or grab the stones.
Ioun Fused
Once human, the woman’s left half of her body has transformed into crystal, including the razor-sharp claws on her hand.
Ioun fused are former humanoids whose bodies have become fused with magical crystals. This gives them exceptional strength and insights, but also alters their mind such that they no longer see the world as mortals do.
Power From Crystals. Ioun fused take their names from the magical crystals that famously grant magic while orbiting around the wearer’s head. Ioun fused gain additional strength from these stones, beyond what other wearers would. At the same time ioun fused corrupt ioun stones, causing them to have a negative effect for anybody but them.
Crystalline Origins. Ioun stones also play a role in creating ioun fused. Though wearing a single ioun stone does not place someone in danger, some who work in the crystal mines where they harvest rare components used to craft ioun stones risk accidentally becoming ioun fused. Exposure to strange crystals of the under realm can also give rise to spontaneous ioun fused, and some seek such transformations to gain power.
Dangerous Obsessions. As their minds crystallize, ioun fused often develop extreme obsessions. Sometimes this is an extension of goals they held before, such as seeking revenge against someone who wronged them. Other ioun fused develop completely new obsessions, such as a determination to decode the celestial songs.
Ioun Fused Medium aberration, typically unaligned Armor Class 20 (natural armor) Hit Points 76 (8d8 + 40) Speed 20 ft. STR 20 (+5) DEX 8 (-1) CON 20 (+5) INT 22 (+6) WIS 15 (+2) CHA 17(+3) Skills Insight +6, Perception +6 Senses darkvision 120 ft., truesight 120 ft, passive Perception 16 Languages all Challenge 9 (5,000 XP) Proficiency Bonus +4 Traits Ioun Regeneration. At the start of its turn, the ioun fused regenerates 5 hit points for each ioun stone currently orbiting its head. Ioun Stones. The ioun fused has five magical ioun stones orbiting its head: one ioun stone of attack (see Piercing Stone) and four cursed ioun stones linked to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and Wisdom (see Transfer Stone). Characters within 5 feet of the ioun fused can snatch a stone from its orbit with a DC 20 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Alternatively, they can attack the ioun stone. Each has an AC of 20, 10 hp, and is immune to poison damage. Effects that grant advantage or a bonus to hit the ioun fused also provide that bonus to hitting the stones. Actions Multiattack. The ioun fused makes one claw attack and one pick attack. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage, and the target must make a DC 17 Constitution saving throw. On a failure, the target’s body begins to crystallize, reducing its speed by 5 feet. At the end of each of its turns, the target must repeat the saving throw or have their speed reduced by another 5 feet. A lesser restoration spell ends this speed reduction and the need for further saving throws. A creature whose speed is reduced to 0 in this way turns to crystal and is petrified. On a successful save, the target is immune to this effect for the next 24 hours. Pick. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d8 + 5) piercing damage. Bonus Actions Piercing Stone (Requires Ioun Stone of Attack). Ranged Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, range 60 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6) piercing damage. Legendary Actions The ioun fused can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action option can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. The ioun fused regains spent legendary actions at the start of its turn. Attack. The ioun fused makes one pick or piercing stone attack Transfer Stone. The ioun fused transfers one of its cursed ioun stones of Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, or Wisdom to a creature it can see within 30 feet or from a creature back to itself. While orbiting the target, the target has disadvantage on ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls keyed to that ability. Creatures can attack or grab these ioun stones as described in Ioun Stones. Steal Stone. Charisma Saving Throw: DC 15, creature it can see within 30 feet. Failure: The ioun take control of an ioun stone orbiting the target. The stone moves to orbit the ioun fused, and the target loses attunement with it. The ioun fused does not gain the normal benefit of the stone, but it does count for its Ioun Regeneration.
It’s time for another monster preview. Thanks to everyone who voted in our last poll. You can vote for next week’s preview in the poll below.
This week we look at a monster designed to fulfill one of my favorite tropes in fantasy fiction and gaming: the zombie walking around with a with the weapon that killed it still sticking out,
And because it’s fun for the PCs to pull out that weapon and use it to kill the zombie again, I gave it a powerful disarm attack to encourage just such a scenario.
Weapon-Binding Zombie
The corpse lurches toward you. His flesh is pale, and a vicious looking weapon is still lodged in his head.
Weapon-binding zombie arise from corpses when the weapon used to kill them in life lies abandoned still within them. They are stronger and tougher than typical zombies, but nor more intelligent. Unless controlled by a powerful necromancer, most lash out an any living creature they perceive.
Dark Creation. Weapon-binding zombies sometimes rise spontaneously from corpses that still bear weapon that killed them. This is more likely in places with strong necrotic magic, or if the bound weapon was magical. Vile necromancers have also discovered that they can intentionally create weapon-binding zombies by ritually preparing a weapon, then using it to murder their victim, and animate their corpse.
Walking Treasure Chest. Because magic weapons are more like to cause weapon-binding zombies to rise spontaneously, battlefield scavengers have come to see them as a sign of valuable plunder.
Weapon-Binding Zombie Medium humanoid, neutral evil
Armor Class 8
Hit Points 85 (10d8+40)
Speed 20 ft.
STR 18 (+4) DEX 6 (-2) CON 19 (+4) INT 3 (-4) WIS 6 (-2) CHA 5 (-3)
Saving Throws Wisdom +0
Immunities poison; poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 feet, passive Perception 8
Languages understands Common but can’t speak
Challenge 2 (450 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Traits
Blade in the Head. Weapon-binding zombies animate with the weapon that killed them still embedded in them. As an interaction, a creature within 5 feet can attempt to pull the weapon out by making a DC 14 Strength check.
Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5+the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.
Weapon Bind. When a melee or thrown weapon scores a critical hit against the zombie or reduces it to 0 hit points (before applying Undead Fortitude), that weapon becomes lodged in the zombie’s body. A character can use an interaction to pull the weapon free with a DC 14 Strength check.
Actions
Multi-Attack. The zombie makes two slam attacks.
Slam.Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d6 + 4 bludgeoning damage.
Disarming Slam.Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 3d6 + 4 bludgeoning damage and the target must make a DC 14 Strength saving throw. If they fail, one weapon the target was holding is knocked up to 30 feet away.
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