We’re one week in, and progress on the campaign continues to go well. We’re nearly half of the way to our first stretch goal, with well over half of the campaign left. It seems extremely likely we’ll reach the goal for a wrap around cover
If you want us to hit those stretch goals faster, please help spread the word about This and That with a shout out on social media, discord, web forums, or just talking to your own table.
Monsters
The This and That Collection contains 25 new monsters, with a range of different levels, environments, and creature types. I try to make sure that each of them give the GM something unique and interesting for their campaign, not just another bag of hit points.
Below are two of my favorites. I love the walking bomb because of its unique mechanics. It’s literally a ticking time bomb that explodes in the heroes’ faces if they don’t act quickly.
One the other hand I love the story of the Childnapper. It’s basically an adventure in monsters form.
The spherical torso of this construct is painted with a wicked grin, making it look like a head with arms and legs. It rushes toward you, surprisingly fast, as steam rises from its body.
Walking bombs are constructs made with clockwork magic. They are meant to be disposable warriors who cause as much damage as possible, by rushing the enemy and then exploding.
Remains of an Ancient War. Most walking time bombs were forged during the ancient Mage's War, when great flying cities blotted out the sun only to fall to earth before it ended. Created as expendable warriors, most fell in battle, but some sat silently, guarding the Archmagi's ancient vaults. Recent rumors say that somebody has uncovered the ancient formula for constructing walking bombs and has begun crafting new ones.
Temperature Controlled. The explosives inside of walking bombs need to reach a certain temperature to explode. Walking bombs start to heat themselves up as they charge into battle, but enemies can take advantage of this temperature control by cooling them off to delay the explosion or heating them up to try to make them explode before the bombs come within range.
Walking Bomb Medium construct, unaligned Armor Class 17 (natural armor)
Languages understands the language of its creator and can repeat simple commands, but not complex language
Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Bomb. If the walking bomb ever has three Heat Tokens on it, it explodes. All creatures within 20 feet must make a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw. Creatures take 14 (4d6) fire and 14 (4d6) piercing damage on a failed save, or half that on a success.
Warmed and Cooled. If the walking bomb takes fire damage, add one Heat Token. If it takes cold damage, remove one Heat Token.
Actions
Grab.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage, plus 3 (1d6) fire damage for each Heat Token the living time bomb has. The target is grappled (escape DC 13) and the living time bomb cannot use its grab on a different target while grappling a creature.
Bonus Actions
Heat Up. The walking bomb gains or removes one Heat Token.
Childnapper
This man stands nearly seven feet tall. He has an impossibly large grin and a beard that bends at an unnatural angle. Dressed in tattered clothes, he holds a large sack over his shoulder that wriggles like something inside is struggling to get out.
Childnappers are wicked fey creatures who love nothing more than to feast on humanoid children. Millennia ago, they made a pact with primitive humanoid cultures, agreeing to leave most children alone in exchange for being allowed to eat the naughty ones. Though most humanoids have forgotten this pact, the childnappers remember, and parents still warn their children not to be naughty or the childnappers will get them.
What Is Naughty? Though it was probably spelled out in the long-forgotten pact, it seems that “naughty” follows the customs of whatever culture the children are in. In other words, the childnappers do not decide who is naughty and nice, and there are no set rules, but if the community—and especially the parents—deem their children to be naughty, they are fair game for childnappers. When childnappers arrive also seems to vary by culture. In some lands they come just one set day of the year, such as the winter solstice. In others they could come any night.
Alone or in Groups. Most of the time, childnappers work alone, however, when a town has an exceptionally large number of naughty children, multiple childnappers might come to collect them all. This scenario is most likely when childnappers come but once a year.
Until Dawn. Childnappers always come at night to collect naughty children. To do so, they open a portal from the fairy realm into the mortal world. Once open, these portals last until the next dawn and any creature may step through them. Childnappers take their time to prepare the meals of succulent children. Together this means that even if childnappers escape with a sack full of troublesome tots, a brave band of heroes might follow them into the Fairy Realm to rescue the children, provided they can return before the break of day.
Childnapper
Medium fey, typically lawful evil Armor Class 15 (natural armor)
Hit Points 78 (12d8 + 24)
Speed 40 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
16 (+3) 14 (+2) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 15 (+2)
Saving Throws Wisdom +5, Charisma +5
Skills Perception +7, Stealth +4
Senses darkvision 60 ft, passive Perception 17
Languages Common, Sylvan
Challenge 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus +2
Fairy Portal. When it is nighttime in the mortal world, childnappers open a portal between the Fairy Realm and the mortal world. Once open, any creature can pass through the portal, which lasts until the next sunrise.
Locate Naughty Children. Childnappers sense the direction of any naughty children within 1,000 feet of them. More than 10-foot-wide running water or any amount of cold iron blocks this sense.
Magic Resistance. The childnapper has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Actions
Multi-Attack. The childnapper makes two attacks with any combination of bite and claw.
Bite.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6+3) slashing damage.
Claw.Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) bludgeoning damage and the target is grabbed (escape DC 13).
Bag. One Medium or smaller creature within 5 feet of the childnapper must make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw. Creatures grabbed by the childnapper have disadvantage on this saving throw. If the target succeeds, the childnapper can make a free claw attack against the target. Those who fail are caught in the childnapper's bag.
While in the bag, the target cannot perceive anything outside the bag by any means. Creatures can attempt to escape the bag by using an action to make a DC 13 Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. Naughty children automatically fail this check. Other characters who succeed, fight their way out of the bag to any space within 5 feet of the childnapper.
