OSR: Jiangshi: Chinese Hopping Vampires

by tenjiiii

Number Appearing: 1
Alignment: Any Evil
Languages: lingua Franca plus 1d4 Ancient Languages
Treasure: Books on Alchemy and Magic, Alchemy equipment, sacrificial blades, rare materials (ex: powdered diamond, unicorn horn shavings, Elephant's Foot Mushrooms)

Pursuing immortality has long been a dream of Alchemists.  The elixir of eternal life has proven to be a most tempting prize, leading to many squandering years of life and enormous sums in vain attempts to produce such an elixir.  The Alchemists of Yi Fa are notorious for this, poisoning themselves with countless failed attempts at eternal life.

And while many Alchemists pursue immortality through the Philosopher's Stone, others find the pursuit of such a lofty ideal impractical or unnecessary.  They will have plenty of time to discover how to turn lead into gold after they become immortal.

Yet despite their many failures at attaining immortality, that's not to say they have discovered nothing.  No, those foreign Sages did discover a method of obtaining eternal life.  It's just that the cost was too awful to bear...

Appearance: 

Jiangshi are Undead, so resemble the people they were while alive, but with milky-white eyes, corpse pale complexions and the subtle whiff of decay.  Despite their degraded state however they still take pride in their appearance, wearing fine clothes, brushing or oiling what hair they have left and often wearing floral perfumes to distract from their decrepit state.  Some of them do choose to revel in their debased state, but just as many try to conceal it.  Becoming Undead is only a bump in the road on the path of their true destiny, after all.

from Sleeping Dogs

Statblock:     

Jiangshi
AR 1d3+1
Atk Claw or Weapon (1d8+2) or Life Drain
Mor 8+HD
Saves (7+HD) or less

HD 1d4+2

Undead: Undead do not feel pain or get tired.  They are immune to poison and disease.  They do not need to eat, sleep or breathe.  Any spell that says "Undead" in its title or description is talking about something like this.

Sunlight Vulnerability: Sunlight Vulnerability: Undead take 1d6 radiant damage for every round they spend in sunlight.

Qi Drain: By touching a creature, the Jiangshi can cause it to take 1d6 CON damage.  This also causes the Jiangshi to regain 2 HP per point of CON drained.  If this attack reduces a creature to 0 CON, the creature dies.  CON lost to this ability occurs at a rate of 1 point per day.

Stiffening Flesh: Jiangshi's bodies drain of qi, causing them to suffer from rigor mortis.  To compensate for this, they must regularly drain qi.  The longer a Jiangshi goes without draining qi, the stiffer their movements get until they can only hop along with arms extended out rigidly.  

Tactics:
- Depends on the Dark Powers the Jiangshi has

by Yun Hsu

To customize a Jiangshi, roll on the tables below:

How was it created?

1d4

1- It was raised through dark sorcery.  The Jiangshi was raised by another and bound as a servant.  There is a scroll attached somewhere on it's body.  If the scroll is destroyed, the Jiangshi will no longer be compelled to obey the one who raised it.

2- It was a Spirit that refused to rest, still inhabiting it's dead body. The Jiangshi was born of obsession and wishes to continue it's mad quest it had while still alive.  If it sees some sign of it's obsession, it must succeed on a morale check or immediately move to investigate it.

3- It is a corpse possessed by an Evil Spirit.  All Jiangshi are evil, but most are at least focused.  This one lashes out at any who are nearby or bother it for petty reasons.  This Jiangshi also counts as an Outsider for the purposes of spells and vulnerabilities.  For example, it could be exorcised and banished from the physical plane, leaving behind an empty corpse.  

4- It was created by a dark sorcerer, who became one in order to live forever.  The sorcerer had some scheme before he passed and he wasn't going to let something as petty as death stand in his way.  The sorcerer created an anchor for himself when he chose to become a Jiangshi.  This anchor is some sort of physical object that he must keep near him, or perhaps he cannot go too far from it?  As long as that anchor remains, he cannot truly die, his body instead reconstituting itself in his grave.  But if it were to be destroyed, he would immediately perish.

How powerful is it?

If created to be a slave, it has 1 Dark Power.  It has 1 Curse of the Wretched placed upon it, for it's unnatural existence.

If born of obsession and by a soul refusing to rest, it possesses 1d3 Dark Powers.  It suffers from 2 Curses of the Wretched.

If possessed by an Evil Spirit, it has 1d3+1 Dark Powers.  It suffers from 1d3 Curses of the Wretched.  

If it was a mortal who chose this, it has 1d4+1 Dark Powers.  It suffers from 1d3+1 Curses of the Wretched.

Dark Powers:

1d8

1- Levitation.  As a free action on it's turn, the Jiangshi can levitate into the air and hover.  It can do this as much as it wants.  It's speed while levitating is double it's ordinary speed.  

2- Raise those killed by Qi Drain as Undead under your control.  Those drained of their Qi are raised by the Jiangshi as 1 HD Undead which obey the Jiangshi perfectly.

3- Mesmerize People.  By meeting the eyes of a creature, the Jiangshi can force that creature to save.  On a failed save, the creature falls into a hypnotized state and will become very vulnerable to suggestion.  They will not do anything against their moral code, but are much easier to convince.  If attacked, damaged, shaken or slapped, they can easily snap out of this state.  

4- Shapeshift.  The Jiangshi can change shape, taking the form of any Small or Medium creature.  However, regardless of what form it takes, it's stats and abilities remain the same.   

5- Walk through walls.  The Jiangshi can, as an action, become immaterial.  While in this state, it can pass through purely physical objects as if they weren't there.  It could pass through a stone wall, but not a person, as a person has a spiritual aspect.    

6- Summon Beasts.  1/Day, the Jiangshi can summon 1dX [1= A Swarm of insects; 2= A Mischief (Swarm) of rats; 3= A Tiger; 4= A Bask of crocodiles (1d4+1).]

7- Paralyzing Venom.  The Jiangshi can, as an action, spit paralyzing venom.  A creature must save or be hit by this venom.  When affected by this venom, a creature can only take one action on his turn- which includes moving.  So if he moves and tries to do anything else, he takes 1d6 DEX damage.  If this reduces his DEX to 0, he is totally paralyzed for one hour.  Once used, this ability takes 1d4 rounds to recharge.  If you have a shield or a face-covering helmet, you have advantage on your save.  

8- Turn invisible.  The Jiangshi can turn invisible as a free action on it's turn.  It remains invisible until it does something strenuous, uses one of it's Dark Powers or attacks.  Cats and dogs can still detect them while invisible.  

Curse of the Wretched:

1d8

1- It is terrified of their own reflection.  If presented with it's own reflection, the Jiangshi must make a morale check.  On a failed check, it becomes frightened and must either flee or try to destroy the image (whatever is easier).  If invisible, a Jiangshi can also be seen in a mirror.   

2- It is repelled by elements of the Peach Tree (wood, leaves, branches, blossoms).  If presented with an item freshly taken from a peach tree, with the exception of wood, the Jiangshi must make a morale check or become frightened and flee.  Weapons made of peach tree wood also do +1 damage per die to a Jiangshi.   

3- Roosters and their calls.  When it hears a rooster's call, the Jiangshi must make a morale check or flee.  This is because it fears the sunlight and since roosters usually crow at dawn, it will flee back to it's hiding place.    

4- Dry rice.  If dry rice is scattered at it's feet, the Jiangshi must make a morale save.  On a failed save, it will try to drain the miniscule amount of Qi in each uncooked grain of rice.  This will distract it temporarily, though it will still notice obvious attacks or traps while this is happening.  

5- Jujube Seeds.  If driven into the flesh of a Jiangshi, Jujube seeds suck out excess Qi, leaving it frail and weak, as if it had not drained Qi in days.  

6- Vinegar.  Vinegar is revolting to Jiangshi- if faced with it, the Jiangshi must make a morale check or leave the area, until they can no longer smell it.  

7- Donkey Hooves.  Jiangshi cannot affect those with strong wills, so anyone carrying a donkey hoof or an amulet of donkey bones will have advantage on any save against their powers.    

8- Blood of a Black Dog.  This applies to dogs with black fur and Black Dogs.  If the former is splashed onto a Jiangshi, the blood of a black-furred dog will prevent the Jiangshi from turning invisible.  If the blood of a Black Dog is splashed onto a Jiangshi, it burns it as holy water (2d6 damage) and will prevent it from using any of it's Dark Powers for 1d4 rounds.

by sasa-13-Go

Treasure of the Jiangshi:

1d6

1- Alchemical Research Supplies.  Books, vials, beakers and expensive glassware, plus a stockpile of rare ingredients to mix into potions or to combine to create new polymaterials.

2- Books and Arcane Tomes for the summoning and binding of Demons and evil spirits.  

3- A big pile of gold, silver, coins or other valuables.  The Jiangshi may be using this treasure to fund it's research, or it may be guarding these valuable materials for some other reason.

4- A stockpile of potions.  The Jiangshi has 1d10 minor (weaker) potions and 1d4 major (stronger) potions.  

5- Books and scrolls relating to Necromancy and the manipulation of Undead.  Also includes 1d20 corpses, preserved against decay using some method, magical or otherwise.      

6- Failed Immortality Potions.  Many Jiangshi still pursue immortality, as they find their current state to be pathetic and painful.  Roll on the table below to see how their latest batch of potions turned out.  Regardless of the result rolled below, you find 1d6+1 of the following type of Elixir below.         

Failed Elixirs of Immortality:

1d6

1- It's black and bubbling and looks utterly toxic.  If you drink it, take 3d6 CON damage.  If this reduces you to 0 CON, you die in agony and your corpse dissolves from the inside out.  If thrown into someone's face, it works as a flask of acid.  

2- It smells of cherry blossoms and sunlight and looks like a frothy pink drink.  If you drink it, you will be poisoned, taking 1 CON damage for 2d6+2 days.  If this reduces you to 0 CON, you die.  This elixir's effect can be canceled by using an anti-poison remedy.  

3- It's clear and crackling with mana.  It tastes like bitterly cold spring water.  When consumed, it floods the drinker's mana channels with energy, instantly restoring all their FS and giving them +2d6 FS as temporary HP for 1 hour.  Additionally, if the drinker has the ability to cast spells, he must save or cast the first spell he has prepared.  If using a free-form system, he auto-casts a spell relating to the first idea he has.  

4- It's bright green and smells like sap.  If drank, it will "heal" all your wounds by filling in the gap with bark, restoring you to full HP and decreasing your DEX by -1d4.  Each day from this point it reduces your DEX by 1.  If this DEX damage reduces you to 0, you become a living and conscious, but entirely immobile tree.  You also can't talk to anyone, as you don't have lips or a mouth anymore.

5- It's bright red and smells like blood and damp earth.  If drank, it restores 1d20+2 HP/FS.  If you have any lost appendages, they have a 50% of regenerating as extra muscular replacements that are covered in red scales.  

6- It's the color of silver, but more viscous.  Smells metallic and tastes awful.  It's actually just lightly enchanted mercury.  If consumed, you take 2d6 poison damage, save for half.

Plot Hooks: 

1d8

1- A Jiangshi has recruited a group of bandits to help him perfect his immortality elixir by kidnapping people to act as test subjects for this latest experiments.  He has promised them immortality in exchange for their service.  Whether or not they believe him, they still fear his power and will obey him.  

2- A Jiangshi has joined forces with a criminal syndicate to help them with heists, in exchange for them stealing rare and valuable ingredients he needs for his alchemical research.  

3- An evil sorcerer or Alchemist has raised a corpse as a Jiangshi, binding the soul of the deceased as his slave.  He is using the Jiangshi to assist him in his current evil scheme, grave-robbing and studying the effects of dark magic on the dead.  The party is hired to investigate the thefts and find out what is going on.  

4- A group of grave-robbers have recently switched from robbing the dead to selling fresh corpses stolen from graves and hopsices to the local Wizarding College, who has need of such things for surely not awful reasons.  However, they have recently found the supply of fresh corpses to be much diminished (see above).  They decide instead to kill that group of weirdos who just rolled into town and sell their bodies instead.  One is a Wizard, that'll surely get them extra.  

5- As above, except the grave-robbers do not think they can kill the players, so they try to get the party to investigate the graveyard thefts so they can go back to robbing graves in peace.  

6- In one of the less reputable districts of the city, a rash of strange mutations and magical maladies is occurring.  The party is hired to investigate this and find out who is responsible.  The priests suspect cultists- in reality, it is a Jiangshi, trying out some large scale experimentation to see what his latest concoction has on people.  

7- The party are in a city under siege.  The enemy Warlord is tired to waiting so he hires a Jiangshi to break into the city and poison the city's water supply so this interminable siege can finally come to an end.  Unfortunately, the party find out about the Jiangshi before it can get to the water.  They must stop it, before it's too late!

8- The local alchemist recently disappeared and the party are hired to find him.  The last known clue was that he was apparently going to confront some huckster selling "elixirs of healing" in one of the city slums.  The party's patron suspects criminal activity or perhaps the Alchemist is being held for ransom.  Both of these are horribly wrong.   

                         by wraithdt

OSR: Revised Medium and Spirit Rules

I wrote previously about the Spirits of the Land here and Mediums here.  This post is mostly new rules concerning those creatures and how they interact with humans.

by Celestialforestfairy

Spirits, including Angels and Demons, are willing to offer power in exchange for services done them by mortals.  This is done through the making of a Pact with a Spirit.  A Pact is an arrangement between a mortal and a spirit.  Usually they take the form of "In exchange for X, you will give Y" or vice versa.  The conditions for each Pact depend on the personality and desires of both parties, as well as what they are willing to accept as potential payment.

Example Spirit Pacts:

"In exchange for blessing us with good harvests, we will give you a virgin girl to do with as you please, with a minimum of ten years before we have to give you another girl."  

"In exchange for a celebration celebrated every year in your honor, you will cure the plague afflicting our village and prevent it from ever returning."  

"In exchange for the sacrifice of a year-old bullock, you will give us a chest of gold."

Spirits can give out blessings to regions, groups or individual people either as a one-time payment for some offering or service, or in an on-going arrangement, often carried out by the mortal's children and their future generations.

Spirit Pacts are binding on Spirits, once a Spirit has made a Pact, it cannot refuse to fulfill it's obligation without harming itself, potentially even destroying itself.  However, if it feels cheated, it will try to weasel it's way out of the Pact or deliver the bare minimum possible.

Spirit Pacts can only be broken via mutual consent- if either party refuses to pay up, the Pact is still valid, even if technically nothing is happening.  Spirits will often refuse to hold up their end of the bargain if they haven't been paid or given what they were promised.

by VigintiDuoXXII

How to Summon a Spirit:

To make a Spirit Pact, one has need of a Spirit.  To attract the attention of one, you will need to perform a Summoning Ritual.  To do this, one needs either the Name of a Spirit or to simply perform an Empty Summoning Ritual.  An Empty Summoning Ritual is a summoning ritual, but it is not aimed at any particular spirit.  It is simply ringing the dinner bell and announcing that there are potential rewards available.  This will usually attract a Spirit, who might be willing to hear you out or perform the service you ask of it, provided the reward is suitable.

If you include a Spirit's Name in the Summoning Ritual, on the other hand, then only that Spirit will detect the Summoning Ritual and be drawn to it.  The Spirit does not have to appear, but it will feel the urge to appear.  It is the equivalent to someone yelling your name in a crowded room full of other conversations.  At best, it's distracting and potentially interesting.  At worst, it's annoying.  

Once the Spirit has appeared, usually a negotiation between it and the summoner will begin.  However, the summoner can also attempt to bind a Spirit to their will and force the Spirit to obey.  This can have very mixed results.

Note that the ritual above describes only a fairly basic Magic Circle.  If you wish to attempt to Bind, or even negotiate with a very powerful spirit, you will need a better circle.

   by Psycho--Princess

Building a Better Spirit-Trap:

A magic circle is a circle created to channel and contain the forces of magic.  When a circle is formed, magical energies cannot pass over them.  If you've trapped a Demon inside one, that Demon cannot walk out of it.  It must either be released or break the circle.  Note that only magical creatures can be trapped inside these.  A Wizard, Demon or Dragon could be trapped in one.  Farmer Brown cannot.  

Similarly, if you are inside a magic circle and someone attacks you with magic, their attack isn't going to do anything unless it disrupts or breaks the circle.  If it doesn't do either, their power is going to have a much harder time affecting you.  

Of course, not all circles are created equal.

Types of Circles:

Simple-

Construction DC: 5

+1 to trap creatures inside

+1 to resist magic coming from the opposite side of the circle.  

Simple Circles are a single line or chalk, salt or iron shavings.  

Minor-

Construction DC: 10

+2 to trap creatures inside

+4 to resist magic coming from the opposite side of the circle

These are double circles with nodes at the four cardinal directions, marked with statuettes, candles, etc.  

Major-

Construction DC: 15

+4 to trap creatures inside

+8 to protect against magic coming from the opposite side of the circle

These are triple circles, marking the four cardinal directions, the elements, the prominent stars and crowned with a triangle, pentacle or a Star of Solomon.

Master-

Construction DC: 15+X (Depending on what you're trying to accomplish with the circle)

+6 to trap creatures inside

+12 to resist magic coming from the opposite side of the circle

Master circles are minimum three layers and contain countless trinkets, charms and other ritual preparations.  Each one is a masterwork of the Mage's art and painstaking to build.

Breaking a Magic Circle: 

When trapped inside a Magic Circle, a creature can attempt to break out.  It does this by engaging in a Contest with the person standing at the Locus point (Northwards, generally) of the Circle.  This person must pit their will against the trapped creature.  If the trapped creature wins, the circle breaks and it is free.  If the person at the Locus point wins, the creature remains trapped.     

         by exile0025

What can the Spirit offer me?

Spirits follow their own Hierarchy within the Spirit World:

The more names a Spirit has, the weaker it is.  Similarly, the opposite is true.  

A Spirit's rank determines it's Will and Authority.  A Spirit's Will is the strength of it's soul and how able it to affect change on the world, in both the Physical and the Spirit World.  

A Spirit's Authority, meanwhile, determines what it has power over and what it can affect.  Spirits cannot affect things outside their Authority, except indirectly.  A Spirit's Authority is based on what type of Spirit it is, but also what it is associated with.  For example, if a Spirit had a strong relationship with a mortal, that friendship will affect the Spirit, incorporating that mortal as part of the Spirit's Authority.  So if that mortal needs help, the Spirit may be able to lend aid where they otherwise could not, though it should be noted that Spirits, as immortals, change very slowly and gradually, so much so that they seem unchanging to beings who do not possess their lifespan.     

Types of Spirits:

Spirits generally fall into two categories- Elemental and Cognitive.

Elemental Spirits are the spiritual counterparts of purely physical forces- in short, Elementals.  They embody these abstract forces and though intelligent, with their own desires, are shaped by those forces that generated them.  All Fire Spirits like to burn and consume things, even if the one you are talking to also like poetry or dancing.  Elemental Spirits are neutral in their morality, defining what is good based on their own element.  For example, Fire Elementals see fire as good and rain as bad.

An Elemental Spirit is always considered to have Authority over their Element, but can also have Authority over other things related to that Element.  The degree that their Authority expands depends on the rank of that Spirit.  For example, a Common Water Spirit cannot control ice, but a Water Knight-Spirit could.

Cognitive Spirits are the embodiments of a particular ideal.  They are often referred to as "Angels" or "Demons" by mortals, depending on whether mortals regard that ideal as a vice or a virtue.  The Humans consider the embodiment of Pride the Demon of Pride, while Elves greatly laud such a creature, referring to it as an Angel of Ego.  Similarly, Orcs Abhor the Demons of Creeping Weakness, which Humans venerate and refer to as an Angel of Peace.  

These Spirits seek to spread their particular ideal and cause it to abound more greatly.  For example, an Angel of Holy Vengeance/Demon of Wrath wants to encourage people to be angry and wrathful, so it will do things to make people angry and encourage it's allies to give in to their rage.  

Cognitive Spirits have Authority over their ideal and can influence it, increasing it, removing it or otherwise manipulating it.             

Examples:

Dendor Vaskil Artur Barker Pigdog Choplicker is a Common Cognitive Spirit that takes the form of a hound that walks on two legs, wears a bowler hat and chain-smokes cigarettes.  He is associated with the Ideal of Determination.  He is too weak to be called "Angel", though a culture that values determination would regard him as a helpful spirit still.  He has Authority over Dogs and Determination.

Oberon is a Royal Elemental Spirit, one of the Sovereigns of the Folk.  He has Authority over Autumn, Time, Lost Things, Secrets, Illusions, Aging, Madness, Decline and Rot.

<Sidebar: Spirit Powers>

If this is all too loosey-goosey for you, then grant a Spirit a number of Powers equal to their rank. 

Common = 1 Power

Uncommon = 2 Powers

Knight = 1d3+1 Powers

Lower Nobility = 1d4+2 Powers

Higher Nobility = 1d6+2 Powers

Royal = 1d8+2 Powers

You could also use the Authority system only for Blessings and if the party decide to square up with a Spirit, use the Power system described above for such encounters.

I generally alternate depending on what my Wizards can do.  If the Wizards use spells, Spirits have a number of limited powers.  If the Wizards are free-form, then so are the Spirits, able to manipulate elements of the world based on their Authority.  

</Sidebar>

by T5-Comix-Cartoonz

Mediums and the Possessed:

Spirits do not have physical bodies, so they cannot directly affect the Physical World.  Similarly, their ability to affect that world is limited the more powerful they become.  This is also why Gods choose to act through prophets and priests, rather than directly manifesting their power to instantly solve any problem they have.  They physically cannot in most cases (see below).

But Spirits have found a loophole in this rule: if you don't have a body, just borrow one.  

Mediums are people who allow a Spirit to inhabit their body, in exchange for Power.  

Medium Rules:    

You can only host a Spirit who's HD or DT is less than or equal to your HD/Level.  If their DT equals your Level, then you can let the Spirit inhabit you for 1 hour.  if you are stronger than the Spirit, it can inhabit you for a number of hours equal to the difference.  If the Spirit is stronger, then you take X CON damage, where X is the difference, per 10 minutes of the Spirit inhabiting you.  

CON Damage done by this comes back at a rate of 1 point per day.  If this CON damage reduces a creature to 0 CON, it dies as it's body can no longer support a soul.    

For example:

Jon Femurbreaker, Level 4 Fighting Man, allows Jarvis, a Spirit of Justice, to enter his body.  

If Jarvis is a Knight-Spirit (DT 4), then he can inhabit Jon's body for 1 hour before Jon starts taking 1 CON damage per every additional 10 minutes.

If Jarvis is an Uncommon Spirit (2 HD), then he can inhabit Jon's body for 2 hours before Jon starts taking 1 CON damage per every additional 10 minutes.

If Jarvis is a Spirit of the Lower Nobility (DT 6) then for every 10 minutes he inhabits Jon's body, Jon takes 2 CON damage per every 10 minutes he hosts Jarvis.

Benefits of being Possessed:

What do you bring to the table?

All Spirits grand their Medium a number of Powers equal to their Rank.  These powers will usually relate to their Authority, which all Spirits naturally possess.  

For example, a Fire Spirit grants her medium the ability to throw a fireball that does 2d6 damage, save for half, as an action.  Or she may grant the ability to manipulate fire as if you were a Free-form Wizard, but only for fire or other aspects she has Authority over.

Other Boons:

Spirits may also be able to grant other Boons to their mediums- though which ones the Spirit can grant will depend heavily on what kind of Spirit the medium has made a Contract with. 

For example, an Earth Spirit might be able to grant Superhuman strength and hardened skin, but it could not grant divination abilities or Shapeshifting powers.  Withstanding damage and being hard to stop are within the nature of Earth and thus things an Earth Spirit might have Authority over, so it could grant those abilities.  Being capable of great foresight or changing form are not things Earth is known for, so it could not offer those things.   

1d12

1- Superhuman strength.  The Medium is much stronger than normal, able to lift and carry double what he could while not possessed.  He can also do things beyond the usual boundaries of a strength roll, depending on the Spirit's rank, such as smashing through a stone wall, lifting a horse or wrestling an Ogre (and winning).  For the purposes of dealing damage with his STR bonus, he adds +1d6 to any damage he deals based on STR.  

2- Superhuman speed.  The Medium is much faster than normal when possessed, either hard to grab or a blur to the eyes of those watching, depending on the Spirit's Rank.  He can act before non-super-fast creatures and when retreating or moving through an enemy's space, he does not provoke opportunity attacks.  Additionally, add the Spirit's rank to any Pursuit rolls.  

3- Superhuman Agility.  The Medium moves like his bones are rubber and his flesh is gelatin when possessed.  He makes all saves to take all damage based on agility or Dexterity into saves to take no damage and adds the Spirit's Rank to any attempt to perform an acrobatic feat.  

4- Superhuman Endurance.  While possessed, the Medium does not get tired and can keep working at peak efficiency.  

5- Hardened Form.  While Possessed, the Medium has skin and flesh that is much harder to damage.  The Medium gains a Damage Threshold equal to the Spirit's Rank, or if the Spirit is rank 2 or less, he simply takes -1 or -2 damage from each hit respectively.  

6- Agelessness.  While possessed, the Medium does not age and cannot be magically aged.  

7- Freedom from Mortal Needs.  While possessed, the Medium does not need food, water, air or sleep.  8- Regeneration.  While possessed, the Medium's body will swiftly repair itself as a free action.  The Medium can, as a free action, roll as many MD as he wishes and recover [sum] HP.  This can also repair Horrible Wounds.  But each time this ability is used, it heavily taxes the Medium's body, shortening the amount of time the Medium can host the Spirit by 10 minutes per MD.

9- Magic Resistance.  While possessed, the Medium gains X-in-10% magic resistance, where X is the Spirit's Rank.  

10- Divination.  While possessed, the Medium can gain access to the Spirit's vision, able to look across it's domain as if using a Crystal Ball or see into the future.   

11- Void Shroud.  While possessed, the Medium is shielded from divination and other sensing abilities, concealed from those who attempt to locate him via divination or reading the threads of fate.  When someone attempts to see the future or divine information about the Medium or anyone near him, add the Spirit's Rank to the DC of the attempted divination.  

12- Shapeshifting.  While possessed, the Medium can alter his form to better suit his purposes.  He must spend at least 1 MD to trigger a transformation, with more being required for difficult transformations.  When he alters his form, his ability scores and stats remain the same (where it makes sense, Referee's Discretion applies), but this puts a toll on his body, reducing the amount of time he can host the Spirit by 10 minutes per time he shapeshifts.  Additionally, if he runs out of time to host the Spirit and it must leave him, he will remain in whatever form he was in when the Spirit left him until he can host it again.  

by Phobos-Romulus

OSR: Empusai: Shapeshifting Sexual Predators

by Papaya-Style

Number Appearing: 1

Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Languages: lingua Franca plus Crime-Speak (a secret language known only by criminals)

Treasure: Stolen money, jewelry, tons of knives and other tools for butchering, an enormous amount of (human) meat

Sexual predators in a more literal fashion, these creatures exploit the human desires for sex, power and pleasure to feed on hapless victims.

Appearance: 

Empusa are horrible beasts, usually with malformed heads that resemble a fusion between a human and a beast, often a boar or pig.  They have many sharp teeth and long, protruding fangs.  They also have a limb made of metal that despite being inorganic, they can still control and move like an ordinary limb.  Often this limb is a leg, but Empusa with metal arms are not uncommon.  

Abilities:

Besides being stronger than most humans and able to manipulate their metal limb(s), Empusa also possess the ability to conjure illusions.  They can cloak themselves in illusory guises, make themselves look like anything they wish.  They can also wrap other creatures or items in illusions, to make them resemble anything the Empusa wishes.  

For example, a band of ruffians can become noble warriors, while a pile of stones becomes a mound of glittering gems.  A ruin can become a castle and a damp cave can disguised to look like a pleasure den.  

These illusions do not stand up to physical scrutiny and if separated from the Empusa, only last for 24 hours before burning away.  They also do not last in sunlight, dissolving in the bright rays of the sun.  If an Empusa gives you a magic sword and you use it during the day, you might find yourself holding an entirely ordinary sword or a rusted cast-off.

Behavior: 

Empusa are manipulators at their core, using their false appearances and illusions, along with the promise of sex or another reward to lure someone to their death.  Once isolated or vulnerable, the Empusa will feast on their victim's flesh and tear him apart.  Empusa are hunters and capable of patience and planning, but they are often impatient.  A well-fed Empusa can stalk their prey for some time, but a hungry one will usually try to rush the hunt, which can often be suspicious and may lead to the Empusa being exposed.  

Empusa are also quite greedy and tend to be controlled by their appetites.  They often make mistakes or bite off more than they can chew, so eager are they for a big kill.  This is why though they are capable of great deceptions and clever manipulations, they usually go for the quick and easy kill rather than anything more ambitious.  When an Empusa gets ambitious, that's usually when she gets herself killed.

Empusa are often mistaken for Hags, but unlike those creatures, Empusa are not nearly as clever or patient.  Additionally, while Hags often delight in tormenting creatures for no purpose other than their own black mirth, Empusa are much more base in their appetites.  They like to eat and crave man-flesh and hot blood most of all.

Empusa are not proud or arrogant in their demeanor.  If caught or faced with something it cannot easily overcome, Empusa will run and hide.  They have no honor or pride.  If flight is impossible and they do not think that they would win a physical confrontation, they will swiftly revert to begging and pleading.  

They will pledge to serve and offer their abilities in exchange for being allowed to live and continue feeding.  And this may not even be a trick.  Empusa have no problem working for other creatures, as long as they can continue feeding.

Statblock:

Empusa

HD 1d3+1

AR 1d3

Atk Claws or Weapon (1d6+2/1d6+2)

Mor 12

Saves (7+HD) or less

Illusionist: Empusai can create illusions as an action.  She can also replace one of her attacks with the creation of an illusion.  Her illusions only produce visual stimuli and do not stand up to physical inspection.  Her illusions last until the next dawn, unless the Empusa maintains them by focusing on them.  They also burn away after 10 minutes in direct sunlight.  

Illusory Appearance: An Empusa can cloak herself in an illusion that makes her look like anything she can imagine.  She can maintain this illusion easily, even while focusing on other illusions.

Parry: 1/Round, an Empusa can reduce the damage from an incoming attack by 1d6+2, assuming this is the type of attack that could be parried.  She could parry a sword, but not a fireball.  She does this by using her metal limb as a barrier to stop the attack.  If she has multiple metal limbs, she can parry a number of times equal to her metal limbs.

Bloody Cravings: Empusa love warm flesh- it is their favorite food in the world.  If given a chance to eat it, they must make a morale check.  On a failed check, they rush in to try and grab a bite, no matter the risk.  If the risk posed by such an action is obvious and serious, the Empusa has advantage on her morale check.           

Tactics:

- Hide under illusions

- Use deceit to manipulate potential prey

- Only attack if a target is vulnerable

- Flee if faced with serious resistance

by SergoZ

Potential Allies of the Empusai:

- Bandits, Brigands and Ruffians: The Empusa may work in town and direct travelers down routes that the bandits frequent, or it may accompany them in-battle, crafting illusions or disguises for the bandits. 

- Criminal Syndicates: An Empusa may serve a crime-boss as an assassin or a torturer, intimidating enemies into revealing their secrets or killing enemies and disposing of the evidence in her stomach.  She will likely be disguised as his moll or favorite girl, disguised as a beautiful young thing dangling off his arm.

- Hags: Hags often employ Empusa, who can help them with their less subtle schemes and make convenient fall-guys for when the villagers start to suspect that something weird is going on.

- Ghouls: You love eating people, I love eating people, it's like we're two peas in a pod.  The only thing that can break up this relationship is a lack of food.  And while Ghouls prefer humans, they will eat an Empusa if they get a bit peckish.

- Ogres: Empusa and Ogres often get along, with the Empusa's greater intellect enabling it to guide the Ogre to make better decisions.  That being said, they make poor parental surrogates, as Empusai are often just as controlled by their desires as Ogres, who are known for their near-total lack of impulse control.  

Variants:

Full-Metal: Some Empusa have more than one metal limb.  This gives them an increase to their toughness and enables them to fight much better than an ordinary member of their race. 

Dream-Weaver: Dream-Weaver Empusa have the ability to make much stronger illusions than normal.  Their illusions are not merely visual, but can provide another type of sensory input as well.  Rotten meat cloaked in an illusion by them tastes like a high-class dinner, while an illusory fire provides the sensation of heat as well as dancing convincingly.

Mistress of Metal: These Empusa have the ability to command metal, molding it and shaping it at their command.  Metal weapons are largely useless against them and they can manipulate their metal limb into a variety of shapes, morphing it into any sort of tool composed of one solid object, such as a sword, hammer or saw.     

Plot Hooks:

1d6

1- Someone very smart, such as a Hag or a Succubus has some elaborate scheme that they are working on in the area.  And this absolute moron of an Empusa is running around, eating people and leaving behind evidence of some kind of monster activity.  While the party is hired to investigate this cannibal murderer, the other monster needs to find a way to cover up their own crimes and evade the adventurers before they blunder into the monster's much better hidden scheme.

2- An Empusa has convinced a bunch of bandits to help her rob a Noble's estate, so she can take the place of their young daughter and use that as a feeding ground.  Their scheme is slapdash and unlikely to work, as the bandits aren't super competent and the Empusa mostly just wants to eat one of the indolent noblewomen to see if they taste better but they're going to give it their all, dang it!

3- The guard were investigating a series of murders they believed to be connected when the evidence of the later crimes started disappearing.  Bodies are gone, blood is missing, etc.  They suspect that the murderer has gained the help of one of the city's magi.  Help them investigate and find out who is helping the killer.  In reality, the serial killer just found an Empusa and they are having a beautiful, and horrific, whirlwind romance as they carve their way across the city.  

4- An Empusa come to the party and tries to convince them that they are actually a Master Wizard who was cursed, which greatly reduced their powers.  They need the party to hunt down the people responsible for the curse and kill them to break it.  In reality, the Empusa just wants to tag along and eat these people, but it will do it's best to conceal this fact from them.  

5- The prostitutes down at the Docks and the local crime syndicate are having a spat, as the prostitutes are trying to break away from the syndicate, while the syndicate wants them to keep paying for "protection".  An Empusa in the city finds out about this and decides to start a gang war, mostly so she can more easily pick off victims in the chaos.  

6- A cult has formed in the underbelly of the city, claiming to possess the "true scriptures" while the mainstream preachers of the law gods are secret demon-worshipers or otherwise in error.  This cult promises true knowledge and power to the one who accepts their teachings and increasing demands.  In reality, the cult is based around an Empusa and a few charismatic humans who are quickly becoming Ghouls.  The humans are using the cult as a means of gaining power and wealth, while the Empusa helps to get rid of inconvenient people, while also providing the true source of the leader's "miracles". 

by Joeprachatree

OSR: More Not-Quite Orcs

Want to include Orcs, but also want to do something just a little different?  Try these out.

                by Gorrem

White

HD 0 - 1d4  HP 

AR 0  

Atk Spear 1d6 

Mor 6  

Saves 7 or less

Tactics:

- Charge in blindly

- Be numerous

- Run away from anything dangerous

White Garrols are newborns, less than three months old.  They are almost entirely useless in a fight, except in vast numbers or against severely weakened foes.  Garrols will only send them out to fight if they are a truly large colony or if they have no one else better suited to fight.   

                    by Suzanne-Helmigh

Yellow

HD 1  

AR 1  

Atk (Weapon) 1d6+1

Mor 10  

Saves 7 or less

Howling Rush: When charging as part of a group, Garrols can bellow as a free action.  Enemies facing them must save.  On a failed save, enemies will become frightened.  Frightened enemies cannot approach the Garrols and take 1d6 COG damage they continue to try and fight them.  If this damage reduces a creature to 0 COG, that creature must try to run away and escape.  COG returns at a rate of 1 point per day.   

Tactics:

- Charge enemies in groups

- Pair off to fight weak enemies

- Run away if in danger  

Yellow Garrols are juveniles.  They're about the size of a human male and about as strong, but they are fast and numerous to compensate for their relative weakness.  Their skin starts out light yellow but gradually darkens, eventually causing blue spots to form on them.  This speckled stage means they are ready to advance.

                         by 88grzes

Green

HD 2  

AR 1d3  

Atk (Weapon) 1d8+1 

Mor 14  

Saves 9 or less

Howling Rush: When charging as part of a group, Garrols can bellow as a free action.  Enemies facing them must save.  On a failed save, enemies will become frightened.  Frightened enemies cannot approach the Garrols and take 1d6 COG damage they continue to try and fight them.  If this damage reduces a creature to 0 COG, that creature must try to run away and escape.  COG returns at a rate of 1 point per day.  

Regeneration: Green Garrols can 1/Day, regain 1 HD as an action.

Tactics:

- Let the weaker colors go first

- Charge enemies as a group

- Don't fear anything except for really dangerous foes  

Green Garrols are mature for their species.  They are not the strongest type, but they make up the vast majority of any fighting force.  They are much larger, stronger and tougher than any man and fighting one in melee is a nightmare.  They are known for both their incredible strength, as well as their ability to shrug off injuries and ignore wounds that would be fatal to weaker creatures.        

When a Garrol Mob is small, all Greens will be more or less the same, but as the Mob expands, they will begin to diversify and split into units that specialize in certain kinds of combat.  Some will continue to carry large weapons and charge blindly at the enemy, but others may pick up bows and crossbows to form crude ranged units, while others will seek out animals large enough for them to ride to act as impromptu calvary, or attempt to build chariots out of sticks and straw.  In the absence of animals to pull these machines of war, Garrols will take their places, with some Greens acting as the horses to pull the chariots or to charge into battle, while a "lucky" Yellow or White is strapped to their back, armed with a bow or spear.  

If the Mob is large enough, the Greens will begin diversifying into different types of units.  These Greens make war through the use of...

1d6

1- Shock Troops.  These Greens charge in and smash you with big weapons.  They are fast and furious, sophisticated as a rock to the forehead.  

2- Phalanx.  These Greens find shields and spears and march in formation.  They're not very disciplined at first, and it may look like a joke, but a Garrol shield-wall is all but unbreakable to humans.

3- Calvary.  These Greens found some kind of animal to carry them into battle.  They found 1d6 [1= Specially bred horses, big enough to hold them; 2= Massive, ornery boars; 3= Huge, ill-tempered aurochs; 4= Giant beetles; 5= Huge, ravenous wolves; 6= Hippos.  And yes, it sounds hilarious now.  You won't be laughing soon.]   

4- Skirmishers.  These Greens wear lighter armor and carry smaller weapons.  They harass enemy forces, ranging far ahead and turning back.  They also act as scouts in well-organized Mobs.

5- Archers.  They use bows, crossbows and other ranged weapons to pelt the enemy from afar.  When they run out of ammo, they throw spears or the heads of the slain.

6- Berserkers.  They drug themselves up so they feel even less pain and consume potions to boost their regeneration.  Then, screaming like hateful ghosts, they charge into battle.  They almost always die, but not before carving a bloody swath through their enemies.     

by TatarskiSkandal

Black

HD 1d3+2  

AR 3  

Atk (Weapon) 1d8+2 

Mor 12  

Saves (7+HD) or less

Howling Rush: When charging as part of a group, Garrols can bellow as a free action.  Enemies facing them must save.  On a failed save, enemies will become frightened.  Frightened enemies cannot approach the Garrols and take 1d6 COG damage they continue to try and fight them.  If this damage reduces a creature to 0 COG, that creature must try to run away and escape.  COG returns at a rate of 1 point per day. 

Regeneration: Black Garrols can 1/Day, regain 2 HD as an action.  

Brutal Strike: 1/Round, on a successful hit, a Black Garrol can reroll his damage and take the higher result.   

Leadership Bonus: When fighting with a Black Garrol, Garrols make morale checks with advantage.

Tactics:

- Let the weaker colors take the risks

- Fight tactically, pick off the most dangerous foes

- Find weak points and exploit them mercilessly  

- Retreat if in danger

Black Garrols are the hardened warriors, the elites who have ascended past Green to become commanders.  They are smarter and savvier than their kin and will use tactics besides rushing onto the spears of their enemies.  They are also willing to consider novel tactics such as "flanking", "defense" and "strategic retreat".  Still, even if smarter, they still tend to very uneducated and are often unwilling to consider other options besides the most impressive and glorious option, even if it isn't tactically sound.  War is a game to them and they're are trying to beat the high score.  Still, they are intelligent enough to let their weaker kin go in to soften the beaches first, before trying it themselves.       

by WillOBrien

Blue

HD 1d4+1  

AR 1d3  

Atk (weapon) 1d6+2 or Spell

Mor 10 

Saves (HD+7) or less

Regeneration: Blue Garrols can 1/Day, regenerate regain 1d3 HD as an action.  

Spellcasting: Blue Garrols are magically gifted, able to cast spells.  They have a Spellcasting modifier equal to 1/2 their HD (min +1) and MD equal to their HD.  They usually have an Affinity (+1d3) for 1d4 of following: 1d6 [1= Fire; 2= Lightning; 3= Stone; 4= Metal; 5= Water; 6= Life.]  They tend to favor large and flashy spells.  

Tactics:

- Let the weaker colors take the risks

- Be arrogant and assured of your magical superiority

- Cast large and flashy spells

- Retreat if in danger

Blue Garrols are the mutants of their race that can do magic.  Sometimes, a Yellow will develop his blue spots, but these won't mingle with his dark golden skin and become green.  Instead the blue will spread all over his body until he is fully covered by the color.  The younger ones are sky blue, while the older ones are darker blue, the eldest being blue-black.  

They tend to become more cerebral as they get older and though venerated by their tribes, they are never fully trusted.  This is good, because they are often insane and mad with power, drunk on mana.  Many Blue Garrols have killed themselves in an ill-conceived magical experiment or by trying to channel too much power at once.  They are still Garrols, with all the brute-force aggression and lack of impulse control that implies.

      by paranoimiac

Violet

HD 3  

AR 2  

Atk (Weapon) 1d6+2 (Sneaky Weapon) or 1d8+1 (Loud Weapon)

Mor 14  

Saves 10 or less

Regeneration: Green Garrols can 1/Day, regain 1 HD as an action.

Sneaky: Violet Garrols are sneaky, able to creep through brush and be far stealthier than their muscle-bound frames might suggest.  They have advantage on any stealth check, especially if you've never heard of a Violet Garrol before.     

Tactics:

- Guerilla Tactics: Night Raids, Ambushes, Surprise Attacks

- Psychological warfare, break the enemy's will

- Never fight fair or straight up 

Violet Garrols are an enigma among the Garrols.  They are not a separate color, but instead a variety of Greens that act in a very peculiar manner.  Rather than choosing the most glorious and blunt tactics, Violet Garrols employ stealth, sabotage and other advanced maneuvers.  They are the commandos and stealth-specialists of the Garrols, practicing their own peculiar brand of war with discipline, caution and professionalism.  

Violet Garrols never appear unless a Garrol Mob has reached a certain density, when the Greens have started diversifying into different methods of war.  The Violets will emerge then, painting themselves their signature colors and practicing a way of war the other Garrols do not trust.  But many a clever Black or Boss has acknowledged that despite their strangeness, the Violets plug a niche that the Garrols very much need.    

Common Violet Garrol Tactics:

1d8

1- Kidnap an enemy leader, kill him and mangle the body, then leave it where his men can find it.

2- Kidnap civilians or innocents and kill them, then leave their bodies behind.

3- Kidnap civilians or innocents and use them as bait for booby-traps.  

4- Let yourself be seen, then disappear.  

5- Keep the enemy up all night with spoiling attacks.  Never let them rest.  

6- Destroy resources, poison wells, burn storehouses, kill livestock.

7- Sabotage any and all equipment they might have.  Kill dogs, lame horses, break wagons, puncture water barrels, etc.

8- Leave behind poisoned food or booby-trapped treasure caches.  

by SharpWriter

Garrol Bosses

HD 1d4+2  

AR 1d4+1  

Atk (Weapon) 1d8+3/1d8+3

Mor 15  

Saves (HD+7) or less

Howling Rush: When charging as part of a group, Garrols can bellow as a free action.  Enemies facing them must save.  On a failed save, enemies will become frightened.  Frightened enemies cannot approach the Garrols and take 1d6 COG damage they continue to try and fight them.  If this damage reduces a creature to 0 COG, that creature must try to run away and escape.  COG returns at a rate of 1 point per day.   

Fear Aura: When Garrols around him use 'Howling Rush', enemies make their save with disadvantage.  Creatures who directly fight the Boss must also save vs fear when they first fight or whenever he does a large amount of damage against them (Referee's Discretion) or he crits against them.    

Regeneration: 1/Day, Garrol Bosses can regain half their HD.   

Brutal Strike: 1/Round, on a successful hit, a Garrol Boss can reroll his damage and take the higher result.     

Leadership Bonus: When fighting alongside their Boss, Garrols are immune to fear and cannot be frightened.  They also have advantage on any check intended to persuade them to stop fighting.

Commander: As a free action on his turn, a Garrol Boss can make a CHA check.  If he succeeds on a CHA check, a Garrol Boss can direct nearby Garrols to attack an enemy he specifically designates.  He can also use this ability to give other orders.      

Tactics:

- Lead from the front, crush the weaklings

- Guide the wretches beneath you, direct them so they fight smart

- Direct your soldiers to fight the strongest people

- Don't take any major risks, but don't look weak either

Garrol Bosses are the strongest of the tribe, having risen to the top of the heap through strength, cunning and brutality.  The Garrol have many leaders in the lower ranks, but it is only through great effort and bloodshed can a Garrol rise up to the rank of Boss.  This requires the acknowledgement of not only the other Garrols, but the Queen.  

After winning a number of victories, a Garrol will make his way to the Nest.  There he will enter the presence of the Queen and declare to her his deeds.  If the Queen accepts his deeds, she will allow him to mate with her, then gift him some of her Royal Jelly.  This is a magical substance that is naturally produced by a mature Garrol Queen.  It is what transforms ordinary females into Jades or Queens respectively.  Depending on what color he is, the Royal Jelly will change him, often quite dramatically.

As the Black Garrols most often have the most fighting experience and glorious deeds, one might expect all Garrol Bosses to be Black, but this is not actually true.  When a Garrol is acknowledged as a Boss and consumes the Royal Jelly, it causes him to freeze in his advancement.  He will be changed by this, but will remain at the color he currently occupies.  

As Garrols always respect higher colors, this means that while many Bosses are Black, plenty are also Green because there are simply so many Greens.  There are also occasionally Bosses of other colors, but they tend to be extremely rare.  There have been Blue Bosses and Yellow Bosses, for example.  Additionally, some colors never seem to produce Bosses, such as Whites or Violets.     

Garrol Bosses are brave and frightening, often leading from the front.  This is an effective tactic, as a giant Garrol smashing apart a line of spearmen is always a terrifying sight to see.  But the Bosses are not entirely dedicated to the mad pursuit of glory, their valor is largely self-serving.  Bosses know that if they are not sufficiently brave, or at least appear brave, some lesser Garrol might decide to rise up and try to overthrow them.

                     by KangJason

To customize a Garrol Boss, roll on the tables below:

What color is he?

1d8

1-2: Yellow.  The Boss has skin of brilliant gold, possibly with a few spots of blue.  He is taller than a normal Yellow, but not as tall as a Green or Black.  The Royal Jelly encrusted him with glittering skin, making him shine in the sun and giving him immunity to non-magical sharp damage.  Regular blades cannot pierce his hide.    

3-4: Green.  The Boss is a hulking brute, huge and muscle-bound.  He is absolutely terrifying to see, towering over all of his fellows.  The Royal Jelly made him enormously strong, giving him the ability to pick up anything lighter than a horse and throw it as a projectile.  He can also use a two-handed weapon in one hand, with ease.   

5: Blue.  The Boss has some further mutation, like horns, a third eye, tentacle hair or a goat leg.  The Royal Jelly enhanced his magical abilities even further, making him a walking nimbus of magical powers.  He also causes minor magical effects wherever he goes, such as leaving burning footprints in the ground, triggering massive amounts of static electricity, freezing standing water in the heart of summer, etc.  

6-8: Black.  The Boss is starved and skeletal-looking, made of wire and sharpened bone.  Anyone looking at him must immediately save vs fear, unless they have seen him before.  

How does he primarily fight?

1d4

1- From the front.  He charges in and crushes his foes with strength and power.

2- With a ranged weapon.  The Boss is an excellent shot, using a massive bow, throwing spears or hurling large stones like major league fastballs, obliterating anything he hits.  

3- From horseback.  The Boss rides a specially trained and bred horse, or he is mounted on some other type of beast.  He is a big believer in calvary and wants to get more of his men to accept this style of warfare.  

4- From chariot-back.  The Boss has a custom Chariot which he loves to plow into crowds of enemies.  He is obsessed with speed and going as fast as possible.   

Is there anything special about him?

1d8

1- He is much smarter than most, able to speak the lingua franca.  He will also attempt negotiation if he feels his enemies are willing to give up without fighting.

2- He craves challenge and will challenge enemies to duels if the thinks they are strong.  

3- He is cruel and vicious and regularly carries out atrocities on non-Garrols.  

4- He respects other races and is willing to let them join his Mob, albeit as second-class citizens, if they prove strong.  He has raiders of another race serving him.  

5- Instead of a Blue Garrol, he has a Wizard of another race acting as his advisor.  

6- He is willing to turn mercenary in exchange for valuable loot.  He is not trust-worthy, but can be bought off, at least temporarily.  

7- He is a zealot, regularly making sacrifices to the Dark Gods of his race, usually in the form of humans captured in raids.  

8- He is a consummate gentleman, well-dressed and mannered.  He speaks multiple languages and can adequately discuss literature, wine and art.        

What is the purpose of the Mob he is currently leading?

1d6

1- Conquest.  The Garrols want your land, so they are going to take it.  You have no say in the matter.  

2- Plunder.  The Garrols are here for loot, so they are going to steal everything they think is valuable.  

3- Slaves.  The Garrols are here to take those of the lesser races in chains back to their lands for some likely terrible purpose.  

4- Vengeance.  The Garrols were defeated last time they attacked a particular enemy.  This fills them with shame and rage.  They are here to wipe out the former and expend the latter.  

5- Search and Destroy.  The Garrols hate or fear something in particular in this area.  This could be a person, a tribe, an artifact or something else.  They seek to find it and destroy it.

6- Objective.  The Garrols are looking for something specific in this region.  They will seek until they can find it.  Anyone who gets in their way will be destroyed or driven off.

How good of a leader is he?

1d4

1- Excellent.  His Mob is well organized, well-led and well-fed.  His Garrols would sacrifice themselves to save him in a heartbeat.  

2- Good.  His Mob is decently well run, with scouting and tactics, but it is nothing exceptional by human standards.  His Garrols are loyal and would defend him, though they wouldn't throw away their lives if they thought he was doomed.  

3- Adequate.  His Mob is a mob in truth, with only a semblance of organization.  They are undisciplined and unorganized.  His Garrols like him well enough, but they wouldn't die for him.  

4- Poor.  His Mob is barely coherent and only vaguely acts as a unit.  The Boss is too busy with his own projects to care, so his Under-Bosses and their subordinates constantly squabble over who is in charge and what they should do.  If the Boss was threatened, only the few die-hard loyalists in the Mob would rush to his aid.  The rest would only help if they thought it would benefit them.       

Does he have any magic items?

1d6

1-4: No.

5-6: Yes.  He has...

1d6    

1- The Ring of Rage.  3/Day, the wearer of the ring can fly into a murderous rage.  During this time, they take half damage from all non-magical weapons but cannot distinguish friend from foe.  They will continue raging until they run out of enemies or after 1 minute (10 rounds).

2- Perfect Mirror.  A shield of (all-but) unbreakable glass, silvered on one side to create a flawless mirror.  3/Day, when successfully damaged by an enemy, the bearer of the shield can reflect back an equal amount of damage at the creature that damaged him.

3- Eye of Ashor.  An amulet of black jet, gold and human bone, it features a stylized eye.  If the wearer sacrifices an intelligent living creature of at least 1 HD or less to the Amulet at least once per week, the amulet grants them the ability to use magic as a Level 1 Wizard.  

4- The Book of Prowess.  While worn on the body, this book grants the bearer to instantly memorize up to 6 Martial Maneuvers or Secret Techniques and use them as an action on their turn.  If the bearer ever loses the Book or does not have it on his person, he forgets everything encoded in the Book.  

5- The Scabbard of Eyes.  An empty scabbard made of fine leather, covered in engravings of eyes.  While worn, the scabbard grants the wearer 360 degree vision around himself.

6- Sadistic Star.  A morning star, covered in bristling spines.  When struck by this mace, 3/Day, the user may inflict horrific pain on the creature struck.  That creature must save or have disadvantage on any Attack rolls or any roll requiring concentration, such as spellcasting.  The creature also must save or be frightened of the user.   

Guardians of the Nest:

by PustyXoX

Jade

HD 4 

AR 3 

Atk (Weapon) 1d8+2

Mor 15  

Saves 11 or less

Regeneration: 2/Day, as an action, Jade Garrols can regain 1 HD.  

Brutal Strike: 2/Day, on a successful hit, Jade Garrols can reroll their damage and take the higher result.  

Climber: Jade Garrols are excellent climbers, able to scale almost any surface, provided it isn't super slick or too hard for their claws to pierce.  They have advantage on all climbing checks and if their claws can penetrate the surface, can automatically succeed.

Color-Changing Skin: Jade Garrols can make their skin change color, allowing them to blend in with the environment.  They have advantage on stealth checks if they choose to do so.

Hostile Patterns: As a free action or as a reaction to being attacked, Jade Garrols can cause strange patterns to rapidly flicker across their skin.  This pattern causes a negative effect (see below).

Tactics:

- Seek the high ground, Ambush from stealth

- Fight on behalf of the Queen

- Sacrifice yourself for the Nest

Female Garrols are born much the same as the males, as pale, squirming Whites that hatch from eggs.  But as they grow, they quickly differentiate themselves.  Once they turn Yellow, they are taken back to the Nest, where they participate in a series of ritual combats and other horrible trials.  Most of them do not survive, but the ones that do quickly grow and advance to Green.  Unlike with the males, female Garrols undergo a radical metamorphosis when changing to Green, thanks to their own biology and small doses of the Royal Jelly.  They spin cocoons for themselves and rest inside.  Finally, they emerge changed as new Jades.  

Jade Garrols are bright green, but they never darken in hue.  They also do not resemble their male counterparts much, being much taller and leaner, with partially segmented bodies like that of an insect, with huge claws on their hands and spines protruding from their bodies.  Jades remain in the Nest from that point onward, their only goal to protect the Queen and keep her safe.  They are utterly loyal to her and will kill anyone who they think is a threat to her, even other Garrols.  Bosses who offend the Queen have to be cautious, lest the Jades tear him limb from limb.

Hostile Patterns of the Jades:

1d4

1- Nausea.  When you see it, save or lose a turn as you puke your guts out.  

2- Disturbing images.  Save vs fear when you see their skin flicker with images of atrocities.

3- Entrancing colors.  Save or be stunned as you are hypnotized by the shifting colors and shapes.

4- Seizures.  When you see the Jade's skin flashing like that, save or have a seizure.  While having a seizure, you cannot move or act on your turn.  Your seizure lasts for 1d4 rounds.  If you successfully save against this, you are forever immune and cannot have a seizure from this ability.

               by MorkarDFC

Queen    

HD X AR Y Atk Z

Mor 10+HD Saves (7+HD) or less

Regeneration: 1/Day, as an action, a Garrol Queen can regain half her HD.  

Brutal Strike: 1/Round, a Garrol Queen can reroll her damage and take the better result.  

Leadership Bonus: While fighting around her, all Garrols are immune to fear and charm effects.  They also make all morale checks at advantage.  

Commander: As a free action on her turn, a Garrol Queen can make a CHA check.  If she succeeds on a CHA check, a Garrol Queen can direct nearby Garrols to attack an enemy she specifically designates.  She can also use this ability to give other orders.

Birthing Sac: 1/Day, a Garrol Queen can, as an action on her turn, give birth to 2*X White Garrols, where X is her HD.   

Tactics:

- Depends on the abilities of the Garrol Queen (see below)

When a Garrol Nest grows too large or they wish to expand, a Jade and a select number of males will leave to found a new Nest.  When they arrive at the select location, a select male will mate with the Jade.  The Jade will then transform into a Queen.  She will grow in size and mass and will never stop, provided she receives a steady supply of food.  She will then begin to lay enormous quantities of eggs.  These eggs will be taken care of by the Jades, until they hatch into Whites.  From there, the Whites begin their training under the Blacks and Greens, until they are either deemed ready or advance to Yellow.

A Garrol Queen will continue producing thousands of eggs for many, many years allowing the population of a Nest to massively and rapidly expand.  This is why governments who have lands infested with Garrols will pay for Garrol heads, but especially for the heads of Jades.  Each Jade is a potential Queen which is a potential army appearing out of nowhere.  Queens will earn you any more, especially if they are large and still fecund.  

The problem the Garrol Queen faces is as she nears the end of her life, she will become less fertile and produce fewer eggs.  At first, this will barely be noticeable, but eventually it will be obvious to even the lowest White.  At this point, there are two potential outcomes.  The better outcome is that the Queen could acknowledge her age and select a Jade to take her place.  The Jade, after a quick dose of Royal Jelly, will then mate and begin growing into a Queen.  The two Queens can co-exist for some time, depending on how long the first Queen has to live, but if the first Queen does not expire quickly it will usually come to blows as the younger Queen forcibly retires the other, having her killed or expelled from the Nest.

If the Queen is not so wise or generous to her children, she will cling to power, even as she fades.  And if she does not simply die naturally, an unlikely outcome, the Jades will rise up and slaughter the Queen.  This can be a surgical strike or a disorganized melee as loyalists and advocates for change rip each other apart in the Nest, but as long as the Queen dies, the outcome is the same.  

As soon as the Queen dies, her pheromones suppressing the reproductive system of every Jade will suddenly stop working.  At that point, the Jades will go to war within the Nest to see which of them is to be the new Queen.  If the Nest is lucky, this matter will be quickly resolved as one Jade proves herself superior and after dominating the others, will quickly mate and become the new Queen, restoring harmony to the Nest.  If the Nest is unlucky, the Jades will destroy each other in an orgy of violence and leave a colossal mess behind.  For this reason, a common method of reducing Garrol numbers is to assassinate the Queen, as if you are lucky, the Garrols will cripple their own Nest for you.  

                           by Nerkin

To generate your own Garrol Queen, roll on the tables below:

How old is she?

1d4

1- Young, she recently advanced from Jade.  The Queen has 1d6+2 HD and AR 2.  She makes two attacks that do 1d8+4 damage.  She is about the size of a pair of oxen, stitched together.  She has no additional powers.    

2- Prime, she has been Queen for several years, but less than a decade.  The Queen has 1d8+2 HD and AR 4.  She makes two attacks that do 1d10+3 damage.  She is about the size of a cottage.  She has 1 additional power.       

3- Mature, she has been Queen for more years than her children can remember.  The Queen has 1d10+2 HD and AR 5.  She makes two attacks that do 1d12+2 damage.  She is about the size of a large house.  She has 1d3+1 additional powers.      

4- Aging, she is getting old and is not producing as many eggs as she has.  This makes her and her children nervous.  The Queen has 1d6+3 HD and AR 3.  She makes three attacks that do 1d8+3 damage.  She is about the size of a carriage and a cart horse put together.  She has 2 additional powers.        

How active is she in the internal politics of the Nest?

1d4

1- Not at all.  The Queen has no idea what is going on outside the Nest or among her children, nor does she particularly care.  As long as she can entertain her particular interest (see below), she doesn't care.

2- Barely.  The Queen makes a token effort to manage her children, but she mostly finds them boring and annoying.  She neglects them as much as possible.    

3- Very.  The Queen is very interested in the activities of her children, especially of her Jades and Bosses.  They heed her and feed her information, giving her a very good view of the overall tactical situation.  She considers herself the supreme leader of the Nest and her children.  Whether or not this is a good thing depends entirely on how good of a leader she is.  

4- Puppeteer.  The Queen has the entire Nest dancing in the palm of her hand.  Every major decision has her blessing and every change her seal of approval.  She is a Queen not only in name, but also in rank.  

How good of a leader is she?

1d4

1- Poor.  She has little idea of how to lead or what good tactical or military decisions would be, but insists on being involved anyway, often to the detriment of the Nest.    

2- Adequate.  She is a decent leader, but no true strategist.  She does know the basics of strategy and tactics and directs her children away from truly stupid decisions.    

3- Good.  She is a wise leader, capable of orchestrating grand strategy and selecting good leaders.  All of her Bosses are adequate and her Jades are perfectly loyal, mostly out of fear of what will happen if she is displeased.    

4- Excellent.  She is a genius by the standards of Garrols and intelligent even by the standards of humans.  Enemy commanders will be gob-smacked as the Garrols utilize insightful tactics, fight in disciplined ranks and threaten them as they never did before.     

How is her current interest?

1d10

1- Alcohol.  She is a massive alcoholic and sends her children out to procure her large amounts of booze.  If more intelligent, she will demand they capture slaves and brewmasters to make alcohol for her.  Thanks to this, there is plenty of valuable alcohol in the cave to steal and/or loot.    

2- Fine foods.  She has developed a taste for fine foods.  She sends her children out to capture cooks and gather rare ingredients to feed her increasingly discerning palate.  The Nest is full of cooks, who can be hired/rescued, or rare food items that can be sold or eaten.    

3- Music.  She loves music and has her children kidnap bards and musicians to perform for her.  She also wants them to find a craftsman to craft her an instrument she can play with her huge hands.  The bards here would gladly pay you if you rescue them, plus they could spread your legend far and wide.  They could also provide other services, if they like you, such as getting you an invitation to the exclusive masquerade ball, or rumors about what's going on in the cities.    

4- Poetry.  She has found a new love for poetry and demands books of poetry and poets to recite them to her.  She makes them pretend to be in love with her and torments them when she is unsatisfied with their performances.  The poets have little money, but many are friends with the powerful, who would reward you for returning their pet patronees.    

5- Beautiful creatures.  She hoards beautiful things, from fine horses to beautiful people to rare magical beasts.  She treats them like dolls, pampering them but refusing to allow them freedom.  Anyone who harms her "dolls" will suffer terribly.  Some of these people are nobility, and you could easily earn a ransom or a reward by rescuing them.    

6- Theatre.  She had them kidnap an acting troupe and build a stage where she could watch them put on plays for her.  When she saw all the plays, she demanded playwrights to make new stories for her to watch.  The theatre troupe have no money, but they would be willing to let you travel with them for free and can write a few plays about you and your deeds.  

7- Art.  She has developed a collection of fine art.  She also wants her children to kidnap artists, so she can commission new works more suitable to her.  Maybe some art that shows her kind winning for once?  Many of the pieces here are very valuable and there may even be a couple that have magical effects.  

8- Literature.  She is very interested in story-telling and has developed a collection of books.  She had them kidnap scholars to read to her and teach her Jades to read.  She has also decided to write her own story, a parade of insane nonsense and senseless cruelty and will force anyone she has captive to listen to it read aloud.  She also needs new scribes, as these current ones cannot write fast enough.  There are more than a few valuable tomes here and more than a few of the scribes have taken copious notes on the internal structure of the Nest.  Such information would be invaluable to destroying it.    

9- Philosophy.  The Queen does not understand philosophy, but she finds debate fascinating.  She has her children kidnap scholars and force them to debate ideas of interest to her.  Those who please her or win the debate as allowed to participate in more debates, while the losers are tortured to death.  The scholars themselves are largely the patronees of the powerful, tutors of their children or they work for prestigious institutions.  A rescue would earn many favors, and likely a financial reward, for such individuals who do so.      

10- Religion.  The Queen zealously worships the Gods of her race.  She believes she receives visions from them and is working on carrying out the 'Will of the Gods'.  She may be completely crazy, but that would be the better outcome, as the Gods of the Garrol are wickedness incarnate.  Anything they wish for her to do cannot be good.  The Nest is full of altars, slaves and magical items created by consecrating them to the hideous Gods of the Garrol race.  Such items are likely to be horribly cursed however, even if they could be quite powerful.       

How does she fight?

1d3

1- She detaches her birthing sac and charges in like a bloodlust fueled locomotive.  She'll rip you apart with her bare hands.  

2- She has a massive weapon.  She wields 1d4 [1= A stalagmite torn from a cave like a club; 2= A fallen tree sharpened into a giant stake like a spear; 3= A human greatsword like a dagger; 4= A proper weapon stolen from the Giants.]

3- She sticks to ranged combat, throwing boulders at any enemies unwise enough to approach her.       

Does she have any additional powers?

1d8

1- She has magical talent, able to cast spells like a Blue.  

2- She has incredible senses, making it almost impossible to sneak up on her. 

3- Her pheromones are so powerful that even non-Garrols are affected by them.  When you get close to the Queen, you must save.  On a failed save, you take 1d6 COG damage per round.  If this reduces your COG to 0 you become Charmed to the Garrol Queen.

4- She has a Fear Aura as per a Garrol Boss.  

5- When using her 'Commander' ability, she automatically succeeds, as her children cannot disobey her.  

6- She can produce a younger clone of herself.  This clone has 1/2 her HD, obeys her without question and does not have the ability 'Birthing Sac'.  She can only produce a younger clone 1/Month.

7- Her regeneration is so powerful that she regains 1 HD per round unless at full HP.

8- 1/Day, she can produce a layer of thick armor over her body.  This armor has 2 HD and functions as an independent health pool.  Any damage done to it does not carry over to the Queen.  When the armor is reduced to 0 HP, it breaks off and falls away.       

by FransMensinkArtist