OSR: Chaos Beasts

The Dragons are prime among the Servants of Chaos, second only to its Gods, Red and Multifarious.  But Dragons are hard to come by, and Chaos Gods harder still.  This is regretful, as the Servants of Chaos are often out-gunned.  A bunch of ideological fanatics farmed from the student-intellectuals and miscreant children of the ruling class is an excellent choice for a revolution by means of political machinations, but if it comes down to a fight, they'll hardly be a match for trained soldiers and hired killers.  So what's a Red Ruler to do?  Well, there's a simple answer.  If you cannot the necessary muscle, make your own.

by Cloister

Rise my glorious creation, Rise!

Number Appearing: 1
Alignment: Any Chaotic
Languages: If it is as smart as a mortal, the tongue spoken by the cult that created it.  If not, none.
Treasure: Every part of it's body is charged with mana and could be turned into alchemical ingredients.  It is also likely guarding whatever valuables the cult has, up to and including their treasury.

Sometimes called Paper Dragons or Nonsense-Beasts, Chaos Beasts are dangerous beasts created for Chaos Cults through a variety of means.  They are walking walls of meat and bone, living siege weapons.  Many a cornered Red Ruler has deployed one of these beasts to cover his escape, or to crush the defenses raised by his lawful enemies.

Chaos Beast
SHP 1d6+3
AR none
Atk Bite (1d10+1d8/1d10+1d8)
Mor 16
Saves (7+SHP) or less

Damage Threshold: The Chaos Beast has a Damage Threshold of X, where X is the number of SHP it has.  If any source of damage would deal less damage than it's damage Threshold, ignore it, as if it did no damage.  If a source would cause the Chaos Drake to take damage, it loses 1 SHP.  If it loses all of them, it dies, as per normal.

Siege Monster: Chaos Beasts do double damage to structures.

Trample: Chaos Beasts can make 1 charge attack as an action.  This causes the Chaos Beast to add +1d10 to its attack roll.  Creatures targeted by a charge can attempt a defense roll, or they can attempt a DEX save.  On a successful save, they take no damage.  On a failure, they take full damage. 

Great Jaws: If a Chaos Beast chooses to bite someone, that creature is automatically grappled on a hit.  The Chaos Beast can then choose to swallow that creature on it's next turn as a free action.  That creature may attempt to beat the Chaos Beast's STR roll with a STR check of it's own, or attempt a DEX check.  If the creature wins, it escapes and is not swallowed.  If the Chaos Beast wins, the creature is swallowed.  Swallowed creatures are blinded and grappled and cannot do anything that requires large movements or precise movements.  They also take 1d6 acid damage a round.  If the Chaos Beast takes 10 or more damage as the result of an attack, the Wurm must save.  On a failed save, the Chaos Beast spits up the creature it swallowed.  Chaos Beasts can also choose to spit up creatures as a free action on their turns.

Breath Weapon: All Chaos Beasts have Breath Weapons that do 3d6 damage (if they do damage or if not stated otherwise), permit saving throws (unless stated otherwise) and are only usable every 1d4 turns.  They strike a 50' cone, and have a 30' range.

Tactics:
- Make a trample attack against groups of enemies
- Bite and swallow the strongest survivor
- Eat the rest in orders of annoyance

by Duong ct

To customize a Chaos Beast, roll on the tables below:

Where did this Chaos Beast come from?

1d4
1- Breeding Program.  The Chaos Beast was bred from another one, using a sufficiently large animal, such as a tortured elephant, enlarged normal animal or willing surrogate.  There is another, similar Chaos Beast somewhere in this world, and it will not be happy if it finds out you killed it's child. 
2- Artifice.  The Chaos Beast was created of stone, metal or clay, inscribed with sacred words and mystical runes and given life through divine intervention, sorcery or demonic possession.  This Chaos Beast automatically gets a +1 to the roll made to determine it's intelligence.
3- Mutation.  Throw enough animals into a portal to the Primordial Chaos and eventually, something useful will come out.  This Chaos Beast is unstable, and if reduced to half HP, it has a 50% of suddenly developing a new Boon of Chaos. 
4- Divine Parentage.  This Chaos Beast is a demigod, scion of a Chaos God.  The God has marked his/her progeny, and should it be killed, the killers will be cursed. 

What is the Chaos Beast's body like?

1d6
1- A huge lizard.  The Chaos Beast resembles a great lizard.  If it does not move, it gets advantage on any rolls made to hide.
2- Big Cat.  The Chaos Beast resembles a tiger, lion or jaguar in body-plan.  It gets +2 to any roll made to stalk prey.
3- Armored.  Like the Armadillo, the Chaos Beast is covered in thick natural plate.  Increase the Beast's Damage Threshold by 1.
4- Bulky Herbivore.  The Chaos Beast has a thick hide like a hippo or rhinocerous.  The Chaos Beast has a horn or enormous fangs that it can use to make an additional 1d8 attack.  This attack dents armor, reducing it by 1d3 points of AR and shattering shields on impact.
5- A giant insect.  The Chaos Beast's body resembles an enormous ant or termite.  It has antennae that sense minute changes in the air, giving it advantage on any saves to avoid being snuck up on. 
6- Aquatically inclined.  The Chaos Beast's body resembles that of a great fish, shark or dolphin.  It has gills and can breathe water as well as air, and is fast and agile in the water.  On land, it is much more clumsy. 

What is the Chaos Beast's head like?

1d6
1- A humanoid's upper body, including arms and a head, emerges from the neck stump.  The Chaos Beast can cast 1d4 spells, has MD equal to its SHP and does not trigger Chaos or Corruption on a roll of doubles or triples, though its MD do burn out as per usual. 
2- A large, bulbous nodes with huge eyes and no mouth (resembles an octopus).  The Chaos Beast's mouth is an armor-piercing beak that is tucked behind a flap of skin on its navel.
3- An insect's, with glittering compound eyes.  The Chaos Beast can see 360 degrees around it, but makes all saves vs blindness with disadvantage.
4- A dog's, with slavering jaws and floppy ears.  The Chaos Beast has an incredible sense of smell, and gets +4 to rolls made to find creature by scent.
5- That of an enormous bird of prey, with razor beak and even sharper eyes.  The Chaos Beast has advantage on all rolls based on visual perception.
6- That of a giant ape, with 1d4 [1= Horns- creatures hit by a charge attack must save or be impaled (take 1d6 damage a round and are grappled); 2= A beard of tentacles- (can grapple 1d4 creatures at a time); 3= 1d6 extra eyes- Can spot invisible creatures by the slight alterations in the images sent to their brain; 4= Pharyngeal jaw- can make bite attacks from up to 15' away.]

Is there anything else unusual about it's appearance?

1d20
1- It has an additional pair of arms that reach out of the Chaos Beast's mouth.
2- Parts of it's body levitate around it, but are still alive and connected to the original body.
3- It is corpulent, with a bloated stomach and limbs that seem too small for it's body.
4- It is draped in an artificial coat or barding.  You never truly get a good glimpse at what it looks like underneath.
5- It constantly oozes a thick, jelly-like slime and leaves footprints and trails of the same wherever it goes.
6- It's flesh bubbles and roils like a pot of water being brought to a boil, but still remains solid.
7- It is covered in bony spikes, spurs and blades that cover large swathes of it's body.
8- It moves in jerky motions, as if it's internal structure is warped or malformed.
9- It's mouth extends down it's torso or up it's entire head when fully opened.
10- It has small tentacles that resemble cilia emerging from it's joints.
11- It is covered in a hard exoskeleton, like that of a crab.  This exoskeleton is constantly cracking and bits are falling off, revealing raw fish that is swiftly covered by fresh shell.
12- It has holes in it's body so that when wind blows through them, it produces a musical sound.
13- It is hollow on the inside, with nothing below it's skin but empty air and some organs, which sit in the midst of large, empty cavities.
14- It has a massive swarm of beetles for blood- if injured they start pouring out and fill the air around it.
15- It has several extra mouths located across it's body.  If it is above animal intelligence, these mouths mutter and whisper fragments of the creature's mental monologue or subconscious feelings.
16- It resembles a small animal, twisted and stretched into a much larger, more grotesque form.
17- It stinks of some distinctive odor, such as alcohol, lemons, women's perfume, etc.
18- It is covered in tattoos that occasionally glow or subtly move.
19- It has wings, though it cannot fly.
20- It has many small, humanoid-looking heads emerge from it's shoulders, back and neck. 

How intelligent is the Chaos Beast?

1d4
1- Bestial.  The Chaos Beast is just an animal, no smarter than a particularly stupid pig or intelligent dog.
2- Stupid.  The Chaos Beast can speak, but is only about as smart as a slow-witted fellow.
3- Smart for its size.  The Chaos Beast is surprisingly intelligent, as clever as an intelligent person.
4- Genius.  The Chaos Beast is a genius, with an IQ much higher than the majority of people.

The Chaos Beast, if more intelligent than a beast, has a X-in-6 chance of being stark, raving mad, where X is the result rolled on the above table.

What does the Chaos Beast want?

1d4
1- Base things, such as food, shelter, safety, a mate, etc.
2- Personal Glory.  The Chaos Beast seeks to aggrandize itself, even at the expense of the cause.
3- Ideological Ends.  The Chaos Beast is dedicated to serving the cause.
4- A personal goal.  The Chaos Beast wants something precious to it, perhaps freedom, or to live a quiet life, or to kill a specific person.

What is this Chaos Beast's Breath Weapon?

1d20
1- Bees.  A cloud of bees exits the Chaos Beast's mouth.  The cloud of bees is a swarm monster and has 6 HD.  It flies around stinging people until it either does 6d6 poison damage or dies.
2- Alcohol.  A wave of liquor slams into creatures in the cone.  This liquor is extremely flammable.  Also, any creature with open wounds or that fails to cover it's mouth becomes swiftly intoxicated.  Any creature that ingests or absorbs a large amount of alcohol might have to save vs (alcohol) poison. 
3- Clouds of Grit.  Does slashing damage.  Also, save vs blindness if you're not wearing a helmet or don't take an action to cover your eyes.
4- Arctic Wind.  Does Ice damage.  Reduce the damage taken if the people fighting are wearing thick winter clothing or some other gear that could protect them from cold weather.  Otherwise, they take full damage. 
5- Acid.  Does Acid Damage.  Damages armor and other objects that aren't made of stone, glass or can otherwise resist acid.
6- Toxic Sludge.  Does poison damage.  Absorbed through the lungs, eyes, and skin.  If you are wearing a gas mask, respirator or some kind of hazard suit, you can avoid all damage.  Otherwise, save to take half damage.   
7- Force.  A wave of invisible force crashes into all creatures within range, doing damage and throwing all creatures back 5*[damage dealt]'. 
8- Mushroom Dust.  This stuff is highly radioactive.  It does radiation/energy damage.  Armor made of lead, water, stone or enchanted to keep out other "energies" can reduce damage as per "3".  Otherwise, save to take half damage.  Also, save vs cancer, though it won't manifest for 1d4 months.
9- Ultra-Violet Radiation.  Invisible.  The only sign that the Chaos Beast is even using it is the corona of light that appears around the Chaos Beast's mouth when it uses it.
10- Swords.  Does slashing damage.  Save as per shield, but it destroys any shield that is used against it.  Also, each time this is used, the Chaos Beast leaves 3d6+20 swords just lying around.
11- Giant spheres of stone or iron.  Instead of hitting a cone, this sphere hits one person and anyone immediately adjacent to them.
12- Snakes.  Does no damage, but spawns 1d100*1d10 snakes.  Walking through these snakes does 1d6 (exploding) poison damage as dozens of the snakes bite you as you step on them or pass them by (unless you're wearing plate or something impossible to bite through).  Most of these snakes flee within 1 round, but 1d6+1 of them will stick around.  These will be brightly colored vipers that bite for 3d6 and are permanently under the control of the Chaos Beast, and will follow its orders.
13- Crocodiles.  Does no damage, but spawns 1d10 (exploding) Crocodiles.  These Crocodiles are permanently under the control of the Dragon, and follow its orders faithfully, to the death.
14- Desert Wind.  Sucks the water from you.  Does 1d6 CON damage per exposure.  If the amount of CON damage taken ever equals or exceeds your CON score, you die. 
15- Entropy.  Creatures exposed to this must save.  On a failed save, it ages them d20 years.  On a successful save, it instead destroys a random non-magical item from their inventory.
16- Green Rays.  A cone of green light that burns and makes your muscles slither and bulge.  Instead does 1d8 EGO damage, save for half, minimum of 1.  If the amount of EGO damage you've taken ever equals or exceeds your EGO score, you transform into a giant, green monster made of rage and tumors and start rampaging around, attacking anyone in sight.
17- Wounds.  Does slashing damage as wounds from invisible weapons open all over your body.  This damage can only be reduced by wearing warded or enchanted armor.
18- Insanity.  When exposed to this Breath Weapon, you take 1d6 WIS damage, no save.  If the amount of WIS damage you've taken ever equals or exceeds your WIS score, you gain an insanity of the Referee's choice.
19- Shadows.  A wave of largely immaterial black sludge splatters across the area affected.  Shadowy soldiers then start to emerge from the sludge and start attacking the creatures within it.  These shadow soldiers grapple creatures and try to force them down into the darkness.  Each round a Shadow Soldier forces a creature into a STR contest and that creature loses, it takes 1d6 DEX damage.  If the Shadow Soldiers reduce a creature's DEX to 0, the creature is shoved under and lost to the Darkness between the Stars.  The shadowy sludge and all the shadow soldiers count as one creature, which remains until it is destroyed.  It has 6 HD and takes double damage from radiant and natural sunlight (as Undead).  It has immunity to all damage from non-magical sources, as well as ice, poison and necrotic damage. 
20- Doom.  Does no damage.  Instead, when exposed, you take 1d6 STR damage, no save.  If the amount of STR damage you've taken ever equals or exceeds your STR score, you die.

What other Boons did the Dragon-Goddess bestow upon this creature?

1d10
1- A cursed bite.  Creatures bitten by the Chaos Beast have the part of their bodies touched by the Chaos Beast changed to that of another race.  Creatures that experience such a chance must succeed a CON save or reject the altered part of their body.  Creatures who fail this save start dying.  Unless the altered part of their body is cut off or out, the creature dies in 1d6 minutes (the Referee should roll this secretly).  The part of the body the Chaos Beast bit was 1d4 [1= Right Arm; 2= Left Arm; 3= Leg Leg; 4= Left Leg.]
2- Magnetic Fur.  The Chaos Beast can make itself magnetic at will, turning the magnetic field on or off as an action.  When it is on, all attacks with metal weapons against the Chaos Beast have advantage, but any metal weapon that touches the Chaos Beast becomes stuck to it, and you must succeed on a STR save to remove it.  Creatures with metal armor also can get stuck to a Chaos Beast as well, and can only pull themselves off of it in the same way. 
3- Gravity Ray.  The Chaos Beast can replace one attack with this ray.  By firing a laser from its eye, the Chaos Beast can change the direction gravity pulls a creature.  Instead of pulling them down toward the Earth's core, gravity now pulls that creature 1d6 [1= Up into the sky; 2= To the left; 3= To the right; 4= Forward (as determined by the direction the creature is facing; 5= Backwards (as determined by the direction the creature is facing; 6= Down- but the effect of gravity on the creature is doubled, giving -2 to all rolls and forcing the creature to save or be pushed down into the prone position.]  The Chaos Beast can only affect one creature with its gravity ray at any given time, and can cancel the effect at any time as a free action.  
4- Hallucinogenic Breath.  The Chaos Beast can, 1/Day as an action, exhale a cloud of pollen that when inhaled, causes hallucinations.  The cloud of pollen fills 30' cubed and automatically inflicts hallucinations for 1d4 hours.  Creatures wearing air-filtration devices such as a gas mask or equivalent get a save to resist. 
5- Alchemical Bite.  The Chaos Beast can, instead of doing damage on a bite attack, transform one kind of substance into another.  The Chaos Beast can transform 1d4 [1= Metal; 2= Wood; 3= Flesh; 4= Leather] it transforms it into 1d4 [1= Spun sugar; 2= Fresh vegetables; 3= Stone; 4= Raw meat.]
6- Electric Armor.  The Chaos Beast can exude a cage of lightning around its body, extending within 10'.  All creatures within that range take 1d6+X lightning damage, where X is the number of metal items they are wearing or carrying.  Creatures that are covered in some kind of insulating substance (slime, rubber, water) take no damage.  The Chaos Beast can turn this armor off or on as a free action. 
7- Sticky Saliva.  The Chaos Beast can spray a 15' cone of saliva from its mouth.  This cone has a 30' range.  Any creature hit by this must save.  On a failed save, those creatures are coated in saliva which quickly hardens, restraining and immobilizing those creatures.  Only with a successful STR save can those creatures break out of the saliva and escape.  The Chaos Beast and other creatures have advantage on any attacks against restrained or immobile creatures.  Creatures with 4 or more AR, or creatures with inventories more than 50% full have disadvantage on this save.
8- Delicious Juices.  The Chaos Beast's saliva and bodily fluids are irresistible.  Creatures, when they first smell them, must save.  Those who fail their saves will walk willingly into the Chaos Beast's mouth and start slurping up its saliva, or drinking blood from any of its open wounds. 
9- Damage Transfer.  The Chaos Beast can project its mana out to cover one creature within 30' of it.  That creature, if it would take damage, has that damage instead transferred to the Chaos Beast.  That damage still has to equal or exceed the Chaos Beast's Damage Threshold to actually harm it.  The creature being protected by the Chaos Beast instead takes no damage, for as long as it is being protected.  The Chaos Beast can drop this aura as a free action. 
10- Mutagenic Rebirth.  As an action, the Chaos Beast can choose to heal one creature for up to X HD, where X is the number of SHP the Chaos Beast has.  That creature also gains a number of mutations, equal to the amount of HD the Chaos Beast restored.  Once the Chaos Beast does this, it must wait 1d4 turns to use it again.

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