Monthly Monster - Shadow Magic Demon

Over the holidays, we got to spend some really fun family time together. One of the things we did that was the highlight was playing a game of The Hero’s Tale, as a full family. By that, I mean, my good wife Jodi joined in! We made her a quick character, a lady swordswinger and my youngest son made a one-off adventure for us to do. Some evil witches (shadow mages) were kidnapping children from the city. We ventured into the forest, and found an old manor house where they were hiding. 

My wife’s character surprised us all by winning over the giant guard dog in front of the manor! “Who’s a good boy? Who’s a good boy?”  

When we finally met the witches in the fight, they sent some of these nasties at us. For a bit, it looked like we weren’t going to make it, but we used nature magic to power up our blades and went in swinging (and barking). Our mage froze a couple of the witches up in ice crystals, delaying their efforts in the fight, so, in the end, we not only took out the demons, but the witches as well.

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Name:  Shadow Magic Demon

Description: The Shadow Magic Demon is summoned from out of darkness by a wizard using shadow powers for the duration of the scene, then dissipate. It is partly sentient, in that it can move and attack on its own, but it will serve the command of its summoner. It can appear in two forms, it’s moving form and it’s attacking form. In it’s moving form, it appears as a swirling wind of darkness and shadow. In this form, it will move across the ground very quickly, moreso than a normal humanoid. When it attacks it transforms into a vaguely human form of shifting shadow and darkness, with the shape of a head, body, arms, and legs. It has an unworldly scream as it attacks, slashing with its clawing hands.

Good, Bad, etc. : Very bad. While it does serve the desire of its summoner, it also enjoys causing harm and pain. Only shadow mages bent on evil would consider summoning it.

Hearts: 2

Difficulty: Normal

Attributes: 
Str:   0    Dex:   +2    Frt:    -1   Awr:   0   Soc:   0   

Attacks\Combat Skills: Slash attack at +2 that do 1 heart of damage. Also, see special rules, below. 

Armor/Protections: Since it’s incorporeal, it requires magical attacks or empowered weapons to damage it.


Powers (including WP): While it doesn’t have powers and will points of its own, it can Move Through Shadow like the power action described on p 104 of the rules.

Other possible skills: 

Special Rules:  When it successfully attacks, if the defensive roll fails, the demon has attached itself. Successive attacks to this same defender get an additional +1. The defender also immediately loses 1 will point of any kind, and 1 additional will point at the end of every round that it’s attached. The defender can make a normal fortitude roll as an action to disattach the demon.

It will avoid bright lights, especially sunlight or light powers. Sudden flashes of light may startle it and force it to make a morale check or possibly disattach from defenders. Objects and weapons empowered with light power will attack the demon with an easier difficulty level, and the demon will make defensive rolls with a higher difficulty level.

Possibility of treasure: Since it’s a creature that’s summoned for the duration of the scene, it will bring no treasure with it. However, defeating the wizard that summoned it, who is probably nearby, might yield some loot.

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If you’re using these in some other system, just adapt the core abilities. For example, instead of draining will points, maybe they take away spell slots, or some other way of sucking the magical power out of your PCs. 

Happy Gaming!

Monthly Monster - Dimensional Cat

We're starting a new feature her in the Hero's Tale Blog - the Monthly Monster! Every so often, we'll publish the stats of a new creature to use to scare, vex, harass, attack, or otherwise annoy your players! These will, of course, be shown in details native to The Hero's Tale, but can easily be adapted to any other game system. If you think of a monster you want to share, post it in the comments, or email us at theherostaletht (at) gmail.com

Name:  Dimensional Cat
Description: The Dimensional cat appears as a typical, small, gray tabby house cat. As kittens, in fact, they are indistinguishable from their normal, non-magical counterparts. As they mature, however, their tails get a bit longer, and a bit furrier toward the tip, and a knot of bone grows at the top of the head. This is just a small bump and is often hidden by the animal’s fur. The bump becomes the locus of the cat’s dimensional powers.

They are very rare, and there are few who even know they exist. Those who know of them believe that a few normal housecats who were pets of a dimensional mage may have gotten infused with powers, and then bred among themselves. They are often found as pets of unaware humans/humanoids, or by dimensional wizards who know full well what they are.

They are also sometimes found in cities or forests as feral breeding groups of as many as a dozen individuals.

Good, Bad, etc. : Freewill. Most who know of them believe them to be evil. In fact, if a dimensional cat is content living with a particular person, they will likely not do much to change their comfortable status quo. However, some believe that they actively manipulate those they live with or near. Most dimensional cats will predominantly act in their own self-interest.

Intelligence: Slightly higher than animal level. Not quite rising to communicative sentience.
Hearts: 1
Difficulty: Challenging

Attributes:
Str:   -2    Dex:   +2    Frt:    +1   Awr:   +1   Soc:   0 

Attacks\Combat Skills: They can attack with their claws and bite, and these successful attacks will be quite vicious and painful, but they will only cause pain, not loss of hearts. If they fight, they will prefer to use dimensional powers.

Armor/Protections: None

Powers (including WP): Basic Dimensional powers between +1 and +4. Those with a +3 or +4 may well even specialize. If they attack, it will most likely be reality shaping rather than their physical claws. An individual will have anywhere from 3-5 DimDWP. Cats in feral groups or living as pairs in a home are able to draw on each other’s will.

Other possible skills: They move silently, and their size makes it easy for them to conceal themselves.

Special Rules:  If they are socialized to live with humanoids, they will not be afraid, but will sometimes like to be petted. They may be particularly drawn to mages or magic items, particularly with a dimensional power base. Some will be playful and easily distracted by shiny objects, which they will collect in their residence, but not hoard in a stash. Feral dimensional cats will often be fearful and will hide or portal away from people who stumble on them.

Possibility of treasure: The trinkets they gather may at some times be valuable, but the “treasure” they have will typically be whatever is in the home where they live. If a dimensional cat is the pet of a wealthy merchant, there will likely be gold in the home. Feral cats will not likely have significant treasure. They may have acquired an oculus in their stash.