Category Archives: BoL Bestiary

BoL Bestiary: Jaguar (Ocelotl)

Jaguars, called Ocelotl by the natives of Tlactoztlan, are large predatory cats that are nearly as powerful as lions and tigers. Their spotted coats make them difficult to see in their jungle habitat, a trait which plays well to their solitary nature and stalk-and-ambush hunting style. Their powerful jaws allow them to deliver a bite capable of piercing the sturdiest armor or even a human skull. These cats are highly proficient at climbing and are strong swimmers with little to no disinclination towards water. There are rumors of larger & more dangerous Ocelotl living deep within the jungle, though these tales are generally believed to be exaggerations, since anyone who encountered a “giant” jaguar would likely not have survived to report the encounter.

Attributes
Strength 2
Agility 3
Mind 0

Combat Abilities
Attack with Bite +2; d6+2 damage
Attack with 2 claws +2; d6-1 damage each
Attack with all three attacks at +1
Defense: 3
Protection: d2-1 (tough hide)
Lifeblood: 13

BoL Bestiary: Quetzalcoatl

Somewhere in the world lies the lost valley of Tlactoztlan. The strange natives of this hidden place practice human sacrifice, pray to bizarre gods, adorn themselves with brightly-colored feathers, and – it is rumored – live in cities made of gold. Only the bravest and luckiest adventurers find their way to Tlactoztlan!

Quetzalcoatl, as they are called by the natives of Tlactoztlan, are 15′ long feathered snakes that fly by means of their brightly-colored wings. Revered by the Tlactozotl people, it is rumored that there are larger, more powerful Quetzalcoatl able to cast magical spells living deep within the jungles of the lost valley. The strongest Tlactozotl will, as part of their initiation into adulthood, seek out a Quetzalcoatl and challenge it to a duel. Victory yields a Quetzalcoatl feather that will be the centerpiece of the Tlactozotl’s head covering. Defeat results in nothing less than death.

Attributes
Strength 3
Agility 4
Mind 3

Combat Abilities
Attack with Bite +3; d6+3
Defense: 4
Protection: 1d6 (scales, feathers, and magical nature)
Lifeblood: 20

BoL Bestiary: Kappa

Ronin versus Kappa, from Bushido

I love old RPG black & white line art. A lot. And this one is so evocative of the Fantasy Nippon that is the central setting for the FGU classic Bushido. I’ve never actually played it, sadly. But damn if the art doesn’t make me want to.

Of course, Bushido’s system is, like much from FGU, a bit thick, so I don’t think I’d be likely to use it to scratch my samurai itch. In fact, I’ve been tinkering (well, I was tinkering, I’ve mostly stopped now) with a Barbarians of Lemuria-powered semi-Bushido. BoL seems like a good system for some chanbara action (really, of course, it’s a great system for any action), after all.

So, sticking with the finding inspiration thing I’m rocking right now, here’s a quick writeup for the Kappa as a BoL critter.

Kappa

Kappa are malign water spirits who resemble ugly little men covered in scales, often (though not always) with turtle-like shells covering their backs. They have a small, bowl-shaped depression on their heads that holds a small amount of water from their home lake, pond or river. If the Kappa can be tricked into spilling this water it will flee immediately to return to its lair. A waterless Kappa’s attributes are reduced to -1 and it will die within 3 days if it cannot return to its home to refill its head basin.

Kappas are masters of Koppo, a bone-breaking technique. If they score a Mighty Success when brawling they may elect to afflict their target with a broken bone. Damage done as a result of this injury may not be “shaken off” (BoL LE p. 39) nor may it be included in the 1/2 LB recovery after a combat (BoL LE p. 10). However, the damage done by a Koppo attack does not receive the normal +1d6 associate with a Mighty Success, though it is still set at the maximum damage for the attack (i.e., the attack does 5 points rather than 5 +1d6).

Kappa are minor magicians, but any spells they cast must relate in a significant way to water. As spirit beings they are also able to draw upon their connection to the water to use Fate Points to grant water-themed boons or flaws.

All Kappa love cucumbers and an offering of such will go a long way towards easing any encounter with them.

Essences
Lifeblood: 15
Arcane Power: 11
Villain Points: 5

Attributes
Strength 3
Agility 1 (5 in water)
Mind 0
Appeal -1

Combat Abilities
Brawl 3
Melee 0
Ranged 0
Defense 1

Careers
Magician 1
Druid 2
Hunter 1

Boons
Hard-to-Kill
Strength Feat

Flaws
Unsettling

Protection
1d3 (scaly skin) or 1d6 (shell), depending on where the attack strikes the Kappa

Attacks
Fists, 1d2+3

BoL Bestiary: Stone Goblins

This is the definitive image of a goblin to me. It’s too bad that outside of this depiction, by Trampier in the AD&D Monster Manual, goblins really never looked like this in any other art.

I really like the fact that this guy looks more like a classical gargoyle in the face than he does some green, pointy-nosed thing. Heck, I can almost imagine him carved out of stone rather than being flesh.

So, in the spirit of running with inspiration wherever it crops up, here’s a quick Barbarians of Lemuria monster writeup based on this crazy idea…

Stone Goblins

Stone Goblins are small (3’ to 4’ tall) ugly humanoids made of living stone. They are frequently found infesting quarries and mines, where it is rumored that the earth itself spawns them in order to drive away those who do not say the appropriate blessings or pay proper respect as they hew into the rock in the name their own profit.

Attributes
Strength 2
Agility 1
Mind 0

Combat Abilities
Attack with stone mace +2; damage 1d6
Defense: 1
Protection: d6 (stony skin + shields)
Lifeblood: 8

BoL Bestiary: Chain Demon

A Chain Demon is a 30’+ length of heavy chain that has been inhabited by a malevolent life force from another plane of existence. The chain is animate, and able to form itself into many different shapes, including various humanoid configurations. Chain Demons attack either by striking with a massive chain “fist” at close range or by lashing out with a smaller (and harder to avoid) chain “whip” to a distance of 30′.

Though their very nature as lengths of chain makes Chain Demons hard to dispatch physically, there may be other ways of dealing with Chain Demons. For example, it is rumored that an immobilized Chain Demon can be exorcized of its malevolent spirit by certain kinds of priests.

Attributes
Strength 5
Agility 1
Mind -1

Combat Abilities
Attack with 1 chain “fist” +2; damage 2d6
Attack with chain “whip” +4; damage 1d6+1
Defense: 3
Protection: 1d6+2 (steely skin)
Lifeblood: 20

BoL Bestiary: U’uurab

Wherein your humble scribe, working on a request and from a certain source for inspiration, presents a new challenge for your BoL characters: the dreaded U’uurab.

These goat-headed humanoids seethe with hatred for civilization and order. They often worship disease spirits and seek to sow chaos and hatred in the world. U’uurab are found in nearly every environment and are the bane of humans wherever they are found.

Immune to all diseases themselves, U’uurab commonly used infected weapons in combat and have been known to infect treasure with various diseases in the hopes of it being found and the disease thereby spread among humanity.

Essences
Lifeblood: 13
Arcane Power: 10
Villain Points: 1

Attributes
Strength 3
Agility 1
Mind 1
Appeal -1

Combat Abilities
Brawl 2
Melee 2
Ranged -1
Defense 1

Careers
Barbarian 2
Tracker 2
Magician 0
Druid 0

Boons
Disease Immunity
Poison Immunity
Thick Skin

Protection
1d6 (tough hide plus light armor & shield)

Attacks
Spear, 1d6+3
Club, 1d6+2
Headbutt, 1d3+3

BoL Bestiary: Bone Apes

Bone Apes are chimpanzee-sized hominids that appear to be covered in thick bone-colored fur. These creatures make their homes in abandoned graveyards, lost cities, and anyplace else where human remains are likely to be found.

Bone Apes attack by swinging thighbones as clubs or by hurling skulls at their opponents (to a range of 20′). They often carry several such missiles in small bags that they weave from shredded clothing and other readily available fibers.

Bone Apes have powerful jaws that they use to grind bone into a fine meal which they combine with their spittle, smear upon their fur, and allow to harden into a rudimentary form of armor. If pressed, Bone Apes will bite, but they prefer to reserve their teeth for the grisly task that gives them their coloration and their name.

Attributes
Strength 2
Agility 3
Mind -1

Combat Abilities
Attack with thighbone club +2; damage 1d6
Attack with thrown skulls +1; damage 1d2
Attack with bite +0; damage 1d6
Defense: 3
Protection: 1d2 (bonemeal armor)
Lifeblood: 11

BoL Bestiary: Vaarloi Death Worms

Vaarloi Death Worms are 5′ long with smooth blood-red skin covering their thick bodies. Though they are often found in deserts, these creatures avoid the heat of the day and are only active at dawn and dusk, unless skies are overcast.

Vaarloi Death Worms attack by discharging static electricity from their bodies. They begin combat by “spitting” their full charge (to a range of 30′) at foes as they are approached. After this large discharge, the worms are left with only small electrical “bites” until they have had a significant amount of time to recharge (typically longer than any given encounter).

Vaarloi Death Worms occasionally bleed off excess electrical charge with a crackling burst that creates a small cloud of ozone in their vicinity, which smells like an approaching rain storm. This aroma may be the source of the ancient warning against traveling through the desert when rain is likely.

Attributes
Strength 1
Agility 2
Mind -3

Combat Abilities
Attack with electrical “bite” +2; damage 1d3
Attack with electrical “spit” +0; damage 2d6 (once per encounter)
Defense: 2
Protection: 1d2-1/1d6-1 vs blunt weapons (rubbery skin & body)
Lifeblood: 5

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