Valance licked his lips as he saw they strange little creatures following marching behind Chalk.

“You brought enough for all of us?” the priest of the Spider God asked.

“What do you mean?” replied the wizard. “You certainly don’t mean to ask if we are eating our new henchmen.

Valance suddenly looked a bit sheepish.

“Well, where I come from..” he began.

“Maybe later. This is the best I could find to haul our gear over the mountains.”

Bearer-Beadle

No. Enc.: 1d4 (1d8)

Alignment: Neutral (some Chaotic tendencies)

Movement: 90′ (30′)

Armor Class: 8

Hit Dice: 3 hit points

Attacks: 1

Damage: 1d3 (probiscis jab, claw or tiny dagger)

Save: F1

Morale: 8

Hoard Class: Nil

X.P.: 5

One of the most pathetic lifeforms is the bearer-beadle; a two foot tall wretched thing, more pathetic than a goblin or kobold. These spindly bipeds have pot-bellies and odd shaped heads with a sharp, pointed nose that can be used to jab an opponent. In many places these creatures are not even considered sentient (although they are-usually no higher than 4 Int) and thus are given no rights or privileges. Bearer-beadles are seem to live to serve, carrying luggage, weapons, meals or anything else that their master-owners task them with. Sometimes royalty use these creatures as playing pieces in their wargames, suiting these poor things in rusty armor, giving them tiny weapons and setting them upon each other. Each bearer-beadle can carry up to 25 pounds.

“A what-a-who?” asked Koram.

“The sage said ‘malakatonga’, that is what is ruling over the kobolds down in that haunted dell,” replied the Scholar of Wexos with a nod towards the pensive oak trees.

“And how do we fight it?” the fighter inquired.

“Apparently very carefully,” answered the illusionist.

Malakatonga

No. Enc.: 1 (1d4+1)

Alignment: Chaotic

Movement: 120′ (40′)

Armor Class: 5

Hit Dice: 6+4

Attacks: 1

Damage: 1d6 (bite or claws) or magical dagger (see below)

Save: F7

Morale: 10

Hoard Class: IXx2

X.P.: 1800

It is unknown whether the malakatonga is a type of earthbound daemon or not, but these sinister creatures do tend to stick to the material plane and show up at the worst possible times. Tall and thin, these unnerving creatures have two sets of eyes and long down curving horns. As if a fang filled mouth and wicked claws weren’t enough, these creatures all carry a ritual dagger, carved of stone that has one of the following qualities:

1) All extra-planar creatures struck by the dagger must make a save versus spell-like devices at -1 or be compelled to return to their plane of origin.

2) All illusions within 10′ of this dagger will become wobbly and unstable, allowing the wielder of the dagger to easily see through them (+2 to see through any illusions).

3) Anyone struck by the ritual dagger must make a save versus spell-like devices or be affected as if by a Sleep spell, except that it affects up to a 6 HD creature.

4)A critical hit (natural 20) strike with this weapon will do triple (3d6) damage.

Malakatonga love to usurp the societies of evil creatures and take them over, using these underlings as their minions, scouts, spies and cannon fodder. These creatures work solo or in small packs, working together to cause mischief in the world.

“We need a diversion,” Valance told the others.

“Easily done,” said the Scholar of Wexos with a smile.

As the adventurers watched the illusionist seemed to pick one of the peasants out in the crowded market. Almost imperceptibly he cast a spell.

“Stop, thief!” shouted the Scholar of Wexos as he pointed at the recipient of his spell. The astonished peasant looked around him, all eyes were on the yokel. Then the man realized that as he moved trails of light followed him, he was marked. He ran, and the colors left a trail behind him as he weaved through the crowd. Jeers and threats could be heard as a mob formed to catch the thief.

“Okay, let’s get this burglary over with, that spell isn’t going to last forever,” replied the illusionist.

Valance nodded his head and grinned in approval at the Scholar of Wexos’ devious streak.

Trail of Light (Illusionist)

Level 1

Range: 5′ + 1′ per level of caster

Duration: One turn + one turn per level of illusionist.

Trail of Light is a simple illusionist spell that the caster can cast upon a subject to mark or tag that individual, making them stand out in a crowd and allowing for identification to be easier. Several lines of multicolored light follow the target of the spell, each about twenty feet long. If the subject if the spell stops to stand still these strange lines of color will swirl about him or her until the duration of the spell expires. Anyone trying to spot this particular person is +3 to do so. No saving throw is available.

“How do we get closer to the lair of the necromancer?” asked Vistis the Blue Mage.

“We don’t know if he will listen to us or not.”

Stork sat back in his chair in the ramshackle tavern and grinned, revealing his shark-like teeth. “What is one more walking corpse in the domain of a necromancer?” he replied.

“I don’t follow you,” said the illusionist.

“Then…follow me,” Stork suggested as he slid his chair away from the table.

The two villains slipped out of the tavern and down the winding and dark backstreets and alleys of the town of Low Docks. Stork crept up to a staggering beggar and withdrew a dagger, without hesitation he leaped upon the man and slew him. Almost before the body hit the ground he sat and began chanting and within moments his own body went slack as the corpse rose. The Stork-corpse outstretched his arms.

“I can shamble into the land of the necromancer like this, creeping among the other dead things,” Stork said proudly. “If you would please help me drag my own body back to our lair.”

Vistis sighed and grabbed Stork’s ankles as the walking dead thing grabbed under the armpits of his real body and they two slipped off into the darkness.

Cadaver Travel (Magic-user)

Level 4

Range: 10′ + 5′ per level of wizard

Duration: Special, see below. May be dispelled at any time.

The Cadaver Travel necromantic spell is used by wizards to move around for a variety of reasons. Maybe the land is dangerous, maybe the caster wants to travel inconspicuously (or as close as possible to inconspicuous) or perhaps the wizard has an ailment or injury that prevents normal travel. This spell can be cast upon any corpse (but not the undead) and causes the magic-user’s body to become dormant while the spirit inhabits the dead body. Normal decomposition still occurs and spellcasting is limited to 1^st and 2^nd level spells while the soul inhabits the corpse, however, the wizard or sorcerer, if they find (or make) another dead body can “jump” to that one and continue on their journey. Decomposition to immobility usually occurs in a week, two weeks in frozen climates and three days in tropical zones. The corpse has the normal movement speed and statistics of the caster and can wield simple weapons (clubs, cudgels and staffs) for 1d4 points of damage. If the 1HD+2 corpse is destroyed and another fresh body is not around to “jump” into the wizard is snapped back into his or her body and suffers 2d4 points of damage.

Valance returned to the inn where his companions were staying.

“You are covered in spider webs! What were you doing?” asked Knat, who quickly caught herself. “Nevermind, I don’t want to know.”

“Just a meeting of some local clerics,” replied Valance innocently.

“And not all followers of the Spider God?” inquired Chalk.

“No, there were all sorts of clergy there.”

“But you are covered in webs, were you showing off some new spiders or something?”

“No, there was this amazing pearl that one of the priest of the wild had. Wait, I think I have it right here,” said Valance as he dug through his robes. “Ah yes, here it is!”

The priest of the Spider God held aloft a shiny bluish pearl.

“You stole it?” Chalk asked.

“Yeah, I mean, wouldn’t you?”

“Pack up, everyone! Valance is trying to get us killed again!” urged the wizard.

Reputed to be from a string of pearls that fell from the neck of a goddess, the Pearl of Comfort is one of many types of magical pearls that have found their way to the Material Plane. Highly sought after, when activated it also reveals the recliner’s true nature.

Benefit: When a cleric sacrifices a spell for a day he or she may activate the Pearl of Comfort, which will create soft furniture that will relax and refresh the user. Four people + 1 per level of priest or priestess may be granted a soft and relaxing sofa or chair. Four hours of sleep upon such furniture is the equivalent of eight hours of rest and the user will wake up refreshed. The style and texture of the furniture is reflected by the outlook and belief system of the person using the sofa or chair; a follower of a storm god may rest upon a storm cloud while next to him a priestess of the moon will sit in a softly glowing chair in the shape of a crescent moon.

Usable by: Clerics.

Koram scratched at his neck again and again.

“What is it, a rash or something?” Chalk asked.

“I am not sure, but it came on all of a sudden,” the fighter replied in a squeaky, high-pitched voice.

“This can’t be good,” observed Valance.

“I have heard of this sort of thing before,” said Knat the druidess. “We need to go back to the inn and look around for a string with three knots and untie the knots.”

“Three knots?” Koram squeaked.

“Yes, three. You have yet to manifest the third curse, they always come in threes,” answered Knat.

Koram sat down on a nearby barrel and slumped forward.

This sinister magic item is the result of a triple curse being invoked by a spellcaster who contacts the Mocking Gods; Kovul, Snyre and Weja. These eerie deities will each tap the string held by the caster of spells and a trio of curses are brought down upon the unlucky recipient. Each of these taps will cause the string to tie one knot into its length.

Benefit: The creation of a String of Bad Luck means that the mocking Gods have all attached a minor curse to the string held by the spellcaster and with each curse a knot is tied tightly in the string. Next, the intended subject of these curses must be touched by the knotted string and it must be placed somewhere within 100′ of where this person will rest their head for one night. The next day the cursed person receives one saving throw versus magic at -2, failing that the curses are put into effect until the knots can be untied. If the string is destroyed (4 hp of damage will destroy this magically strengthened string) then the curses are in effect for one year and a day, but only if it is destroyed by someone other than the one who made this item. Sample minor curses include: disturbing rashes, mouth constantly open and slack, creeping sores, squeaky voice, strange walk, constantly tripping, etc.

Usable by: Spellcasting classes.

Chalk cast a spell at the mewling thing and the creature froze in its tracks as Koram leaped at it with his Crystal Sword. The arcane blade screeched as it touched the monsters hide. Knat threw a spell at the monster too, this one reduced it in size as Valance sent several spiders scuttling over to harass the thing. Finally the beast fell and almost immediately began to decompose. Valance howled in horror.

“What is it?” Chalk asked.

“My spiders! They have turned gray!” replied the priest of the Spider God.

“They’ll live,” the wizard said.

Forlaki

No. Enc.: 1 (1d6)

Alignment: Neutral

Movement: 90′ (30′)

Armor Class: 5

Hit Dice: 4

Attacks: 1

Damage: 1d6 bite or claw

Save: F4

Morale: 10

Hoard Class: Nil

X.P.: 150

The forlaki are dreadful beasts from some unknown realm that are usually slain upon sight for their strange ability to drain all color from their surroundings. It is rumored that these creatures came from the sky one evening by the thousands, pelting the land with their descent. Sickly gray in color the forlaki have four long stilt-like legs that support their spherical bodies. Three long horizontal black eyes rest atop each other across the thing’s fanged maw.

The forlaki can be easily tracked through grassy or sandy areas because they leave a trail of colorless tracks behind them (+35% to any tracking rolls) although this does not apply over rocks or other gray surfaces. A forlaki drains color from anything it touches and a nesting group of these creatures can make an area 30′ in diameter sickly gray overnight, including all plant and animal life in this zone. Each subsequent day that the forlaki rests add another 5′ to the radius. Many people who have fought this beasts also bear gray marks where they have been struck or touched these things.

Chalk watched as a small group of children threw coins at a giant bug. Any of the coins would fly at the creature and stick to it rather than hit the ground, causing the large insect to make a strange gibbering sound.

“What’s the point of the game?” asked the wizard.

“We will see of my father can tear these coins from the brogon’s shell. These are his earnings for the week,” replied one of the boys.

A roar of anger suddenly was heard emanating from a nearby shop. A blacksmith came running into the alley bearing a big hammer.

“What are you kids up to now?” the man screamed at them and then he saw what they were doing. He eyed the wizard.

“Is this your idea?” the blacksmith asked.

Chalk, taken aback, just shook his head.

“My profits are stuck to that thing and all you can do is shake your head!” growled the angry blacksmith.

Chalk did a quick estimate of the coins on the creature’s back and made the blacksmith a offer. The man pondered a moment then accepted it. The wizard handed over a few coins and made a hasty retreat.

“Good job boys!” laughed the blacksmith. “That’s doubled our week’s earnings! Now let’s slay this greedy bug and double our profits!”

Brogon

No. Enc.: 1d6 (1d20)

Alignment: Neutral

Movement: 60′ (20′)

Armor Class: 2

Hit Dice: 3

Attacks: 1

Damage: 1d4 bite

Save: F4

Morale: 8

Hoard Class: IV, V, VI (all x2)

X.P.: 80

Brogon are large bugs, about the size of a raccoon that inhabit subterranean places. A striking feature of these heavily armored creatures is the fact that their hard, chitinous shells are often covered in coins, which make them natural targets for treasure hunters. Unfortunately for the brogon the easiest way to remove these coins is to kill the thing, which immediately releases all the coins that were stuck to its shell. Some feel that these poor creatures were once greedy dwarfs that were punished by being turned into crawling bugs that forever carried treasure around with them, but could not appreciate a single coin of it. Any loose coins within 2′ of a brogon will fly to the bug’s tough shell and stick, requiring either a roll against Strength of 16+ or the death of the creature to release them.

Valance threw his cards on the table and pushed himself away from the table in disgust as Chalk entered the room of the inn. The wizard jumped as he saw the trio of creatures that the priest of the Spider God was gambling with.

“Will you be joining us?” one of the strange, one-eyed cats asked. “The follower of the Spider God has had better days.”

Valance looked a little shaken.

“I’m fine, thanks,” replied Chalk.

Another of the creatures shrugged.

“Suit yourself,” it said. “But we are not leaving until someone beats us at cards.”

Dholki

No. Enc.: 1 (1d4)

Alignment: Neutral (Chaotic tendencies)

Movement: 150′ (40′)

Armor Class: 6

Hit Dice: 2+2

Attacks: 1

Damage: 2d4/1d6 claw or bite

Save: F3

Morale: 10

Hoard Class: VII

X.P.: 150

The highly intelligent dholki are the last avatars of a dying god of alien origin. These strange creatures resemble chubby dark furred cats with wide, fang-filled mouths and one large heavy lidded eye. Curious and a bit sinister, these creatures gather information for their failing deity and haunt the few temples still standing in its name. Capable of speech, the dholki may teach one spell to a cleric or druid and these creatures sometimes do either for information upfront about something or to use as leverage at a later time.

In combat these strange monster may attack with tooth or claw or may cast three of any cleric or druid spell (up to level 5) per day, although flight is the option most used by these odd monsters.

“What did he say?' asked Koram incredulously.
“Something about the price of bear grease,” Chalk replied.
“I thought it was about a ship sailing to the moon,” Koram said.
“No, no, you are both wrong,” Valance interjected. “He was talking about an invasion of little green men from another land.”
“Wait a minute, where's the illusionist? This sounds like his work,” Chalk asked.

False Speech (Illusionist)

Level 2

Range: 30′ + 5′ per level of illusionist

Duration: Two turns + one turn per level of illusionist.

When cast upon a single target within the range of the spell the subject receives a standard saving throw versus spells, failing that all within the range of the spell will hear something different from what the speaker is saying. This may cause listeners to tend to ignore the speaker’s voice, to doubt this person or even to mock them or become driven to violence, even if that was never the intention of the speaker. Those trying to compare notes about what is being said often become preoccupied with talking amongst themselves about the contradictory stories and sometimes lose interest in the speaker altogether.