Monster Monday: Ghost

I have finished the project for Lee's contest. Done with the desert for now. The judging has begun. It ended up being named "The Blood Pharaoh."
I have begun to turn my eye to Halloween. In that vein, I am "editing" (read: rewriting) my cousin-nephew-son's (CNS) module. Once that is done, I am moving on to a Ghost Ship. . .
But, how does this all get me to ghosts? My CNS has a benevolent spirit in his. I don't want to say too much, but a ghost fits best. But, what are ghosts in S&W?
Monstrosities page 190 states: "There are innumerable types of ghosts with varying qualities, often depending on the nature and circumstances under which the person died." The Swords & Wizardry Complete Rulebook tells us to pretty much make up our own.
Ghosts will probably feature prominently in our next couple of modules, and here are some of the ideas that we have had thus far:

A corporeal undead (probably a ghoul) that when killed releases its spirit. Maybe it will be friendly, or maybe it will be another combat.

A ghostly guide is a possibility in the Ghost Ship.

A child's ghost that just wants to play.

A ghost that takes control of people's bodies. Similar to Magic Jar.

An ettin's ghost. One head realizes it's dead, and the other doesn't.

Mord Mar has a ghost that is infused into the stone. It's a deus ex machina device that can infuriate and help PCs through the entire mega-dungeon.

I'm looking for really creepy ideas for ghosts. Got one? Tell me about it. You can leave a comment here or on the Mord Mar Facebook page. . .

Monster Monday: Dessicator Demon

Still working on the Lee Autry contest this week. I found I needed to create a new monster for a plot driven encounter. This was the mini it is inspired by:

Stolen from Lee's Facebook post

This is how it got stated up:

Demon, Desiccator (Ammit)

Hit Dice: 8 (35 hp)

Armor Class: 2 [17]

Attacks: Punch (1d4), bite (1d6)

Save: 8

Special: Immune to fire, lightning; magic resistance 25%, +1 weapon required to hit, all who die bitten by a desiccator demon rise as a zombie 1d4 rounds later.

Move: 12, 6 (flying)

Alignment: Chaos 

Challenge Level: 11/1700

Ammit carries a Devouring Rod. Any creature it is pointed at must make a save or their soul is sucked out of their body and destroyed. Bonuses to magical saves apply to this.

How did she get her name? The following is from wikipedia

Ammit (/ˈæmᵻt/; "devourer" or "soul-eater"; also called Ammut or Ahemait) was a female goddess in ancient Egyptian religion with a body that was part lion, hippopotamus and crocodile—the three largest "man-eating" animals known to ancient Egyptians. A funerary deity, her titles included "Devourer of the Dead", "Eater of Hearts", and "Great of Death".^[2]

This project has been a lot of fun. I've had to do a lot of research, as I am not that familiar with desert mythology. Ammit is a result of the research. On a side note, the module should be done tomorrow or Wednesday!

Monster Monday: Otyugh

Lee Autry is doing another module contest for his minis. The last time he had this contest, The Oracle Of Stone And Flame was born. This time I will focus on a monster from his new contest, the otyugh.

The otyugh has always been a favorite monster of mine. They are dumb, but can speak, at least in D&D lore. They have a reason to exist. They are garbage eaters! Cities, sewers, and dungeons will all welcome an otyugh.

 Jacob E. Blackmon

from Rogue Genius Games

The Otyugh appears in Swords and Wizardry's Monstrosities (page 367)

Hit Dice: 7
Armor Class: 3 [16]
Attacks: 2 tentacles (1d8), bite (1d4+1)
Save: 9
Special: Disease
Move: 6
Alignment: Neutral
CL/XP: 8/800


I love using an otyugh to be an intelligence hub. They are smart enough to listen, and dumb enough to speak. For little more than last night's stew, adventurers often get valuable information on the location of things in Mord Mar.
In the upcoming adventure, how I will use otyughs is still a secret. I would expect to see that adventure on our publisher page in November. ;)

Silver Bulette "sales" update

As of earlier today, Silver Bulette had 672 downloads! We are proud of what we have accomplished so far, but this is just the beginning. What a beginning it is!