The updated Monstrous Manual™ for the AD&D® 2nd Edition Game

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ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS and AD&D are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.

The TSR logo and MONSTROUS MANUAL are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.

Project Coordinator: Tim Beach

Editor: Doug Stewart

Editorial Assistant: Gaye O'Keefe

Cover Illustration: Jeff Easley

Interior Illustrations: Tony DiTerlizzi (pencils, inks, and colors on insects, crustaceans, faerie-folk, and miscellaneous creepy things), Jeff Butler (pencils and inks on humans, demihumans, humanoids, giants, genies, dragonets, and miscellaneous part-human creatures), Dave Simons (pencils, inks, and colors on normal animals, almost normal animals, and squishy things), Tom Baxa (pencils, inks, and colors on gith-kind and miscellaneous), Mark Nelson (pencils and inks on dragons, dinosaurs, and miscellaneous), Les Dorscheid (colors on most of the book), Tim Beach and Doug Stewart (invisible stalker)

Art Coordination: Peggy Cooper with Tim Beach

Typesetting: Gaye O'Keefe

Keylining: Paul Hanchette

Proofreading: Karen Boomgarden, Anne Brown, Andria Hayday, Thomas Reid, David Wise

Guidance: Steve Winter, Tim Brown, James M. Ward

Monster Selection Committee: Jeff Grubb, David Wise, John Rateliff, Tim Beach

Development: Tim Beach, Doug Stewart, Slade Henson, Thomas Reid, Jeff Grubb, Wolfgang Baur, Jon Pickens, John Rateliff

Design Concept for MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM® Appendices: David "Zeb" Cook, Steve Winter, Jon Pickens

We would like to offer special thanks to the artists and the people who helped with development, as well as Rich Baker, Carolyn Chambers, Bill Connors, Peggy Cooper, Slade Henson, Dawn Kegley, Dana Knutson, Georgia S. Stewart, and Sue Weinlein.

Many people have contributed to either the original first edition monster books or to the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM™ appendices. The list that follows may not be complete, but we would like to thank the following people for their contributions to the monsters described in this book: the designers and editors, Rich Baker, Jay Battista, Wolfgang Baur, Tim Beach, Scott Bennie, Donald J. Bingle, Linda Bingle, Karen Boomgarden, Grant Boucher, Al Boyce, Mike Breault, Anne Brown, Tim Brown, Dr. Arthur W. Collins, Bill Connors, David "Zeb" Cook, Troy Denning, Dale Donovan, Newton Ewell, Nigel Findley, Steve Gilbert, Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb, Gary Gygax, Luke Gygax, Allen Hammack, Kris & Steve Hardinger, Andria Hayday, Bruce A. Heard, Slade Henson, Tracy Hickman, Harold Johnson, Rob King, Vera Jane Koffler, Heike Kubasch, Steve Kurtz, J. Paul LaFountain, Lenard Lakofka, Jim Lowder, François Marcela-Froideval, David Martin, Colin McComb, Anne McCready, Blake Mobley, Kim Mohan, Roger E. Moore, Chris Mortika, Bruce Nesmith, C. Terry Phillips, Jon Pickens, Brian Pitzer, Mike Price, Louis J. Prosperi, Tom Prusa, Jean Rabe, Paul Reiche, Jim Sandt, Lawrence Schick, Rick Swan, Greg Swedburg, Teeuwynn, John Terra, Gary Thomas, Allen Varney, James M. Ward, Dori Watry, Skip Williams, and Steve Winter; the artists who helped define the monsters, Tom Baxa, Brom, Jeff Butler, Clyde Caldwell, Doug Chaffee, Tony DiTerlizzi, Les Dorscheid, Jeff Easley, Larry Elmore, Fred Fields, Jim Holloway, Daniel Horne, Mark Nelson, Keith Parkinson, Harry Quinn, Robh Ruppel, Dave Simons, Dave Sutherland, D.A. Trampier, Valerie Valusek; and the people who put the books together and make them look good, Linda Bakk, Dee Barnett, Steve Beck, Peggy Cooper, Sarah Feggestad, Paul Hanchette, Angelika Lokotz, Gaye O'Keefe, Stephanie Tabat, and Tracey Zamagne; and anyone who has ever asked a question, offered constructive criticism, written an article, or offered an opinion about the monsters of the AD&D® game. Special thanks to Christopher M. Carter and Seth Goodkind for spotting errors.

ADVANCED DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, AD&D, DRAGON, DRAGONLANCE, FIEND FOLIO, FORGOTTEN REALMS, GREYHAWK, RAVENLOFT, SPELLJAMMER, and WORLD OF GREYHAWK are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.

AL-QADIM, DARK SUN, MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM, DUNGEON MASTER, DM, and the TSR logo are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.

Random House and its affiliate companies have worldwide distribution rights in the book trade for English language products of TSR, Inc.

Distributed to the book and hobby trade in the United Kingdom by TSR, Ltd.

Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors.

This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written consent of TSR, Inc.

Copyright ©1995 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

This hardcover Monstrous Manual was created in response to the many requests to gather monsters into a single, durable volume which would be convenient to carry. With the DUNGEON MASTER™ Guide (DMG) and the Player's Handbook (PHB), the Monstrous Manual forms the core of the AD&D® 2nd Edition game.

Every monster from the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM® Volumes One and Two are contained within, as well as a few creatures from later volumes. The monsters in the Monstrous Manual have been revised, edited, and updated. Statistics for many of the creatures have been corrected, new information has been added to many of the entries, and many monsters have been reclassified. There are some new beasts, as well. In cases of conflicting information, the Monstrous Manual supersedes all previously published data.

Certain entries have been greatly condensed from MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM entries, to make this book as complete as possible without increasing its size or price. For instance, there is a full-page description of ravens in the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM appendix for the GREYHAWK® campaign setting; in this book, ravens are given only a few lines in the "Bird" entry. This provides enough information to use the creatures for a short encounter, and it allows a page to be devoted to another adversary.

To find a monster in this book, flip through the pages or look in the index, which contains listings for the common name(s) of every monster in the book, referenced to the correct page.

All of the monsters described here are typical for their type. DMs should note that unusual variations are encouraged, but they are most effective when they depart from the expected. Likewise, entries describe typical lairs for creatures, from the dungeon complexes they inhabit to the tree houses they build; changing the look of these can make a monster encounter unique.

This introduction describes how to interpret the monsters in this book. In addition, there are three small appendices in the back of the book. The first deals with making monsters. The second covers monster summoning and includes tables for random determination of summoned creatures; to make random encounter charts for a campaign, the DM should refer to Chapter 11 of the DMG. The third appendix is concerned with creating NPC parties.

Several of the monsters in this book have been imported from specialized game worlds, such as the SPELLJAMMER® campaign setting, the FORGOTTEN REALMS® setting, or the DARK SUN® world. The monsters in this book may be used in any setting; if a campaign setting is noted, it simply describes where the monster was first encountered, or where it is the most common. A particular monster still may not be encountered in a specific campaign world; this is up to the DM. For monsters from one of the specific worlds, the DM should consult the appropriate MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM appendices.

Each monster is described fully, with entries that describe behavior, combat modes, and so on. These are explained in the following text.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN defines where the creature is most often found. Climates include arctic, sub-arctic, temperate, and tropical. Typical terrain includes plain/scrub, forest, rough/hill, mountain, swamp, and desert. In some cases, a range is given; for instance, "cold" implies arctic, sub-arctic, and colder temperate regions.

FREQUENCY is the likelihood of encountering a creature in an area. Chances can be adjusted for special areas.

Very rare = 4% chance

Rare = 11% chance

Uncommon = 20% chance

Common = 65% chance

ORGANIZATION is the general social structure the monster adopts. "Solitary" includes small family groups.

ACTIVITY CYCLE is the time of day when the monster is most active. Those active at night can be active at any time in subterranean settings. These are general guidelines and exceptions are fairly common.

DIET shows what the creature usually eats. Carnivores eat meat, herbivores eat plants, and omnivores eat either. Scavengers primarily eat carrion. If a monster does not fit any of these categories, the substances it does eat are described in the entry or in the text.

INTELLIGENCE is the equivalent of human "IQ." Certain monsters are instinctively cunning; these are noted in the monster descriptions. Ratings correspond roughly to the following Intelligence ability scores:

0 Nonintelligent or not ratable

1 Animal intelligence

2-4 Semi-intelligent

5-7 Low intelligence

8-10 Average (human) intelligence

11-12 Very intelligent

13-14 Highly intelligent

15-16 Exceptionally intelligent

17-18 Genius

19-20 Supra-genius

21+ Godlike intelligence

TREASURE refers to the treasure tables in the DUNGEON MASTER Guide. If individual treasure is indicated, each individual may carry it (or not, at the DM's discretion). Major treasures are usually found in the monster's lair; these are most often designed and placed by the DM. Intelligent monsters will use the magical items present and try to carry off their most valuable treasures if hard pressed. If treasure is assigned randomly, roll for each type possible; if all rolls fail, no treasure of any type is found. Treasure should be adjusted downward if a few monsters are encountered. Large treasures are noted by a multiplier (x10, for example); this should not be confused with treasure type X. Treasure types listed in parentheses are treasures found in the creatures' lair. Do not use the tables to place dungeon treasure, since the numbers encountered underground will be much smaller.

ALIGNMENT shows the general behavior of the average monster of that type. Exceptions, though uncommon, may be encountered.

NO. APPEARING indicates an average encounter size for a wilderness encounter. The DM should alter this to fit the circumstances as the need arises. This should not be used for dungeon encounters.

Note that some solitary creatures are found in small groups; this means they are found in very small family units, or that several may happen to be found together, but do not cooperate with one another.

ARMOR CLASS is the general protection worn by humans and humanoids, protection due to physical structure or magical nature, or difficulty in hitting due to speed, reflexes, etc. Humans and humanoids of roughly man-size that wear armor will have an unarmored rating in parentheses. Listed AC does not include any special bonuses noted in the description.

MOVEMENT shows the relative speed rating of the creature. Higher speeds may be possible for short periods. Human, demihuman, and humanoid movement rate is often determined by armor type (unarmored rates are given in parentheses). Movements in different mediums are abbreviated as follows:

Fl = flying

Sw = swimming

Br = burrowing

Cl = climbing

Wb = moving across webs

Flying creatures also have a Maneuverability Class from A to E. Class A creatures have virtually total command over their movements in the air; they can hover, face any direction in a given round, and attack each round. Class B creatures are very maneuverable; they can hover, turn 180 degrees in a round, and attack in each round. Class C creatures are somewhat agile in the air; they cannot move less than half their movement rate without falling, they can turn up to 90 degrees in a round, and attack aerially once every two rounds. Class D creatures are somewhat slow; they cannot move less than half their movement rate without falling, can turn only 60 degrees in a round, and can make a pass once every three rounds. Class E includes large, clumsy fliers; these cannot move less than half their movement rate without falling, can turn only 30 degrees in a round, and they can make one pass every six rounds. See Chapter 9 of the DMG for more information.

HIT DICE controls the number of hit points damage a creature can withstand before being killed. Unless otherwise stated, Hit Dice are 8-sided (1-8 hit points). The Hit Dice are rolled and the numbers shown are added to determine the monster's hit points. Some monsters have a hit point spread instead of Hit Dice, and some have additional points added to their Hit Dice. Thus, a creature with 4+4 Hit Dice has 4d8+4 hit points (8-36 total). Note that creatures with +3 or more hit points are considered the next higher Hit Die for purposes of attack rolls and saving throws.

THAC0 is the attack roll the monster needs to hit Armor Class 0. This is always a function of Hit Dice, except in the case of very large, nonaggressive herbivores (such as some dinosaurs), or creatures which have certain innate combat abilities. A human or demihuman always uses a player character THAC0, regardless of whether they are player characters or "monsters." The THAC0 does not include any special bonuses noted in the descriptions.

NUMBER OF ATTACKS shows the basic attacks the monster can make in a melee round, excluding special attacks. This number can be modified by hits that sever members, spells such as haste and slow, and so forth. Multiple attacks indicate several members, raking paws, multiple heads, etc.

DAMAGE/ATTACK shows the amount of damage a given attack causes, expressed as a spread of hit points (based on a die roll or combination of die rolls). If the monster uses weapons, the damage done by the typical weapon will be allowed by the parenthetical note "weapon." Damage bonuses due to Strength are listed as a bonus following the damage range.

SPECIAL ATTACKS detail attack modes such as dragon breath, magic use, etc. These are explained in the monster description.

SPECIAL DEFENSES are precisely that, and are detailed in the monster description.

MAGIC RESISTANCE is the percentage chance that any magic cast upon the creature will fail to affect it, even if other creatures nearby are affected. If the magic penetrates the resistance, the creature is still entitled to any normal saving throw allowed. Creatures may have resistances to certain spells; this is not considered "magic resistance", which is effective against all spells.

SIZE is abbreviated as

T = tiny (2' tall or less);

S = smaller than a typical human (2+' to 4');

M = man-sized (4+' to 7');

L = larger than man-sized (7+' to 12');

H = huge (12+' to 25'); and

G = gargantuan (25+').

Most creatures are measured in height or length; some are measured in diameter. Those measured in diameter may be given a different size category than indicated above. For instance, while a 6-foot tall humanoid is considered size M, a spherical creature 6 feet in diameter has much more mass, so is considered size L. Similarly, a creature 12 feet long with a very slender body (like a snake) might be considered only man-sized. Adjustments like these should not move a creature more than one size category in either direction.

MORALE is a general rating of how likely the monster is to persevere in the face of adversity or armed opposition. This guideline can be adjusted for individual circumstances. Morale ratings correspond to the following range:

2-4 Unreliable

5-7 Unsteady

8-10 Average

11-12 Steady

13-14 Elite

15-16 Champion

17-18 Fanatic

19-20 Fearless

XP VALUE is the number of experience points awarded for defeating, but not necessarily killing, the monster. This value is a guideline that can be modified by the DM for the degree of challenge, encounter situation, and for overall campaign balance.

Combat is the part of the description that discusses special combat abilities, arms and armor, and tactics.

Habitat/Society outlines the monster's general behavior, nature, social structure, and goals. In some cases, it further describes their lairs (the places they live in), breeding habits, and reproduction rates.

Ecology describes how the monster fits into the campaign world, gives any useful products or byproducts, and any other miscellaneous information.

Variations of a monster are given in a special section after the main monster entry. These can be found by consulting the index. For instance, the xorn entry also describes the xaren, a very similar creature.

Psionics are mental powers possessed by many creatures in the Monstrous Manual. The psionic listings are explained below:

Level: How tough the monster is in terms of psionic experience level.

Dis/Sci/Dev: How many disciplines the creature can access, followed by the total number of sciences and devotions the creature knows. Monsters can know sciences and devotions only from the disciplines they can access.

Attack/Defense: The telepathic attack and defense modes that the creature can use. Note that defense modes are not included in the total number of powers the creature knows. Abbreviations used are as follows:

PB Psionic Blast M- Mind Blank

MT Mind Thrust TS Thought Shield

EW Ego Whip MB Mental Barrier

II Id Insinuation IF Intellect Fortress

PsC Psychic Crush TW Tower of Iron Will

Power Score: The creature's usual score when using a power that is not automatically successful.

PSPs: The creature's total pool of psionic strength points (the maximum available to it).

The rest of the listing indicates, by discipline, which powers the creature has, sometimes listing the most common powers, sometimes listing only the powers that all members of the species have. Unless otherwise noted, the creature always knows powers marked by an asterisk.

For information regarding psionic powers, see PHBR5, The Complete Psionics Handbook. If the DM chooses not to use psionics in the campaign, the powers can be changed to magical equivalents or simply ignored, though the latter severely impedes certain monsters.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Tropical and temperate mountains

FREQUENCY: Very rare

ORGANIZATION: Tribal

ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day

DIET: Carnivore

INTELLIGENCE: Average (8-10)

TREASURE: D

ALIGNMENT: Neutral good

NO. APPEARING: 1-10

ARMOR CLASS: 7

MOVEMENT: 6, Fl 36 (C)

HIT DICE: 1+2

THAC0: 19

NO. OF ATTACKS: 2

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3/1-3 or 2-8 (weapon)

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Dive +4

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil

SIZE: M (20' wing span)

MORALE: Steady (11)

XP VALUE: 65

The aarakocra are a race of intelligent bird-men that live on the peaks of the highest mountains, spending their days soaring on the thermal winds in peace and solitude.

Aarakocra are about 5 feet tall and have a wing span of 20 feet. About halfway along the edge of each wing is a hand with three human-sized fingers and an opposable thumb. An elongated fourth finger extends the length of the wing and locks in place for flying. Though the wing-hands cannot grasp during flight, they are nearly as useful as human hands when an aarakocra is on the ground and its wings are folded back. The wing muscles anchor in a bony chest plate that provides the aarakocra with extra protection. The powerful legs end in four sharp talons that can unlock and fold back to reveal another pair of functional hands, also with three human-sized fingers and an opposable thumb. The hand bones, like the rest of an aarakocra's skeleton, are hollow and fragile.

Aarakocra faces resemble crosses between parrots and eagles. They have gray-black beaks, and black eyes set frontally in their heads that provide keen binocular vision. Plumage color varies from tribe to tribe, but generally males are red, orange, and yellow while females are brown and gray.

Aarakocra speak their own language, the language of giant eagles, and, on occasion, the common tongue (10% chance).

Combat: In aerial combat, an aarakocra fights with either talons or the heavy fletched javelins that he clutches in his lower hands. An aarakocra typically carries a half dozen javelins strapped to his chest in individual sheaths. The javelins, which can be used for throwing or stabbing, inflict 2d4 points of damage. Owing to the aarakocra's remarkable skill at throwing javelins in the air, it incurs none of the attack penalties for aerial missile fire. An aarakocra will always save its last javelin for stabbing purposes rather than throwing it. Its favorite attack is to dive at a victim while clutching a javelin in each hand, then pull out of the dive just as it reaches its target, and strike with a blood-curdling shriek. This attack gains a +4 bonus to the attack roll and causes double damage, but an aarakocra must dive at least 200 feet to execute it properly.

An aarakocra is reluctant to engage in grappling or ground combat, since its fragile bones are easily broken. Though rarely used except when cornered, an aarakocra's sharp beak can bite for 1-3 points of damage.

Habitat/Society: Aarakocra live in small tribes of about 11-30 (1d20+10) members. Each tribe has a hunting territory of about 10,000 square miles with colorful banners and pennants marking the boundaries.

Each tribe lives in a communal nest made of woven vines with a soft lining of dried grass. The eldest male serves as the tribe's leader. In tribes of more than 20 members, the second oldest male serves as the shaman, leading simple religious ceremonies involving the whistling of melodic hymns at sunset on the first day of a new month. Males spend most of their waking hours hunting for food and occasionally for treasure, such as gems and other shiny objects. Females spend eight months of the year incubating their eggs, passing the time by fabricating javelins and other tools from wood and stone. While resting on their backs, aarakocra females can use all four hands at the same time to weave boundary pennants, javelins sheaths, and other useful objects from vines and feathers.

Five aarakocra, including a shaman, can summon an air elemental by chanting and performing an intricate aerial dance for three melee rounds. The summoned air elemental will comply with the aarakocras' request for a favor, though it will not endanger its life on their behalf.

Aarakocra are extremely claustrophobic and will not willingly enter a cave, building, or other enclosed area.

Ecology: Aarakocra have little to do with other species, including neighboring aarakocra tribes, and leave their home territory only in extreme circumstances. They rarely encounter humans except for an occasional foray into a rural community to snatch a stray farm animal; this is not an intentionally malicious act, as aarakocra are unable to distinguish between domestic and wild animals. A human venturing into aarakocra territory may be able to convince one to serve as a guide or a scout in exchange for a shiny jewel or coin.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Tropical and temperate/Subterranean

FREQUENCY: Very rare

ORGANIZATION: Brood

ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night

DIET: Omnivore

INTELLIGENCE: High (13-14)

TREASURE: F

ALIGNMENT: Lawful evil

NO. APPEARING: 1d4

ARMOR CLASS: 4

MOVEMENT: 3, Sw 18

HIT DICE: 8

THAC0: 13

NO. OF ATTACKS: 4

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-6 (x 4)

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Slime

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil

SIZE: H (20' long)

MORALE: Elite (13)

XP VALUE: 5,000

Level Dis/Sci/Dev Attack/Defense Power Score PSPs

8 3/5/16 EW, II PsC, +1/ = Int 250

TS,IF,TW

Telepathy: False Sensor Input, Mindlink, Mass Domination.

The aboleth is a loathsome amphibious creature that lives in subterranean caves and lakes. It despises most land-dwelling creatures and seeks to enslave intelligent surface beings. It is as cruel as it is intelligent.

An aboleth resembles a plump fish, 20 feet in length from its bulbous head to its fluke-like tail. Its body is blue-green with gray splotches, and its pink-tan underbelly conceals a toothless, rubbery mouth. Three slit-like eyes, purple-red in color and protected by bony ridges, are set one atop the other in the front of its head. Four pulsating blue-black orifices line the bottom of its body and secrete gray slime that smells like rancid grease. Four leathery tentacles, each 10 feet in length, grow from its head. An aboleth uses its tail to propel itself through the water and its tentacles to drag itself along dry land.

Combat: The aboleth attacks with its tentacles for 1d6 points of damage each. If a victim struck by a tentacle fails a saving throw vs. spell, the victim's skin transforms into a clear, slimy membrane in 1d4+1 rounds. If this occurs, the victim must keep the membrane damp with cool water or suffer 1d12 points of damage each turn. Cure disease cast upon the victim before the membrane completely forms stops the transformation. Otherwise, cure serious wounds will cause the membrane to revert to normal skin.

Because its sluggish movement makes attacks difficult, the aboleth attempts to lure victims close by creating realistic illusions at will, complete with audible, olfactory, and other sensory components. The aboleth can attempt to enslave creatures within 30 feet; it can make three attempts per day, one creature per attempt. If the victim fails a saving throw vs. spell, he follows all of the aboleth's telepathic commands, although the victim will not fight on the aboleth's behalf. The enslavement can be negated by remove curse, dispel magic, the death of the enslaving aboleth, or, if the victim is separated from the aboleth by more than a mile, a new saving throw (one attempt per day.)

When underwater, an aboleth surrounds itself with a mucous cloud 1 foot thick. A victim in contact with the cloud and inhaling the mucus must roll a successful saving throw vs. poison or lose the ability to breathe air. The victim is then able to breathe water, as if having consumed a potion of water breathing, for 1-3 hours. This ability may be renewed by additional contact with the mucous cloud. An affected victim attempting to breathe air will suffocate in 2d6 rounds. Wine or soap dissolves the mucus.

Habitat/Society: An aboleth brood consists of a parent and one to three offspring. Though the offspring are as large and as strong as the parent, they defer to the parent in all matters and obey it implicitly.

Aboleth have both male and female sexual organs. A mature aboleth reproduces once every five years by concealing itself in a cavern or other remote area, then laying a single egg and covering it in slime. The parent aboleth guards the egg while the embryo grows and develops, a process that takes about five years. A newborn aboleth takes about 10 years to mature.

The aboleth spends most of its time searching for slaves, preferably human ones. It is rumored that the aboleth use their slaves to construct huge underwater cities, though none have ever been found. The aboleth are rumored to know ancient, horrible secrets that predate the existence of man, but these rumors are also unsubstantiated. There is no doubt that aboleth retain a staggering amount of knowledge. An offspring acquires all of its parent's knowledge at birth, and a mature aboleth acquires the knowledge of any intelligent being it consumes.

An aboleth's treasure consists of items taken from its slaves. The items are buried in caverns under a layer of slime resembling gray mud, recognizable by the distinctive rancid grease odor.

Ecology: The omnivorous aboleth will eat any organic matter, usually algae and micro-organisms, but they are also fond of intelligent prey so they can absorb nutrients and information at the same time. Aboleth have no natural enemies, as even the mightiest marine creatures give them a wide berth. Aboleth slime is sometimes used as a component for potions of water breathing.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperate and tropical/Plains and forests

FREQUENCY: Rare

ORGANIZATION: Brood

ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any

DIET: Omnivore

INTELLIGENCE: Non- (0)

TREASURE: C

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

NO. APPEARING: 1-6

ARMOR CLASS: Overall 2, underside 4

MOVEMENT: 12, Br 6

HIT DICE: 3-8

THAC0: 17-13

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 3-18 (crush)+1-4 (acid)

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Squirt acid

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil

SIZE: L-H (10' to 20' long)

MORALE: Average (9)

XP VALUE: 175-975

The ankheg is a burrowing monster usually found in forests or choice agricultural land. Because of its fondness for fresh meat, the ankheg is a threat to any creature unfortunate enough to encounter it.

The ankheg resembles an enormous many-legged worm. Its six legs end in sharp hooks suitable for burrowing and grasping, and its powerful mandibles are capable of snapping a small tree in half with a single bite. A tough chitinous shell, usually brown or yellow, covers its entire body except for its soft pink belly. The ankheg has glistening black eyes, a small mouth lined with tiny rows of chitinous teeth, and two sensitive antennae that can detect movement of man-sized creatures up to 300 feet away.

Combat: The ankheg's preferred attack method is to lie 5 to 10 feet below the surface of the ground until its antennae detect the approach of a victim. It then burrows up beneath the victim and attempts to grab him in its mandibles, crushing and grinding for 3d6 points of damage per round while secreting acidic digestive enzymes to cause an additional 1d4 points of damage per round until the victim is dissolved. The ankheg can squirt a stream of acidic enzymes once every six hours to a distance of 30 feet. However, since it is unable to digest food for six hours after it squirts enzymes, it uses this attack technique only when desperate. A victim struck by the stream of acidic enzymes suffers 8d4 points of damage (half damage if the victim rolls a successful saving throw vs. poison).

Habitat/Society: The ankheg uses its mandibles to continuously dig winding tunnels 30-40 feet deep in the rich soil of forests or farmlands. The hollowed end of a tunnel serves as a temporary lair for sleeping, eating, or hibernating. When an ankheg exhausts the food supply in a particular forest or field, it moves on to another.

Autumn is mating season for ankhegs. After the male fertilizes the female, the female kills him and deposits 2d6 fertilized eggs in his body. Within a few weeks, about 75% of the eggs hatch and begin feeding. In a year, the young ankhegs resemble adults and can function independently. Young ankhegs have 2 Hit Dice and an AC 2 overall and an AC 4 for their undersides; they bite for 1d4 points of damage (with an additional 1d4 points of damage from enzyme secretions), and spit for 4d4 points of damage to a distance of 30 feet. In every year thereafter, the ankheg functions with full adult capabilities and gains an additional Hit Die until it reaches 8 Hit Dice.

Beginning in its second year of life, the ankheg sheds its chitinous shell just before the onset of winter. It takes the ankheg two days to shed its old shell and two weeks to grow a new one. During this time, the sluggish ankheg is exceptionally vulnerable. Its overall AC is reduced to 5 and its underside AC is reduced to 7. Additionally, it moves at only half its normal speed, its mandible attack inflicts only 1d10 points of damage, and it is unable to squirt acidic enzymes. While growing a new shell, it protects itself by hiding in a deep tunnel and secreting a repulsive fluid that smells like rotten fruit. Though the aroma discourages most creatures, it can also pinpoint the ankheg's location for human hunters and desperately hungry predators.

Ankhegs living in cold climates hibernate during the winter. Within a month after the first snowfall, the ankheg fashions a lair deep within the warm earth where it remains dormant until spring. The hibernating ankheg requires no food, subsisting instead on nutrients stored in its shell. The ankheg does not secrete aromatic fluid during this time and is thus relatively safe from detection. Though the ankheg's metabolism is reduced, its antennae remain functional, able to alert it to the approach of an intruder. A disturbed ankheg fully awakens in 1d4 rounds, after which time it can attack and move normally.

The ankheg does not hoard treasure. Items that were not dissolved by the acidic enzymes fall where they drop from the ankheg's mandibles and can be found scattered throughout its tunnel system.

Ecology: Though a hungry ankheg can be fatal to a farmer, it can be quite beneficial to the farmland. Its tunnel system laces the soil with passages for air and water, while the ankheg's waste products add rich nutrients. The ankheg will eat decayed organic matter in the earth, but it prefers fresh meat. All but the fiercest predators avoid ankhegs. Dried and cured ankheg shells can be made into armor with an AC of 2, and its digestive enzymes can be used as regular acid.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any

FREQUENCY: Very rare

ORGANIZATION: Entourage

ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any

DIET: Omnivore

INTELLIGENCE: Genius (17-18)

TREASURE: R

ALIGNMENT: Lawful neutral

NO. APPEARING: 1 (1-6)

ARMOR CLASS: 5 (3)

MOVEMENT: 12

HIT DICE: 10

THAC0: 11

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ATTACKS: 1-8 (weapon)

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Invisibility, dimension door

MAGIC RESISTANCE: 40%

SIZE: L (12' tall)

MORALE: Champion (15)

XP VALUE: 3,000

The arcane are a race of merchants, found wherever there is potential trade in magical items. They appear as tall, lanky, blue giants with elongated faces and thin fingers; each finger having one more joint than is common in most humanoid life. The arcane dress in robes, although there are individuals who are found in heavier armor, a combination of chain links with patches of plate (AC 3).

Combat: For creatures of their size, the arcane are noticeably weak and non-combative. They can defend themselves when called upon, but prefer to talk and/or buy themselves out of dangerous situations. If entering an area that is potentially dangerous (like most human cities), the arcane hires a group of adventurers as his entourage.

The arcane can become invisible, and can dimension door up to three times a day, usually with the intention of avoiding combat. An arcane feels no concern about abandoning his entourage in chancy situations. They can also use any magical items, regardless of the limitations of those items. This includes swords, wands, magical tomes, and similar items restricted to one type of character class. They will use such items if pressed in combat and they cannot escape, but more often use them as bartering tools with others.

Arcane have a form of racial telepathy, such that an injury to one arcane is immediately known by all other arcane. The arcane do not seek vengeance against the one who hurt or killed their fellow. They react negatively to such individuals, and dealing with the arcane will be next to impossible until that individual makes restitution.

Habitat/Society: Nothing is known about the arcane's origins; they come and go as they please, and are found throughout the known worlds. When they travel, they do so on the ships and vehicles of other races. Finding such ships with arcane aboard is rare, and it is suspected that the arcane have another way of travelling over long distances.

Contacting the arcane is no trouble in most civilized areas: a few words spread through the local grapevine, through taverns, guilds, and barracks, are enough to bring one of these creatures to the surface. In game terms, there is a base 10% chance per day of finding an arcane, if PCs actively look for one; the chance increases or decreases depending on their location. Arcane never set up permanent ``magic shops.''

The arcane's stock in trade is to provide magical items, particularly spelljamming helms, which allow rapid movement through space. The arcanes' high quality and uniform (if high) prices make them the trusted retailers. They accept payment in gold, or barter for other magical items (as a rule of thumb, costs should be five times the XP reward of the item, or a more valuable item).

The arcane take no responsibility for the use of the items they sell. The arcane will deal with almost anyone. They often make deals with both sides in a conflict, fully aware that they might annihilate all of their potential customers in a region. The arcane have no dealings with neogi, nor with creatures from other planes, such as genies, tanar'ri, and fiends. It is unknown whether the arcane create a wide variety of magical devices, or secure them from an unknown source.

Those dealing with the arcane find them cool, efficient, and most importantly, uncaring. Trying to haggle with an arcane is a chancy business, at best. Sometimes they will engage in haggling with a bemused smirk, but just as often leave the buyer hanging and walk out on the negotiations. They do not like being threatened, insulted, or blackmailed. Those who do so will find it very difficult to purchase reliable equipment. An arcane will not raise his hand in vengeance or anger -- there are more subtle ways to wreak revenge.

Ecology: It is not known what arcane do with the gold, gems, and magic they collect. One theory says they need the items for reproduction (the basis for a large number of bawdy arcane jokes), while another links it to production and acquisition of more magical items. The arcane seem sexless. No young arcane have been reported, and the arcane keep their own counsel.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Space/Any Earth-based body

FREQUENCY: Very rare

ORGANIZATION: Solitary

ACTIVITY CYCLE: Feed till consume 2xHD, then rest 2 hours/HD

DIET: Omnivore

INTELLIGENCE: Low to High (5-14)

TREASURE: U

ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil

NO. APPEARING: 1

ARMOR CLASS: 0

MOVEMENT: 9, Fl 3 (B)

HIT DICE: 5-10

THAC0: 5-6 HD: 15

7-8 HD: 13

9-10 HD: 11

NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 per victim

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4

SPECIAL ATTACKS: See below

SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below

MAGIC RESISTANCE: 25%

SIZE: L-G (2' per HD)

MORALE: Champion (16)

XP VALUE: 5-6 HD: 2,000 (+1,000 for additional HD)

Argos are found in the same regions of wildspace as the baleful beholder nations. An argos resembles a giant amoeba. It has one large, central eye with a tripartite pupil, and a hundred lashless, inhuman eyes and many sharp-toothed mouths. An argos can extrude several pseudopods, each tipped with a fanged maw that functions as a hand to manipulate various tools.

Argos move by slithering; they can cling to walls and ceilings. They can levitate and fly at the very slow rate of 3.

Argos colors tend toward shades of transparent blues and violets; they smell like a bouquet of flowers. They are huge beasts ranging in size from 10 to 20 feet in diameter, weighing about 200 pounds per Hit Die. Though they exhibit signs of being intelligent tool users, they do not wear clothes, choosing rather to carry gear stored in temporary cavities within their bodies. However, their digestive juices often ruin devices within two to three weeks (saving throw vs. acid).

Combat: An argos can attack with one to three weapons or items, or it can enfold a victim in a pseudopod and attack with 1d3 mouths for 1d4 points of damage each. It may attack as many foes in this way as it can physically reach.

If an argos rolls a natural 20 on an attack, it envelopes its victim, swallowing him whole. A swallowed victim suffers 2d8 points of damage each round from the creature's digestive juices. The victim may attempt to cut his way free from within, using only short cutting weapons. He must inflict 8 points of damage to break free.

The eyes of an argos, like those of a beholder, have a variety of special powers. An argos can bring 1d10 of its smaller eyes to bear on any target. The large, central eye can focus only on targets that are in front of the creature (within 90 degrees of the ``straight-ahead point'' of the central eye). Though the creature has nearly 100 eyes, only 20 special powers have been noted; therefore a number of eyes must possess the same power.

Each point of damage inflicted on an argos eliminates one eye; the DM decides which powers are reduced in the process. It is possible to target one particular eye by attacking with a -4 penalty to the attack roll.

Each ability of an argos's eye is treated as a spell effect. Use the argos's Hit Dice as the caster level. Roll 1d20 and check the following table for a particular eye's power.

1. Blindness 11. Gaze Reflection

2. Burning Eyes (Hands) 12. Heat Metal

3. Charm Monster 13. Hold Monster

4. Clairvoyance 14. Imp. Phantasmal Force

5. Confusion 15. Irritation

6. Darkness, 15' rad. 16. Light

7. Dispel Magic 17. Slow

8. Emotion 18. Suggestion

9. ESP 19. Tongues

10. Fumble 20. Turn Flesh to Stone

The central eye can use one of three different powers once per round. It can create a personal illusion (an alter self spell), or it can cast a color spray or a ray of enfeeblement spell.

Habitat/Society: Argos are solitary creatures, though it is not unheard of to discover an argos guardian aboard an eye tyrant ship. Argos appear capable of replenishing their own air envelope and thus may be encountered wandering asteroid rings and dust clouds alone.

Despite its relative intelligence, the argos is a ravenous creature driven by its hunger. It tries to lure prey into its grasp, feeding until it has consumed a number of creatures equal to two times its own Hit Dice. It then slips away to digest its meal for a period equal to two hours per Die. If an argos is unable to find food within a week of its last meal, it loses 1 Hit Die per week until it becomes a 5-Hit Die creature. After that point, it can hibernate for up to a year by crystallizing its outer shell and forming a chrysalis.

Ecology: Argos consume anything that moves and is digestible. Their preference is to use their abilities to lure their prey into traps and then to pick off individuals one at a time. It sorts through the tools and weapons of its victims and keeps the useful items.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperate hills

FREQUENCY: Very rare

ORGANIZATION: Solitary

ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day

DIET: Carnivore (see below)

INTELLIGENCE: Animal (1)

TREASURE: Special

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

NO. APPEARING: 1

ARMOR CLASS: 0

MOVEMENT: 9, Br 3

HIT DICE: 12

THAC0: 9

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8

SPECIAL ATTACKS: 2-8 claws for 2-8 each

SPECIAL DEFENSES: See below

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil

SIZE: S (3' long)

MORALE: Fearless (19-20)

XP VALUE: 9,000

Despite being only the size of a large badger, the aurumvorax, or ``golden gorger,'' is an incredibly dangerous creature. The animal is covered with coarse golden hair and has small silver eyes with golden pupils. It has eight powerful legs that end in 3-inch-long copper claws. The aurumvorax's shoulders are massively muscled while its heavy jaw is full of coppery teeth.

The creature weighs over 500 pounds. This incredible density provides the animal with much of its natural protection. This, combined with its speed, power, and sheer viciousness, makes it one of the most dangerous species yet known.

Combat: The aurumvorax charges any creature that enters its territory, causing a -3 to opponents' surprise rolls if attacking from its den. A female of the species receives a +2 bonus to attack rolls when guarding her young.

The creature bites at its prey until it hits, clamping its massive jaws onto the victim and doing 2-8 hit points of damage. After it hits, the aurumvorax locks its jaws and hangs on, doing an additional 8 points of damage per round until either the aurumvorax or its enemy is dead. Only death will cause the aurumvorax to relax its grip.

Once its jaws lock, the golden gorger also rakes its victim with 2-8 of its legs, causing 2-8 hit points of damage per additional hit. An opponent who is held by an aurumvorax receives no dexterity adjustment to Armor Class.

Due to its incredibly dense hide and bones, the aurumvorax takes only half damage from blunt weapons. It is immune to the effects of small, normal fires and takes only half damage from magical fires. Neither poison nor gasses have any effect on the sturdy creature.

Habitat/Society: The aurumvorax makes its solitary home in light forests, hills, and at the timberline on mountainsides. An aurumvorax chooses a likely spot and then uses its powerfully clawed legs to create a burrow, sometimes into solid rock.

Due to their unusual dietary needs, aurumvorae make their lairs in spots that either contain rich veins of gold ore or are very near to an area where gold is readily available.

The aurumvorax is a solitary creature which jealously guards its territory, even from others of its kind. The only time adult aurumvorae willingly meet is during mating season, which occurs approximately every eight years.

The pair will stay together for a week or two before the male returns to his territory and the female prepares for the birth of her kits. A litter of 1d6+2 kits is born four months after mating.

For the first two weeks of life, the kits are blind and hairless. They must be fed both meat and precious ores, including gold, in order to survive. It is unusual for more than 1-2 of the strongest kits to survive. If a kit is found and ``adopted'' before its eyes are open, it can be tamed and trained.

Dwarves tend to dislike aurumvorae, though some communities have been known to raise one or more of the beasts for use in sniffing out veins of ore.

Ecology: In order to survive, the aurumvorax supplements its carnivorous diet with quantities of gold. The ability to digest and utilize gold and other ores makes it possible for the creature to develop the dense fur, hide, and bones that protect it so well.

If an aurumvorax is killed with a minimum of cutting damage to its hide, the hide may be turned into a garment of incredible strength and beauty worth 15,000-20,000 gold pieces. The garment will also protect its wearer as armor, the specific Armor Class depending on the size of the aurumvorax. A garment with AC 2 weighs 50 pounds, one with AC 3 weighs 40 pounds, and one with AC 4 weighs 30 pounds.

The wearer also receives a +4 bonus on saving throws vs. normal fires and a +2 bonus on saving throws vs. magical fire.

If an aurumvorax is burned in a forge, approximately 150-200 pounds of gold are left behind. This burning process is very difficult and usually takes between one and two weeks to perform. Of course, the hide may be removed before the creature is burned; if burned at the same time, the hide will provide an additional 21-40 (1d20+20) pounds of gold.

The aurumvorax's teeth and claws are also prized for decoration, and can bring up to 1 gp each on the open market.

General: The baatezu are the primary inhabitants of the Nine Hells. They are a strong, evil tempered race held together by an equally strong organization. The baatezu live in a rigid caste system where authority is derived from power and station.

The baatezu wish to fulfill their ancient quest to destroy the tanar'ri, their blood enemies. The baatezu also know that by infiltrating humans and entering their world they will gain power over the tanar'ri. Toward this end they constantly strive to dominate the Prime Material plane and its natives.

The baatezu are divided into three groups: greater, lesser, and least. Below are listed a few:

Greater baatezu Lesser baatezu least baatezu

amnizu abishai nupperibo

cornugon barbazu spinagon

gelugon erinyes

pit fiend hamatula

osyluth

In addition, there are the lemures, the common ``foot soldiers'' of the baatezu at the very bottom in station.

Combat: All baatezu except for lemures, nupperibo, and spinagon are able to perform the following magical abilities, once per round, at will: advanced illusion, animate dead, charm person, infravision, know alignment (always active), suggestion, and teleport without error.

Baatezu are affected by the following attack forms:

Attack Damage Attack Damage

acid full cold half*

electricity (lightning) full fire (dragon, magical) none*

gas half iron weapon none**

magic missile full poison none

silver weapon full***

*the gelugon suffers half damage from fire and none from cold.

**unless affected by normal weapons.

***greater baatezu suffer half damage from silver weapons.

Pit Fiend: The most terrible baatezu of the Nine Hells, pit fiends appear to be giant, winged humanoids, very much like gargoyles in appearance, with huge wings that wrap around their bodies for defense. Pit fiend's fangs are large and drip with a vile, green liquid. Their bodies are red and scaly, often emitting flames when they are angered or excited. In the rare situations they choose to communicate, they use telepathy.

Combat: In physical combat, the pit fiend is capable of dealing out tremendous punishment, using its incredible 18/00 Strength (+6 damage adjustment). They can attack six times in a single round, dividing attacks against six different opponents. They can attack with two hard, scaly wing buffets for 1-4 points of damage per hit. Their powerful claws do 1-6 points of damage per successful attack. The bite of a pit fiend is dreadful indeed, causing any creature bitten to take 2-12 points of damage and receive a lethal dose of poison. A saving throw vs. poison is required or the victim dies in 1-4 rounds. The bite also infects the victim with a disease.

Pit fiends can also attack with their tail every round, inflicting 2-8 points of damage per hit. The tail can then hold and constrict the victim for 2-8 points of damage per round until the victim makes a successful Strength check to break free. Pit fiends can also carry jagged-toothed clubs which inflict 7-12 points of damage per hit (this replaces one claw attack).

Once per round a pit fiend can use one of the following spell-like powers, plus those available to all baatezu: detect magic, detect invisibility, fireball, hold person, improved invisibility, polymorph self, produce flame, pyrotechnics, and wall of fire.

They can, once per year, cast a wish spell. They may always gate in two lesser or one greater baatezu with a 100% chance of success, performing this action once per round. Once per day, a pit fiend can use a symbol of pain -- the victim must save vs. rod, staff or wand or suffer a -4 penalty on attack dice, and a -2 penalty to Dexterity for 2-20 rounds.

Pit fiends regenerate 2 hit points per round and radiate a fear aura in a 20-foot radius (save vs. rod, staff, or wand at a -3 penalty or flee in panic for 1-10 rounds).

Habitat/Society: Pit fiends are the lords of the Nine Hells. They are the baatezu of the greatest power and the highest station. Pit fiends are found throughout the various layers of the Nine Hells, but are very rare on the upper layers.

Wherever they are found, these mighty lords hold a position of great authority and power. They sometimes command vast legions consisting of dozens of complete armies, leading them into battle against the tanar'ri. These huge forces are terrifying to behold, and any non-native of the lower planes, of less than 10 Hit Dice, who sees them, flees in panic for 1-3 days. Those of 10 Hit Dice or more must make a saving throw vs. rod, staff, or wand or flee in panic for 1-12 turns.

Ecology: Pit fiends are spawned from the powerful gelugons of the Nine Hells' eighth layer. When those icy fiends are found worthy they are cast into the Pit of Flame for 1,001 days after which they emerge as pit fiends.

Abishai: Abishai are common on the first and second layers of the Nine Hells, appearing much like gothic gargoyles. They are thin and reptilian with long, prehensile tails and great wings. There are three varieties of abishai. They are, in ascending order of station, black, green, and red. Abishai communicate with telepathy.

Combat: In battle, the abishai strikes with formidable claws, inflicting 1-4 points of damage per successful hit. It can also lash out with its flexible tail for 2-5 points of damage. Hidden in the end of an abishai's tail is a small stinger that injects poison on a successful hit, requiring a saving throw vs. poison (failure results in death).

Abishai can fly into the air and dive at enemies, striking with both claws. Their attack roll is made with a +2 bonus. A successful hit inflicts double damage.

In addition to the powers possessed by all baatezu, an abishai can perform the following magical powers, one at a time, once per round: change self, command, produce flame, pyrotechnics, and scare. They can also attempt to gate 2-12 lemures (60% chance of success, once per day) or 1-3 abishai (30% chance of success, once per day).

All abishai are susceptible to damage from holy water. If a vial is splashed on it, an abishai suffers 2-8 points of damage. All abishai regenerate 1 hit point per melee round unless the damage was done by holy water or a holy magical weapon.

Habitat/Society: Abishai are voracious and evil. They delight in tormenting those few natives of the Nine Hells that are lower in power. Abishai are fond of using change self and charm person to tempt mortals bold enough to travel to the Nine Hells.

Ecology: The abishai comprise the main body of many large, evil armies battling against the tanar'ri and intruders against the Nine Hells. In some cases, a red abishai may have proven himself worthy enough to command a force of lemures. If it is successful in this endeavor, the red abishai may be promoted to a higher form of baatezu.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any

FREQUENCY: Very rare

ORGANIZATION: Solitary

ACTIVITY CYCLE: Night

DIET: Nil

INTELLIGENCE: Exceptional (15-16)

TREASURE: (D)

ALIGNMENT: Chaotic evil

NO. APPEARING: 1

ARMOR CLASS: 0

MOVEMENT: 15

HIT DICE: 7

THAC0: 13

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-8

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Death wail

SPECIAL DEFENSES: +1 or better weapon to hit

MAGIC RESISTANCE: 50%

SIZE: M (5'-6' tall)

MORALE: Elite (13)

XP VALUE: 4,000

The banshee or groaning spirit, is the spirit of an evil female elf -- a very rare thing indeed. Banshee hate the living, finding their presence painful, and seek to harm whomever they meet.

Banshees appear as floating, luminous phantasms of their former selves. Their image glows brightly at night, but is transparent in sunlight (60% invisible). Most banshees are old and withered, but a few (10%) who died young retain their former beauty. The hair of a groaning spirit is wild and unkempt. Her dress is usually tattered rags. Her face is a mask of pain and anguish, but hatred and ire burns brightly in her eyes. Banshees frequently cry out in pain -- hence their name.

Combat: Banshees are formidable opponents. The mere sight of one causes fear, unless a successful saving throw vs. spell is rolled. Those who fail must flee in terror for 10 rounds and are 50% likely to drop any items they were carrying in their hands.

A banshee's most dreaded weapon is its wail or keen. Any creature within 30 feet of a groaning spirit when she keens must roll a saving throw vs. death magic. Those who fail die immediately, their faces contorted in horror. Fortunately, groaning spirits can keen just once per day, and then only at night. The touch of a groaning spirit causes 1d8 points of damage.

Banshees are noncorporeal and invulnerable to weapons of less than +1 enchantment. In addition, groaning spirits are highly resistant to magic (50%). They are fully immune to charm, sleep, and hold spells and to cold- and electricity-based attacks. Holy water causes 2d4 points of damage if broken upon them. A dispel evil spell will kill a groaning spirit. A banshee is turned as a ``special'' undead.

Banshees can sense the presence of living creatures up to five miles away. Any creature that remains within five miles of a groaning spirit lair is sure to be attacked when night falls. The nature of this attack varies with the victim. Beasts and less threatening characters are killed via a touch. Adventurers or demihumans are attacked by keening. Creatures powerful enough to withstand the groaning spirit's keen are left alone.

When attacking adventurers, the groaning spirit attacks at night with her wail. If any characters save successfully, she then retreats to her lair. Thereafter, each night, the groaning spirit returns to wail again. This routine is repeated until all of the victims are dead or have left the groaning spirit's domain, or until the groaning spirit is slain.

Habitat/Society: Banshees loathe all living things and thus make their homes in desolate countryside or ancient ruins. There they hide by day, when they cannot keen, and wander the surrounding countryside by night. The land encircling a groaning spirit's lair is strewn with the bones of beasts who heard the groaning spirit's cry. Once a groaning spirit establishes her lair she will remain there.

The treasure of groaning spirits varies considerably and often reflects what they loved in life. Many hoard gold and fine gems. Other groaning spirits, particularly those that haunt their former homes, show finer tastes, preserving great works of art and sculptures, or powerful magical items.

It is nearly impossible to distinguish the cry of a groaning spirit from that of a human or elf woman in pain. Many a knight gallant has mistaken the two sounds, and then paid for the mistake with his life. Banshees are exceptionally intelligent and speak numerous languages, including common, elvish, and other demihuman languages.

Banshees occasionally use their destructive powers to seek revenge against their former adversaries in life.

Ecology: Banshees are a blight wherever they settle. They kill without discretion, and their only pleasure is the misfortune and misery of others. In addition to slaying both man and beast, a groaning spirit's keen has a powerful effect upon vegetation. Flowers and delicate plants wither and die and trees grow twisted and sickly, while hardier plants, thistles and the like, flourish. After a few years all that remains within five miles of a groaning spirit's lair is a desolate wilderness of warped trees and thorns mixed with the bones of those creatures that dared to cross into the groaning spirit's domain.

These reptilian monsters all posses a gaze that enables them to turn any fleshy creature to stone; their gaze extends into the Astral and Ethereal planes.

Although it has eight legs, its sluggish metabolism allows only a slow movement rate. A basilisk is usually dull brown in color, with a yellowish underbelly. Its eyes glow pale green.

Combat: While it has strong, toothy jaws, the basilisk's major weapon is its gaze. However, if its gaze is reflected, and it sees its own eyes, it will become petrified itself, but this requires light at least equal to bright torchlight and a good, smooth reflector. In the Astral plane its gaze kills; in the Ethereal plane it turns victims into ethereal stone. These will only be seen by those in the Ethereal plane or who can see ethereal objects.

The greater basilisk is a larger cousin of the more common reptilian horror, the ordinary basilisk. These monsters are typically used to guard treasure.

Combat: The monster attacks by raising its upper body, striking with sharp claws, and biting with its toothy maw. The claws carry Type K poison (saving throws vs. poison are made with a+4 bonus). Its foul breath is also poisonous, and all creatures, coming within 5 feet of its mouth, even if just for a moment, must roll successful saving throws vs. poison (with a+2 bonus) or die (check each round of exposure).

Even if a polished reflector is used under good lighting conditions, the chance for a greater basilisk to see its own gaze and become petrified is only 10%, unless the reflector is within 10 feet of the creature. (While its gaze weapon is effective to 50 feet, the creature's oddly-shaped eyes are nearsighted and it cannot see its own gaze unless it is within 10 feet.)

The sages say that the dracolisk is the offspring of a rogue black dragon and a basilisk of the largest size.

The result is a deep brown, dragon-like monster that moves with relative quickness on six legs. It can fly, but only for short periods -- a turn or two at most.

Combat: This horror can attack with its taloned forelegs and deliver vicious bites. In addition, it can spit a stream of acid 5 feet wide and up to 30 feet away. The acid causes 4d6 points of damage, half-damage if a successful saving throw vs. breath weapon is rolled. The dracolisk can spit up to three times per day.

The eyes of a dracolisk can petrify any opponent within 20 feet if the monster's gaze is met. Because its hooded eyes have nictating membranes, the monster is only 10% likely to be affected by its own gaze. Opponents in melee with a dracolisk and seeking to avoid its gaze fight with a -4 penalty to their to attack rolls.

Common Large Huge Azmyth NightHunter Sinister

Bats are common animals in many parts of the world. While ordinary bats are annoying but harmless, larger varieties can be quite deadly. With almost 2,000 different species of bats known, one can find wingspans from less than two inches across to 15 feet or more. The small body of the ordinary bat resembles a mouse, while the wings are formed from extra skin stretched across its fore limbs. The larger bats are scaled up but otherwise similar in appearance.

Despite the common belief that bats are blind, nearly all known species have rather good eyesight. In the dark, however, they do not rely on their visual acuity, but navigate instead by echo-location. By emitting a high-pitched squeal and listening for it to bounce back to them, they can ``see'' their surroundings by this natural form of sonar.

Combat: Ordinary bats attack only if cornered and left with no other option. If startled, bats tend to become frightened and confused. This causes them to swarm around and often fly into things. The typical bat swarm ends up putting out torches (1% chance per bat encountered per round), confusing spell casting (Wisdom roll required to cast spells), inhibiting combatants' ability to wield weapons (by a -2 THAC0 penalty), and otherwise getting in the way. Under ideal flying conditions, a bat's Armor Class rating rises from 8 to 4.

Habitat/Society: While bats are found almost anywhere, they prefer warm and humid climes. Some species hibernate during the cold season and a few are know to migrate. Bats live in caves, dark buildings, or damp crevices, hanging by their toes during the day, and leaving at dusk to feed during the night. In large, isolated caverns there may be thousands of bats.

Ecology: Most bats eat fruit or insects, though some include small animals or fish in their diets. The rare vampire bat travels at night to drink the warm blood of living mammals, but its victims are rarely humans or demihumans. Care must be taken not to confuse the vampire bat with the true vampire in this regard.

Rot grubs and carrion crawlers are among the few creatures known to live in the guano on the floor of large bat-infested caverns, making any expeditions into such caves dangerous indeed. If the noxious odor from the guano is not enough to subdue the hardiest of adventurers (a single Constitution check to stay conscious), these crawling denizens are.

These creatures are large versions of the carnivorous variety of the ordinary bat with 3-foot-long bodies and 5- to 6-foot-long wingspans. They dwell in dark caverns, usually underground, and depend on their sonar in flight to compensate for their poor eyesight. Only 10% of giant bats are of the more powerful 1 Hit Die variety.

Extremely maneuverable in flight, large bats gain an Armor Class bonus of +3 when an opponent with a Dexterity of 13 or less fires a missile weapon at it. The creature must land (usually on its victim) to attack with its bite. The typical example of this species inflicts 1d2 points of damage with its teeth while the larger does 1d4 points of damage. Anyone bitten by a large bat has a 1% chance per point of damage done to contract rabies.

When rabies is contracted, there is a 1d4+6 day incubation period. Once this period has ended, the victim has 10 days to live. The victim cannot drink or eat anything and is overly irritable. Anything from loud noises to being awakened at night can set the victim off (the DM determines the temper triggers). If temper flares, the victim must roll a Wisdom check. If the check fails, the rabid person attacks until he is killed or knocked unconscious. When a character contracts rabies, he or she dies from the infliction, unless cured by a wish, alter reality, limited wish, cure disease, or similar spell.

Mobats prefer warm-blooded prey that they bite to death with their fangs. They have a dim and evil intelligence that gives them a desire for shiny objects. Because the typical mobat has a wingspan of 12 to 16 feet, they must have large areas to serve as flight runways.

Because Mobats' flight is so rapid and silent, their victims suffer a -3 penalty to their surprise rolls. They can also give a piercing screech that causes such great pain that victims seek to cover their ears rather than fight, unless a saving throw versus paralyzation is successful. This screech is always used if the prey resists and it is effective in a 20-foot radius about the mobat. Note that mobile mobats have an Armor Class of 2. Under crowded flying conditions, their Armor Class suffers and raises to 7. When not in flight, mobats have an Armor Class of 10.

Azmyths live on flowers, small plants, and insects. They are solitary wanderers, though they do have ``favorite haunts'' to which they return. They often form partnerships with humanoids for mutual benefit, sometimes forming loyal friendships in the process. Azmyths have been known to accompany creatures for their entire lives, and then accompany the creatures' offspring. The life span of azmyths are presently unknown but is believed to be over 100 years. They are not familiars as wizards understand the term; no direct control can be exercised over one, except by spells.

Azmyths have crested heads and bearded chins, white, pupil-less eyes, and leathery gray, mauve, or emerald green skin. They emit shrill squeaks of alarm or rage, and endearing, liquid chuckles of delight or amusement. They communicate by telepathy that has a range of 60 feet, and have infravision to 90 feet. They can know alignment three times per day, become invisible (self only for six rounds or less, ending when the azmyth makes a successful attack) once per day, and create silence 15' radius, centered on themselves, once per day.

In combat, the azmyth bites for 1 point of damage and stabs with its powerful needle-sharp tails for 1d2 points. Twice per day, an azmyth can unleash a shocking grasp attack, transmitting 1d8+6 points of electrical damage through any direct physical contact with another creature. This attack can be combined with a physical attack for cumulative damage.

This species, know as dragazhar, is named after the adventurer who first domesticated one, long ago. Nocturnal on the surface, it is active anytime in the gloom of the underworld. It eats carrion if it must, but usually hunts small beasts. Desperate dragazhar are known to attack livestock, drow, or humans.

Night hunters swoop down to bite prey (1d4), rake with their wing claws (1d2 each), and slash (1d6) or stab (3d4) with their dexterous, triangular-shaped, razor sharp tails. They stalk their prey, flying low and dodging behind hillocks, ridges, trees, or stalactites, to attack from ambush. They have infravision to a distance of 120 feet, but rarely surprise opponents, since they emit echoing, loon-like screams when excited.

Night hunter lairs usually contain over 30 creatures. They typically live in double-ended caves, or above ground in tall, dense woods. Night hunters do not tarry to eat where they feel endangered, so their lairs often contain treasure fallen from prey carried there. Night hunters roost head-down when sleeping. They are velvet in hue, even to their claws, and have violet, orange, or red eyes.

These mysterious jet-black creatures most closely resemble manta rays. They have no distinct heads and necks, and their powerfully-muscled wings do not show the prominent finger bones common to most bats. A natural ability of levitation allows them to hang motionless in midair. This unnerving appearance and behavior has earned them their dark name, but sinisters are not evil. Above ground, they prefer to hunt at night, when their 160'-range infravision is most effective. They eat carrion if no other food is available, and regularly devour flowers and seed pods of all sorts.

Sinisters are both resistant to magic and adept in its use. In addition to their pinpoint, precision levitation, they are surrounded at all times by a naturally-generated 5-foot-deep energy field akin to a wall of force. This field affords no protection against spells or melee attacks, but missile attacks are stopped utterly; normal missiles are turned away, and such effects as magic missile and Melf's acid arrow are absorbed harmlessly. In addition, all sinisters can cast one hold monster (as the spell) once per day. They usually save this for escaping from creatures more powerful than themselves, but may use it when hunting, if ravenous.

Curiously, though they are always silent (communicating only with others of its kind via 20-foot-range limited telepathy), sinisters love music-both vocal and instrumental. Many a bard making music at a wilderness campfire has found him or herself surrounded by a silent circle of floating sinisters. Unless they are directly attacked, the sinisters will not molest the bard in any way, but may follow the source of the music, gathering night after night to form a rather daunting audience.

Sinisters are usually encountered in small groups and are thought to have a long life span. Their social habits and mating rituals are unknown.

Black Brown Cave Polar

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Temperate land Temperate land Any land Any cold

FREQUENCY: Common Uncommon Uncommon Rare

ORGANIZATION: Family Family Family Family

ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day Day Day Day

DIET: Omnivore Omnivore Omnivore Omnivore

INTELLIGENCE: Semi- (2-4) Semi- (2-4) Semi- (2- 4) Semi- (2-4)

TREASURE: Nil Nil Nil Nil

ALIGNMENT: Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral

NO. APPEARING: 1-3 1-6 1-2 1-6

ARMOR CLASS: 7 6 6 6

MOVEMENT: 12 12 12 12, Sw 9

HIT DICE: 3+3 5+5 6+6 8+8

THAC0: 17 15 13 11

NO. OF ATTACKS: 3 3 3 3

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-3/1-3/1-6 1-6/1-6/1-8 1- 8/1-8/1-12 1-10/1-10/2-12

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Hug Hug Hug Hug

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil Nil Nil Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil Nil Nil Nil

SIZE: M (6'+ tall) L (9'+ tall) H (12'+ tall) H (14'+ tall)

MORALE: Average (8-10) Average (8-10) Average (8-10) Average (8-10)

XP VALUE: 175 420 650 1,400

A rather common omnivorous mammal, bears tend to avoid humans unless provoked. Exceptions to this rule can be a most unfortunate occurrence.

Bears are, in general, large and powerful animals which are found throughout the world's temperate and cooler climates. With dense fur protecting them from the elements and powerful claws protecting them from other animals, bears are the true rulers of the animal kingdom in the areas where they live.

The so-called black bear actually ranges in color from black to light brown. It is smaller than the brown bear and the most widespread species by far.

Combat: Although black bears are usually not aggressive, they are able fighters when pressed. If a black bear scores a paw hit with an 18 or better it also hugs for 2-8 (2d4) points of additional damage.

Habitat/Society: All bears have excellent senses of hearing and smell but rather poor eyesight. The size shown is an average for the variety and larger individuals will, of course, be correspondingly more powerful.

One common misconception people hold about bears is that they hibernate during the winter. In fact, they sleep most of the time, but their metabolism does not slow down, and they often wake up and leave their lairs during warm spells.

Bears live in small family groups. Female bears are very protective of their young, and more than one individual has been badly injured when taunting or playing with seemingly harmless bear cubs.

Ecology: All of these ursoids are omnivorous, although the gigantic cave bear tends towards a diet of meat.

Bears are fairly intelligent animals that can be trained to perform in a variety of ways, particularly if captured as cubs. Bears can thus be found dancing in circuses or accompanying ``mountain men'' in the wilderness.

The brown bear, of which the infamous grizzly is the most well known variety, is a bear of very aggressive disposition. Brown bears are more carnivorous than their smaller cousins, the black bears. The grizzly in particular will often bring down large game such as deer and elk.

Brown bears are aggressive hunters. If a brown bear scores a paw hit with a roll of 18 or better it will also hug for 2-12 (2d6) points of additional damage. Brown bears will continue to fight for 1-4 melee rounds after reaching 0 to -8 hit points. At -9 or fewer hit points, they are killed immediately.

Cave bears are quite aggressive, willing to attack well-armed parties without provocation. If a cave bear scores a paw hit with an 18 or better it also hugs for 2-16 (2d8) points of additional damage. Cave bears will continue to fight for 1-4 melee rounds after reaching 0 to -8 hit points. At -9 or fewer hit points, they are killed immediately.

These powerful swimmers feed mostly on marine animals. A paw hit of 18 or better indicates a ``hug'', which inflicts 3-18 (3d6) points of additional damage. These aggressive animals will fight for 2-5 rounds after being brought to 0 to -12 hit points, but beyond that they will die instantly.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any forest Any land Any land Any jungle Any forest Fresh water

FREQUENCY: Common Common Common Uncommon Common Common

ORGANIZATION: Solitary Solitary Solitary Solitary Solitary Solitary

ACTIVITY CYCLE: Day Night Night Any Any Any

DIET: Carnivore Omnivore Omnivore Herbivore Herbivore Omnivore

INTELLIGENCE: Non- (0) Animal (1) Non- (0) Non- (0) Non- (0) Non- (0)

TREASURE: Nil C, R, S, T Nil Nil Nil Nil

ALIGNMENT: Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral Neutral

NO. APPEARING: 3-12 3-18 3-12 1-6 2-12 1-12

ARMOR CLASS: 4 3 4 2 3 3

MOVEMENT: 9 6 12 6 6 3, Sw 9

HIT DICE: 2+2 5 1+2 12 7 4

THAC0: 19 15 19 9 13 17

NO. OF ATTACKS: 1 1 1 2 3 1

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-12 5-20 2-8 3-18/2-16 4-16/1-10/ 3-18

1-10

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Acid cloud Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Fire cloud Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil

SIZE: S (4' long) L (9' long) S (2 l/2' L (12' long) L (10' long) M (6' long)

long)

MORALE: Elite (13) Elite (14) Steady (12) Elite (14) Elite (13) Elite (14)

XP VALUE: 120 175 35 4,000 975 120

Giant beetles are similar to their more ordinary counterparts, but thousands of times larger -- with chewing mandibles and hard wings that provide substantial armor protection.

Beetles have two pairs of wings and three pairs of legs. Fortunately, the wings of a giant beetle cannot be used to fly, and in most cases, its six bristly legs do not enable it to move as fast as a fleeing man. The hard, chitinous shell of several varieties of these beetles are brightly colored, and sometimes have value to art collectors. While their shells protect beetles as well as plate mail armor, it is difficult to craft armor from them, and a skilled alchemist would need to be brought in on the job.

All beetles are basically unintelligent and always hungry. They will feed on virtually any form of organic material, including other sorts of beetles. They taste matter with their antennae, or feelers; if a substance tasted is organic, the beetle grasps it with its mandibles, crushes it, and eats it. Because of the thorough grinding of the mandibles, nothing eaten by giant beetles can be revived by anything short of a wish. Beetles do not hear or see well, and rely primarily on taste and feel.

Except as noted below, giant beetles are not really social animals; those that are found near each other are competitors for the same biological niche, not part of any family unit.

The bombardier beetle is usually found above ground in wooded areas. It primarily feeds on offal and carrion, gathering huge heaps of the stuff in which to lay its eggs.

Combat: If it is attacked or disturbed, there is a 50% chance each round that it will turn its rear toward its attacker and fire off an 8-foot, spherical cloud of reeking, reddish, acidic vapor from its abdomen. This cloud causes 3d4 points of damage per round to any creature within range. Furthermore, the sound caused by the release of the vapor has a 20% chance of stunning any creature with a sense of hearing within a 15-foot radius, and a like chance for deafening any creature that was not stunned. Stunning lasts for 2d4 rounds, plus an additional 2d4 rounds of deafness afterwards. Deafening lasts 2d6 rounds. The giant bombardier can fire its vapor cloud every third round, but no more than twice in eight hours.

Ecology: The bombardier action of this beetle is caused by the explosive mixture of two substances that are produced internally and combined in a third organ. If a bombardier is killed before it has the opportunity to fire off both blasts, it is possible to cut the creature open and retrieve the chemicals. These chemicals can then be combined to produce a small explosive, or fire a projectile, with the proper equipment.

The chemicals are also of value to alchemists, who can use them in various preparations. They are worth 50 gp per dose.

Boring beetles feed on rotting wood and similar organic material, so they are usually found individually inside huge trees or massed in underground tunnel complexes.

Combat: The large mandibles of the boring beetle have a powerful bite and will inflict up to 20 points on damage to the victim.

Habitat/Society: Individually, these creatures are not much more intelligent than other giant beetles, but it is rumored that nests of them can develop a communal intelligence with a level of consciousness and reasoning that approximates the human brain. This does not mean that each beetle has the intelligence of a human, but rather that, collectively, the entire nest has attained that level. In these cases, the beetles are likely to collect treasure and magical items from their victims.

Ecology: In tunnel complexes, boring beetles grow molds, slimes, and fungi for food, beginning their cultures on various forms of decaying vegetable and animal matter and wastes.

One frequent fungi grown is the shrieker, which serves a dual role. Not only is the shrieker a tasty treat for the boring beetle, but it also functions as an alarm when visitors have entered the fungi farm. Boring beetles are quick to react to these alarms, dispatching the invaders, sometimes eating them, but in any case gaining fresh organic matter on which to raise shrieker and other saprophytic plants.

The smallest of the giant beetles, fire beetles are nevertheless capable of delivering serious damage with their powerful mandibles. They are found both above and below ground, and are primarily nocturnal.

Combat: Despite its name, the fire beetle has no fire attacks, relying instead on its huge mandibles to inflict up to three times the damage of a dagger in a single attack.

Ecology: Fire beetles have two special glands above their eyes and one near the back of their abdomens. These glands produce a luminous red glow, and for this reason they are highly prized by miners and adventurers. This luminosity persists for ld6 days after the glands are removed from the beetle, and the light shed will illuminate a radius of 10 feet.

The light from these glands is ``cold'' -- it produces no heat. Many mages and alchemists are eager to discover the secret of this cold light, which could be not only safe, but economical, with no parts to heat up and burn out. In theory, they say, such a light source could last forever.

This uncommon monster inhabits tropical and subtropical jungles. They roam the rain forests searching for fruits and vegetation, and crushing anything in their path. The horn of a giant rhinoceros beetle extends about 6 feet.

Combat: The mandibles of this giant beetle inflict 3d6 points of damage on anyone unfortunate enough to be caught by them; the tremendous horn is capable of causing 2d8 points of damage by itself.

Ecology: The shell of this jungle dweller is often brightly colored or iridescent. If retrieved in one piece, these shells are valuable to clerics of the Egyptian pantheon, who use them as giant scarabs to decorate temples and other areas of worship. It is a representation of this, the largest of all beetles, that serves as the holy symbol for clerics of Apshai, the Egyptian god whose sphere of influence is said to include all insects.

These woodland beetles are very fond of grains and similar growing crops, and they sometimes become great nuisances when they raid cultivated lands.

Combat: Like other beetles, they have poor sight and hearing, but they will fight if attacked or attack if they encounter organic material they consider food. The giant stag beetle's two horns are usually not less than 8 feet long; they inflict up to 10 points of damage each.

Ecology: The worst damage from a stag beetle raid is that done to crops; they will strip an entire farm in short order. Livestock suffers too, stampeding in fear and wreaking more havoc. The beetles may even devour livestock, if they are hungry enough.

The giant water beetle is found only in fresh water no less than 30 feet deep.

Combat: Voracious eaters, these beetles prey upon virtually any form of animal, but will eat almost anything. Slow and ponderous on land, they move very quickly in water. Giant water beetles hunt food by scent and by feeling vibrations.

Habitat/Society: Water beetles sometimes inhabit navigable rivers and lakes, in which case they can cause considerable damage to shipping, often attacking and sinking craft to get at the tasty morsels inside.

Ecology: Although they are air breathers, water beetles manage to stay underwater for extended periods of time by catching and holding a bubble of air beneath their giant wings. They will carry the bubble underwater, where it can be placed in a cave or some other cavity capable of holding an air supply.

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Any land

FREQUENCY: Rare

ORGANIZATION: Solitary

ACTIVE TIME: Day

DIET: Carnivore

INTELLIGENCE: Low (5-7)

TREASURE: See below

ALIGNMENT: Neutral evil

NO. APPEARING: 1-2

ARMOR CLASS: 4

MOVEMENT: 15

HIT DICE: 12

THAC0: 9

NO. OF ATTACKS: 2 or 7

DAMAGE/ATTACK: 2-8 (2d4)/2-5 (1d4+1) or 2-8 (2d4)/6 x 1-6

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Lightning bolt

SPECIAL DEFENSES: Immune to electricity, poison

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil

SIZE: G (40' long)

MORALE: Champion (15)

XP VALUE: 7,000

The behir is a snake-like reptilian monster whose dozen legs allow it to move with considerable speed and climb at fully half its normal movement rate. It can fold its limbs close to its long, narrow body and slither in snake-fashion if it desires. The head looks more crocodilian than snake-like, but has no difficulty in opening its mouth wide enough to swallow prey whole, the way a snake does.

Behir have band-like scales of great hardness. Their color ranges from ultramarine to deep blue with bands of gray-brown. The belly is pale blue. The two large horns curving back over the head look dangerous enough but are actually used for preening the creature's scales and not for fighting.

Combat: A behir will attack its prey by first biting and then looping its body around the victim and squeezing. If the latter attack succeeds, the victim is subject to six talon attacks next round.

A behir can discharge a 20-foot long stroke of electrical energy once every 10 rounds. This lightning bolt will cause 24 points of damage unless a saving throw vs. breath weapon is made. In the latter case, the target takes only half damage.

On a natural attack roll of 20 the behir swallows man-sized prey whole. Any creature swallowed will lose 1/6 of its starting Hit Points each round until it dies at the end of the sixth round. The behir will digest its meal in 12 turns, and at that time the victim is totally gone and cannot be raised from the dead. Note, however, that a creature swallowed can try to cut its way out of the behir's stomach. The inner armor class of the behir is 7, but each round the creature is in the behir it subtracts 1 from the damage each of its attacks does. This subtraction is cumulative, so on the second melee round there is a -2, on the third a -3, and so on.

Habitat/Society: Behir are solitary creatures, meeting others of their kind only to mate and hatch a clutch of 1-4 eggs. The female guards these eggs for eight months while the male hunts for the pair. When the young hatch, they are immediately turned out of the nest to fend for themselves, and the adults separate.

Newly hatched behir are about 2 feet long. Behir grow at a rate of 8 feet per year until fully mature. Interestingly enough, newly hatched behir do not have all of their legs, having instead only six or eight. Additional pairs of legs grow slowly over time until the creature has its full complement when it reaches adulthood.

Behir range over a territory of about 400 square miles, often living high up a cliff face in a cave.

Behir are never friendly with dragonkind, and will never be found coexisting in the same geographical area with any type of dragon. If a dragon should enter a behir's territory, the behir will do everything it can to drive the dragon out. If the behir fails in this task, it will move off to find a new home. A behir will never knowingly enter the territory of a dragon.

Ecology: Behir are useful to mages, priests, and alchemists for a number of concoctions. The horns of a behir can be used to brew the ink necessary to inscribe a lightning bolt scroll, and the sharp talons can likewise be used by a cleric to make the ink for a neutralize poison scroll. The heart of the behir is one of the more common ingredients for ink for a protection from poison scroll.

As behir sometimes swallow prey whole, there is a 10% chance that there will be some small items of value inside the monster. More often than not (60%) these will be gems (10 x Q). Otherwise, there is a 30% chance that there will be from 1-8 pieces of jewelry and a 10% chance that a single small magical object of an indegistible nature may be found. Such objects are never found in a behir's lair, because the creature expels this waste and buries it elsewhere.

The scales are valued for their hardness and color, and are worth up to 500 gp to an armorer who can use them to fashion a highly ornate set of scale mail armor.

Beholder Death Kiss Eye of the Deep Gauth Spectator Undead

The beholder is the stuff of nightmares. This creature, also called the sphere of many eyes or the eye tyrant, appears as a large orb dominated by a central eye and a large toothy maw, has 10 smaller eyes on stalks sprouting from the top of the orb. Among adventurers, beholders are known as deadly adversaries.

Equally deadly are a number of variant creatures known collectively as beholder-kin, including radical and related creatures, and an undead variety. These creatures are related in manners familial and arcane to the ``traditional'' beholders, and share a number of features, including the deadly magical nature of their eyes. The most extreme of these creatures are called beholder abominations.

The globular body of the beholder and its kin is supported by levitation, allowing it to float slowly about as it wills.

Beholders and beholder-kin are usually solitary creatures, but there are reports of large communities of them surviving deep beneath the earth and in the void between the stars, under the dominion of hive mothers.

All beholders speak their own language, which is also understood by all beholder-kin. In addition, they often speak the tongues of other lawful evil creatures.

Combat: The beholder has different Armor Classes for different parts of their body. When attacking a beholder, determine the location of the attack before striking (as the various Armor Classes may make a strike in one area, and a miss in another):

Roll Location AC

01-75 Body 0

76-85 Central Eye 7

86-95 Eyestalk 2

96-00 One smaller eye 7

Each of the beholder's eyes, including the central one has a different function. The standard smaller eyes of a beholder are as follows:

1. Charm person (as spell)

2. Charm monster (as spell)

3. Sleep (as spell, but only one target)

4. Telekinesis (250 pound weight)

5. Flesh to stone (as spell, 30-yard range)

6. Disintegrate (20-yard range)

7. Fear (as wand)

8. Slow (as spell, but only a single target)

9. Cause serious wounds (50-yard range)

10. Death ray (as a death spell, with a single target, 40-yard range)

The central eye produces an anti-magic ray with a 140-yard range, which covers a 90 degree arc before the creature. No magic (including the effects of the other eyes) will function within that area. Spells cast in or passing through that zone cease to function.

A beholder may activate the magical powers of its eyes' at will. Generally, a beholder can use 1d4 smaller eyes if attackers are within a 90 degree angle in front, 1d6 if attacked from within a 180 degree angle, 1d8 if attacked from a 270 degree arc, and all 10 eyes if attacked from all sides. The central eye can be used only against attacks from the front. If attacked from above, the beholder can use all of the smaller eyes.

The beholder can withstand the loss of its eyestalks, each eyestalk/smaller eye having 5-12 hit points. This loss of hit points is over and above any damage done to the central body. The body can withstand two thirds of the listed hit points in damage before the creature perishes. The remaining third of the listed hit points are located in the central eye, and destroying it will eliminate the anti-magic ray. A beholder with 45 hit points will have a body that will take 30 points of damage, a central eye that will take 15 points, while one with 75 hit points will have a body that will withstand 50 points of damage, and a central eye that takes 25 hit points to destroy. Both beholders would have smaller eyestalks/eyes that take 5-12 (1d8+4) points of damage to destroy, but such damage would not affect the body or central eye. Slaying the body will kill the beholder and render the eyes powerless. Destroyed eyestalks (but not the central eye) can regenerate at a rate of one lost member per week.

Habitat/Society: The beholders are a hateful, aggressive and avaricious race, attacking or dominating other races, including other beholders and many of the beholder-kin. This is because of a xenophobic intolerance among beholders that causes them to hate all creatures not like themselves. The basic, beholder body-type (a sphere with a mouth and a central eye, eye-tipped tentacles) allows for a great variety of beholder subspecies. Some have obvious differences, there are those covered with overlapping chitin plates, and those with smooth hides, or snake-like eye tentacles, and some with crustacean-like joints. But something as small as a change in hide color or size of the central eye can make two groups of beholders sworn enemies. Every beholder declares its own unique body-form to be the ``true ideal'' of beholderhood, the others being nothing but ugly copies, fit only to be eliminated.

Beholders will normally attack immediately. If confronted with a particular party there is a 50% chance they will listen to negotiations (bribery) before raining death upon their foes.

Ecology: The exact reproductive process of the beholder is unknown. The core racial hatred of the beholders may derive from the nature of their reproduction, which seems to produce identical (or nearly so) individuals with only slight margin for variation. Beholders may use parthenogenic reproduction to duplicate themselves, and give birth live (no beholder eggs have been found). Beholders may also (rarely) mate with types of beholder-kin.

The smaller eyes of the beholder may be used to produce a potion of levitation, and as such can be sold for 50 gp each.

The Death Kiss, or ``bleeder,'' is a fearsome predator found in caverns or ruins. Its spherical body resembles that of the dreaded beholder, but the ``eyestalks'' of this creature are bloodsucking tentacles, its ``eyes'' are hook-toothed orifices. They favor a diet of humans and horses, but will attack anything that has blood. An older name for these creatures is eye of terror.

The central body of a death kiss has no mouth. Its central eye gives it 120-foot infravision, but the death kiss has no magical powers. A death kiss is 90% likely to be taken for a beholder when sighted. The 10 tentacles largely retract into the body when not needed, resembling eyestalks, but can lash out to a full 20-foot stretch with blinding speed. The tentacles may act separately or in concert, attacking a single creature or an entire adventuring company.

A tentacle's initial strike does 1-8 points of damage as the barb-mouthed tip attaches to the victim. Each attached tentacle drains 2 hit points worth of blood per round, beginning the round after it hits.

Like the beholder, the death kiss has variable Armor Classes. In ordinary combat, use the following table, though situations may dictate other methods (should the creature be attacking with a tentacle from 20 feet away, then no attack on the body or central eye may be made, while attacks on the stalk and mouth are still possible).

Roll Location AC Hit Points

01-75 Body 4 77-84

76-85 Central Eye 8 6

86-95 Tentacle stalk 2 6

96-00 Tentacle mouth 4 See following text

A hit on a tentacle-mouth inflicts no damage, but stuns the tentacle, causing it to writhe helplessly for 1-4 rounds. If its central eye is destroyed, a bleeder locates beings within 10 feet by smell and sensing vibrations, but it is otherwise unaffected.

Tentacles must be struck with edged weapons to injure them. They can be torn free from the victim by a successful bend bars/lift gates roll. Such a forceful removal does the victim 1-6 damage per tentacle, since the barbed teeth are violently torn free from the tentacle.

If an attached tentacle is damaged but not destroyed, it instantly and automatically drains sufficient hit points, in blood, from the victim's body to restore it to a full 6 hit points. This reflex effect occurs after every non-killing hit on a tentacle, even if it is wounded more than once in a round. This cannot occur more than twice in one round. The parasitic healing effect does not respond to damage suffered by the central body or other tentacles.

A tentacle continues to drain blood, if it was draining when the central body of the death kiss reaches 0 hit points. Tentacles not attached to a victim at that time are incapable of further activity. A death kiss can retract a draining tentacle, but voluntarily does so only when its central body is at 5 hit points or less; it willfully detaches once the victim has been drained to 0 hit points.

Ingested blood is used to generate electrical energy -- 1 hit point of blood becomes 1 charge. A death kiss uses this energy for motor activity and healing. An eye of terror expends one charge every two turns in moving, and thus is almost constantly hunting prey. Spending one charge enables a bleeder to heal 1 hit point of damage to each of its 10 tentacles, its central body, and its eye (12 hit points in all). It can heal itself with one charge of stored energy every other round in addition to its normal attacks and activity.

Each tentacle can store up to 24 charges of drained energy, the body capable of storing 50 charges of drained energy. A severed tentacle is 70% likely to discharge its cumulative charges, when severed, into anything touching it; each charge delivers 1 hit point of electrical damage.

Finally, bleeders can ram opponents with their mass. This attack does 1-8 damage.

A death kiss may ``shut itself down,'' remaining motionless and insensitive on the ground, and can remain alive in that state for long periods of time. To awaken from its hibernation, the creature requires an influx of electrical energy, considerable heat, or the internal shock caused by a blow, fall, wound, or magical attack; any of the above stimulants must deal at least 5 points of damage to the death kiss to awaken it. Adventurers finding a hibernating death kiss usually provide such stimulation, thinking the sleeper helpless prey.

Eyes of terror are solitary hunters, fully inheriting the paranoia and ego of their cousins, the beholders. If they encounter one of their kin, the result is often a mid-air struggle to the death. The loser's body becomes an incubator and breeding ground for the death kiss' offspring. Within one day, 1-4 young will ``hatch''. Each new bleeder has half its parent's hit points, and fully matures in 1 month.

The death kiss has an organ in the central, upper body that is a valued ingredient in magical potions and spell inks concerned with levitation (and may be sold like beholder eyes). In addition, a brain or nerve node, deep in a bleeder's body hardens into a soft-sided, faceted red gem upon the creature's death. Called ``bloodeyes,'' these typically fetch a market price of 70 gp each. They are valued for adornments since they glow more brightly as the wearer's emotions intensify.

This is a water breathing version of the beholder, and dwells only at great depths, floating slowly about, stalking prey. They have two crab-like pincers which inflict 2-8 (2d4) points of damage each, and a wide mouth full of sharp teeth that does 1-6 points of damage.

The primary weapons of the eyes of the deep, however, are their eyes. The creatures large central eye emits a cone of blinding light 5 feet wide at its start, 30 feet long, and 20 feet wide at its base. Those in the cone must save vs. poison or be stunned for 2-8 (2d4) rounds.

The eye of the deep also has two smaller eyes on long stalks, and uses both to create illusion. Acting independently, the small eyes are able to cast hold person and hold monster spells respectively.

The eye of the deep has an Armor Class of 5 everywhere, including its eyes and eye stalks. If its eyestalks are severed they will grow back in about a week.

The Gauth is a relative of the beholder that feeds on magic. Its spherical body is 5 feet in diameter and brown in color, mottled with purple and gray. Located in the center of the gauth's forward hemisphere is a large central eye surrounded by a ring of smaller eyes that are protected by ridges of tough flesh. These secondary body eyes provide the creature with normal vision in lighted areas and infravision to 90 feet. On the underside is the beast's fearsome mouth with its accompanying cluster of four feeding tendrils, while the top is adorned with a crown of six eye stalks. Attacks on the creature hit as follows:

Roll Location AC Hit Points

01-85 Body 0 As listed

86-90 Central Eye 7 Part of Body

91-00 Eyestalk/Tendril 2 6 hit points

While the gauth is similar to the beholder, its ability to feed on the energy of magical objects makes it even more dangerous in some ways.

When a gauth moves into combat, it begins to glow, much as if it were the object of a faerie fire spell, to attract the attention of its foes. A creature that meets the gaze of the central eye must roll a successful saving throw vs. spell, with a -2 penalty, or be affected as if the victim of a feeblemind spell.

If a gauth chooses to bite with its great maw, the sharp fangs inflict 3d4 points of damage. The four tendrils around the mouth can grab and hold victims as if they had a Strength of 18, but they can inflict no damage.

A gauth in combat can also employ its six eye stalks. These eyes have the following powers:

1. Cause serious wounds (as spell, 30-foot range).

2. Repulsion (as spell, 10-foot wide path, 40-foot range)

3. Cone of cold (as spell, inflicts 3d4 points of damage and has an area of effect 5 feet wide at the start, 50 feet long, and 20 feet wide at the base; this eye can be used only three times per day)

4. Lightning bolt (as spell, inflicts 4d4 damage with 80' range; this power can be used up to four times per day)

5. Paralyzation (as wand, 40-foot range, single target; only a dispel magic or the beholder's death can free the victim)

6. Dweomer drain (see below)

Perhaps the most feared of the gauth's powers, its dweomer drain, permits the gauth to drain charges from magical items. It has a 40-foot range and can be targeted on one individual per round. In addition to preventing one object from functioning for the duration of that round, this power drains one charge from one charged object. Permanent objects, such as magical swords, are rendered powerless for one round by this ability. Artifacts are not affected by the dweomer drain. The eye has no effect on spells that have been memorized (but not yet cast) and it will not break the concentration of a wizard. It does neutralize any spell cast by its target that round, however.

A dispel magic spell cast on any of the gauth's eye stalks prevents its use for 1d4 rounds. The central eye, any fully retracted eye stalks, the body's ability to glow, and the gauth's natural levitation are not subject to injury by such a spell.

If a gauth is slain, its magical energy dissipates. Usually, this is a harmless event, but there is a 2% chance that it is catastrophic, inflicting 4d4 points of damage to all creatures within 10 feet (no saving throw). Gauth are immune to their own powers and to those of other gauth. They have an unusual physiology that enables them to regenerate 1 hit point every two turns.

Although gauth are not known to fight over territories or prey, they do go to great lengths to avoid each other. Even when they encounter another of their kind in the wilderness, they often ignore them utterly.

A gauth can survive by eating meat but it greatly prefers to devour magical objects. In some unknown manner, the creature is able to absorb magical energy and feed on it. Each turn that an object spends in the gauth's stomach causes it to lose one charge. A permanent object is rendered inoperative after one day (artifacts are not affected, nor do they provide sustenance). Magical objects that cannot be entirely digested by a gauth are spat out after they have been drained of all their power.

Gauth are thought to live a century or so. Within a week of their ``natural'' death, two young gauth emerge from the corpse. Although smaller than their parent (each has 2+2 or 3+3 HD and a bite that causes only 2d4 points of damage), they have all the powers of a full-grown adult.

Another relative of the beholder, the spectator is a guardian of places and treasures, and capable of limited planar travel. Once it is given a task, the spectator will watch for up to 101 years. It will allow no one to use, borrow, or examine an item or treasure, except the one who gave it its orders. The spectator has a large central eye and four smaller eye stalks protruding from the top of its hovering, spherical body.

The spectator is difficult to surprise, and has a +2 surprise modifier and a +1 initiative modifier. It is basically a passive creature, and will attempt to communicate and implant suggestion as its first act, unless it is immediately attacked. Striking a spectator has the following effects: