Creatures

Arachnid Centaur (Tunnels & Trolls)

/ danielwalldammit / 1 Comment

A General narrative about Arachnid Centaurs can be found here. What follows are stats for the game of Tunnels and Trolls.

Str: 1.1, Con: 1.1, Dex: 1.1, Lk: 1, IQ: 1.1, Wiz: .1.5, SP: 1 Chr: 1.5.

Height: 1.3, Weight: .2.3

An Arachnid Centaur has the following special qualities:

1) They can climb vertical surfaces at about half speed, providing there is significant texture on that surface.

2) They can create webs, although it is a slow process. The effort to escape this web (or to see it in the dark) would require a save at the level of the Arachnid Centaur. To destroy it would require a save at 1 level higher than that of the Centaur. It costs 1 point of Wiz and takes 1 minute to create fill a single 1”x1”x1” stretch of space with webbing. One more such block can be added for each additional point of Wiz and each additional minute spent on the activity.

3) If she has the means to cast spells, an Arachnid Centaur can infuse a web with an spell effect, thus causing anyone trapped in the web to incur the effect of that spell. If there is a duration, it will last until they have been released from the web. This ability costs 2 points of Wiz in addition to twice the total cost of the spell after any adjustments for level. Only one spell effect can be placed in a web at any one time.

An Arachnid Centaur can infuse spells cast by others into her webs, but doing so will cost her the same as casting one of her own in addition to the normal cost of the spell for the caster.

4) Arachnid Centaurs can speak with spiders.

Note: For the riparian version on an Arachnid Centaur, just add 5) Riparian Centaurs have the ability to walk across the surface of water.

Vek (D&D, First Edition)

/ danielwalldammit / 1 Comment

A General narrative about Vek can be found here. What follows are stats for the game of Tunnels and Trolls.

***

FREQUENCY: Rare.

NUMBER APPEARING: 10-60.

ARMOR CLASS: 6

MOVE: 12”.

HIT DICE: 1d8.

PERCENT IN LAIR: 25%.

TREASURE TYPE: D.

NUMBER OF ATTACKS: 2 or 1.

SPECIAL ATTACKS: Tail spikes.

DAMAGE OF ATTACKS: (2) claws for 1d4 each, or (1) tail spike for 1d4, or by weapon type.

SPECIAL DEFENSES: None.

MAGIC RESISTANCE: Standard.

INTELLIGENCE: Average.

ALIGNMENT: Neutral.

SIZE: Medium (6’ tall).

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil.

Attack/Defense Modes: Nil.

Vek may attack (twice per round) using their claws or (at normal rates of attack) with manufactured weapons or once per round with tail spikes. They possess 1 tail spike per point of their Constitution plus their level. They generate new spikes at a rate of 1 per week, dropping old ones at about the same rate.

Character Stats: Vek would have the following adjustments to attributes in first edition D&D: Strength is +1, Dexterity is +1, Constitution is +1, Intelligence is normal, Wisdom is normal, Charisma is normal.

Creeping Gaze (Tunnels & Trolls)

/ danielwalldammit / 1 Comment

A General narrative about Creeping Gaze can be found here. What follows are stats for the game of Tunnels and Trolls.

***

Str: .25, Con: .5, Dex: 1.25, Lk: 1.25, IQ: 1.25, Wiz: .1.25, SP: 1 Chr: 1.25

Height: 1, Weight: .1

A Creeping Gaze has the following special qualities:

1) A Creeping Gaze has no actual means of attack, but it can roll 2d6 plus adds against an opponent. In the event of victory, the roll of the Creeping Gaze is subtracted from the damage done to the enemy, and if the Creeping Gaze has no allies, then it scores no damage, not even on a Spite roll. In effect, its combat dice are merely a measure of its active defense (which is mostly dodging).

2) Although a Creeping Gaze may understand languages as would a normal character, it has no means of speaking.

3) At a cost of 2 points of Wiz and 1 round of concentration, a Creeping Gaze may trigger an ability to see anything invisible within a 30 degree arc out to a range of 10’ for every 2 points of IQ rounded down.

4) At a cost of 3 points of Wiz and 1 round of concentration, a Creeping Gaze may learn each of the following things about a creature within a range of 10’ for every 2 points of IQ rounded down.

a: Whether or not they have killed any sentient creatures within the last day or within the last week.

b: whether or not they have broken any applicable laws within the last day or within the last week.

c: Whether or not they are a virgin.

d: Whether or not they have done anything for which they might feel guilty.

5) A Creeping Gaze enjoys a +3 bonus on any rolls to search or spot anything by means of sight.

6) A Creeping Gaze can walk on a vertical surface just as easily as any other character can walk on the ground.

 

 

Creeping Gaze (First Edition D&D)

/ danielwalldammit / 1 Comment

© Daniel S. Wall, May 21, 2026.

***

A general narrative about the Creeping Gaze can be found here. What follows are rules for running a Creeping Gaze in first edition, D&D.

FREQUENCY: Rare.

NUMBER APPEARING: 1

ARMOR CLASS: 7

MOVE: 5”.

HIT DICE: 1d6.

PERCENT IN LAIR: 25%.

TREASURE TYPE: E.

NUMBER OF ATTACKS: None.

DAMAGE OF ATTACKS: N/A.

SPECIAL ATTACKS: None.

SPECIAL DEFENSES: None.

MAGIC RESISTANCE: 10%.

INTELLIGENCE: High.

ALIGNMENT: Neutral.

SIZE: Small (2’ tall).

PSIONIC ABILITY: Nil.

Attack/Defense Modes: Nil.

1) A Creeping Gaze has no actual means of attack.

2) Although a Creeping Gaze may understand languages as would a normal character, it has no means of speaking.

3) 3 times per day, a Creeping Gaze may 1 segment to study a given area. It thus sees anything invisible within a 30 degree arc out to a range of 6”.

4) 3 times per day, a Creeping Gaze may 1 segment to study a creature within 6”. It thus learns the following about the creature:

a: Whether or not they have killed any sentient creatures within the last day or within the last week.

b: whether or not they have broken any applicable laws within the last day or within the last week.

c: Whether or not they are a virgin.

d: Whether or not they have done anything for which they might feel guilty.

5) A Creeping Gaze enjoys a +3 bonus on any rolls to search or spot anything by means of sight.

6) A Creeping Gaze can walk on a vertical surface just as easily as any other character can walk on the ground.

Character Stats: A creeping Gaze would have the following adjustments to attributes in first edition D&D: A creeping Gaze would have the following adjustments to attributes in first edition D&D: Strength: is half (rounded high), Dexterity is +1, Constitution is half (rounded high), Intelligence is +1, Wisdom is +2, Charisma is +1.

 

Vek (Tunnels & Trolls)

/ danielwalldammit / 1 Comment

© Daniel S. Wall, May 21, 2026.

***

These are rules for playing Vek in Tunnels and Trolls, the Delux Edition. The general description of Vek can be found here.

Vek: Str: 1.1, Con: 1.1, Dex: 1.1, Lk: .9, IQ: .9, Wiz: .75, SP: 1 Chr: .1.75

Height: 1, Weight: .1

Special Abilities: All Vek have natural weapons useful in melee (their claws and a spiky tail) and missile (tail spikes). The tail spikes have a range of 15 yards. Any given Vek will have a number of tail spikes equal to their strength or the Constitution (whichever is higher). They will grow back in between game sessions.

Tierzen (Tunnels & Trolls)

/ danielwalldammit / 1 Comment

© Daniel S. Wall, May 21, 2026.

***

These are rules for playing Tierzen in Tunnels and Trolls, the Delux Edition. The general description of Tierzen can be found here.

Tierzen: Str: 1, Con: 1, Dex: 1, Lk: 1, IQ: 1.25, Wiz: .75, SP: 1 Chr: 1.75

Height: 1, Weight: .1

Special Abilities: Although physical combat works normally for Tierzen, they will typically use spiritual weapons when doing so. They can use regular weapons, but they normally manifest spiritual weapons for combat. When fighting with a spiritual weapon, any spite damage done to an opponent is matched by a point of damage to either IQ, WIZ, or Chr. It is up to the victim to decide which of these stats they will apply the damage to, but they will take damage to one of those attributes along with the usual damage to Con for a spite roll.

Waggamaephs (Tunnels & Trolls)

/ danielwalldammit / 1 Comment

© Daniel S. Wall, April 19, 2026.

***

These are rules for playing Waggamaephs in Tunnels and Trolls, the Delux Edition. The general description of Waggamaephs can be found here.

Waggamaeph: There are two types of Waggamaeph. The stat blocks for each are as follows:

Hill Maeph: Str: 1, Con: 1.25, Dex: 2, Lk: 1, IQ: .9, Wiz: .75, SP: 2 Chr: .9

Height: .6, Weight: .7

Valley Maeph: Str: .75, Con: .75, Dex: 2, Lk: 1.1, IQ: .9, Wiz: .75, Sp: 2.5, Chr: 1.25

Height: .5, Weight: .5

(Note that Speed does not seem to be modified based on kindred stats, so this stat block seems to defy the conventional approach to attributes in T&T, but speed (including both reflexes and rate of movement across the ground) is central to the concept of a Waggamaeph, so we are applying it here anyway.)

Special Abilities: 1) Waggamaephs never use equipment or weapons. Theoretically, they can, but it never seems to occur to them to do so. If told to, they will stop unless continually reminded. 2) Waggamaephs can move at twice the distance of a human across land for Hill Maephs or 2.5 times the distance for Valley Maephs. 3) Waggamaephs are very forgetful. They cannot be expected to maintain a specific position in a combat formation, so their position relative to other characters is always random. They can be asked to stand a watch, but there is no guarantee they will stay put or focus on their guard duties.

Ghost

/ danielwalldammit / Leave a comment

© Daniel S. Wall, May 2, 2026.

***

“You can’t kill a ghost, boy, but you can listen. He might have something to tell you.”

– Old Mack

***

       A Ghost is a powerful Undead creature. Its existence is always due to some unfinished business in this life, a fact which normally provides the key to its destruction, or even its path the peace. Ghosts retain much of the personality of their former selves, but they take on a sort of pathos which may run counter to their essential character. While retaining the values of their former life, the purpose for which the ghost continues may override other concerns, even to the extent of contradicting its normal behavior in life.

The GM must determine for every ghost a specific means by which it may be find peace and a specific means by which it may be destroyed. These are both determined by the plot line which the ghost serves. Should a party appear to slay a ghost without meeting either condition, it will materialize again at its own convenience in another game session

Ghosts are often tied to a particular location, or to a particular person, materializing only in the place in question or in the vicinity of the person to be haunted. A Ghost may otherwise come and go at will, but it takes a full round of activity to materialize or disappear. A Ghost may not cast spells or launch any sort of attack on the round in which it first materializes. As the ghost disappears only at the end of the turn after which initiates the process to do so, others may get a chance to act on it, even when the ghost seeks to leave.

Whether or not any given death results in the creation of a Ghost is entirely at the discretion of the GM, but it is an exceedingly rare event in any case. Only the most intense and dramatic stories become Ghosts.

***

Example 1: A Ghost may represent the last individual of a royal lineage destroyed by a particular character from the remote past. The ghost will not rest until the character or its direct heir is slain, but it may itself be slain by the character in question, or its direct heir. The Ghost may not leave its family home (or perhaps it may not leave the general vicinity of its nemesis). The Ghost will not risk exposing itself to the one creature with the means of destroying it, so it spends its time trying to convince other living creatures that its enemy must be destroyed.

***

Example 2: A Ghost swore to deliver a message to some king in a faraway land, but she was slain somewhere along the way. She materializes in the vicinity of the scroll on which the message was written. If she can talk someone into taking the scroll to its original destination, she may find peace. On the other hand, if the scroll itself is destroyed, she will herself be destroyed.