Bjornwyrd

April 30, 2026May 2, 2026 / danielwalldammit / Leave a comment

***

“Yes, you must poke the bear with a stick. Strange as it may seem, your only hope is to enrage him. His claws are not as dangerous as his magic.”

– Kregestir, the Short Lived.

***

Bjornwyrd or regular polar bear? Hard to know!

Imagine a polar bear with all the usual might and strength of its kindred. Now add great magical abilities to its list of skills. This is a Bjornwyrd.

Nobody knows why polar bears sometimes develop these powers, but it happens. Not only do they develop great spell-casting powers, they also become especially adept at cold-based spells. The end result is a creature that is dangerous from a distance or up close.

Needless to say, these creatures are greatly feared by any with the sense to know what they are.

Tierzen

April 30, 2026May 21, 2026 / danielwalldammit / 1 Comment

***

“Just a moment before, she had had possessed no weapons at all. Now a shadow in the shape a great sword shimmered in her hands, wisps of black ether drift up from its edge. There was nothing normal about this, but in the hands of that thing, the ghost blade seemed somehow quite fitting.”

– G’shen Fmierelei, Herald of the Elven Wood.

***

Tierzen appear as black skinned humanoids, with no body hair of any kind. They are usually wrapped in dark clothing. Their eyes are bright green, though it is said they turn black when using the powers of a Spiritual Combatant.

An amulet exists for every Tierzen; it prevents them from attacking the one who carries it. Any Tierzen who carries his own amulet will find it weakens her, so Tierzen lives are spent seeking a suitable host for their own amulets. Few Tierzen could be trusted with this power, a fact which makes it all the more difficult for Tierzen to find stable and safe trustees for their amulets.

Tierzen are natural Spiritual Combatants, taking to their natural gift with a dedication rarely found among other Kindred. Most Tierzen will always possess the ability ‘Spiritual Weaponry’ thus enabling them to inflict great mental damage on opponents in melee combat. To ensure that such opponents do not escape physical injury, Tierzen work closely with other creatures generating more physical damage. Tierzen are always careful to ensure that they dominate any other creatures they choose to work with.

Tierzen possess one other distinctive behavioral characteristic, a profound interest in all things having to do with death. All Tierzen exhibit a marked fascination with death and dying from an early age, and those that take up spell casting invariably dabble in some forms of necromancy.

This mysterious kindred is widely thought to be evil in nature, yet even their greatest detractors will add that random violence is almost unheard of among their kind. Tierzen always seem to act with a purpose and limit their violence to those who genuinely stand in the way of that purpose.

In some cases, Tierzen campaigns appear to have been shaped by the desire to capture important resources. Tierzen have fought to obtain Magical Items and gold, but far more often they have sought information of one sort or another. Few understand the reasons for Tierzen involvement in anything, and individuals of this Kindred do little to enlighten them, a fact which leaves plenty of room for rumors and theories.

Wise men say it is best to step aside when Tierzen make an appearance and let them go about their business. If for whatever reason, one feels compelled to stop them, then it is best to pray before doing so.

Rules for playing Tierzen in Tunnels and Trolls, Delux Edition can be found here.

Sidehill Basher

April 29, 2026 / danielwalldammit / Leave a comment

***

“Now the Sidehill Basher is always gonna be facing thuh other way from the Sidehill Grabber, I mean. If’n it faces the same way, thuh Grabber will git the dang thing fer sure, but if’n the Basher faces the Gabber as its comin’, well then it has a chance. …a goodun too! You see a Sidehill Basher will flat knock a Basher raht off thuh side o’ thuh hill. Then it runs a ways forward raht quick, jess to make sure the Grabber can’t come back an’ git it. If’n the Grabber lives through thuh bash and the subsequent fall, that is.

…oh yeah! Fergot ta’ say. You don’t want ta’ git too close to a Basher. It’s liable ta’ mistake ye’ fer a Grabber, er maybe it just don’t care. Dang things are prone ta’ knock most anything off the side o’ thuh mountain. Best ta’ keep away from ’em, my wahf use ta’ say. …sure do wish she’da follered her own advahs.”

– Maddoch Riwarden, Mountain Scout

***

A Sidehill Basher appears to be a large and very sturdy mountain goat. Its legs on one side are typically twice the size of those on the other, making it perfectly suited to life on steep mountain slopes, providing, of course, that it always faces the same direction.

A Sidehill Basher spends its life grazing the shrubs and grasses on the side of a mountain top, always moving in the same direction. If Sidehill Grabbers are present, then all the Sidehill Bashers on any given mountain will be facing the same direction (as the Grabbers will have eaten up those facing the other way.

Sidehill bashers are known to be very cranky. They will happily butt heads with any creature they see coming the other way. If it can, this creature will do its best to knock a victim clear off a ledge and down the side of a cliff.

Sidehill Grabber

April 29, 2026April 29, 2026 / danielwalldammit / Leave a comment

***

“If you can get just get to his other side yer safe! Dern thing can’t turn around without fallin’ down the side o’ the mountain.”

– Maddoch Riwarden, Mountain Scout

***

This creature has the appearance of a large puma, but this particular puma is particularly well-suited to life in the high mountains. One may not notice at first, but both legs on one side of its body are significantly smaller than those on the other. The Side-Hill Grabber is thus perfectly balanced on a steep slope, so long as it is facing one particular direction.

Sidehill Grabbers spend their lives hunting mountain goats and mountain sheep. They are particularly fond of Side-Hill Bashers. And of course, no Sidehill Grabber will hesitate to add a dwarf or a random Ligén to its diet.

A Sidehill Grabber will typically hide just above a given mountain path or game trail and pounce on the first victim to come along. Using its claws to secure a victim and hold it in place, the Sidehill Grabber will take great care to avoid letting its victim escape or fall. A falling victim may easily bounce in the wrong direction, forcing the Sidehill Grabber to walk all the way around the mountain in order to claim its meal.

As it happens all the sidehill grabbers on a given mountain-side will always face the same direction. This is due to the odd rivalries of the kindred. While a Sidehill Grabber will rarely take any violent action against one of its own kind, provided they are both facing the same direction, it will do anything in its power to kill one coming from the other direction.

Bastard Fish

April 28, 2026April 28, 2026 / danielwalldammit / Leave a comment

***

“What is that?” – Anonymous, R.I.P.

These foul creatures appear to be giant lion fish. Some say that their eyes give off a faint green glow, but few have survived coming close enough to confirm the rumor. The long fins of a Bastard Fish trail further below a Bastard Fish than one might expect (as far as 6″ on a game table), but fish does not suffer if these are damaged.

They are actually quite intelligent, however, and they possess the capacity to float in the air as if swimming. Endowed with great Spiritual Power, Bastard Fish use it to satisfy their incredible hunger. But these creatures do not merely kill for food; they also do it for pleasure.

Aquamonkeys

April 28, 2026 / danielwalldammit / Leave a comment

***

“There is a nasty rumor that Aquamonkeys are just an exotic variety of shrimp, but those who have encountered these cute but annoying critters know the truth. Aquamonkeys are as indeed every bit as real as unicorns. Anyone who says otherwise doesn’t know a Griffon from a Pegasus!”

– Gable One-Eye, Retired Sailor

***

Aquamonkeys are Naturally just what you expected them to be; they are monkeys that live under sea. Their skin is comprised of fine scales, and their tails end in fins. Aquamonkeys have a small degree of webbing on their hands and feet, though not enough to interfere with Movement on land.

These are Naturally harmless creatures, living on sea cucumbers and shellfish. They dwell in warm coastal waters, leading a carefree lifestyle, playing in the water and scurrying about the ocean floor. They are very curious creatures, however, and this is what often brings them into conflict with humans.

Aquamonkeys have been known to climb up the rope connecting a ship to its anchor at night and fiddle about looking for shiny baubles and other fun stuff. Whenever this happens some will inevitably end up playing in the rigging of a ship, but by that time you never know what the others may have taken. Such forays are never done with intent to harm, but many an important item has been known to disappear with these creatures back into the waters below. Aquamonkeys are prone to hold onto anything they have picked up before trouble starts, however, dropping items only when damaged, and even then only on about a 50/50 chance.

If unharmed, Aquamonkeys may stick around to play in the water near a ship. When consulted by those capable of speaking with animals, Aquamonkeys can almost always lead people to some items of treasure lost under the sea. These aquatic pack-rats can usually be relied upon to accumulate a rather large number of shiny items, at least some of which could prove valuable.

It takes a bit of coaxing, but to a Aquamonkey copper pieces are every bit as pretty as gold or platinum, and that should give people a bit of an angle to work with. If a troop of Aquamonkeys are not happy with the trade off, however, they will attack someone trying to take their treasure. If a fight occurs in the water, they can be quite brave. In such cases, a troop will fight until half of its members have been slain, at which time they will scatter and flea the area entirely.

Gnagén

April 22, 2026April 28, 2026 / danielwalldammit / Leave a comment

***

“Klezh held his right hand up with its palm facing the rest of us, His, great eye in the center of his palm staring back at us, Klezh motioned us all to stop. His left hand, he slid gently under the edge of the door frame. After a moment’s pause, he stood up dropping both hands to his side, angling the palms slightly foreword so as to look at us. His face, itself completely devoid of sight, Klezh now held the thinnest trace of a smile; ‘the next room is clear’.”

– Kanis Targ, Story-Teller

Illustration by Lucas Seven

Appearing as tall and thin persons, Gnagén seem always to have their eyes closed. If one looks closely, she will see that the eyes of a Gnagén are actually in her palms, and that Gnagén have neither eyelids nor eyes upon her face. A Gnagén must hold her hands up in order to see anything.

Naturally, this makes use of tools and weapons a little bit problematic.

Gnagén are spiritual warriors with a special gift for divination. Recognizing that their natural skills are best suited to complement those with more conventional abilities, these creatures often seek to join others in need of help. They travel freely among other peoples, associating with whomever they will (and with any that will have them).

Gnagén vary in their outlook on life, and this is easily reflected in their personal associations, but they are alwayss keen to learn as much as they can about a broad range of subjects. While some of these creatures may ally themselves with dark powers or unsavory company, others will happily commit to a righteous cause. Whatever their moral commentments and personal tastes, it is common for a Gnagén to remain just a bit aloof to the short term interests of their company. It is well to remind oneself that whatever interest a Gnagén may have in common with those around her, she is always just a little more interested in developing her own powers and using them in whatever manner she deems appropriate.

Setihím

April 21, 2026April 22, 2026 / danielwalldammit / Leave a comment

“That one, living up the stairs, she is a strange one, you know. With one eye blue and another green, she don’t look right. A friend visits her from time to time. He don’t have half the fingernails on his right hand, that friend of hers. The way that woman looks at you? Sends a creepy feeling all over. The way she looked at our cat too, I tell you, no-one oughtta hate a dumb animal the way she does. If little Mittens comes up missing, I’ll know who to ask. She pays her room and board alright, but I just don’t know. Sometimes a coin ain’t worth it. Makes your whole life creepy, having someone like that around. Gonna ask her to leave tomorrow, I am, if’n I can work up the courage.”

– Gavin Stinsel, Inn-Keeper

***

Illustration by David Michael Wright

It is said that the Setihím are descended from Angels driven from the heavens for reasons long since forgotten. A trace of goodness remains within every Setihím, a natural birthright of sorts, and yet few of this kindred can be said to embrace the values which should go with that quality. Setihím tend towards selfish conduct. Often they can be quite cruel. This kindred does not wreak havoc and plunder the land as orcs or goblins might, but Setihím do tend to bring a trace of mistery to those around them.

Were it not for their inability (or unwillingness) to fully cooperate with each other, this kindred could quickly come to dominate the affairs of men. But Setihím rarely trust or care about anyone, least of all their own kind.

Setihím typically dwell in small communities among men, isolating their own neighborhoods through subtle barriers. A Setihím community could take the form of a small hamlet just off the road in a well-populated region of the countryside, or it could be a cluster of buildings just up a one-way ally in a major city. If nothing else works, Setihím will isolate themselves with social barriers from other peoples.

Setihím are typically aloof and unresponsive to friendly gestures from those around them. They show little affection, even among their own kindred. Indeed, it is a misnomer to speak of such neighborhoods as communities at all. It would be more appropriate to describe them as collections of individuals utterly devoid of any personal connection to one another. Apparently the members of this kindred band together for the sole purpose of keeping others out.

Setihím appear as tall and skinny humans, but every Setihím has at least one unusual physical characteristic. It may be a very prominent birthmark, a sixth finger, a vestigial tail, oddly shaped ears, or any number of unusual physical characteristics. Some few of this kindred actually possess the vestigial wings of their angelic ancestors. Vestigial wings aside, the oddities of a physical appearance among Setihím are not usually so strange as to suggest an obvious supernatural origin, but the sheer quantity of such quirks can be one means of determining when one has entered a community of Setihím. …that and the utter absence of human warmth in such a place. …and of course the absence of pets. Setihím shun animals of all kinds, and a community of Setihím will not tolerate the presence of any domestic animals. They are also scrupulously clean. It is as though the dirt and clutter of this world is unbearable to them.

For all their anti-social tendencies, Setihím are impressive creatures in their own way. The disconcerting qualities of this kindred appear to keep the interest of those around them, Whether intimidating her enemies or speaking in support of an ally, a Setihím is usually successful in achieving her intended effect.

The Stone Philosophic

A Fantasy Setting

Creatures