Creatures

Sidehill Basher

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© Daniel S. Wall, April 29, 2026.

***

“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

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© Daniel S. Wall, April 29, 2026.

***

“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

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© Daniel S. Wall, April 28, 2026.

***

“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

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© Daniel S. Wall, April 28, 2026.

***

“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

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© Daniel S. Wall, April 18, 2026.

***

“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.

Phiyé

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© Daniel S. Wall, April 21, 2026.

***

“Souls lost to the depths of Hell may never return, nor redeem themselves before the heavens. And yet it remains true, the worst of men have had their virtues. The corrupt, the malign, the deceitful, all have something of goodness in them. Whether it be a trace of compassion, a narrow sense of honor, or selfless love for but one other creature in all the world, the greatest criminals and the most horrid of monsters carries something noble with them into the depths of Hell.

“That trace of virtue does not stay with them. No. The kind thoughts and benign wishes of myriad condemned souls struggle mightily to ascend once more into the light of the world. Some make it.”

– Zedulon Fi, Oracle of Mogendrid

***

Illustration by Michael Syrigos

The Kindred of Phiyé is born, so it is said, out of the good thoughts of evil men. No-one really knows how this happens, nor has anyone learned whether or not any given Phiyé grew from a single virtue or from many coming together into a single spirit. The full origin of this kindred remains a mystery even to themselves.

These long-lived creatures appear as small humanoids, completely devoid of all body-hair and any discernible genitalia. Phiyé rarely adorn themselves with clothes, doing so only when necessary to protect themselves from the elements. Their skin is normally grey in color. If a Phiyé chooses to manifest a color as a minor ability, her skin-tone quickly takes on the hue in question.

Owing to the origins of this kindred, Phiyé bear an evil nature. Yet, the majority of Phiyé devote themselves to virtues associated with goodness. They are well suited to aiding others even to the point of sharing in their suffering.

Phiyé carry an odd ability which is not easily explained by the creature’s origins. They are, for some reason, capable of changing the force of gravity, at least insofar as it effects themselves.

A Note on Vulnerability: Phiyé are vulnerable in the presence of others of their own kindred (including their own children). For this reason, these creatures typically shun each other’s company, even as they actively seek the company of other sentient creatures.

Rules for a Phiyé in Tunnels & Trolls can be found here.

Creeping Gaze

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© Daniel S. Wall, April 21, 2026.

“It’s looking at me.” – Gorlis

“What’s looking at you?” – Myai

“A looking thing.” – Gorlis

“What do you mean, a looking thing?” – Myai

“Well, look at it!” – Gorlis

***

Illustration by Stefano Marinetti

A Creeping Gaze is an eye about the size of a large apple with 6 long spindly legs attached to it. It is a fragile critter, but it is also highly intelligent. All of these creatures have been blessed with powers of divination, the effect of which most people seem to find rather disconcerting.

Their limited means of communication makes it difficult for others to appreciate their powers of insight. Still, any spell caster powerful enough to resolve this problem is likely to find a Creeping Gaze useful to have around. They make wonderful familiars.

The rules for Creeping Gaze in first edition D&D can be found here. Rules for a creeping Gaze in Tunnels & Trolls can be found here.

Vox Hound

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(Original Contribution – Tim Murray)

© Daniel S. Wall, April 20, 2026.

“Bred and twisted through arcane secrets long since lost, the Vox Hound was originally created to be protector and companion to powerful wizards.  The hound’s innate ability to resist and absorb magic made them the perfect tool for keeping rivals in check, and that is what they did for many generations.  Somewhere along the line something went terribly wrong.  The very creatures that were once mage-friend began to hate and hunt anyone known to cast a spell.  Abilities for so long considered a boon to wizards everywhere had been turned upon master with devastating results…”

–  Except from The Magic of Ilaria – Gregory Trantell, historian

***

Very few wizards manage to suppress a shudder at the mention of the Vox Hound.  These Hounds possess a thick coat of protective fur and a strong set of jaws, but it is their magical powers that make them truly dangerous. Vox Hounds are blessed with a strong resistance to magic and the ability to turn the power of a wizard’s spells right back at them, these creatures pose a real threat to even the greatest of mages.

Vox Hounds loathe any who wield the magical arts, and will go out of their way to track down and slay any that wield magic.  It is said that a Vox Hound may track a wizard by the traces of arcane energy he leaves behind. Assassins and nefarious individuals wishing for a strong guardian often attempt to make use of a Vox Hound’s services.

A common misconception is that Vox Hounds are simply powerful dogs.  They are actually extremely intelligent, and each individual hound has its own ambitions and desires.

Rules for a Vox Hound in Tunnels & Trolls can be found here.