Moloids for ACKS

Thanks to Eric Fabiaschi's recents posts about the Adventurer Conqueror King System (ACKS), I started reading my ACKS books again. I have to say this is a great system. B/X at the core of the game, but with some great versatility and character options that don't overwhelm this busy DM. So for fun I converted an old Marvel Comic's race for adventurers to encounter while exploring the deep subterranean depths. 

 Moloids

% in lair:  50%

Dungeon Enc: Work Crew (4d4) / Work Gang(1 union)

Wilderness Enc: Union (1d6 work crews)/Lair (1d10 work gangs)

Alignment: Neutral

Movement: 60' (20')

Armor Class: 0

Hit Dice: 1d4 hit points

Attacks: 1 (weapon)

Damage: 1d3 or weapon -1

Save: 0 level human

Morale: -2 (in numbers fewer than 10, their morale is -3)

Treasure Type: Special (Moloids, do not value gems, coins or jewelry, however, if encountered in their lairs, they could be working to maintain powerful machines of the ancients).

XP: 2

Description

     Moloids are short (4' tall average, advanced moloids can be up to 5' tall) yellow-skinned, emaciated humanoids. Males and females are almost indistinguishable from one another to non-moloids, in fact other than the rare advanced moloids, to outsiders every moloid looks exactly the same; short, thin, yellow skinned humanoids, with large pointed ears, no visible nose and large, heavy lidded eyes, with very small pupils.

     Moloids make terrible warriors, they are workers not warriors, and will flee danger at the first opportunity, as well as, the second and third opportunities. They don't have the drive or interest in making weapons, and if forced to fight will use clubs or staves or whatever other tools they have at hand.

     Moloids live exclusively underground, and will only venture onto the surface at the command of a powerful master,  if commanded to the surface during daylight and without some form of protective eye wear they will be at -3 to morale.  They suffer a -2 penalty to all attack throws when in full sunlight. However, they have superior infravision 90' and keen hearing. 

Moloids are believed to be descended from a slave race created by some ancient peoples (Atlanteans?) thousands of years ago.  They have lived in the deep earth for untold millennia, and whatever they once looked like, or whatever their full potential once was, countless generations of inbreeding has reduced the race to its current sad state.

     Moloids are not innovative or creative (other than the rare advanced moloids), they usually wear simple rags as clothing, and beyond their occasional use of protect eye goggles wear little clothing or gear. However, they are exceptionally skilled at maintaining existing equipment and machinery. Originally designed to service the great machines of the ancients, they are innately skilled at keeping such forgotten devices in working order, however, they cannot explain to others how they work or expand on what the machines already do.

Subterranean Giant Monster Training: The moloids have lived in their deep caverns underground for generations, and share their lairs with a variety of subterranean large monsters (perhaps also creations of the ancients). Somehow the non-creative moloids have found a way to train these various giant monsters, in a way equivalent to the Animal Training Proficiency. It takes many moloids working together to train just one beast, but they have the time and the numbers, so any given moloid work gang, and especially a moloid lair will have 1d6 such beasts. 

      Moloids are innately docile and subservient, a strong, and/or charismatic leader can seize control of a large group of these creatures and bend them to his will. They are still cowards and do better as workers and laborers rather than warriors. 

                                                 Advanced Moloid

      One in every  500 Moloids shows traits of the race's prior potential, and while still weakly and sensitive to sunlight, these rare advanced moloids can be highly intelligent (16-18), morale 0,  (for an added twist give them a chance to be a wild psionic, as per Richard LeBlanc's PX-1  Basic  Psionics Handbook , a great resource for B/X based games, I highly recommend it!). 

 

Adapted from the Moloids race found in Marvel Comics. First Appearance : Fantastic Four #22 (January, 1964) No copyright infringement is intended.

Special thanks to Mark Craddock for giving me the idea!  Cross Planes

Witchfinder Wolves

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there.  Today I thought I would share another beast from the recent pages of Dr. Strange, stat'd up for the ACKS system.  Enjoy!

Witchfinder Wolves % In Lair: 10% Dungeon Enc: Pack (1d4) / Den (2d4)  Wilderness Enc: Route (2d4) /  Den (2d4)  Alignment: Neutral  Movement: 120' (40')  Armor Class: 4 (boney plating, this plating has made them slower than normal Dire Wolves)  Hit Dice: 4 + 2 Attacks: 1 (bite) Damage: 2d4  Save: F2  Morale: 0  Treasure Type: None XP: 140 Witchfinder Wolves are a rare breed of Dire Wolf, believed to have been specially bred during ancient times to hunt down enemy spellcasters. Witchfinder Wolves have the Sensing Power ability. Like the proficiency they can detect spellcasters within 60', and can get a vague sense of the power level of the spellcaster. Sensing a high level spellcaster will cause them to send out a wide-ranging howl, summoning other packs of Witchfinder Wolves to join in on the hunt. Witchfinder Wolves can "smell" the recent use of arcane magic, within the last 24 hours within their vicinity. The wolves cannot determine if a specific item is magical, however, they will sense magic on the item if  it has been used within the past 24 hours. When they are actively sensing magic their eyes glow with an eerie green eldritch glow. Since the collapse of the Empire that first bred them, Witchfinder Wolves have found their way into the wilds and have spread to other regions. Certain brave (some would say foolhardy) individuals have relearned the means to tame and train these ferocious predators, although even in the hands of the best animal trainer a Witchfinder Wolf can be an unpredictable beast at best. Unlike Dire Wolves, Witchfinder Wolves will not tolerate a rider (goblin or otherwise). Witchfinder Wolves have the intelligence and viciousness of Dire Wolves but are even more cunning and display an almost malicious nature, especially when on the hunt for a spellcaster. They don't derive any special benefit or extra sustenance from preying upon spellcasters, but it is so ingrained into their nature to hunt mages, that even those living in the wild, engage in an almost vicious glee when they get the "scent" of an arcane spellcaster. In the wild they prefer to live in wooded and mountainous areas, but like Dire Wolves they are even more likely enter into caverns or dungeons in search of prey, especially spellcasters. When a Witchfinder wolf den is encountered, there is a 25% chance that 1d3 cubs are present. Witchfinder wolf cubs may be kept and trained in the same manner as dogs, but are difficult to train and control.  However, if cubs are present the pack will fight ferociously to protect the cubs (Morale +3). *If using these with the core ACKS Campaign, have them date back to the Empyrean War, possibly being bred by the Zaharans to hunt down enemy spellcasters. Based on the Witchfinder Wolves found in Dr. Strange, by Marvel Comics.  First Appearance Doctor Strange Vol 4 #1 (December, 2015) No copyright infringement is intended

Een'Gawori Slugs

Thought I would stat up a Slug in honor of Free RPG Day! Stats are for ACKS, but this critter should work for most OSR games.
Enjoy!

Een'Gawori Slugs

% In Lair: None

Dungeon Enc: Solitary or rout 1d8

Wilderness Enc: None

 Alignment: Neutral

 Movement: 10' (3')

 Armor Class:  (only harmed by magic)

Hit Dice: 1 hit point

Attacks: Only vs. Magic Items    Damage: Drains Magic

 Save: 0 level human

 Morale: 0

 Treasure Type: None (although enterprising souls have used them to find hidden magic items)

XP: 5

Drain magic: Een'Gawori Slugs feed on magic. They must be in direct contact with a magic item in order to feed off of it and drain its magical energy.

Een'Gawori Slugs are the bane of adventurers everywhere. These hand-sized bluish-grey slugs while being unable to harm living creatures actually feed off of magic. They move about in dungeons and dark places ever searching for magical energies to consume. They can Detect Magical auras, as the spell at will and will be drawn to the nearest magic item in order to feed. The slug will feed off of the magical energy found in enchanted weapons, armor and potions etc. Left undisturbed a slug will permanently drain the magical energies from a magic item. The more powerful the item the longer it takes for the slug to permanently drain it. Any permanent magic item being fed upon by one of these slugs must make a Save vs. Spell as a Mage (the "+" of the magic item indicates equivalent level of the Mage), a failed save indicate the item is no longer magical. Potions and scrolls being more temporary in nature do not get a saving throw. Although it takes a minimum of one round of feeding in order to cause an item to be forced to make a save. These slugs may feed off of artifacts, but are unable to permanently drain an artifact of its power, in fact some lost artifacts have been discovered with an entire rout of slugs feeding off of it. Due to the arcane diet of these creatures they may be only killed by magical weapons. However, they instinctively fear salt, and will avoid touching it at all costs. Moving in the opposite direction of it, even if a powerful magical item is nearby.

Dedicated to Free RPG Day, with a nod to the original Disenchanter created by Roger Musson from the original Fiend Folio.

Based on the Een'Gawori Slugs found in Dr. Strange, by Marvel Comics. First Appearance Doctor Strange Vol 4 #3 (February, 2016). No copyright infringement is intended