Category: The Dungeon World Tavern: New Monsters

SPACE HIPPIES

Group, Intelligent, Planar

Alien Dagger (d8 damage) 6 HP 0 armor

Close

Special Qualities: Annoying

Several scholars have discussed the “space hippies”. Like the acolytes of Leary, Charles Manson, and other negative counter-culture leaders, these bizarre and stereotypical alien flower children are “under the spell of an unknown charismatic but dangerously unhinged leader”(chosen by the GM) and “stand for a sixties generation in the thrall of misled idealism.” The group shows a disrespect for authority and demands to be taken to a planet they call “Eden” (a dangerous Dungeon World location sure to kill them all). If the party refuses they will label them “Herberts” and begin to loudly mock them. Paladins and other formally good character may be forced to care for them or suffer the displeasure of their deity.

Instinct: Guide innocents to destruction

Chant

Seek “Eden”

Make an oval “symbol of peace” greeting hand gesture

Announce “We are one.”

Replay Woodstock

DENEVAN NEURAL PARASITE SWARM

Horde, Tiny, Devious, Planar

Infecting Bite (d4-2 damage) 3 HP 0 armor

Hand

Special Qualities: Pain Enslavement

A Denevan neural parasite was roughly disc-shaped, about thirty centimeters in diameter and two to four centimeters in height. The edges were thin and yellowish; towards the center, the creature was thicker and redder. Occasionally, they pulsated. Parasites had no detectable external or internal organs. Spock described a parasite as “resembling, more than anything, a gigantic brain cell.” Looking — and moving — like a half-digested Frisbee, these creatures are part of a large organism that takes over humans’ nervous systems and forces them to infect other planets, kind of like Borg without the fashion sense. (This is also the episode where we learn that Spock has nictitating membranes. That doesn’t have much to do with the monster. It’s just creepy.)

Denevan neural parasites were capable of clumsy flight. They attacked by making physical contact with a target and stinging it as does a bee. The stinger injected a strand of tissue that infiltrated the victim’s nervous system very rapidly, entwining about the nerves. Leonard McCoy described this entwining as “far, far too involved for conventional surgery to remove.” Once the parasite infiltrated a host, it pressured the host to obey its commands by inflicting enormous pain. There seemed to be some level of pain even when the host obeyed, but the creature could increase the pain it inflicted to bring an uncooperative host to heel. Exactly how the creature communicated its desires is unclear, but that it could do so is evident: Spock, while infected, attempted to land the Enterprise on Deneva, despite the fact that (as he knew) this was impossible. Later, he was able to end the pain through mental discipline and convince the crew to let him collect one of the parasites to run tests on. Eventually, this continuous painful stimulation would lead most to insanity and death. Infected victims cooperated in working towards the parasites’s objectives. This, and their enormous resistance to harm, led Spock to theorize that all of the parasites were parts of a single organism. How the parts communicated without a physical connection was not made clear. The parasites were so alien that Spock also theorized their origin was a place where different physical laws applied, outside of the Milky Way Galaxy.

Instinct: Destroy

• Infects

• Enslaves with pain

• Sunlight kills or magical healing kills

ORION

Group, Stealthy, Intelligent, Hoarder

Daggers (d8 damage) or Nets 6 HP 0 armor Close

Special Qualities: Female Charm

Orions are famous slave traders known for their distinctive green skin, although at least some have a pale grayish complexion. Orion males were typically bald and, on average, taller and more muscular than the average Human male. Orion females could have black, green, or red hair. Orion females were very animalistic in nature, known for their extreme carnal appetites and their innate skill of seduction. In Orion society, the males were slaves to the females. As a means of deceiving outsiders, the Orion males maintained the facade that the females were the slaves. This went as far as to sell Orion females on the slave market. Once sold to a male, the Orion slave girls used their unique physiology to their advantage; their highly potent pheromones accelerated the metabolisms of males of many species, raising adrenaline production to dangerous levels which caused aggression and, ultimately, a form of delusion. Its most significant effect was to make them susceptible to suggestion. Not long after, the “owner” males began taking orders from their “slave” females. The pheromones’ effects were cumulative; the longer exposed, the more pronounced the results. Females react negatively to those same pheromones, experiencing headaches and often manifesting a strong dislike of the female Orion “slave”..

Instinct: Enslaves

Trades slaves

Females charm male humans

Not to be trusted

SLEESTAK

Group

Crossbow or Nets (d10 damage)6 HP, 2 armor

Close, Far

Special Qualities: Slow

The Sleestak are a reptilian bipedal humanoid species. They have a thin but wide-set mouths and large, round black eyes that are averse to light. Covered mostly in green scales, their bellies are yellow. Sleestak also have claws on their feet and on their hands, with a horn protruding from the top of their heads. They breathe with a pronounced breath sound as if breathing through congestion. This is probably due to their wide set mouth and flat nostrils. At one time, in the distant past, the Sleestak were known as Altrusians. They were a very peaceful and intelligent race. They eventually grew into an advanced civilization, and had seemingly mastered many (if not all) of the secrets of the Land of the Lost. They created cities and temples. Unfortunately, the Altrusians lost control over their emotions, and destroyed their civilization becoming known as the Sleestak. The Sleestak now are a degenerate race that have lost much of their knowledge and culture. The Sleestak are accomplished in the arts of building, foraging, and hunting, and make and use crossbows and nets to hunt. The crossbows are no larger than the size of a Sleestak’s forearm.

Instinct: Devour

•Slow

•Seek to capture men for alien rituals.

•Fearful of fire

MUGATO

Group

Pummel (d8+2 damage) 6 HP 1 armor

Close, Forceful

Special Qualities: Venomous bite

Mugatos were large, intimidating animals that could reach a height of two meters (not including their horns). Covered by a thick pelt of white fur all over their bodies with the exception of their faces and hands, they were similar to the great apes of Earth in their physical proportions and prehensile hands and feet. All of their teeth were sharp and serrated and their fangs contained a strong venom that was fatal within a matter of hours without magical healing. Mugatos had large, thick horns projecting from the top of their craniums as well as smaller spikes running down the spine. They usually traveled with their mates.

Instinct: Hunt

• Ambush

• Bite with Venomous fangs

• Devour

GRAY PHILOSOPHER

Solitary, Devious

None (Malices: 1d4d each) 16 HP, 0 Armor

Far (Malices)

Special Qualities: Undead, Incorporeal

A Gray Philosopher is the undead spirit of an evil cleric who died with some important philosophical deliberation yet unresolved in his or her mind. In its undead state, this creature does nothing but ponder these weighty matters. The gray philosopher appears as a seated, smoke-colored, insubstantial figure swathed in robes. It always seems deep in thought. Flying through the air surrounding the philosopher are a number (1d8) of tiny, luminous, wispy creatures known as Malices. They have vaguely human faces, gaping maws, and spindly, clawed hands. These vindictive creatures are actually the philosopher’s evil thoughts, which have taken on substance and a will of their own. The Gray Philosopher cannot be turned by a cleric but has no attack of its own; it will not defend itself. Unlike the philosopher, Malices constantly search for victims on which to vent their petty but eternal spite. Malices do not stray more than 120 feet from their philosopher but may pass through the narrowest of openings in their ceaseless flight. A malice immune to being turned and may not be damaged while its creator exists. However, all these creatures vanish instantly if their philosopher is destroyed. When a Gray Philosopher falls to 0hp, it looks up with an expression of malicious enlightenment on its face, and then vanishes with a lingering shriek of evil delight.

Instinct: Creates Malices

• Ponders

• Generates 1d8 Malices

• Only damaged by magic or enchanted weapons

• Will also dissolve if presented with solution to problem