#6 Bovaurochs: 31 Horrors for Ruination Pilgrimage

 Bovaurochs

Type: Animal

Group: 1d5

A shaggy Bova, reclusive and quite large, standing at 6-8 ft at the shoulder and 8-10 ft long with thick horns spanning 6-8 ft. A large skull, thick shoulders and neck support the massive weight of the horns. Bovaurochs are occasionally hunted for their fur and meat, but more often for the horns which are used to make low blasting war horns or for the skull which makes an impressive trophy hanging on a wall. 

Scholars believe Fighting Bova were orginally created by breeding Bovaurochs and Bova together and choosing the most irritable and aggressive offspring to breed further generations. 

C:65 Gore & Toss 2d10 DMG + Bleed (2) AP:3 I:45 W:3(20)

Gore & Toss: Bovaurochs fight by swinging their massive horned head back and forth tossing anyone and anything into the air causing 1d5 DMG upon landing unless an Agility Test is passed. This may also cause 1d5 DMG to plate armor. 

Bleed (2): An additional 2 DMG accrue every round after taking damage until treated for bleeding. 

Trophy: Each outer sheath of the horns can be sold for 200 coins to artisans creating musical instruments. The whole head (including horns with outer sheath intact) can be sold for 1,000 coins  but do present some logistics challenges as they are large, heavy, and soon begin to stink in warmer weather. 

#5 Wolf, Doom: 31 Horrors for Ruination Pilgrimage

 Wolf, Doom

Type: Monstrous Animal

Group: 1d5

Midnight black savage wolves the size of ponies with howls capable of turning even hardened fighters into whimpering children. They dwell in the unsettled regions deep in dark, ancient forests and high in the mountains. Doom wolves have a wicked bite and are very intelligent, often pulling back from combat, hiding in the shadows, and even tracking the same prey over several days waiting for the most opportune time and place to attack again. 

C: 70 Bite 1d10 +3 or Doom Howl DMG AP:3 I:90 W:3(15)

Doom Howl: When heard on the wind from far away it's bad enough but when large, black shapes come charging out of the darkness howling a Fear Save is needed. Upon failure 1d5 Sorrow are acquired instead of the usual 1 point. 

#4 Spider, Giant Jumping: 31 Horrors for Ruination Pilgrimage

Spider, Giant Jumping

Type: Monstrous Animal

Group: 1d5+2

A huge jumping spider with a leg span of 6 ft, with large, shining eyes, and iridescent red striping on a jet black exoskeleton. A stalking predator able to launch itself great distances. It has large dripping fangs but possessing mild venom, mostly relying on speed and pinning prey to the ground while draining them of fluids. 

C: 70 Bite 1d10 DMG + Venom + Pin  AP:0 I:85 W:2(10) 

Jump: Can jump attack from 120 paces (roughly middle of Bowshot Range).

Pin: A successful attack by the spider and the target make an Agility Test. Upon failure they collapse under the spider with fangs still implanted. A Strength Test is required to dislodge the spider (roll with (A) if helped by someone). If spider is not removed they deal 1d10+5 DMG as they burrow their fangs deeper and inject more digesting venom. 

Venom: Mild venom used for digesting prey items. Extra 1d5 DMG unless a successful Body Save is made. 

#3 Rats of Contagion: 31 Days of Horrific Additions to Ruination Pilgrimage

 #3 Rats of Contagion

Type: Demonic Animal

Group: 2d5

Rats the size of large hounds, with weeping, infected sores and mangy fur. Eyes of milky white and large yellowed rodent incisors. The saliva of these creatures is especially virulent as hinted at by the blood specked foam soaking the matted fur around their mouths and throats. 

C: 45 Bite 1d5 + Contagion DMG AP:2 I:60 W:1(10) ES: 1

Contagion: A bite is guaranteed to grant infection, maybe disease and in the worst cases plague. A bite wound must be cleaned with the strongest of alcohol or salves. 

If wound isn't cleaned at all: Body Save at (D) or blood is infected (Rulebook pg. 35), roll a Disease (Rulebook pg. 36), and roll a Plague (Rulebook pg. 37). 

If wound is cleaned: No infection. Successful Body Save or roll a Disease, and 50% chance of contracting a Plague. 

#2: Bat, Giant Vampire. 31 Horrific Additions to Ruination Pilgrimage

 #2: Bat, Giant Vampire

Type: Monstrous Animal

Group: 1d5+1

A massive bat standing at 5-7 ft tall when upright on all fours. Broad leather wings are tucked in when crawling and during combat. Covered in shaggy dark, brown fur. Small beady red eyes that glow in the dark. Large claws protruding from wing knuckles are capable of destroying armor and the bite carries saliva that keeps blood flowing long after the bite has been delivered. 

C:60 Claw 2d5 DMG + Rend or Bite 1d10 + Anticoagulant AP:2 I:55 W:2(15)

Rend: +1d5 DMG to target's AP.

Anticoagulant: + Bleed (3) with each bite.

31 Horrific Additions to Ruination Pilgrimage! #1: Eel of Myriad Eyes

31 Horrific Additions to Ruination Pilgrimage

A couple days ago I had an idea. In 2020 I did a ghostly Advent calendar blogging thing. It was kind of meant to channel that Victorian Christmas ghost story tradition. Each ghost had OSE stats probably because I had just come off writing Plangent Mage.

The next year I bundled it up and it became the zine, 25 Apparitions, Spirits, and Hauntings, and was stated out for OSE and DCC. I have a TON of love for Dungeon Crawl Classics since being introduced to the system. It also got me into writing more and publishing stuff.

I still have some physical copies of that zine because I printed a shit ton. I've been wanting to add to the Bestiary of Ruination or a demon book for Ruination Pilgrimage for some time.

I started thinking I should do it in December. A couple days ago I thought, that's dumb and doesn't make sense. There's no tradition of demons and monsters during Christmas except of course rampant commercialism, etc. Then I was like, duh. Do it for Halloween. and here it is the 3rd already.

Anyway, I'm doing it. That's all. 31 new monsters for Ruination Pilgrimage. New animals, people, monsters, and demons. We'll see what happens. 

#1: Eel of Myriad Eyes

Type: Monstrous Animal

A slimy, grotesque, freshwater creature attaining lengths up to 25 ft. Thick black-brown skin blends perfectly with turbulent, muddy waters. The head is bulbus and semi-translucent showing a human-like skull underneath sporting deep, empty eye sockets, and a mouth filled with multiple rows of large human teeth. It is covered with many blinking eyes along both laterally flattened sides; eyes that look as if they've been stolen from all the other animals from land and water. 

C:65 Bite 1d10 + Size DMG AP:4 I:80 W:Size(15)

All Seeing: Eels of Myriad Eyes are never surprised and will attack first. (An Agility Test for Initiative is still rolled)

Horrific: A Sanity Save is needed when the party members realize the eyes aren't just a pattern or coloration. Those who fail the save miss their next combat turn. 

Slimy: Any attempt to grapple or seize an eel is rolled with (D). 

Size: Steward rolls a 1d5 to determine size with the result adding 5 ft to the size and +DMG and W of the same number, ie. the result of 1 adds 5 ft, +1 DMG and W:1 whereas a result of 3 would make the eel 15 ft long and adds +3 DMG and W:3. (Steward may overrule the die result if it doesn't make sense to have a 25ft long eel in a small pond or creek)

Advent Ghost #19: The Searching Shade

Searching Shade 

Some say these ghosts are just silly stories shared around a roaring fire to scare children, but there are others who swear they are real entities.

Searching Shades think they are missing some part of their body and are trying to locate it. Those haunted by these ghosts hear a phantom voice echoing around them asking, "have you seen my _____? Where is my ________?" This haunting will cause growing stress and lack of sleep which interrupts healing and spell learning/requests each morning but will only persist until the the victims move out of range (level of shade x 30 miles). Successfully defeating the shade will end the haunting as well. Eventually a defeated Searching Shade will reform and return to the area where they died to resume this haunting with new targets.  

Missing body part?

1. Eye(s)
2. Hand(s)
3. Foot
4. Head
5. Finger(s)
6. Toe(s)
7. Nose
8. Ear(s)
9. Heart
10. Teeth
11. Arm(s)
    
12. Leg(s)

AC 6 [13]/4[15]/2[17] HD 3*/5*/7* (13/22/31hp), Att 1 × fist (1d6/1d8/2d6), THAC0 16 [+3]/14 [+5]/12 [+7], MV 120' (40’), SV D10 W11 P12 B13 S14 (As Fighter of same level), ML 7, AL Chaotic, XP 50/300/850, NA 1 (1), TT NA

• Undead: Make no noise until attacking. Immune to effects that affect living creatures (e.g. poison). Immune to mind-affecting or mind-reading.
• Mundane weapon immunity: Can only be damaged with silver or magical weapons.