Old School Role Playing

Over the last year I have kind of slowed down on publishing OSRIC Products but I do have plans to do more in the coming year. I have a couple of new Malcon Tomes planned along with more OSRIC adventures and supplements. I have also been considering writing articles again occasionally for this web site after taking a very long break from it. If I do write it will probably be quite a bit less regularly than I was doing before. Keep checking in for more updates.

My most recent OSRIC publication is “Exploring the Unknown.” This adventure was written to be similar to the classic basic adventure “In Search of the Unknown.” which I have used to start many of my own AD&D campaigns. The adventure presents a dungeon map and background and then allows the DM to modify it using a list of monsters and treasures to design it to their own tastes.

Like all of my adventures this one is a Pay What You Wish file available at Drive Thru RPG.

The Rod of Lordly Might has been with us since the Greyhawk supplement to Original Dungeons and Dragons which was published in 1975. This magical rod is made of metal. It has a flanged ball at one end and various studs along it’s length. It weighs about ten pounds. When these studs are pressed the rod performs certain functions.

The Rod of Lordly Might in Original Dungeons and Dragons

This rod is a fighter’s arm. It is about four feet in length. If one presses a catch a blade pops out of the end. This makes it equal to a Glaive-Guisarme. If the catch is pressed a second time the rod extends to 15 feet. If a second catch is pressed the rod extends to 50 feet and has projections with which one can climb it. A hooked spike is at the end so that the pole can be used to hook onto a rooftop or some other object which needs to be climbed.

If a command word is given the rod turns into a flaming sword about three and one half feet long. Another command word makes it turn into a two and one half foot long axe +2. It can also be turned into a +3 spear about six feet long.

These effects have a detrimental effect on the morale of enemies who see this rod being used in this way. Those who see it must make a saving throw against paralyzation or become paralyzed. If they make this saving throw then they must make another saving throw versus fear or flee the battle field.

This is a powerful weapon. In the hands a of a fighter it is both a weapon of great strength as well as a symbol of leadership. It is also a symbol of intimidation to one’s enemies.

The Rod of Lordly Might in Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition

First Edition expands upon the Rod of Lordly Might. It requires a strength of at least 16 to wield. Only a fighter may use one properly. Like the Original Dungeons and Dragons version it still has the power to intimidate enemies.

It has spell like functions:

• Paralyzation upon touch if the wielder commands it
• Fear upon enemies viewing it if commanded (six yards maximum range)
• Drains 2-8 hit points from an opponent touched and bestows them upon the wielder (up to the normal maximum)

These functions allow a saving throw versus magic with the exception of the last power which requires a successful hit roll. Each power costs a charge from the rod.

The rod can become one of many different weapons.

• It is normally a +2 mace
• +1 sword of flame (button #1) 3 feet long
• +4 battle axe (button #2) 4 feet long
• +3 spear (button #3) six feet to fifteen feet long

These functions do not cost charges.

The rod also has a few other mundane uses.

• Climbing pole (button #4). A spike pops out of the end which can be used as a grappling hook and the rod can be extended out to 50 feet. Horizontal bars pop out of the pole at intervals which can be used for climbing. This pole can bear a load of up to 4000 pounds. It retracts by pushing button #5.
• If the rod is set less than 30 feet from a door it can be used to force a door open with storm giant strength using the button #4 to extend as the climbing pole.
• Button #6 allows the wielder to find magnetic north and know the approximate depth beneath the surface (or height above it) that the wielder is.

These functions also cost no charges to use.

When the charges are all used up they cannot be recharged. When all charges are gone the weapon functions #2 and #3 will no longer work. The mundane functions will still work as will the other weapons.

As you can see the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons version is a bit more powerful than the original. It has new weapons and new functions. It has uses beyond that of a weapon. Overall it is a very useful thing for a fighter type to find.

The Rod of Lordly Might in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

The Rod of Lordly Might exists in 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons as well. It is a rod with a flanged head. It functions as a magic mace that grants a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls. The rod has properties controlled by six buttons set in a row on the shaft. It also has three other properties.

The six buttons have the following functions:

• Button #1 makes the mace turn into a flame tongue sword
• Button #2 turns the rod into a battle axe with a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls
• Button #3 turns the mace into a spear six feet long with a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls
• Button #4 makes it turn into a climbing pole up to 50 feet long with a grappling hook on one end. This can support up to 4000 pounds of weight
• Button #5 turns the mace into a battering ram which grants the user a +10 bonus to strength checks made to break through doors, barricades and barriers
• Button #6 causes the rod to return to mace form and shows magnetic north. It also gives the user their approximate depth below ground or height above it

There are three other powers of the Rod of Lordly Might.

• When struck with a melee attack from the rod a target can be forced to make a DC 17 constitution saving throw or take an extra 4D6 necrotic damage which is applied to the user’s hit points (up to the normal maximum). This power can be used only once until the next dawn.
• When struck with a melee attack from the rod the target can be forced to make a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be paralyzed for one minute. Each turn the target will get to make a saving throw. If made then the paralyzation ends. If failed then it continues another round. This power cannot be used again until the following dawn.
• When held the user can make all enemies within 30 feet who see the rod to make a DC 17 wisdom saving throw or be frightened (terrified). The victim can make a new saving throw at the end of each turn afterwards. This property cannot be used again until the following dawn.

Keep in mind that turns in 5th edition are not the same as a turn in 1st edition. Turns in fifth edition equal a round in 1st edition.

The Rod of Lordly Might in Dungeons and Dragons has evolved over the years

Some functions from the original rod are still found in the latest edition of the game. But many of the functions changed over the years. It is still a very potent weapon for a fighter type to find.

The rod offers many weapon types. It also offers the climbing pole ability as well as a little help in busting open doors. All of these are quite useful to the warrior type who leads a group into battle or in their explorations.

If you enjoyed this article then you might enjoy these:

• Beholders
• Mind Flayers
• Undead
• Intellect Devourers
• Displacer Beasts
• The Underdark
• The Astral Plane
• Death Knights

Manticores were introduced to the game in Original Dungeons and Dragons in the second book entitled Monsters and Treasure in 1974. Of course, Manticores have existed, in Persion mythology far longer than Dungeons and Dragons has been around. in 222 AD Claudius Aelianus (usually referred to as Aelian) wrote a work called “The Characteristics of Animals” which had a detailed section on the Manticore. He describes a four legged creature with the face of a man and the feet and claws of a lion with a tail that is full of stings. These stings can be fired like arrows.

Manticores in Original Dungeons and Dragons

Original Dungeons and Dragons refers to the Manticore as a lion bodied beast . It is huge and has a mans face. It also has dragon wings and a tail full of iron spikes. It has 24 of these spikes and six can be fired at one time with the accuracy of a crossbow. It’s favorite target is man.

From one to four could be encountered at one time. Twenty five percent of the time it would be encountered in a lair. It had 6+1 hit dice and an armor class of 4. The creature could move 12/18 (walking/flying) feet in a round.

The Manticore in Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition

The statistics for the Manticore from Original Dungeons and Dragons to 1st Edition changed very little. It has 6+3 hit dice but the same armor class of 4. The numbers that could be encountered stayed the same but the percentage chance to find them in lair dropped to 20%. It now had three attacks per round. It could still fire a volley of six spikes for 1D6 damage per spike. It could fire four such volleys.

First edition, however, states that the Manticore prefers dismal lairs. They are typically found in caves or underground. They live in all climates but seem to prefer warm places more than cold. When encountered outside of their lair they are usually hunting for human victims.

Manticores in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

Fifth Edition states that the Manticore has a vaguely humanoid head, the body of a lion, and the wings of a dragon. They are fierce predators and hunt wide distances for prey. They will work cooperatively (with others of their kind) to take down dangerous enemies. They will even share their meal when the kill is over. When outnumbered, or in danger, it will use it’s wings and fight from the air. It will fire it’s volley of spikes until it’s supply of them has run out.

The Fifth Edition version of the Manticore likes to smack talk it’s foes. It will converse with foes and may even offer to kill them swiftly if they beg for their lives. Unlike the early edition Manticores the Fifth Edition variety might even spare a victim if it sees a profit in doing so. The Fifth Edition variety may also work cooperatively with other creatures.

The Manticore competes with other aerial creatures for territory. The possible competitors might include:

• Chimeras
• Perytons
• Griffons
• Wyverns
• Dragons

The Manticore in Fifth Edition has an armor class of 14 and 68 hit points (8D10+24). It moves 30 feet per turn on land and can fly 50 feet in the same amount of time. It speaks the common tongue. It has darkvision up to 60 feet. It makes three attacks in a round. Two of these attacks are claws and the third is a bite attack. Like the earlier versions it can fire volleys of spikes from the tail. It can fire these at one target.

Tactics of the Manticore in Dungeons and Dragons

As the Manticore is a creature capable of flying it will use this ability to it’s advantage when possible. It can fire it’s spikes from a great distance away and since this volley does a lot of damage (especially in the earlier editions) this seems like a logical choice for the creature. It can fire four of these volleys so why not do so at a safe distance?

Manticores are not very bright. But they are not totally without cunning. They are certainly aware of danger. And they definitely understand their own strengths. They will probably not, however, be very discriminating in their targets. A smarter creature might want to eliminate the source of that magic that is harming them before hitting that thief cowering in the shadows. But the Manticore might attack that thief first if it has a mind to.

The Fifth Edition version of the Manticore has darkvision. It’s earlier edition counterparts did not. So the 5E version may use this ability to ambush victims in the dark.

Manticores in Dungeons and Dragons are a classic encounter

As the Manticore is a creature based upon mythology they are widely known beyond the game of Dungeons and Dragons. This makes them a classic encounter as even new players are likely to have heard of them. An encounter with one of these creatures is likely to be memorable. A Manticore is capable of doing quite a bit of damage to a party of adventurers. It is likely to be an epic battle long remembered.

If you enjoyed this article then perhaps you will enjoy these as well:

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• Shriekers
• Death Knights
• Virtual Table Tops
• Divine Intervention
• Crypt Things
• Drow
• Henchmen and Hirelings

Stories about Werewolves, of course, have existed since long before Dungeons and Dragons came along. One of the first known references to Lycanthropes was an ancient Roman satire believed to have been written by Petronius. Petronius was a Roman courtier during the time of Emperor Nero. Later there were many stories of the Werewolf across Europe. Most of these came in the 1100s and extended into the 18th century.

Werewolves in Dungeons and Dragons Original Edition

The Werewolf was added to Original Dungeons and Dragons with the release of Book II: Monsters and Treasure in 1974. This book offered four Lycanthropes for use with the game. These included:

• Werewolves
• Wearbears
• Wereboars
• Weretigers

The description of these Lycanthropes was very limited. It states that silver or magical weapons are needed to hit them in combat. The Werewolf was given an armor class of 5 and 4 hit dice. It had a movement rate of 15. The book states that groups of Lycanthropes (including Werewolves) could be met in groups such as:

• Packs – 2-4
• Family Packs – 5-8 – two adults and the rest are young
• And it also mentions that occasionally larger groups of 8-20 or more might be encountered. These would likely be packs rather than family packs.

Anyone seriously injured by a Lycanthrope (taking 50% or more damage) would become infected and themselves become a Lycanthrope in 2-24 days. Only a cure disease spell given by a cleric would prevent this.

Werewolves in Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition

1st Edition expanded upon Lycanthropy, in general, and on Werewolves. They were slightly beefed up. Hit dice were still only 4 but they also were given 3 extra hit points in addition to those 4 hit dice. They were given an alignment of chaotic evil. Movement stayed the same. Their resistance to nonmagical (or nonsilver) weapons also remained. But they gained a new ability….surprise….

The Werewolf could be met in either human (or humanoid) form or in Werewolf form. The beast could transform itself and surprise it’s prey on a 1-3 out of 6. If met during a full moon it is 90% likely that they would be met in Werewolf form. They can speak their own language as well as the common tongue.

Those bit by the werewolf (and taking more than 50% damage but not killed by the Werewolf) is infected by Lycanthropy. Belladonna might cure the affliction (25% chance) if eaten within 1 hour of the attack. This is not without it’s own risks. The person doing so becomes incapacitated for 1-4 days and has a 1% chance of dying from it.

A cure disease spell still works to cure the victim but it must be performed by a cleric of at least 12th level. This cure disease must be cast within 3 days of the affliction.

Should either attempt to cure the disease not be performed in the necessary time frame then the victim will become a Werewolf in 7-14 days.

Werewolves in 1st Edition would often be found in the company of other Werewolves. Family packs still consist of 5-8 Werewolves. Such groups will have two adults (one male and one female) and the rest will be young. The males are very protective of their females and will strike at +2 to hit and do full damage if the female is struck in combat. The females are even more protective of the young and will attack at +3 to hit and do full damage should the young be attacked. The young will fight as well but will attack at -4 to hit to -1 to hit and do only 2-5 damage per attack.

Werewolves in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

Fifth Edition changed the lore of the Werewolf a bit. A remove curse can cure the newly afflicted Werewolf of the curse. But a naturally born Werewolf can only be cured by a wish. But not everyone cursed with the disease wishes to have it removed. Some relish the idea of having the raw power of the Lycanthrope. Some can manage their disease for a time but when the full moon comes none can do so. They will transform whether they like it or not. When the moon wanes the disease can be controlled again for a time.

The Fifth Edition Werewolf has an armor class of 11 in humanoid form or a 12 in wolf form. Hit points are 58 (9D8+18). The movement rate is 30 feet (40 feet in wolf form). It’s perception is at +4 and it’s stealth is at +3. It is immune to weapons that are not silvered or magical. It has a passive perception of 14. It speaks the common tongue but unlike the 1st Edition Werewolf it cannot speak at all in wolf form.

It is a challenge rating 3 monster worth 700 experience points.

The Werewolf is a shapechanger. It can transform from one form to the other with a single action. The equipment carried is not transformed. It has keen hearing and smell.

In combat it attacks twice. One attack is a bite and the other is a claw attack. Sometimes they carry spears and will use the second attack as a spear attack. Bites are a melee attack at +4 to hit and can reach up to 5 feet. A successful bite will do 1D8+2 piercing damage (6 damage). If the target is human or humanoid it must make a DC 12 constitution save to avoid being cursed with Lycanthropy. This is another deviation from 1st Edition. No longer does the victim need to be taken to less than 50% of their hit points to be afflicted.

Claw attacks are only performed while in wolf form. This is a melee attack at +4 to hit, reaches 5 feet and does 7 points of (2D4+2) slashing damage. Spear attacks (humanoid form only) are melee attacks or ranged attacks. They are +4 to hit, reach 5 feet (or 20/60 feet if thrown) and do 5 hit points of (1D6+2) piercing damage if thrown or 6 hit points (1D8+2) if used with two hands in melee.

The Evolution of the Werewolf in Dungeons and Dragons

So as you can see the creature has been beefed up a bit since Original Dungeons and Dragons. The Werewolf is more powerful and more detailed. But curing the disease of Lycanthropy is easier (if not natural born).

Natural born Werewolfs is a newer idea. It gives the possibility that one might choose to become a Werewolf. They might even thrive upon the idea. The early editions saw the disease as a curse that no one would want to be afflicted with. The later editions embrace the idea that some might actually enjoy the bloodlust and power of a Lycanthrope.

Werewolves are a classic monster

We all grew up seeing movies and hearing stories of Werewolves. They are a Halloween classic here in the United States. Little kids grow up hearing the frightening tales of monsters that come in the night. And who didn’t love those old Frankenstein and Werewolf movies of the 30s and 40s.

Lycanthropy gives the Dungeon Master the temporary (or maybe permanent) ability to force characters to do things that their alignment might normally not allow them to do. It gives the Dungeon Master the opportunity to give the players a sudden, and desperately important, sidequest to find a cure. And it creates many opportunities for interesting and creative role play. Just how to the players deal with the idea that one of their own might have become a bloodthirsty murderer beyond control? How does the player whose character is afflicted with the curse deal with it? These are classic dilemmas that can be played out on the tabletop.

Werewolves in Dungeons and Dragons are a fun creature to encounter

Werewolves are a popular foe. They should be. Most players know of them from their experiences prior to playing Dungeons and Dragons. It is a creature that they are all very familiar with. And one that they know can be fearsome. They can be fun for the Dungeon Master as well. They can spring the surprise of a transformation at any time that suits them. This opens up worlds of possibilities.

If you enjoyed this article then perhaps you might enjoy these:

• Cthulu
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• Death Knights
• Divine Intervention
• Crypt Things
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The Eye of Fear and Flame in Dungeons and Dragons is a monster unlike most that I have written about. This one did not exist in many of the editions of Dungeons and Dragons. It was introduced in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition in the Fiend Folio. The Fiend Folio was a different collection of monsters than those of the Monster Manual or Monster Manual II. Many of the creatures were reader submissions from White Dwarf magazine. These readers were mostly from the United Kingdom.

The Eye of Fear and Flame in Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition

This was an unusual creature. It had the appearance of a skeleton or lich. It always wore a hooded robe keeping it’s face hidden until it was time to show it. The creature is an agent of chaos. It’s purpose is to wander and command individuals to do acts of evil.

The Eye of Fear and Flame is evil. It has the innate power to know the alignment of anyone it meets. It also has the power to speak all alignment languages. It will use these powers to find lawful or lawful/neutral parties and individuals and then demand that they perform some evil act. The act can vary but it will always be an act of evil. If the creature is refused then it will throw back it’s hood revealing a bare skull with a red jewel in one eye socket and a black one in the other.

These jewels are the weapons of the Eye of Fear and Flame. The red gem unleashes a 12 hit dice fireball every three melee rounds. The black gem acts as a wand of fear every round. These gems are worth 1000 to 2000 gold pieces each when removed from this skull or when the creature is killed.

The creature is a powerful adversary. A 12 hit die fireball is enough to wipe out most parties that are not high level. If the creature survives more than a few rounds it will likely do a great deal of damage to even a high level party. The creature has 12 hit dice and an armor class of only 2.

The Eye of Fear and Flame has the ability to transfer itself to the ethereal plane if things are going badly for it in combat. It takes two melee rounds to do so. It has no means to fight hand to hand so the two gems are critical to it’s success in combat. But casting a blindness or power word blind on the creature will have disastrous results. Both spells will be reflected back at the caster if these are cast upon the black gem.

It is said that chaotic evil gods created this creature for the destruction of lawfuls. But some believe that lawful/neutral gods created these in order to test. No one knows the truth. It is rumored that only twenty of these creatures exist.

History of the Eye of Fear and Flame in Dungeons and Dragons

After 1st Edition the creature disappeared for a long time. Finally it reappeared in the Book of Vile Darkness for 3rd edition in 2002. Later a version was offered for 4th Edition in an article in Dragon #364. Fifth Edition has no “official” version of the creature but there are some homebrewed ones being offered on the net. I will link some of those here so that you can get some idea of what it might look like for 5th edition play:

• The Creature Chronicle
• Forgotten Realms
• 5E Tools Bestiary

Placement of the Eye of Fear and Flame in Dungeons and Dragons

Okay. So now that we know the stats and the history just how do we place such a creature in our campaigns? Clearly this is not the sort of thing that one bumps into in town. It is probably not even the sort of thing one places as a boss monster in a dungeon. These creatures are searching the land for lawful or lawful neutral people to influence into doing evil acts. So clearly someone in the party that encounters this creature should be lawful. Otherwise the creature would probably not be interested in interacting with them. As it knows the alignments of everyone it meets it will instantly know that no one in the group is lawful.

Could it be a wandering monster on the roads to and from an adventure? That seems like a good possibility. It could be encountered during an adventure as a random encounter in some high level adventure or on some very deep level of a dungeon. And perhaps, since it has the ability to visit the ethereal plane, then it could be encountered there too.

And suppose the lawful person actually agrees and performs the evil act commanded? What then? The Fiend Folio does not say. It would seem logical that a deity might be upset when a character acts out of alignment. But what if the character is not a cleric or paladin or one of those classes where alignment dictates the abilities? Would there be any penalty at all for just doing what the creature asks? Obviously most players would want to fight the creature and would refuse. But some might not. The Dungeon Master placing this creature in an adventure should consider this possibility before it comes up in play.

The Eye of Fear and Flame in Dungeons and Dragons is an interesting creature

The creature is a bit of a mystery. It hides it’s identity with a hood and reveals itself only when it’s demands are refused. Who created them and their real purpose are unknown. They are a dangerous magical creature that can challenge high level parties. Use them with care.

If you enjoyed this article then you might enjoy these:

• Beholders
• Mind Flayers
• Undead
• Intellect Devourers
• Displacer Beasts
• The Underdark
• The Astral Plane
• Death Knights

In 1980 TSR, the maker of Dungeons and Dragons released a compendium of gods and deities. The book was called “Deities and Demigods.” It was intended to be the 1st Edition replacement for the OD&D booklet “Gods, Demigods and heroes.”

I had been using “Gods, Demigods and Heroes” in my campaign at the time. When this new book came out I rushed out to buy it. Of course, I rushed out to buy, just about anything TSR offered back then. But I had a special interest in this one. “Gods, Demigods and Heroes” was good for it’s time but was not nearly as complete as I would have hoped. None of the earlier edition books were that professionally made. They did not have the nice hard back covers and artwork that the 1st Edition books did. So I had high expectations. And I was not disappointed.

But included with all these different pantheons were to interesting ones I had not really heard of at that time. The Cthulhu mythos and the Melnibonean one. While I had read a little Edgar Allen Poe I had read absolutely no Lovecraft up to that point. So this was brand new to me. I had also read none of the Michael Moorcock stories about Elric and Lankhmar. Nor had I read any of Fritz Lieber’s work. Back in those days I did read quite a bit. Just not that much fantasy (other than TSR materials). I read Lord of the Rings back then. I guess that was as much fantasy literature as I needed.

The Myth of Cthulhu in Dungeons and Dragons

First let’s dispel the myth. TSR did not publish the Cthulhu without permission. They did not infringe upon the copyright. For specific information on this subject from the actual author of the Deities and Demigods tome James Ward I point you this Facebook post that he made regarding it.

• Link to James Ward post about dispelling this myth

I too have heard this story and had little reason to disbelieve it. After all…..TSR was often in and out of litigation in those days. So why not believe it? In any event. This one is not true.

So, Who or What, is Cthulhu?

Cthulhu is a fictional “cosmic entity” created by horror author H.P. Lovecraft and introduced in the short story “The Call of Cthulhu.” It was considered one of the “Great Old Ones” in the Lovecraft stories. He referred to these as cosmic entities but they were like deities in terms of their power and scope. Lovecraft depicts Cthulhu as being worshiped by cultists. It is sort of a giant octopus looking deity. In some ways it has the appearance of a dragon and in some ways looks almost human.

“The Call of Cthulu” was first published in Weird Tales in 1928. Cthulu is a malevolent entity. Deities and Demigods made him Chaotic Evil for purposes of game play. The premise behind Cthulhu is that he is trapped somehow but will eventually return. His worshipers are insane cultists hoping for this return.

Cthulhu in Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition

In 1st Edition Cthulhu was a powerful god. He is a horrifying looking creature that you would not want to meet in a dark alley. And his stats were off the charts even for Greater Gods in the Deities and Demigods tome. He had 400 hit points and an armor class of 2. And he made 30 attacks per round. This effectively makes him one of the most powerful creatures or deities in that work. He was over 100 feet tall and could cast spells as a 20th level magic user. He regenerated 10 hit points per round and could simultaneously attack physically and psionically. And he can call up 10-100 of the deep ones to help him when needed.

Cthulhu in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

While I am pretty sure this is not actual WOTC cannon there are some home brewed versions of Cthulhu for 5th Edition. One potential version you might consider is this:

• Cthulhu for 5E D&D Wiki
• DM Dave Version

Lovecraft in Dungeons and Dragons

Later in life I did read a little Lovecraft. I found it to be unusual and difficult to read. I much prefer Poe for horror. Or even some more modern authors. But if Lovecraft is your thing a campaign centered around Cthulhu and his mythos could be just the ticket.

If you enjoyed this article then perhaps you might enjoy these:

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• Rust Monsters

Shriekers are a classic creature in Dungeons and Dragons. They are seemingly harmless mushrooms growing underground. They can range in size from small to large. They come in a variety of colors. Many may look similar but some may look very different. When they are encountered by parties of adventurers these mushrooms do not seem to cause any concern. Why would they? They are just mushrooms right?

And then they begin wailing. Everyone and everything in the dungeon now knows that you are there and exactly where to find you!

Shriekers in Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition

I went back and scoured the original Dungeons and Dragons booklets and could find no reference to them. This surprised me. I expected to find them in the original version of the game. But I could find no reference to them. It is possible, I suppose, that it might have appeared in one of the periodicals of the time. But the earliest version that I have found so far is in the 1st Edition Monster Manual.

Many of the monsters in the Monster Manual did come from OD&D. But the Monster Manual did add quite a few new ones.

The Shrieker is basically an alarm system for dungeons. They are harmless on their own but they are a popular delicacy. Some creatures find the Shrieker as a favorite source of food. When they hear the wailing of the Shrieker they will immediately rush to the sound of them. The Shambling Mound loves to eat Shrieker and will virtually never pass up an opportunity to find them. This makes an excellent combination in a cavern system where both might be found. Purple worms are also known to love Shriekers.

The First Edition Shrieker is capable of movement. But movement is very slow. They have only a few hit dice and are easy to kill as they do not fight back in any way. It is their wailing that makes them a danger.

Shriekers live in dark places. Caves are a likely place to find them. They are mindless creatures that a normally quiet. They only begin their wailing when they sense movement or light in close proximity.

Shriekers in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

The Shrieker is one example where 1st and 5th Edition work very much the same. The creature is still basically a dungeon alarm system. Shriekers have only a few hit points and are quite easy to hit.

They can only see out to about 30 feet. Beyond this range they are virtually blind. When they are motionless one can not easily tell that there is a danger from them. They seem like a normal mushroom. When light or movement draws their attention, however, the wailing begins. The Shrieks of the creature can be heard up to 300 feet away. And this draws other creatures to the area to investigate.

Placing a Shrieker in Dungeons and Dragons

A Dungeon Master deciding to place a Shrieker in an adventure has some decisions to make. Is the creature going to be found alone? Is it going to be found in conjunction with other creatures? Is it used as an alarm or a trap?

It is certainly possible for adventurers to find a patch of Shriekers in a cavern system somewhere alone. But more likely, than not, other creatures will be lurking nearby. Purple Worms and Shambling Mounds love them for food and will come running when they hear one. But other, more intelligent creatures, may use them with a purpose. Humanoids such as goblins, orcs, or bugbears might allow these creatures to live nearby so as to give them an alarm when intruders are near.

They can also be the stuff of dirty tricks. In the First Edition Dungeon Master’s Guide Gary Gygax has an entry on page 217 for some Shriekers surrounding a pedestal. Presumably the pedestal has something interesting on it. Some treasure perhaps may rest upon it. But these are not ordinary Shriekers. For these are covered in Yellow Mold. Striking the Shriekers will release the mold spores everywhere in the cave. Not doing so, however, may result in dangerous creatures coming to investigate.

As Shriekers prefer dark places it is not likely that they will be found in a lighted room. As they Shriek whenever they sense movement or light it is likely that they will be found in cavernous places and away from busy places.

Pairing them with dangerous encounters nearby is a good way to test your players intelligence and strategies. Those who rush in foolhardily will pay a dear price when they bring that purple worm nearby upon them.

Shriekers are known to sometimes live among Violet Fungi. This is a dangerous combination as the Violet Fungi strongly resemble the Shrieker. But instead, the Violet Fungi, has branches which flail out an anything that passes within a few feet of it. The touch of this creature causes flesh to rot. Naturally the Shrieker is immune to this.

But taking this a step further there are other potential things that might ignore a Shrieker and which a Shrieker might also ignore in a dungeon. These things might live together in some sort of symbiotic relationship. Some things that come to mind:

• Any type of mold or fungus
• Myconids
• Gas Spores
• Any intelligent or semi-intelligent creatures that want an alarm system
• Small bird like creatures such as stirges or bats
• And creatures that might farm these things for the food value (even if they are not intelligent)

Shriekers are a Classic Creature in Dungeons and Dragons

Both low level and high level adventurers can encounter them. And either could find them dangerous if placed properly to attract the attention of creatures that are truly dangerous. This is the kind of creature that gives an old school flavor even to a later edition version of Dungeons and Dragons.

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Death Knights make their first appearance in Dungeons and Dragons in the 1st Edition Fiend Folio for Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. The Fiend Folio had some controversy when it came out. Some of the early Dungeons and Dragons writers were not happy with certain aspects of the book. Ed Greenwood criticized the book in the Dragon magazine. Gary Gygax also criticized the book over errors that it made. A spell (advanced illusion), which had not yet been published in any other TSR work, was mentioned in the Fiend Folio. The writers also did the same thing with a magic item (Philosopher’s Stone). And there were apparently some mistakes in the random encounter tables.

There was also a great deal of criticism about the brevity of monster descriptions in the Fiend Folio as compared with the Monster Manual. Some felt that the book needed more work before publication.

Most of the material for the Fiend Folio came from the Fiend Factory. This was a department of the White Dwarf magazine. The highest rated creatures were published in the book. White Dwarf was a British gaming magazine that covered fantasy gaming as well as other similar genres.

There were a lot of goofy monsters in the Fiend Folio. Many of the creatures were cross breeds of other creatures from earlier books. And a few were historical or mythological additions. There were also some really interesting monsters in the Fiend Folio,. One of my favorites is the Death Knight.

Death Knights in Dungeons and Dragons 1st Edition

The 1st Edition Death Knight may be one of those creatures that Gary and company felt had too short of a description. There were three paragraphs describing it. One of those paragraphs was one sentence long.

But the image of the Death Knight printed in the Fiend Folio spoke volumes about it. It looked much like my favorite monster…..the Lich. The Death Knight is like a Lich version of a fighter. It is a very powerful warrior but also has some terrible magical powers as well.

There were only twelve of these creatures. In some sense, I suppose, one might think this was a rip off of the Nazgul in Lord of the Rings. It probably is. But these are not exactly Nazgul. They are not ring wraiths. They are not former kings. These are former human paladins (note in 1st Edition a paladin could only be human). In a sense these were the original Anti-Paladin.

Death Knights were created by a demon prince. Demogorgon is the primary suspect. Presumably he did so before making his theatrical debut on Stranger Things. Unlike other forms of undead these cannot be turned or controlled by a cleric using their holy symbol. I find this rather interesting. Because a Lich can be turned. They, themselves, can control undead as if they were a 6th level (evil) cleric. While they cannot be turned, they can be affected, by a holy word.

One powerful ability of the creature which is truly unique is it’s powerful resistance to magic. It has a 75% resistance to all spells or magic. But if it rolls 11 or lower on the percentage roll then the spell is reflected towards the caster.

They are powerful warriors. They have strength of 18(00). In 1st Edition this strength is nearly superhuman. It is the same strength as an Ogre. One with such strength gains a +3 advantage to attack rolls and a +6 advantage to damage rolls. They almost always fight with a sword. And eighty percent of the time this sword will be magical. They are often encountered mounted on a Nightmare.

But some of the most powerful, and dangerous, powers of the Death Knight are magical. It always generates a fear radius. It also has the following spell like abilities:

• Create a wall of ice at will
• Detect magic at will
• Detect invisibility at will
• Dispel magic twice daily
• Gate in a demon twice daily: Type I (20%), Type II (25%), Type III (30%), Type IV (20%) or Type VI (5%) with a 75% chance of success
• Any of the Power Word spells can be used once a day (stun, blind, kill)
• Throw a 20 dice fireball once daily
• Symbol of pain/fear once daily

All spells are cast at 20th level of magic use.

These creatures vary from average intelligence to absolute genius. They are extremely evil and chaotic. They can speak 3-6 languages beyond it’s alignment tongue (chaotic evil) and the common tongue.

So as you can see, despite the brevity of the description in the Fiend Folio, there was actually a great deal of detail about them densely packed into those three paragraphs.

Death Knights in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

The Death Knight is still a very powerful adversary. It is a CR 17 foe with a great deal of magical power and physical fighting skill. Like any fighter type class character it wears heavy armor (plate and shield) giving it an armor class of 20. It has a great deal of hit points (180) giving it a lot of surviving power. It is undead and chaotic evil in alignment.

The Death Knight has advantage on saving throws against spells or magical effects. Undead within 60 feet of it have advantage on any saving throws involving features that turn undead. Death Knights cast magic as a 19th level spell caster and uses charisma as it’s spell modifier. This give it a +10 to hit with spell attacks.

Like 1st Edition the Death Knight in Fifth Edition is a former paladin. It has fallen from grace and has died without seeking atonement. When dark powers form within the creature it becomes a hateful undead creature of immense power. It still wears the armor it wore in life but now only two pinpoints of light can be seen in the helm where the eyes would normally be.

Although the Death Knight has powerful magical abilities it can use none of these to heal. It attracts and commands lesser undead. Some Death Knights, however, serve fiendish lords. These may have lesser fiends as followers instead. The Fifth Edition Death Knight uses skeletal horses and nightmares as mounts.

The ability scores of a Death Knight are as follows:

• STR 20 (+5)
• DEX 11 (+0)
• CON 20 (+5)
• INT (+1)
• Wis 16 (+3)
• CHA 18 (+4)

The Fifth Edition Death Knight casts magical spells as a paladin. It has the following spells prepared:

• 1st Level (4 slots): command, compelled duel, searing smite
• 2nd Level (3 slots): hold person, magic weapon
• 3rd Level (3 slots): dispel magic, elemental weapon
• 4th Level (3 slots): banishment, staggering smite
• 5th Level (2 slots): destructive wave (necrotic)

The actions of a Death Knight are as follows:

• Multi-attack: It can make three long sword attacks
• Long Sword : Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft, one target. Hit: 9 (1D8+5) slashing damage , or 10 (1D10+5) slashing damage if used with both hands, plus 18 (4D8) necrotic damage.
• Hellfire Orb (1/Day): Basically this is the equivalent of the 20 dice fireball from 1st edition. The Death Knight hurls a magical ball of fire that explodes at a point within 120 ft of it. Each creature in a 20 foot radius of that explosion must make a DC 18 dexterity saving throw. Any creature failing the saving throw takes 35 (10D6) fire damage and 35 (10D6) necrotic damage. Those who make the saving throw take one half damage.

The Death Knight has powerful defensive abilities as well. It can parry attacks. Against one melee attack it can add 6 to it’s armor class. To do this it must be able to see the opponent and must be wielding a weapon.

And lastly…..the Fifth Edition variant has one other ability that the 1st Edition Death Knight does not. The Death Knight can arise from again even after it has been destroyed. Until the creature has atoned for it’s life of evil it cannot escape undeath.

Death Knights in Dungeons and Dragons are tough opponents

Regardless, of edition, the Death knight is a dangerous foe. You do not want to bump into one of these in the next dungeon you are exploring. They will probably not be alone when you do. More likely, than not, they will have plenty of undead friends with them. And that could prove fatal to you and your group.

If you enjoyed this article then you might enjoy these as well:

• Thieves Tools
• Eye and Hand of Vecna
• Curses
• Deck of Many Things
• Drug Use
• Wand of Orcus