GROVER

With apologies to Michael Smollin and Sesame Workshop...

Init last
Melee Atk
 • hold back +6 (stops movement for one round)
AC 8
HD 2d4
MV 10-20
Act 2d16
SP zip, damage avoidance, resources
Fort +0
Ref +0
Will -2
AL L

Grover is convinced there is a MONSTER in this hallway, and he does not want to see it, and does not want you to see it either. He is AFRAID of the monster. He will do anything he can to stop you from revealing the DANGEROUS, BIG, SCARY monster in this hallway.

Even though his movement rate is low, he can zip out of sight and back into sight, covering unknown distances while out of sight — usually accompanied with the sound of madly shuffling dress shoes, though you NEVER SEE any dress shoes. He can thus produce resources that are improbable or impossible.

Anyone trying to HARM lovable, furry, old Grover should discover it is a very difficult thing to do... The Judge is encouraged to invent any excuse, even those that are only very slightly realistic, for why an attack on Grover misses it's mark. Grover is very flexible, so maybe he has bent out of the way just as an arrow flies past him. Sometimes he goes from being NEAR to being FAR, just to make a point, and thus melee strikes will miss. He might be nailing up a crude wooden barrier to prevent anyone from revealing the MONSTER at the end of the hallway, and the back swing of his hammer might foil an attack against him. Players should feel free to invent reasons they miss, too.

Anyone playing along with Grover and gently revealing to him that HE is the Monster in the hallway, and not making him feel bad by being embarrassed about the whole thing, should gain 2d3+1 Luck on the spot.

GELATINOUS ICOSAHEDRON OF THE PLANES

Init +3
Melee Atk
 • touch +7 (paralysis)
AC 16
HD 9d20+10 (100 hp)
MV 30
Act 1d20
SP paralysis, no mind, passage
Fort +9
Ref +2
Will n/a
AL C

The nearly-opaque Icosahedron must have been created by a wizard, perhaps one from another planet or another reality. Each of its 20 sides features a different faint image of some other time, place, or dimension.

It slowly roams whatever surface it can access, absorbing everything it can into it's squidgy, gelatinous mass. Any living thing that touches the mass, either on it's own or by having the mass move into it, is paralyzed unless it can make a DC 20 Fort Save. If successful, this Save needs to be re-made for each round of contact or each repeated contact. Regardless of making the Save or not, the creature will pull things into itself with a Strength bonus of +5.

The creature will typically "roll" it's form over to prevent other creatures from 'stealing' its prey. Anyone paralyzed but removed from the creature will regain full mobility in 1d16 rounds.

The creature takes 1d4+1 rounds to completely suck in prey. One round after the Icosahedron completely engulfs someone, they are transported to a new location, possibly a new time in that location, and possibly on another world or another plane of existence. If there is another Icosahedron (or the same Icosahedron?) located there, they can possibly get back to their starting point by finding the side that represents the place to which they wish to return.

GELATINOUS DODECAHEDRON OF MANY THINGS

Init +2
Melee Atk
 • touch +5 (paralysis)
AC 15
HD 9d12+9 (68 hp)
MV 30
Act 1d20
SP paralysis, no mind, magical tomfoolery
Fort +7
Ref +1
Will n/a
AL C

The cloudy, semi-translucent Dodecahedron must have been created by a wizard, perhaps one from another planet or another reality.

It slowly roams whatever surface it can access, absorbing everything it can into it's squidgy, gelatinous mass. Any living thing that touches the mass, either on it's own or by having the mass move into it, is paralyzed unless it can make a DC 17 Fort Save. If successful, this Save needs to be re-made for each round of contact or each repeated contact. Regardless of making the Save or not, the creature will pull things into itself with a Strength bonus of +4.

The creature will typically "roll" it's form over to prevent other creatures from 'stealing' its prey. Anyone paralyzed but removed from the creature will regain full mobility in 1d14 rounds.

Any character enveloped within the Dodecahedron for 1 round or more, if extracted then finds one of the following has occurred:

• One of their items has vanished, to be replaced by a different object. Roll randomly to choose one of the characters items, whether inconsequential and mundane or unique and of great power. A short list of substituted items is provided below, and Judges are strongly encouraged to expand this list if they have time to do so.

• One of their Attributes has changed, for better or for worse. Players should get the choice to use one of two methods. 1) Roll 1d4 to determine by how much the Attribute changes, then roll to randomly determine whether that is an increase or a decrease. 2) Re-roll the stat from scratch, by rolling 3d6 and taking the new result.

• The individual has been replaced by someone else! Roll on the Occupation chart to determine broadly who this new person is, and there is a 1-in-30 chance they are leveled-up in a Class. A useful option if a player is absent for a session or more. Where the missing character is now must be left up to the Judge...

• Some who find themselves inside a Dodcahedron experience a disorienting sense of spacial volume while inside. And there is something else in there... something horrid and violent, which they must combat while they are inside the Dodecahedron (as if in a featureless void). Judges may choose any creature they find appropriate for this foe. If the character is somehow extracted by allies, the creature may stay behind, or may grab onto the character and try to exit with them.



Random items to substitute for vanished items (roll 1d14 or 1d12 as appropriate):

1/1)    A Goat's Collar.

2/2)    A Bag of Rocks.

3/3)    A Rusty Dagger.

4/4)    A Spyglass.

5/5)    A coating of amber slime on their off-hand arm, which hardens after extraction to act as a shield which they can't put down. The arm is half as limber as it was formerly.

6/6)    A Small Sack with 300 gold pieces inside.

7/_)    ~ Judge's invention. ~

8/_)    ~ Judge's invention. ~

9/7)    A "Battle" Axe of unfamiliar design, made from an unknown, "unbreakable" material.

10/8)   A Box of small, brown, dried Leaves. When brewed as a tea and consumed, it improves natural healing by a factor of five.

11/9)   A Cybernetic Respirator, which attaches to the wielder permanently and protects them from airborne threats and lack of air.

12/10)  A Large Sack with 500 gems inside.

13/11)  A glittering Longsword which adds the wielder's Personality modifier to it's attacks and damage.

14/12)  A "genie's lamp" which when polished emits a smoke which flies up the nose of the bearer. Failing a DC 14 Fort Save means taking 1d6 damage. The character gains 2d6 Luck.

JELLYLIKE HEXAHEDRON

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • touch +3 (paralysis)
AC 12
HD 5d8+3 (26 hp)
MV 25
Act 1d20
SP paralysis, no mind
Fort +3
Ref +0
Will n/a
AL C

This translucent, giant, platonic shape slowly roams whatever level surface it can access, absorbing everything it can into it's squidgy, gelatinous mass. Any living thing that touches the mass, either on it's own or by having the mass move into it, is paralyzed unless it can make a DC 12 Fort Save. If successful, this Save needs to be re-made for each round of contact or each repeated contact. Regardless of making the Save or not, the creature will pull things into itself with a Strength of 14.

When threatened it has a number of tricks the Hexahedron can perform:

• It can "flop" open, wholly or partially, as if unfolding into multiple square-based pyramids, thus attacking assailants on multiple sides or even on a ceiling or high on a wall (the top of the Hexahedron flipping up). Making such an attack, make one attack roll with an extra bonus that starts at +5, but compare it to each AC individually. The bonus drops by 2 for each repeated use of this trick against the same targets (i.e., +5, +3, +1, no further bonus). Each time it does this, it cannot perform this trick nor any other for 1d3 rounds.

• It can "melt" with blink-of-an-eye speed into a vast "sheet" of jelly, remaining coherent, sliding under the feet of all around, reforming where it chooses (DC 18 Reflex to avoid) or moving at a speed of 60 for one round to any point it can reach, even up walls and other contiguous surfaces, where it re-forms. Once it has done this, it cannot perform this trick nor any other for 1d12 rounds.

• It can suddenly suck in a large bubble of air, distorting it's shape, and float up and away at a speed of 15. While doing so, there is clearly a chemical reaction going on inside the bubble inside the (bloated) Hexahedron. Any creature that was inside the Hexahedron is now being burned for 1d4 damage per round, along with possible suffocation (unless they are within the air bubble!). This trick can be sustained for 1d8+1 rounds, after which it cannot perform this trick nor any other for a like amount of time.

• It can rapidly split, surge forward, and re-close, thereby enveloping a target to a much deeper, much-harder-to-retrieve depth within itself. The paralysis save in this case is a DC 16, and the Strength is considered to be at 16 at this depth.

•The Hexahedron can spin with great rapidity, deforming it's shape outward to tag multiple targets at once. The paralysis Save is against a DC 11 in this case, for all targets within 10' of the creature before it performs this maneuver. Afterward, if cannot perform this trick nor any other for 1d6 rounds.

• It can toughen it's exterior at the cost of reducing it's ability to paralyze. Doing so drops the Save to a DC 5, but gives the creature an AC of 18. It can sustain this effect for up to 1 Turn, after which it cannot perform this trick nor any other for 1d16 rounds.

GELATINOUS TETRAHEDRON

Init -2
Melee Atk
 • touch OR
 • jet of liquid +2 (numbness)
AC 10
HD 2d8+1 (10 hp)
MV 20
Act 1d20
SP numbing, no mind
Fort +2
Ref -2
Will --
AL C

The translucent Tetrahedrons vary in size from 12 to 24 inches on a side.

They slowly roam whatever level surface they can access. Any living thing that touches the mass, either on it's own or by having the mass move into it, is affected by shooting numbness. The target must make a DC 15 Fort Save or have their Action Dice moved down the Chain by one step in a cumulative effect. This Save needs to be made for each round of contact or each repeated contact. The Tetrahedron's very short-ranged jet of liquid has the same effect. Anything that a Tetrahedron reduces to below a d3 on the Dice Chain they have completely paralyzed, and they will then proceed to glom onto the now-inert form and attempt to eat them (a slow process of days or even weeks).

Once away from the numbing influence, Action Dice move back up the Dice Chain one step at a time by making a new Save vs. a DC 10 once each Turn, with a success equaling one step back up.

Gelatinous Tetrahedrons are not a huge threat when encountered singly, but they have sometimes been deployed in small groups at either end of trapped hallways, for instance...

If ever six Tetrahedrons are together, they will skloodge into each other and form a Cube, which will grow in size as it consumes digestible matter.

[Unless you have other stats you'd like to use for a newly-formed Cube, consider it to be improved by 1d3+2 in almost all statistical respects above (Move 30, 1d20 Action Die), and that it's numbness power takes a target 1d3 steps down the Dice Chain with each successful attack.]

BONUS!

BASIC STATS!

GELATINOUS TETRAHEDRON
Move: 60 feet/turn
Hit Dice: 2 +1
Armor Class: 9
Treasure Type: nil
Alignment: neutral
Attacks: 1
Damage: special

Reference the above for the monster's behavior. Save vs. Poison or be limited to acting every other round the first time, "feeble" minor actions only after a second failed Save, and not at all after the third failed Save. Each step of mobility returns after a successful Save made once per Turn.

GELATINOUS OCTAHEDRON OF ANNIHILATION

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • touch +4 (paralysis)
AC 13
HD 7d10+6 (45 hp)
MV 25
Act 1d20
SP paralysis, no mind
Fort +5
Ref +0
Will --
AL C

The translucent Octahedron must have been created by a wizard, perhaps one from another planet or another reality.

It slowly roams whatever level surface it can access, absorbing everything it can into it's squidgy, gelatinous mass. Any living thing that touches the mass, either on it's own or by having the mass move into it, is paralyzed unless it can make a DC 15 Fort Save. If successful, this Save needs to be re-made for each round of contact or each repeated contact. Regardless of making the Save or not, the creature will pull things into itself with a Strength of 17.

The creature will typically "roll" it's form over to prevent other creatures from 'stealing' its prey. Anyone paralyzed but removed from the creature will regain full mobility in 1d12 rounds.

At the center of its form is a tiny pin-point of darkness. Anything coming into contact with this pin point (other than the Octahedron's own form) is instantly annihilated, vanishing as if it never existed.

Once the Octahedron has started pulling something in, it takes 1d4 rounds for it to reach the center, plus one round for every 100 pounds of weight or fraction thereof. Lower oxygen needs while paralyzed should mitigate any suffocation situation when inside the Octahedron.

Some learned folk think the annihilation is how the Octahedron consumes things, as if it is eating them. Some think everything that vanishes appears whole, somewhere else...

[Judges may want to have some bit of debris or equipment or a hireling or what-have-you be the first thing absorbed by the Octahedron, so the players can witness the instant "destruction" effect before a player character is themselves so annihilated.]

INTELLIGENT MOLD

Init [always last]
Melee Atk
 • spores DC 18 Will Save (special, 10' sphere)
AC 5
HD 3d8
MV 0
Act 1d20
SP ignore most damage
Fort +7
Ref n/a
Will +11
AL C

Intelligent Mold (or "Int Mold") affects the mind, taking over the thought process of it's victims, to it's own ends.

The Int Mold will grow in cool, moist places, slowly expanding to fill the suitable environment. When humanoids enter the affected area, the Int Mold will emit spores, attempting to take over the minds of those present. The Mold itself is intelligent, and will wait for the moment of hitting the maximum number of targets.

Affected individuals will have a mere 1d6 rounds each to react. After that, their minds are controlled by the spores.

The effect of the spores can be handled in (at least) two ways in play:

1) If all characters in the party are affected, simply move time forward some number of days, anywhere from 1d3 to 1d12. Characters and players will only find out what events and actions filled those days as they go forward, though the GM may have indicators in obvious places as soon as immediately. Suffice it to say that affected characters have not been themselves... An entire campaign could be re-jiggered in this way, from the obviousness of a band of saints and heroes becoming wanted outlaws, to effects more subtle, but no less problematical.

2) If some or all of the characters in the party are affected, simply encourage the players to 'play against type', to imagine their character's personalities have been subverted for a time (as above) and they should display wholly uncharacteristic traits, habits, and demeanor.

In either case, along with whatever strangeness the characters have been displaying, they are driven by a strong desire to help the mold spread itself. They may fill their pockets with handfuls of the stuff, and place bits of it in dark and dank places nearer to home, or in the next village they encounter, or a different dungeon, a different set of ruins, or wherever they can find in which the mold might thrive.

While the same individual can be affected by the Int Mold again in the future, the effects are lessened, and are completely negligible by the fourth exposure — except in rare cases where the victim becomes a permanent thrall of the Int Mold.

All weapon strikes against the Intelligent Mold count as a single point of damage per damage die. The Judge may rule that larger dice count as two or three dice in strikes against the Int Mold. Fire and high heat will destroy it, outright.


[Presented as an option for the One Page Dungeon Contest entry The Umber Woods from 2016]

FUNGAL OGRE (with Spore Cloud & Fungal Taint)

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • slam +6 (1d6)
Ranged Atk
 • thrown rock +2 (1d10+5)
AC 18
HD 4d10+6
MV 40
Act 2d20
SP crush attack, suffocation attack, infravision 50'
Fort +11
Ref +3
Will +7
AL N

A fungal ogre is a massive, shambling thing, fully nine feet high with tremendous amounts of fungal growth shrouding it's body.

It's actual body is rather slim, though enclosed in a dense, pockmarked exoskeleton, covered in spiky projections. It attacks with great sweeping motions of it's arms. If both such attacks land against a single target, it sweeps that target up into itself, as if performing a deadly bear hug. The target is enveloped in the fungal ogre's living fungal shroud and pressed into the spiky protrusions for an extra 1d6 damage per round. Then the fungal ogre will try to keep them there, suffocating them in hopes they will be it's next meal. The DC to break free from the grip is 20.

Each round a target is within this grip, their Attributes are damaged by 1d3 points each (single roll applied to all Attributes, except Luck). If any Attribute reaches zero the target is dead and the fungal ogre secretes digestive substances which begin to consume the target. Breaking free from the fungal ogre's grip, a target's Attributes will rise back to normal at a rate of 1d4 points each per Turn.



SPORE CLOUD
Init +0
Melee Atk
 • choke (auto hit; 1d3)
 • Fungal Taint Fort DC 13
MV 5 while expanding to full area

Whenever an outcropping of mushrooms is sufficiently disturbed, a spore cloud forms. A spore cloud can also happen when an especially large mushroom ruptures from internal pressures. The initial burst is a 10' radius, or equivalent. It expands out by 5 feet per round in all available directions until reaching it's full volume of up to 60'x60'x60' (or equivalent). The cloud obscures visibility as does a heavy fog. Once fully expanded, it will last for an additional 2d12 rounds before becoming inert and settling.


FUNGAL TAINT
This condition causes an adrenaline-fueled rage in humans and humanoid creatures. This stops the ability to focus and apply Intelligence or Personality, and raises attack bonuses and damage by 2. It lasts for 1d100 minus Stamina score in rounds (minimum of 2 rounds; effectively from 20 seconds to 16 minutes)


[Featured in the One Page Dungeon Contest entry Future Tense from 2015]

HHROOUQK

Init +0
Melee Atk
 • none
Ranged Atk
 • none
AC 10
HD 10d8+10
MV 1
Act 1d30 + 1d24
SP spells, infravision 60'
Fort +10
Ref +0
Will +15
AL C

The HHROOUQK* is an amorphous slime with vast intelligence and malevolent intent. The monster has strong mental abilities, represented by spells for ease. It may cast each "spell" once per day, but if it rolls a "lost" result on a spellcheck, it can subsequently try the spell again until it does succeed.

The evil slime is an expert at mentally dominating and controlling humanoids. Use the Charm Person spell to represent this ability, and give it a +7 to the spellcheck roll. Once the HHROOUQK has taken control of someone, it can mentally communicate with them once per day drawing information from their mind and sending new instructions, and when needed can summon them back to itself to reinforce control over them.

The HHROOUQK also has the spell Hepsoj's Fecund Fungi, casting it with an additional +2.

The creature should have 1d10 additional spells (or at least equal to the number of members in the party, if running the "Future Tense" One Page Dungeon Contest entry). Choose 1 each of a Wizard's and a Cleric's 1st Level spells. Work up this way through the levels, until the creature's spell roster is full.


* Pronounced while drawing in a breath and ending with a wet noise in the throat.


[Featured in the One Page Dungeon Contest entry Future Tense from 2015]