Cleon
Legend
Are we done then?
Converting Monsters from Dungeon Magazine
Are we done then?
Cleon
Legend
What do you fancy doing next?
Cleon
Legend
Anything in the Unconverted Dungeon creatures list that appeals to you?
I've got all those issues somewhere or other.
Cleon
Legend
Shade
Monster Junkie
Transferred to Homebrews.
Here's what I'd planned for next...
Megalomen
After initial forays into the Mere of the Dead Men (conveniently located near one of the greatest metropolises in the Realms), the yuan-ti soon became aware of Wolfhill’s enlarging dweomer. The yuan-ti, eon-wrapped in their mists and their mysteries, have long possessed knowledge of dark rites and evil ways, of the brewing of toxins, of the husbandry of humans, of the extraction of life to create new life. Yet never before had they had suce a cause to take advantage of it as they did now; there was nothing to be gained in raising armies of human slaves or clones, as even the weakest of the yuan-ti—the purebloods like Esau Enoch—are fierecer and stronger than normal men. But by cloning under Wolfhill’s aura, the yuan-ti could grow a copy that was larger and stronger than the original. Their own magic resistance made duplicating oversized versions of themselves impossible, and trying to clone elves for their infravision or dwarves for their thick, solid builds was likewise thwarted. Only humans represented a workable and worthwhile investment. These clones could then be indoctrinated from “birth” with yuan-ti propaganda and moind-control techniques, yielding gian slaves who surpassed their masters in sheer strength even while lacking the yuan-ti’s innate magical abilities. Better still, by cloning the clones, the snake-men could manufacture bigger and bigger warriors.
The rest unfolded like clockwork. A laboratory was constructed, a supply network established. In addition to providing food and equipment, Esau Enoch furnished the raw material: kindapped travelers from the High Road, whose bodies were used to make the first wave of “megalomen”. After the yuan-ti had taken what they needed from their captives, the prisoners were forcibly converted into near-mindless histachii. For months, the clones gestated. Then, since no person and his clone can exist at the same time and remain sane, each histachii was sacrifice to its respective clone to preserve the latter’s mind. Bands of megalomen sallied forth to abduct travelers, and more megalomen were created. Eventually, once the base was self-sufficient, most of the true yuan-ti left to dispense woe elsewhere.
The whole of the yuan-ti’s cloning lore is catalogued in a manual on the subject. It was by using his high-level thief ability to read magical scrolls that Esau Enoch cloned himself (remember—the yuan-ti-s magic resistance doesn’t inhibit actual cloning, just the enlarging factor that the snake-men desire). As soon as sthe process was complete, he locked the result away; the clone’s consciousness quickly broke under the pressure of two Enochs’ existence and was left to wallow and gibber in its insanity.
First-generation megalomen (5): AL LE; AC 6; MV 12; F2; hp 10 each; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1d8+1 (two-handed spear) +3 (Strength); S 18/51 (+2/+3); SZ M (7’ tall); ML 14; XP 35; two-handed spear, scale mail.
The megalomen are designed to be the shock troops in the pro-yuan-ti wars forseen by the abomination masters. Brainwashed since genesis with brutal conditioning, they are wholeheartedly acquiescent to the orders of any yuan-ti.
Note: Others that appear wield tridents, bastard swords, and shortbows.
Second-generation megalomen (3): AL LE; AC 4; MV 12; F3; hp 20, 14, 12; THAC0 18; #AT 1; Dmg 1d8 (scimitar) +6 (Strength); S 18/00 (+3/+6); SZ L (8’ tall); ML 14; XP 65; scimitar, chain mail, medium shield.
These members of the “second generation” are clones made from first-generation megalomen and thus are stronger.
Third-generation megalomen (2): AL LE; AC 4; MV 12; F4; hp 25, 23; THAC0 17; #AT 1; Dmg 1d4+1 (hammer) +7 (Strength); S 19 (+3/+7); SZ L (10’ tall); ML 14; XP 120; chain mail, medium shield, warhammer.
These two were specially bred for their great strength, having been cloned from second-generation megalomen.
Note: Later in the article, a histachii appears that was created from a megaloman, so this is possible.
Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #69 (1998).
Here's what I'd planned for next...
Megalomen
After initial forays into the Mere of the Dead Men (conveniently located near one of the greatest metropolises in the Realms), the yuan-ti soon became aware of Wolfhill’s enlarging dweomer. The yuan-ti, eon-wrapped in their mists and their mysteries, have long possessed knowledge of dark rites and evil ways, of the brewing of toxins, of the husbandry of humans, of the extraction of life to create new life. Yet never before had they had suce a cause to take advantage of it as they did now; there was nothing to be gained in raising armies of human slaves or clones, as even the weakest of the yuan-ti—the purebloods like Esau Enoch—are fierecer and stronger than normal men. But by cloning under Wolfhill’s aura, the yuan-ti could grow a copy that was larger and stronger than the original. Their own magic resistance made duplicating oversized versions of themselves impossible, and trying to clone elves for their infravision or dwarves for their thick, solid builds was likewise thwarted. Only humans represented a workable and worthwhile investment. These clones could then be indoctrinated from “birth” with yuan-ti propaganda and moind-control techniques, yielding gian slaves who surpassed their masters in sheer strength even while lacking the yuan-ti’s innate magical abilities. Better still, by cloning the clones, the snake-men could manufacture bigger and bigger warriors.
The rest unfolded like clockwork. A laboratory was constructed, a supply network established. In addition to providing food and equipment, Esau Enoch furnished the raw material: kindapped travelers from the High Road, whose bodies were used to make the first wave of “megalomen”. After the yuan-ti had taken what they needed from their captives, the prisoners were forcibly converted into near-mindless histachii. For months, the clones gestated. Then, since no person and his clone can exist at the same time and remain sane, each histachii was sacrifice to its respective clone to preserve the latter’s mind. Bands of megalomen sallied forth to abduct travelers, and more megalomen were created. Eventually, once the base was self-sufficient, most of the true yuan-ti left to dispense woe elsewhere.
The whole of the yuan-ti’s cloning lore is catalogued in a manual on the subject. It was by using his high-level thief ability to read magical scrolls that Esau Enoch cloned himself (remember—the yuan-ti-s magic resistance doesn’t inhibit actual cloning, just the enlarging factor that the snake-men desire). As soon as sthe process was complete, he locked the result away; the clone’s consciousness quickly broke under the pressure of two Enochs’ existence and was left to wallow and gibber in its insanity.
First-generation megalomen (5): AL LE; AC 6; MV 12; F2; hp 10 each; THAC0 19; #AT 1; Dmg 1d8+1 (two-handed spear) +3 (Strength); S 18/51 (+2/+3); SZ M (7’ tall); ML 14; XP 35; two-handed spear, scale mail.
The megalomen are designed to be the shock troops in the pro-yuan-ti wars forseen by the abomination masters. Brainwashed since genesis with brutal conditioning, they are wholeheartedly acquiescent to the orders of any yuan-ti.
Note: Others that appear wield tridents, bastard swords, and shortbows.
Second-generation megalomen (3): AL LE; AC 4; MV 12; F3; hp 20, 14, 12; THAC0 18; #AT 1; Dmg 1d8 (scimitar) +6 (Strength); S 18/00 (+3/+6); SZ L (8’ tall); ML 14; XP 65; scimitar, chain mail, medium shield.
These members of the “second generation” are clones made from first-generation megalomen and thus are stronger.
Third-generation megalomen (2): AL LE; AC 4; MV 12; F4; hp 25, 23; THAC0 17; #AT 1; Dmg 1d4+1 (hammer) +7 (Strength); S 19 (+3/+7); SZ L (10’ tall); ML 14; XP 120; chain mail, medium shield, warhammer.
These two were specially bred for their great strength, having been cloned from second-generation megalomen.
Note: Later in the article, a histachii appears that was created from a megaloman, so this is possible.
Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #69 (1998).
Cleon
Legend
The description is a bit contradictory. It reads like these are enlarged histachii clones which, like standard histachii, used to be humans. But histachii don't have fighter levels, they're 2+2 HD monsters. So which are they, giant humans or giant histachii?
Mechanically they don't seem terribly interesting. Apart from being larger and having a Strength bonus they're pretty much like humans. They don't even go Berserk like regular histachii.
The fighter levels suggests it's a template with three steps that only applies to humans or histachii, but I'm tempted to stat them as separate monsters.
Something like +4 Str and +2 Con for each generation, with a size increase at generation 2. They'll need something for the "Yuan-ti Brainwashing".
