Thursday 13 August 2009

BECMI Zephyr Hounds [Part I]

Zephyr Hounds are summoned by powerful sorcerers from strange and distant planes of existence. They come in many varieties, but they always take on a similar form - that of an unearthly large wolfhound with loping gait and ferocious aspect. Most have dragon-like breath weapons.

They are most commonly employed as guardians by their masters, but they are intelligent and wild, and sometimes manaage to break the sorcerous bonds which hold them. These masterless hounds can sometimes be found lurking in wilderness areas.

All Zephyr Hounds can use their breath weapon five times per day.

Inertia Hound

Inertia hounds are a pale grey colour. To the naked eye they hardly appear to move, and yet they do so with great speed. It is said that even to look at one is enough to drain a person of all energy. Their breath weapon is a powerful slow spell, with no saving throw permitted. They always win initiative.

Armour Class: 3
HD: 8+8*
Move: 150' (50')
Attacks: 1 bite/2 claws
Damage: 2d6/1d6/1d6
Breathcone: 30'x10'
No. Appearing: 2d6
Save As: F6
Morale: 8
Treasure: Nil
Intelligence: 6
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 1,400


Impact Hound

Impact hounds are a deep, dark brown, with amber coloured eyes. They seem to radiate force; just to be in one's presence is enough to cause physical pain. Even their footsteps crack stone and compress the earth beneath them. Their breath weapon is a disintegrating blast which can shatter walls. (Acts as a disintegrate spell.)

Foes of an impact hound are never surprised - the creature's footsteps can always be heard within at least 100'.

Armour Class: 2
HD: 10*
Move: 150 (50')
Attacks: 1 bite/2 claws
Damage: 2d8/1d8/1d8
Breathcone: 30'x10'
No. Appearing: 2d4
Save As: F6
Morale: 9
Treasure: Nil
Intelligence: 3
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 1,750


Gravity Hound

These creatures use gravity as their tool and plaything, walking freely on walls and ceilings and effortlessly manipulating reality itself. They can levitate at will and their breath weapon is the equivalent of a reverse gravity spell. They are immune to any spell or spell-like effect which manipulates gravity.

Armour Class: 3
Hit Dice: 8+8**
Move: 150'(50')
Attacks: 1 bite/2 claws
Damage: 2d6/1d6/1d6
Breathcloud: 30'x30'x30'
No. Appearing: 2d6
Save As: F6
Morale: 9
Treasure: Nil
Intelligence: 6
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 2,025


Water Hound


These hounds seem to be composed entirely of swirling, sloshing water which somehow never spills from their dog-like form. But with each step they take they leave pools of water behind them. They reek of brine.

The breath weapon of a water hound is a jet of ice-cold salt water which does 2d6 damage and stuns the victim for 1d6 turns (successful saving throw for half).

Armour Class: 4
Hit Dice: 6+6*
Move: 180 (60')
Attacks: 1 bite/2 claws
Damage: 1d10/1d6/1d6
Breathcone: 30'x10'
No. Appearing: 2d6
Save As: F6
Morale: 8
Treasure: Nil
Intelligence: 3
Alignment: Neutral
XP Value: 650

[Tomorrow, fire hounds, time hounds, clear hounds and energy hounds.]

6 comments:

  1. Entropy/binding forces, kinetic energy, gravitation, and water? Hmmm. One of these things is not like the others...

    Good job. There's always room for eldritch wolf archetypes. And I'm hoping for Hounds of Tindalos-ish goodness tomorrow...

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  2. Jeff Rients: I've got dozens more of 'em up my sleeve.

    Chris: I wanted a joker to throw into the mix.

    Not sure about Hounds of Tindalos. It's such a nice concept that statting it up almost ruins it. Though Hounds of Tindalos are found in most *band roguelike games, and pretty nasty they are too.

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  3. These guys really fired my imagination. They're tailor-made to be plopped into the current megadungeon my players are investigating. Plus I really dig that they're sort of the henchmen of sorcerers...again, that works perfectly with the design of my dungeon. I'll convert them over to Savage Worlds (our system of choice) and try 'em out soon. Thanks for the post!

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  4. Patrick: Glad to oblige. There should be more coming.

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  5. For the Gravity Hound:

    when breathed on roll 1d6 to determine which direction is now up for the victim:
    1 - Up
    2 - Down
    3 - North
    4 - South
    5 - East
    6 - West

    If you roll the same as that currently affecting the victim then choose the opposite. Effects wear off 1d6 rounds after the hound is killed or leaves, rolled separately for each character.

    eg.
    Gor the fighter faces off against a hound in the centre of a 40x40x40 room. He gets breathed on and the DM rolls 1. Since Up is currently Up for Gor the DM just chooses the opposite, meaning Down is now up for Gor and he falls 40' to the ceiling. The hound then floats towards him and breathes on him again with the DM rolling 4 (South). Gor slides down the roof to the North wall and can then run around on the North wall, possibly jumping to safety down a corridor in the North wall!

    John.

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