The Malevolent Mana Muncher

I am pretty sure that every DM has had this happen from time to time, a new player joins his group - and you are MORE than a little suspicious about his haul of magic items!

In our AD&D hey-day it wasn't a problem, all the DM's in my area pretty much knew each other and there was little or no concern or suspicion.

One of the better ways to deal with such a Player comes from "Booty and the Beasts", if you read my blog you will know I am working my way through that tome converting things over to C&C (I might even do a PDF of it when its all finished) and today I am 'blogging' the Malevolent Mana Muncher from BatB - and this little critter is a GREAT way of dealing with the too many Magic Items problem (even if you caused it yourself).

MALEVOLENT MANA-MUNCHER

NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1–4

SIZE: Medium

HD: 11

MOVE: 70 ft

AC: 20

ATTACKS: 1 (snatch item)

SPECIAL: Super fast (+5 to initiative), resistant to magical blasts & explosions

SAVES: P+M

INT: Non

ALIGNMENT: Neutral

TYPE: Aberration

TREASURE: None

XP: 2100+16 per HP

These irritating little beasties are totally inoffensive to other creatures they might encounter – beyond their driving desire to steal and devour magical items as they feed off the magical energy that is stored within them.

Mana munchers are surprisingly fast, and their 3 extremely dextrous tentacles can snatch off any loosely held item (amulet, crown, brooch, etc.) on a roll of 6+ on a d20. Once it has an item, it then stuffs it into its frothing innards, any item a mana muncher attempts to digest in this manner must make a save vs. acid and being crushed – as the mana muncher chomps down on the item and attempts to digest it.

A mana muncher suffers no ill effects from exploding staves, wands, and the like – as it feeds off the magic such explosions produce.

If a mana muncher attempts to grasp a firmly held item – such as a staff, sword, or ring – and is successful in its roll, the target of the munchers attack must make a strength test or lose a hold of said item.

Mana munchers only snatch magical items, leaving all mundane gear alone.

These annoying creatures are encountered in groups of 1-4 individuals, and are generally found rummaging through old temples and ruins.

Keep Rollin'

Another Halloween Treat

Halloween tomorrow, one of mine and the Mrs favourite Holidays.

So, again in honour of that most spooky of nights - some "thing" else from the pages of Booty and the Beasts - The Dara . . . . . .

The Dara

NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1

SIZE: Small

HD: 4

MOVE: 20 ft

AC: 14

ATTACKS: 1 x 1d6 (stinger)

SPECIAL: Innocent Appearance, Paralysing Venom, +3 Initiative

SAVES: M

INT: High

ALIGNMENT: Neutral/Evil

TYPE: Extraplanar

TREASURE: Nil

XP: 800+15 per HP

The Dara are a race of hermaphroditic creatures that outwardly look like sweet and innocent young girls aged around 8 or 9 years old. In actuality, they possess a highly malevolent and devious mind and internally closely resemble a cockroach.

Their single form of attack is their hidden sting which can lash out up to 5 feet away. The sting does 1d6 points of damage on a successful hit, and in addition injects the target with a paralysing venom. The victim must make a save vs. poison, which if failed will result in total paralysis for a full hour. The victim will just about be able to breath, but be incapable of any other actions. If the save is passed, the target of the sting is only partially affected – and as a consequence is reduced to one-half dexterity and movement for 10 minutes.

Dara are always encountered alone, using their deceptively innocent appearance to trap unwary travellers. Dara are always found wandering aimlessly, and needing help and protection – apparently lost.

More from Booty and the Beasts

Well, its time for yet another Magic Item from 'Booty and the Beasts' - this time the 'Ring of Gumbos'.

Ring of Gumbos

Made of a dull sheened pewter, the Ring of Gumbos is carved into the shape of many Gumbos holding hands.

Upon issuing the correct command word, the wearer my call forth one Gumbo from the ring.

These odd little creatures stand around 4 feet in height, with have pale near translicent skin and large bulbous eyes. Gumbos have no mind whatsoever, and follow any and all orders without question.

It is for this reason, Gumbos may be used in a variety of helpful fashions -

For example, one could order a Gumbo to open an obviously trapped door, unlock a cursed chest, or distract the attention of a demon allowing the owner of the ring to escape.

Gumbos have but one hit point, an armour class of 10 and a movement of 15 ft.

Rings of this type generally have 3-36 Gumbos stored within them.

The Wand of the Marrow-Squid

Booty & the Beasts was a wonderful (if unofficial) tome of ideas, beasties, and items for both AD&D and Gamma World.

Erol Otus did the amazing illustrations, and the inhabitants of the pages ranged from the kooky to the downright bizarre.

I am only going to convert the fantasy elements over to C&C as these days I prefer not to mix my genres (though with what’s in the upcoming Keepers guide, I most likely will be attempting a Gamma World conversion).

Wand of the Marrow Squid

Through some dark Wizardry, an amputated tentacle from a dead Marrow Squid has been affixed to a rod of simple copper, animated, and placed under the control of the wielder of the Wand.

Once pointed at a single target up to 60 feet away and squeezed, this wand sucks out all the target’s bones – unless he makes a Saving Throw vs. Wands.

However, the Wand extracts the victims Bones in such as way that even though the target loses his Skeleton, if he makes a successful Constitution check with a difficulty of 5, he will remain alive.

Of course, he will now be a pile of flesh, organs, and muscle – unable to do anything except gurgle.