Monster of Myth - Book 2 Monsters & Treasure

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Page 21 of pdf absolute page numbering

60. Meduse: allow saving throw for mirror
     business as in Greek MYTHOS (first word looks like business to me what do you guys think)
     Gorgon: 30' = 3" on board
     Manticora: what is the effect of spikes
     Hyda: do heads regenerate

[Death Even XIII]

Feb 16, 2024 23:15:12 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Page 21 of pdf absolute page numbering

60. Meduse: allow saving throw for mirror
     business as in Greek MYTHOS (first word looks like business to me what do you guys think)
     Gorgon: 30' = 3" on board
     Manticora: what is the effect of spikes
     Hyda: do heads regenerate

It looks to me like it says "mirror business"

The Medusae as published

MEDUSAE: A human-type monster with the lower body of a snake, a human torso and head, with tresses which are asps. It is able to turn those who look at its eyes to stone, while the bite of the snakes which cover its head is deadly (poison). As it is intelligent it will cleverly attempt to beguile victims into looking at it. It also is subject to the effects of its reflected glance

lost the saving throw or at least was never given the saving throw that Arneson suggested.

What do you think, should the Medusae get a saving throw vs seeing itself in a mirror? Should it be fully immune to its own gaze?

[Death Even XIII]

Feb 16, 2024 23:15:12 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Page 21 of pdf absolute page numbering

60. Meduse: allow saving throw for mirror
     business as in Greek MYTHOS (first word looks like business to me what do you guys think)
     Gorgon: 30' = 3" on board
     Manticora: what is the effect of spikes
     Hyda: do heads regenerate

Looks like Gorgon was supposed to have a 10 yard range, but it was published as

GORGONS: These bull-like monsters have scales of iron covering their hides and a breath which is capable of turning to stone those who are within its 6' range.

So the breath weapon went from 30 feet down to 6 feet. What do you think? I think that is a reasonable range for its breath weapon, what do others think?

[Death Even XIII]

Feb 16, 2024 23:15:12 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Page 21 of pdf absolute page numbering

60. Meduse: allow saving throw for mirror
     business as in Greek MYTHOS (first word looks like business to me what do you guys think)
     Gorgon: 30' = 3" on board
     Manticora: what is the effect of spikes
     Hyda: do heads regenerate

It was published as

MANTICORAS: Huge, lion-bodied monstrosities with men's face, horns, dragon wings, and a tail full of iron spikes. There are 24 of these spikes in a Manticora's tail, and they can be fired 6 at a time in any one direction with the range (18") accuracy and effect of a crossbow. Their favorite prey is man.

So as in OD&D that was be up to 6 spikes at a time with each doing 1d6 hit points and a range of 180 yards.

[Death Even XIII]

Feb 16, 2024 23:15:12 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Page 21 of pdf absolute page numbering

60. Meduse: allow saving throw for mirror
     business as in Greek MYTHOS (first word looks like business to me what do you guys think)
     Gorgon: 30' = 3" on board
     Manticora: what is the effect of spikes
     Hyda: do heads regenerate

Arneson is asking if the hydra's heads regenerate. It was published as

HYDRAS: Unlike the standard mythological concept of the Hydra being a snake with many heads, these beasts are large dinosaurs with multiple heads. Because of its size and constitution, each head is represented by one hit die, and the hit die per head is generally of six pips. Thus a six-headed Hydra has six hit dice of six pips each, or 36 total points. When six hit points are scored on it one head is then killed. Hydras of five heads fight as 5th level fighters, those with six as 6th level fighters, and so on. A ten-headed Hydra would fight as a 10th level fighter even when it had but one head left. Usually all of a Hydra's heads can attack simultaneously.

I think they should have kept the standard mythological Hydra and have its heads regenerate. What do the rest of you think?

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Mar 10, 2024 21:11:45 GMT -5 Death Even XIII said:

Feb 16, 2024 23:15:12 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Page 21 of pdf absolute page numbering

It looks to me like it says "mirror business"

The Medusae as published

MEDUSAE: A human-type monster with the lower body of a snake, a human torso and head, with tresses which are asps. It is able to turn those who look at its eyes to stone, while the bite of the snakes which cover its head is deadly (poison). As it is intelligent it will cleverly attempt to beguile victims into looking at it. It also is subject to the effects of its reflected glance

lost the saving throw or at least was never given the saving throw that Arneson suggested.

What do you think, should the Medusae get a saving throw vs seeing itself in a mirror? Should it be fully immune to its own gaze?

Personally I think any creature whose gaze causes turning to stone, should be immune to their own gaze. After all they have to drink and in the wild when you look into a pool of water you often see your own reflection.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Mar 10, 2024 21:16:53 GMT -5 Death Even XIII said:

Feb 16, 2024 23:15:12 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Page 21 of pdf absolute page numbering

Looks like Gorgon was supposed to have a 10 yard range, but it was published as

GORGONS: These bull-like monsters have scales of iron covering their hides and a breath which is capable of turning to stone those who are within its 6' range.

So the breath weapon went from 30 feet down to 6 feet. What do you think? I think that is a reasonable range for its breath weapon, what do others think?

I like the shorter breath weapon range for a Gorgon. There is no reason for them to have a long range with their breath.

[The Perilous Dreamer]

Mar 10, 2024 21:22:50 GMT -5 Death Even XIII said:

Feb 16, 2024 23:15:12 GMT -5 The Perilous Dreamer said:

Page 21 of pdf absolute page numbering

Arneson is asking if the hydra's heads regenerate. It was published as

HYDRAS: Unlike the standard mythological concept of the Hydra being a snake with many heads, these beasts are large dinosaurs with multiple heads. Because of its size and constitution, each head is represented by one hit die, and the hit die per head is generally of six pips. Thus a six-headed Hydra has six hit dice of six pips each, or 36 total points. When six hit points are scored on it one head is then killed. Hydras of five heads fight as 5th level fighters, those with six as 6th level fighters, and so on. A ten-headed Hydra would fight as a 10th level fighter even when it had but one head left. Usually all of a Hydra's heads can attack simultaneously.

I think they should have kept the standard mythological Hydra and have its heads regenerate. What do the rest of you think?

I have always played it as they regenerate and as them being a many headed snake, I have never used the dinosaur thing at all. I run it as you have to cut off the primary head to kill it, but that is really difficult to do.

[Morose]

Sweet, good writeup guys.