WITCH ASTEROID

“How can only one zombie be scary to a group of adventurers?” Short answer: watch an Evil Dead movie. Cheating answer: let’s design a new zombie. The core zombie: AC 8, HP 11, ATK 1 slam +2 (1d6), MV near, S +2, D -2, C +1, I -2, W -2, Ch -3, AL C, LV 2 Undead. Immune to morale checks. Relentless. If zombie reduced to 0 HP by a non-magical source, DC 15 CON to go to 1 HP instead. Let’s add some old-school flavor and edit Undead: Undead. Silent until it attacks. Immune to morale checks. In the world of Lefort undead are always corpses possessed by demons . After watching Evil Dead: Rise tonight I realized how similar this concept is to the Evil Dead series and was inspired to create this post.  This isn’t some poor soul dimly reanimated. This is a master of chaos and evil inhabiting corporeal form,  possibly for the first time. ATK 1 gore +2 (1d8 + black bile), I +1 Black Bile. DC 12 CON or 1d4 CON damage (can’t heal while ill). Repeat check once per hour; ...

Incorporeal and possessive demons underly most of Lefort’s fantasy antics: monsters, wizards, and also the undead. Undead are similar to other kinds of demon-possessed creatures (like minotaurs being demon-possessed cows), except the creature in this case is a corpse. Undead, like zombies or wights, are summoned magically by inviting a demon through occult ritual into a corpse to possess. And undead, like skeletons, are still encountered naturally, demon-possessed bones wandering around with semi-sentient abandon. Most demons are powerful enough to possess whole graveyards’ worth of corpses, making chaotic deals with warlocks and liches for undead armies. Ghostly and specterish undead, like wraiths, are transitory souls that demons have latched on to in the same way, favoring their natural state of incorporeality. Twisting Liches Argus, the Wizard-King of Argusdoom Wizards who seek to extend their lifespan can become a lich. Wizards of any alignment can become a lich, but the process ...

All of these demons  possess an animal or a person, and have a true form that’s intangible and invisible, present only after their host has been killed. Their true form can only be seen by magic-users with wizard vision , and can't be killed or affect reality without possessing another host.  1. The False Orc, Boar Priest, The Camel King, King Swinniginn, The Old God of Adversity A diminutive orc mockingly donning the arch priestess of St. Terragnis' robes. The False Orc mimics the posture of a priest, satirically spewing blasphemy against the Shadowdark Gods as he wanders across Boar Valley. He rides atop a camel covered in thick dust, flora invasively sprouting from underneath its hooves. Bestows bad luck on his followers' enemies. AC 12, HP 39, ATK 3 scepter +4 (1d8) or 1 spell +4, MV near,  S +4, D +0, C +2, I +1, W +4, Ch +0, AL C, LV 7 Blind (WIS Spell). DC 12. All in near are blinded for 1d4 rounds. Snuff (WIS Spell). DC 12. Extinguish all light sourc...

Demons can be pretty fun. But I also think the traditional D&D lesser demons and their lore is confusing and I’d rather make up my own. Incorporeality Elric of Melnibone is very cool. In the classic sword & sorcery series he acts as much like a wizard as he does a fighter, conjuring spirits to come to his aid. I’m a big fan of the invisible, intangible, and all-around mysterious nature of the demons. There’s something much more terrifying about ultimate chaotic evil if it can’t be comprehended. This also matches the real-world description of most spirits and demons. They’re often speaking through objects, possessing animals and people, and summoned invisibly in occult ritual. Possession Demon possession! Super super fun. I watched Journey to the West (2013) this month and I thought it was great. Especially loved its treatment of demons. The demons appear to have possessed and transformed common animals beyond their natural form, increasing in size, intelligence, humanoid form, ...

Drolo is the living embodiment of "if a tree falls in a forest, and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a sound?" He lives in the Ninth Cavity, a secluded cave on the eastern coast of Babilanaya. He doesn't exist unless he's interacted with. When travelers visit the Ninth Cavity, Drolo is there. But when those travelers leave (or sleep, or die) there is no longer Drolo. Otherwise Lefort would descend into chaos. Drolo is a chaotic archmage, but not necessarily an evil one. The laws placed upon reality are evil, and he intends to break all of them. True freedom is spiritual anarchy.  When Drolo does exist it is in a state of change. Every even day he exists in his Peaceful form and every odd day he exists in his Wrathful form.  The forgotten forms of Drolo the archmage In his Peaceful form Drolo appears as a teenage human boy covered in golden body paint. His eyes are closed and he has an out-of-place, thin mustache. Peaceful Drolo wears a simple cloth...