Weekly Creature Feature: Arepyiai


Once again, I'm going back to the well and corrupting myth and legend to make my own monsters for use with Labyrinth Lord or other Old School Retro-clones. Again, feel free to use this creature in your own campaigns or OSR Projects. The Arepyiai is another name for harpy and the name means render or slicer. In Old School fashion, I've corrupted that to make an otherworldly beast.

Name: Arepyiai
No. Enc: 1-4
Alignment: Chaotic
Movement: 60’ (20')
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 4
Attacks: 2 (bite, sting)
Damage: 1d6, 1d6, poison
Save: F6
Morale: 11
Hoard Class: XIII

Description: Arepyiai are horrific creatures not of this world. They are of up to 4' in length and combine features of an arachnid and mollusc. Arepyiai are slow moving and rely on unwary prey to come within range of their harpoon-like stings. The Arepyiai produce a pleasant sweet smelling odor that attracts prey. The Arepyiai will lie in wait and launch its harpoon at targets that come within 10'. Those struck take 1d6 points of damage and muct save vs. poison or be paralyzed. The Arepyiai will then proceed to use this horny beak and radula to rend the flesh from its still living victim causing 1d6 points of damage per round.

The Arepyiai utilizes a muscular foot much like a slug or snail as its means of locomotion. They have eight eyes like a spider and can see in mutliple dimensions enabling them to see in the ultraviolet, infrared, and ethereal as well as invisible creatures and are never surprised. The body is rubbery and secretes a pleasantly sweet smelling mucus. The head and part of the back are covered with chitinous plates. The Arepyiai have the capability to camaflauge themselves within limits and can blend in to earth toned environments and will surprise victims on a 1-4 on a d6. Arepyiai are intelligent and communicate with eachother via chemical secretions and low frequency harmonics.

Comments

  1. PorkyDecember 13, 2010 at 12:34 PM

    What a lifeform - I like and dislike all at once! Masterful composition though. Something special.

    ReplyDelete
  2. TreyDecember 13, 2010 at 3:04 PM

    Cool creature.

    ReplyDelete
  3. XyanthonDecember 13, 2010 at 9:56 PM

    Thanks guys! I'm trying to create some really horrific creatures to populate the Basalt Keep adventure. The end goal is to entirely populate a dungeon with creatures that aren't in the standard D&D canon. At the same time, the creatures will be Open Game Content because I believe in sharing.

    ReplyDelete

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