DEEP-SHRIMP (from The Halls Untoward)

 All Monster Names and Descriptions are taken from The Halls Untoward by Michael Prescott et. al. which is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-NC license v4.0

All Monster Stat Blocks and Attack Descriptions are copyright Craig Atkins 2022.

DEEP-SHRIMP - (The Halls Untoward YZE Bestiary)

Adult deep-shrimp are of a similar size to a large dog. While usually willing to communicate with land-creatures via their  native telepathy, they will sometimes attack with their long crab-like pincers. Capable of breathing outside water, they can also ‘hop’ while on land, somewhat like fleas. Physical attacks are usually preceded by dazzling mental fireworks. Monastic deep shrimp have honed these abilities further, and are often powerful  mind-benders.  

Juvenile deep-shrimp are largely harmless to human-sized  creatures, and will use their telepathy to distract attackers before escaping. They lack their seniors’ endurance on land, and will expire in minutes without water. 

ADULT DEEP-SHRIMP ATTRIBUTES:

STRENGTH 6, AGILITY 4, WITS 3, EMPATHY 3

SKILLS: Melee 3, Endurance 2, Manipulation 3

MOVEMENT: 2 (Hop)

ARMOR RATING: 4 (Shell)

TELEPATHY: Deep-Shrimp can communicate directly with the minds of any sentient creature within LONG range.

AIR AND WATER BREATHER: Adult Deep-Shrimp can breath equally well on land and in water.

*for Monastic Deep-Shrimp increase all attributes by 1 and increase all Base Dice in the attack table below by 2.

MONSTER ATTACKS

D6	ATTACK
1	MENTAL FIREWORKS! A disorientating kaleidoscope of sound and colour explodes within the minds of all adventurers within SHORT range. Make an attack using five Base Dice, damaging WITS and AGILITY.
2	PINCER MOVE! One of the Deep-Shrimp's oversized pincers reaches for an adventurer within NEAR range, attempting to slice through flesh and bone. Make an attack with 6 Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (slash wound). This attack can be parried.
3	SHRIMP HOPPER! The Deep-Shrimp leaps high, coming down hard to land on one adventurer within SHORT range. Make an attack with six Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). If the target is hit they are knocked prone and GRAPPLED.
4	CHITIN BANG, BANG! The Deep-Shrimp bang their hard pincers together in a display of aggression, demonstrating their strength and power. All adventurers within SHORT range suffer a fear attack using 5 base dice. Increase this by one dice for every Deep-Shrimp that joins in.
5	TASTING MORSELS! With surprising speed the Deep-Shrimp takes an opportunistic bite out of one adventurer within ARM'S LENGTH. Make an attack using seven Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (slash wound)
6	DEFENSIVE DANCE! The Deep-Shrimp goes all out to defend itself, blocking with its pincers or moving swiftly to avoid being hit. Until the Deep-Shrimp's next action all attacks against it suffer a -2 penalty.

*for Monastic Deep-Shrimp replace the DEFENSIVE DANCE! attack with the following attack:

6

PASSIVE OBSERVER! The Deep-Shrimp invades the minds of all adventurers within SHORT range, projecting feelings of calm and apathy. Make an attack using seven Base Dice, opposed by the adventurers'' EMPATHY. If the attack succeeds, the adventurer stops what they are doing to just stand and stare, unable to act for a number of rounds equal to the number of uncancelled successes.

All Monster Names and Descriptions are taken from The Halls Untoward by Michael Prescott et. al. which is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-NC license v4.0

All Monster Stat Blocks and Attack Descriptions are copyright Craig Atkins 2022.