SANDPUFFER (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.

SANDPUFFER (The Halls Untoward YZE Bestiary) 

The Sandpuffer is a slurry of sand, mud, and sewage from a bygone age. It consumes sand greedily through its pores, growing  larger with each grotesque intake. Anyone disturbing it will be blasted violently with a spout of sand strong enough to rend flesh from bone. After a volley, it will dwindle and retreat. Weapons  do half damage to the Sandpuffer. Lightning turns it to glass. It is vulnerable to water when it dwindles, which will dissolve it. If  dissolved, it bears a precious crystal gizzard.

Designers note: this was another tricky one as the description is quite brief, and the main creature description leaves out some wordy details that are present in the room description (see room 44). I was desperately trying not to turn it into the sand man from Spiderman 3 but I did have to be creative to get the number of attacks up to six. If you have any thoughts on the attacks please leave comments below.

ATTRIBUTES

STRENGTH 6 to 50 (see below), AGILITY 4

MOVEMENT: 2

ARMOR RATING: 0 (weapons do half damage)

DWINDLING: If the Sandpuffer is reduced to a STRENGTH of 3 or less it will immediately move swiftly as a small sandstorm, leaving the current zone to seek more sand to absorb from a nearby area. A bucket of water thrown at a Sandpuffer in this state will dissolve it completely.

SAND GLUTTEN: The Sandpuffer absorbs sand and grit from the local environment, growing as it does so, increasing its STRENGTH by D6 at the start of each round as it does so. Each SAND BLAST! attack it carries out uses up the newly acquired sand, reducing its STRENGTH by 2 for each blast attempted.

MONSTER ATTACKS

D6	ATTACK
1	SAND BLAST!  The Sandpuffer attacks one adventurer within SHORT range with a powerful blast of abrasive sand. Make an attack using ten Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (stab wound). The victim is also knocked prone. This attack can be parried with a shield.
2	SHARED SPACE! The Sandpuffer moves suddenly to occupy the same space as one adventurer within NEAR range, engulfing their victim in sand and mud. The adventurer must succeed at a Move skill check or be forced to resist the effects of DROWNING, and be trapped inside the creature until they succeed at a Move skill test.
3	SOMETHING IN THE EYES! A stream of gritty sand pours forth from the Sandpuffer, targeting the fragile eyes of one adventurer within NEAR range. Make an attack using eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 2 (stab wound). If the victim fails a Move skill check, their eyes are sprayed with stinging sand, making it impossible to see. For D6 rounds the adventurer must act as if in DARKNESS. This attack can be parried with a shield.
4	STUCK IN THE MUD! Ancient sewage seeps from the creature, under and over the feet of an unlucky adventurer within ARM'S LENGTH. Make an attack using seven Base Dice opposed by the adventurer's Move Skill. If the adventurer fails they are caught by the putrid sludge and held fast, unable to make Slow Actions until they BREAK FREE by succeeding at a Might skill check. Also, due to the ancient stench, the adventurer immediately suffers 1 point of damage to EMPATHY and the same each round until free.
5	SAND FALL! The creature rears up and then fully collapses over one adventurer within NEAR range, battering them with sand and congealed mud. Make an attack using eight Base Dice and Weapon Damage 1 (blunt force). This attack can be parried with a shield. If the creature has more than 12 STRENGTH, they can fall on up to 3 adventurers and cover all in choking sand. Anyone victim hit also begins to DROWN until they break free.
6	GLEAMING DISPLAY! As the Sand Puffer absorbs the sand from the surrounding area and grows to an impressive size (over 25 STRENGTH), the static charge built within it creates a sparkling and mesmerizing display of coruscating light patterns, which suddenly turns sinister as the creature begins to move towards any adventurers between it and the exit. Make a fear attack using eight Base Dice. It will travel through them in its next turn, if they are unable or unwilling to move aside.

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.