Servants of Gaius: Monsters and Foes

Last month we asked fans to send in campaign materials to post on the blog. These can include monsters, historical articles, NPCs, settlements, etc. Here is our first entry, from Ben Pew. It is a collection of monsters and foes for use in any Servants of Gaius adventure.

Acteon (stag-man) (monster)

Hardiness 4 Stealth 6 Evade 4 Parry 5 Wits 6 Resolve 6

Medium Melee 2d Small Ranged 1d Speed 2d (Initiative 3d) Muscle 2d

Gear: Club, Leather, Javelins or shortbow

The acteon is a man with the head of a stag and with hooves for legs. They are thought to be hunters cursed, or perhaps favored, by Diana. They guard her favorite sites and are very rarely seen away from them.

Anubite (monster)

Hardiness 3 Stealth 5 Evade 6 Parry 4 Wits 7 Resolve 6

Claws 2d Medium Melee 2d Large Melee 1d (Hasta 2d) Small Ranged 1d Detect 2d Speed 2d Muscle 1d

Claws damage +1d

Gear: leather, spear, claws

Anubites are jackals with the shape of men who at one time guarded sites sacred to the Egyptian gods (though now many live in tribes in the desert). While they are fiercely territorial they can be negotiated with. Some may have ranks in Sorcery, Divination or Ritual instead of combat skills.

Basilisk (monstrous beast)

Hardiness 6 Stealth 5 Evade 5 Parry 3 Wits 4 Resolve 6

Bite 2d Claws 2d Speed 3d Muscle 2d Detect 3d Deception 1d (Camouflage 2d)

Special: Gaze: when a basilisk makes a gaze attack it rolls 3d against the target’s Resolve score to turn the target to stone. There is no known cure but the gaze may be turned back on the basilisk with a mirror.

Damage: Beak and claws +1d10

Dolphin (beast)

Hardiness 6 Stealth 4 Evade 5 Parry 3 Wits 5 Resolve 6

Tail 2d Speed 3d Muscle 2d Endurance 3d Detect 1d Empathy 1d Swim 3d

Dolphins have long been considered friendly by sailors throughout Mare Nostrum for generations. They would often help sailors in danger and were often playful. However, of late Roman sailors report them becoming aggressive and hostile; this is thought to be Neptune’s doing.

Griffin (monstrous beast)

Hardiness 6 Stealth 3 Evade 5 Parry 4 Wits 4 Resolve 8

Claws 3d Beak 2d Detect 1d (Quick 2d) Fly 2d Muscle 2d

4 wounds

Fly speed 40 feet,

Damage: claws +1d Beak +2d

Harpy (monstrous beast)

Hardiness 4 Stealth 3 Evade 6 Parry 4 Wits 4 Resolve 7

Wrestle 2d Detect 1d Fly 2d Speed 1d (Initiative 2d) Muscle 1d

Fly speed equal to humans’ move speed.

Harpies are bestial women who have wings. They live in packs on remote locations, usually islands or coastlines with good fishing, and are very territorial. Rumors of some humans training individuals or small (1d10+2) packs have begun to circulate.

Sea Serpent (beast)

Hardiness 7 Stealth 5 Evade 3 Parry 3 Wits 3 Resolve 7

Bite 2d Tail 1d Muscle 4d Speed 2d Swim 2d

Wounds 4

Damage: Tail +1d, Bite +1d

Sea serpents are long sea-dwelling snakes of elephant size. They are usually threats to ships when hunting, or under the command of Neptune.

 Sphinx

Hardiness 5 Stealth 3 Evade 3 Parry 4 Wits 8 Resolve 7

Claws 2d Divination 2d Ritual 2d Sorcery 1d Talent: Riddles 3d (Perform +1d) Rhetoric 2d Deception 1d Empathy 1d Reasoning 2d History 1d Places 2d Speed 2d Muscle 2d

Damage: Claws +1d

Sphinxes are guardians who begin by presenting their foes with riddles. If the riddle is solved, the sphinx will allow passage, or grant some bit of knowledge (for a sphinx may be guarding knowledge instead of a place) if that is requested. If the riddle is not solved the sphinx will attack, though on a Total Success of a Rhetoric or Deception, the sphinx can be persuaded to cease. Command will not work, and regardless of success levels will simply enrage the monster.

Wolf

Hardiness 4 Stealth 5 Evade 5 Parry 3 Wits 4 Resolve 6

Bite 1d Claws 1d Speed 3 (Initiative +1d) Muscle 2d Detect 3d

Wounds 2

Damage: Claws +1d, bite +2d

Special: pack tactics: if 2 or more wolves attack the same target they receive +1d to their attack roll OR +1 to their Evade or Parry.

Wolves are pack hunters renowned for their ferocity and feared for their tenacity. While they are a common threat to settlers on the frontier they are used in games in the interior; indeed, bear vs. wolf fights are quite common.

Barbarian: German Warrior

Hardiness 6 Stealth 3 Evade 3 Parry 5 Wits 6 Resolve 7

Light Melee 1d Medium Melee 2d (Shortsword OR Axe +1d) Heavy Melee 1d Small Ranged 1d Muscle 3d Detect 1d Speed 1d German 3d Latin 1d

Gear: Shortsword or axe, small or medium shield

Germans are savage barbarians from Germania. They live in tribes and are renowned for being uncivilized and cowards. For some strange reason they occasionally let women become warriors, and do hold women in high regard.

Barbarian: German Noble

Hardiness 7* Stealth 3 Evade 4 Parry 5 Wits 6 Resolve 8

Skills are as German Warrior but add Command 1d, Ride 1d and increase Latin to 2d.

Gear: Longsword, Medium Shield, Ring Mail (factored in to Hardiness), Helmet

Chiefs are leaders of German society, though they are more advisors than leaders. They are the wealthier class of Germans though, as reflected in their equipment.

Barbarian: Celt Warrior

Hardiness 5 Stealth 4 Evade 3 Parry 5 Wits 6 Resolve 7

Wrestle 1d Light Melee 1d Medium Melee 1 Heavy Melee 2d Small Ranged 1d Muscle 2d Detect 2d Ride Horse 1d Language: Celt 3d, Latin 1d

Gear: Spatha, Pugio, Medium Shield, Helmet

Celts are the natives of Gaul and Britain. While the tribes in Gaul have been civilized for a century, most are only Latin-rights citizens. Most Gauls can be treated as ordinary Romans, and the above stats may be used for Auxiliary cavalry with the addition of a Hasta, Ringmail and a horse. The stats may also be used for British Celts, who are much more savage than their Gallic brethren—though still more civilized than Germans.

Celt Chief

As Warrior but Wits 7, Command 1d, Ride 2d and Latin 2d

Gear: Add Ringmail, Helmet and either a horse or a chariot and driver.

Celt Chiefs are leaders among Celt society. Among Gallic tribes, they are more likely to be full Roman citizens, and have given up their weapons and chariotry. British chiefs were friendly to Rome after Caesar invaded them, but have grown more hostile of late as their Druids have thrown in with Neptune. Eventually Rome will need to deal with Britain…

Druid

Hardiness 4 Stealth 4 Evade 4 Wits 8 Resolve 7

Wrestle 1d Light Melee 2d Medium 1d Medicine 2d Rhetoric 1d Deception 2d Reasoning 1d Detect 1d Speed 1d Muscle 1d Ride 1d History 1d Philosophy 1d Places 1d Religion 2d; 3d in one of Divination, Ritual or Sorcery, 2d in both others

Gear: Pugio, robes, ritual materials

Druids are Celtic priests-cum-magicians. While Gallic Druids practice a more subdued, acceptable form of the religion, British ones still cling to the old ways or blood sacrifice and are devoted to the downfall of Rome. Many have thrown in with the Minions of Neptune and have sent emissaries to their Gallic brethren to try to convert them. While most Gauls are loyal to Rome, it is only a matter of time before the conspiracy spreads.