The forest folk say the Praying Lord lived under the dark, thick canopy before even the gods came to be. They also say it will continue long after the last divine spark has burnt out. To venerate this primordial beast is to be granted bliss, to spurn its brutal love is to invite madness and death. Rarely glimpsed, even by its devout, the Praying Lord may be a massive insect. Shaped like three layered leaves, its abdomen changes hue with the season and sports four spindly, spined legs. The lord's thin thorax would better suit a man and is leathery instead of chitinous. A pair of long limbs with scything forearms sprout from its midsection. From its shoulders, a squirm of fleshy tendrils hangs. The thing's head can best be described as a ring of eyes about a severed neck, and its mouth is little more than a bloodless gash in the 'stomach' region of its thorax. The Praying Lord wants nothing more than to be fed and adored. Well, and the utter obedience of its followers. ...

The waning drone’s skin is torn from navel to collar in a v-pattern, the ragged flesh along the edges hanging like a feathered hem. This vile, but non-lethal, rupture exposes a think latticework of direfly honeycomb, withered but living organs, and sigil-scared bones. A glassy stupor commands the drone’s gaze for it feels no pain. Its teeth are stained red and lips puckered by sting scars. Most of the time it wears a great coat laced closed to hide its abused form and a floppy hat. It’s hard to tell it apart from other cultists until the blood and honey starts flying.   Fodder. While the waning cult is dedicated to their dark fey masters, sometimes they lack the courage to wade into a fight against well-armed opponents. That is where the waning drones come in. Failed cultists are restrained and fed direfly larva until their body bungles with the burrowing insects. Their mind is wiped clean by the buzzing and the pain leaving a dutiful, dull-witted creature somewhere between person a...

Now a slime in the shape of a humanoid an alluvium looks like it should fall apart at any moment. Beneath translucent skin a few connecting strands of grey muscle amid sea-glass-colored bones flex and twitch whenever the thing moves. Bloodshot eyes are held in place by piercing bone spurs with a thin film of ooze over them to keep them from drying out. Intestines writhe below the organs like an agitated jellyfish. The rest of the semi-solid gel where meat once was resembles murky water. Patches of cilia sprout from the surface on the creature’s shoulders and sides, drinking in strange sensory data. Unlike many of its kin, the deja goo was not a humanoid but rather a doppelganger pulled into the service of the cult. Attracted to the fluid nature of the oozes, it has forsaken seeking humanoid forms and turned its energies inward. As its body devolved it found it could grasp onto moments of time and imitate those instead. Deja Goo Medium monstrosity (Alluvium), la...

Covered in black fur, the Usurper’s form is crisscrossed with glowing red scars telling the tale of his violent exile, mercenary, and eventual return to take what was always rightfully his. Save, the position he holds at the head of a pride of dire lions was never his. That fell to the firstborn, whom the Usurper always despised. The Usurper also hated himself, for he was born with a loathsome secret. While he looked like a jet-black dire lion, there was something wrong, something different. He could understand other beasts, his blood ran vibrant red, and even the ugliest wound healed always leaving a wound behind. Worst of all he was as smart as any humanoid, and even then smarter than most. Oh, it chaffed to have that plain, ignorant firstborn be the favored child. The Usurper had good reason to fear his difference for once it was discovered when in a moment of weakness he saved the firstborn’s life from a rampaging elephant instead of being rewarded and praised, the black lion wa...

A sturdy merrow of great intelligence and force of presence, the Patroness’ scales are an abyssal black highlighted with corpse blue. Like most of her kin, the Patroness’ head resembles a predatory fish, though with a hint of almost elven-like beauty. Her body has been augmented by dark magic over the years adding a pair of thick, tentacles, a crown of spined urchins, and a chin that expands like a toad. These additions allow the Patroness extraordinary powers stolen from sea beasts, but her potent magics remind her greatest asset. The Patroness likes to strike bargains and curry favors, especially ones with tragic, twisted endings for the other party. This instinct comes from her magic mentors, a trio of hags she killed and devoured some time ago. The Patroness would like to think they would be proud of her for doing that. Haunting coastal waters, she offers deals to merfolk, merrow, and water breathers alike. Some seek her out for hidden treasures or safe passage on the waters. Oth...

The Folk Hero is the best doppelganger there has ever been and ever will be, possibly the best humanoid too, by default. That is, if ones listens to ‘him’ anyway. No one is as slick as he, as quick as he, fights like he, hits like he, or matches wits like he. If the Folk Hero is to be believed, ‘he’ is the purest paragon. This is the role the Folk Hero takes wherever it sets up shop. Sometimes it bumps off an up-and-coming hero and takes their place, other times it comes up with a persona wholesale and struts into town. Unfortunately, the Folk hero is very good at playing this role. It isn’t long before the shapechanger wins over most of the community and is showered with gold and more importantly glory. It’ll turn the populace against his rivals as well as any outsiders for it should always be in the spotlight, naturally. Oddly for a genderless creature, the Folk Hero is quite the misogynist, never taking female roles and looking down on women of any skill. They are often ‘his’ first...

A strange and alien monstrosity, the caricature shares many qualities with the common mimic. However, whatever dark corner of the spheres where it developed imbued the creature with real intelligence and wicked cunning. The caricature most commonly sneaks aboard vessels as a piece of cargo. Once aboard, however, it quickly kills a crew member or passenger and takes its place. From there, the monster plays the remaining humanoids’ paranoias against one another. Slowly, but surely, it widdles down its prey until those that remain are too weak and too few to resist. Then it lurks on the dead vessel for salvagers to come by. Or, if a ship puts into port before then, it escapes to a new vessel to start again. Caricature Medium monstrosity (shapechanger), neutral Armor Class 12 (natural armor) Hit Points 52 (8d8 + 16) Speed 30ft Str 18 Dex 12 Con 15 Int 10 Wis 10 Cha 16 Skills Deception +5, Stealth +5 ...

As ostentatious as it is deadly, the coffin mimic fits right in with the rest of a vampire crypt’s decor. This is the point, of course. The monstrosity exudes a coppery perfume that most undead find particularly irresistible once they catch a whiff. This scene lures the creature in, invites it to lay down, and gives the coffin mimic an easy meal. If that doesn’t work, the shapeshifter isn’t shy to resort to violence. The coffin doesn’t just feed on the undead. Pesky heroes poking around in its hunting grounds taste just as good. Macabre Vamp-Trap. As her fight against the vampires that took everything she had neared its in, La Contessa grew frustrated as they went to ground to wait out her wrath. While the alchemist took profane steps to prolong her life, she also bred further chemical-manipulated mimics to aid her fight. The most successful has been the coffin mimic. These wonderful abominations burrow into the dusty tombs where vampires and the like hide from the sun and s...

Soiled with blood and great stains, the horseless cart sits devoid of the corpses it usually bears. The cart’s corners are reinforced with rusted iron, it’s railing crafted from the same. The wheels are in good repair, however, appearing to be recently replaced. They too have been reinforced with metal. That is how this particular mimic appears until its prey draws near. The cage transforms into fangs, its wooden tongue becomes a purple, fleshy one, and spokes sprout into mottled pseudopods. Grim Harvest. The corpse cart mimic was alchemically gestiated by La Contessa as another clever tool in her war against the ‘natural’ undead. While it can only assume one shape, the corpse cart is a devastating battlefield controller or cavalry weapon against corporeal undead. Its unique physiology renders it immune to a variety of undead attacks, and it can chow down on ghasts, ghouls, skeletons, and zombies with easy. The same can be said for pesky adventurers or innocent bystanders, o...

This ruddy-furred terror erupts without warning from churning earth bearing a fang-filled grin. Its claws tear through skin and bone as well as it rips through the the ground. The gnarlshrew's worst weapon sits between beady, yellow eyes; a conical horn the beast punches through its prey. Once it has a meal skewered, the vole violently shakes it until it expires. Untamed. Those who survive the gnarlshrew's attack attribute its viciousness to a sadistic, possibly demonic soul. In truth, the horned burrower is little more than an apex predator in mind though its origins lay in infernal rites. Stories hold that the first such creature was produced when a foul wizard attempted to bind the power of a demon to his mortal shell, but didn't realize some of the shrews he'd kept for sacrifices had chewed through their cage. The mammals entered the ritual circle early and were imbued with unearthly size and power. The wizard didn't survive this mishap. ...

Caught between woman and wasp, the vespidae is a mechanical chimera animated by an admixture of electricity and fury. The silver gynoid's legs are mostly human in shape, though they end in sharply pointed toes and are lined with self-regenerating barbs of loadstone. A slim wasp-like thorax extends from the vespidae's tailbone, ringed with red-steel circles. Two sets of arms extend from her shapely torso; a human set from the flanks and insectile ones from the shoulder joints. Her head is human for the most part, though it also mandibles cutting from side of her lips and small compound eyes in its sockets. Her antennae are merely a tuning fork and her wings an exquisite construction of silver and conductive gossamer. Glass slivers line the vespidae's ribs, cheeks, and spine. These give a glimpse of the lumpy blend of chitin and exposed muscle floating in charged chemicals. Scientific Mishap. The vespidae never intended to be an abomination encased in a silvery shell....

The shaggy, brown creature blends a flightless bird and mountain goat. The titantiscore moves swiftly on the two bird-like legs, the talons of which plow the earth as it moves. Its claws, however, are far less dangerous than the quartet of chaotic curling horns around the monstrosity's head. Even castle walls buckle under a titantiscore's headbutt. Amid these horns sits the titantiscore's sharp, long face that is mostly a fang-filled jaw and a pair of deep-set eyes. A long, blood-stained goatee covers its throat and long neck. Crag Hopper. Titaniscores live in rugged, mountainous regions. Their sure-footed nature and leaping abilities make navigating jagged peaks and near-sheer surfaces simple faire. Alas, it is not uncommon for Titaniscore to range into foothills and nearby valleys seeking meals. This is especially true if the mountain range is also inhabited by other massive predators such as dragons and rocs. Woe to a village that draws a hungry titaniscore's a...

While just under 10 feet tall, most of this crustacean's height comes from its spindly, spider-like legs. Its black shell is lit from underneath by hundreds of nodes of unnatural heat. This grants the firewalker an appearance not unlike a smoldering hunk of coal. The ground ends up scorched where the creature walks. A trio of stalks end in deep-red eyes at the front of the monstrosity. Massive crab claws clack and spark in anticipation of a fresh, hot meal. Arctic Hunter. Firewalkers are usually found in colder climes despite their fiery nature. The land crabs prefer the robust prey found in such terrain such as bears and elk. Besides converting deep snow into fog banks just by walking through them, firewalkers will suck up melting slush. The super-heated liquid is then stored in a secondary gullet so it can be shot at a potential meal and knocked it off its feet before the firewalker engages it in melee. Firewalker Large monstrosity, unalignment ...

The walking cemetery's size is only dwarfed by the insect's utterly vile nature. Across its greasy, brown shell hang dozens of chitin-impaled corpses in various stages of purification. Underneath the grotesque charnel garden the actual bug has as flat, segmented body with a rising ridge across its thorax. Its legs seem stumpy compared to its bulk and it's head just a bit too small as well. This allows the colossal horror to hide, after a fashion. While not in motion, the walking cemetery can easily be mistaken as a killing field or battle refuse. Even when walking, more often than not the insect is sometimes confused for a shuffling undead horde. Reanimator. The walking cemetery feeds by piercing its victims by unfurling its probiscis and injecting them with a powerful, digestive enzyme. Once the body cavity is reduced to mush, the bug sucks out the juices and then adds the cadaver to its trophy rack. Dregs of the caustic fluid remains within each body, crystalizing a...

While the seeping diruscene prefers to move on all fours, the towering wolf-ape is also capable of bipedal locomotion. The monstrosity's knuckles drag on the ground whenever it walks on two legs. Most find its hands distressingly human like. The diruscene's face is flat and wide with primate eyes but a lupine snout and a mouth that blends the two species. Beneath its jowls hang two distended sacs covered with mange and warty skin. Wolf-like ears stick up from its head, but the beastie doesn't sport a tail. Its pale fur is discolored thick, blue fungal growth which lends the anathema the tint of a drowned corpse. The constant oozing of thicker fungal patches across its body adds to the cadaver-like impression. Virulent Predator. Not only is the seeping diruscene a dangerous and gigantic animal but it is also an extremely toxic one. Some clerics postulate the species owes its creation to the cult of Zuggtmoy due to its fungal growths. Whereas arcanists suspect that the ...

Born on leathery wings, the arcanaphage superficially resembles an oversized bat. Unlike an actual chiropteran, however, it doesn't have back legs to speak of and is likewise without eyes. Instead, a long and prehensile tail curls from its hind and ends with an ivory hook. The monstrosity's front end is just as dangerous too with a pale horn protruding from the creature's forehead. It is this second growth that allows the arcanaphage to 'see' the world around it via the ebbs of magic instead of mere echolocation. An arcanaphage's skin is usually toxic green in color, though yellow specimens have been reported. Magic Eater. The arcanaphage isn't interested in eating meat or plants. Instead, the winged horror devours magic to sustain itself. The species usually nests in arcane ruins, feeding off of the ambient magic as it decays. However whenever a fresh source of magic, such as a party of adventurers, enters an arcanaphage's hunting grounds it is qu...

Most people might find these dwarf-sized, racoon-like creatures adorable. They don't realize that the bandit-like mask and black striations amid its auburn fur are actually ophidian scales. The rapscallion's deft hands end in strange, notched talons that resemble keys, but still prove sharp when the need arises. Whenever the monstrosity yawns its snake-like fangs and elastic jaw are on full display. Tramps and Thieves. Rapscallions have cunning and mischievous minds stronger than that of the simple animal they often portray. The creatures use their cute nature as well as natural pheromones to lull victims into a false sense of security before robbing them blind. Those they can't win over are distracted by ghost sounds and illusionary lights. Most often the furry reptiles swipe food and whatever shiny thing catches their fancy. Down into the gullet these items go, shunted off to an extradimensional space linked to one of the creature's strange organs. While they d...

Bristling with fury, the plated meliscore is the sort of animal one never wants to cross paths with. The sixteen-foot-long monstrosity has a low, flat profile. The majority of its body is covered in chocolate brown fur. Its legs are stubby compared to its size, ending in claws built for burrowing. The meliscore's head is a wedge shaped, similar to a badger's, with a small triangle of white armor plates covering its forehead and snout. These plates grow larger and rounder across the meliscore's back and then thin out along its furless tail. When the monstrosity pulls its hackles back, its maw of sharp fangs is on full display. Tightly-Balled Rage . Plated meliscore are known to be territorial and quick to anger. They only tolerate one another during mating season. The rest of the year, the monsters will kill anything that presents even a wisp of a threat to them. Though, a meliscore will always hiss out a warning before attacking. When riled, it curls into a tight, armored...

Illuminated by its spectral, green feathers this massive predator literally soars through the darkest thickets. The owl-like creature's body ripples as it flies through tree branches and trunks as an apparition would. However, when the screecher strikes, its prey discovers it is terribly substantial after all. Flaked horns rise from the sides of the screecher's brow, giving it a horned owl-profile, and it's head can swivel nearly all the way about like that natural species. Its eyes are not like an owl's exactly, while they are round and dominated most of its flat face they are red, translucent orbs that cast a distorted reflection of whatever they spy. To round out the monstrosity's terrible mien their claws are five-fingered with skin so tight over bone that they appear skeletal. Necrotic Mutation. Folklore says that the screechers resulted from an arcane disaster, of sorts. A necromancer cult took up residence in the dark heart of the woods. By all account...

Large eyes stare from a flat, but feminine, face and the very scent of dread drifts from the feminine abomination. The strigiarpy's head is covered with feathers that come to a sever widow's peak with horn-like plumes flaring from their temples. Their forelimbs are owl-like wings attached to a humanoid's chest covered with a brown and white downy. Its legs are that of a raptor bird, though with five-fingered claws. Beastly Cousins. Scholars debade on if the strigiarpies are actually related to true harpies at all. At first blush, the bipedeal raptors resemble that cursed species. However, they are but feral creatures that are only capable of animal cunning and not a hint of speech. Nor do they have functional hands. Instead of a bewitching voice, the strigiarpies' screech sythes the psyche of those that hear it. They also produce a stench which causes irrational fear in those that catch it. Strigiarpy medium monstrosity, chaotic evil ...