Welcome to the Monster's Crypt.
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CLOAKERS
Cloakers are nightmarish, fiendish horros that are very similar to "Trappers". They dwell in dark places far below the surface of the earth and will kill anything that comes into their lairs. When a cloaker is first spotted, they cannot be distinguised from an ordinary black cloak. On the creature's back it has two rows of black eyes that at first look like buttons. It has two ivory colored claws at the top corners of it's cloak that at first appear to be no more than bone clasps. However, once the Cloaker unviels it's true form, it becomes frighteningly obvious of it's true appearance. Once unfurled, you can clearly see it's white underbelly, the hideous face is seen in all it's ugliness. The face is made up of only two things, piercing red glowing eyes and two rows of nightmarish needle point fangs that line the entire mouth. At the point of attack, the Claoker will drop down a swift swinging tail that begins to swoosh from side to side. Claokers move with lightning fast speed and can attack before your mind has a chance to understand what this creature really is. Your best defense against a Cloaker is to avoid making any trips beyond the surface of the earth, since that is the only known place that these creatures dwell. Cloakers also have a very intense moan that they cry out, causing your eardrums to feel as though they may burst. If you come into contact with one of these, any stone or rock will cause the moan to bounce back hitting the Claoker and causing minimal damage to itself. That is about the only opprtunity you might get to run away fast.
KRAKEN
No other legendary Sea Monster has ever struck the fear into the hearts
of sailors quite like the Kraken.
The great Vikings of Norway have described this monstrous beast of the
sea as a "Floating Island".
The massive size of a Kraken spans something almost unimaginable.
Said to be able tor each her tentacles above the top foremost mast of an
oceanliner, the Kraken is a beast to be reckoned with.
Kraken's would attack a ship, wrap their arms around the hull and
capsize it. The crew would drown or be eaten by the monster. What's
amazing about the Kraken stories is that, of all the sea monster tales
we have, we have the best evidence that these are real.
At least two of these monsters have been spotted out in the sea and one
has been injured by a barrage of harpoons and spears which have never
again been found.
In 1930, a great ship was attacked off the coast of Norway, sailors
reported that it appeared nothing more than a giant squid, however the
tentacle span was that of nearly 3 buildings high above the ship.
One of the survivors of the 1943 attack on a ship returning from the
Emerald Isles stated that, "It seems these are the creatures's arms,
and, it is said, if they were to lay hold of the largest man-of-war,
they would pull it down to the bottom."
On three seperate ocasions, when a Kraken came close enough to the
surface to attack, they got the worser end of the deal when their
massive tentacles got stuck around the propellers of the ships and they
sunk back to the bottom of the ocean, sparing the lives of ever man on
board the ship.
Killer Mimics
Mimics are magically-created creatures with a hard rock-like outer shell that protects their soft inner organs. Mimics can alter their form and their pigmentation; they use this talent to lure victims into close range, where they attempt to feed on them. They usually appear in the form of treasure chests. There are two varieties, the smaller, more intelligent common mimic, and the larger, less intelligent killer mimic. Mimics are large. Common mimics occupy about 150 cubic feet (a 3' x 6' x 8' chest, or a large door frame). Killer mimics occupy about 200 cubic feet. Mimics' natural color is a speckled grey that resembles granite. Mimics can alter their pigmentation to resemble varieties of stone (such as marble), wood grain, and various metals (gold, silver, copper) it takes one round to make the desired alteration. They cannot lose mass in this transformation (they must remain the same size, though they may radically alter their dimensions). Common mimics have their own tongue (corruptions of the original language spoken by their wizard creators) and can also be taught to speak in common and other languages. Killer mimics are incapable of speech. A mimic can surprise its victims easily. When a creature touches a mimic, it lashes out with a pseudopod that inflicts almost irreversable damage. Furthermore, the mimic covers itself with a glue-like substance. Any creature or item that touches a mimic is held fast. Alcohol will weaken the glue in three rounds, enabling the victim to break free. A mimic may neutralize its glue at any time that it desires; the glue dissolves within hours after the mimic dies. The mimic is immune to acid attacks and is unaffected by molds, green slime, and various other weapons such as bombs or short swords. Mimics live underground, where they can avoid sunlight. They are solitary creatures; this is to ensure that each mimic has a large grazing area. They have no culture; their primary concerns are survival and food. Common mimics are quite intelligent and will gladly offer information in exchange for food. Killer mimics attack regardless of attempts at communication. Mimics have no moral code and no interest in culture or religion. Wizards who use them as guardians have sometimes found them to be less than enthusiastic about obeying their commands. Mimics were originally created by wizards to protect themselves from treasure hunters. A good meal (one or two humans) can sustain them for weeks. They reproduce by fission and grow to full size in several years. Mimics pose as stonework, doors, statues, stairs, chests, or other common items made from stone, wood, and metal. Their skin is covered with optical sensors that are sensitive to heat and light in a 90-foot radius, even in pitch darkness.
Beholders
Beholders are the things nightmares are made of. This creature appears as nothing more than a large blob at first sight. But once disturbed, the great eye opens and suddenly you can see 10 more smaller eyes opening from various parts of the body. Beholders are deadly creatures, they can see from many different angles and they spit a gooey liquid on their enemies causing convulsions and other nasty side effects. Beholders have one magical ability that renders them extremely dangerous, they have the ility to levitate at will. They can hover at will above dorrways and attack unsuspecting predators without ever being seen. They have a protective skin that only bombs can penetrate and they are immune to any magical power. If a Mage were to cast a lightning spell upon a Beholder, the spell would bounce off the skin and hit the Mage who cast it, doing far more damage to him than the Beholder. Beholders are a naturally agressive race and will attack other Beholder classes, they are aligned with lawful evil and they seldom lose in any battle since sub terranian levels rarely carry bombs around. Evil-Created Beholders can produce magic and it will always come from the great eye which is centered in the middle of the body.
Zombies
Zombies are mindless creatures, animated corpses usually controlled by their creator. Evil Wizards or Priests are the only known species which can animate and bring a corpse back to life. Whatever condition the corpse is in at the time of it's death is the same as when it is animated. If the corpse was missing a limb, once returning in it's zombie state, it will still be missing that limb. Zombies move very slowly, attacking anything that gets in their way, what they leave in their wake is horrorfying. Dismembered and half eaten bodies are left strewn across their path. Zombies will always fight unless called off by their creator or until they are destroyed. Destroying a zombie is not always difficult, a shot to the head or fire will usually destroy them completely. Zonbies have an unyielding stench of decay that can alert victims well in advance that they are coming. And due to their slow movement, it is difficult for them to catch you if you run. However most zombies are formed in groups, or "pacts", making it more difficult for anyone to escape. They encircle an area and the touch of one can freeze you in place it is so cold. Some zombies can attack with weapons though it is uncommon. It can be difficult for even the most powerful Wizard to find fresh bodies to turn into Zombies, so the mass majority would be in rather sorry shape, and easily escaped from.
