The Elven Crystals - Monster Commentary & Conversions to D&D Adjacent

Alan Craddock cover art.

Three adventures, linked as a mini-campaign. Put together the Elven Crystal and claim the treasure of Elvaron (the Elf): a blood-and-guts romp through forest, castle and to the seaside. Almost every encounter is a monster that wants to kill you and will fight to the death, and there are a lot of Skeletons and Zombies (these latter aka Undead Servants and the Undead). 

There's plenty of new monsters to revel in, though fairly typical of the genre or variations on a theme. Conversions to D&D adjacent as per the previous post, but without comparisons to OSE because they seem made for the adventures rather than made for a wider world (some will reappear in the bestiary expansion in Book 4).

I. Gallows Wood or a Goblin Grim.

Leo Hartas.

There's a map of Gallows Wood here. Strict time records are recommended for running this adventure, though there isn't a time limit and it's suggested you overrule this and jump to after dark upon reaching a particular location.

Your motivation: Ned the Hobgoblin kidnaps Clothilda and rolls her off in a barrel. Gold to get her back. Off you go. Oh, and there's elven crystals or something.

Black Riders.

BAB +3 AC by armour att. by weapon HD 2 Rank 2nd

Your standard evil humanoid. Under their black armour (chain and shield), they've got snouts and fur because they're sorcerous animal-human hybrids (called Wadwos). Might be mounted on Warhorses.

Werewolf.

A Human who can turn into a Wolf after dark, or during the day by swallowing a potion of lycanthropy.

If a non-Werewolf drinks the potion (save vs. poison/magic/polymorph at advantage/bonus - the effect has a low MAGICAL ATTACK), they risk transformation when night falls: 90% at 1st Rank/level, -10% per level above, then only 1% from 10th onwards.

In Wolf form (use those stats), they are immune to nonmagical weapons, and AC +4 to solid silver and magical weapons. 

They keep all their knowledge skills, which isn't really a thing in DW so might be an inadvertent reference to RQ or GURPS versions of the setting. They can also gain experience in their new wolf persona, but it doesn't elaborate on this - maybe it goes to their Human class? Or you could rustle up BECMI/RC Night Howlers.

All damage is healed when changing form in either direction.

Centaurs.

BAB +1 AC unarmoured att. hooves d8(d6) HD 1.5 Rank 2nd

They sport long white beards that are often tangled with moss and twigs.

Normally will flee or hide from encounters, but 1-2 on d6 they're drunk - initially friendly but turn nasty, demanding gold for booze (brewed and sold by Goblins) and kidnapping women. 

White Ladies.

Sort-of appear in Book 1, as an example of a narrative random encounter (the Lady Samana and her entourage of spellbound Knights). 

Look like lovely fairytale/fantasy ladies, but they're really horrible demon worms from another dimension. No stats for worm-form (which you only see briefly after defeating one) - otherwise, they're average 7th Rank Sorcerers. Usually accompanied by 1-6 soulless and spellbound 2nd Rank Knights (see below).

Any charm or similar control spell cast by a White Lady is extra-powerful: save with disadvantage/penalty. Control is absolute and does not rely on shared language. Duration increases to a year and a day.

Not only that, it captures your soul and stores it in a pool (or possibly a silver chalice) until she's got 10 and can return to her home plane to make a gift of them to her demon master, Fengris. The storage facility is in a tower that will be within 1 mile of your encounter with her.

Touching the water in the pool will send you to the nether planes if you fail your save. Casting dispel magic will release the souls and the White Lady's control over their owners.

Ignis Fatuus.

Will-o-wisp, Jack-o-Lantern, Joan-the-Wad, spunkies, punkies and so on. Look like a torchlight procession in the distance, accompanied by the noise of chatter and laughter (which adds an extra dimension of creep). A statless environmental hazard monster with a mechanic attached.

If you follow them, you never seem to catch up and after a mile will have been led into dangerous quagmire - the lead members of the party are automatically caught in the bog and will be sucked under and drowned if they fail 3 saves.

The bog has STR 18; if someone's helping to pull you out, add their STR to yours; roll under the difference to escape. No dice are designated. The text seems to contradict itself about whether or not the victim contributes to rescue efforts.

Those first five monsters are for random encounters and (apart from a version of the Black Riders) don't otherwise feature in the adventure. The Werewolf could have been integrated as a roaming (rather than random) encounter, and the White Lady has potential for Gallows Wood to swarm with enslaved Knights and bristle with mysterious towers.

Anything with a first-listed damage die of d4 or less is unable to beat plate armour, expect on a crit, RAW in DW. Whether and/or how you factor this into the conversion is up to you. 

Forest Harpies.

BAB -2 AC +2 att. grapple HD 2.6 Rank 3rd

Stench: they smell so bad, detectable within 10m (c. 32'), that they're unlikely to surprise anyone unless they swoop out of the sky.

Horrible Appearance: so foul that you need to take an immediate Morale Check. There's a specific DW mechanic but for D&D adjacent PCs either ignore it, apply only to NPCs, or make it a one-off 2d6 roll (choose snake eyes or boxcars as the trigger).

Grapple: successful hit grapples; one time d20 < STR to break free, or they carry you off to their nest to devour - implied off-camera auto-kill?

Hideous hybrid creatures with the bodies and faces of old women, but the wings and plumage of large crows. They converse with one another in loud caws.

AC+ for high DEFENCE. One of several different grappling mechanics across the books.

Witch.

Pretty traditional. A 3rd Rank Sorcerer. Can fly in addition to her spell-casting abilities.

Unicorn.

Partial stats given for an encounter you don't actually have, because you'll be fighting Black Riders and Hellhounds.

Black Rider II.

BAB +2 AC armour +1 att. weapon HD 3.3 Rank 3rd

For some reason, the Black Riders appearing in non-random encounters are more robust and better defenders (hence AC +1). Text specifies they hate Humans and will fight to the death.

This type of Black Rider also shows up in The Castle of Terror (below).

Hellhounds.

BAB +1 AC unarmoured att. bite d4(d10) HD 2.2 Rank 1st

All one word. Dobermann Pincher-sized, black fur, burning blood-red eyes, eerie baying. A pack will gang up on one target at a time. Big angry dogs.

Thorn Demons.

BAB 0 AC +1 att. raking claws d6(d8) HD 2.2 Rank 2nd

Thin, insect-like beings with ebony-coloured, stick-like arms and legs and dark, knotted domed heads, with what look like conker husks for eyes. They screech at you in a horrible bony chatter.

Three hits vs. leather armour and they've shredded it to uselessness. Not specified that magic leather is immune to this. No mention of vulnerability to fire.

Your choice whether they're demon, elemental, plant monster or it's just a local name for something horrible.

Killer Bees.

BAB -1 AC +1 att. sting d4(d2) + poison HD 4.4 (1hp each) Rank 5th (swarm)

In the adventure, it's a swarm of 20 Killer Bees and they're only twice the size of a normal bee - which doesn't seem that much. Presumably, that's a save or die poison in their sting and the swarm will attack one victim only per round.

But is that 1 attack or diminishing from 20? And are you striking multiple bees from the air per hit, or only one at a time?

Queen Bee.

BAB +2 AC +1 att. sting d4/d6 + poison HD 1.5 Rank 3rd

Twice the size of a Killer Bee. Will fight to the death.

Swamp Folk.

BAB +1 AC unarmoured att. grapple HD 1.7 Rank 2nd

Wrinkled green heads like toads... yellow blinking eyes... webbed hands.

There's monsters to fight here, but it's more like a trap.

They all attack one victim at a time (either on a collapsible bridge or in the quag beneath). Each round, compare your STR to the combined STR of the Swamp Folk that manage to hit (10 each) - if they've got higher, you're half-submerged; if it happens again, you're fully submerged and drown within a turn.

If you're wearing metal armour, you'll sink within 4 rounds regardless (unless rescued).

DW doesn't use turns, so I don't know if this means 10 minutes (which seems a long time) or as long as it takes for everyone to take their action in that combat round. Apply any other drowning rules/rulings you prefer.

The text refers to a colony of Swamp Folk and specifies combatants as Swamp Man 1 to 4, giving the impression of there being more to this if you wanted.

Titan.

BAB +14 AC +6 att. weapon +2 fist d6(d4) +2 HD special Rank 15th

An immense bronze warrior glowing with occult flames.

Gets +5 AC for being bronze, +1 more for being a strong defender. DW STR of 19 implied by damage bonus. High MAGICAL DEFENCE suggests it should get advantage/bonus on saves vs. magic.

Don't know whether it's a typo, but it's only got 5 Health Points so I can't calculate appropriate HD as I normally would. BAB and Rank would suggest something like 10 to 15, but the Titan gets a do-over in Book 4 anyway.

Always travels in a direct line (in this case, in pursuit of its stolen +2 sword) - stone walls or trees will not present any grave obstruction.

Giant Viper.

BAB +2 AC unarmoured att. bite d6(d4) + strong poison HD 2.6 Rank 2nd

RAW it can only harm those in chain or plate with a critical hit. 

Poison save at disadvantage/penalty, and presumably it's just save or die.

Tarantula.

Partial stats for the living part of an ancient, still operational trap. It's going to die from poison gas whether it bites you or not (RAW it auto-hits, just has to make Armour Bypass roll).

Nightmare Hut.

HD 8.8

An old rickety hut covered by climbing plants and moss.

That doorway's a mouth and if you step inside it clamps its woody jaws down on you. RAW subtract your STR from the Hut's (14) and roll d20 equal or lower than the result. Looks like failure is insta-kill (and it sprouts legs and runs off).

Feels like it needs more detail, but has the selling point of being abruptly weird.

Hydra.

BAB +2 AC unarmoured att. bite(s) d6(d4) HD 2 (special) Rank 7th

Leo Hartas.

Description and illo suggest it might be a woman first and a serpent second, and it gives me Medusa/Scylla vibes.

This one is bound to a grave as a guardian, so implied that it's immortal and doesn't need to eat (or it's running on dungeon-logic, just like that Tarantula).

Her poisonous breath is like thick fog or smoke, giving her automatic surprise. Breathing it for more than 2 rounds triggers poison saves each round thereafter (effect not specified, so presumably fatal - and in checking back on the poison rules in Book 1, I realise I'd forgotten that you take damage even if you make your save vs. fatal poison!).

The bite is quite weak and described as bite of nine heads, so I'm not sure if it means 9 individual attack rolls or 1 abstracting them all.

Low HD and only 9 DW Health Points. Any hit against her severs a head and 2 grow in its place, represented by her gaining hp instead of losing it from wounds (I think). Thus, you need to cause a single wound your characters can't produce with normal weapons (in DW, best you could do is 7 with battleaxe and STR 16+) or using spells (a DW Dragonbreath spell would do it).

There's poison in her spit (but not her bite) and her tail (which she doesn't use) that her slayer's can dip arrows and weapons in.

I like this specific iteration of this monster, but it's a bit of a muddle.

Master Edas's Skull.

AC +3 HD 2.2

Master Edas is both an ancient holy man and not a good man, as well as being one of the foremost sorcerers of all time. 

Dig up his fire-blackened, cloven-hoof imprinted skull and it will follow you around, giving sorcerous advice and trying to get you into trouble of the worst kind. 

Saves vs. magic with advantage/bonus and regenerates 1 hp/round.

II. The Castle of Terror.

Leo Hartas

Yeti.

BAB +7 AC +3 att. claws d8(d12) HD 4.6 Rank 5th

White, hairy, towering (3m or c. 10') monster, blue ice for eyes and their teeth and claws are like iron-hard icicles. Covered in frost and surrounded (10m or c. 30' radius) by a (specified) magical snowstorm; temperature drops to below zero (Celsius) in this area.

Vanishes (along with the snow) with an echoing howl if slain.

No mechanics for effects of snowstorm (but the encounter is followed by a save vs. exposure for being out on a cold night in the hills anyway).

Hell Hounds.

BAB +5 AC unarmoured att. fangs d8(d10) + strong poison HD 3.3 Rank 2nd

Two separate words and much tougher than the Hellhounds in Gallows Wood, with poison fangs and implied DW STR of 16+.

Black mastiffs with burning red eyes, reeking of sulphurous flames - actually demonic, rather than just a name?

Black Hippogriffs.

BAB +6 AC unarmoured att. bite d6(d8) kick d10(d12) HD 5.7 Rank 5th

Angry, angry horses that can magically sprout wings and fly for an hour per day. You need magic to control them, and they can't be tamed.

Grey Gnomes.

A reskin of the Book 1 Gnome, as something spending its time pretending to be a statue or gargoyle. Despite their apparent camouflage, they are so ugly and grotesque that you can't help but notice them - only normal chance of surprise.

These ones will run away if detected, apparently - so presumably they're not intending to ambush you?

Demon Wolf.

BAB +8 AC +2 att. fangs d6(d12) HD 7.3 Rank 6th

A 2m (c. 6' 6") tall wolf that materialises from the shadows and is one of the earthly incarnations of the demon lord, Fengris.

Implied DW STR of 16+ and will reappear, completely healed, 24 hours after it is killed. Not much else to it.

Poltergeist.

BAB +14

You can't hurt it or drive it off. 

Leo Hartas

55% chance per increment of distance travelled that it hurls weapons at you - 1-2 daggers, swords, axes or halberds, or 6 to 18 arrows, but I suppose it could use whatever else is to hand if it was relocated.

Mud Monster.

BAB +5 AC unarmoured att. claws d6(d8) HD 3.5 Rank 2nd

Initially in liquid form, it senses your presence and pulls itself together in 10 rounds to pursue you. Somewhere between an Ooze and an Otyugh. Described as octopoid.

The Nargut.

BAB +5 AC unarmoured att. acid bite d10(d6) claw d8(d10) HD 5.5 Rank 6th

Grey, seething, glutinous masses with eight toad-like eyes, four legs and four arms with claws on the and four gaping mouths filled with acidic spittle at each cardinal point of their squat, bullish heads. Their skin is a grey mottled colour.

There's only one here and it gets the definite article. Can faultlessly imitate any voice it hears, using this ability to trick victims (can ventriloquise too). Takes 1 hit/round from sunlight or other intense illumination (undefined).

It's bite is qualified as acidic, but has no defined properties other than a high Armour Bypass roll.

You only have to fight it if you rescue it.

Magnetic Monster.

BAB +7 AC +4 att. mandible d8(d6) HD 3.7 Rank 6th

A screeching giant beetle that generates strong magnetic force, and eats metal along with flesh - a less discriminating analogue of the Rust Monster.

Once encountered, you can't flee from it if you're in metal armour and it will attack you in preference to less protected targets. Metal weapons automatically hit, but will then be immovably stuck to the monster's carapace until it is slain.

The text has it spitting acid and devouring armour worn, but no mechanics. Maybe: you can sacrifice your shield or a helmet to get a round's grace, and three hits reduce metal armour to uselessness (see Thorn Demons, above). I don't think it will settle for precious metals, only iron and steel.

Tapestry Demons.

BAB +2 AC unarmoured att. claws d6(d6) HD 2.6 Rank 2nd

Not as cool as the Tapestry Warriors in Book 1 - these are just some 2D monsters that spring to 3D life, then back to 2D when slain.

Hellrots.

BAB +2 AC +2 att. claws d8(d8) bite d6(d4) + plague (strong poison) HD 4 Rank 2nd

Your basic demonic minion.

III. Wrecker Island.

Leo Hartas

Barnacle Men.

Already covered, here.

Devil Spawn.

BAB +2 AC +3 att. bite d4(d4) + venom HD 1.1 Rank ?

Monstrous cockroaches (with a thousand writhing legs and tentacles) that spawn from weird toadstool spores. They cannot approach anyone holding a holy relic.

Their acidic venom (strong poison - save at disadvantage/penalty) has the additional effect of transforming you into one of them if you fail an additional save (RAW it's 4d6 under your Health Points - which is harsh, considering DW hp levels - but could just be another poison save).

After 10 rounds of existence, the Devil Spawn and any transformed victims break down into brown slime and then evaporate.

Eagles.

BAB +4 AC +1 att. talons d6(d8) HD 1.7 Rank 3rd

Text also refers to them as Giant Eagles. AC is for high DEFENCE.

The Kraken.

BAB +8 AC unarmoured att. jaws d10(d10) HD 7.1 Rank 10th

Pretty low power for a huge sea snake with a ravening maw that can consume small ships at one gulp - but not if it's just for this adventure, rather than an extended campaign. You could also avoid fighting it altogether and skip to The Dark Hill, with a little luck and ingenuity. 

Has a tongue attack (5m or c. 16') that pulls you to its jaws.

Situationally, it takes 10 rounds to come when called (to take a sacrifice), with tremors felt at 7 rounds, then a minor tidal wave (undefined) when it breaks surface.

The text alludes to Tennyson.

Finale - The Dark Hill.

Golem.

BAB +8 AC +5 att. mallet d10(d16) HD 3.3 Rank 7th

It's a stone golem, guarding a burial mound on the other side of a dimensional gate.

You've got 20 rounds to defeat it before the demon-wolf Fengris brings the ceiling down on everything and insta-kills you all with his evil, chilling breath.

Commentary.

This was less of a slog than previous: these are monsters in context, more fun to write about than just going over the same basic bestiary again.

For a certain vintage of UK role-player, it's possible your introduction to Dragon Warriors (and even rpgs themselves) came about because of this green-spined book. Close enough in design to be mistaken for a Fighting Fantasy gamebook, with numbered paragraphs, mention of dice and pictures of monsters. This could have been an accidental purchase or well-meant gift.

As a whole it feels more self-contained than other DW adventures, less connected to the wider setting. There are few bits that make me think this wasn't originally written for DW (or at least, Gallows Wood wasn't) or maybe written in some haste. 

Sadly, I've never had the pleasure of running or playing this. Doesn't mean I don't like it though.

Dragonwarriors & The Way of Wizardry - Monster Commentary & Conversions to D&D adjacent

Dragon Warriors is one of my formative rpg texts, and has a particularly BOSR oppositional feel to some of the (US) D&D of the time (BECMI and Dragonlance, for example). 

I've already done conversion work on some of DW's monsters, and I thought I'd (belatedly) start the year with a fairly exhaustive run-through and review of monsters across the 6 book series, with conversions, comparison (to OSE, for ease of use, range and clarity - it's got an SRD) and commentary.

System synopsis for Dragon Warriors in Commentary at the end.

The first two books of the series cover the basics of the game: adventuring, fighting, monsters, spells and treasure, plus total of three adventures. No Reaction Rolls or other social mechanics.

The basic bestiary is pretty much what you'd expect, though there are some oddities in there, and there's lip-service to a more generic version of fantasy rpg that isn't really what DW is about. Gives monster names in the plural.

Alan Craddock cover art.

Dragon Warriors.

BAB based on ATTACK/DEFENCE for monster vs. 1st Rank Knight.

AC Armour Factor for worn armour is close to OSE but not quite; I've given extra pluses for high DEFENCE and EVASION.

att. either by weapon or Armour Bypass die (damage score as half damage dice); + for STR given as for DW, port straight over or convert.

HD maximum hp divided by 4.5

Rank Rank Equivalent, used for DW XP calculation, but useful for comparisons.

Special Abilities converted to D&D adjacent, but sometimes using the DW subsytem/mechanic if it doesn't rely on system-specific stats; dice values either max. roll divided by 4.5 or as written.

Reflexes/DEX where I've found a value, it's given - inclusion of this and some other data is inconsistent across the books.

Indirect attack magic is spells like fireball and lightning - the spell produces something that causes the damage/effect, save to evade. Direct attack magic is spells like charm and hold - save to resist. Ray of enfeeblement would be indirect; weakness (reversed strength) would be direct attack.

Choose from BAB, HD or Rank (or average them out) to determine basic monster HD. DW ATTACK-derived BAB is often significantly higher than D&D/OSE averages, particularly further up the threat scale.

Apemen.

• BAB +1 AC unarmoured att. by weapon +1 (STR 16-18) HD 3.3  Rank 1st
• OSE: Neanderthal (Caveman) BAB +1 AC +1 att. by weapon +1 HD 2 
• OSE: Ape, White BAB +3 AC +3 att. x2 claws d4 or thrown rock d6 HD 4

Gorilla-like carnivores. Strong, stupid, live in mountains. More Lost World than Wood Wose/ Sasquatch, and seem thematically inappropriate. Pretty close to the Neanderthal (Caveman).

Basilisks.

• BAB +5 AC +2 att. beak or claw d8(d6) + poison HD 4.2 Rank 6th
• OSE: Basilisk BAB +6 AC +5 att. bite d10 + petrification & gaze HD 6+1
• OSE: Cockatrice BAB +4 AC +3 att. d6 + petrify HD 5

Petrifying Gaze: 80% d4 of your party meet its gaze if surprised, otherwise 40%/round, save or stoned; immune to own reflected gaze; fight it with -1 to Hit and -1 AC per 10% to reduce chance of meeting gaze. Or use OSE mechanics.
Poison: weak; save at advantage/bonus or lose d6 hp.

Giant cockerel with long tail, four claws and metallic feathers. Sounds more like the Cockatrice, but those gaze-avoidance mechanics are almost the same as the OSE Basilisk.

Bats.

• BAB 0 AC +2 att. bite d3(d2) HD 0.2 Rank 1st
• OSE: Normal Bat BAB -1 AC +3 att. confusion HD 1hp

In DW, these staples of the creepy castle and gloomy forest carry disease. Otherwise not much of a threat to anyone wearing chain or plate, because of DW's Armour Bypass combat mechanic. They still auto-hit on a crit (bypassing armour), if that's in your game (it is in DW).

AC bonus is for good DEFENCE (most of the flying monsters have this), otherwise Unarmoured.

Bears.

• BAB +6 AC +1 att. claws d8(d10) HD 7.1 Rank 6th
• OSE: Cave Bear BAB +6 AC +4 att. claw/claw/bite d8 x2/2d6 HD 7

Hugs on critical/nat 20: 2d8 damage

It's a Bear. Description says it will avoid/flee a large and well-armed party. Mechanical analogue is the biggest/toughest in OSE.

Bulls.

• BAB +5 AC +1 att. antlers/horns d8(d8) HD 6.2 Rank 5th
• OSE: Large Herd Animal (Elk) BAB +3 AC +2 att. butt d8 HD 4

Initial Charge: save to dodge or double-damage, plus knocked prone/winded d3 rounds. Optionally knocked back 5m or 15'.

Says to use the Bull statblock for Elks and Stags. Text says it will also fight with hooves, but gives no stats.Use the damage dice above, or look for another hoofed animal (eg. Horses).

Crocodiles.

• BAB +4 AC +2 att. bite d6/d8 HD 5.1 Rank 3rd
• OSE: Large Crocodile BAB +5 AC +6 att. bite 2d8 HD 6

Bearing in mind the fairly explicit setting throughout, Croc is a bit misplaced.

Death's Heads.

Nothing to compare with in OSE: a horned, winged head that wants to sit where it's bitten off your head and drive you like a car. 

Like. Already done a full conversion of it and the other flying head monsters in DW.

Dragons.

• BAB +19 AC +6 att. talons d12(d16) HD 19.1 Rank 20th
• OSE: Gold Dragon BAB +8 AC +11 att. claw/claw/bite 2d4 x2/6d6 or special HD 11
• OSE: Dragon Turtle BAB +14 AC +11 att. claw/claw/bite d8 x2/10xd6 or special HD 30

Kings of the Earth in an earlier era. Don't know if this means they're dinosaurs/ descendants of (this crops in another BOSR touchstone, Slaine in 2000AD), or if they literally ran things. Apart from a little story in the text, there's nothing unsurprising here. There was no way they weren't going to be on the list. 

Definitely the most powerful monster in the book. Challengers for the crown start showing up in Book 4.

Already covered, here.

Dwarves.

Generic fantasy Dwarves, lacking setting specific flavour.

Mechanically, they're Humans, but they can see in the dark, have min STR 12 and max Psychic Talent & Looks 11 each (WIS and CHA?). Advance as Knights or Barbarians, forge magical arms and armour as a Mystic at 7th Rank.

Elementals.

• BAB +8 AC +1 att. d10/d12 HD 6.2 Rank 8th
• OSE: Lesser Elemental BAB +7 AC +7 att. d8 HD 8

Immune to nonmagical weapons.

Air: +1 AC for high EVASION; immune to light/normal missiles; hard to see, so you're at -1 to Hit and -1 AC when fighting it. 

Earth: described as very strong; tunnels underground at 2m/hour (does it mean metres or miles?).

Fire: +1 AC for high EVASION; immune to fire, and anything it tries to carry will be set on fire.

Water: nothing unexpected.

Not much to say. These Elementals have no flair.

Elves.

They have no souls and can live 300 years. As the books go on, Elves are developed more as monster/NPC foe types rather than just another chargen option. However:

• max. 13 STR & CON (DW Strength).
• min. 12 DEX, WIS & CHA (DW Reflexes, Psychic Talent, Looks).
• +2 to Hit with bows.
• at will total concealment in woodlands vs. non-Elves 1st to 4th level.
• Premonition (6th sense) (as a DW Mystic): 3 rounds of concentration, then 35 + (level x2) = % of detecting danger from/in specific object/location within 5m.
• ESP (7th sense) (as a DW Mystic): 3 rounds of concentration, then 5 + (level x3) = % of detecting thoughts within 10m; can tell animal thoughts apart.
• Human Mystics cannot detect Elves, Ghosts, Gnomes, Goblins, Hobgoblins and/or the Undead - but Elves, I'd let them detect Goblins and Hobgoblins as fellow faerie folk.
• -1 hp per HD.
• can't be Barbarians (I disagree).
• basic Movement 120% of Normal Human.
• lacking a soul, they can't be raised by standard methods and have some immunity to possession (the text specifies the Amulet of Soul Storing, but there could be others).

Also, affected by various spells etc. as are Elves in Lamentations of the Flame Princess.

Frost Giants.

• BAB +8 AC +4 (Giant-size Leather) att. weapon +2 (STR 19) HD 7.5 Rank 5th
• OSE: Frost Giant BAB +8 AC +5 att. weapon 4d6 or boulder 3d6 HD 10+1
• OSE: Hill Giant BAB +7 AC +5 att. weapon 2d8 HD 8

Cold-dwelling 2.5m (c. 8') humanoids. Honourable, so 80% chance they'll let you go if you best their leader in single combat. Don't use bows or throw rocks, because that's cowardly. They do eat people, though.

Gargoyles.

• BAB +5 AC +7 (only +2 vs. magic weapons) att. talons d10(d6) HD 4.8 Rank 5th
• OSE: Gargoyle BAB +3 AC +4 att. claw/claw/bite/horn d3 x2/d6/d4 HD 4

Surprise on 1-3 on d6 because you can't tell they're not a statue.

Partial immunity to nonmagical weapons.

Readily mistaken for stone, so not necessarily constructs. 30% chance that they'll become your loyal follower if you heal them with magic. Capable of flight and of remaining still as a statue for as long as it takes for them to become overgrown.

Ghosts.

DW makes a nice distinction between the Ghost and the Undead, which breaks down when we take in Barudaths and Jumbees (Book 4), but has stuck with me.

Also introduces the mechanics of fear, the fright attack: roll 2d10 > d12 - Rank or be scared to death. The text implies that if you don't drop from heart failure, you run screaming regardless, but is explicit that survivors can no longer be frightened to death by that particular Ghost.

All fright attacks can be swapped for fear saves of some kind, with or without adjustments, but I'll leave that up to you.

20% chance it then decides to haunt you and your party: double chances of being surprised and causes bad luck (-1 to Hit and AC, or apply another low-level penalty effect). You need Exorcism (undefined but capitalised) to get rid of the Ghost, as you can't otherwise harm or foil it.

The text specifies that a haunting will also cancel a Mystic's (or Elf's) Sixth Sense ability, so you could apply Ravenloft divination adjustments as the D&D equivalent.

Giant Rats.

• BAB -2 AC unarmoured att. bite d3(d6) HD 1.5 Rank 1st
• OSE: Giant Rat BAB 0 AC +2 att. bite d3 + disease HD 0.5

Size of a dog... carriers of plague. Giant Rats. They're Giant Rats. Specifies they only attack if they outnumber you 2-to-1 or better.

Reflexes/DEX 16.

Giant Scorpions.

• BAB +11 AC +2 att. pincer x2 d6(d8) or stinger d4 + poison HD 6 Rank 5th
• OSE: Giant Scorpion BAB +3 AC +7 claw/claw/sting d10 x2/d4 + poison HD 4

Surprise on 1-3 on d6 because camouflage.

Grabs you with both pincers, and tries to pull you apart: d6 unsoakable damage/round.

If it hasn't grabbed something within 3 rounds, it'll sting instead (BAB +17 or with advantage/bonus to Hit).

Poison: strong; save with disadvantage/penalty or die.

3 - 4m (c. 10-13') long. Senses vibrations in the ground and won't engage if there's more than 5 or 6 of you. Those BABs show how crude my conversion methods are.

Giant Spiders.

• BAB +4 AC +1 att. bite d6(d6) HD 2.4 Rank 2nd
• OSE: Spider, Giant - Black Widow BAB +2 AC +3 att. bite 2d6 + poison HD 3

Webs: if caught, cumulative -2 to Hit/-1 AC per round until unable to attack or defend; 30%, diminishing by 10%, per round to free self (no other action, auto-hit by any attack), but +15% if you're holding an edged weapon or flaming torch.

Venom: normal poison save or paralysed 2d6 rounds, then dead in 10 minutes.

Nothing about size in the text. Pretty close to the Black Widow in OSE/BX, including web and poison.

Reflexes/DEX 14.

Gnomes.

• BAB +4 AC +3 att. claws d8(d10) HD 4.4 Rank 3rd

When motionless, they are concealed from characters of 1st to 7th Rank; 1st and 2nd, if you're Elves.
Embog: special 1/day spell makes a bog that cuts your Movement to 10% but not theirs; AoE 15m x 15m (c. 50' x 50'), duration d6 hours.

Their bodies are like the gnarled boles of old trees, their eyes glimmer like dewdrops, they have tangled roots for fingers and their mouths resemble a dank hole in a bank of earth.

A Gnome will usually tolerate a party of Elves passing through its neck of the woods, but it is less lenient [to others]... apt to react violently.

Territorial elementals/faeries. Not cute. Not zany. Probably don't have much time for Druids, either.

My favourite Gnomes. Wandering from here via Return to Oz, Vance's The Miracle Workers and possibly a misprint in a Dragon computer game review, I ended at a whole other monster type.

Goblins.

Already covered, here. Converted, they're statistically similar to Wolves and Gnolls (for threat comparison).

Mix with Labyrinth and Legend, and these are my go-to Goblins; they're faerie folk, kin to Elves, not lumpen mortals. I happily retain the traditional 1-1 Goblin HD (and the Hobgoblin's 1+1), but they keep the rest of the DW trappings. 

Gorgons.

• BAB +5 AC unarmoured att. weapon + specials HD 3.1 Rank 5th
• OSE: Medusa BAB +3 AC +1 att. snakebites d6 + poison HD 4

Snakey tresses: 1-3 bite attacks (BAB -1) for d4(d2); poison is save or die.

Gaze attack: save or stoned; mechanics for avoiding/meeting the gaze as for DW Basilisks, but Gorgons are vulnerable to their reflected gaze.

Spell-casters: 5th Rank Sorcerers, so spells as a 5th level Magic User (for simplicity).

Beautiful body, ugly face, snakes for hair, don't often use armour and/or shields.

Reflexes/DEX 8.

Halflings.

• BAB -2 AC unarmoured +1 att. weapon HD 1.5 Rank 1st (not given)

AC bonus: for high DEFENCE.

Woodlore: tracking in woodlands 60% chance.

Surprise: 1-2 on d6 (or x2/+1 depending on your system) and cannot be surprised (it reads like this applies to woodland only).

Halflings, Hobbits, Hearthlings - doesn't say anything about their feet. Can rise to max. 3rd Rank as Knights, but with -1 ATTACK (-1 to Hit), if they choose the adventuring life. However, no min/max Ability Scores specified as with Dwarves and Elves.

Statwise, Halflings are almost identical to Giant Rats, which is some food for the imagination.

Hobgoblins.

Already covered, here. I feel the same about them as I do the Goblins.

If you need Dark Elves in DW, reskin the Hobgoblin or merge with the existing Elf.

Horses.

• Horse BAB 0 AC unarmoured att. bite d8(d6) HD 4.6 Rank 2nd
• Warhorse BAB +6 AC unarmoured att. bite d8(d8) or kick d10(d12) HD 4.8 Rank 5th
• OSE: Riding Horse BAB +1 AC +2 att. x2 hoof d4 HD 2
• OSE: Warhorse BAB +2 AC +2 att. x2 hoof d6 HD 3

IIRC, D&D Horses got 2 HD so they could be one-shotted by setting vs. charge. No such luck here. 

RAW, DW Warhorses get more guaranteed basic hp, but have a similar range to their riding counterparts.

Humans.

The Normal Human and the 1st Rank Knight are the attacker/defender on which the conversions are calculated.

Manticores.

• BAB +9 AC +4 att. claws d10(d12) or sting d6(d6) + poison HD 8 Rank 8th
• OSE: Manticore BAB +6 AC +5 att. claw/claw/bite d4 x2/2d4 or x6 spikes d6 HD 6+1

Sting: save or collapse and die within 1 minute (10 DW rounds).

The DW Manticore can't fly and has a scorpion tail.

Ogres.

• BAB +9 AC unarmoured +1 att. weapon +2 (STR 19) HD 6.6 Rank 7th
• OSE: Ogre BAB +4 AC +4 att. club d10 HD 4+1

Dull-witted and frequently drunk. Takes prisoners for ransom, but might just eat them. An Ogre.

Almost as tough as a DW Frost Giant.

Obsidiaks.

Weird and creepy tentacle-trailing flying head.

Orcs.

• BAB +1 AC unarmoured att. weapon HD 2  Rank 1st
• OSE: Orc BAB 0 AC +3 att. weapon HD 1

Warriors/Chieftains: to 4th Rank as DW Barbarians, so up to 4 Fighter levels, and can trade AC penalty for to Hit bonus 1-for-1.

Darkvision/Heliophobic: Specified that they can see in the dark and they fight at -1 to Hit & -1 AC in sunlight.

The archetypal henchthings of Evil. 

Apart from this entry and on the basic random encounter tables, the only other mention of Orcs is in an NPC's backstory in Book 3.

In DW, Orcs are mechanically weaker than Goblins, and I think they're only in here for generic fantasy reasons.

Pythons.

• BAB +3 AC unarmoured att. bite d3(d4) HD 3.1 Rank 2nd
• OSE: Snake, Giant - Rock Python BAB +4 AC +3 att. bite d4 + special HD 5

Surprise: 1-3 on d6.

Constrict: on its 1st hit (implied it doesn't need to bypass armour), the Python coils around you. d20 =/< Dexterity and your fighting arm is free, otherwise you can't attack or defend. d3 hits and you are asphyxiated in 2d6 rounds - text implies you only take the hp damage once. It can still bite others while it's killing you.

The constricting snake is an important basic rpg bestiary entry, because it also provides the template for assorted Serpents (sea or otherwise) and the mechanics for tentacles.

Pazuzus.

• BAB +5 AC +1 att. claws d8(d10) HD 3.7 Rank 5th
• Dungeoneering with Demons (Liz Fletcher, White Dwarf 48): BAB (via OSE) +4 AC +2 att. weapon or flame breath d8 HD 4+3

Illusory Disguise: as battle-sickened Knights or forsaken lazars, for example; only 5% chance to see through it, if you're suspicious and look carefully, so they can surprise 1-4 on d6 (Dungeoneering w/ Demons has this as change self at will).

Flame Breath: every other round for d6+3 hits; save to evade.

Create Illusion: 1/day; this is DW Image spell, the lowest level illusion (either an equivalent spell or fold into the change self ability).

Grapple: no mechanics given, but the Pazuzu can carry someone off at half-speed with the intention of dropping them.

Described as of unnatural origin or at least from warmer, southern climes, but not explicitly demonic - winged clawed fire-breathing leonine humanoids. 

They smuggle themselves to northern fantasy Europe in the bilges of ships, where they readily adapt to predatory mischief-making in an unfamiliar environment. Cool.

DW author Dave Morris also wrote the RQ articles that Dungeoneering with Demons drew on.

(I've only just noticed that Pythons and Pazuzus are out of alphabetical order in the book)

Snow Apes.

Stats as Apemen, but they surprise 1-3 on d6 in their natural environment - the arctic.

The Sufiriad.

• AC +5 att. special HD 12 Rank 10th

Implosion: save or die (RAW it's a d20 =/< STR); if you survive, d10 minus your armour value in damage and 10% your eardrums are shattered (permanent deafness?).

Vulnerable to fire, +2 damage per die.

Immune to direct-attack magic.

Minor demons motivated by the spirits of long-dead priests. Appear as a moaning, screaming, freezing whirlwind. Moves up close and implodes. 

If you can see it, it's form is an ultraviolet, ophidian body... horned but human skull... wreathed in cold white fire. Even though DW doesn't have infravision, it would appear from the text (beyond the visible spectrum) that this would allow you to see them.

Because they get the definite article, I wonder if their name is an institutional rather than species categorisation. Would like to have known more about the (possibly specific, though unspecified) snow-choked temples ruins they patrol and never leave.

RAW it has 0 DEFENCE. Feels like it should be immune to nonmagical weapons, but it isn't.

Tigers (Sabre Tooth).

• BAB +8 AC +1 att. bite d8(d14) claws d12(d12) HD 6.6 Rank 6th
• OSE: Sabre-toothed Tiger BAB +7 AC +3 att. claw/claw/bite d8 x2/2d8 HD 8
• OSE: Tiger BAB +5 AC +3 att. claw/claw/bite d6 x2/2d6 HD 6

Surprise: 1-4 on d6 - it's a skilled hunter.

Leap 8m (c. 25') to attack.

Bloodcurdling Roar when leaping to attack. d10 =/< level or rooted to the spot for 1 round; DW RAW you have 0 DEFENCE, so rule either an auto-hit by the Tiger or a hefty AC penalty.

Use/used for any big cat.

Trolls.

• BAB +7 AC unarmoured +1 att. d6(d8) +1 (STR 16+) HD 4.6 Rank 5th
• OSE: Troll BAB +6 AC +5 att. claw/claw/bite d6 x2/d10 HD 6+3

Magic Resistance: save vs. magic at x2 HD, or with advantage, or with +4 bonus. Whatever you like.

Immune to blunt non-metallic weapons.

Share a distant supernatural ancestry with Goblins, which gives them their magic resistance. Turned to stone by sunlight. Sometimes have 2 or 3 heads. 

Compared to the D&D humanoid threat standard hierarchy, DW Ogres and Trolls are swapped.

Specified they can't use sorcery, so maybe they can be Mystics?

Volucreths.

• BAB +5 AC unarmoured +1 att. weapon +1 (STR 16+) HD 3.5 Rank 1st

Tropical (so therefore Barbarian) parrot warriors. Less interesting than they sound, as they're hardly developed here or in later books (I'm not sure they even get a mention in The Lands of Legend).

Wild Boars.

• BAB +6 AC +1 att. gore d6(d10) HD 5.1 Rank 3rd
• OSE: Boar BAB +2 AC +2 att. tusk 2d4 HD 3

Statline suggests a +1 Armour Bypass/damage adjustment, so Strength 16+.

Wolves.

• BAB +4 AC unarmoured att. bite d4(d10) HD 2.2 Rank 1st
• OSE: Wolf BAB +2 AC +2 att. bite d6 HD 2+2

Just Wolves. Except they are impossible to surprise.

Reflexes/DEX 14.

The Undead.

They get their own section, and their common characteristics are: immunity to poison, disease and spells which only affect the living - which is broad and flexible - and they also see in darkness/abhor the light of day (no penalties suggested).

Ghouls.

• BAB +6 AC unarmoured att. weapon HD 3.5 Rank 4th

Humans, Dwarves and Elves that eat corpses can transform into Ghouls.

Already did these, here.

Mummies.

• BAB +9 AC unarmoured +1 att. weapon HD 6.4 Rank 6th
• OSE: Mummy BAB +5 AC +6 att. touch d12 + disease HD 5+1

Flammable: 20% of catching alight for d4 hits/round, extinguish themselves on 5-6 on d6 (or 1-2 if that fits your consistency) - roll at the end of each round.

Doom! if you strike them down, they strike you down with a curse - save or you die within 1 month.

In the deeper, grander, older tombs they may be better armed and armoured, be of higher Rank etc. but this isn't developed. Otherwise, they are Mummies.

Skeletons.

Already done the basic Skeleton and some of its bony chums.

STR 8; Reflexes/DEX 12.

Spectres.

• BAB +8 AC unarmoured/ethereal att. touch d12(d10) HD 6.2 Rank 8th
• OSE: Spectre BAB +5 AC +7 att. touch d8 + special HD 6

Surprise 1-4 on d6, because it's silent and can fly/walk through walls.

Fright Attack like a Ghost's, but only d6 intensity.

Immune to non-magical weapons and physical spells (indirect-attack spells).

Mostly unremarkable. The DW equivalent of the D&D standard.

Reflexes/DEX 17.

Vampires.

There isn't an average/typical Vampire. Fairly standard Vampire characteristics, but I like that it's a template you add to an existing statblock rather than a discrete monster classification. Glad it drinks blood instead of double energy drain.

• superhuman strength (STR 19).
• uncanny speed (Reflexes/DEX 18).
• +3.5 HD (hit points, combat, saves, abilities).
• +1 save vs. magic (DW MAGICAL DEFENCE +1).
• lie torpid in lair for 2d4 hours after feeding.
• mesmerism vs. lower HD/level; range 8m (c. 25'); takes min. 30 seconds (5 rounds) of conversing; 2d10 =/< (Vampire's HD/level + 3d6) - victim's HD/level or stand passive until killed/Vampire departs (or save vs. charm); no statement that it doesn't work in combat.
• half damage from non-magical weapons.
• drink blood to heal: 2 pints is cure light wounds, 4 pints is cure serious wounds, completely drain a victim to get back to full hp.
• special vulnerabilities:
• rendered powerless by sunlight (not destroyed).
• vs. garlic: -1 to Hit for d6 rounds from first presentation.
• vs. cross (holy symbol): flinch back, giving escape opportunity; if you can present it for 30 seconds, you can attempt to drive if off using the same mechanic as Vampire mesmerism - Sorcerer's (so Magic Users and probably Elves too) roll 1d6, not 3; failure or blocked escape route means the Vampire goes berserk.
• cannot pass through running water.
• irrevocably slain only if staked in the heart, decapitated with blessed sword, remains burned to ashes; otherwise, fresh blood can bring them back.
• make new Vampire by sacrificing 2d100 x 100 XP; it's subservient, but not loyal.
• polymorph to Bat (4 HD/level), Wolf (6 HD/level), gaseous form (8 HD/level); each change costs 1 hp.
• 90% chance of having class levels: 40% Knights, 30% Sorcerers, 15% Barbarians and 5% Mystics - decide how you make these relevant to your setting/system.

Vampire entries always seem to have been some of the longest in rpg bestiaries, back in the day. 

Wights.

Already done this one. Twice.

Wraiths.

• HD 4.4 Rank 5th
• OSE: Wraith BAB +3 AC +6 att. touch d6 + special HD 4

Fright Attack: d8 intensity.

Death Shriek: save or die (irrevocable - the Wraith eats your soul) vs. random victim; 1-3 round build up, increasing in power so save with advantage/bonus 1st round and disadvantage/penalty 3rd round.

Can only be harmed by magic weapons, or Turn Undead or banishment spell.

Over multiple thousands of years, a Ghost (dead) takes on substance and becomes a Wraith (undead).

More Banshee, less Nazgul. Like.

Zombies.

Already done and already reskinned.

Unless you have a holy relic, or access to particular spells, there is nothing equivalent to Turning Undead in DW (see Vampires), and this makes the lowly Zombie a much more significant threat than its 2HD D&D counterpart. It's not a good fighter and it's not fast, but an average DW Zombie can withstand 5 or more sword-blows before it goes down - translating into their surprisingly high HD in conversion (5.5). Plus, they have +1 STR adjustments.

From the Adventure.

DW adventures, even in the books with bestiary sections, even in this first one, almost always had new monsters. They're presented more as puzzle/hazards, despite having stats to compute combat with - there's also a Dragon, but they don't stat it out.

DW uses the term underworld in place of dungeon, and this is particularly appropriate as so many of these (usually ancient tombs) seem planted in the mythic rather than the mundane - this first adventure is in the burial place of local analogue King Arthur, complete with Merlin and Mordred.

Tapestry Warriors.

• BAB +3 AC +4 att. weapon HD 2.4 Rank 2nd

Step down from the tapestry and are as effective as armed, armoured Knights. You can fight them to death, or set fire to the tapestry and they all go up in smoke.

Reflexes/DEX 12.

Living Statue.

• BAB +11 AC +7 att. x2 claws d10(d16) HD 6.6 Rank 10th

Made without legs, so you can try to sneak or run past at the risk of 1 or 2 claw attacks. Or you can rapidly heat and cool it so that it shatters.

Reflexes/DEX 16 (but it can't move from the spot).

Alan Craddock cover art.

The Way of Wizardry.

Mystics (sort-of Clerics, sort-of Jedi), Sorcerers (basically Magic Users) and magical treasures (including holy relics). Two adventures driven by medieval feudal obligation and saturated with the supernatural. And we learn that when you slay a Wight, it comes back as a Ghost.

Sentinel.

• BAB +5 AC +4 (armour) att. weapon HD 3.5 Rank 4th

Unhuman Knight from another world... blue-white skin, violet eyes... gilded armour of quite unearthly design.

Can see in total darkness and are summoned using the Ring of Sentinels (no more than 3 at a time). Otherwise, they're average 4th Rank Knights with two-handed swords.

Moon Dogs.

• BAB +7 AC +6 att. bite d8(d10) HD 5.1 Rank 6th

Statline implies STR 16+. They're animated/animating guardian statues. As long as they're not destroyed/killed, they heal all damage when they revert back to being statues.

Reflexes/DEX 14.

Commentary.

Okay. That was a bit of a slog. Sorry. I did it because there's at least one nerd out there who is interested, even if that is only me on a different timeline. 

I wonder how much (mechanically) was adapted from pre-existing systems: the OSE comparisons are there to highlight the likely lines between BX and DW. RQ seems likely, and I believe GURPS was the system Dave Morris and chums preferred to use when playing in the DW world.

Next time (hopefully), the mini-campaign The Elven Crystals. 

If you're not familiar with the Dragon Warriors system:

DW is basically a d20/2d10 attack/save and 3d6 Ability Score system, with non-unified roll-over-and-under mechanics across a range of circumstances and polyhedra. 

Six-second Combat Rounds. Metric measurements. Slot-based encumbrance. d6 surprise. Roll to hit (ATTACK vs. DEFENCE), then roll to beat armour, flat damage. Approximately, +1 bonus for 13,14 or 15; +2 for 16+ (and the reverse for low scores). Strength is different, with a +1 bonus at 16+, +2 at 19 (beyond human maximum), and is also used for poison saves (which use d6s). Reflexes approximates Dexterity, determines initiative order.

Unified level (Rank)/XP progression for all adventurers. 1 DW XP is (not very) approximately 100 D&D/OSE XP (for energy drain purposes). DW XP is from killing monsters and completing adventures, plus spot awards.

Adjustments to ATTACK and DEFENCE etc. can be converted directly to D&D/OSE -/+ to Hit,/AC, damage, saves etc. DEFENCE adjustments are often higher than the equivalent for D&D/OSE, so there's room for reduction to keep the numbers in line.

Some of the mechanical nuance of the DW monsters is lost in conversion, as their stats include MAGICAL DEFENCE, EVASION, sometimes SPEED, MAGICAL ATTACK and (later) STEALTH and PERCEPTION. Some of this will be folded in, but maybe without comment. If DEFENCE is high enough, I've given an AC bonus, though this doesn't accurately represent the monster's defensive capability.

The Black Flask

It turns out that the recipe isn't symbolic, but absolutely literal.

A basic alchemical distillation from a very old recipe. Widespread throughout texts and traditions, it is believed to be a necessary step on the quest to extend life and cheat death. It appears to be an opaque black liquid with the consistency of milk. It tastes inky and metallic, and remains cooler than room temperature.

Once the Dark Sun has risen on the Astral Plane, quaffing from the Black Flask (which does not detect as magic) has the following effects:

First Dose: For 10 minutes (1 turn), you are under the effect of a blur spell. This is does not detect as magic.

Second Dose: For 10 minutes (1 turn), all damage you give and receive is halved but you get an extra attack as your shadow takes on some of your substance and volition. This does not detect as magic.

You must make a Powers Check.

Third Dose: You dematerialise/turn Ethereal and everything held/worn drops to the floor. You can only detected by those in a similar state or by true seeing. Those with second sight will be aware of your presence, but no more.

For 30 minutes (3 turns), you are naked, insubstantial, invisible and unable to interact with the material world, but free do what you can/wish in your new state. You are apparent to any other entities in a similar state, native or otherwise.

You can feel the pull of the Dark Sun even if you do not recognise it. You perceive shadows and reflective surfaces on the material plane as absolute liquid darkness, in contrast to the hazy greys of everything else.

You must make a Powers Check, remaining immaterial if you fail.

Until such time as the Dark Sun rises on the Astral Plane, the Black Flask is merely an otherwise hollow ritual of alchemical research with the following effects:

Obtaining the Black Flask: researching and creating the Black Flask requires a Powers Check, and the resulting potion detects as magical.

Taking a Dose: Save or be nauseated for d6 x10 minutes (not cumulative with further doses).

You experience the effects above as standard drug-based hallucinations and come away disappointed, or determined to try again. 

You are in an Altered State for the durations given above (no save). 

During this time, you will have the sense of being stared at by invisible and/or astral/ethereal creatures, if any happen to be present. Astral/ethereal creatures can be confident that you cannot actually see them; those in the material world might believe they have been detected.

Commentary.

All credit for the original to u/the_pint_is_the_bowl, posting in r/DnDBehindTheScreen.

Powers Checks are from Ravenloft (2e AD&D setting), specifically the Masque of the Red Death supplement. 

I've got a particular setting in mind for this, and the original slotted straight in like there was already a space for it.

Low Armour Settings

Custom armour for special occasions not covered in this post.
Stephen Cartwright for Usborne.

This isn't about historical accuracy/realism, but gameable fiction using a D&D adjacent system.

In my setting defaults, armour is usually low availability/use because that's the fiction I'm going for, and I'll support that with whatever makes sense - fashion, scarcity of materials or knowledge, lack of need, relative local stability, market forces and legal systems (both malevolent and benign).

Bear in mind I came to some of this via using a 3d6 Hit Roll with capped AC and assuming a low level campaign, so even though the numbers aren't that different to regular d20 play, they could break down at higher levels.

Metal Suit Armour is Expensive.

While armour prices generally rise across D&D editions, plate is cheap in BECMI and a suit of full armour (BECMI Master set) is only 250gp - still cheaper than plate in AD&D.. 

Using the 1e AD&D Lankhmar setting as a starting point, chain is x4 the listed cost and plate is unique, beyond the means of common adventurers (so maybe costing the equivalent of XP to reach 2nd level). Little-remembered UK rpg Dragonroar gives price of plate as 600 to 6,000 without commentary.

This is not because metal is especially scarce or because the technology isn't up to it, but because you need one of a dwindling number of specialists to make it, or because it belongs or belonged to someone important. Except for maybe the military during an actual war, there aren't workshops churning out suits of mail and plate.

Leather/Light Armour.

This type of armour exists in all settings except where there is no armour at all. Usually leather, or cloth, or padded, but can be reskinned as whatever you like (even mail or plate) as long as it's Light and protects as such. 

Includes robust clothing, crude animal hides and furs, catsuits, hazmat, otherwise impractical chainmail bikinis - whatever marks out the character as being armoured as opposed to not. 

Helmets and Shields.

Though shields have fallen out of common use, the buckler is still used for fighting practice and is readily available. 

Helmets, bucklers and parrying daggers as in this post. Helmets will be open as standard, but visors etc can be fitted easily enough.

Common Armour Types.

Relatively generic, covering approximately 17th/18th Century European pseudohistorical period (Hammer Horror-ish), but related examples exist in non-Euro settings and both earlier and later.

No prices, because it will vary place-to-place, time-to-time and depend on how fancy you want your goods.

• Leather Jack/Jerkin gives +1 AC and encumbers as Unarmoured. Basically a padded leather vest or jacket.

• Soldier's Coat gives +1 AC, but encumbers as Light armour. This is a gambeson or buff coat.

• Jack of Plates/Brigandine gives +1 AC, encumbers as Medium armour, but gives a 1 on d6 save vs. crits. Layers of cloth/leather reinforced with bits of metal plate (rivetted or sewn).

• Breastplate gives +2 AC and a save vs. crit, encumbers as Medium armour. Sometimes impractically ornate and expensive and just for show.

• Mail Shirt gives +3 AC, encumbers as Heavy armour. This is old fashioned kit, the armour of unrefined barbarians.

• Heavy Breastplate isn't necessarily available, but would be +4 AC Heavy armour with a crit save. Very old fashioned or worn by monsters.

You can wear a Leather Jack, Jack of Plates or Mail Shirt under a Soldier's Coat to stack the benefits.

You can do the same with a Breastplate and a Leather Jack or Soldier's Coat.

If you're wearing a Helmet with your Jack of Plates or Breastplate, you get the save vs. crit from both - so either roll twice or save on 1-2.

I'm assuming padding under the Mail Shirt as standard, but you could allow layering with a Leather Jack for total +4 AC.

Commentary.

Dark Sun pits non-metal vs. metal, but isn't necessarily a low armour setting. 

A Mighty Fortress provides for a specific historical period. Lamentations of the Flame Princess runs with this - with room for adventurers in plate and chain because they're monsters and weirdos.

Orcs of Thar gives rules for armour made of scraps (I think there were other BECMI/RC supplements that used this or a variation on it). I don't think this sits well alongside the primary armour system - maybe for a pure scavenger game. 

Lankhmar - City of Adventure firmly places one of the formative D&D texts in low armour territory, and this supplement (or at least the 1e AD&D character conversion section) is one of my touchstones for thinking about D&D adjacent gaming.

Again, usual caveats that this might all have been done before, done better or should just have played Runequest/ WFRP.

Bonus Extra.

And not just for low armour settings.

Leather, chain or plate on their own give +2 AC and are Light armour (chain shirt, breastplate etc), but you can layer them up to +6 - leather/padded under chain and/or plate.

Cost is cumulative for each layer.

This also leaves room to add optional  +1 AC armour pieces, such as tassets or an alternative to the helmet as a save vs. crit.

Experience! Gold! Thieves! - Kinder Surprise Houserules/Mods.

Your kind of party, eh?
Russ Nicholson for Citadel of Chaos.

Quicker Advancement.

• If you're playing with only three classes (OD&D style), shift down the XP tables so MUs advance as Fighters, Fighters as Clerics and Clerics as Thieves (or unchanged), or:
• Use 3e/4e/5e XP tables, and subtract that amount from corresponding older school class XP requirements. So, a BECMI Cleric needs 500 (3e) or 1200 (5e), a Fighter needs 1000 (3e) or 1700 (5e) to hit 2nd level. 

(This is one way of reducing the economy-busting amounts of gold that are an issue for some, and a way of speeding up advancement for the time-poor while keeping the staggered class advancement model)

Bonus Extra: if the table agrees, every time you roll a save, you get XP equal to the amount you missed or made the save by x10. Roll exactly your save value for 100 XP.

It's more book-keeping, but rewards general adventuring behaviour/risk-taking as you get something whether you fail or succeed. As your characters rise in level, it will make much less impact and you can drop it once it gets too cheese-paring.

Less Cash in Circulation.

Related to the lower XP requirement idea above and the fairly common trope that adventurers/heroes start off each story broke, hoping to make one big score and then end up cheated and broke again.

Characters do not keep ANY treasure that goes towards XP. 

It is out of your hands by the time the next adventure comes around, through debt, carousing, alms-giving, theft, gifts, living expenses (at the appropriate level of extravagance), cheats, gambling etc. You can even call it training costs. Narrate or hand wave this as your table likes.

Any cash (or choice items) you want to keep (in hand, in the bank, buried under a particular tree, put towards buying a castle, whatever) or spend on adventuring assistance/supplies does not count towards XP.

For extra misery, allow included living expenses to exceed the amount of XP you gain, so you end up in debt.

Are healing and curse removal costs inclusive or extras? 

More Thief Mods.

Because we just can't help it! 

Under either of the following (and I don't think they can work together), keep Hear Noise as a d6 skill (if that's in the system) and Backstab is unchanged.

Skills as saves: allocate your Thief skills to your saving throws (combine as appropriate), and test them on a d20 (or convert to %). 

You can swap a pair of saves/skills every time you gain a level.

You can apply Ability Score adjustments as agreed/appropriate.

Skills as hit rolls: each skill is an attack roll vs. unarmoured AC (or convert to %).

Your skill advances as a Fighter's attack progression, and leather/chain/plate can be used to represent grades of abnormal difficulty or increasingly stressful conditions.

In a mod of 2e AD&D weapon specialisation, the Thief can spend max. one of their NWP slots to specialise in a single skill at 1st level and get a +1 bonus. They can use a single additional slot gained at higher levels to specialise in another skill, or take their bonus to max. +2. This might also work with the 'skills as saves' method too.

Bonus Extras:

• Thieves open doors, locks, chests, disarm traps etc on an Open Doors roll, but use INT and/or DEX (depending on characterisation, and Dragonwarriors would suggest an average) to generate a STR bonus equivalent.
• Keep percentile skills, but you get to add your Prime Requisite % bonus to the base value.
• Thief skills % start at equivalent of 3rd level and scale from there.

Commentary.

Quick crude mods for a basic D&D adjacent game. Not playtested but someone's probably already tried all/most/some of these already in the last 40+ years.

Realise I could have held them back to pay this Joesky Tax I've heard about, but they've been hanging around my drafts and notes for a while now so I'm putting them out rather than letting them fester.

XP for saves is a rip from T&T.