[3.5/d20r] Real-World Mythical Monsters

[Fax Celestis]

Partially instigated by this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193009), I'd like to present a query to the playerbase: what are some 'typical' and/or 'iconic' creatures from real-life myth that you'd like to see statted? We're talking things like thunderbirds (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunderbird_(mythology)), jackalopes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackalope), ahuizotl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahuizotl_(creature)), kallikantzaros (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kallikantzaros), dullahan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dullahan), chaneque (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaneque), phoenices (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_(mythology)), chupacabra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chupacabra), kitsune (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune), tanuki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanuki), oni (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oni_%28folklore%29), cerberi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus)... In particular, we're discussing such things that don't already appear in the MM-I. Yes, we are fixing that medusa/gorgon kerfluffle, the lamia debacle, and such similar mishaps.

[Yora]

Hope the mods don't close this as almost all mythological creatures are part of religions. :smallamused:

What I really want is a good Oni. Ogre Mages are cool, but I'm not exactly sure if Oni have any magical abilities. Unfortunately I can't find any good information and all I know is that they are smart ogres.

Another thing would be a Klabautermann or Heinzelmänchen. The later are similar to the swedish Tomte, while the former are... I don't know. Nautic Gremlins?
Okay, correction: The Klabautermann (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klabautermann) was originally like a Tomte who lived on a ship, but later became something of a nautical gremlin. I think both are interesting concepts.

[Fax Celestis]

I should clarify: cryptids also count.

[DeltaEmil]

What I really want is a good Oni. Ogre Mages are cool, but I'm not exactly sure if Oni have any magical abilities. Some of them do. Oni is a big category of spirit-creatures. The most famous of course being the red and the blue oni who go around shooting lightning and riding black clouds.

[Tvtyrant]

I want Trunko (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trunko)!

[WinWin]

Tulpa. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulpa) Something like an awakened Astral Construct may work, especially if they have a fragment of the creators personality like a psycrystal.

Bunyip. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunyip) A water spirit with no uniform description. Easiest method of getting around this may be to add the [shapechanger] tag or give it an impenatrable Blur effect as an (Su) ability.

[Ravens_cry]

What D&D needs is more herbivores and other creatures lower in the food chain. As it is, it is ridiculously top heavy. Magic and explicitly magical creatures can avoid some of the thermodynamic insanity, but, unless your game has more magic then the Tippyverse, not all. You don't need to stat everything down to the lowliest shrew and worm, but at least create something plausible.
Yes officer, I do have a catgirl hunting licence. :smallbiggrin:

[WinWin]

Fine. How about a Drop Bear? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drop_bear)

Mistakenly referred to as a Dire Koala, these huge aboreal creatures subsist on a diet composed mainly of Eucalyptus leaves. They have a magical quality that allows them to adjust their weight, mainly to prevent excessive damage to their habitat.

However, a deit of gum leaves and a relatively low metabolism has a deletoreous effect on the health of these creatures. Their brain and nervous systems effectively become pickled by the inherant toxicity of Eucalyptus oil and their lowered immune system makes them prone to disease.

Rogue Drop Bears become extremely vicous and territorial. Typically excluded from their sloth (grouping), they become deranged and will attack just about anything in their native forests. Some of these rogues have even been found in adventitious environs, such as deserts or frozen tundra. They typically use their natural weight adjustment ability to increase their mass, drop out of a nearby tree, pouncing on foes from above and crushing them.

All Drop Bears have an aversion to Vegemite. Rubbing a small quantity behind your ears is a sure method of protection from their attacks.

[PollyOliver]

I'd like to see something like the Nio. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nio) Traditionally guardians of the Buddha, but they'd be cool as guardians of shrines or temples of a particular faith, or as a general force which defends holy places of any type.