The Delver's Field Guide II: Darwallian

 

Darwallian (High Kobold)

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Deep subterranean
FREQUENCY: Uncommon at depth, Very rare else
ORGANIZATION: Tribe
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any
DIET: Omnivorous
INTELLIGENCE: High (13-14)
TREASURE: I, O+P
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral
NO. APPEARING: 3d4, 3d% in lair
ARMOR CLASS: By armor type (10)
MOVEMENT: 15
HIT DICE: 1+1
THAC0: 19
NO. OF ATTACKS: 1
DAMAGE/ATTACK: by weapon
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Nil
SPECIAL DEFENSES: Nil
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: M (6')
MORALE: Average (8-10)
XP VALUE: 45


Darwallians are very similar to their ubiquitous cousins, Kobolds, except for a few minor, but striking, differences.

Appearance: Darwallians are very lithe and twice the height of the common Kobold. They prefer to wear loose, comfortable clothing that can double as bedding if necessary.  To increase their speed when fleeing from predators, Darwallians have regained the ability to travel rapidly on all fours, and will do so if the need arises. Darwallians are blind to all wavelengths of light except infrared.

Combat: Darwallians are a peaceful, agrarian race. They will avoid combat unless their small nest-like homes are endangered. Still yet, Darwallians are skilled weapon-smiths and armorers. A typical traveling group will be unarmed except for dirks. In their den, however, all mature male Darwallians will have a stockpile of arms, typically shortswords and hide or scale armor. Most often, if confronted outside of their lair, Darwallians will flee through a series of warren-like tunnels designed to confuse predators.

Society: Darwallian life is focused around agriculture, horticulture, and art. When this isn't enough, groups of mature males will range 1d4 miles from the den, hunting small subterranean game. A Darwallian den is typically very clean and arranged geometrically in a rounded, spoke-like fashion. Nurseries and other more vulnerable nests will be located near the hub of the den; while more powerful nests, such as families with multiple mature males, will be arranged on the outermost edges of the den. Political power is derived from the potency of one's art as judged by a group of 6-12 elderly females called the Council of Mothers. As such, males are dissuaded from pursuing art. Their attention is guided toward the overall health of the den. Population apportionment: 30% mature female, 30% mature male, 30% immature male and female, 7% elderly female, 3% elderly male. Maximum life expectancy for female Darwallians is 110 years -- 95 for males.

Darwallians speak a complicated language. Syntax is reversed from common and the words are bastardizations of Goblin, Orc, and Duergar. Darwallians are, by their nature, very social creatures. If approached cautiously with gifts, Darwallians are happy to communicate and trade with any creature of a lawful alignment. Most Darwallians are calm and rational, with one exception -- They despise Kobolds and do not consider themselves related to Kobolds. In minor den disputes it's common to hear Darwallians trade racial slurs such as brother or lover of the Kobolds.

Special note on Darwallian art: The very best of the Darwallian arts, according to the Council of Mothers, is a balanced approach to three devotions: Heat, Scent, and Sound. A common Darwallian performance art piece will include painting walls with hot, aromatic liquids and crooning. This practice may have evolved from an elaborate camouflaging behavior useful in the black depths.

C. Aaron Aldridge 2013

The Delver's Field Guide I: Allen's Greater Wandering Rope

For years now The Delver's Field Guide By Ark Allen has been the go-to manual for adventurers with a flair for studying the ecology of creatures lurking in the deep places. Unfortunately, the Guide was published as an unfinished work due to Allen's untimely demise in the Lair of the Last Zelf.

Missing for decades, the final dozen or so of Allen's planned entries have been unearthed by John James and his Parlor Hounds, a group of delvers and fans of the Guide. J.J. & Co. followed Allen's path down the Miner's Trail into Silance, a poorly-mapped silver mine excavated during the Great Expansion of 3457. After a handful of bizarre events which are chronicled elsewhere, the Co. finally located the Lair of the Last Zelf. Finding the Zelf absent, the party began to comb the area. Ultimately, J.J. and his group returned the precious documents to Allen's original publisher.

We are printing them here with the publisher's consent.



Allen's Greater Wandering Rope

CLIMATE/TERRAIN: Subterranean
FREQUENCY: Very Rare
ORGANIZATION: Solitary
ACTIVITY CYCLE: Any

DIET: Carnivore

INTELLIGENCE: Semi- (2-4)
TREASURE: Nil
ALIGNMENT: Neutral (Evil)
NO. APPEARING: 1
ARMOR CLASS: 5
MOVEMENT: 9
HIT DICE: 4+3
THAC0: 15
NO. OF ATTACKS: 2
DAMAGE/ATTACK: 1-4/2-8
SPECIAL ATTACKS: Constriction, See Below
SPECIAL DEFENSES: See Below
MAGIC RESISTANCE: Nil
SIZE: L (40'-50' Long, 1"-3" Wide)
MORALE: Steady (11)
XP VALUE: 1000xp base + DMs Discretion

Ropes are snake-like creatures that typically roam areas shrouded in perpetual night, such as caves, underground ruins, and mines.
     Unlike reptiles, Ropes are warm-blooded and require no heat source to maintain their body temperature. Ropes can, however, adjust their body temperature at will. Like reptiles, Ropes only need to feed when it's necessary. They have been known to hibernate for several years before returning to their active feeding cycle.
      A Rope's diet typically includes small to man-sized mammals, reptiles, insects, and amphibians. Ropes themselves often fall prey to the largest reptiles in the subterranean realms.
 
Combat: Over the eons, Ropes have evolved a chameleon-like ability to surprise their prey. When a Rope coils up for hibernation it has the ability to cause itself to resemble a hemp rope of the same proportions. Ropes will also use their chameleon ability while dangling loosely from high points in caverns. If alarmed, ropes will drop on their prey and constrict for 2d4 damage per round. A Rope's bite is non-venomous, but will cause 1d4 points of piercing damage.
     Any long (40'-50') hemp rope found abandoned in a suitable subterranean area has a 2% chance of being a Greater Wandering Rope. Ropes will often remain disguised for as many as 2d10 days before revealing themselves.

C. Aaron Aldridge 2013