Fiend Factory 5E: Issue 5 The Bogy

Issue 5: The Bogy

White Dwarf issue 5 includes part 2 of Don Turnbull’s “Monsters Mild and Malign” article, which picks some of his favourite creatures published in the earlier magazines Dungeoneer (edited by Paul Jaquays) and Alarums and Excursions (edited by Lee Gold). Rather charmingly, Don assumes that the reader has already read these publications, which sort of suggests a kind of small-group cosy hobbyist feel to the early days of D&D.

Also of note, is that Don doesn’t really give much detail on each of the monsters, certainly not always enough to be useful in play. Well, either that, or these early monsters were little more than armour class, hit points and damage.

First up are the Fuzzy and the Steely, which are billed as being alternative beholders, but what they are, in effect, are globes with eye-stalks/tentacles that make attacks. The Fuzzy, for example, has three tentacles that can reach 10 feet and deliver a paralysing sting attack. The Steely is similar, but with a better armour class. Not really beholder-kin at all, in my opinion. Don makes the rather strange observation that “if you want to increase the number of tentacles, bear in mind that a creature’s brain-power needs to be pretty high to coordinate attacks from even three tentacles so make corresponding adjustments to the beast’s attack mode probabilities”. Which, I think, also gives us an insight into some attitudes to early play, particularly from Don Turnbull.

Next is the Gremlin, which in this instance has a 50% chance of causing any weapon used to attack it to break or turn into a harmless form. I’ve never really seen a gremlin stat that I found satisfactory, and this isn’t one either. I think, really, you’ve got to have them in a modern/magic setting (Shadowrun, for example), where they can jinx machines. I quite liked the RuneQuest version, where the Nilmergs were little creatures made by the Mostali (Dwarves) to help them construct things (a bit like the Doozers in Fraggle Rock). Gremlins, therefore, were reversed nilmergs, that broke things rather than fixed them.

I’m going to skip over the Bogy, as that’s the one I chose. After this comes the Cyborg, evidently based on the Six Million Dollar Man (do your own bionic action sound effects), and then the Cyclops. Pretty simple kinds of tough creatures, nothing too exciting.

Then we get the Manta, which is kind of like a flying mushroom that gets up to speed and rams with its tail spike.

What puzzled me was the mechanics of this, because if it’s going to be moving live a jelly fish, the tail is going to be at the back. So … how then does it turn to attacks? Slightly under-thought, I think, but could be adapted as a variant darkmantle.

The Cynopard is a quite nice simplish carnivorous beast. Blue-green with yellow-flecked fur, this creature has six legs and can either stand on its hind legs to deliver four claw attacks, or stand on all sixes to deliver a bite attack. Simple, but also solid. As is the Banth, although there is less description about this creature, which has eight legs and a bite attack. I think it’s the “Barsoomian Lion” from the ER Burroughs John Carter series.

There are a couple of other SF rip-offs, sorry, “borrowings”. The Kzin, from Larry Niven’s Known Space novels (that Don doesn’t recognise) has some somewhat overpowered features, like the ability to attack and deny the opponent a counter attack, and a stunning shout as well. The Sphex (which Don recognises, and I don’t, but he forgets the source), described as a cross between a spitting cobra and a wildcat painted tan and blue, with claws and bite that are not only poisonous, but also carry rabies. Too little to go on with this one to work out what to do with it.

“Imps,” says Don, “probably need no introduction from me”. Because, of course, we’ve all read Dungeoneer Issue 3. I can only assume that at this stage, the official Imp and Quasit statistics hadn’t been published, because these are described as a kind of minor demon with between 1 to 7d8 hit dice and a few magic spells. The Iron Demon, despite the name, is a collection of claw/bite attacks, a breath weapon that does 2d6 damage, but over what range and of what kind of damage is not discussed, as well as a strangling tail, which is a nice touch.

Just a few left now. The Mobil Diss are a swarm creature, and they sound a bit like the Vashta Nerada of Doctor Who – minute creatures (billions in a few square feet) that devour their victims utterly. Don makes mention of “Mobil Diss Salt” which the designer mentions (in Dungeoneer 3, which we’ve all read), and I can’t help but feel there’s some kind of pun going on here, but if there is, I just don’t see it.

The Threep is somewhat like the Dreaded Three-Headed Knight of Monty Python and the Holy Grail – three heads on one body, one a fighter, one a cleric, one a magic-user. Eh. Does nothing for me. Plus a “threep” is a kind of squeaky fart from the classic Canadian “Farting Contest” record.

Lastly is the Goldeater, which, well, see for yourself:

Much like the Mimic, the Rust Monster, and such 1^st Ed beasties like the Lurker Above and the Ear Seeker, this kind of monster exists solely to prey upon adventurers doing adventuring things and as such don’t really appeal to me like they do to Don.

Now, back to the one that stood out to me. The Bogy.

Partly because I quite liked the illustration, and partly because all of the others had some kind of flaw. I rather like the simplicity of this creature.

I wasn’t sure what type to give it – fey, perhaps, or monstrosity due to the four-arms and bestial nature. But then, the text refers to it as a “humanoid”, and thri-kreen are classed as humanoids despite being insectoids, and so humanoid it is.

Obviously these things have the same etymology as the bogeyman, bogles and other similar creatures, but interestingly they seemed to be linked to the term “goblin” (from “bogle-men”). And in folklore, the concept of the bogeyman is much the same as a hobgoblin or a bugbear – a frightening monster in the dark. So I was tempted to make them part of the goblinoid family. I think, on balance, the bogy is just too different in appearance for that to work, but if wanted to, go for it. I gave them fluency in the Goblin language though, just ‘cos.

The four-armed thing was tricky at first, but looking at other multi-armed creatures, it’s just a matter of giving them one attack per arm. I went with the armaments of the pictured bogy, a flail and a whip (the three-headed flail looks cool, but mechanically it may as well just be a flail). Bogies could be armed however you wish, and even unarmed that have claws and a head-butt. I also added in the charge ability based on the statistics for a goat.

Finally, what do bogeymen do? They hide in the darkness. And so a double-proficiency Stealth skill plus the Lurker in Shadows bonus giving the creature advantage to hide in dim lighting. And if it’s going to hide in shadows, it perhaps ought to be able to see in them, so darkvision was inevitable. These aren’t mentioned in the original text, but it gives the bogy a little bit of a flavour ability that helps define how it behaves.

And there we have it, the bogy. Or bogle.

Bogy

Medium humanoid (bogy), chaotic evil

Armour Class 12 (natural armour) Hit Points 16 (3d8 + 3) Speed 30 ft.

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 9 (-1) 10 (+0) 8 (-1)

Proficiency Bonus +2 Skills Stealth +5 Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10

Languages Common, Goblin

Challenge 1 (200 XP)

Charge. If the bogy moves 20 feet straight towards a target and then hits it with a ram attack on the same turn, the target takes an extra 2 (1d4) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Lurker in Shadows. The bogy has advantage to Dexterity (Stealth) checks to hide in areas of dim light and darkness. ACTIONS

Multiattack. The bogy can make five attacks on its turn; four with its arms, using weapons or claws, and a ram attack. Flail. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) bludgeoning damage. Whip. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage. Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) slashing damage. Ram. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4 + 2) bludgeoning damage.