Hog's Bog's Bugs (Part I)

Remember that Hex I grabbed over at Tenkar's Tavern?

While I tried to keep things as system neutral as possible, I wanted to include numbers for reference. I run a D&D 5e game with houserules. Numbers in parenthesis should be replaced with an appropriate number for your game. This is a rough-ish draft, so if something doesn't make sense or needs more clarification, please let me know!

In part I, I'll lay out the surrounding peatmoor. In Part II, I'll write up Hog's Bog itself. Finally in Part III, I'll reveal the maps of the the Muddy Fort, Hogstock Manor, and the Fell Hive. I'll be putting all of this together in a nice neat .pdf as well.  (Edit: Just kidding, it became a four part series. Part IV)

The Peatmoor

Between the surrounding lands and Hog’s Bog, there is a sizable area of low, grassy hills, small shrubbery, lichen covered stones, and the occasional pond. It floods often in these moors, but the acidic soil keeps out most foliage. The earth is very loamy and thick with peat. It has no major landmarks, so it is easier to get lost here.

Random Encounters. If wandering through the area or lost, D12; otherwise D10.

1: Insects. An insect swarm or 1d4 +1 giant insects are on the hunt. Ants, centipedes, nightshade moths, spiders, wasps, or worms.

2: Ooze. Oozes or slimes bubble up from the loam, looking for food. 2/6: Loamoeba 4/6: some other ooze or slime.

3: Lowland Weather. Low fog and light, gray drizzle. Reduced visibility and any open flames are extinguished for the next 24 hours.

4: Gnats and Mosquitos. They follow the party everywhere, -1 to all rolls. A fire, a stiff wind, or smoke will repel them.

5: The Stench. Gross smells and browning lichen are clues to danger. If approached, it is: 2/6 fetid mushrooms around a sulphuric spring: make an easy constitution save (DC 12) or be poisoned for 1d3 hours. 4/6 a sulphur pool in full algal bloom, the algae is a valuable ingredient (1d4x300 SP). To collect the algae, make a moderate constitution save (DC 15) or be poisoned for 1d4+1 hours.

6: An omen. Crows, an odd growth of brush, a dark cloud, or something similar. “GO BACK”. It’s trying to warn you about Hog’s Bog.

7: Beasts! A sounder of 2d6+2 hogs, an owl bear, 3d4 rams, 3d6 wild horses, 2d4+5 stirges, 1d4+6 coyotes, a Roc, or a snake swarn.

8: Farmers. Homesteaders looking for famous Hogstock Hogs. If encountered later, they are wounded and 1/6 have found some hogs.

9: Sam Duggher. A distant Hogstock cousin is looking for the manor for fun. If encountered later, he is 5/6 lost or 1/6 fleeing the manor.

10: Wounded adventurers. They are returning from the bog. What happened? Disease, insects, bog hazards, treachery, ghouls, or beasts.

11: Genny Bogstock’s Hut

12: Hogstock. Hogstock Manor or Hogstock, 50% chance of encountering either first.

Specific Locations:

Genny Bogstock’s Hut: Genny Bogstock is a gray haired, short, human woman who lives in a small cottage nestled up against a hill. She is amiable and kind, if a little senile. She is usually found tending her small garden of herbs and vegetables or checking her fish farms in nearby ponds. She offers to make stew if the players will catch her some rabbits. While making stew, she asks for some livestock from a nearby town. She gives copper pieces to pay with.

-If the players do bring her some livestock, she will trust the players enough to ask them explore the old Bogstock family home in the bog, doubtful there is anything left but she’s still curious. The Bogstock name was a direct jab by her grandfather, the hedge wizard, at the haughty Hogstocks.

-Genny will take a liking to one of the players and knit a scarf or hat. She checks on her friends with scrying magic.

-Secretly a good witch, she won’t reveal her powers unless she trusts the players or they are badly hurt. Clues to her secret are her herb garden, which has some rare spell ingredients or her house, which is subtly larger on the inside.

-She knows the types of environmental hazards in the bog, that there is an old keep in the bog, the types of creatures that inhabit the bog, and that the bog has been expanding but not why.

Hogstock Manor: This manor was abandoned ten years prior due to insect infestations. Hogstock once raised famous swine and grew good tobacco. Surrounding the manor are a few overgrown, former tobacco fields and swine pens. A handful of barns sit dilapidated or collapsed. A string of sturdy, stone buildings that were formerly for carpentry, smithing, and masonry now sit empty. A few small huts dot the road. The manor is a large, three story colonial style building with a groundskeeper’s hut, a small, fenced graveyard, and a gazebo. Underneath the manor is an extensive stone basement. The manor and its grounds are now infested with insects and the undead.

Hogstock: An abandoned hamlet sits right on the edge of the encroaching bog. A dozen brick homes lie empty along a dusty dirt road leading to the Hogstock Manor.  There is a small church, a town graveyard, and a few rotten barns. One of the homes is larger and used to be a general store and tavern. The wild hogs are descended from the swine from this town, and their presence nearby increases the activity here. Encounter rolls occur twice as often near the town, use the Peatbog random encounter table.

The Peatmoor Bestiary

Coyote: HD 1+2, T, AC 12, ATK 1* (Bite) DAM 1d4, MV 30’, SAV F1, MORALE 6. *Coyotes recieve +1 attack and damage for each other coyote within 5 ft of their target.

Giant Ant: HD 3+1, S, AC 13, ATK 1* (Pinchers) DAM 1d6, MOV 20’/BRW 5’, SAV F1, MORALE 9. *Giant Ants get +1 to attack and damage for each other giant ant within 5 ft of the target.

Giant Centipede: HD 5+1, M, AC 16, ATK 1 (Bite) DAM 2d6, MOV 60’/BRW 10’, SAV F4, MORALE 9

Giant Nightshade Moth: HD 2+1, S, AC 12, ATK 1 (Dust) DAM 0*, MOV 5’/Fly 30’, SAV F1, MORALE 6.

*Dust hits all within 10 ft. 1d6 poison damage. Make a tough CON save (DC 15) or fall asleep for 1d6 rounds.

Giant Spider: HD 2+3, S, AC 15, ATK 1 (Bite) DAM 1d6 + Poison*, MOV 40’**/Climb 40’, SAV F2, MORALE 7. *Moderate CON save (DC 14) or take ongoing 2d6 poison damage until a successful save is made. **Made jump up to twice their move speed and make a single bite attack.

Giant Wasp: HD 1+3, S, AC 13, ATK 1 (Sting) DAM 2d6 + Poison*, MOV 5’/Fly 40’, SAV F1, MORALE 12. *Make a tough CON save (DC 17) or take 2d6 poison damage. A wasp takes 5 damage when it hits with a sting attack.

Giant Worm: HD 6-1, M, AC 16, ATK 1 (Bite) DAM 1d6, MOV 10’/BRW 20’, SAV F2, MORALE 8.

Hogstock Hogs: Huge hogs rooting through the loam, while a few keep watch. Growing up to be as large as ponies, these black hogs bear swirling marks of brown on their lush, furry coat. These intelligent beasts are gentle giants when approached with food or soft spoken words, but still carry the aggressive nature of their boorish ancestors. If attacked or threatened, their large size, stampedes, and pack tactics make them quite dangerous. If encountered in the spring, there is also one piglet for every three adults. The piglets eat voraciously and will be fully grown by the end of the summer.

Adult Hog: HD 4 -1*, L, AC 14, ATK 2** (Tusk,Hoof) DAM 1d8,1d6*, MV 40’, SAV as F3, MORALE 10 *Pack tactics: +1 attack and damage for each hog within 10 ft. **Stampede: Make a charge with at least two other Hogs, and gain a hoof attack. If it hits, the target is knocked prone. Prone targets take max damage from further hoof attacks.

They don't stay cute and little for long...

Piglet: HD 2-3, S, AC 12, ATK 1 (Tusk) DAM 1d4, MV 30’, SAV F1, MORALE 6

Loamoeba: A mindless, stringy, brown-green, lichen encrusted ooze bubbles up from the earthy loam. It probes forth with long pseudopods, looking for food by sensing the vibrations of the soil. It eats dead matter, and enjoys freshly dead matter the most. It enjoys a temporary symbiotic relationship with living creatures in which is oozes over their flesh, rubbing off and eating dead skin or loose fur. This has the effect of healing a creature for 1d6 hit points for each HD. A creature only builds up enough dead skin and hair to entice a Loamoeba once a week. The process leaves the creature smelling of earth. Loamoeba are particularly active during molting season. Every 20 hp healed in this way is enough food to grow the Loameba by one HD. Upon gaining a its 9th HD, the amoeba buds into 9, 1 HD oozes. They are highly nutritious, if runny and bitter, worth 1 ration for every 2 HD, each ration also heals 1hp.   Their defense against hostile creatures are retreating to the loam and releasing a foul cloud of clinging odor that attracts other predators.

Loamoeba: HD (1 to 8), S, AC 10, ATK 2 (Feed* Spray**)  DAM 0/0, MV 10’/BRW 20’, SAV F1, MORALE 4. *Will attempt to feed on the dead skin and hair of a living creature within 60’, the symbiotic feeding heals the creature for 1d6 HP per HD **Any hostile actions or loud noises will cause the Loamoeba to release a 20’ radius cloud of clinging gas that smells of blood and gore, attracting predators. Double random encounters, and increase predator encounter difficulty for 12 hours or until players coat themselves in mud.

Moor Owl Bear: HD 10, L, AC 17, ATK 2 (Bite, Claw x2*) DAM 2d6/1d8, MV 30’, SAV F10, MORALE 11. *If the owl bear hits with both claws, it rends the target, dealing an additional 2d6 damage.

Ram: HD 2+2, S, AC 12, ATK 1 (Gore) DAM 1d6, MV 50’, SAV F2, MORALE 10. *If the ram moves at least half its speed before it attacks, its gore attack deals an additional 1d6 damage. Rams get +1 attack and damage for each other ram within 5ft of the target.

Roc: HD 12, H, AC 18, ATK 3* (Bite, Claws, Wing) DAM 3d6/1d8/1d8, MV 10’/Fly 80’, SAV F10, MORALE 10. *A Roc that hits with its claws attack will attempt to grapple the target in order to lift them up and drop them.

Stirge: HD 1+2, T, AC 13, ATK 1* (Stab) DAM 1, MV 20’/Swim 60’, SAV F5, MORALE 8. *On a succesful stab attack, the stirge attaches and drains 1d6 HP per round until removed with a moderate STR check (DC 15) or it flees.

Swarms: A large swarm of small creatures moves as a group to attack enemies. Swarms reduced to 0 hit points scatter as a number of harmless insects. *Swarms take only half damage from any weapon or targeted attacks but take double damage from area attacks. **Swarms deal their damage automatically to all creatures that start their turn in one of the eight contiguous 5ft spaces or cubes they occupy (16 spaces for H swarms).

Ant Swarm HD 10, L, AC 14*, ATK 1** (Bites), DAM 2d6, MV 10’, SAV F3, MORALE 10.

Centipede Swarm HD 12, L, AC 13*, ATK 1** (Bites), DAM 3d6, MV 20’, SAV F4, MORALE 8.

Nightshade Moth Swarm: A fluttering swarm of light purple moths leaves behind a trail of soft dust glinting in the moonlight. Nightshade larvae feed off of the deadly nightshade and their adult form produces a sleeping poison of its own. A single moth produces enough dust to poison small rodents, but in a swarm, they produce enough dust to fell much larger beasts. They lay their eggs in these carcasses, which are toxic enough to prevent predation on their eggs.

Nightshade Moth Swarm HD 4, L, AC 14*, ATK 1** (Dust), DAM 0 + Dust, MV 5’/Fly 20’, SAV F1, MORALE 6. Dust: 1d6 Poison damage then make a moderate CON save (DC 13) or fall asleep for 1d6 rounds.

Snake Swarm: HD 6+1, H, AC 14*, ATK 1** (Bites), DAM 1d6 + Poison, MV 20’/Swim 10’, SAV F3, MORALE 12. Easy CON save (DC 12) or take ongoing 1d6 poison damage until a succesful save is made.

Spider Swarm HD 8, L, AC 15*, ATK 1** (Bites), DAM 1d6 + Poison, MV 20’, SAV F2, MORALE 9. Moderate CON save (DC 13) or take ongoing 1d6 poison damage until a save is made.

Wasp Swarm HD 6, L, AC 16*, ATK 1** (Stings), DAM 1d6 + Poison, MV 5’/Fly 30’, SAV F1, MORALE 12. Moderate CON save (DC 13) or take 2d6 poison damage.

Worm Swarm HD 12, H, AC 10*, ATK 1** (Bites), DAM 1d6, MV 5’/BRW 10’, SAV F3, MORALE 10.

Wild Horse: HD 2, L, AC 13, ATK 1 (Bite or Kick) DAM 1d4/1d6, MV 60’, SAV F1, MORALE 4*. *Roll morale on taking damage. If failed, the horse starts a stampede with other horses. Each round they double move to escape. Any creatures Medium sized or smaller in their path receive two kick attacks.