Cryptid: Werewolf of Webster County, WV

WEREWOLF OF WEBSTER COUNTY, WV

Armor Class:  5

Hit Dice:  8 (L)

Move:  150' (50')

Attacks:  2 claws/1 bite

Damage:  1d8/1d8/3d6

No. Appearing:  0 (1d4)

Save As:  F4

Morale:  10

Treasure Type:  Nil

Intelligence:  7

Alignment:  Chaotic

XP Value:  650

    Monster Type:  Humanoid (Very Rare).

    Though called a werewolf by those who have seen it, for lack of a better term more befitting (for it does indeed appear much like a werewolf), this is really a roughly humanoid man-wolf hybrid creature that stands 7'-8' tall, weighs 400 lbs. or so, and is about 3' through the chest.  The Werewolf does indeed resemble its namesake in many habits, not the least of which is that it is only active during the full moon or just before - as the full moon gets closer, the more active the creature tends to be.

    The legend of its supposed creation is said to be of Shawnee origin.  In the 1770s, natives were massacred by white settlers along a game trail, and their chief was reincarnated into this beast.  He would go on to seek revenge down through the years.  No one knows if this story is true, but due to the fact that more than one of these Werewolves has been sighted together in the past, it's likely this lore is false, created by the settlers out of fear of something they could not explain.  Some people believe this legend regardless, because the Werewolves do actually seem to target poachers, killers of Native Americans, and desecrators of holy Native grounds or traditional hunting grounds.

    It is intelligent, sets traps for those it stalks in the forest, and is unafraid of human beings.  It can easily make 10'-20' jumps, and is very fast.  Its howl, if nearby, can actually be felt as well as heard, as the soundwaves beat the air.  The Werewolf has what's called a Howling Rock, a place upon a tall outcrop or standing stone it has picked for height, sound, and to help amplify its call.  There will be obvious trail signs on or near the Howling Rock, such as claw marks from climbing its surface, or the remains of meals scattered nearby.  It also has glowing eyes that can be seen hundreds of yards away in the dark woods.  It can bite bones in two as this as cattle femurs, and does horrible damage with its claws and teeth in combat.  Its bedding area in its lair (usually a cave near its Howling Rock) is about 8' long, 4' across, and reeks of animal.

    

    Terrain:  Woods.

Inspired by S1 E10 of Mountain Monsters.  Quotes of the episode:  "Rougher than my grandmother's belly."  "If the werewolf drops a fart in there, it'll go off."

AI Generated Art

Cryptid: Yahoo of Nicholas County, WV

YAHOO OF NICHOLAS COUNTY, WV

Armor Class:  6

Hit Dice:  5 (L)

Move:  150' (50')

Attacks:  2 fists or 1 club

Damage:  2d4/2d4 or 2d8

No. Appearing:  0 (1d10)

Save As:  F5

Morale:  6

Treasure Type:  Nil

Intelligence:  6

Alignment:  Neutral

XP Value:  175

    Monster Type:  Humanoid (Very Rare)

    Often also called the West Virginia Bigfoot, the Yahoo is a 7-8' tall, black-hair-covered, ape-like humanoid that weighs between 800 and 1200 lbs.  It's quite aggressive, dangerous, and fast, but if pressed in combat, it tends to flee as often as it fights.  It's named for its call, a distinctive sound that resembles the word "yahoo."  It lairs in nests of branches that are 20' long, 6'-7' high, with a 3' tall sleeping cavity inside.  The branches are woven tightly and neatly together.

    In combat the Yahoo attacks with its fists, which are quite powerful weapons, but just as often comes after intruders in its territory with a great club, usually fashioned from a log or weighted branch, with knobs and bits of spiky broken smaller branches at the business end.

    Terrain:  Woods.

Inspired by S1 E9 of Mountain Monsters.

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Cryptid: Grafton Monster of Taylor County, WV

GRAFTON MONSTER OF TAYLOR COUNTY, WV

Armor Class:  7

Hit Dice:  5+5 (L)

Move:  120' (40')

Attacks:  2 fists/1 bite

Damage:  1d8/1d8/2d6

No. Appearing:  0 (1)

Save As:  F5

Morale:  8

Treasure Type:  Nil

Intelligence:  6

Alignment:  Neutral

XP Value:  225

    Monster Type:  Giant Humanoid (Very Rare).

    The Grafton Monster is a huge humanoid, weighing in at 1,500 lbs., with 4' wide shoulders, and standing 9' tall.  Also called the headless horror for the way it stands, the creature's head is slung low toward the middle of its chest most time, although it can draw itself up to its full height.  Otherwise, it appears as a giant, slovenly, barbaric human.  It wears rags for clothes, or skins.

    For its size, it is incredibly quick, not slow like other giants.  It can move quickly in rough terrain, and is not slowed by difficult ground (ignore any penalties for terrain).  It's a predator, and is smart enough to stalk and hunt prey, but it is not intelligent enough to speak a language. It communicates with grunts and groans.  It can roar as well, and this roar reverberates through the hills, echoing almost sub-sonically it is so deep.  This roar can be heard over great distances and can be almost felt in the air when near.  It can leap up to 20' horizontally or veritically.

    Terrain:  Cavern, Mountain, Woods.

Inspired by S1 E8 of Mountain Monsters.  Quote of the episode:  "Slicker than socks on a rooster."

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Cryptid: Kentucky Hellhound of Pike County, KY

KENTUCKY HELLHOUND OF PIKE COUNTY, KY

Armor Class:  4

Hit Dice:  7+3 (L)

Move:  240' (80')

Attacks:  1 bite

Damage:  1d12

No. Appearing:  0 (1d4)

Save As:  F4

Morale:  9

Treasure Type:  Nil

Intelligence:  4

Alignment:  Neutral

XP Value:  550

    Monster Type:  Giant Animal (Very Rare).

    The Kentucky Hellhound makes its supposed home in Pike County, KY.  This blue-furred, 6' long, 400 lbs. nocturnal canine creature is 4' tall at the shoulder, and has a long mane that extends down its back.  Early moonshiners were the first to sight the creature, and due to it eating mainly young calves, a $200 bounty is in effect for the beast.  When it eats the calves, it will remove all the skin from their backs, and no one is certain why.  The Kentucky Hellhound is as fast as a horse, and is primarily an ambush predator.

    The Hellhound surprises victims on a 1-4 on 1d6, as it has an uncanny ability to find perfect hiding spots, and is smart enough to use pack tactics.  If one (or more) is encountered, if the character encountering the beast flees, it will always give chase and attempt to kill the character. The only way to survive and encounter with one is to either kill it, or stand firm and try to intimidate the beast (this will prompt a morale check).  It will attack with a particularly nasty bite from a mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

    Terrain:  Woods.

Inspired by S1 E7 of Mountain Monsters.  Quote of the episode:  "Slicker than snot on a doorknob!"

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Cryptid: Mothman of Mason County, WV

MOTHMAN OF MASON COUNTY, WV

Armor Class:  6

Hit Dice:  7** (L)

Move:  120' (40')

    Flying:  180' (60')

Attacks:  2 fists

Damage:  1d6/1d6

No. Appearing:  0 (1)

Save As:  M7

Morale:  7

Treasure Type:  Nil

Intelligence:  15

Alignment:  Chaotic

XP Value:  2050

    Monster Type:  Monster (Very Rare).

    In our world, this creature has seen a lot of press. In the world of Dark Appalachia, it has not.  With 12' moth-like and somehow also bat-like wings, standing 8' tall, weighing 500 lbs, this creature has a mixture of facial features of moths and humans.  It has bright red-glowing eyes, likes being around bridges, and appears near the area of disasters before they occur.  It also has a reputation as a fire-starter, but no one is quite sure why this creature does any of the things it does.

    The gaze of the mothman has the power to hypnotize victims into unconsciousness. If the mothman is within 120' and a creature meets its gaze, the victim must save vs. paralysis or fall unconscious for 1d6 minutes. Upon waking, the formerly unconscious character is sick for the next 24 hours and must apply a -2 (-10%) to any roll attempted.  The mothman can also teleport as the spell at will to a distance of 120' with no chance of error.  It also has the following spell-like abilities, useable at will:  heat metal, produce fire.

    Terrain:  Mountain, Settled, Woods.

Inspired by S1 E5 of Mountain Monsters

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Campaign Sketch: Dark Appalachia

    What if the entirety of the area we call Appalachia was lifted out of its current position, and becomes an isolated demiplane?  How did this happen?  Why did this happen?  If this happens in the 1930s, do technological innovations of the modern day exist, or did other developments occur?

    These are the questions I'll be trying to answer as I start writing my Dark Appalachia campaign for BECMI.  Dark Appalachia has a defined border that disappears into impenetrable mists that no one ever returns from if they enter them.  The residents of the area do know that they were not always isolated, since historical references from before the 1930s exist in their libraries and newspaper archives.  Every expedition mounted to try to navigate through the mists at the edges of Dark Appalachia have never come back, even attempts to sail down the rivers, which flow into the mists and then also disappear.

    Magic became reality when the area was "lifted" from Earth, although it's understated and more formulaic than a typical fantasy world, and it's usually rather insidious.  Psychic ability also exists in all its forms, yet is rare.  Many monsters exist, including all the cryptids of Earth legend, and lair in the wilderness around settlements.

    As for religion, all the versions of Christianity that existed in the 1930s exist here, as well as some new denominations.  Nature worship returned and is now practiced in the hills, hollers, and mountains, and pagan gods (perhaps just powerful monsters?) occasionally walk the earth, hungry for worship and sacrifice.  The occult sciences are all functional, although no one is sure whose cosmology is real, since the situation Dark Appalachia finds itself in seems to exist outside the cosmos, and even with magic and psychic abilities the true nature of the cosmos cannot really be determined.  Satanic worship has also become quite widely practiced, owing largely to the occult sciences becoming reality, but is almost never practiced openly since it is still heavily frowned upon, and with good reason since the horrific stories and legends attributed to this religion seem to be truth in this land.  Any other philosophy or cult that existed in the 1930s or prior in the United States may also be found in Dark Appalachia.

    The practice of magic itself is generally the province of the witch, warlock, or evil creatures, although well-intentioned wise women and cunning-men heave learned some benign spells to protect themselves, their friends, and their communities.  However, even good magic can attract the unwanted attention of evil men and women of magic and fouler things besides.  The use of magical formulae and rituals seems to ripple outward, the energy spent or invoked seemingly sending a beacon out into the world, alerting the supernatural to its use, even when it is for benevolent purposes.  The more powerful the magic, the further away it can be sensed.  A simple charm performed for good luck may escape the notice of all but directly nearby entities and spellcasters, but a powerful summoning will be felt for miles.  For this reason, magicians often only use magic in hidden places or on warded or holy ground.

    The side of good in Dark Appalachia tries to keep the supernatural under control with the means at their disposal, to reduce the possibility of complete lawlessness and violence that would inevitably occur if creatures or magic were widespread.  The side of evil also tries to keep their efforts secret due the benefit of working in the dark, unseen by prying eyes.  Secrecy aids both good and evil, but for different reasons, and is truly a double-edged sword.  There are those who actively seek out supernatural and human evil and attempt to eradicate it, hunting it to the remotest hollers, in the darkest sewers, and deep in the loneliest wilderness.  These hard men and women are devoted to protecting humanity in Appalachia from annihilation and they are always at work to find out why their country is isolated, and perhaps discover a way to rejoin the humanity of Earth.  The most urgent work at hand, however, is to eradicate the inhuman creatures and evil sorcerers that are bent on working with the side of evil.

    More will come on this blog about this particular campaign as I begin to assemble it. I want to run it at a local game store and see who I can introduce to the BECMI rules, which are my favorite of all time, especially the iteration of them contained in the Rules Cyclopedia. I do have a copy of all five of the boxed sets (which I've assembled via PDF into a huge print omnibus so that I have all the rules that don't exist in the Cyclopedia!).  I think it will be interesting to see how someone reacts to this ruleset that's only been exposed to 5e, which is what's generally played at this particular store (they host learn-to-play events each week due to demand, which is awesome).

Cryptid: Wampus Beast of Pleasants County, WV

WAMPUS BEAST OF PLEASANTS COUNTY WV

Armor Class:  6

Hit Dice:  5** (L)

Move:  150' (50')

Attacks:  2 claws/1 bite

Damage:  1d4+2/1d4+2/1d8

No. Appearing:  0 (1d2)

Save As:  F3

Morale:  10

Treasure Type:  Nil

Intelligence:  3

Alignment:  Chaotic

XP Value:  425

    Monster Type:  Giant Animal (Very Rare)

    The Wampus Beast is a huge black cat weighing 500-600 lbs., 5'-6' long with a 4'-5' tail, and muscle-bound.  It smells awful, almost chokingly, of skunk. Their scream is so loud that the vibration of the noise can be felt in the air itself, and in the ground.  Their eyes are especially strange, colored a flaming red-orange and almost glowing, and definitely hiding malicious intent behind them.

    Many times when the Wampus Beast is encountered, it jumps into the middle of the road that a traveller is using, and begins to stare, as if it was watching for some sort of movement or communication.  It has no fear of humans, but not because it doesn't encounter them - it simply is not afraid.  It generally feeds on livestock but has been known to attack and devour people as well. 

    The Wampus Beast can see perfectly in the dark, as if it were day time. It can also mimic injured animals perfectly to draw human prey or other animals to itself, as a method of hunting.  Its haunting and incredibly loud scream causes a -1 to all saving throws for 1d4 rounds if heard unexpectedly and characters hearing the call are within 150'.  Its horrible skunk-like scent, if a character is within 30', causes a -1 to attack and damage that lasts for 1d6 rounds if a save vs. poison is failed.

    Terrain:  Woods

Inspired by S1 E4 of Mountain Monsters

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Cryptid: Ohio Grassman

OHIO GRASSMAN

Armor Class:  5

Hit Dice:  6+6* (L)

Move:  120' (40')

Attacks:  2 fists or 1 boulder

Damage:  1d10/1d10 or 2d10

No. Appearing:  0 (1d3)

Save As:  F6

Morale:  8

Treasure Type:  Nil

Intelligence:  6

Alignment:  Neutral

XP Value:  650

    Monster Type: Humanoid (Very Rare).

    In the region of the Ohio town New Straitsville, an incredibly large humanoid has been sighted over the years.  Bigger than a common sasquatch, standing up to 9' tall (even walking a bit hunched over as it tends to do) and weighing in at over 800 lbs., the Ohio Grassman has made the town a destination for hunters and investigators of the strange.  Its name comes from the places where it is often sighted, in grassy areas in the woods and meadows surrounding the town. It is often also sighted in the secluded hollers that contain abandoned coal mines or moonshine stills.

    The Ohio Grassman is said to be able to jump 10'-15' horizontally or vertically.  It will beat on trees as a warning call and an attempt to get interlopers to leave its territory, and toss logs and boulders if these warnings do not fend off their enemy.  They are good swimmers (+1/+5% to any check involving swimming), and often use waterways to escape human contact, either by confounding tracking attempts or swimming away underwater.

    The Ohio Grassman has a ferociously pungent, overpowering rotten egg-like smell, or perhaps sulfur.  Indeed, the smell is so nauseating that if a character is within 50' of the creature, they must succeed on a save vs. poison or be stricken with vomiting and dizziness, resulting in a -2 penalty to attack, damage, and ability checks, and a +2 penalty to Armor Class for 2d4 rounds.

    Terrain: Open, Woods.

Inspired by S1 E3 of Mountain Monsters

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Cryptid: Devil Dog of Logan County, WV

Inspiration taken from S1 E2 of Mountain Monsters.

DEVIL DOG OF LOGAN COUNTY, WV

Armor Class:  6

Hit Dice: 5+3* (S)

Move:  150' (50')

Attacks:  1 bite

Damage:  1d8

No. Appearing:  0 (1d8)

Save As:  F3

Morale:  7

Treasure Type:  Nil

Intelligence:  3

Alignment:  Chaotic

XP Value:  400

    Monster Type:  Giant Animal (Very Rare).

    There have been various encounters with these nocturnal predators over the years, and they occupy the same territory as the legendary Hatfields & McCoys and their inter-clan conflicts.  They have 3-toed feet, are 3'-4' tall at the shoulder, weigh between 150-200 lbs., and are five feet in length with white and yellow eyes that appear to glimmer in the dark and no hair on their tail. The devil dog feeds on coyotes exclusively, and strangely, they only drink their blood, and remove and consume their livers.

    Females lead their packs, and they keep strict discipline in regards to the order in which the pack feeds. They sleep during the day, and hunt at night. If encountered, running from them means death, as they will give chase and never stop pursuing their prey. Often, they will leave if their gaze is met and they see hardened resolve and not fear. The woods become entirely silent when they are present. Animals seem to fear them innately, almost supernaturally.

    Devil dogs can see perfectly at night, as if it were daytime. They have a chilling gaze, and if met (which is the only way to avoid combat with them), the affected character must make a save vs. death ray or be afflicted with dread, causing a -2 to attack, saves, and damage for 1d4+1 rounds. If the character holds the devil dog's gaze and the save is successful, a morale check must be made for the devil dog, and on a failure, it retreats and will not return.

    Terrain:  Mountain, Woods.

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Cryptid: Wolfman of Wolfe County, Kentucky

As promised before, due to my love of a specific hillbilly monster-hunting television show, and in preparation for a campaign I'll be running called "Dark Appalachia," is the first monster I've chosen to create, taking the lore from the show and using it to build a creepy cryptid for the aforementioned game. The rules system will be BECMI, strictly by the book, although I may rely on a different method of resolution in forthcoming descriptions than those original boxed sets might (for instance, they rarely call for Ability Checks, and I might write that into a description). But, on to the monster!

WOLFMAN OF WOLFE COUNTY, KY

Armor Class:  5

Hit Dice:  5 (L)

Move:   150' (50')

Attacks:  2 claws/1 bite

Damage:  2d4/2d4/1d10

No. Appearing:  0 (1d2)

Save As:  F5

Morale:  10

Treasure Type:  Nil

Intelligence:  5

Alignment:  Chaotic

XP Value:  175

    Monster Type: Humanoid (Very Rare).

    In Wolfe County, KY, a strange creature has been sighted on more than a few occasions by the folks who live near and in certain wooded areas, often near old, abandoned silver mines in the area.  Appearing 7' tall and approximately 400 lbs., and colored like a coyote with a dark mane down its back, the wolfman looks as if it is some sort of humanoid bear/wolf/ape hybrid.  It does not fear man or gunfire, and often seeks out both.  

    The wolfman is strong enough to leave claw marks in rock, and often leaves traces behind when it climbs a rock face (Climb Walls 80%)  near its lair (caves or old mines are preferred). It will often discard the bones of its prey in these same caves, in piles, since it has a dedicated feeding area. They often hunt coyotes specifically, but have been known to take down a 1,000 lbs. bull.  It often calls through the forest around its territory, a strange call that starts as a howl and ends as a deep roar. They live in mated pairs, and are smart enough to toy with hunters or prey before moving in for the kill, as well as avoid obvious traps.

    In combat, they attack with claws and their bite, both of which deal a fair bit of damage. They will retreat if outmatched, but are quite brave if the odds are even. They can surprise a foe on 1-2 on 1d6.

    Terrain:  Cavern, Woods.

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Mountain Monsters: A "Reality" Show for Cryptid Hunters

 

I subscribe to Max, and since the merger of Warner and Discovery, they've added all the Discovery Plus content. This includes a show I never knew existed, but I am now addicted to, called Mountain Monsters. The premise of the show is that a group of backwoodsmen attempt to encounter or trap (or even kill) cryptids in the Appalachian wilderness. It's such an obviously scripted show (the monsters are never shown, and when they are, it's clearly a CGI embellishment), but it is incredible fun. I look at it as a hillbilly version of Supernatural, the kind of guys that Sam and Dean would make fun of, because they're all gonna die approaching monsters this way.

However, I did have a wonderful idea. I haven't decided if I'll use an OSR ruleset, or Beyond the Supernatural from Palladium, but since each episode has some lore and imagery of each monster, I figured what better opportunity to adapt them for roleplaying! I've always been fond of Appalachian folklore and horror, like Manly Wade Wellman's fiction, from Silver John to his other characters. The down-home aspect of this type of fiction appeals to me, and seems all the more fantastical due to being in a setting I can relate to - I'm from just north of Appalachia myself, lower Northeast Ohio. I loved making my way down through the hills of Ohio on a drive, through forests and farmland.

That's the plan, then. I'll be posting them here, also, as I write them up. The plan is to take each of these critters and stat them out completely. Of course, since the lore on the show is usually paper-thin, I'll have to do a bit of research on each to make sure I'm giving them all the powers and abilities they need to kill player characters. I'll make sure to reference each episode, also.

Please note that this isn't a challenge to any copyright, or an attempt to use the show to improve this blog - I'm just a fan, and I wanted to make some monsters based on what I've seen on the show, and weave these cryptids into the fantastical landscape of Appalachian fantasy stories.

Stay tuned, so to speak. Monsters are coming.