Bridge to Nowhere by Todd James

Hello friends!

You know what you can never have enough of as a Torchbearer GM? Monsters. I’ve been experimenting with some fun new critters inspired by the arthropods all around us, and Luke has been experimenting with a new stat block. I can’t replicate it exactly in WordPress, but this is a close approximation.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on both!

Fire Beetle

Nature 3 Might 2 Burrowing, Feeding, Scuttling Instinct: Scavenge for food. Type: Beast

Special Rules: Fire Gland. Each gland gives off light equivalent to a candle. If skillfully removed (Hunter, Ob 3), the glands (hand/carried 1 or pack 1) will continue to provide illumination for some time (at the beginning of each new adventure phase, roll 1d6; on a result of 1 or 2, the luminescence fades). If the glands are ruptured, the chemical inside will burn flesh, wood and cloth.

Hit Points

Kill

7 Drive Off

6 Flee/

Pursue

3

Other Conflict Hit Points: Within Nature: Roll Nature, add successes to Nature rating. Outside of Nature: Roll half Nature. Add successes to Nature rating.

Armor: Carapace (protects on a roll of 3-6; arrows, spears and bolts ignore this armor).

Weapon Conflict A D F M Burning Mandibles Kill

Drive Off +1s — — — Burrowing Flee/Pursue +1D — — +2D

Fire Beetle Description

These red and black beetles are between 2 feet and 3 feet long. Each has three glowing glands—two above their eyes and one near the back of their abdomen. They can burrow and are found deep underground. Their mandibles are coated with a natural chemical that causes burning pain.

Formian Guardian

Nature 4 Might 4 Burrowing, Hunting, Spitting Acid Instinct: Lurk in a burrow and wait for prey Type: Beast

Special Rules: Ambush Attacker. Formians like to burrow into the earth and lurk just below the surface, waiting for prey to walk upon their hunting grounds. When they sense the vibrations of footsteps, they strike from below! If characters fail to detect the presence of an Formian, the first one to walk into the ambush must roll Health vs. the Formian’s Nature. Suggested failure result: Twist. The character is buried in the earth by the Formian’s eruption and trapped until rescued or eaten.

Hit Points

Flee/

Pursue

9 Kill

7 Drive Off

5

Other Conflict Hit Points: Within Nature: Roll Nature, add successes to Nature rating. Outside of Nature: Roll half Nature. Add successes to Nature rating.

Armor: Chitin. Absorbs one point of damage from an opponent’s attack or feint. Once successes are counted and before damage is applied, reduce damage by one. After use, roll d6: on a 1-3, the chitin is damaged and doesn’t provide further benefit. On a 4-6, the chitin is still usable. Maces and warhammers negate chitin’s effect, but the Formian must still check for damage when hit by them.

Weapon Conflict A D F M Corrosive Acid Kill

Drive Off — — +1D — Crushing Mandibles Kill

Drive Off +1D — — — Grasping Legs Kill

Drive Off — — — +1s Tremorsense Flee

Pursue +1D +1D — —

Formian Guardian Description

A massive six-legged arthropod the size of a pony, with a voracious taste for flesh. They are blind but are extremely sensitive to any sort of vibration. Formians burrow into earth and lurk below the surface, waiting for vibrations to indicate prey is above. Formians are capable of spitting a corrosive acid that turns their prey into a viscous jelly ready for consumption.

While Formians are usually solitary predators, some shell-shocked adventurers tell tales of venturing into the Below and discovering nesting caverns swarming with the horrifying insects.

Giant Centipede

Nature 4 Might 3 Creepy-Crawling, Hunting, Scavenging Instinct: Paralyze them and devour later. Type: Beast

Special Rules: Paralyzing Venom. The giant centipede’s paralyzing venom incapacitates victims. Anyone knocked out of a conflict with a giant centipede can only be brought back into a conflict if the Breath of the Burning Lord invocation is used upon the character. The Defend action cannot replenish the disposition of paralyzed attackers who have not been treated by the invocation.

Hit Points

Flee/

Pursue

10 Kill

8 Drive Off

6

Other Conflict Hit Points: Within Nature: Roll Nature, add successes to Nature rating. Outside of Nature: Roll half Nature. Add successes to Nature rating.

Armor: Rubbery hide. If targeted by a successful or tied Attack or Feint in a fight, roll a d6. On a 4+, the rubbery hide absorbs one point of damage. On a 1-3, the rubbery hide fails to protect you. You can only make this roll once per fight. Spears, bolts and arrows ignore this armor.

Weapon Conflict A D F M Paralyzing Venom Flee/

Pursue

Kill

Drive Off +1D — +1s — Scuttling Legs Flee/

Pursue

Kill

Drive Off — — — +2D

Giant Centipede Description

A three- to -six feet long predatory segmented arthropod with many legs. Some grow even bigger. They have a set of savage, pincer-like legs just behind the head that they use to inject their prey with a paralytic venom. They are often found creepy-crawling and feeding among the corpses of recent battles and massacres, especially in dungeons.

Giant Wasp

Nature 2 Might 2 Buzzing, Nesting, Stinging Instinct: Sting! Kill! Rawwr! Type: Beast

Special: Painful Sting. A wasp’s sting automatically impedes its victim (-1D to opponent’s next action following a successful Attack or Feint).

Vulnerable to Fire. Wasps suffer an extra point of disposition loss against fire (torches, balefire, etc.).

Hit Points

Flee/

Pursue

5 Drive Off

4 Kill

3

Other Conflict Hit Points: Within Nature: Roll Nature, add successes to Nature rating. Outside of Nature: Roll half Nature. Add successes to Nature rating.

Weapon Conflict A D F M Buzzing Wings Flee/

Pursue +1D

+1s — — +1D

+1s Buzzing Wings Drive Off

Kill — — — +1D

+1s Stinger Kill +1D — +1s —

Giant Wasp Description

These aggressive insects are as large as a human’s head and armed with a deadly stinger. They live in elaborate hives made of paper-like material (good for starting fires or making incendiaries).