Sunday 10 October 2021

Trap Toads


I was accused of being that "Frog Guy" on a DnD FB group. I only partially resemble this remark and honestly its just the way I walk.

Trap Toads
Common magical amphibian attuned to elemental earth 
Miniature  AC+3 HD 1d8 Att d4 Bite Move 12 Hop 1 Swim 6 Dig 1
Common AC+4 HD 4d8 Att 3d4 bite or 2d6 kick Move 9 Hop 3 Swim 6 Dig 3 
Giant  AC+7 HD 12d8 Att 5d4 bite or 3d6 kick Move 6 Hop 3 Swim 3 Dig 6

These elemental toads are often conjured to guard treasure by elemental cult wizards and priests if fed. Given a good nest and bugs, they will guard a treasure. The smallest will live in a chest or barell. Otherwise, they guard magical crystals, minerals or fungus. They can blend into rock, hide under the ground or appear as statues until they make a sudden ambush attack. If they get away with it and eat someone whole by surprise they will hide again and may try for another victim. A miniature trap toad can swallow a gnome or a cat or a small dog on a roll of 20. Common swallow a humanoid under 2m tall on a 19-20 on hit roll. Giant toads swallow on 18-20 roll. If swallowed the toad may flee or hide or attack others. Each round inside toad take bite damage. Attacking them with a knife or dagger from within might make them spit you out. Any animal biting or licking a toad must save or be confused and unable to use mouth to bite or speak for a d6 rounds and will be reluctant to try again.

Most of the earthborn toads are less magical and conform to the above. All can sense treasure 1 range per HD and some will adopt treasure in a dungeon or in a nice hole. Toads may carry found treasure to a new location of their own choice if not fed. Those fresh from the otherworld may have stranger powers and be more reluctant to remain if mistreated and can if near-death hop to their home dimension once per day. They dig a burrow and will raise their toadpoles in an underground foam nest rather than open water. 

1in4 can sense magnetic north and metal weapons or armour within 3 range
1in4 break down into a mound of luscious soil on death gardeners will crave
1in4 have a gem in head worth 100gp/HD
1in4 spiderclimb on any rock, earth or even brick surface at normal movement
1in6 if don't move or attack may become stone as long as they want to +4 AC
1in6 sense invisible foes within 3 range
1in6 
 can make loud chirping sounds alerting allies for a great distance
1in6 if struck releases gas over 1m/HD, save or d4 damage and -2 penalty any sight-based for d6 rounds
1in8 make an extra grapple attack with hands each round in melee
1in8 take half damage from non-magical weapons or falls or impacts
1in8 have two tentacles that can make a grappling attack or d6 damage each 
1in8 create magical darkness 5m radius around self for d6 rounds once per fight
1in10 require magic weapons to hit, common +1 and giants +2
1in10 have bat wings and have fly Mov 24
1in10 intelligent and can communicate  telepathically to any in sight range
1in10 will trap giant crickets and bugs in mucous blobs, smaller ones will chirp if disturbed and act as an alarm, larger ones may trap dangerous bugs that bite anyone passing them in a squeeze space or can be set up the bug is free and attacks if disturbed
1in12 any non-magic oxidisable weapon rusts or corrodes to dust if it draws blood from the toad
1in12 living magnet may snatch metal object per round STR save or lose weapon or may slow someone in metal armour by half Mov, toad just needs to gaze on them
1in12 vomit acid once per day 1 range per HD, damage as per bite
1in12 dimension door once per day
1in20 can gate in d4 more similar toads once per week 
1in20 can generate visual simple illusions to hide treasure, a trap or make a false treasure in 6 range
1in20 may summon an earth elemental of equal HD once per week and the toad may use it to hitch a ride to or from the elemental plane of earth
1in20 can hop through any right angle into a space like the rope ladder spell and hide as long as it wants, possibly carrying some treasure if it can,dimension door dan enter the space

d12 Treasure Toad Plots
1 Frogfolk bankers are moving chests of IOU notices, intercept the wagon load of chests to ruin their economy but each unlocked casket contains a small grumpy trap toad and all hop out to attack if not bribed with bugs (the bankers are cheap and cutting bug expences)
2 A country wizard forgot to feed his toad and it ate him. Locals want you to clear out his cottage and take the wizards loot but the toad won't let them in
3 A  frogfolk farmer wants his toads fed and gives you a basket of bugs and a map of his bog farm. Warns the biggest are very hungry and to be careful. If no toads harmed will pay you a gem from a toads head
4 A druid would like some trap toads to guard a holy place in a swamp so needs you to fetch some tadpoles from a dismal evil swamp. Look out for over protective frog folk guarding them
5 A frogfolk thief has the special tasty bugs required in his trap removal kit to get past a giant toad guarding a boss frogs lair. He will give you bugs and locations but cannot be seen near area during heist so needs some humans stooges who will earn a cut of the fabulous frog treasure
6 The swamp has some extra loud chirping noises of late and a local thinks a treasure toad might have adopted the lost pirate treasure.buried by Captain Lushbeard
7 Ratling folk complain a toad moved in ate their leader and now sits on their collective treasure. The small rat folk offer part of the treasure to remove the toad they all fear will swallow them whole
8 An alchemist bought a treasure toad and gave it lots of potions to make it have more weird powers but it turns out it was a fussy eater and it wont accept giant pillbugs or kobolds to eat and it has all his money. Go catch some giant bugs or ask frogfolk what is the best food and see if the toad will take the food and be content. Once toad is manageable and choice bugs can be sourced the alchemist will want adventurers dead for knowing his secret trap toad bug combination
9 A frog wizard has kidnapped villagers and turned them into trap toads to guard his treasure in his semi sunken murder maze. Recover the toads unharmed so which are villagers can be determined and they may be able to be restored to human form
10 A werefrog bard stole a important battle banner that aids morale of an army and hidden it in caves with a gauntlet of trap toads to pass
11 A local burial mound said to belong to an ancient king has had some large creature burrow inside. Also some undead have been wandering about since then. Go look in the hole and work out what disturbed these dead. A trap toad detected the treasure and moved in  and the undead are displeased and wary of it
12 The old toad keeper of a frog folk boss dies and nobody knows which bugs preferred by which toads are required to get the treasure that guard. Fetch the various local bugs and consult various wise frog elders and try various bugs to get the toads to give up the frog boss property. Try not to hurt and or be eaten

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