Let's create a monster in Cairn 2e!

This week I'll go back to Cairn 2e after creating a PC for it a few weeks ago.
This time I'll follow the procedure presented in Cairn 2e's Warden's Guide to create a monster in just a few simple steps, strating by (you guessed it) rolling on some random tables, in the best OSR tradition.



 
Let's start with the Monster Appearance table, which asks us to roll a d20 twice, once for Physique and once for Feature:
  • Physique: 5, Eyeless;
  • Feature: 20, Wings.
So it's some form of bat. Next, we have the Monster Traits table, for Quirk and Weakness:
  • Quirk: 6, Draws symbols; 
  • Weakness: 12, Music.
Ok, I'm getting ideas.
Maybe it's some kind of familiar, drawing symbols on preys for its master, but music distracts it, preventing it from following orders? Not sure yet.
The third table we roll on is Monster Attacks, for Type and Critical Damage.
  • Type: 8, Shoots;
  • Critical Damage: 8, Ensnares.
I'm getting something.
This type ofr bat used to be normal, but has been influenced by a powerful relic (which may or may not be used by someone), and now it shoots some kind of fluid, like spit, in a precise pattern. When it reaches critical damage the "spell" is complete, and the victim is locked in place, unable to move until pure water (like that from a river) is poured onto them.
Oh, we still have the last table, Monster Abilities, to roll on; let's see if it works with my idea. We roll for Ability and Target this time:
  • Ability: 19, Traps;
  • Target: 10, Memory.
Uh, this is tricky. But maybe...after suffering critical damage from one of these creatures the victim loses access to one of their fondest memories. Which gets absorbed by the relic, powering it up. This could actually lead back to the idea of a master. What are they doing with those memories? Also, would the victim immediately notice the memory loss? I want to say no, but that could be tricky for the Warden to keep track of, so I'd say that the character doesn't notice, but the player knows, and may also choose which memory got stolen (and subsequently, once the party realizes what happened, will try to recover, either from the bat itself or, if it's already been stored, from the relic).
 
Ok, we have an idea for our monster, let's create the stat block.
  • I'd put HP slightly above average, to represent bats' erratic pattern while flying, so 5;
  • No armor, as it wouldn't make sense, it cannot withstand direct attacks;
  • Below average STR at 8, as that's not their strong suit;
  • Above average DEX, for the same reason as the HP, at 14;
  • Very low WIL, as I described them as magically controlled, at 4;
  • The attack is an acid spit which does d6 damage.
So in total we have:
 
Memory Snatcher
5 HP, 8 STR, 14 DEX, 4 WIL, acid spit (d6)
- Bats mutated by a powerful relic and controlled by a cultist leader. Attacks by creating patterns on the victim with its acid spit, but music disrupts the mind control and causes them to flee
- After one of them deals Critical damage it flies back to its master
- Critical Damage: The victim is locked in place until poured with water from a flowing river. They also lose access to one of their fondest memories.

And here it is! A monster with plot hook included, as result of just a few dice rolls and some thinking about how to connect the various results. I hope you enjoyed it, and maybe try it for yourself (the whole process is included in the Warden's Guide, available for free on the linked website or to download on Yochai Gal's Itch page); I'd love to see what you come up with.

This is all for this week, see you next Sunday for my next post!

May your dice never betray you,
Kirhon
 

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