Ice Terror Broodling

*Art by Kristian Juul Rasmussen (AKA skrir on Deviant Art)

[Below you'll find the last of five new monsters (the first being the Storm Broodling) for both 3rd and 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons. While the description works for both, you'll find the 3rd edition stats on the left and the 4th edition stats on the right.]

Today's entry covers the ice terror broodling. The ice terror broodlings serve as Queen Anzu's elite archers, each one given an unnatural need to spill the blood of their foes.


Ice Terror Broodling
Before you, atop six legs, stands a monstrous beast with scales of winter white, tinged blue. The curving horns above its head are stained crimson from the blood of victims long dead, and saliva drips from its mouth in anticipation of the meal it will make of you.

Ice Terror Broodling CR 2
LE Medium magical beast
Init +3 Senses darkvision 60ft, low-light vision, Listen +1, Spot +1
Languages understands Common; cannot speak

AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12
( +3 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 11 (2 HD)
Resist cold 5
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +4

Speed 30ft
Melee gore +3 melee (1d6+2)
Ranged Horn Harpoon +5 (1d6+1 and 1 Constitution drain)
Space 5ft.; Reach 5ft.
Base Atk +1; Grp +3
Atk Options horn harpoon, blood shard fusillade

Abilities Str 15, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 4
Feats Point Blank Shot
Skills Move Silently +6, Hide +6

Horn Harpoon (Ex) An ice terror broodling can fire its harpoonlike horn up to 25ft (no range increment). A successful hit deals 1d6 +1 damage and 1 point of Constitution drain as the broodling drains the blood of its victim. This allows it to use blood shard fusillade (see below).

Blood Shard Fusillade (Su) As a standard action an ice terror broodling can use the elemental cold that is their birthright to freeze the blood it has collected using its horn harpoon into many tiny darts. It then launches these darts from its mouth at the foe. This is an attack against a single enemy within 50ft that deals 2d6 cold damage (Reflex DC 13 half).

The Ice Terror broodlings are Queen Anzu's elite archers, powerful minions who are the scourge of their artic homes. Using a strange filament they can propel their out a great distance and then draw them back in again. But not before they have stored the blood they need for their peculiar diet.

Strategies and Tactics
The ice terror broodling is all about ranged combat. While he has means to defend himself in melee, he is vulnerable there, and his greatest attacks are wasted. So the ice terror broodling fights from afar, starting out the battle with blood shard fussillade, and then using horn harpoon on his next turn to recharge it.

Environment
Ice terror broodlings live in lands frozen over by winter's snows, or in places where the sun's light is weak. These places include caves deep beneath the surface of the earth, and lands that see have no spring.

Typical Physical Characteristics
With scales of white, tinged in blue and legs of icy azure the Ice Terror broodling stands at an intimidating 4 1/2 feet tall, and is 3 feet long. While it has the customary mandible that all broodlings share, it is the creature's horns, crusted with frozen blood that catches the eyes of most.

Alignment
Although not every Child of Anzu shares their loyalty and devotion broodlings are lawful evil. They care little for other creatures except for how they work into Lady Anzu's grand plot, but among their own kind they are fiercely protective.

One Week Old, and Broodling Counter Sheet

*Art by Kristian Juul Rasmussen (AKA skrir on Deviant Art)

So, it has been one week, not much of a milestone I know, but one nonetheless. In that time we've released almost all the broodlings (only the Ice Terror Broodling remains) and introduced a contest to help both you and your game store.

In the future we will continue to provide great content for your RPGs as well as coverage of contests and other places on the web where you can get and or find goodies to keep your game running smoothly.

Today's extra content is a pdf of counters to use when you unleash the broodlings on your unsuspecting players. Each counter is a 1-inch color picture of a broodling, with all broodlings (including the soon to be released Ice Terror Broodling) represented.

Simply print out the page (I prefer cardstock for this, which can be found at any local Wal Mart or office supply store) and take to it with a pair of scissors.

There are ten of each broodling on the page, so feel free to overwhelm your players with sheer numbers of elemental fury.

Download Link on 4shared.com: Broodling Counter Sheet

Sonic Broodling

*Art by by Kristian Juul Rasmussen (AKA skrir on Deviant Art)

[Below you'll find the fourth of five new monsters (the first being the Storm Broodling) for both 3rd and 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons. While the description works for both, you'll find the 3rd edition stats on the left and the 4th edition stats on the right.]

Today's entry covers the sonic broodling. The sonic broodlings serve as both assassins and envoys for Queen Anzu.

Sonic Broodling
The creature you see before you has mottled scales of purple and green. It has four legs and although it has a viscious looking set of teeth, it is the strange pale green gas it exhudes from its mouth that alarms you most.

Sonic Broodling CR 2
LE Small magical beast
Init +0 Senses darkvision 60ft, low-light vision, Listen +9, Spot +9
Languages Common

AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 14
( +1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 13 (2 HD)
Resist sonic 5
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will -1

Speed 30ft, burrow 20ft
Melee bite +2 melee (1d6)
Space 5ft.; Reach 5ft.
Base Atk +2; Grp +2
Atk Options sound barrage, vibrohorn

Abilities Str 10, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 16
Feats Ability Focus (sound barrage)
Skills Bluff +7, Diplomacy +7, Hide +5, Move Silently +5

Sound Barrage (Ex) As a standard action, the sonic broodling can create lethal sonics by vibrating its horns. All creatures adjacent to a sonic broodling when it performs this attack must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 13) or take 1d10 sonic damage.

Vibrohorn (Ex) As a full round action a sonic broodling can transfer its sonic attack directly from its horn to its enemy. This is a melee touch attack that deals 2d6 sonic damage on a hit (no save).

When Queen Anzu makes an alliance with anyone, she sends a sonic broodling to eke out the details. When she invariably plans to betray her "ally" she also sends a sonic broodling, although this time it is sent to eliminate the allied party.

Strategies and Tactics
A sonic broodling starts out most fights from a position of ambush, usually burrowed beneath the feet of its opponents. When the toxic broodling does come out it does so amidst as many opponents as possible, engaging them with its sound barrage. Following this attack it will usually dig back underground as soon as possible and come up again from a different location.

If a particular opponent is causing the broodling trouble, or if it has been sent to assassinate a particular target the sonic broodling will use its powerful Vibrohorn technique to eliminate the enemy.

Environment
A sonic broodling may be found anywhere its Queen has sent it. They have no true home, nor any inclination towards a particular type of terrain or climate.

Typical Physical Characteristics
Standing just over 3 feet tall and 2 foot long a sonic broodling uses its powerful legs to burrow through solid ground at an alarming pace. Its strange horns, which have multiple outcroppings can resonate with deadly frequencies, and of course like all broodlings it has a powerful set of mandibles which it uses to defend itself.

Alignment
Although not every Child of Anzu shares their loyalty and devotion broodlings are lawful evil. They care little for other creatures except for how they work into Lady Anzu's grand plot, but among their own kind they are fiercely protective.

Toxic Broodling

*Art by by Kristian Juul Rasmussen (AKA skrir on Deviant Art)

[Below you'll find the third of five new monsters (the first being the Storm Broodling) for both 3rd and 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons. While the description works for both, you'll find the 3rd edition stats on the left and the 4th edition stats on the right.]

Unlink the other broodlings we've already covered, the toxic broodling is a crafty and intelligent foe. Although sages say it must serve Queen Anzu, no one knows in what function.

Toxic Broodling
The creature you see before you has mottled scales of purple and green. It has four legs and although it has a viscious looking set of teeth, it is the strange pale green gas it exhudes from its mouth that alarms you most.

Toxic Broodling CR 3
LE Medium magical beast
Init +0 Senses darkvision 60ft, low-light vision, Listen +9, Spot +9
Languages Common

AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15
( +5 natural)
hp 21 (2 HD)
Resist acid 5; immune poison
Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +4

Speed 30ft
Melee bite +4 melee (1d6 +1)
Space 5ft.; Reach 5ft.
Base Atk +2; Grp +3
Atk Options choking gas, acidic exhale

Abilities Str 12, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 6
Feats Improve Natural Armor
Skills Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Listen +9, Spot +9

Choking Gas (Ex): The broodling releases a poisonous gas which weakens it's enemies. This attack is a 15ft cone, those affected must make a Fortitude save (DC 15) or take 1d2 points of Stregth and 1d2 points of Constitution damage. Once an opponent has been affected by a specific toxic broodlings choking gas, it is immune for 1 day.

Acidic Exhale (Ex): The toxic broodling releases a mist comprised of corrosive gas (acid). Opponents within 10ft of the toxic broodling must make a Reflex save (DC 15 half) or take 1d10 acid damage.

The toxic broodling is a mystery. Some sages believe the toxic broodling is the basis for all other broodling varieties, the missing link between what was and what is. The lack of an elemental nature supports this theory, as does Queen Anzu's general lack of purpose for the toxic broodling. Nevertheless their high intellect makes them invaluable tools for the Insect Queen.

Strategies and Tactics
A toxic broodling starts off battle by weakening its enemies with choking gas, and then positions itself within 10ft of as many enemies as possible to line up an acidic exhale. After it softens enemies up using these abilities it moves into melee combat against weaker opponents, attempting to do as much damage as possible.

Unlike most broodlings, if the battle turns against a toxic broodling the creature will quickly flee, possibly even plead with its enemies for a second chance.

Environment
A toxic broodling prefers swamps or caves with natural gas deposits. It finds areas with clean air stifling and uncomfortable.

Typical Physical Characteristics
The toxic broodling, like the other varieties stands on six legs. It has sturdy scales, that start off a pale green and become purple as the scale grows away from the skin. While it has wicked looking claws the toxic broodling doesn't utilize them in combat, it uses them as often as its vestigial horns.

Alignment
Although not every Child of Anzu shares their loyalty and devotion broodlings are lawful evil. They care little for other creatures except for how they work into Lady Anzu's grand plot, but among their own kind they are fiercely protective.

Win $1000 dollars in FREE goodies from Goodman Games

Over on their forums the great Joseph Goodman, head of Goodman Games (Of Dungeon Crawl Classics fame) has offered up a contest with a grand prize of $1000 dollars in Goodman Games products to be distributed to America's #1 Gaming Store, after which the store's fans can go to get some wonderful swag. I'll let Joseph explain:

WIN UP TO $1,000 IN RPG PRODUCT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAVORITE GAME STORE

This is Joseph Goodman from Goodman Games. When I recently posted my opinion on 4E, it generated some commentary in the RPG media, including thoughts on the role of friendly local game stores. In these tough economic times, we can all use a little helping hand, so I'd like to acknowledge those stores that deserve your patronage. Let's find out who those stores are -- and recognize them! I will donate up to $1,000 in Goodman Games product to the game store that you vote as America's Favorite Game Store. I am also openly inviting other publishers to participate as well. This product will be available as freebies and gift-with-purchase only to customers who purchase at that game store, and will include convention specials previously not available in stores. YOU can decide which store is America's Favorite Game Store, and make sure YOU get the chance to grab a freebie! Here's how it works:

Effective immediately, post on this thread to NOMINATE your favorite game store. Follow the format listed below. We will collect nominations for ONE WEEK. Effective midnight June 30, nominations end.

From July 1 to July 15, all nominated stores will be listed in a poll. Voting will last for TWO WEEKS.

Effective midnight July 15, the polls will close. Within one week of that, we will announce America's Favorite Game Store!

I will donate $5 of Goodman Games product for every vote cast for the winning store. If 200 or more gamers vote, the full $1,000 in product will be donated.

Update as of Thursday, June 25, 2009: Simon Rogers of Profantasy Software and Pelgrane Press has agreed to participate as well! For the winning store, Simon will contribute ProFantasy's software (worth $650) and $500 worth of Pelgrane Press material, to include one of the very few limited edition leather bound Trail of Cthulhu, signed by the contributors, worth $100.

The fine print:
* Highest vote total for a store wins.
* One man, one vote. Please do not attempt any sort of ballot box stuffing. We will screen the results.
* To be eligible, the store must be located in the USA and carry Goodman Games product. Aside from that, any store that stocks enough game product to be considered somebody's favorite game store is eligible.
* The winning store's contact information will be publicly posted so that other publishers may contribute as well.
* The winning store will also be profiled in a future issue of Level Up.
* The free product will consist of recent releases; broad-interest titles like the Character Codex, DM Campaign Record, and Level Up; Free RPG Day releases from 2009 and 2008; and other titles at the discretion of Goodman Games. All free product will be current merchandise.
* The free product will be distributed at the discretion of the winning store, and may involve a selection process of some kind. It is our intention that the product be awarded as a mix of pure freebies as well as items that are free with a purchase of $10 or more at the participating store. There may be other restrictions as well, as enacted by the winning store.
* Questions can be posted here.

Flare Broodling

*Art by Kristian Juul Rasmussen (AKA skrir on Deviant Art)

[Below you'll find the second of five new monsters (the first being the Storm Broodling) for both 3rd and 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons. While the description works for both, you'll find the 3rd edition stats on the left and the 4th edition stats on the right.]


The flare broodling, beloved tool of Queen Anzu serves the dual functions of shock trooper, and kamikaze warrior.

Flare Broodling

Ahead of you is a six-legged creature with wicked claws. Its body is covered by sturdy red scales and the creature's mouth is ringed with vicious looking teeth, but perhaps its most deadly feature is a mane of flame flaring back from its head.

Flare Broodling CR 2
LE Medium magical beast (fire)
Init +1 Senses darkvision 60ft, low-light vision, Listen +0, Spot +0
Aura searing heat
Languages understands Common; cannot speak

AC 14 (10 with Reckless Offense), touch 11, flat-footed 13
( +1 Dex, +3 natural)
hp 28 (3 HD)
Resist fire 5
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will -2

Speed 30ft
Melee bite +4 (+6 with Reckless Offense) melee (1d6 +1)
Space 5ft.; Reach 5ft.
Base Atk +2; Grp +3

Abilities Str 13, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 3, Wis 5, Cha 4
SQ Immolate
Feats Reckless Offense*, Toughness
Skills Climb +3, Listen +0, Spot +0
*While this feat originally appeared in the Expanded Psionics Handbook, it was published under the OGL.

Searing Heat (Su) The body of a flare broodling gives off tremendous heat. Creatures starting their turn adjacent to the flare broodling take 1d2 damage at the beginning of their turn.
Immolate (Ex) When killed, a flare broodling's body becomes a raging inferno burning those adjacent near it. Dealing 2d8 damage to anything within 5 feet (Reflex DC 13 half).

The flare broodling is the front line bruiser of the children of Anzu. Although they are sometimes loaned out to allies (usually salamanders and other fire based creatures) of Queen Anzu, they always remain loyal to her wishes.

Strategies and Tactics
The flare broodling is a tactless creature, tossing itself into harms way without concern for survival, delighting in the fact that its death may be the extra push needed to bring down its foes. Flare broodlings thrive in melee by utilizing their searing heat aura. Aware of the mayhem they can cause with this ability they thrust itself into the largest group of opponents at the start of the fight, heedless of any damage they may incur in the process.

Against heavily armored foes the flare broodling uses its reckless offense feat to gain the bonuses needed to strike its enemies and trusts in its above average hit points to see it through the fight.

Environment
While most flare broodlings live in active volcanoes, they are equally at home in arid deserts and underground caverns that abut lava tubes.

Typical Physical Characteristics
Flare broodlings stand 4 feet talk and are 5 feet long. Their legs are ochre and the scales that cover their main body are a deep red-orange. Their wicked mandibles and vestigial horns (both ash grey) are nowhere near as impressive as the mane of fire created by a natural chemical produced by glands in the flare broodling's upper torso.

Alignment
Although not every Child of Anzu shares their loyalty and devotion broodlings are lawful evil. They care little for other creatures except for how they work into Lady Anzu's grand plot, but among their own kind they are fiercely protective.

The Storm Broodling

*Art By Kristian Juul Rasmussen (AKA skrir on deviant art)

[Below you'll find the first of five new monsters for both 3rd and 4th edition Dungeons and Dragons. While the description works for both, you'll find the 3rd edition stats on the left and the 4th edition stats on the right.]

When the world started to take form and humanoids were taking their first tentative steps towards civilization, magic roamed the realms. Magic filled the land and sank deep beneath the crust of the surface.

There she waited, one of the first creations of the world. Deep in the dark she soaked up this energy, taking stock of the realms around her for the first time. Enthralled by her power she named herself Queen Anzu, and using her new gifts she begot children. Unable to truly create progeny Queen Anzu took other creatures that fit her image, and subverted them, magically twisting them into the servants she would need.

The Children of Anzu are insectoid creatures of magical origin, they vary greatly in size, shape, color, and abilities. The thing they share, however, is a dark need to fulfill their Queen's wishes. Queen Anzu has a great plan for the world, and although many sages have tried to grasp a clue as to what it is, this goal is too alien for mortal minds to comprehend. From the lowliest broodling to the highest Spawnmother the Children of Anzu are a threat that has great plans for the world at large.

Today's specimen is the Broodling, the most widely known of the Children of Anzu. They serve as cannon fodder and expendable labor for their species and are empowered with elemental energy to survive the harshest of terrains.


Storm Broodling
The insect-like creature you see before you is the size of a dog and protected by a thick layer of scales. Flaps open on its side and the hair on your arm tingles as electricity begins to jump between the two viscous looking horns atop its head.

STORM BROODLING CR ½
LE Small magical beast
Init +1 Senses Listen +3, Spot +3
Languages understands Common; cannot speak

AC 14, touch 13, flat-footed 13
(size +1, +1 Dex, +1 natural)
hp 4 (½ HD)
Resist electricity 5
Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1

Speed 30 ft.
Melee gore +2 (1d4)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +1; Grp -3
Atk Options electroblast

Abilities Str 10, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 3
Feats Ability Focus [electroblast]
Skills Listen +3, Spot +3

Electroblast (Su) The Storm Broodling draws electricity into it's horns and expels it in a 5 ft line. Creatures hit must make a DC 14 Reflex save or take 1d8 points of damage.

The storm broodling serves as simple cannon fodder and expendable labor for the Children. The inscrutable goals of their Queen however means that they may be found serving any number of “masters” all the while carrying out the silent orders of their mistress.

Strategies and Tactics
Aware that their primary purpose during combat is to decrease the resources of their opponents storm broodlngs frequently move around the battlefield setting up next to new opponents so they may spread the pain with their electroblast attack. They are unafraid and fight until death unless they receive orders from either a higher ranking Child of Anzu or their current master.
If a storm broodling finds out that its attacks have little or no affect on their enemy they will change tactics. By moving into flanking and concentrating on a single opponent storm broodlings hope to capitalize on their greater numbers.

Environment
Although they prefer the charged air outside during a tempest, storm broodlings usually spend their time either with their masters or wandering the area around and inside their current lair.

Typical Physical Characteristics
Storm broodlings are usually 2 feet tall and 2 and a half feet long. Their skin is usually ocean blue, while their legs are seafoam green. Their most prominent features are their hollow horns and the scales on their sides (both bleach white) which open up and draw in the latent electricity in the area to power their elecroblast.

Alignment
Although not every Child of Anzu shares their loyalty and devotion broodlings are lawful evil. They care little for other creatures except for how they work into Lady Anzu's grand plot, but among their own kind they are fiercely protective.

A Taste of What's to Come

It took a long time for this project to finally reach fruition. It has underwent various iterations and forms, and gone over a few different hands for management and control, but finally, this project, this dream is here for all to see. The dream is a place for free game content for all gamers. In this economy it is the hope of Dungeon Brew to bring you free gaming material to help supplement your collection.

We've got some great things lined up for our readers. Starting with a group of five new monsters known as the Broodlings, elemental bugs that will be crawling under your player's skin in no time. But don't worry players because we've got some new magic items for you too, like the Protective Idol and the Razor Shield.

In Dungeon Brew we will try to cover a wide variety of game material, from adventures to PC races to deities and more. We will also try to cater to multiple games, though our priority does lie with everyone's favorite...Dungeons and Dragons.

When we post an article, or a piece of an article (in the case of some of the longer ones) we will label it. For instance, we have an upcoming PC race for 4th edition coming up and we would label that "4th Edition Race" so that at any time you can use the label links in this blog to easily find whatever you may be looking for. Sometimes, in the case of the Broodlings for instance, we will label the article multiple times to represent the various categories it falls into.

As for the release schedule. We are going to try and adhere to a Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday release with occasional posts on Monday that deal with the site, or give some sort of bonus (look for printable Broodling counters on June 29). However, this is a labor of love and as I've learned (painfully) while trying to get it up and running, life does have a habit of getting in the way of our goals. But, if it comes to that we will post a release schedule change on a Monday before it officially starts to let you know.

Finally, if you would like to help out there are a few things that would be great:

• We need a few go to artists willing to share their talent and their illustrations for a few of the future pictures.

• You could submit your own articles to Dungeon Brew or link to threads, blogs, or other places where gamers can get their game on for free in the comments.

• You could tell people about us, word of mouth, or post the soon to be released promotional flyer at your local gaming store.

If you are interested in helping in any way, or want to get in touch with us but don't want to use the comments to do so send us an e-mail at dungeonbrew@gmail.com.

Our first piece of material goes live tomorrow, but before that I'd like to say something. Thank you to everyone who has helped out and everyone who has waited so patiently--
Francis Bousho