A set of Troika!-compatible monsters to amuse, threaten, and delight your players.
Ecthrosopher
Littering a puzzle-piece beach, screaming without surcease into the crashing waves, are the Ecthrosophers, the Enemies of Knowledge. These cursed monstrosities were once philosophers gathered to teach the Third Autarch the ways of the mind. Finding them tedious, the Autarch accused them of time-wasting and had them punatively mutated.
These creatures are the result.
Ecthrosopher
Skill 8
Stamina 9
Initiative 1
Armour 0
Damage as Modest Beast
Mein
1 – Vengeful
2 – Lazy
3 – Attention-Seeking
4 – Desperate for Understanding
5 – Territorial
6 – Hungry
Special
Spellcasters who hear the braying of Ecthrosophers spend double Stamina to spellcast.
Slaying an Ecthrosopher gives a tick to either Mathmology, Exography, Gastrology, Astrology, or Yelling; this applies to Advancing Skills.
Characters who’ve heard the Ecthrosophers Test their Luck when next they rest. Failures developed one of the following quirks for 1d6 days:
1 – Total Honesty
2 – Substance Abuse
3 – Egomania
4 – Solipsism
5 – Low Emotional Affect
6 – Irrational Scepticism
Dive-Angels
Dive-Angels resemble massive old-fashioned diving suits with one major exception: where the head would be is instead a bowl-like cavity with a metal loop at the bottom. Attached to the loop is a chain; at the end of the chain is a floating glass orb, just shy of a meter in diameter.
The orb bobs in the air, like a tired helium balloon. Within is a garden, slightly warped by the thick glass, but shockingly beautiful even at a distance. These gardens are paradise dimensions, suffused with perfect joy and thus at a much higher metaphysical density than the Spheres your characters are used to. If the orb is cracked, this pocket-heaven explodes, with effects both disastrous and wonderous.
The Dive-Angels slowly migrate between strange ruins and places of wonder. Occasionally, they pause, as if viewing something only they can see. Their purpose and manufacturer are unknown, though wizards are often blamed. Some say protecting these divine oddities from extinction is a moral necessity; others pay enormous sums for uncracked orbs.
Dive-Angel Body
Skill 10
Stamina 20
Initiative 3
Armour 2
Damage as Maul
Mein
1 – Pensive
2 – Curious
3 – Aggressive
4 – Aggressive to Wizards
5 – Obsessed with an object
6 – Perfectly Still
Special
Bodies will try to move their orbs into safe zones, blocking doorways to protect their ‘heads’. If free to move around, they may Test Skill to intercept attacks meant for the Orb.
The Chain connecting the Body to the Orb is Armour 3, Stamina 8.
Dive-Angel Orb
Skill 6
Stamina 7
Initiative 1
Armour 1
Damage as Hammer-2
Special
Breaking the Orb has two effects:
1 – As per the spell Explosion.
2 – Each creature within range of the explosion has a 1-in-6 chance of having their dearest wish granted.
Rolling Head
They say the Witches of the Windlands know a dance, taught to them by lead-shod devils. When it is performed, the heads of the husbands they’ve slain roll forth from their graves, chattering their teeth and swearing to protect their widow bride.
They say that, but there are any number of reasons for animate severed heads to be rolling around, biting ankles and screaming scary things. The Windland Witches don’t have a patent on cranial necromancy, and if they disagree, they can take it up with the union.
Anyways…
Rolling Head
Skill 5
Stamina 5
Initiative 1
Armour 0
Damage as Small Beast
Mein
1 – Biting, Aggressive
2 – Slowly Stalking
3 – Wailing, Gnashing
4 – Chattering Teeth, Unnerving
5 – Envious, Decapitating
6 – Chatty, Nostalgic
Special
Insatiable mouths without stomachs to fill. Each Provision thrown to the heads cancels out one of their turns; they’ll always prefer an easy meal.
When hit with Mauls, Croquet Mallets, Hockey Sticks, Golf Clubs, or similar weapons, the heads are knocked away; they don’t participate in the next round of combat.
Do you like Troika as much as I do? Try Drawn from the Margins, one of our many Troika offerings. Dig these monsters, but you don’t play Troika? Leave a comment below letting me know what system you want these guys statted up for! Or check out some of our ShadowDark monsters!