Wandering Monster: Simple Demon

Some people might be interested in the “simple demon” I used in the Demonic Dangers pamphlet as an alternative to the detailed demons in, for example, Eldritch Wizardry. Here’s an expanded write-up.

Simple Demon (Chaotic Infernal Monstrous Beast)
1 to 2; 6 Dice, Heavy Armor, Move 12, 1+2 dice Damage, beast abilities, control flame/shadow, demonic invulnerability

Unholy, destructive beings from elsewhere. All demons combine body parts of two mundane creatures (head of one animal, body of another.) They will have the normal abilities of both types of creature. You can roll 2d6 twice on this table to select the head and the body. If doubles are rolled, use the lower half of the table.

2d6 Roll	Animal Form
2	rat (diseased bite)
3-5	toad (leap, tongue grab)
6-8	bat (winged flight)
9-11	goat (headbutt)
12	skeletal human
	If Doubles Rolled:
2s	spider (poison, climb, web)
3s	iron statue (Extreme Armor)
4s	ooze (climb, go thru cracks)
5s	snake (poison bite)

If “bat” is rolled for either the head or the body, the demon has bat-wings and can fly. For skeletal bodies, the GM can rule that arrows do only 1 point of damage. For other beast abilities, it’s the GM’s choice whether they only apply for a specific body part (bite only if head is selected, for example.)

In addition to their beast abilities, all demons can create human or animal-sized zones of fire or shadow, shape them into any form desired, or move them or other flames and shadows wherever they wish. Treat this as controlling a creature made of flame or shadow. Weapons pass through flame and shadow without damage; flame can be smothered, doused with water, or chilled with ice, and shadow can be damaged by light.

Demons take half damage from non-magical weapons, but take full damage from magic weapons, silver weapons, or blessed weapons. Holy water does 1d6 damage.

Some demons can assume an ethereal form, becoming nearly invisible and able to pass through physical material. In this form, they cannot attack directly, nor can they be attacked by physical means except by magic, silver, or holy items. An ethereal demon can pass into a physical being and attempt to take control (possession.) If the demon’s current hit points are greater than the victim’s hit points, possession works on 5+ (1d6.) Holy items and silver can drive a demon out of a possessed body, allowing the victim to regain control.

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