Tag Archives: Undersea Sourcebook

Ectoplasmic Elemental: an Avatar of Undeath

27 May 2023 Rodney Leave a comment

Tombstones rip out of the ground, then twist through the air, trailing green flame. Out of the ethereal vortex rises an ectoplasmic elemental that screams through the dislocated skull of a long-dead giant.

The Undersea Sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 5e is a collection of player and GM options for running ocean-themed adventures. Subscribe for free weekly sea monsters and monthly encounters.

Cleanup on aisle nine! We’re back to ectoplasm again, and there’s a lot of it.

Ghostbusters News on Twitter: "Alright, who stained the ... — (Image source)

Eeek, an Ectoplasm Elemental!

Tombstones rip out of the ground, then twist through the air, trailing green flame. Out of the ethereal vortex rises an ectoplasmic hulk that screams through the dislocated skull of a long dead giant.

Ectoplasmic elementals are the focus of powerful necromantic energies that draw in souls, creating a towering avatar of soul-matter, or ectoplasm. Such a creature is the essence of unlife, raw necrotic energy so powerful that it leeches the souls of the living nearby.

Battlefields and mass graves might provide the raw material for an ectoplasmic elemental to materialize, but it requires a dark ritual or grim series of events to initiate the process. This event cuts off the souls’ path to the afterlife, locking the souls on the Material Plane. Forced to manifest in some form, these souls might take on any of a myriad of ghostly forms. However, if the concentration of ectoplasm is strong enough, then an ectoplasmic elemental is likely to form.

Ectoplasmic elementals are brutes, built for close combat. If you’re looking for something to support them, look for good ranged options, or keep the ranged characters in the party busy with some ectoplasmic swarms. Tight dungeons can also cut down on line of sight, and let your avatar of undeath deal with a few characters at a time.

If you enjoyed this monster, consider buying one of our bestselling books. We appreciate the support!

Rodney

Hey there, I’m Rodney!
I’m a writer and editor of tabletop RPGs and a painter of Orks. Welcome to Rising Phoenix Games!
Dwarves Rule! By the Power of Greyskull! Jesus Saves! Turtle Power! Bionics On! Waaagh Ork! For the Golgari, for the Swarm! ThunderCats Ho! Skate the Apocalypse!

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General

Festrog — A CR 4 Undead for D&D 5e

12 May 2023 Rodney Leave a comment

Bounding on long, scabrous gray limbs, this creature looks like a twisted, reanimated corpse with glowing white eyes. The festrog is a CR 4 Undead that hunts in packs and loves to terrorize its prey.

The Undersea Sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 5e is a collection of player and GM options for running ocean-themed adventures. Subscribe for free weekly sea monsters and monthly encounters.

Over these three weeks, we’ve got three undead creatures, two of which are themed around ectoplasm. The festrog, though, is type of ghoul, making it a perfect addition to encounters with ghasts, ghouls, or other festrogs.

Festrogs: Fast, Festering Hunters

Hundreds of tiny green flames surge forward, each clawing the air with flickering fingers.

Bounding on long, scabrous gray limbs, this creature looks like a twisted, reanimated corpse with glowing white eyes.

Festrogs are bestial ghouls, created when a corpse is desecrated or embued with terrifying amounts of negative energy. Although their basic anatomy is humanoid, festrogs run on all fours, using their elongated limbs to make loping strides. Festrogs are also known as rotdogs and zombie dogs, though they aren’t zombies at all.

Terrible circumstances spawn every festrog, and the hurt and horror that birthed them fuels their unlife. This is best seen in how Festrogs, which are skilled pack hunters, toy with their prey. Often they will separate one creature from its group, injure it, then harry it for days until it finally dies of exhaustion. The pack then mutilates the corpse too, a torment that is often enough to raise the unfortunate creature as a festrog itself.

Festrogs are not natural swimmers, but their doggedness means they’ll pursue prey even through the darkest depths. Sometimes merfolk corpses become festrogs, and these are powerful swimmers with tails lines with protruding bone.

Festrogs are all about mobility and speed. Think undead velociraptors.

If you enjoyed this monster, consider buying one of our bestselling books. We appreciate the support!

Rodney

www.risingphoenixgames.com/

General

Flaming Ectoplasmic Swarm for D&D 5e

6 May 2023 Rodney Leave a comment

Hundreds of tiny green flames surge forward, each clawing the air with flickering fingers. Add this CR 3 undead incorporeal ectoplasmic swarm to your next adventure to challenge your players.

The Undersea Sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 5e is a collection of player and GM options for running ocean-themed adventures. Subscribe for free weekly sea monsters and monthly encounters.

Over the next three weeks, we’ve got three undead creatures, two of which are themed around ectoplasm. Ectoplasm might be described as life-essence, a residue left by creatures that have crossed between the Mortal Realm and the Realm of Death. Slimer from Ghostbusters is the best example of an ectoplasmic creature from popular culture. That slime is pure ectoplasm.

Eery Ectoplasmic Swarm Fiends

Hundreds of tiny green flames surge forward, each clawing the air with flickering fingers.

Ectoplasmic swarms appear as green flames, with darker flames within that seem to function as eyes and mouths. Their shape is roughly humanoid, with legs and arms ending in flickering claws. Besides these features, they are otherwise featureless and transparent.

Necromancy is usually at the root of an ectoplasmic swarm’s appearance, though they can form wherever a large concentration of departed souls is present. Although tiny, swarms of these flamelike creatures can quickly suck the life out of the living.

Animated ectoplasm seeks to devour souls, which sustain it and gives it a collective memory drawn from all the lives it has consumed. Drawing information out of the ectoplasm, usually through a seance, is difficult because of the mob of souls present. However, if the paranormalist can bring order to the discord, the souls can provide many insights from their collective memory.

Ectoplasmic swarms are tough to kill because they’re incorporeal and have the normal resistances of a swarm. Give your players access to holy water and a chance to figure out the swarm’s weakness, otherwise this could be a tough slog.

If you enjoyed this monster, consider buying one of our bestselling books. We appreciate the support!

Rodney

www.risingphoenixgames.com/

General

The Arcanshard, a CR 2 D&D Monster

21 April 2023 Rodney Leave a comment

A chunk of stone shakes, then flips over. Flames of green arcane energy burst forth from the enchanted stone, forming legs, arms holding spectral weapons, and a flickering head. The arcanshard is ready to do battle with those who dare disturb the sanctity of the dungeon.

The Undersea Sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 5e is a collection of player and GM options for running ocean-themed adventures. Subscribe for free weekly sea monsters and monthly encounters.

At the start of the month, we introduced the Awakened Arcane Obelisk. Then, last week, we added the Crackling Column. Today we meet their smallest relative, the Arcanshard. All of these monsters are formed from the corruption or destruction of an Arcane Obelisk, a monument of magic!

An Arcanchip off the Old Block

A chunk of stone shakes, then flips over. Flames of green arcane energy burst forth from the enchanted stone, forming legs, spectral weapons held in flaming hands, and a flickering head.

Arcanshards are chunks of stone animated by arcane energy. This same energy protects them, though destroying their stone bodies dissipates the energy held within. Most arcanshards are the fractured remains of Arcane Obelisks, though other monuments and large rocks can also become arcanshards, under the right magical conditions.

Arcanshards are notably communal creatures, though they possess no obvious means of communication. On the battlefield, this is seen in their collaborative tactics, while during times of peace they go to great lengths to help each other. They are overly fond of stacking blocks, and if left alone build elaborate walls that may have little defensive value.

Of all the animated forms derived from an Arcane Obelisk, the arcanshard is the most mutable. The easily meld together, their broken stonework flowing together to form a larger stone. This has led scholars to believe that arcanshards are the most useful form for reforming a damaged Arcane Obelisk. Strangely, arcanshards have never been known to attempt such a reforming on their own.

The arcanshard has an irritating ability to prolong combat: meld. Use this to replace two damaged arcanshards with a fresh new one. You might even rule that this allows it to overcome persistent magical effects and conditions. Yes, wizards, we’re making things tough for you.

If you enjoyed this monster, consider buying one of our bestselling books. We appreciate the support!

Rodney

www.risingphoenixgames.com/

General

Crackling Column — CR 8 D&D Monster

14 April 2023 Rodney Leave a comment

Green arcane energy swirls around a broken column, lifting it into the air. The energy then coalesces into scything claws and two, bright-burning eyes of magical power. Can you tangle with the Crackling Column?

The Undersea Sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 5e is a collection of player and GM options for running ocean-themed adventures. Subscribe for free weekly sea monsters and monthly encounters.

Last week we introduced the tentacular spectacular, the Awakened Arcane Obelisk. When your players defeat it, you get to pull this guy from the ruins. That’s dungeon entropy working in your favor!

I’m All Cracked Up!

If enough magic is retained within, a broken Arcane Obelisk might manifest as a crackling column, a being of violence and raw magic surrounding a skeleton of granite. These creatures hew to an unshakable purpose, usually one set by the circumstances that created them. This invariably means they’ll attack anyone that appears to have damaged the pillar they contain within.

Crackling columns can be restored to repair the arcane obelisk it came from, though being made of solid stone such monuments always retain signs of damage. However, the stone is only the receptacle. The true essence of the obelisk is the arcane power within. This can be harder to restore though.

The crackling column is part of a set, so use him with the upcoming arkanshard and last week’s awakened obelisk for maximum effect. Keep in mind that this monster hits hard. For its stone slam attack, it should be averaging around 30 damage, but it averages around 40 instead. It’s a TPK machine that loves melee. That’s why it damages itself, otherwise it would survive too long. Good luck.

If you enjoyed this monster, consider buying one of our bestselling books. We appreciate the support. We’re small enough that every sale makes a big difference.

Rodney

www.risingphoenixgames.com/

General

That Obelisk Just Moved! — D&D Monster

6 April 2023 Rodney Leave a comment

The immense stone obelisk begins to shake, rising up out of the ground on four large tentacles. Eyes blink into existence along the stone’s pitted surface, then focus with a gaze full of rage and arcane power.

The Undersea Sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 5e is a collection of player and GM options for running ocean-themed adventures. Subscribe for free weekly sea monsters and monthly encounters.

Recently, our subscribers got a look at an altered Atlantean who was siphoning power from an arcane obelisk. In an earlier adventure, the party discovered another monument that bore signs of experimentation. These stone monoliths could be… “important”.

Magic, Unleashed

Arcane obelisks are potent magical nodes that anchor and channel arcane energy. Sometimes, the arcane bindings focused within the obelisk unravel, and the obelisk is transformed. An awakened obelisk is such a creature, unleashed magical energy rippling along a massive chunk of carved stone.

Destroying the manifestation of unleashed magic is difficult, since every broken chunk still possesses a fraction of untethered magical essence. These smaller chunks are often less powerful but mutable, spawning a myriad of new forms. Representative of these forms are the large scorpiolisk and smaller, humanoid arkanshard. It’s possible that recombining these smaller subforms could rebuild the obelisk, but only an intricate ritual can rebind the magical threads to restore the obelisk to its original form.

The awakened obelisk is part of a set, so using him with the upcoming scorpiolisk and arkanshard is a good idea. You could also change the lore and have an evil mage going around town, turning monuments into monsters.

If you enjoyed this monster, consider buying one of our bestselling books. Really, buy the books. We appreciate the support.

Rodney

www.risingphoenixgames.com/

General

Mad Goblin Gasers Join Your D&D Game

17 March 2023 Rodney Leave a comment

Goblins love mayhem. Add chemicals and things get even crazier, as these little misfits unlock the power of deadly gases. Dungeons & Dragons meets unhinged chemists riding bubble blimps with the latest addition to the Undersea Sourcebook. Bring on the goblin gaser!

The Undersea Sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 5e is a collection of player and GM options for running ocean-themed adventures. Subscribe for free weekly sea monsters and monthly encounters.

Two weeks ago we looked at the PIP, a friendly automaton powered by the arcane. Then we looked at the altered Atlanteans who built them. Next week, these guys and our gaser goblins feature in their own adventure, so be sure to subscribe and not miss out!

Gas, Gas, Gas!

Small metal canisters clatter to the floor around you, billowing green gas. Through the smoke a large bubble floats into view, a goblin grinning at you from within.

Goblin can be oddly resourceful, especially when causing mayhem. The first goblin gaser’s probably acquired a stock of alchemical reagents, and, in true goblin fashion, accidentally produced powerful mutagens. These mutagens gave the goblins an above-average intelligence (for goblins), which catapulted them down a path of further alchemical study.

What is now the Gassy Guts tribe were always known for their luck, a strange curse that made them a bane of the coastal towns within their territory. A stray arrow shot by a Gaser might ricochet off a shield to find its target, a trap’s mechanism might inadvertently throw a gaser out of the way of a falling blade, or a botched lockpicking attempt might detach the entire lock from the door. That’s everyday life for Gasers.

The increased intellect of the goblin gasers hasn’t increased their caution. Instead, they’re more likely to try bolder, deadlier schemes than their relatives. Other goblins might have shunned them if this was not the case, but instead they look up to the Gasers in awe. Who else could come up with such cunning plans?

Besides alchemy, Gasers have a special affinity for obscure clockwork devices, and this has motivated them to plunder old Atlantean depths in search of greater inventions to repurpose for their own maniacal needs.

Gaser goblin dive bubbles are all about limiting the party’s ability to do damage. If they can fly above the party, out of reach, then they’re absolutely lethal. So, consider how your players are equipped and give them interesting options to deal with the dive bubbles, like lightning arrows. A hit-and-run style encounter could be a good way to introduce the gasers and prepare the party for a full encounter. Have fun!

If you enjoy our monsters, consider buying one of our bestselling books. Really, buy the books. Buy the books! (Heavy breathing).

Rodney

www.risingphoenixgames.com/

General

This D&D Monster Rebuilt Its Own Brain!

10 March 2023 Rodney Leave a comment

Frankenstein’s monster got his from someone else, but the reconstituted Atlantean took out its own brain to become smarter. This Dungeons & Dragons monster is a psychic powerhouse that you can drop into your own D&D campaign.

The Undersea Sourcebook for Dungeons & Dragons 5e is a collection of player and GM options for running ocean-themed adventures. Subscribe for free weekly sea monsters and monthly encounters, right in your inbox.

Last week we looked at the PIP, a friendly automaton powered by the arcane. But who built it? The answer is ominous.

Remade By My Own Hand

Alien and predatory, this lanky creature towers above you on slimy green tendrils. A single large eye scrutinizes the world about, while its feathery green feelers radiate psychic energy.

When old Atlantis dropped into the sea, some Atlanteans fled, many died, but a lucky few survived. Their salvation proved to be their great inventions, complex machines powered by arcane energy. Some, however, turned instead to forbidden knowledge rather than artifacts. These insane few modified their bodies, recreating themselves in order to survive the cold ocean depths. They are the reconstituted Atlanteans, creatures with superpowered intellects bent on manipulating their flesh for constant improvement.

Reconstituted Atlanteans believe that they are the epitome of Atlantean society, the pinnacle of Atlantean potential that emerged from the disaster that destroyed Atlantis. There are far fewer of them than unmodified Atlanteans, though, and often they are driven out of Atlantean society by the saner majority. Some, however, have created great empires of Atlantean worshipers, or subdued other sea-nations and bent them to their will.

Reconstituted Atlanteans unlocked their latent psychic powers during their obscene experiments. Their psychic abilities generally lack finesse as of yet, though that makes them no less dangerous and their grasp of their power is likely to increase greatly. The Reconstitutes are, after all, stubborn and willing to go to great lengths for power. Anyone who doubts their resolve should remember that they once removed their own brains to unlock their fullest mental capabilities.

Okay, so, if the Retconned Atlanteans made, or at least used the PIPs, I think we have some idea where the next free adventure might take us. I’m imagining the PCs arrive at a sunken lab, deep within a sunken city. There they meet a PIP that leads them to its master, who’s looking for more brains to pick.

If you enjoyed this monster, consider buying one of our bestselling books.

Rodney

www.risingphoenixgames.com/

General

PIP, PIP, Hooray! A D&D Automaton

3 March 2023 Rodney Leave a comment

Meet the PIP, or Perambulatory Incantation Peon, a magical automaton for your Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Beep bop boop!

Last month we looked at mincies, sharken pirates, and the rainbow hags’ hair anemone. This week we thought your players might need a friend.

Beep, Beep, Boop!

The Perambulatory Incantation Peon, or PIP, looks like an iron spider. It has four tracked legs and a wand protruding like a nose from a socket below its bulbous glass eyes. It has a large metal tank for an abdomen that contains most of its working parts and its complex machine brain.

The first PIPs were built as helpful automatons by Atlantean mages, who later gave them arcane-fueled sentience. Since then, PIPs have been able to build more of their kind, even improving on their initial design. PIPs remain useful and friendly, and often seem childlike in their innocence. This illusion is only broken when the PIPs’ iron loyalty is tested, as they are fearsome defenders of their friends and masters.

Each PIP draws power from a wand that it carries in a specially designed socket. While PIPs are usually careful to never expend their wands, sometimes dire circumstances mean that they must. A PIP without a charged wand powers down until its wand regains charges again.

PIPs are versatile NPCs that you can use to help your party or the big bad guy. Because of their modes, they’re useful in many situations, but can easily be taken out of combat with a successful Dexterity check to yank their wand away. Put some thought into how you’ll use them and they’ll be a lot of fun.

Rodney

www.risingphoenixgames.com/

General

Pirate Sharks in D&D: Swim with Sharken

17 February 2023 Rodney Leave a comment

Remember Street Sharks? We did and we thought it would be fun to play (or battle against) as pirate sharks in our Dungeons & Dragons campaign.

via GIPHY

Last week we looked at a man-eating sea anemone, and this week I no longer need to remember how to spell anemone, because we have shark people!

Sharken — Pirate Sharks!

Violent, dim-witted mutants, sharken are humanoid sharks that terrorize the oceans.

Sharken have large mouths filled with razor sharp teeth, small dark eyes, and a large dorsal fin. Many of them decorate this fin with hooks, tattoos, and self-inflicted bullet holes. Sharken are powerfully built and violent. They are short-tempered, especially when they smell blood. Not known for their intelligence, they have instead earned a reputation as pirates, raiders, thugs, and bandits.

Sahuagin often ally with sharken, though sahuagin see themselves as superior to the shark-like creatures. They employ sharken as foot soldiers or guards, and most sizable sahuagin communities have sharken enclaves.

If you’re a subscriber, then we’ve got an extra special surprise coming; the sharken playable race! This includes four subraces, the bull sharken, great white, hammerhead, and whale sharken.

Waterlocked Firearms

Waterlocked firearms use special cartridges and loading mechanisms to keep water out of the firing chamber. Waterlocked weapons can be loaded and fired underwater, but waterlocked items are never compatible with normal firearms. The cost of waterlocked firearms and ammunition is at least double the listed price. Waterlocked firearms are rare in campaigns that have firearms, and might be unique in campaigns where firearms are not generally available.

Do you have a better name than sharken? We think it’s an okay name, but maybe you’ve got something that’ll really wow us. Drop it in the comments below and it might become the new name for shark people.

Rodney

www.risingphoenixgames.com/