Monsters
NPCs
Most sentient creatures are NPCs - creatures that follow the same rules that players do during combat. They take two actions per round, make Tests, and generally behave like normal characters.
When running NPCs, be aware of the dangers of action economy! Numbers make all the difference in a fight.
NPC Stats
This is an example NPC stat block: Skurling Fire-Belcher (Normal). Quick: Hard, Grit: Easy. HP 10, Armor 1, Speed 15. Strengths: Immune to fire. Weaknesses: Challenge becomes Simple when doused with water. Weapons: Fiery seed-pod (TN 13, normal, D8 fire in 1 meter burst, 15 meter range), sharpened root (TN 11, fast, D6 stabbing). Personality: Chitters non-stop in a nonsense language. Entranced by any fire bigger than a bonfire. Enjoys things that smell good when burned. Carrying: D6 fire-seeds, charred stinkroot. A forest sprite made up of vines studded with smoldering seeds. Common where forest fires have crossed over from the Lower World.
Challenge
Enemies have a Challenge - a Difficulty applied to all tests affecting the enemy. Certain tests may have a separate Difficulty
The Skurling Fire-Belcher is fast and weak, so Quick tests targeting it are Hard, while Grit tests are Easy.
For any target that is not defined in the stat block, roll against 10 - Challenge (i.e. reverse the Difficulty so a higher Challenge results in a higher Target Number). Adjust the TN up or down by 2 if the creature would be particularly skilled or inept at the roll.
If the Skurling Fire-Belcher needs to test Wits, it would roll against a Target Number of 9. If it needed to test Quick, it would roll against an 11 (due to its quickness), and a 7 if a Grit test was required. If it attacks with its fiery seed-pod, it rolls against a Target Number of 13.
HP, Armor, Speed
These function identically to players. If an NPC is reduced to 0 HP, they are defeated unless they have Wounds listed.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Most creatures have some strengths and weaknesses that make encountering them interesting. GMs are encouraged to emphasize these traits, particularly to players attempting to gain an advantage during combat.
If a player wants to check for pre-existing knowledge, a skill might be used (Woodcraft, Cultures, Science, Astrology, etc). A successful roll might reveal a single piece of information about a creature.
Weapons and Spells
These are used as they would be with players. The NPC must make the listed Test to hit and has the same options and limitations that a player would.
Attack Styles
A NPC may use an Attack Style by rolling with disadvantage. This is negated by certain weapon modifiers.
Personality
These are suggestions for the GM how an NPC might behave. They are not universal truths.
Carrying
What interesting things a player might find on the person of one of these creatures, be it by trade, theft, or murder.
Monsters
Certain horrifying creatures - monsters - are fierce and deadly and use a different procedure during combat.
Instead of rolling Tests and taking actions as players do, monsters roll their Monster Actions randomly. These actions do not require a roll to hit, though some may be dodged or parried.
Threat and Monster Actions
Monsters have Threat - the number of Monster Actions that they take during a round. At the beginning of the round, for each Threat, roll on the monster's Monster Actions table. The monster will take that action during its listed phase. You may choose the Monster Actions if you prefer, but note that they intentionally vary in power.
For each Monster Action, a monster may instead choose to move its Speed or Defend during any phase.
Monster Stats
This is an example monster stat block:
Tentacled Quigling (Hard). Threat: 3. Quick: Easy, Wits: Simple, Grit: Daunting. HP 35, Armor 3, Speed 10. Strengths: Can breathe underwater, leap its Speed vertically. Its tentacles are very sticky. Weaknesses: Endlessly hungry, vulnerable to fire. Personality: Communicates only with a bone-shaking, belching croak. Looks for the largest edible thing and tries to eat it. Prefers insects and slimes. Carrying: A barrel's worth of quigling adhesive, D100 ((coins)) deep within its belly An enormous frog-like creature with four massive tentacles extending from its back.
Monster Attacks Fast 1 - Sticky Tongue 2 - Deafening Croak Normal 3 - Crushing Tentacles 4 - Thundering Leap Slow 5 - Swallow Whole 6 - Tentacle Rampage
Banana Slug