What makes a monster cool? Is it the cold and boring mathematical stats it possesses OR is it the vibrant, energetic, highly descriptive and exciting back story of the monster themselves? Of course it is the back story! One of the toughest things about making a good monster is making and creating an interesting and exciting back story. Drow Elves have interesting stats but it is their back story that makes this interesting, the same way that a Beholder, Mind Flayers, Githyanki, Yuan Ti and other memorable monsters are.

So LPJ Design has decided to do is created a project/contest called Monsters by Design. In this contest, LPJ Design will supply contestants with three (3) different stat blocks of monsters to use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. The contestants of the Monsters by Design Project/Contest will create the cool and interesting parts like appearance, back story, combat tactics better known as “The Fluff” for these stat blocks. Anyone is eligible to submit an idea for the Monsters by Design Project/Contest. The fans of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game will be able to vote direct in the forum thread at Paizo.com to determine the top three winners of the Monsters by Design Project/Contest.

The top three winners will have their monsters re-created with a professional layout and profession artwork and best of all LPJ Design will be paying you for winning this contest. (Not a lot of money. I remind you, we still are a small 3rd party publisher). This in turn makes the winners all officially professional published RPG Game Designers!!! If you have every wanted to be a professional RPG writer, well know is your chance!!!

Best of all, the winning three monsters will be able for sale exclusively at Paizo.com. The winning three monsters will be 100% Open Content and anyone can use in their home games or even professional products! Don’t miss the opportunity to live out your dream as a professional RPG writer.

The official start date and deadline is coming soon. Stay tuned in to this form post. Talk to you later…

Louis Porter Jr.
Louis Porter Jr. Design
www.lpjdesign.com

Sounds very cool.

I am in this thing. Just let me know when and where.

I am working on the three monster right now. Don't worry, this is going to be very interesting.

I am in this thing. Just let me know when and where.

Are we nearing an announcement? I think this sounds like fun!

Are we nearing an announcement? I think this sounds like fun!

OK HERE IT IS!!!!! This is the official start of the Monster by Design Project / Contest!! This contest will run Monday, November 9th at 5pm EST until November 30th at 5pm EST. We will not accept submissions after the end date. All submission must be placed it this messageboard forum. The "fluff" submission text should be at least 1,000 words in length but no more than 2,500 words. Don't write less or more than the stated amount or you will be eliminated from the contest. You can submit as mant times as you like to any of the three monsters. Good Luck!

MONSTER #1 -- CR 7
XP 3,200
N Huge magical beast
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +16

Defense
AC 20, touch 9, flat-footed 19 (+1 Dex, +11 natural, –2 size)
hp 94 (9d10+45)
Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +4
Immune fire, cold

Offense
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.
Melee bite +13 (3d6+9 plus grab)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks heat, swallow whole (2d6+9 plus 8d6 fire, AC 15, hp 9)

Statistics
Str 22, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +9; CMB +17 (+21 grapple); CMD 28 (can't be tripped)
Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Perception +16

Ecology
Environment cold deserts and glaciers
Organization solitary
Treasure none
Special Abilities

Heat (Su) Monster #1 generates heat doing 8d6 points of fire damage.

MONSTER #2 -- CR 6
XP 2,400
N Large magical beast
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +11

Defense
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 73 (7d10+35)
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +5

Offense
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.
Melee bite +10 (1d6+4), 4 claws +10 (1d4+4 plus rend)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks rend (4 claws, 1d4+6)

Statistics
Str 19, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7
Base Atk +7; CMB +14; CMD 27
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness
Skills Climb +14, Perception +11, Stealth +5

Ecology
Environment warm forests
Organization solitary or company (5–8)
Treasure none 

MONSTER #3 -- CR 1
XP 400
CE Medium humanoid
Init –1; Senses darkvision 90 ft.; Perception +0
Aura stench (30 ft., DC 13, 10 rounds)

Defense
AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15 (–1 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 13 (2d8+4)
Fort +7, Ref –1, Will +0

Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee club +2 (1d6+1), claw –3 (1d4), bite –3 (1d4) or2 claws +2 (1d4+1), bite +2 (1d4+1)
Ranged javelin +0 (1d6)

Statistics
Str 12, Dex 9, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 11
Feats Great Fortitude
Skills Stealth +5 (+9 in rocky areas); Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth (+8 in rocky areas)

Ecology
Environment any underground
Organization solitary, pair, clutch (3–6), squad (7–12 plus 1 cleric or druid of 3rd level and 1–2 leader), or band (20–80 plus 20% noncombatants,1 chieftain of 3rd–6th level, 1–3 clerics or druids of 3rd–6th level, and 3–13 leaders)
Treasure NPC gear

It has been somewhat quiet with the entries with this contest, so I hope someone out there isn't missing their chance to become the next RPG superstar. If you want to be a RPG writer or developer, now is the time to show your skills. Good Luck!

Where are the submissions to be sent?

Where are the submissions to be sent?

Oh...didn't see this. Very interesting. Is there a specific formate for monster background?

Oh...didn't see this. Very interesting. Is there a specific formate for monster background?

Zombieneighbours wrote:

Oh...didn't see this. Very interesting. Is there a specific formate for monster background?

Just what you have seen in the Beasitary or any other monster based product.

In this contest, LPJ Design will supply contestants with three (3) different stat blocks of monsters to use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. The contestants of the Monsters by Design Project/Contest will create the cool and interesting parts like appearance, back story, combat tactics better known as “The Fluff” for these stat blocks.

LMPjr007 wrote:

In this contest, LPJ Design will supply contestants with three (3) different stat blocks of monsters to use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. The contestants of the Monsters by Design Project/Contest will create the cool and interesting parts like appearance, back story, combat tactics better known as “The Fluff” for these stat blocks.

So are we to assume that the fluff should be integrated into the official Pathfinder Chronicles setting? Or can it/should it be more generic?

OK, I will set the bar with my first effort. I challenge anyone who wants to win this contest to best me.

Northling

The creature appears human-or nearly so.

Were they merely vile and distant, Northlings would hardly concern the civilized races; but they were endowed by their maker with middling intelligence, an insatiable lust to expand their territory, and an undying hatred for their fair humanoid brethren-indeed, for all that is fair, organized, and decent.

It is said that the original stock from which the gods forged man-man, with his curiosity, ambition, indomitable spirit, and capacity for good-despite its impurities, was the rarest precious metal. The dross from the making was discarded but not destroyed, as the gods believed. The Trickster stole it and plunged it deep into the bowels of the earth, below a mountain fastness in the wild northern wastes. There, when his brothers’ eyes were turned away, he used it to fashion a race of unalloyed evil, unrivaled in wickedness, abounding in all that is base and abominable in man, a cruel mockery of its fair cousins.
Northlings bear the stamp of their hateful origin, and of The Trickster’s essay at an art beyond his ken and ambit: they may pass for human, if observed from a distance or heavily clothed, but they are always in some way misshapen or cheated of fair proportion. A nose might be set too high; a face might be horribly tiny and pinched; limbs might be just long enough to horrify.

Society

Northlings build sprawling warren cities in the mountainous, boreal north, distant from the lands of the civilized races. In these thick-aired, filth-ridden cave and tunnel complexes, which communicate in places with the upper levels of the Underdark, Northlings live in loose, extended family groups, in which incest is common. Social organization is fluid, and it contours derive largely from the presence of powerful headmen who can muster enough allies to delineate them by imposing their will upon others. Within their foul homes, Northlings practice what the civilized races would recognize as the common activities of sentient races everywhere: the arts of making, the trading of goods and services, the exploration of their world, the propagation of their kind and the rearing of young. They spend a great deal of time burrowing, either with their clawlike hands or with rude implements, to expand their domains. Northlings commonly enslave one another and any other sentients they can dominate to aid in their efforts, and they may in time push southward into human lands or delve deep enough to release Underdark horrors upon an unsuspecting surface populace.

The rudiments of religious worship exist among Northlings in the form of vile rituals honoring their earth, The Trickster, who fashioned them from refuse, and a host of lesser, wretched deities. Those among the Northlings who derive unholy power from their realm, or from the gods, are both feared and venerated above others.

Northlings venture above ground only occasionally, to run and fight or bring down large game with their crude implements of war. From time to time, when their burrowing brings them into contact with foreign groups of their own kind, or with denizens from the realms below, they make war. Northlings typically subsist on roots and root vegetables, fungi, and rodents, as well as snakes, snails, worms, and insects. It is said also that Northlings are masters of underground waterways, constructing watercraft which are well-suited to navigating subterranean rivers and capable of bearing them far in their quest for sightless fish and albino frogs, which they prize as delicacies. Northlings are not loathe to resort to cannibalism, even if they have other, less hideous options.

Combat

Northlings vary in their martial sophistication: there are those who wield javelins with a modicum of skill (about 10%), those who use tools of brute force (about 30-40% of encountered), and those who attack with their clawlike hands and filthy, jagged teeth. Their assaults are typically unsubtle, but not inconsiderable. Although they attain acertain acumen in moving about their rocky homes quickly and quietly, Northlings don’t typically exercise the discipline or restraint needed to put their skills to good use against their enemies. They rarely employ any sort of strategy more complex than waiting for their javelin-wielders to attack from a distance before they setting upon their mark, relying on their ferocity, their olfactory assaults, their bloodcurdling screams, and their sheer numbers to overwhelm their victims. Larger groups encountered may be led into battle by a charismatic religious leader, either a cleric or a druid.

Although their own crafters are primitive by human standards, encountered Northlings occasionally wield masterwork weapons, or even items of great power; these are perhaps recovered by chance, stolen, or seized by force from unfortunate Underdark denizens or explorers from human lands. A Northling who gains possession of such power can unite factions and rally a large number of followers to his cause, enforcing his will through intimidation and violence. Should such an assemblage near the southern limits of the boreal wastes prepare an organized assault on human lands, the consequences could be dire.

Northlings’ hide, another gift from their progenitor, is remarkably tough and horny, providing them with impressive natural defenses and serving as insulation against the cold of their northern realms. Some Northlings wear filthy furs or skins out of habit, or as ostentation, but they rarely need them to withstand the cold and do not object to going about unclothed. They rarely wear armor, even in combat.

Stench (ex): Northlings never wash, and always reek of foul meat; thrice a day, however, they can emit a particularly horrid stench as a free action. The Stench is said to resemble that of rancid butter, but most creatures with a sense of smell find it much more difficult to stomach: living creatures within 30 feet of a Northling emitting the stench must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or be sickened for 10 rounds. The save DC is constitution-based. Creatures that successfully save cannot be affected by the same Northling’s stench for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from the sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on saving throws. Inured as they are to living in stink and squalor, and endowed by their maker with great constitutional resistance to disease and poison, Northlings themselves are never affected by Northling Stench.

I am working. You'll see my submissions next week. I will certainly not be perusing this thread while I work on them now that i know the submissions will be here (I had intended to email mine).

See you all soon!

Only 15 days left! Don't miss out on your chance to win!!!

Less than two weeks left in this contest and one ONE submission so far. Looks like someone is going to get a free publishing credit from LPJ Design and become a published game writer. Are you going to miss your chance to be a published game writer?

Less than two weeks left in this contest and one ONE submission so far. Looks like someone is going to get a free publishing credit from LPJ Design and become a published game writer. Are you going to miss your chance to be a published game writer?

(I doubt there'll be one from me, but maybe if I can find some extra time laying around.)

My entries:

The Heatsink Horror

XP 3,200
N Huge magical beast
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +16
Defense
AC 20, touch 9, flat-footed 19 (+1 Dex, +11 natural, –2 size)
hp 94 (9d10+45)
Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +4
Immune fire, cold
Offense
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.
Melee bite +13 (3d6+9 plus grab)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks heat, swallow whole (2d6+9 plus 8d6 fire, AC 15, hp 9)
Statistics
Str 22, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +9; CMB +17 (+21 grapple); CMD 28 (can't be tripped)
Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Perception +16
Ecology
Environment cold deserts and glaciers
Organization solitary
Treasure none
Special Abilities
Heat (Su) Monster #1 generates heat doing 8d6 points of fire damage.

To your horror, the ground before you begins to ripple and melt, as a monstrous grey form emerges from the land below. Its smooth armored head, terrible groping arms, and gigantic mouth are followed by a series of worm-like segments, each covered with chitinous plates. It screams its unearthly cry and targets the nearest party member holding a torch or flaming weapon.

Bred to be a territorial guardian by a community of dark elves living near the surface of the tundra, the beast known as the Heatsink Horror relentlessly stalks its prey through the cold wastes and glacial regions, burrowing through the ground by melting a clear tunnel around itself. The Heatsink Horror follows its target by sensing its body heat, and attacks the warmest target first with its grappling arms and terrible bite attack. Whatever touches the Heatsink Horror finds itself quickly losing internal warmth through an amazingly efficient drain. The rapidity of the drain leaves terrible burns, just as if the target had been damaged with fire. In combat, the horror will attack the warmest target first and keep draining the heat from the target until slain or it has swallowed its opponent, at which point it retreats into the ground. It has been known to stalk a group of adventurers for miles, picking them off one at a time as its hunger grows.

Ruinwatch Stalker

XP 2,400
N Large magical beast
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +11
Defense
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 73 (7d10+35)
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +5
Offense
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.
Melee bite +10 (1d6+4), 4 claws +10 (1d4+4 plus rend)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks rend (4 claws, 1d4+6)
Statistics
Str 19, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7
Base Atk +7; CMB +14; CMD 27
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness
Skills Climb +14, Perception +11, Stealth +5
Ecology
Environment warm forests
Organization solitary or company (5–8)
Treasure none

With absolutely no warning, a grim, black figure leaps from the trees above and onto the middle of the party! A quick glance shows a beast with a tiger-like head, but an extra set of legs on its bear-like body, which allows it to quickly stand on two legs and claw into a target, rending them with the two sets of claws not touching the ground, while biting the target. Horrifically, rather than roaring or screeching as most jungle beasts, it simply purrs in satisfaction as it tears into you, its yellow eyes filled with pleasure at the feeling of your warm blood on its claws and tongue…

The Ruinwatch Stalker began as yet another experiment by the same ancient cabal of mages that created such renowned beasts as the Owlbear. Unfortunately, the breeding of two predators into one super-predator created a beast that worked against the mage’s usual strategies for controlling its beasts. Within days, the beasts escaped their enclosures after they slew the guards and mages with ambush tactics, while retreating out of reach of spells and missiles with their superior climbing abilities. Today, the beasts stalk the forested regions of the world near the ruins of their creator’s civilization, devouring the prey that they have become accustomed to… sentient races. In combat, the beast always strikes from ambush, attempting to scatter its prey and devour the weakest of the group. It seems to enjoy the fearful reaction of its prey, and will maximize the terror for its own amusement, purring loudly as it rends men limb from limb.

Sulfurborn

XP 400
CE Medium humanoid
Init –1; Senses darkvision 90 ft.; Perception +0
Aura stench (30 ft., DC 13, 10 rounds)
Defense
AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15 (–1 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 13 (2d8+4)
Fort +7, Ref –1, Will +0
Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee club +2 (1d6+1), claw –3 (1d4), bite –3 (1d4) or2 claws +2 (1d4+1), bite +2 (1d4+1)
Ranged javelin +0 (1d6)
Statistics
Str 12, Dex 9, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 11
Feats Great Fortitude
Skills Stealth +5 (+9 in rocky areas); Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth (+8 in rocky areas)
Ecology
Environment any underground
Organization solitary, pair, clutch (3–6), squad (7–12 plus 1 cleric or druid of 3rd level and 1–2 leader), or band (20–80 plus 20% noncombatants,1 chieftain of 3rd–6th level, 1–3 clerics or druids of 3rd–6th level, and 3–13 leaders)
Treasure NPC gear

You senses are nearly overwhelmed by the terrible stench of sulfur as you go through the deep tunnel ahead… before the hail of javelins land at your feet. Hidden among the rocks are shadowy, man-shaped figures, the same color as their underground home, their eyes gleaming the color of lava as they begin to strike.

Centuries ago, a small mountain tribe were taken by a series of Skum warriors for their Aboleth masters. The tribe was bred and used as slave labor by the horrid masters of the netherworld, as their treatments begin to manipulate the very bodies of these newfound slaves. Surprisingly, even these treatments did not break the tribe, who managed to escape the holding cells of the Aboleth and into the tunnels. The treatment of the aboleth had altered the tribes, however… their interrupted mutations continued to develop unchecked, transforming them. Like the troglodytes before them, they began to develop a terrific stench, which enabled them to successfully hunt the eyeless beasts of the dark reaches of the world somewhat better. Soon, this once-human tribe began to breed true and the sulfurborn were created.

I'm gonna play the opposite game.

Below is my guess on what critters these stats were pulled from.

I'm gonna play the opposite game.

Below is my guess on what critters these stats were pulled from.
** spoiler omitted **

Stat-block 2; the Fer-ala, or 'Praying Panther.'
A rustling in the forest canopy, accompanied by a sound like hatchets striking wood is your first warning of danger, as a hissing creature made of equal parts tiger, praying mantis and terror leaps down upon you.

Stat block 1; the Stenskarr
An enormous worm, bristling with a thousand tiny twitching metallic spines that glow white-hot, launches forward in a burst of steam from the glacial wall before you, scissoring open its many gleaming scythe-bladed mandibles and lunges towards you.

Stat block 3; the Hurulu
This hulking humanoid looks like a deformed ape, and its misshapen flesh is studded with lumps of metal that appear to have been branded and burned into the tissue, like some sort of horrible armor. It rattles a six foot javelin of glistening steel at you, before hurling its weapon and charging with a howl.

The material the stats are pulled from are pretty easy to deduce. The fun part is assigning a whole new monster to roughly the same abilities.

Adam - I really missed hanging out with you guys at Gen COn this year. May I never miss another. : }

The material the stats are pulled from are pretty easy to deduce. The fun part is assigning a whole new monster to roughly the same abilities.

Stinkman -- CR 1
XP 400
CE Medium humanoid
Init –1; Senses darkvision 90 ft.; Perception +0
Aura stench (30 ft., DC 13, 10 rounds)

Defense
AC 15, touch 9, flat-footed 15 (–1 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 13 (2d8+4)
Fort +7, Ref –1, Will +0

Offense
Speed 30 ft.
Melee club +2 (1d6+1), claw –3 (1d4), bite –3 (1d4) or2 claws +2 (1d4+1), bite +2 (1d4+1)
Ranged javelin +0 (1d6)

Statistics
Str 12, Dex 9, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 11, Cha 11
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 11
Feats Great Fortitude
Skills Stealth +5 (+9 in rocky areas); Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth (+8 in rocky areas)

Ecology
Environment any underground
Organization solitary, pair, clutch (3–6), squad (7–12 plus 1 cleric or druid of 3rd level and 1–2 leader), or band (20–80 plus 20% noncombatants,1 chieftain of 3rd–6th level, 1–3 clerics or druids of 3rd–6th level, and 3–13 leaders)
Treasure NPC gear
___________________________________________________________________
Stench (Ex) Stinkmen release a powerful pheromone that offends nearly every creature that can smell it. The odor comes from thick oils secreted by the creature’s front carapace, so by lying in wait, the odor subsides after several minutes, then resumes when they stand again to fight. Creatures within 30 feet of an active stinkman must succeed at a Fortitude save or be sickened. The stench has no affect onc reatures that have no olfactory sense or are immune to poison.
Skills In rocky areas, stinkmen are easily mistaken for rock formations, boulders, or escarpments. They gain a +4 racial bonus to Stealth checks when in rocky terrain and not moving.

As you survey the crowded escarpment, a number of large boulders appear to lift themselves up on four legs. An awful odor erupts from your assailants as strange bug-men, each with a wooden club and a stony carapace advance on your party.

Stinkmen are an unusual race of humanoids native to mountains and wooded foothills. They are a cruel, primitive race, relying on local terrain and their natural camouflage to aid them in hunting. Among their neighbors, they are known for savage violence and for the powerful odor that signals their presence.
Stinkmen stand 4-5 feet tall when walking on their back four legs, and weigh about 180 pounds. They are armored by a thick carapace that strongly resembles jagged gray stone on the back, and a red-brown exoskeleton on their underside.
Stinkmen speak their own, simple language, which consists of a combination of pheromone releases and rapid clicks.

Combat
Stinkmen attack with wood or stone clubs, or with their natural weapons. If they attack with a melee weapon, they treat their natural weapons as secondary attacks.

Stinkmen characters
Stinkmen with class levels are the leaders of their kind. Stinkmen are not religious people, but they do occasionally manifest powers related to nature and the elements. Stinkmen may choose druid or barbarian for their favored class.

Stiltworm -- CR 6
XP 2,400
N Large magical beast
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +11

Defense
AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+3 Dex, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 73 (7d10+35)
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +5

Offense
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft.
Melee bite +10 (1d6+4), 4 claws +10 (1d4+4 plus rend)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks rend (4 claws, 1d4+6)

Statistics
Str 19, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 7
Base Atk +7; CMB +14; CMD 27
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness
Skills Climb +14, Perception +11, Stealth +5

Ecology
Environment warm forests
Organization solitary or company (5–8)
Treasure none
_______________________________________________________________________
Rend (Ex) If the stiltworm hits a flat-tooted creature with its bite attack, it automatically hits with its four claws for 1d4+6 damage each. These automatic attacks occur even during a surprise round, so long as the creature surprises its prey and does not move in addition to attacking.
Tree Stride (Sp) Once per day, a stiltworm can enter one Large or larger plant and exit another within one mile per hit die. This effect is otherwise identical to the tree stride spell. Stiltworms usually do this to flee a tough fight or to separate once their mating season is over.

The bizarre beast ahead of you resembles a giant, furred larva with long, stilted legs that could easily pass for bamboo timber if it held still. Wicked barbs reach up from the thing’s legs, threatening to skewer anyone on the ground as it walks by.

Also called yu qiau in oriental cultures, the deadly stiltworm is a cunning predator disguised as a copse of bamboo trees or even a pile of deadfall. The tree-like legs of the monster connect to a central maw and a tuberous lower body.
Stiltworms grow additional legs as they age, becoming more convincing in their camouflage and more dangerous to their neighbors (though they do not possess the faculties to coordinate more than four claw attacks regardless of increased size or extra legs). An adult yu qiau is eight feet long and weighs 400 pounds.

Combat
Stiltworms commonly lie in wait until a suitable morsel comes within range of its bite attack. It’s claws point from the ground up to facilitate easy shredding of its prey once the creature surprises its prey.

Justification

Purusha wyrm -- CR 7
XP 3,200
N Huge magical beast
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +16

Defense
AC 20, touch 9, flat-footed 19 (+1 Dex, +11 natural, –2 size)
hp 94 (9d10+45)
Fort +11, Ref +7, Will +4
Immune fire, cold

Offense
Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft.
Melee bite +13 (3d6+9 plus grab)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks heat, swallow whole (2d6+9 plus 8d6 fire, AC 15, hp 9)

Statistics
Str 22, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +9; CMB +17 (+21 grapple); CMD 28 (can't be tripped)
Feats Awesome Blow, Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Perception +16

Ecology
Environment cold deserts and glaciers
Organization solitary
Treasure none
____________________________________________________________________
Swallow Whole (Ex) When a Purusha wyrm bull rushes a target, it opens its mouth for a single bite attack. If the bite attack hits and the bull rush attempt is a success, the monster swallows its prey whole and deals normal bite damage. If the bull rush is successful, but the bite attack misses, the target is moved normally. A swallowed creature can attempt to cut its way out of the wyrm by dealing 9 points of damage with a light piercing or slashing weapon. The monster’s gizzard is AC 15.
Heat (Su) Despite being an arctic creature, the Purusha wyrm produces an incredible amount of internal heat. Creatures trapped inside the beast take 8d6 points of fire damage per round at the start of their turn.

A shower of steam and shattered ice explodes from the ground to reveal a magnificent beast. A glowing orange hide bears the black stains of scorched stone. A bizarre head features several manlike faces, all of which share a single, enormous mouth. The creature has hundreds of small clawed legs, which burn with intense heat. Ice from the glacier you stand on melts instantly and drains away to fill the hole created by the monster’s sudden arrival.

The formidable Purusha wyrm is an ancient beast, said to be born from the corpse of a godlike titan at the creation of the world. The chill of divine death mixed with the fires of creation to birth many of these dangerous predators.
Purusha wyrms are often the subject of organized tribal hunts in cold climates. When feeding or defending itself, the monster attacks with a disturbing maw that features an interior human jaw with tremendous strength. Often this jaw penetrates one creature to attack another behind it. When moving, a Purusha wyrm often burrows into the frozen ground, replacing the stone and ice behind it with a rapidly cooling blend of the ground it digs through. The trail behind a Purusha wyrm is often marked with scorched and flash-frozen remains, and sometimes colored glass that carries a high trade value among tundra tribes.
It is unkown how many such creature were spawned from the many-legged, many-headed body of the primordial ice god, but most of the wyrms encountered are about 30 feet long and weigh up to 25,000 pounds. Burrowing for the creature is accomplished by eating through rocks and ice and superheating the material until it is expelled at the wyrm’s tail end.

Combat
Purusha wyrms are aggressive and merciless hunters. They can lie in wait for hours waiting to ambush surface prey, or they can follow their quarry dozens of feet below the ground, bursting through the ice and stone to abduct a meal and then retreat to the ground below where it can finish eating undisturbed.

Great Purusha Titan CR 15
Tribal wisemen tell of truly magnificent wyrms that consume whole countrysides and threaten to reshape entire glaciers with their burrowing. Such a beast has never been verified by more objective sources, but legends tell of at least one Purusha wyrm more than fifty feet long.

This exercise was a lot of fun. I invite critiques or questions, assuming that's ok with our host.

On to more monster building!

Just a heads up, there is only ONE WEEK LEFT!!!!! Don't miss out on this excellent chance to be a published RPG writer!!!!

This exercise was a lot of fun. I invite critiques or questions, assuming that's ok with our host.

On to more monster building!

The "fluff" submission text should be at least 1,000 words in length but no more than 2,500 words. Don't write less or more than the stated amount or you will be eliminated from the contest. You can submit as mant times as you like to any of the three monsters. Good Luck!

HA! I totally missed that! And it completely is the opposite of the usual rules!

Well,what do you think, Mr. Porter? Can I resubmit within the correct word limit, or do I need to submit brand new monsters?

HA! I totally missed that! And it completely is the opposite of the usual rules!

Well,what do you think, Mr. Porter? Can I resubmit within the correct word limit, or do I need to submit brand new monsters?

Steven T. Helt wrote:

This exercise was a lot of fun. I invite critiques or questions, assuming that's ok with our host.

On to more monster building!

Since no one else has mentioned it to you, I will: All of your entries are below the 1000 word entry minimum. Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you are working on more entries, you will want to note:

LMPjr007 wrote:

The "fluff" submission text should be at least 1,000 words in length but no more than 2,500 words. Don't write less or more than the stated amount or you will be eliminated from the contest. You can submit as mant times as you like to any of the three monsters. Good Luck!