Bestiary

Root Goblin
4 HP, 8 STR, 14 DEX, 8 WIL, spear (d6)

• Avoid combat unless they have the advantage (such as greater numbers).
• Guard their stolen goods to the death.
• Prize Spellbooks; willing to trade.

Hooded Men
12 HP, 9 STR, 12 DEX, 14 WIL, leystaff (d8), a Spellbook (Choose one: Charm, Hypnotize, Push/Pull, Shield)

• The Watchers of the Wood; a cult that derive their power from leylines, rune stones, and the like.
• Critical damage: leech a part of the victim's soul (1d4 WIL damage).

Cobblehounds
12 HP, 2 Armor, 14 STR, 1 DEX, 8 WIL, bite (d10)

• Immobile constructs typically used as guardians to great tombs or artifacts.
• Unaffected by mundane persuasion techniques - but do love a good bone.

Wood Troll
12 HP, 15 STR, 12 DEX, 7 WIL, claws and bite (d8+d8 blast)

• As an action, can recover lost HP.
• Critical damage: moss and twigs begin growing out of target's wounds.

Frost Elf
14 HP, 1 Armor, 8 STR, 13 DEX, 14 WIL, icicle dagger (d6), a Spellbook (Choose one: Sleep, Teleport, Detect Magic)

• Beautiful, amoral, and long-lived.
• Resistant to most forms of magic.

Boggart
3 HP, 4 STR, 17 DEX, 13 WIL

• A wild, hairy trickster that takes pleasure in being a minor nuisance.
• Prizes relics and shiny trinkets above all else but unwilling to trade for coin.
• Boggarts have names that describe their true nature. Knowing their true name allows one to control a Boggart.

Creating Monsters

Use the following template to model any more sophisticated Monster or NPC: Name X HP, X Armor, X STR, X DEX, X WIL, Weapon (dX, special items, qualities)

• Engaging descriptor of appearance or demeanor
• Quirk, tactic, or peculiarity making this NPC unique
• Special effect or critical damage consequence

General Principles
Ability Scores: 3 is deficient, 6 is weak, 10 is average, 14 is noteworthy, and 18 is legendary. Adjust as necessary.

• Give average creatures 3 HP, give hardy ones 6 HP, and serious threats get 10+ HP.
• Use flavor and style to help them stand out. Players will remember a pig-faced humanoid looking for his missing sheep more easily than a generic goblin archer.
• Use critical damage to lean into the threat or strangeness of any aggressive NPC.
• Remember that HP is Hit Protection , not Hit Points. It's a measure of resilience, luck, and gumption - not health.

Converting from OSR Games

• Give 1 HP per HD for most creatures.
• Most humanoids have at least 4HP.
• Morale can also be used as a baseline.

Some pointers:

• Is it good at avoiding a hit? Give it HP.
• Does it soak up damage? Give it Armor.
• Is it strong? Give it a high STR.
• Is it nimble? Give it high DEX.
• Is it charismatic? Give it high WIL.

Damage die are roughly the same, though armed attacks do at least 1d6 damage.