30 Day OD&D Challenge - Eldritch Wizardry Monsters (Part Two) - Day Twenty-Four

Today's Topic is "Eldritch Wizardry Monsters - Part Two" as we continue our celebration of International Original Dungeons and Dragons Month! Today we will look at Couatl, Ki-Rin, and Shedu.

If you are fans of psionics, then these creatures are mainstays. Eldritch Wizardry has this to say:

COUATL These winged, feathered serpents are rarely found anywhere except in warm, junglelike regions or flying through the ether. Due to their exceptional intelligence and powers they are regarded with awe by the inhabitants of their homelands. and they are regarded as divine. Couatl rarely interfere in human affairs. Magic resistance of these creatures is standard. They are able to polymorph themselves and they use magic - as a 5th Level magic-user and/or 7th level cleric. They are psionically aware and have from 9 to 16 clerical abilities with commensurate attack and defense modes. Psychic potential is 60 to 110. Couatl speak several human languages and most serpent and avian languages as well. They are lawful by alignment, with neutral behavior tendencies.

Oddly they are very slow on the ground (6") and fly at (18"), they have simple one bite/constriction attack modes. Of course as I indicated in the previous post I struck the psionic abilities. One to four appear at a time. I do not remember ever using this monster.

KI-RIN The hooves of the Ki-Rin rarely touch the surface of the earth, for this aerial creature prefers to dwell amongst the clouds, and it is there that he makes his solitary lair. At times they travel astrally or ethereally. Ki-Rin are of the highest intelligence and completely lawful (and good). A Ki-Rin somewhat resembles a cloudy horse. Although they are aloof from human affairs, they will sometimes intervene if properly abjured. They are resistant to all magic under the 12th level, and 90% resistant to magic above that level. Ki-Rin are able to use magic as an 18th level magic-user and all psionic abilities of the magic-user kind. In addition they have powers equal to a double strength djinn, and all magic involving air and things of the sky is of twice normal strength. Their psychic potential ranges from 110 to 180. The Ki-Rin are able to converse with almost any other creature.

They are very fast moving at 24" on the ground and 48" through the air. They have two hoof attacks and AC of -5 which makes them extremely difficult to attack. They are the only non-demon up to this point in OD&D that is given a negative AC. (7 steps better than AC 2) They only appear one at a time, which is odd for a horse type creature. We struck the psionic abilities. I did not use them either, although if I had used demons I would have used this as their mortal enemies and have tweaked it a little for that purpose. As noted they are the universal translators of the monster kingdom.

SHEDU: Shedu are somewhat similar in appearance to lammasu, being human-headed winged creatures with bull-like bodies. They are quite intelligent, and like their cousins are basically lawful (and good). Also like their cousins the lammasu, shedu watch over and protect those of mankind who serve law. Although they are not magical, shedu are highly psionic and are able to the psionic abilities of clerical nature, with attack and defense modes. Psychic potential varies from 55 to 90. They speak all human tongues but prefer to communicate telepathically. They can travel ethereally or astrally.

They appear in groups of two to eight and move at 12" on the ground and 24" when flying. They have two hoof attacks and again we struck the psionic abilities. I did not use these either, although if I had I would have made the "watch over and protect those of mankind who serve law" a focus on watching over primarily Paladins and secondarily Clerics. The other thing I would have done is make them users of Clerical Magic.

Looking these over again, makes me want to use them in a campaign, so that may happen in the future. 

Tomorrow I will look at Intellect Devourers, Su-Monsters and Brain Moles.